Is It Naptime Yet

Just for the sake of posting something on my blog, I thought I’d put pictures up from Halloween. We did some fun things, but here’s just a few of the girls in their costumes with the pumpkins they carved.

Eden chose to be Dorothy. She used her toy Toto, affectionately re-named Toto after he was Toto for Eden 5 years ago, when she was also Dorothy. (He was called puppy before that, and Lilah “sold” him to Eden.)
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Lilah decided to be a Nazgul, or Ring Wraith from The Lord of the Rings. No one knew what she was, and many didn’t even know once we told them, but she loved it.

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That pumpkin was in big trouble.

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Eden offered to take a picture of me with my pumpkin.

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I love Halloween!

I hope everyone was safe and enjoyed the holiday.

Jon had his birthday at the beginning of May.

For Jon’s birthday he went to work, which he normally does, and was able to enjoy some celebration with his co-workers. He then came home to some excited girls who had him search for his present before he worked out. Lilah made a little “scavenger” hunt. I wasn’t feeling my best so instead of riddles, they went more like, “Go to the microwave. Go to the dishwasher.” etc. Jon followed directions and they lead him back to the couch, where his gift was. The girls colored the box like it was a present, in effort to reuse and recycle, and because I wasn’t feeling well. I was actually able to surprise him for his gift this year. He had told me a long time ago what he wanted, and apparently had forgotten. (It was a CD, Thick as a Brick II, and a Lone Wolf book to add to his collection.)

Jon told me he wanted home-made pizza for dinner, so the girls and I prepared our pizzas and shared in making Jon’s. (He was working out.) We then enjoyed some yummy pecan pie. His boss had made it for him last year on his birthday, and I asked for the recipe because it was delicious. Jon’s boss made him a chocolate coffee cake this year, because she thought I might be making him pecan pie. She was correct in her guess. Eden loved the pecan pie and declared that she wanted it for her birthday.

We then enjoyed a nice evening at home as a family.

For my birthday, at the end of the month, I was able to enjoy a quiet morning at home. Jon took the girls to Science Saturday and I started getting ready to see Mary Poppins at The Smith Center. I decided I wanted curly hair, which takes forever, but allowed me to be extra cute on my birthday. Since the show was Mary Poppins, I took Lilah with me as sort of an early birthday gift. We barely got there in time, and the show started. About 5 minutes in the set to the house malfunctioned, and it was nearly a full hour later when they began again. Lilah was really good and we took a couple pictures while we waited. I called Jon to let him know that we’d be home an hour late and he suggested we go out to eat, because he didn’t want to cook and thought making me cook on my birthday was not very nice. I chose Olive Garden and we enjoyed a nice meal together as a family. Jon almost thought to order dessert, but I reminded him that he and Eden had made me a cake while Lilah and I were at the play.

We went home and enjoyed cake and went to bed as one very stuffed family.

Becoming one year older isn’t so bad when you get to enjoy it in such wonderful ways.

So this year for Easter I was finally able to make the girl’s Easter dresses. No play is happening, which gives me much more free time to sew, and I just didn’t look too hard at the store’s. I wanted to make something different for the girl’s, but when we went to pick out fabric, they ended up choosing the material they wanted. They each had a different pink for the main dress, but I accidentally cut Eden’s dress out of Lilah’s fabric, and Lilah really wanted her fabric, so they had nearly matching dresses. I think they turned out really cute.

Easter Morning

We dyed eggs at my parents house Saturday night. It was actually their fortieth anniversary! I totally forgot till my mom mentioned my dad would be taking her out, and since he doesn’t do that often, I asked why. I have it on my wall calendar, but was a total airhead when it came to remembering.

Green hands. Grandpa washed Eden’s hands with Shout, and it removed most of the dye.

This year for Easter I also had a goal of buying no candy.
What usually happens in our house at Easter: The girls go to two or three Easter egg hunts, and get tons of candy. I buy three or more different candies to put in the baskets, and end up eating most of it because Jon has more self control than me, and the girls have tons of candy already. I gain a few pounds and indulge my candy addiction, while the children ask for candy every.single.day. for like 2 months.
I decided recently that I would not be purchasing candy or cookies once the goodies in our house were gone. So if we wanted something sweet we’d have to make it. (Ice cream is the exception and they do get candy at other places.)
So I let the girls know that the Easter Bunny would not be bringing candy to our house, and they seemed OK with it. I have my reasons, and we discussed why he would not be bringing it, and why I would no longer be buying it.
So the Easter Bunny put cute socks, a note pad with pencil, glow bracelets, a craft, play dough, and a few cookies in their basket. Eden was also given a game, and Lilah was given some sheets with horses on them.
The cookies were something I had in my freezer and needed to use, so that’s why we enjoyed them in our baskets.

For the Easter Bunny the girls left out some carrots and a bag of candy from candy they had collected at the one egg hunt they went to. This year really was a low candy year for us, but it’s better for us this way.

Easter morning the girls put on their new dresses and we headed to church. After church we had an Easter egg hunt. The Easter Bunny filled the eggs with quarters and small ink stamps. Lilah found 5 of the 6 stamps, so Eden traded one quarter for a stamp. ( I think filling the eggs with small change is actually a really good idea and honestly costs as much as candy, if not less, if you decided to put nickels or dimes in the eggs instead.)

Can you spot the two eggs the girls were not seeing?

The loot!

Lilah’s bangs were trimmed on Monday.

We then enjoyed a nice afternoon with Jon’s parents and an evening meal at my parents.
The cousins enjoyed a fun egg hunt together and ate nearly all their candy while at their grandparent’s house.

The cousin’s waiting to find some eggs. (Adrienne, Eden, Lilah, Howie, and Kaitlyn.)

Lilah was very excited to get some candy.

Enjoying their candy and counting eggs.

Since I’m finally at my computer and editing pictures, I thought I’d edit some from Christmastime.

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Jon and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary last month. Of course I posted something on Facebook, but neglected my blog.

So far we’ve had a little celebration each month. In January we went to The Brad Paisley concert and went out to eat with my sister Carolyn and her husband Derek. Derek got Carolyn Brad Paisley tickets for Christmas, and I decided that’s what I really wanted for Christmas. (Jon had planned on me getting a massage and having a spa day or morning.) Since we were buying tickets just a month before the concert, they were a little more pricey, so we decided that they would be a part Christmas and a part Anniversary present. So now I plan on doing something each month this year to celebrate our ten years together.

The Brad Paisley concert was wonderful. My favorite part was hearing “Whiskey Lullaby” with the lead singer from The Band Perry singing the female part. Whiskey Lullaby is one of my favorite songs, it’s sad, but I love the music. Brad put on an awesome show and it was worth every penny.

Carolyn and Derek.

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I received compliments on my hair by our waitress and by two women behind me as we were leaving the concert. The first started touching my hair and was amazed at how it wasn’t moving. (I admit I have to use a lot of hair spray to get it to stay this way.)

For our actual anniversary, Jon took the day off. This is the first time he’s taken our anniversary day off. He also had two dozen purple and lavender roses delivered. I wanted him to go to the park with the girls and I, but he said he had to stay home, and that’s when my gourmet caramels from Fran’s came. I think it was good that he was home, because I only expect roses on our anniversary, and wouldn’t have known to stay home. We enjoyed a fun meal at home and just had extra time together.

My roses and chocolate.

Saturday night was when we went out to celebrate our anniversary with time away from the girls. We decided to keep it costs moderate and ate dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. We then had my rings inspected, it was that time of the year again, and figured out our current ring sizes. I told Jon I wanted to have him pick out a wedding ring, and he was very hesitant. Once at the store he liked looking at the rings there, but wasn’t sure. Once home, and armed with his size he went on-line and picked out a ring and ordered it. He was pretty happy with himself. The ring came on the 29th and I placed it on his ring finger as I jokingly asked him to marry me again. He really loves it, and it was nice to see him get so excited over it, especially since I first had to coerce him into getting one.

Us once more, but isn’t Jon so cute?

I’m so grateful for Jonathan and the happiness we’ve found. I’ve been in an especially lovey and silly mood lately, and he puts up with it with a smile. I feel like I really have so much joy in my life because of my wonderful husband and two wonderful daughters.

Thank you for ten wonderful years together Jon. I truly love you more today than the day we were married.

It’s Valentine’s Day! Have you reminded the person you love, that you love them?
I admittedly give slack and do not expect anything on Valentine’s Day from Jon. Our anniversary is not that far away, so I’d rather that be our special day, but the girls love Valentine’s Day and so we do things that include them and help it be a happy family day.

I will say Jon does an amazing job letting me know he loves me each and everyday. There are times that he is the more affectionate one, then there are times I am, but each day we embrace and tell one another we love each other, and each day we try to thank the other person for doing things, even if it’s their “job” to do them, like me making dinner or him doing dishes.

Lately I’ve been the overly affectionate spouse. I’m so thankful to have such a wonderful husband. We have lots of fun together and I enjoy our jokes and quiet times with one another. I love seeing what a wonderful father he is to our two daughters and I love seeing the love they have for him.

I’m also thankful for my two little Valentine’s, without them this day might have just been any other day, but the excitement they have in giving gifts and notes of love is infectious. We’re having a delicious meal tonight and I they have been wonderful in helping to clean up our crazy house. I said cleaning it was a gift to Daddy on Valentine’s Day, but I’m appreciating it too. (We’ve not been home for the past week due to cookie deliveries and activities, so the house was getting pretty chaotic.)

Make sure to tell the people you love, you love them, and do something nice for them.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Christmas is always fun with family. It’s especially nice to have Jon home before Christmas. I love that he is usually able to have the week before Christmas off and always takes the time between Christmas and New Years, because he could work if he needed to, but it’s a good way for us to use his vacation and relax as a family. Having the time off helps us get things ready around the house, gives us time to help his parents, and spend time doing nothing, which happens a lot because he’s here and I just don’t want to do anything when he’s around. (We spend lots of time cuddling and watching movies.)

Jon went to work on Monday the 19th, then was off for the rest of the week. We were planning on helping my sister move or get settled in hew new house on Tuesday, but it just wasn’t a good day for her, so we went to his parents and set up their Christmas tree. Wednesday we went to Carolyn’s new house, and were not very successful in putting up ceiling fans or doing much of anything, but our ladder did help with putting up an air vent and Jon’s drill came in handy for my dad. We took time on Thursday to clean our house up and get it more prepared for Christmas and went shopping so the girls could choose gifts for one another. Friday we ran a couple errands and baked cookies for Santa. Saturday we visited his parents in the afternoon to drop off presents, then went to my parents for Christmas Eve festivities. After seeing family we came home, put on our new pajama’s, got the treats for Santa and the reindeer on the table, put up the Christmas curtain, and sent two girls to bed.

I was able to get everything prepared before the clock struck 12:30 pm, my only problem was a sleeping husband on the couch. (Last year was the first time he stayed awake the whole night.) I got Jonathan up and us into bed around 12:45 am.

Jon awoke first, did a few last minute touches, and put our breakfast into the oven. Lilah woke up and came and cuddled with me in bed and Eden soon followed. We spent around 10 minutes cuddling and waking up as a family. Lilah loved the small Christmas tree “that Santa must have set up” in the hall way and the Christmas music coming from the living room. We made our way out around 8:30 and the girls began finding their names on gifts and opening presents. We usually have a somewhat small Christmas, especially compared to what seems to be the norm: outlandish go into debt and spoil everyone rotten Christmases. I think we’re somewhat too practical. (Not that I don’t sometimes buy too much or we don’t get nice things.) We buy things for the girls as needed over the year, and have so little room, that buying a lot of new toys or stuff just seems impractical. We got things the girls has asked for, plus some clothes, a couple movies, books, and cool items for school. Lilah loves her new Razor scooter, and Eden loves her Wubble pet and real clay. They both received what they wanted and have enjoyed their new things.

My gift to Jon this year was a book of pictures from our National Parks trip this summer. I ran into problems making it and it was a labor of love on a deadline, but I’m very pleased with how it turned out. My sister Andrea helped me edit the written passages, since it was a surprise for my normal editor. When we took it to Jon’s parents to show it to them on Christmas day his mom thought it was our gift to them! We corrected the misinterpretation, but she would love a copy for herself. I’m planning on ordering a copy for each girl to have so when they’re adults they can have it for their own collection.

Jon bought me the latest Brad Paisley CD and planned on me getting a massage or spa treatment of my choice. He didn’t purchase anything because he wanted me to choose the place and treatment. Later that day Carolyn mentioned that Derek had given her Brad Paisley tickets, and I decided that is really what I wanted. So Jon and I will be going to Brad Paisley, and since it was more than what my original present was going to be, it’s also an early anniversary gift. I’m very excited and looking forward to my third concert.

After presents we ate breakfast and the girls and I rushed off to church. We came home for a short time to eat lunch, then visited Jon’s parents. After that visit we went to my parents to help prepare the Christmas meal and eat. My brother Glenn’s two daughters are in town, so it was the first time we were able to enjoy them being with our family for Christmas since they were babies, or about 7 years. Once the Kemple’s came the cousins had fun playing and the adults enjoyed spending time and being with family.

We came back to our messy home from the earlier festivities, cleaned the couch off and watched a little bit of The Muppet’s Christmas Carol, a gift for the girls since we just finished reading the novel by Dickens as a family, and went to bed.

We’re now preparing for the new year. It’s amazing how time flies.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and a very Merry Christmas.

I wrote this Sunday night. I am now feeling 100% better, except my back aches from truffle and popcorn making. (32 batches down, only 20 more to go.)

I’m sure many people are rather busy in December. We are no different. Then you toss in random illnesses, and you have a pretty full month!

Last week was our busiest week. We had something. every.single.day. I did opt out of one activity, to give me some sanity.

Sunday: Church and a Christmas Performance at Anna’s church.
Monday: Last Day of Co-op and the family night performance for the co-op.
Tuesday: Cleaning of my home and not attending enrichment. (This was not so much cleaning as trying to put out fires around my messy house.)
Wednesday: Put lights on house, more stuff and Achievement Days for Lilah.
Thursday: Homeschool Christmas Party, caroling at convalescent home, and Lacey’s Choir concert.
Friday: Primary program practice.
Saturday: Ward Breakfast, Science Saturday, horseback riding lessons, and Lacey’s Mom’s night out.
Sunday: Church, but it was the Primary Program.

I know other people are just as busy, or more so, but I wasn’t feeling well, so it threw a wrench into everything I did. I’d take medicine, feel better, then the next day still be sick, but depending on the day, I’d have to take medicine to get through it, like my concert.

We haven’t put our Christmas tree up, but that’s because I’ll be making popcorn and truffles this week, and have yet to have time to sufficiently clean my home. We might get it out Saturday, and up sometime next week, which would be nice seeing Christmas is only 14 days away! When we were in school I’d complain about getting the tree up so late because it just was not possible before finals, then we needed to recoup and clean a little. Now I’m just too dang busy, or we need that little bit of extra space till I make and deliver 52 batches of white chocolate covered popcorn. (17 are for Jon, 35 are orders.)

I also have to start preparing my ‘not sure what science class I’m teaching’ for co-op, get registrations done, and accounts in order by January 1st because we start January 9th. Ick. I really have no idea what I’m teaching yet, and it’s rather stressful.

Recently I had called my sister Andrea to see if she would edit Jon’s gift for me. I had left a message asking for her help on a Christmas gift, but if she was too busy in the next 24 hours I understood. (I had to get it done so I could use a discount.) She called back wondering if I was needing pictures for the calendar I make for my parents. Uh, no but maybe it was a good idea to include other family pictures in there. It’s not like I don’t include pictures of other members of our family for the calendar. I have the other nieces and nephew in there for some of the holidays, and even a sibling or two, but most pictures are of my family because I take pictures of them the other 361 days of the year that are not holidays where we meet with the rest of my family. (Easter, 4th of July, Halloween and Christmas being the ones I take pictures at, though we do enjoy Thanksgiving together.) I did e-mail the other siblings and did get a few pictures from one. And the sister who said I should include others has actually not sent me any pictures of her kids. She has one day, so we’ll see if she sends them to me before I need to order them on Wednesday. (I do have a couple pictures of her kids already, but not any cute Halloween ones.)

Today I wrote the family letter that would be included in our Christmas cards. After I did a very short blurb about each of us, I almost began writing about our big family vacation to the different National Parks, but it just didn’t fell right. It was crossing that line from “here are some interesting things about our family” to, “look how great we have it we were able to take two weeks and visit all these cool places”. Its fine to mention them on my blog, because it is a journal, it’s even fine to mention it on Facebook because lets face it, FB is to indulge and be narcissistic, but it felt wrong putting it in the family letter. Really, if someone wants to know about our trip, they just have to read my blog, or interact with me. I’m sure I’ve brought it up, hopefully not annoyingly because it was a fun experience for us, but it’s hard to know what tone everyone will read the letter. I know I’ve mentioned past trips before to the beach and Disneyland, but those were such small inexpensive trips, at least compared to this one. Maybe I’m the hang-up. I know what it cost us and don’t want to come off as bragging. (We did camp and stay at a cabin for free so it could have cost a lot more.) I’m sure I have my moments when I’m not thinking and just talking, so I don’t need something in writing confirming my rude, uncoth behavior.

We’re in a world where everyone is wanting affirmation from everyone. Comment on my blog! Like my status! This can be good and bad. Good if we’re writing smart and thought provoking things, bad if we’re wanting to show off and brag. I admit, I love sharing good news, and I also love being witty and having someone like my status on Facebook, but I’m rarely thought provoking.

So here’s to a new level of narcissism in the world, and trying to participate in it a little less, at least when it comes to Christmas letters. (I’m totally posting good news about Jon’s job in a couple weeks.)

Th girls both had ideas of what they wanted to be earlier this year. Soon after Eden’s birthday she had been beading anklets and decided she would be an Indian and wear all these anklets and bracelets she was making. Unfortunately she couldn’t find them, but decided glow bracelets would work well. She color coordinated the glow bracelets to her outfit, and I got to wear purple and pink on Halloween night. Eden was often mistaken for Pocahontas, but the girls have never seen that movie. I think at one point we just started saying, yes, she’s Pocahontas.

Lilah went back and forth a little more. She was thinking of being a princess, if Eden changed her mind to also be a princess, she has wanted to be a bird since last year, but the fabric for bird costumes is pretty expensive, not to mention stuffing it, so she finally settled on being a mummy. A friend had posted his mummy costume on Facebook and told me what he did, so I was able to make Lilah an pretty cool mummy costume. It was time consuming, but it worked out well and lots of people liked it on Halloween night.

We brought Britta to Carolyn’s Annual Halloween work party, and had her spend the night since she didn’t have school and next day.

Britta as Rapunzel, Eden as an Indian, and Lilah as a mummy.
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The girls checking out their goods after the party.
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Lilah carved this pumpkin at achievement days all by herself, with a little help for scooping out the guts. Because she did it all on her own, she decided she would carve her pumpkin for Halloween also. She drew out the design and figured it all out on her own. I really did very little except give directions on what to do.

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We were carving our pumpkins in our pajamas, with an old shirt over them. Hence the marvelous fashion statements.
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Lilah is actually posing likes she’s carving her pumpkin, because I forgot to get any action shots of her carving the face.
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Eden choose the Bat Cat from our pumpkin carving book, and so I carved hers for her. I’m not ready for both of them to grow up just yet.
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Lilah wanted the traditional Jack O’ Lantern. She did an awesome job on her pumpkin.

I’ll admit it is fun to see them grow up and see them enjoy holiday traditions on a new level of involvement.

This is our front window. Lilah made the decorations on the left, and Eden made the ones on the right. I made the BOO! and the skeleton is from a Science Saturday project. It was headless and missing one foot, and cut out and put together by Eden. Eden colored her ghost light green, so it would look like it would glow in the dark.
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The cousins got to see one another after we trick or treated separately.

Kristi got to my parents before me, and I had told my mom to let her go on without us. We both went over to the popular streets that go all out, but with the crowd it was c.r.a.z.y. My parents never get a lot of trick or treaters, but this year it was dead on their street and area surrounding them. Usually you see a few groups, but this year it was nothing until we crossed over to the popular blocks. Lilah and Eden wanted to go over there, so we did, and they enjoyed themselves and loved seeing all the decorations. I did not let them in the haunted house, but that was mostly because it was a crazy long line and I didn’t want to be out too late.

My dad said Henderson had made rule that trick or treating was just from 6-8pm, because of it being a school night, and I thought that was totally lame. Parents should be able to decide how late to be out with their kids and teenagers will always be out late no matter what. We were in just after 8, and the couple doors we knocked on after 8 gave the girls a lot of candy because they were my parents neighbors and I’m sure wanted to get rid of some candy with the night coming to an end.

We came home and Jon had given out all our candy by 9 pm. We get a fair amount of trick or treaters in our neighborhood. It was also fun because our nice neighbors have moved back, and they decorated and dressed up, because they were having a party, and gave out candy too.

I just love Halloween.