Merry Christmas

First Christmas Day miracle. Callie slept in her bed ALL night long and until 7:45am! Santa needs to come to our house every night.

 Mason's Christmas Gifts 2015

Harry Potter Book Series

Kindle Fire Tablet

Ninjago Lego set

Skateboard

Bike Accessories (night lights)

Noah Christmas Gifts 2015

Treasure Chest

Chapter Books

Lego Movie Lego set

Kindle Fire Tablet

Bike Accessories (night lights)

Callie Christmas Gifts 2015

Kitchen

Kitchen Accessories

Princess Puzzle

Personalized Doll

Gift card to Build-A-Bear (I can't wait to take her there)

 April Christmas Gifts 2015

Baby Book

Baby Lullaby Doll

Counting Bears

Stacking toy

  

Ron and I were up until 4am Christmas Eve putting this together. (Mostly Ron, I was awake for moral support and "parts organizer".) I wasn't sure if she would even like it. She didn't have very many things on her list for Santa. All she told me all she wanted for Christmas was a teddy bear, a doll, and girl legos (which PS I'm so sad I FORGOT to wrap those, bought them a month ago and just spaced it!!!!! I guess I'll save that one for her birthday) I think she really likes it. Now if we can only figure out where to put it...

We also fixed the Trampoline!!!!! New mat bounces great!

The Holidays are always packed with family events and family time. Sometimes dividing time between 2 families can be exhausting. But I'm so grateful that we live close enough to family that visiting is easy and happens frequently. I know my kids love it! Christmas Morning my mom caught the neighbors kitty outside. Too cute!

Sabbath Day

Sundays are a little difficult for me. Don't get me wrong, it is still my favorite day of the week but I look at them a little differently now. I still feel like it is a day for me to recharge and get energized (even though often times it sucks the energy right out of me). I like that I have very little "extras" planned on the Sabbath Day, just church and family time. I sometime struggle with feeling my spirit renewed on Sunday's. My kids are the most amazing and wonderful part of my life (besides Ron of course) but that doesn't mean they make my life very easy. LOL Not sure exactly how to say this but I come home plenty of days after church feeling exhausted, with a throbbing headache, and just a hot mess. I remember when I was pregnant with April one particularly exhausting Sunday in the foyer after church one of Mason's primary teachers came up and talked to me. I honestly have no idea what she said I completely blacked out for a moment and almost passed out. I'm not trying to be dramatic but the struggle is real sometimes. Ron is in the bishopric and I KNOW that has blessed our family immensely so I wouldn't change that. For now the "morning person" that I am is trying to enjoy 1pm church. Soon we will have 9am church and I'm sure I will have new struggles with that. I'm so very thankful for my struggles and my challenges. One of my single friends reminded me the other day in a text that I'm "living the dream". I know I am and I thank Heavenly Father daily for my dream life and family. Because of Ron's meeting schedule and our church time he is able to come home for a few mins before church and help with the craziness of pre-church chaos. I'm so grateful for that. 9am church will not be so luxurious. 

Sunday's with April are actually a little less stressful. I know how adorable April is but it's nice to see and feel that love from others towards her. I'm her mother, I HAVE to feel that way. There have been a few Sundays lately where I haven't even held April for more than 20 mins in the 3 hour time block. When I walk into church I'm immediately ambushed by young women begging and wanting to hold her. One family in particular has taken her quite a few sacrament meetings the entire hour! Ron usually comes and gets her the 2nd hour of church and when I'm teaching primary if Ron doesn't have her the last hour my team teacher holds her or other women in the ward ask for her. I've even had young women come up and ask me after church if they can have April the following Sunday during Sacrament meeting. Too cute! I think I need to get a sign up sheet, April has a waiting list. I definitely feel the love from those in my ward wanting to help me and doting on my perfect baby. I'm not sure how long this will last but I'll take it. Hopefully it last until she is like 4 years old. I can dream right? Something tells me the novelty will wear off when she isn't so sweet and a little feisty in church. Time will tell.

When my kids misbehave during church I have them "practice" being reverent at home. 

Christmas Tradition

We started a new tradition in our family this year. My Aunt Kelli gave us the idea a few years ago. Since Christmas is really about Christ and thinking about the Savior's birth we are trying to stress "Christlike" actions this month. The idea is you add a piece of hay to Jesus' manger every time you perform a good deed or a small act of kindness. I don't have a manger so what do I do? I turn to my Dad. I asked him to help me make a simple manger to have under my tree. Well, I had no idea that my dad would take the idea and run with it! He is so sweet! He designed and made the manger all on his own (he even let Mason help). I think it turned out pretty fabulous!

My kids have been really cute about doing small acts of kindness. One day last week Callie got particularly excited and did ALL of her brothers (aka "the brothers" as she calls them) chores. She vacuumed, cleaned the bathroom, took out garbage and recycle bins and even cleaned their room for them and made their beds. She was so excited to just be serving her brothers. They of course were thrilled to get home from school with chores all finished. Service really holds a special place in my heart. I got that from my mom. The Savior spent his whole life serving others so why can't we? I love this time of year how easy it is to be a little kinder, more thoughtful and just all around better. I'm really grateful for perfect moments like this in my incredibly imperfect life. Times when I witness my kids have that "ah-ha!" moment and really enjoy emulating the Savior.