We're Alive!!!!

It's been a busy year.  One filled with ups and downs.  I don't have the desire to outline each detail, but I do have a good excuse for not blogging in awhile:  no internet.  Having no internet puts a damper on one's ability to blog - FACT.  Now that we have it and have had it for a few weeks, I still haven't blogged because my habits have changed.

Anyway, I couldn't think of a good way to detail what we've been doing, so I'm going to cheat and use our awesome Christmas letter instead, so here goes ...

Presented in a style loosely related to the 12 Days of Christmas (plus a few extra facts):  

One New Job:  John was offered a job out of the blue; the offer was good, so we accepted.

Two major moves:  In February, we moved from Kansas to Utah; in September, we moved from Utah to Colorado.

Three State Capitals:  We lived in Topeka, Kansas; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Denver Colorado.

Four Elementary Schools and one FOUR year old:  B-Man began the year at (1) Wanamaker Elementary School in Topeka, Kansas.  He finished 2nd grade at (2) Whittier Elementary School in Salt Lake City, Utah.  He began 3rd grade at (3) Westland Elementary School in West Jordan, Utah and now attends (4) Red Hawk Ridge in Denver, Colorado.

Little Miss turned 4 in January - she has an affinity for Dr. Seuss, Disney Princess', pink, purple and cooking.

Five Different Jobs: In 2012, we worked for a fruit stand, sewed for the LDS Church, reviewed documents at a law firm, owned a small immigration law firm and now work for a different immigration law firm.

Six Suits a Week: The Mr's work "uniform" is a suit, he also wears one to church on Sunday.

Seven Months: We lived in Salt Lake City just seven months before moving to Denver.

One EIGHT year old: B turned eight and decided to be baptized and get confirmed into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He loves math, soccer, superhero's and legos.

Nine Boxes: What is left to be unpacked (i.e. what may never be unpacked).

Ten hours: The length of time the Mr. spends working each day.

Eleven years: The wedding anniversary we celebrated.

12 weeks: The length of time we've lived in Colorado

In short: Our life changed. Nearly 2/3 of 2012 was stressful. We grew closer as a family-in the way that can only happen when stress is great and correct decisions are made.  The Mr. has a good job working as an immigration attorney; he works long hours and is happy doing it. B is attending a good school and making good friends. Little Miss is also in school, Preschool.  The Mrs. works hard at home so everyone can get where they need to be.  We are happy, so happy. We feel peace and a lot of gratitude. We hope you feel the same. 

Peaceful Slumber on Christmas Night

The children were tucked all snug in their beds,

While visions of Christmas ran through their heads,

I in a Dodger shirt and my Mister in Royals,

Happ'ly reviewed the result of our toils,

We're grateful for Santa and especially Christ,

for those things we have which we cannot price,

So thank you to those who have lent us their might,

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

Our Thanksgiving and Birthday of Awesomeness

If I had to choose one word to describe our long weekend, it would be:  RELAXING.

This is what happens when we don't shut one of the van doors all the way:  The battery dies and we create another memorable beginning to our Thanksgiving.

After a delicious feast at the Haddock's (of which this post is in want of pictures), the kids were able to run around and shoot a potato gun.  I stayed inside to chat and play games.

We went home with one extra kid and spent the next day putting up Christmas decorations and cutting out snowflakes.  Cutting out snowflakes is one of my new favorite Christmas-y things.

Hours later, Little Miss put up the star:

And the four of us added the little details.
Our ornament collection grows each year and it's fun to talk about the memories brought on by each one.

A few RELAXING days later, it was my turn to celebrate my Birthday.  I blew out my 30 candles (and for the first time, I forgot to make a wish before doing so; which is a bummer because I only used one breath to accomplish the task.  Maybe there's a post birthday-candle-blowing-out clause that says, if I forget, I can have a wish anyway ... Maybe, instead of using the word "forget" the phrase: "concentrating so hard at keeping children out of reach of fire" ... would be used instead.)

Angel food cake, fresh whipped cream and raspberries were the chosen birthday cake-y items.

After cake, came presents.

This year, I got the perfect gifts ... 

If you need me, I can be found wrapped in my cozy blanket.  I may not pay much attention to you because the book I'm reading is so good. 

The end.

We were a little drowsy

Let me rephrase, the kids were wide awake, but the parents were a little drowsy.  So these pictures, taken through the lens of my camera, were what the Mr. and I were experiencing as our children came down the stairs on Christmas morning.  Did I intend capture an image out of focus?  No.  Of course I wanted a crisp image.  So my intentions didn't match up to the results.  We could have had the kids march back up stairs and feign their excitement, but that morning, crispness wasn't important.  I figured the image represented the state of the parents ... At least we remembered the camera.  Ha, ha.

After a few camera adjustments, the wrapping paper carnage began.  

I'll spare you the details and let the images speak for us.  

After an quick cleanup of the wrapping paper casualties, we observed a tradition adopted from the Mr.'s family:  Christmas omelets.  Mmm ...

We spent the rest of the day playing with our toys and napping.  After dinner with friends we returned home ready for our last Christmastime devotional.  Our Christmas was quiet, relaxing, peaceful and fulfilling.

4 days have passed since that special day and I think of the whole season with fondness.  Last night, we carefully took down our Christmas decorations.  The kids think it was too soon, but I think the timing gives us more time to anticipate what next year's Christmas season has to offer.  I'm already excited.  

☺

A Glimpse

Right now, I'm not thinking about the conversations we had as we made dinner, even though the conversation was fun.

I'm also not thinking about the delicious food we ate (the Mr. outdid himself once again).

I'm not thinking about carols sung, played on a piano, a sax or a drum.

First presents and Christmas PJ's are also not on the forefront of my mind.

Right now, I'm thinking about sleeping children and the first conversation I had this Christmas Eve morn.

Upon coming down the stairs, I noticed all the presents under the tree were stacked and organized into 4 piles.  (We encourage gentle Christmas gift shaking.)  I greeted B a good morning and asked him what he was doing ... He looked up at me and said:  "Mom, we have a lot of presents.  I don't think we need so much.  I could take like 4 and maybe we can give the rest away to kids who don't have so much."

From where do these observations come?  Why is my 6 year old, on the morning BEFORE Christmas, concerned with having too many presents?  At that moment, that little glimpse into what really mattered, I felt it ... The Christmas Spirit and my heart felt good.  So good ...

Santa came tonight, bearing a few more gifts.  Part of me wonders if the distance from family has created a desire for the Mr. and I to overcompensate with tangible presents ... Maybe.  Probably.  That is why I am so, SO grateful for our 6 year old who so humbly and unwittingly reminds us about priorities, especially during the Christmas season.  In his words, I knew we didn't need to overcompensate.

A few weeks ago, we had a devotional on service.  Since that night, B has been obsessed with knowing what is service and what isn't.  Tomorrow morning, I'll tell him his idea of giving away what he doesn't need is service.  I think it's more than that, I like to call it Charity ...

Right now, I'm thinking about two little children who are more thoughtful and altruistic than I have the courage to be and that thought makes me happy.

Merry Christmas.

Lines and other stuff

On Saturday, we waited in a few lines.  

First we waited in line at a gas station.  The line was an hour long, but the food was well worth the wait ...

Then, we waited in line at Union Station.  The line wasn't very long and our camera provided a lot of entertainment:

That line was worth the wait because we were able to meet Santa, walk through a train and see his sleigh and reindeer,too:

Wanna know the best part?  Everything, but the food, was FREE (even the parking).  

Actually, the best part is probably the memories that make us jump for joy and act like silly reindeer.

Before heading home, we explored a fun store where we found a chair fit for a favorite uncle and a wall on which to climb ... There were lines there, too, but we avoided those.  They just weren't worth the wait.  We didn't wait in lines, but the Mr. did find another favorite store.  

Here's some other stuff ... This is the newest favorite picture of two of my favorite people.  This was taken before we pulled out of our driveway.  (Little Miss has what she calls a "lemon" in her hand, but it's actually a clementine - she's eating fruit!!) ...

Also, here's another picture of our little family in front of our favorite Kansas City destination.  I am absolutely in love with these three people!

4 more days 'til Christmas!!

The Nutcracker and The Transiberian Orchestra

Right now, I'm waiting for the candy I poured into molds to harden so I could take them out and make another batch of lollipops.  As I wait, I'm listening to fine Christmas music including selections from the Nutcracker and Transiberian Orchestra.  Christmas music, sets the tone and making special treats only adds to the excitement.

Last Sunday, the Mr. and I made caramels.  We wrapped over 300 and had to stop because we ran out of wax paper.  Those 300 pieces have been disbursed among friends, classmates and neighbors and now that we have more wax paper, I'll wrap up the rest - about a 2 lb. block.  Yum!

I don't remember why he stuck his tongue out (I think I asked him to) ... 

Maybe he was glad we ran out of wax paper.  Ha, ha, ha.  We really did have fun talking, laughing and reminiscing as we wrapped caramels.  

REALLY, we did.

On Tuesday night, my friend taught me how to make lollipops.  

I thought caramels were easy, lollipops are more so.  Seriously ... 

Here we are with a few of the results.

The lollipops didn't look perfect, but they tasted great and those willing to partake of the sugary, watermelony confection only ran a small risk of cutting their tongue open on one of the sharp edges.  SMALL.  MINUSCULE.  I don't even know why I'm mentioning the sharp edges ... As I said, they didn't look perfect, but they did taste delicious.  They're all gone and now I'm busy making more.  These don't have nearly as many sharp edges and so I'll be sending them to Utah with some friends.  So, dear family and friends, be prepared for the onslaught of sugar.  Lots and lots of sugar ... Maybe you could listen to selections from the Nutcracker and Transiberian Orchestra as you relieve us of unnecessary calories.

Checking off our list

We've mailed off our cards (all 60 +) ...

 and we talked to Santa, too.  With that our Christmas to do list is nearly complete.

I think the kiddies were awestruck because they didn't have patience for a picture.  Pictures are nice, but I think for them, the conversation is what's important.  In reality, B did all the talking (FYI, on the list this year:  Bakugans - Google it folks, google it).  As for Little Miss, I doubt she even made eye contact - I know she didn't. ...

After meeting Santa, we made ornaments with some elves ...

Then we posed for a picture:

On Friday, the Mr. will be done with his second to last round of Finals.  Then, the fun will really begin.

Christmas is in 13 days ... Aren't you excited?

We didn't look at all the trees

The other day, Little Miss and I, plus a few of our friends, went to the Festival of Trees.

She and I made 3 rounds through the tree display, but she only stopped if the tree before her was pink or purple.  So, if you ask me details about the rest of the display, I honestly can't convey much.  What we did see was lovely.

Little Miss saw this "hungo" and asked if she could photograph it, so I let her.  

I held the camera, she aimed and pressed the button:

I would have liked to capture more pictures of her looking into the camera.  

She did so once and this is what happened; afterward, she refused to look into the camera again:

At the end of the day, I unbraided her hair and oh man ... Just look how long (and big) her hair is!

I love her personality.  Part of me wishes she would display her rambunctiousness among strangers, but I love that she reserves that side for those she knows well - it's like our own little treasure.  She is so sweet (and judging from her smile ... slightly mischievous).

Anticipating a birthday and celebrating another

In our home, the day after Thanksgiving is observed with two traditions.

#1:  The boys go fishing.  Fishing they went, but unfortunately, not a single fish was caught.  (I wonder if one was seen.)  Better luck next time, boys.

#2:  Christmas.  The day after Thanksgiving is my favorite because it's time to set up Christmas decorations.  People who have known me for sometime, know how giddy I become in anticipation for Christmas.  I think I'm more excited for the day after Thanksgiving than my own birthday.  Sometimes, my birthday falls on the day after Thanksgiving ... When that happens, the day is pretty perfect.  

We begin by opening some boxes and setting up the tree.  

This is all done while watching the Christmas movies which have been stored for a year.  This year, we watched The Grinch (Jim Carrey version).  I keep thinking we should store the Christmas movies with the rest of our collection, but the Mr. thinks it would ruin all Christmas movies for me because I'd watch them so frequently. I think his logic is a little less altruistic than it first appears.  Maybe he's worried he'd tire of them.  (I love you, my Mr.!)

After the tree is up, it's time to hang the ornaments.  Most of our ornaments have a story and it's always fun to talk about what each represents and reminisce.  I love this time of year!

This year, Little Miss learned how to hang ornaments.  Maybe next year, she'll learn to hang them on different branches.  (Upon observing the following, B said:  "Eew!  It looks like the nutcrackers are kissing.")  Lucky for me, Little Miss was unaffected by the change I made after she went to bed.  I separated those "kissing" nutcrackers and the picture of myself in 2nd grade.  (Even though I rearranged the ornaments, I was so happy watching her carefully and gently place each ornament on the tree.  Just FYI.)

After the ornaments were placed, B put up the star.

A few days later, I celebrated my birthday.  It was a quiet and restful day.  The kids showered me with new jewelry and the Mr. got me a game.  My parents and the Mr.'s parents also gave me gifts ... Thank you!!  

For my cake, I got to eat a slice of chocolate deliciousness.  My friend gave me this cake - she made it and I don't think this picture does it justice.  It is soo delicious!