All tucked in their beds

Well.  It is the other side of Christmas planning and production now, and for a few hours it will be quiet in this house.  We have had the joy of welcoming my brother Jon and his terrific wife Jesse and their delicious son Tyson into our home for the next week.  Kristen has Michael and Nicole and their crew.  We are set to spend lots of family time together in the coming days.  I am so happy to have this Christmas linger just a little bit longer.  You know that this has been a sweet holiday for me, and letting it stay for just a bit more is exciting.

A New Year. Again.

2009.

Well, what do you do with that?  I mean, more resolutions?  Ideas and promises to be better parents and spouses?  Ways of staying organized and busy with the business of a well lived life?  What do you do?  I have looked back at many years of resolutions and they seem to have a slight pattern of repetition to them.  It's sort of like the chorus of a song, not a good one, but it has a rhythm, so you keep singing along until it gives you a bit of a headache.  Then what?  All of your good intentions and dreams become the victim of the dreaded New Year's Resolution, the very title somewhat dooms it to failure.  How can we overcome this rhythm headache and continue to better ourselves without the fear of falling down on the job?  Here is what I tend to repeat in my song of the new year:

Lose weight

Take care of myself, in various forms, but generally involving working out and vitamins and such

Read more

Read at all

Make Church and teaching principles a more important part of our daily routine...again, this has various forms.  Scripture reading, Temple attendance...generally the lists of to do's that go along with being a faithful member of this church and striving to be better.  Now let me say, that this has become more of a daily decision than one I make at the beginning of the year, but we will talk about that later.  Moving on:

Play more

Live better

I mean, really, anything that involves the things I wish that I could do but haven't mastered just yet.  Which is the point for me.  Self Mastery.

As I look to this new year, and all that it means in our family and in our community and our country, I look to ways of improving myself and those around me.  I am a steward of many things, myself, my children, my marriage, my home, my faith...and in that is where my improvement can best be measured, or lack thereof.  In any case, it is a new year.  My theme for the year for myself will revolve around the idea of Self Mastery and all that comes with that.  I believe that may be what the point is of this life, to learn to be our best selves and in that, deny ourselves the things of the "natural man".  I am not the first to suggest that, and I am sure that there will be those that agree and those that say, why deny yourself, life is short?  But for me, and for this house, and these babies that I love, it is most important to find the clarity that comes with the success of being in control of ourselves, to the extent that we can.  Does this make sense?  I don't know.  For me, it's about learning when to say no and when to stop saying no and just relax and enjoy.  That does mean working out and eating healthy and reading more and studying and Temple attendance and so many other things that all mix together to create a divine person, someone that I would want to know and be friends with.  I know a few people like that, not too many, but the ones I know are just wonderful.  It isn't to be perfect, but it is to be better.  So, here is to 2009: A Year of Self Mastery

How many days left!!!

I am actually a little sad to see Christmas sneaking up so quickly.  I am, of course, thrilled for the break from school and the impending visits from distant family members.  For me; however, this has been a particularly sweet Holiday season.  We have enjoyed every day with one memory making moment or another.  Some have been big and some have been ever so small.  I am grateful for all of it though.  

I made Grander's Famous Lemon Pound Cake tonight.  It's funny because it was so very easy and it is as delicious and surprising as it could be.  It was also a very sweet reminder of her.  I remember her.  She died when I was young, 7 or 8, but I can remember her.  I wish that my children could have known her.  I think they would have gotten a real kick out of her.  You know, Mom had her grandmother and her granny, who I remember as well by the way, for many years.  I envy that, though I am sure that Mom wishes the same.  Life would have been much different had she lived.  I doubt that the moves would have ever happened.  I am, oddly, grateful for the moves though.  So, I suppose it was all as it should have been.  But still.  It is nice to remember her and tell the kids about her as I make this cake and show them pictures.  I will make this cake every year now.  I will pull out the treasured Advent calendar and the stories and the pictures and share the magic of years and years of love, especially at Christmas.  If I haven't said it until now, Mom...thank you for this incredible gift.  It is something that I will always treasure.

This next week will be busy and full of laughter and probably some tears.  It will be surrounded by family and, if you live here, some pretty beautiful warm weather.  The kids would really like it to snow just one day, but we are all pretty grateful for the 70 degree Christmas day that is in the forecast.  I would suggest that we try to remember the sweetness that has thus far attended this holiday and pay particular attention to keeping the celebration about a sweet baby that was given to the world, a Savior.  I am grateful for that day so long ago and for all of the blessings that have been a part of our lives as a result of the knowledge that He is my Redeemer.  Here is to the beginning of a wonderful Christmas week.  I hope that it finds you all happy and healthy and with those that you love.

Oh, and take lots of pictures!  And please share them!!!

Be prepared to chuckle just a little

You must click here for a funny little thing that Larry made in his spare time.

Just in case you haven't seen these! (I love them)

Happy Holidays!!!

This is what happens when we try to take Christmas pictures.  Too funny!!!

We did it!!!!

More later, but check this out!  I feel like a superstar!!!!!!

Sick babies + Christmas traffic + Single Parenting = One Grouchy Mama

Humphhhhh.

That is all I have at this hour.  Well, if I started I would likely have endless venting precipitated by what can only be described as some sort of hormonal, exhausted, left to fend for herself with the four K's rant.  I know, I can't really complain.  There are so many other things that could go wrong.  Which is precisely why I will only say that I was bothered enough to change my blog layout.  Sometimes I want to go shopping, sometimes I want a coke and some chocolate, sometimes I want to sit in a dark movie theatre alone with popcorn and a coke and some chocolate, and sometimes I would like to do all three things: but it is 9:32pm on a Saturday night and the kids are sleeping and I am alone, all of which translates to changing the only thing I can effectively change at this hour: my blog layout.  I don't LOVE this one either, but the other one was so complicated to log in on.  It just got annoying.  Can you tell that someone didn't get her bowl of Wheaties this morning, and even if she had it would have worn off a long time ago.

There.  I'm done ranting.  I snapped the big K's head off and then apologized profusely because it wasn't really his fault.  I put the other K's in bed at 8:45.  early for a Saturday night, even if we do get up at the crack of early on Sunday mornings for what is often a three hour test of my patience muscles.  But, with all the prayers I have, tomorrow morning will be a nice morning...oh no, I said it out loud.  Guess we will be walking the halls with baby K instead.  Yikes.

Well, I think I will take my sorry self to bed.  Let's hope for uninterrupted sleep until the bell tolls at 6:15 am.  Ginger has already been asked to make some kind of breakfast.  :)  And the tooth fairy is on duty tonight as well.  Busy night for magic.

You must check this out!

CLICK HERE:  This is too funny!

Christmas laughter

It is so much fun to watch the kids this time of year.  They believe in so much magic.  They choose to decorate again and again.  They are coloring pictures and making up stories and songs.  They want to go caroling and see lights.  As I sit in here planning the coming weeks, I hear them laughing at one of their favorite Christmas movies, "Elf".  What could be better?  Mac and cheese, "Elf", laughter, holiday pj's and cake baking.  This is turning out to be a very sweet Christmas, with more to come.  I hope that you are all taking a few quiet moments in the midst of everyday chaos to just let it be Christmas.  Enjoy it, for soon enough, it will be January 2009.  

I found another really sweet Advent calendar.  It came in this months New Era and you can find it here, though the printed version has lots of wonderful pictures.  It is a great addition to this wonderful tradition.

LDS.org - New Era Article - Advent Calendar: Prophecies of Christ’s Coming

Oh and there was more...

Ok, first and foremost, this picture of Grace looking up lovingly at her sweet mother was too endearing not to post.  I can't even imagine what web she is spinning in her little head.

And then there is Kierstin with her cookies.  She is supposed to be decorating them, but she insisted on eating the toppings.

And Brittany reminded me that we had also decorated ginger bread houses.  We bought the one from Costco as we have always done and they CHANGED THE BRAND!  It was simply not the same.  They were a little more frustrated with this one.  In fact, I was lousy at building these.  Mine, well Kyra's, kept falling apart.  I had call in reinforcements.  They aren't as pretty as usual, but they sure are cute.

And now, tonight we add a middle school Holiday Band concert to the list of December activities.  Kimball is still rocking the percussion and he was so much fun to watch.  

Where has the time gone?

Ok, it has been a busy 8 days.  We have been on not one, but two Christmas tree trips (that's a story!), enjoyed the sights and sounds of Holiday in the Park at Six Flags and been a part of Kimball receiving the Priesthood at church.  We have dug out the Cocoa Motion hot chocolate maker and enjoyed various brands of hot chocolate.  We have welcomed our little elf friends back and Kyra's beloved Ginger.  (another story!) We have decorated a Nursing Home for the Holidays.  We have planned school Holiday parties.  We have struggled through family pictures, and had some beautiful ones come out of the kids, kristen harris photography, but nothing of all of us together.  That means we have to do it again.  Aren't you jealous!  It's really Kierstin.  She just doesn't care to sit for a picture.  I mean, unless she is eating sugar cookies with frosting.  We have decorated sugar cookies, well sugar cookies and little faces; and gotten out our much loved Advent calendars.  Mom has added to them this year, and I am so in love with her stories.  I may just have to have them published.  So sweet.  I actually cried when I read the one about the magic cake pans.  I will send it to you if you want to see it, oh, that is if Mom will send me a digital copy.  :)  These are just a few pictures of the past week, and more to come.

Checking in on Day 4

Good afternoon all.  So, I am happy to announce that the ongoing family service project is working out beautifully.  If you aren't in on the work, here's the scoop:  Back in the beginning of December, we set to thinking of a way to serve for the season.  There were a lot of places in need, but one stood out as a good idea.  We decided to decorate a local nursing home for the holidays.  I know it's not world peace, but it is a little bit of sweetness shared with some men and women who are often forgotten.  It started out as a small idea, and in a matter of phone calls and email, it took off.  We have had tremendous support and I am thrilled.  The patients have been very sweet.  The friends and family that have jumped in on this have all declared what a great time they had.   There are three more days of fun on this and then I hope that we can share the Season throughout the month.  My mom even suggested that she would be willing to do genealogy work for people who are there, if they would like.  It is all so very sweet.

Happy December 1st!

Good morning all!  It is officially the 1st of December and a wonderful Holiday season.  We have already started our excitement around here and I wanted to share a new snowman template to start things out.  We won't likely get much snow around here, except for the fake stuff on our freshly flocked tree, not a choice we have ever made before, but we actually all love it.  We decorated it last night and we started our day with a little Christmas story.  We are off to decorate a nursing home tonight with lots of friends and family, a very exciting endeavor.  This season, as I told you last week, I hope to celebrate all month long.  Here are some of the things we, or I, have decided to try to do.  I say try loosely, for the record.

SO, we have the Nursing home tonight.  Highland Village Christmas tree lighting Tuesday.  Kimball Court of Honor where he advances to 1st class on Wednesday, that's a big deal.  Thursday is currently open.  Friday, we sing carols at the Nursing home and Saturday we are off to Six Flags for the "Holiday in the Park" extravaganza.  Now, that one brings lots of fond memories from my teenage years with it as I worked there when I was 17.  So much fun!  You are all invited to join in on any of these fun things, if you live here of course.  Oh, and Sunday we are off to Mom and Dad's for dinner and more fun! 

I plan to attend the North Pole Express in Grapevine, the ICE! show at the Gaylord Texan and possibly more.  I just want to share as much fun with the kids as possible, before Christmas morning.  It may be too much, it may not all happen, but darnit, I am going to try.  Who says you can't do all of these things with 4 kids?  (Um, probably people with 4 kids!)

Thanks for sharing your ideas and keep them coming.  Also, share your recipes and food traditions.  Those are fun!