Christmas Day 2011

Christmas Day 2011

Parker set his alarm for 6:45 am.

I think some playful elves turned it off.

Miraculously he woke up just before 6:45 and made sure Dallin & Kyralyn were in our room to wake us up.

We didn't jump out of bed.

Parker was disappointed, but will tell you he wasn't surprised.

At 7:05 the kids met on the stairs for the annual Christmas morning photo.

Kyralyn, the youngest, led us into the Living Room where Dad had already turned on the Christmas tree lights.

Santa brought me a real phone!

Oh yeah, a Bronco lanyard!

 The kids enjoy gift shopping for each other.

I was able to take Kyralyn by herself to find her brothers' gifts.

Kyralyn was with Parker while he did his shopping.

And for efficiency sake Dallin just had to get his gifts for Parker & Kyralyn out of my closet since I'd already picked them up.

Part of the fun is the challenge to get it home and wrapped without it being seen!

Now you can use your OWN wipeboard Sis!

I've wanted a Fushigi ball!  Imagine the possibilities.

 The rest of the morning was full of shining delight, gratitude, hugs, dancing and love.

Dallin loves getting iTunes money!

Yes!

Love my Broncos!

High heel boots!

Kyralyn was excited about everything this morning.  This exceptional display of excitement came upon opening her new pink scooter.

Worst Case Scenario for Dallin and Guinness Book of World Records for Parker

New comforter for Parker

New comforter for Dallin

 We got things cleaned up and had plenty of time to play before breakfast.

 

Lincoln, Michelle and Tate came with a delicious breakfast casserole for brunch.

We contributed Clementines, bananas, juice and Kafe Kuchen (a cinnamon coffee cake).

Yummy.

 

Snoopy & his music (the Linus & Lucy song) were a favorite with many kids this season.  Thanks for picking it up, Paul!

It was fun to spend some time together on this special day.

Being on Sunday, we finished breakfast and got ready to go to church.

This part of our day had extra special meaning to me.

For the last several weeks I have felt like each day was a new race.

How fast could I go?

Being able to go to church on Christmas day was all I needed to slow down and reflect upon the meaning of this time.

We had a great musical program peppered with a few messages about the life and love of Jesus Christ.

Then, after only 1 hour instead of 3, we came home.

We spent the evening together with Todd, Rachel, Clay, Jace, Cassie & Tylan.

We shared Christmas dinner and lots of playtime.

Thanks for having us!

And Merry Christmas to all!

(Even if I am putting this together in the middle of January!)

Christmas Eve

12/24/11

 For most of the 11 years we've lived in Utah we have spent Christmas Eve with Aunt Michele and her family.

There are a few exceptions, like the year we had Christmas in Oregon, just before Parker was born.

Hmmmm....maybe that was the only exception.

The evening usually includes dinner, a program of some sort (music, the Nativity or poems - like the year Parker was preparing for his 2nd grade Poem Play), and in later years a pinata, games and always gifts.

This year the party was early, and actually Paul & I let Lincoln & Michelle take the kids to Aunt Michele's while we went out on a long-ago-planned-for birthday date.

(Thank you)

Since it wasn't held on Christmas Eve, we were left with creating our own.

We did a few chores in the morning hours - Momma can't relax on Christmas in clutter!

Then we went to see Hugo at the movie theater.

{What did we think?  We all thought it slow compared to the fast-moving modern movies but I was intrigued by so many other things that there was only one place I remember thinking, "keep going, keep going."  I loved so many things about it:  the theatrical elements (like the detail that was put into the train station & the camera angles), the info about the origins of movies & the effects that real happenings have on the way movies are made (world war 1, etc), the message that a machine has no extra parts - every part has a purpose & that if the world were a machine each of us is not an extra - we each have a purpose, and finally the message that we may not discover our purpose until after we've set the stage for its discovery...and that our purpose may not be some grand & glorious thing but something as simple (yet everlasting) as bringing joy to one person.}

And speaking of moving on....

I really can't remember the hours after the movie but before bedtime...

I'm sure we ate dinner...

Oh, yeah!

We did have our taco salad, & even with taco meat.

It was delicious.

Except for the egg nog.

I don't even bother with it anymore...yuck!

But Paul likes it and is hoping that even just one of his kids will follow suit.

Maybe it will be Parker?

Always up for a good adventure, even in food.

After clean up and showers and I'm sure some extra play time, we settled in for the evening.

Paul read the Bible account of Christ's birth.

The kids listened attentively.

Kyralyn helped with the visual aids.

Maybe next year they will get to (have to) act it all out - that would get them engaged!

Ha - Ha

We read our story, The Miracle of the Wooden Shoes.

Kyralyn created a heartfelt note for Santa and his reindeer, along with a healthful plate of goodies (each item selected very carefully by her).

And of course one can't go to bed on Christmas Eve in anything but brand new pajamas!

Dallin was thrilled with his.

Parker got to feel like the kid he sometimes forgets he is (of course so do we all) in his SpiderMans.

And Kyralyn loves her soft & cuddly jamies.

Some Christmas tunes playing in their bedrooms and off to dreamland they went.

Oh, wait!

Before that happened, Dallin & Parker got to be Santa's helpers and do some "filling."

This was Parker's inaugural year for this honorable position.

He had spent a great deal of time in the weeks leading up to this night asking questions and wondering what was "really" going on.

So rather than merely telling him, he got to help.

He loved it.

Now, with all the kids tucked in bed, Paul & I set a few things out by the tree & put on a movie to watch.

Instead we started to fall asleep.

So we unplugged the Christmas tree lights and went off to dreamland ourselves.

Christmas: family & friends

During the Christmas season we love to remember and be remembered by family & friends.

(Thank you for all of your pictures and notes).

Now that it is January, Kyralyn has used your pics to decorate her room - you are never far from our thoughts!

Each year, as I consider the gifts I would like to give my family I have a strong desire to create something.  What better gift than something made by hand & heart?

I used to make pajamas, sometimes blankets, occasionally ornaments and other fun crafts to give away.

But.............(you can fill in the blank)
 

This year my handmade-with-love-at-Christmas was Raspberry Jalepeno jam (made in September), tags for the Giving Tree & pretty bows on Toblerone bars for our Relief Society activity (thanks to the wonderful Relief Society ladies I get to work with for their help & tools), and this awesome picture book that I made for my parents (thanks Mom for taking the pictures since I forgot!)

Making the deliveries of the Giving Tree gifts

Christmas: the beginning

Our family's Christmas season began in the first part of December with our ward party.

Paul was reffing a game & Dallin had practice so it was really only part of us there to welcome in the season.

Even so, we welcomed it in!

We went over a little early to set up the Giving Tree and wouldn't you know, Santa had just arrived and was getting ready also.  Parker spent the next 20 minutes hovering outside the door & in the hallway trying to peak into what was "really" going on.  He offered to help, but Santa had all the elves he needed.

 We had dinner and got to visit with Santa Claus before we had to leave.

Kyralyn asked Santa for a real phone, then turned to me and asked, "is that ok, Mom?"
 

Santa has also been known to teach Parker's primary class.  That night during his time next to Santa (that's right, not on his knee), he asked for a new primary teacher.

Oh, boy!

12/2/11

Then the season really began to glitter with a visit from Nana & Papa.

They took us all out for a late lunch at Goodwood BBQ, 12/10/11

Thanks for the dishes Mom & Dad! 11/20/11

Parker was given money to help him buy the iPod Touch he was saving for, 12/11/11

Dallin was given an iTunes gift card for his collection of music & apps on his iPod Touch, 12/11/11

Kyralyn was given a little bit of spending money to tide her over until the real gift came in the mail, 12/11/11

Thank you Nana & Papa! 12/13/11

   One particular day in November, Parker came home from school bursting with excitement.

His teacher was shopping the night before, had seen something that reminded him of Parker & told him that he would go back that night to buy it for him.

That day, as he told me about it, Parker couldn't remember what it was; some kind of tester-button thingy.

The next day, all was made clear.

Or was it?

11/10/11

11/10/11

One of the Christmas traditions we love in our family is
Scones & Stories 

Sometime close to Christmas day, the kids are each given a new Christmas story & we make scones.
I read the stories while they enjoy a sticky treat.

Unfortunately it doesn't always work out as planned.

Like this year.

The story was one that followed the German tradition of setting shoes out for 5 days.  It is called The Miracle of the Wooden Shoes.  The kids each got the same story so that they too could set out their shoes to be filled.

Unfortunately time gets away from me pretty quickly during the holiday season & I didn't get the fun shoe activity ready.

We also didn't make scones.

So instead, we all enjoyed the story & a cookie on Christmas Eve.

We've been doing this in some form since Dallin was born.  

Their collections of stories serve as collections of memories for me.

The dark green one is A Christmas Bell for Anya

Some of the stories have such a heartfelt message of love, service & sacrifice for someone else that I get pretty choked up & the tears start to flow.

Kyralyn looks at me and wonders why I'm sad.


Parker watches me and starts to rub his own eyes with a big smile on his face.  


Before we start reading, they all ask me if I'm going to cry .

#12

Happy Birthday Dallin!

Singing Happy Birthday (& keeping Melvin Jr. close by)

Dallin celebrated his birthday on Sunday this year.

That morning he woke us up at 7:30 asking when he could open his gifts.  

He wasn't too thrilled when he had to wait 

(but only a little while longer.)

For breakfast, he ate some of the Key Lime Pie that his sister gave him.

That afternoon at church we were privileged to be together with many family members as the Aaronic Priesthood was conferred upon Dallin and he was ordained to the office of a Deacon.

 (Thanks for the picture Heather)

Later that evening, he had his special birthday dinner of his choice:  

Fettucini  Alfredo with Shrimp 

(or as we affectionately call it "Shrimp Pasta").  

We served pie for dessert & he got to blow out his candles that were standing in ice cream.

We played, visited & enjoyed being together.

  
We are so grateful for the love & support of family.

"heavy heavy hang over thy poor head, if it drops, what's it going to be?"

Hugs

Shrimp pasta dinner & Playtime

a picture of dallin at 12:

favorites:
playing basketball outside
Melvin Jr. (his iPod touch)
basketball on the Wii
listening to music
family
watching basketball
reading 
Beverly's homemade bread
playing basketball with Dad at the gym
 the Indy Colts & the NY Jets
dodgeball at school (if all work is completed)
#11
steel-cut oats with brown sugar
texting family & friends
Orlando Magic & Dwight Howard

playing basketball at recess
Wheaties
shrimp
the color purple
friends
wearing shorts


Dear Dallin,
You are a joy to have in our family.
You are responsible & very helpful.
I know that I can count on you.
Thank you for your kindness to your sister.
I love the hugs & "I love you, Mom" that you give me as you leave for school in the morning & and again at bedtime.
I'm glad that you ask me to read to you (since sometimes I forget).
Thank you for announcing to your baby-loving brother & sister that we are having twins.
That simple & extremely random (not to mention false & far-fetched) announcement led to several weeks of laughter & good conversation as a family.
Thank you for the love you show your grandparents, aunts, uncles & cousins.
Your love of family is awesome.
Thank you for not eating us out of cereal, even though you would like to.
Thank you for putting pants on over your shorts to walk to school, even if you do take them off when you get there.  
(just the pants.)
Thank you for the good choices you make.
It is a privilege to be your mother.
Love, Mom

Sparkle

Christmas Showcase, 12/12/11

"With rings on her fingers & bells on her toes, she shall have music wherever she goes."  

This is part of a nursery rhyme that I remember reading to my kids, called "Ride a Cockhorse to Banbury Cross."  It is in the nursery rhyme book from Aunt Katie to Dallin when he was born.  

I think of this phrase often when I think of Kyralyn.  

She loves to sing, dance & sparkle.

She took a dance class with her friend Maloree this past fall.

She learned several different ballet & jazz moves and then performed a Christmas routine so that we could see what she had been learning.

She was so happy out there on that dance floor.

She sparkled.

A few video clips:


The girls showed us a few different dance steps that they've been working on. After the last one Miss Karen told them they could choose what they would like to do. Kyralyn chose cartwheels & twirls.

The girls prepared one dance routine over the last 5 weeks. This is their first go at it during the showcase, in a room much larger than they are used to.

This is the girls' second time doing their Christmas Showcase Routine.