Family Fun Times

You know that feeling when you are absolutely sure that the fun family memory you are making will stick with at least one of your kids as a significant night in his life?   And even though you yelled at the kids because they were home early for Early-Out-Monday (I hate Early-Out-Monday) and were driving you crazy not doing their homework and fighting over ridiculous bouncy balls, but then you pulled it together for hot dogs (turkey for Mom) and gingerbread houses with Christmas music and laughter in the background? That was tonight.  We let the kids do their own gingerbread houses (with Mom and Dad helping the littles).  It was SO MUCH FUN!  Who cares if the kids used more candy than graham crackers to construct their houses?  They rocked tonight.  

Afterwards we went to the neighbor's house for a little party.  Instead of making neighbor treats this year our neighborhood decided to donate the money we would use to make the treats to the victims of the mudslide this summer.  We met at our neighbor's house and donated the $$ and then settled in for some merriment.  Good times.

Ben's BYU Stadium.  Who says BYU isn't multicultural.  I see red, yellow, orange AND green people in the stands.

 Garrett's house with rope that ropes throughout the place.  I think he just likes Twizzlers.

Avery had a little help from Mom.

Jake had help constructing from Dad.  He decorated it himself.

Scott could probably have used a little help from a parent.  He doesn't care as long as he gets to eat his caved in creation.  (BTW- I bet it would have been more structurally sound if he hadn't overloaded it with candy.  Just sayin'.)

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Today was sooooooo cold.  I don't know if it hit 30º at all this afternoon.  Since last winter was so mild, this really was a slap to my system.  Good thing it was a nice Sunday.  After church I came home and took a fabulous nap.  When I woke up I heard my kids laughing.  I went downstairs and saw them sledding down the back steps.  They had made a compacted snow ramp going down the 6 or so steps.  Actually, Ben and Garrett were the only ones who slid down the steps.  Scott and Jake took the wiser, safer spectator route.

I'm not quite sure this was good Sabbath day entertainment, but it was fun seeing them working and playing together.

Sweet Dreams

Do you think he's dreaming of Gangnam Style? I've got Jim Brickman Christmas going as I wrap presents. Garrett fell asleep on the couch up here with me. I remember as a baby he fought sleep so hard one night he broke the blood vessels in his eye because he cried so hard. If I'd just known he needed headphones and an iPod, that night would have been so much easier.

La Posada

This our 6th La Posada.  Sadly, we only have two in the Spanish program now that Garrett has graduated to junior high.  It really is one of the highlights of my Christmas season.  I'm at the point now where I can almost sing along to the Spanish Christmas songs.  Besides that, I just love watching my boys perform.  Jake is a ham while Scott is perfectionist.  How did two such different boys come from the same womb?  I wouldn't have them any other way, though.

New Nightgown

My mom did a great job in keeping all three of us girls in pretty nightgowns when we were little.  We had delicate little flower hooks to hang them up every morning.  It was just so feminine.  Sadly, it's hard to find pretty, long nightgowns today.  Last night I found a Christmassy one and I snatched it up.  Makes me smile.
ps- I know it's a little random to have stockings on the tree.  I couldn't find the hooks this year and haven't gotten around to getting new ones.

Iron Man Jake

Today started off like most Saturdays.  Tom sent the boys down to the basement to clean and do chores.  Then we went off to Jake's futsal game.  (Futsal is a South American version of indoor soccer.)  Jake started off as goalie- not his strong position-  but was quickly changed back to forward.  It didn't take long for him to pull his team ahead with 3 goals (after letting 2 in as goalie).  Then it happened.  As he was chasing the ball, he tried to stop at the edge of the court, but wasn't able to.  He crashed head first into the wall.  It was HORRIBLE to see my little guy crumple into the wall as hard as he did.  I took off trying to hold my tears back.  He sat there crying but trying to be brave.  He ended up sitting with Tom and me for a minute or two until his trainer came and told him that the team needed him.  Jake, still holding his arm, ran back out there while I wanted to hold him back.  He held his arm gingerly the whole rest of the game but was still able to shoot TWO more goals, including a PK that almost shot a hole through the net.  Rage beat a really tough team 7-3 with five of the goals being from Jake, and again, two of the goals being after he hurt his arm.

Fast forward a few hours.  We had promised the little kids we'd take them to Wreck it Ralph (spell?).  Jake wanted to go and we(Tom)  thought it would be good to give it an hour or two to see if it felt better before we invested a copay.  After the movie it was still hurting so I took him to Instacare.  Guess what- buckle fracture right above the wrist.  Yep.  The kid had a broken wrist and still played his futsal game and still scored two goals.  Like I said, Iron Man Jake.