the LAST day of 2012

 What would a holiday be without a little work? We were given a bookshelf that fit right on top of our empty linen cupboards...so we anchored it to the wall and will paint it soon!  It's already full and our garage has an emptier corner now where all our books once sat.  :)  HAPPY DAYS!

More playtime!

We popped a balloon on the hour-the kids loved it!

Uncle Jake made a cameo and so we had a family dinner of Smash Burger & homemade banana cream pie.  YUM!

 2012 was a difficult year for our family so we were more than happy to say AU REVOIR!  And we are looking forward to a promising year of growth, love and joy!  Happy New Year!

Cousin Fun!

Slush chugging!

walking home after the park

Hair time! 

I got to have a few extra kiddos for a couple days.  We HAD lots of fun!  (Sometimes more is easier, can you believe it?)

Evelyn

This is my niece Evelyn.  She is 18 mos old.  I wasn't going to blog about her but today I needed to.  Evelyn is Ben's sisters daughter.  Abby and her are just about 2 months apart and they have another girl cousin (Kit) who was born the same year--I can't wait to watch these 3 girls grow up together!  I always wanted to have a cousin my age--unfortunately I only had a boy cousin and he thought my older brother was cooler. 

Anyways, I am blogging about my niece because one month ago, she was diagnosed with cancer--a Neuroblastoma tumor.  They found it in her abdomen--it had a 4in diameter.  It's been a whirlwind of emotions since.  (And she's not even my daughter!).  Tonight, I get the pleasure of having her siblings stay with us while she & her Mom are in the hospital doing chemotherapy.  We feel so blessed that the cancer stuck to the tumor--it had not spread!  We feel so blessed for medical technologies today that will help Evelyn to have a longer life. 

Since the discovery of the cancer, my life perspectives have changed a lot.  I have held my kids a little longer, put the dishes off a little later and not worried so much about the toys being all over. I have been grateful to hear their giggles at night and have played a little longer with them.  I have not felt like a real person since we moved from Oregon.  Our lives have been very difficult/stressful (for me) since we moved back to California, had 2 children and bought a house.  I feel like those who have met me since 2010, probably don't know what I am really like because I am NOT ME.   Maybe I've had postpartum since Violet was born--or something because I feel like I have just been in a haze for a long time now. There's a comedian, Jim Gaffigan, who says," if you want to know what having 4 kids is like, imagine you are drowning and some one hands you a baby."  Well, that's how I've felt.  I wanted to continue to be the Mom I was for Eliza & Xander--always going to fun activities around town, at the library, etc, doing creative activities and making lots of homemade goodness--but I can't.  And sadly, since I have stopped worrying about all that and started to just play with my children at home and relax a little more about the silly things, I've noticed myself smiling a whole lot more.  It's still hard, I worry a lot, I have anxiety issues, but I'm working on that--I'm trying to recognize that all I need to do is make sure that my children and my husband know that I LOVE them. 

Celebrating Christmas this year had a whole new meaning too.  As I reflected on my niece and my mother-in-law who is also currently doing chemo, I began to reflect on my own testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ.  Do I believe in Him or do I believe Him?  Can He save?  Can He still perform miracles? Can He comfort us?  And I have come to the conclusion that Yes, He can. I know that He can.  He is Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of mankind.  It is His birth that we celebrate at this time of the year and I am so grateful for the love that He has for me.  I know that I am nothing without Him.  I know that I can accomplish anything with Him.  He sent these 4 wonderful children to me for a reason--because He believes in me (even when I don't).  As I sat in church on Sunday I came up with what will be my focus throughout the next year:

DO less and BE more.

What it means to me is to not worry myself with all the extras in life but to BE involved in the things that are happening--in the things that the kids care about right now.  They don't care about so many of the things I think they do.  They just want love--and they deserve it. 

Sorry for the rantings of my mind--like I said, my mind is all over the place with these things right now.  If you pray, take a moment to pray for Evelyn.  If you want to do more, give blood!  You don't need to do it in her name or anything, just give blood.  She's already had one transfusion and we are so grateful for clean blood!  Hold your kids a little tighter and go easier on yourself for not being the perfect "pinterest" mom.  Know that you are loved. 

Make it a great day!

Merry Christmas 2012

LET US GO! 

A gift for the girls!

 

A new bike for Xander

Littlest Pet Shop for Eliza

Zhu-zhu pets for Abigail

A Daisy duck for Violet

Giant k'nex for tent making for the family

What a wonderful Christmas we had!  It was so low-key, relaxing and enjoyable.  For Christmas Eve we took a family walk to Walmart.  It's been pretty rainy around here and since Christmas Eve was sunny and I needed bananas, we took a walk. It was nice not to have to deal with the parking because it was definitely busy.

For dinner I made Sweet Potato Soup and appetizers. The Sister missionaries for our church came by for a little bit and we helped Sis. A to call her parents who live on Christmas Island.  We read our nativity story and several others and sent the kids to bed.  Ben and I relaxed and watched a movie.

Christmas Day--the first kid awake was Abigail at 720!! Merry Christmas to me!  Once we got downstairs it was hard to hold the kids back but they got started right away on their stockings. They got the traditional fare: a toothbrush, a mini box of cereal, a book, and a piece of candy.  Then we dug into the gifts--one at a time of course.

After we spent the morning playing with our new toys we went to Ben's folks.  On the way we stopped at the cemetery to visit Ben's grandparents and as tradition holds, sing Hark the Harold Angels Sing to Grandpa Harold.  Then we put the 2 little ones to bed and ate our Christmas feast. WHAT A SUPERB IDEA!  We really actually enjoyed our meal.  :)

It was wonderful.  It was seriously wonderful.

Now to brag a little: our budget has been pretty tight this year. Between some unexpected hospital bills & surgery, me crashing the car, some house fixes-planned & unplanned, it was tight.  So I had a lot of fun getting Christmas on the cheap...so here are some numbers for you--

Xanders bike: Free from neighbor
Girls Plasma: free from neighbor
Eliza's Littlest Pet Shop: got from Freecycle about $200 worth of LPS! (No joke, I have stuff set aside for her b-day and for her to earn throughout the year)
Violet: ballet doll with a theater: free from friend
Abigail: zhu-zhu pets $3
Giant tent building kit: $20 from Groupon
Other gifts given:
Polly Pockets: free from Freecycle
Pokeman Stickers: free from co-worker
USA Puzzle: free from co-worker
Stockings: about $10
Storm Trooper w/ Jet: Free from Freecycle party
Play phone w/ recording abilities: free from freecycle party
PJ's: $20

Anyways, it was awesome and the kids had an amazingly full Christmas and got PLENTY!  As I've said in earlier posts, I'm kinda getting addicted to seeing what I can get for free.  It's become a game and I'm already starting to think ahead towards next year!  :)  Because really, what kids needs a brand new toy?  If it's in good shape, it will work just fine for the small amount of time that the kids really will enjoy the toy.

Well, I hope you had a fabulously Merry Christmas! 

Deck the kids

I was feeling a little nostalgic this year and begged my friend to make my girls some matching/coordinating skirts.   

  I was super excited about it until I realized Xander might feel a little left out so that I made him (yes, I did it all by myself) a bow tie.  He was so excited!

 Our group shot didn't work.  But I got some individual ones and we'll have to try again another day.  :)  The cutest part was how excited the kids were about being dolled up.  Xander kept saying he was a "waiter."

Mirror, Mirror On the Wall

Couldn't find Abby the other night.  Ben found her, on top of the toilet, playing with her reflections.  Gotta LOVE this age!  Oh and yes she did her own hair too!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Christmas Recital

Xander was invited to participate in a (last minute) Christmas recital and chose to play, "Once There Was A Snowman."  He did a great job and it was good practice because he wants to perform in the upcoming school talent show!

Joy School Nativity

Eliza's Joy School preschool did a re-enactment of the Nativity.  Eliza picked as the innkeeper and she did a GREAT job!  Then the group sang some songs and we shared some treats.  From left to right we have Eric, Nora, Everly, Claire, Easton, Eliza & Lucy.  Such a fun group! 

Our Real Anniversary Celebration

Ben & I got 24 hours together for our anniversary this year without any children!  As we drove down, somehow even the clouds looked a little more beautiful.  We spent the evening dining at a murder mystery dinner theater and sleeping on the river boat.  We spent the morning relaxing and browsing shops.  It was a lovely day and we are so grateful to my parents who took care of our children!

A Brother can be so much fun!

Laundry basket racing!  We sure love when our big brother is home!!

Eliza was in charge

And Abagail couldn't have been more please!  Put in the doll bed, filled to the brim with toys!  It's the good life!

Busy Saturdays

Saturdays are perhaps the busiest days of our week.  We cram a LOT into them.  On this particular Saturday we visited the History Museum with Nana & Grumpy and had fun in old town.  Then we headed over to Grandma & Papa's place to celebrate Leona, Abram & Xander's birthday.  Gotta love having family around!!

Our House of God

Each Monday night, Ben & I try to teach our children about God and his teachings.  

In the Doctrine & Covenants we are taught, "And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of  wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith;  Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God; That your incomings may be in the name of the Lord; that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord; that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High."

While browsing through Costco, I saw their Gingerbread display and thought of these scriptures.  So I thought I would kill 2 birds with one stone.  We sat and read these scriptures together as a family and discussed what they mean and what we can do to have a 'house of God'.  I love learning through the mouth of babes! And I love as our little house sits on our counter that my children call it their house of God and they talk about ways that they will make our home a better place and that our "incomings and outgoings may be in the name of the Lord."

Wheelchair Races

Grumpy only has 2 wheelchairs--and we are learning that 2 is not enough. Every one wants their own.

Little Music Lover

I was putting Abby to bed and as I started to walk down the stairs I noticed Violet--conducting her orchestra. This girl LOVES music. 

Determined

Abby sure likes to think she's as big as the others!  Our little playroom window has become a jump spot (is it bad that our kids climb onto the ledge and jump out the window??)  Abby thinks it her right to climb on to the ledge and jump but she can't do it.   This particular day, she threw quite the tantrum about it.

Christmas Tree Hunting!

X & his turn at felling the tree

E using the ax

Daddy & A

V preferred this tree. I told her it would be ready when she could drive

It was a gorgeous sunny day and the kids were so happy to sit and eat their candy canes!

Following the tree felling we went and visited our friends who just happened to have resurrected this amazing toy that I once played on as a kid.  We had a BLAST! (pun intended).  I even went up once--WOW-it is a tall toy and that slide goes FAST!

We came home, had dinner and got to decorating!  The Christmas music inspired some dancing

And the random decorations and their wrappings inspired imaginary play of all sorts

Nana & Grumpy came over to decorate.  Everyone wanted to sit on Nana's lap.  A & Nana

E & Nana

Grumpy & X

My desire to decorate this year came early.  I think it's because I've been practicing Christmas music for several months now but I was super excited to decorate.  I was grateful that every one was with me.  After the kiddos went to  bed, my parents & I enjoyed some Tom & Jerry's.  (a warm drink that just brings happiness to my heart and sweet memories to my soul!)  I'll post finished decorations soon!