Forgotten Santa

Hyrum's Christmas exuberance was so fun this year.  He was super excited to tell anyone and everyone his birthday was on Christmas day and they were welcome to give him a gift.  This extra holiday spirit resulted in an abundance of Christmas-themed pictures.  This one was one of my favorites and was tossed in my ever expanding pile of important papers to look at one day.  Luckily, it was saved and now can be documented for the world to enjoy: 

Santa... with pockets.

Unexpected Guest

I have to say, I almost love taking down and packing up Christmas as much as I love putting it up.  Just like coming home and sleeping in your own bed after a fun vacation.  There's just something so nice about completely normal, monotonous life.  I thrive on an uncluttered house and reliable schedules and LOTS of sleep and super healthy food, so it shouldn't be surprising.

In the midst of packing up I found this little surprise someone (his name might start with an H) left after playing with one of our nativities.  Can you spot the extra friend?

Who knew Yoda was from Bethlehem?

A Christmas and a Birthday

We had another low-key holiday, but sweet none-the-less.  

We had to continue our gingerbread decorating tradition.



Cute little pizza face kisses!



Instead of having a big tree with presents underneath, we had two mini trees on a table with presents in the pacn'play.  Kinda sad, but it saved my sanity this year.

We have very mis-matched, random decorations, but each item reminds us of specific memories and phases in our lives, so I wouldn't have it any other way (until we can afford to buy new stuff in 50 years:)

Awww... a Santa photo without a screaming kid in it...
just wait a few minutes...





On the first day of winter we celebrated by creating our own snow flakes since we don't have our own here.  (I totally missed not having snow!)

 On Christmas Eve, after dinner and reading the Nativity, we opened family presents and played until bedtime.

On Christmas morning the kids opened their presents from Santa, we ate breakfast and rushed to early church. 

Finally, in the afternoon, (after some much needed naps) we celebrated Hyrum's Birthday! 

Hyrum decorated his own cake with an elaborate scene from Star Wars (you'll have to ask him what's going on, 'cuz I can't remember all the names)

We are so lucky to have this boy in our family. 
He watches out for all of us and is so kind-hearted and helpful.

(Bry did the cool decorations)
He loves to make us laugh and gets so sad and frustrated when he slips up and misbehaves.



He is very smart and hard-working (when he's interested in the subject matter)

He has captured the hearts of his teachers at school, church, and many neighbors. 

They constantly compliment him and tell us how sweet he is.

But, best of all he's an amazing big brother and gives love to everyone around him.
We love you Buddy!

Never Ending Turkey Time

....And he's still not finished!

Fun Runnin'

Hyrum's Elementary School's fundraiser this year was called "Boosterthon Fun Run".  It was great to support a cause that encourages an active lifestyle and sportsmanship... instead of junk food...

The gist of the whole thing was: students gathered pledges from friends and family and then ran a certain number of laps around a field on the actual day.


  

The recommended number of laps were 25-35 and Hyrum did 43!  It was crazy.  He just kept running and running.  I seriously couldn't believe it.  We've never considered him athletic- until now.  I guess I shouldn't really be surprised.  Both his Grandpas were amazing distance runners and Bryan is crazy fast too.  It was so great to see him do so well, but the best part was his attitude.  He just kept smiling as he ran, even though there were plenty of bigger and pushier kids sprinting past (and then walking the rest of the time). I can tell you it was a proud mama moment.

(Be patient with this movie, there are only a few quick glimpses of our sweet boy:)

Paleo Update: The Kids' Diet

Once I started feeling so amazing on the Paleo Diet, I knew I needed to get the kids eating healthier.   I wasn't very worried about Ivy and Delia- they are both GREAT eaters.  I was super concerned about Hyrum though. 




DD is a bottomless pit when it comes to food.  She eats (almost) everything with delight.  (Her tray has strawberries, scrambled eggs and sausage)


Pre-Paleo his diet consisted of cereal, bread, crackers, pizza, and chicken nuggets.  I knew this wasn't healthy food, but I had this irrational fear of letting my child starve to death so I let him limp along nutritionally.

It took him a few weeks of near starvation, but every week since we've started the diet he's added at least one new food (this is a MIRACLE for anyone who knows how picky and stubborn Hyrum has always been concerning everything he puts in his mouth).  So far he's added: beef patties, turkey patties, oranges, bananas, carrots, sweet potatoes, apples, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, eggs, and pineapple.  His palate is maturing and his attitude toward food and trying new cuisine is becoming so much more positive.  It's very, very exciting!

Hyrum's super excited because his FAVORITE food is burgers.  He also has sweet potato chips, strawberries, lettuce, and carrots on his plate- and no, bottled mustard is NOT paleo:)

We try to stay positive about food at meal times to create a happy atmosphere.  If the kids don't want something on their plate we ask them not to voice their complaints, just don't eat it.  If they would like second helpings of a particular item, they have to at least TRY everything on their plate.  We've chosen not to make mealtimes a battle anymore (that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of tears and plenty of chaos though).  It's a long process, just like anything that's really important in life.

The only guilty situations with this crazy eating plan are when we're out in the world or if the kids have friends over.  Hyrum will come home from school and say, "Violet had a lunchables today" or "Dylan gets pop in his lunch" with such envy and frustration.  It's really hard to compete with junk food!  It's sad for me- not being the "fun mommy" of the neighborhood with never-ending sweets in all the drawers and cupboards.

The first thing Ivy asks when we visit someone's house is, "Do you have any food?"  I know she's attempting to break as many dietary rules as possible before she has to come back to her own strict house.

Ivy is THRIVING at mealtimes.  It hasn't been very difficult for her since she's always been the odd-one-out because of her allergies.  Now we eat one meal and I don't have to make something different for everyone!  (The delectable drink in Ivy's green cup is called a "green smoothie"- I know it looks gross, but it's yummy.)

I REALLY don't want my little ones to be the crazy, sugar deprived kids of the neighborhood who roam from house to house consuming as much food as they can before they are forced to come home.  I want them to be proud to give their body healthy nutrients and understand how much stronger they can be because of it...
we've still got a long way to go...

  

Our Little Author

A few years ago my darling niece Ella created this beautiful book:

Don't you love the fancy T?

The kids love to read it and talk about how much they miss their cousins and can't wait to see them. 

Every time we got it out Hyrum would exclaim he wanted to make a book too.  Unfortunately his attention span wasn't quite strong enough for a whole book- until now....

AND so, without further ado, I present Hyrum's debut novel:

"Once Luke was with Leah they were on Endor."

"When Luke and Han Solo had found Leah Luke left."

"Luke went to the Death Star Luke was fighting Darth Vader the Emperor shocked Luke."

"Darth Vader picked up the Emperor and threw him in a hole Darth Vader died."

"Luke put Darth Vader in a fire."

"But they had a celebration"

I love the quick conclusion, no need to drag it out!

Snippets

There are so many rewarding moments as a mom.  One of the best is when the kids are playing nicely and entertaining themselves (perhaps because it's so rare).  Ivy and Hyrum have become amazing playmates- creating their own worlds and imagining fantastic adventures.

As I'm rushing through my daily to-do list it's such a treat to catch little snippets of their games.  Here's just a few:

Hyrum:  "Don't kill me!  Remember I'm your husband!"

Ivy: "Open your presents."

Hyrum: "I'm a bird and I haven't hatched out of my egg." (He's wrapped in a blanket.)

Ivy: "Okay, then I'll sit on you." (She sits on him until he hatches out of the blanket.)

Ivy: "This is the Tiptoe Forest and Barbie is the princess."

Hyrum: "Here's a map to find the friendly frog.  He'll tell us where the treasure is."

Ivy: "HELP!"  Ivy tells Hyrum to say, "I'm coming!  But I'm a prince so I'm busy!"

Hyrum: "That's the monster weapon (plastic wrapping bubbles) and they don't like the smell of it... or the hit of it."

Ivy frequently reminds me of one of my favorite fictional characters Frances, who sings adorable little songs all day, just like our little Ivy.  Here are some snippets from them:

"If you want to marry meeeee

you have to give me your moneeeey

Cuuuuz I'm the princeeesss."

"Sometimes De De be's nicccce

Sometimes De De be's meeeean

But we love her if she's meeeean

Cuuuuz she's my sister."

Journaling

Keeping a journal is very important to me.  I'm so grateful for those individuals who've taken the time to jot down what was happening in their lives, even though it might not have seemed important at the time.  I've gained so much strength from the scriptures, ancestor's lives, my parent's writings, other's blogs, magazines, and books- all because someone simply wrote stuff down. 

Now... I'm not saying my life or writing is special or momentous, but maybe something I do or say will help someone, or just make their day a little brighter.  When I write I usually think of my kids reading the post in the future, and hopefully it will help them know how much they're cherished.

Since journaling is important to me I figured I might as well start teaching Hyrum the art.  He has a simple little notebook with a question at the top of the page.  He just answers the question and draws a picture- easy. 

Here's just a few of his entries:

Question:  What do you like to do with Ivy?

Answer:  I like to play Dora. (the Explorer)  With Ivy.

Question:  How many people are in your family?  What do you like about your family?
Answer:  there are 5 people in my family and I Love XXXXXOOOOO them  (look a Delia's cute curls:)

Question:  What do you want to be when you grow up?
Answer:  I want to be Luke (Skywalker) when I grow up.  Cuz he's cool.

Question:  What are you really good at?
Answer:  I am good at the Wii.  Because I know how to do it.  And I win and Mom and Dad and Ivy Lose

I don't know if this will create good habits for life.  I DO know it's adorable and I'll make him do it until he realizes I'm not the boss of the universe.

Nails

Our dear boy Hyrum is a really great kid.  He's obedient and helpful, kind and sensitive with others, and entertaining and super fun.  He's just delightful in so many ways, but he's also got a pesky habit that drives us CRAZY...

He's got such a strong impulse to bite, he even bites his TOE NAILS and has the nerve to try and bite family member's nails. 

We frequently explain to him that the purpose of our nails is to trap germs from entering our body.  So, if we put them in our body, all those yucky germs make us sick.  Even after a nasty bout of the stomach flu (which we of course blamed on the silly habit) he still risks the exposure.

I guess he can't be perfect... just watch out next time you're at our house- you might find a little boy nipping at your fingers.

Little Swimmers

We have some AWESOME neighbors who let us use their pool whenever we want.  It's been so amazing to see how the kids have progressed so much with their swimming skills since they practice almost every day. 

Here's a little video:

Pajama Party

We have a serious problem at our house: 

We can't get Hyrum and Ivy to go to bed at a reasonable hour.  They play and play while we make threats, take away "pillow pets" and special blankets, scream our heads off, and finally, one of them ends up on the extra crib mattress in the bathroom.  After five minutes of being separated they both completely zonk out.  Is it too much to expect a 3 and 6 year old to let each other sleep in their own beds?

It's a problem because #1.  They wake up at the same early hour every morning whether they've gotten enough sleep or not.  AND #2.  Bry and I spend those precious hours before our own bedtime fighting with the kiddos instead of spending quality time together.

I don't get it, it's not like they don't get enough play time or aren't completely exhausted by the time we tuck them in.  I also don't understand why this is starting right now.  It's never been a huge problem before.  HELP!

So, last night I decided to use the best card I had, the one I knew couldn't lose- I threatened them with NO OUTSIDE time tomorrow if they didn't go to bed immediately.  Well, my best card ended up biting me in the rear because, since they completely disregarded the threat, I had to actually follow through.  That meant no pool, no park, no bikes, and no other outdoor entertainment to keep them busy and happy enough to forget driving me crazy!

This morning, with the gloom of a day stuck inside hanging over me I decided to make the most of my terrible mistake and have a mommy vacation, so we had our first official "pajama day" of the summer.

My mommy vacation consisted of the following do NOTS: Do NOT make yourself feel guilty for the number of hours the TV is on,  Do NOT clean up every mess (immediately), Do NOT dress the kids or fix their hair (teeth brushing was still mandatory), Do NOT stress about how many fruits and veggies everyone does (or does not) ingest, and do NOT even think about following a strict schedule.

There was lots of toy time

Lunch consisted of popcorn and chocolate milk... in the playroom!  SCANDALOUS! 

Messes stayed messy

All in all, I really enjoyed my mommy vacation, but one day is long enough for now.  Hopefully the kids get to bed tonight so we can enjoy a full and busy day tomorrow!

Updates

Delia's appetite has returned with vigor, so hopefully her cold is on the mend.  She still isn't crawling, but she can sit up now (for about 10 seconds).



curls, curls, curls



Ivy decided she's NOT a princess anymore.  She insists we call her "ballaweena" Ivy now.  She often declares sweet things like, "Dad you're so cool.  I just have to tell you- you're the coolest man."

Hyrum is hardly ever spotted without either a nerf gun, light saber, book, Legos, or a Wii remote in his hands.  Needless to say he's a very busy boy.

Change in Perspective

Bottle feeding is more labor intensive than breastfeeding.   It's been quite a shock to a formula feeding novice like myself how much more work is involved.  With all the cleaning, scrubbing, soaking, and sanitizing I found myself annoyed every time I found another dirty bottle sitting beside the sink (as if it magically appeared there).  That is- until a few days ago when the bottles disappeared off the counter all together. 

Poor little Delia has been suffering from a nasty bug and has subsequently gone on a hunger strike (I believe it might have to do with the fact that she can't breathe through her nose... possibly).  It's scary and heartbreaking to have a sick baby and I couldn't be more ashamed of my attitude BEFORE she caught this illness.

Here's Delia in all her crusty bogies and bed- headed glory.



YES, stay-at-home-motherhood is exhausting and sometimes tedious, but I CHOSE this as my profession, career, and calling in life.  YES, my daily list of chores in never ending and boring, but how many mothers would love to stay at home and spend more time with their children?  I have been blessed with so, so, so many things in my life- it is time to stop wallowing and start celebrating!

Because this is an on-going difficulty for me I decided to do a little research on the subject and came across this amazing, beautiful, and inspired article (written before I was even born, but still written for ME):

Carol B. Olsen, "A Sense of Perspective", Ensign, June 1982, 69

I HIGHLY recommend this article be read through thoroughly, but one of my favorite quotes is:

"There is beauty to be appreciated everywhere, creative experiences to be savored, learning and thinking and growing to be enjoyed. To the degree that we understand the possibilities we gain an eternal perspective."

I'm starting my own "perspective" journal.  I'm going to fill it with articles like this, inspiring scriptures, stories, and other "beauty to be appreciated" so when my prospects seem narrow I can find strength through others' faith.



Poor, sick Hyrum



Ivy's finally feeling better!



I WISH I could say I'm not like so many of the proud, ungrateful examples I read about in the scriptures.  I WISH it didn't take a WORSE situation to realize how comfortable and blessed my life is.  I can only pray I listen to my own advice as I instruct the kids about the uselessness of whining and the peace a grateful point of view brings.



Lets all chant together:  BRING ON THE BOTTLES!!!

Hyrum is 6

Our sweet Hyrum turned six on Christmas day and we had a great time celebrating our favorite little man.  We enjoyed a quiet family day (my favorite kind) with fun presents and an Ivy safe cake of course.

(I'm not sure why he tilts his head whenever we take a picture)

This is his "I'm 6 now" picture complete with his favorite colors, a picture of himself, and the all-important "color changing chart".  (An ingenious discipline device his Kindergarten teacher uses.  Pretty much, if he doesn't get a color change all week he gets to choose a prize out of the treasure box.  He's very ashamed to tell anyone who'll listen that he received one color change... the path of delinquency begins...)

He loves running around and wrestling with Daddy and Ivy.

He loves riding his bike even in the freezing winter.

He takes care of his little sisters even though he's not quite big enough for the responsibility yet...

He'll even play dolls and dress up once in a while- although he'd much prefer his macho Transformers and Legos.

He loves to sing Delia songs and make her laugh- she can't get enough of his attention.

 

He got to choose a "special place" to go for his birthday.  Chuck e Cheese's is ALL THE RAGE in Kindergarten so he HAD to go there.  We waited until his Grandma Trump and cousin Sarah came into town (good thing too- the more adults per child ratio the better).  We've never been before and I was hilariously surprised to discover that it's pretty much a casino for little kids.  There's tons of games where you use tokens to win tons of tickets that "buy" SUPER cheap toys (the kind you throw away as soon as the kids are distracted).  It was a total blast for Hyrum and the adults even had a fun time too.

I literally cannot squeeze and love and kiss this adorable kid enough.  We're so very privileged to have him in our family.  We love you Hyrum!!!

One of my favorite Hyrum quotes:

"Charlie is my BEF."

"BEF?  Do you mean BFF?"

"NO MAWWM.  BEF."

"What's BEF mean?"

"It means he's my teamate."