christmas night ~ 2012

Christmas evening we got to spend with the Fuehrer side of the family.  My parents made something like five different kinds of soup and had yummy rolls and salad.  It is always crazy when ALL of us gather together- there are twenty seven of us!  But it's always fun.  

As the holiday wore on, I was not really into taking pictures.  I didn't take any of Christmas lunch at the Matthews house, and then at my parent's I pretty much only took pictures from where I was sitting.  Not too exciting, I'm afraid.    

These two work very hard to host such a big group.

 Our little family.

Non, opening her gifts.  I love her.

And now just pictures:

Always a fun time at the Fuehrer house.  And now I'm tired of blogging about Christmas so that's it.

christmas eve eve

This year we had quite a few discussions on what we want our Christmas to look like.  How to divide the time, when to go where, how much time we wanted at home, etc...  I think this year we both realized that we enjoy taking it a little slower than we have in the past.  We realized that we wanted less rushing around, and more enjoying where we are-wherever that may be.  We made some decisions for next year that will help us achieve that.  It's so great to be back around family and so great that we are able to spend time with both of our families at Christmas time, but we also have come to value that time we get to spend with our own little family.  That's why when I realized that the day before Christmas Eve was on a Sunday, I knew that would be the perfect time to do that.

Lisa has had a long time tradition of celebrating Christmas Eve Eve in a similar way- intimately with her family.  I like this idea, and although we don't have any traditions associated with it, I am happy to value that time with Brian and our kids in our cozy home, together.  

This year we made this Christmas tree pizza.  It was super easy and the kids loved helping.  I love the picture below because it just captures my kids perfectly.  Layla snitching raw peppers, Ellery licking her lips as she gazes at the the pizza, and then McKay already disgusted at the thought of a vegetable on his plate.  

We had a really low-key evening.  We ate our Christmas pizza, listened to Christmas music, and then I read all of our Christmas books to the kids.  It really was nothing special...except that to me it was really special.  

christmas morning ~ 2012

Christmas morning I set my alarm for 5:30 a.m. to stick breakfast in the oven.  It had to bake for an hour, so I wanted to make sure it had enough time to bake before we all got up.  

Ellery:

This year Santa went way beyond what he should have.  The wedding barbie set was exciting, sure, but what this girl was really smitten with was a $5 pad of paper and some Mr. Sketch markers.  Honestly, I think if that is all she got, she would have been fine.  That is all she did all Christmas day- color in her fancy pad of paper.  You see, each sheet of paper had a frame pre-printed on it.  This was fantastic for Ellery, because it meant that every little holly sprig or self portrait she drew was frame worthy!  Some other gifts that Elle got from us and other family members were Callico Critters, a purple bow and arrow, a jewelry box, a microphone and the Brave barbie doll.

McKay:

Santa brought McKay a sled.  He loved it.  One thing I seem to re-learn every Christmas morning is that they are so happy with so little.  I felt like after Santa gifts and stockings they would have been fine to just enjoy those things.  I seem to panic and feel like they need to have more things which really is so not true at all.  I realize that the more they have, the less they truly enjoy them.  I think it's easier to treasure things if they are precious and few.  Some of the things McKay treasured this year were a magic 8 ball, a bow and arrow, legos, new sheets for his bed (that turned out to be the most horrid sheets of all time), a gross, edible alien autopsy set, and a double-edged nerf sword.  This boy had a hard time containing his excitement.  It was a good morning for him. 

Layla:

Christmas is fun for a two year old because they don't want anything, and a third child doesn't need anything, so there's really no pressure.  She was thrilled about her "Mr. Totato" Heads,  Barbie car,  Play Doh, some Callico Critters and a Minnie Mouse purse/radio.    She also got the newest Llama Llama book which was a big deal since those are her absolute favorite books.  She has many of the pages memorized and because of those books, she calls trains "chugga choo's" which I never get tired of hearing.   

This dollhouse was a gift for the girls (and McKay if he wants) from me.  I had found the house at a garage sale during the summer and had spent the months leading up to Christmas planning, painting, wall-papering, shopping for furniture and making art to hang on the walls.  It was a lot of work to put it together, especially since I could only work on it when the kids were asleep.  But I love how it turned out!  Ellery hasn't been into playing with her girls, which is kind of what I had in mind for this house, but I still wanted to do it for them.  

Ellery was really excited about the dollhouse on Chrsitmas morning, but sadly hasn't played with it as often as I had hoped.  That's okay though.  Layla immediately loved it and it was hard to tear her away from it when we had to go.  She plays with it often even still, and the favorite room by far is the nursery at the top.  

After the unveiling of the dollhouse, there was one last gift- in the form of an envelope stuck in the tree.    Inside was a clue, leading them on a scavenger hunt to find the last present.  Brian was really creative in writing the clues- they even rhymed!- and they raced all around the house from clue to clue until finally they were lead outside on the back patio.

Where they found this:

This kids' reaction was pretty awesome.  He was SO happy and couldn't believe it.  It was freezing but he jumped on it and got comfy and started begging for a ride.

This child, on the other hand, took one look at it, ran back to the carpet and curled up in a ball asking if we could shut the door.  Not too impressed, this one.

And I don't even think Layla made it downstairs to even see the four wheeler.  She was too busy doing this:

I like to take pictures of what Santa brought and record their favorite presents because I think it will be fun for them to look back on.  I know I run the risk of seeming overly concerned with that side of Christmas.  That's why I feel like it's important to also record how blessed we are.  Not with presents, but with a loving family and the Gospel and a warm home and enough food and I could go on and on.  Thinking of ways to celebrate and focus on the true meaning of Christmas is always something I'm working on for our family and I know I have a long way to go.  I'm glad I have the chance to improve every year.  It sure is sweet to overhear my kids explain why we really celebrate- they know it's because baby Jesus was born and they are learning why that was and is important.  Some of my favorite Christmas moments are when we talk about that very thing.  

Sorry, didn't mean to get all serious on you there.  Christmas was great.  We are blessed.  The end.  

christmas eve ~ 2012

It's funny, going back and doing these posts about Christmas nearly a month after it actually happened. I find myself not having much to write about, and wanting to just let the pictures do the talking.  I know that words are important to document too, so I'm going to try.  I'm just glad I'm writing them down before January is over, given that I just blogged about Christmas 2011 last month.  Definite progress. Here goes:

This year we spent Christmas Eve with Brian's family.  It was tricky trying to get everyone together at the same time, but 2pm on Christmas Eve was the magic hour for us.  So we had a cozy dinner of clam chowder and yummy homemade bread.  

After dinner we had our annual talent show.  

Layla sang Jingle Bells (I think), Jenn and Darrell's family sang Little Drummer Boy- a tribute to her dad who had passed away the week before, Marilyn was angelic on the harp, Lindy did some magic, Silas stood in front of us, Grandad impressed us all by playing a duet with Grandma on the piano, Sharp sang a fun song about Santa, McKay played Away in a Manger, Ellery sang a Christmas song she learned in preschool, Jaynie and Tyler wrote a fun poem/story about Santa's stressful present mix-up, Wayne bounced and Layla joined him, and we all enjoyed the program!  Whew!  That was a long sentence!

After that, the kids acted out the nativity.  I love these pictures.  I love any pictures of our kids doing this.  I imagine that some day I will look back at them and just bawl thinking about how young, innocent and sweet these kids were.  I hope they always stay innocent and sweet, but I know that they won't always be young.  

We then did what we always do on Christmas Eve- watch How the Grinch Store Christmas.  

This year Grandma made an extra, extra long quilt just for the occasion.  It was exciting to all snuggle up under one giant grinch quilt.  

After visiting for awhile longer, it was time to head home and into bed for these three.  But not before opening their Christmas Eve presents.  It's always pajamas, although it seems like every year they are kind of expecting something else, even though they kind of know they will always be pajamas.  And they get crazy excited like they aren't getting pajamas.  Ellery had a really hard time not opening her present in the middle of the day.  It was a constant question she was asking in desperation all day long, "Please can we open our present right now?"

some christmas things we did

December seemed so busy, but for some reason, I don't have the pictures to prove it.  I need to be better at taking pictures.  Remember when I used to take pictures of everything?  

Here are some of the things we did do in December, that I did take pictures of:

We went up to Salt Lake on a rainy Friday night to see the lights and look at the candy windows.  The lights were fantastic, as always, even though we were getting rained on as we walked around Temple Square.  The candy?  Not very impressive.  The kids liked it, but I imagine it can only get better in years to come.  I think it's great that it's back though.  I think it's one of those magical things that children will remember fondly.  

We did our annual light drive and each of the kids got to give out their own award.  I must say that this was a much funner activity to do in Oregon because people were honestly shocked and amazed by strangers doing this.  We would get invited inside and the feeling we got from those strangers was really neat.  I miss that, but it was still fun to do it in our  new area.  

Layla chose a random house and the people weren't home.  She chose to leave it there instead of pick a different house.  Ellery chose the most adorable house in our neighborhood that we comment on every time we drive by, well, at least I do.  It is exactly how I would want to decorate my home on the outside if I were into such a thing.  They weren't home either.  

Let me tell you about McKay.  First of all, he was in his Star Wars pajama shirt.  Second, he must have just earned a charm at school because he dug out his big, long, charm necklace- where all his charms are dangling on the end- and insisted on wearing it.  And then his hair...I don't even know what was up with his hair this day.  He is really intent on growing it out (I've since found out his goal is a bowl cut) and I think I had given him a bad trim in an effort to help the growing process to not be so shaggy.  So his hair is just weird.  And I look at his picture and I think he looks like some guy who wears Star Wars t-shirts and wears charm necklaces and has a bad hair cut.  And I love it all the same.  Anyway, now that you can fully appreciate his appearance, I will tell you how we were driving around and around trying to find a house to grant his award to.  It was proving difficult, as decisions often do for this boy.  Finally, he saw it!  It was a house with one strip of solid green lights across the roofline.  One strip of lights on this house!  But he was certain that strip was award-worthy.  We knocked on the door, and sadly no one was home.  He decided to keep looking.  After what seemed like forever, we finally saw a home that was so decked out that there was no way we could ignore it.     

I had planned on taking the kids to see Santa at the mall to get a picture.  Somehow I ran out of time to go all the way down to the mall, so when I heard that the new outlet shops  had a Santa I was happy because I had to go there anyway to get a gift for Brian.  I planned on letting them visit Santa and snapping my own picture and calling it good.  It was freezing this day and I felt bad about dragging my kids around at an outdoor outlet mall, but we did it anyway.  The good news:  there was no line to see Santa.  The bad news:  I forgot my camera.  I weighed my options- and decided that my time was more valuable at that point and I just had to buy the picture they provided.  I would have felt fine about this had the picture been good.  But it's not my favorite picture.  McKay is embarrassed that his scarf is coming out of his coat in a misleading place.  Ellery is squinting because the sun was right in her face.  But that's okay.  It's our picture with Santa for 2012.

One of the reasons why this was important to me was because I started a new thing this year.  I have pictures of my kids with Santa starting with McKay's first Christmas.  And I do nothing with them.  I thought about displaying them in frames but realized that I don't have an available surface to devote to a bunch of frames.  Then I heard an idea that I knew would be perfect.  I glued each picture and a little card with the year on it into a different Christmas book that we have (and I usually get a new one every year) and that is where they will go from now on.  

We made gingerbread houses with the Matthews family.  This is probably the thing my kids get most excited about every year.  It's always good company and lots to snack on.  

snowflakes for sandy hook

It was a Friday afternoon.  Brian was off that day.  The older kids were at school and Layla was napping.  We were watching Ashlyn and she was eating lunch at the bar as Brian watched some History Channel show on tv.

I sat down at the computer to read the news.  The headline jumped out at me and I couldn't believe what I read.  26 dead at an elementary school.  An elementary school.  Connecticut.  Mother.  Teachers.  Children.  Children.  

I felt sick.  Tears began to flow as I continued reading about the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary.  I tried my best to hold it together in front of Ashlyn, and settled her on the couch with a blanket and a movie.  But as I turned on the tv upstairs to watch the news coverage I couldn't stop my tears.  I could not understand how someone could do such a terrible thing.  Innocent children's lives taken at a place where they were supposed to be safe.  I felt absolutely devastated at what those children and teachers had to endure during the last moments of their lives.  Thinking of those they left behind was almost worse.  How do you recover from something like that?  My heart was breaking for the families, the students who survived and the whole town.  But mostly for those kids.

It was a very somber weekend for me.  Amid the busy Christmas season- shopping, planning, anticipating, enjoying- were dozens of families who's lives had completely stopped and I thought of them often.  There was a point on Saturday night when Brian suggested we stop watching the  news coverage.  It was so heavy and so painful and would almost always bring tears.

The next Tuesday, one day before Christmas break started, McKay came home with an assignment to make a snowflake to send to Sandy Hook Elementary.  The idea was to have the school decorated with snowflakes- hundreds of them- for the returning students in January.

I don't know if that plan was realistic, or even possible, but at a time where people were desperate to help and do something, anything, we were happy to contribute.  I thought on this for several days- what could I do to help?  And I came up with only one thing: pray.  That was how my efforts to help would be most effective and appreciated.  So as a family and as individuals that's what we did.  We prayed.

thoughts on a sunday

My little craft crew.  While Ashlyn was over we made Christmas ornaments and it was a big hit.  Not the best faces in this pic, but I love it still.  

• On Wednesday we got a call from the school.  McKay had thrown up in class. . .on his desk.  Oh, my boy.  I was so worried that he would be completely embarrassed and horrified.  When Brian brought him home I was surprised that he really wasn't embarrassed at all.  He was more surprised and maybe a little fascinated.  When I found out that Heath had thrown up earlier in the day I could understand.  I'm glad if they both had to throw up at school, they did it one the same day.  Oh but his poor teacher!

• McKay told us that he had told his teacher three times that his tummy hurt and he felt sick.  She would tell him to get a drink, or go to the bathroom.  He told us that when he knew he was going to throw up he tried to get up and go to the bathroom, but it was just right there and he couldn't help it.  I'm not mad at his teacher for not listening to him, but do I feel bad that he threw up in the classroom?  Well, yes, but sometimes I'm tempted to not feel bad.  She told him that she'd believe him next time.

• What's weird about this is that McKay threw up Sunday night too.  He was totally fine Monday and Tuesday and then it happened again, but it was worse the second time.  Weird.  Hope he's done for a long while because I can only handle one chronic vomiter in my life.

• On both days that he was sick, he became obsessed with getting soda to drink.  I told him we could go get some Sprite, or maybe 7Up.  He had never heard of 7Up before and asked, "Can you only drink it if you're seven and up?"

• McKay had his "Service Project Recital," as we've decided to call it, tonight.  His teacher puts together their recital at a rest home and they play for the residents .  It was really sweet.  He did great.  Said he was nervous, but didn't miss a note.  I never took piano, or any music lessons, and so I was really proud and amazed at him getting up there in front of so many people.  He played Jingle Bells and Away in a Manger.  Afterwards, Grammy, Poppy, and Grandma got to come over for a visit and the kids were in heaven with the company.  

• Okay, one last thing about McKay.  I was doing a craft with the kids on the day he was sick.  He went over to lay on the couch and he looked over at me and said, "Mom, I just want to tell you something, but it may sound really odd.  I love you."  He now knows that saying that never sounds odd and I'll take it anytime.  What a sweetie.  

• McKay and Ellery were talking about favorite colors as they were coloring the other day. I didn't hear the first part of the conversation but I did hear McKay say, "Elle, you know in the olden days pink and purple were just girl colors and blue was just a boy color, but not anymore."

• Ellery's favorite color has actually changed to blue, so it's a good thing she's a girl in 2012.=

• Today Layla wanted to be twins with Ellery and have her hair in braids.  I did my best to do two french braids on her and when I was done I knew it looked really ugly.  Like not cute at all.  I tried to talk her into pig tails or something else, but she was not giving up those braids.  So she proudly wore them to church.  What can you do?

• Ellery had a very special, highly anticipated date with Grandma on Saturday.  They made a dress for her bear, Annie Jane.  McKay could hardly stay alive that day, he was so jealous, but he'll get his turn this week.  He kept saying, "I have to do it today!  I'm so busy all the other days.  It has to be today!"  

• We got to go to Eto's baptism today.  I can't really remember feeling the Spirit at a baptism.  That sounds bad to admit, and I'm sure I have, but I can't remember it.  Anyway, maybe it's because in less than a year my boy will be getting baptized, so I witnessed it in a more personal way, but when those three little kids went down into the water and came back up, I definitely felt the presence of the Spirit.  Just thinking about how young they are, how much they have ahead of them, and how much they will need and rely on the Gospel to get through their lives touched me.  They are just beginning and they started with such a righteous, necessary choice.  It made me grateful for my own baptism, for the gift I was given on that day 23 years ago, and for the opportunity I have to start over and be forgiven when I make mistakes.  

• The next few thoughts I had at the baptism was the great responsibility I have to teach my children.  Sometimes this seems so overwhelming. . .actually a lot of the time it seems that way.  We need to prepare them.  Teach them.  As I was listening this morning to the Mormon Channel, Elder Cook was talking about faith and fear and choosing to count our blessings and chose faith instead of fear in these troubling times.  It's a good reminder because fear can sneak into motherhood easily, I think.  

• Okay, onto one last thought that choosing faith just reminded me of.  Talking with a friend the other day, we discussed choosing happiness.  I then went on to share how I've decided that patience is similar to that.  I can choose to be patient.  It is my choice.  Lately, I have been more aware that I am in charge of my emotions and reactions, not the other way around.  I can choose happiness, patience, faith.  I don't just have to ride the roller coaster these feelings would put me on by themselves.  It's empowering to just stop and think about that sometimes.  I can choose to be patient with my kids.  I can choose to be grateful and happy and content.  

• Still with me?  I'm done with the deep thoughts, I promise.  

•  On a completely opposite note, I took Ellery and Layla to the library the other day.  I was so tempted to just leave Layla there, or squeeze her, or something worse.  She was SO bad.  Running around, yelling, laughing, pulling books off the shelves.  It was a library that we hadn't been to before and I was there to get books for McKay to read at night.  I couldn't find any librarians to help me, Layla was running around and I left with half the books I had intended to get and a very frazzled momma.  Forgot to choose patience that day, and even if I had I don't know what difference it would have made.  

• Layla is no longer allowed at the library, unless it's specifically for story time.     

• Ellery lost another tooth this week!  A couple weeks ago we discovered that a tooth was growing in behind the baby tooth.  It was alarming, but then I thought maybe it's normal.  Well, that baby tooth finally decided to come out, and we had one very excited girl around here.

• Ellery's been surprising us lately with her reading skills.  The other day she was coloring and started sounding out the word violet.  She read the word violet, no big deal.  She's been trying that with more and more words and she doesn't always get them right, but she's still impressive to me.  I think if I worked with her just a little she would get it pretty fast.  

Happy Sunday!