Gratitude Trees

The month of November we wrote down something we were grateful for on a "leaf" each day. It was a great experience for the kids. At first, they didn't think they would have enough things to write down but by the end they couldn't stop. It's amazing how much we have and how much we take it for granted.

Piano Time

December 2009 Piano Recital

December 2008 Piano Recital

Tonight was an interesting night. I listened to my "beginner" children play the piano and so badly wanted them to be better. Now, don't get me wrong, they both did a great job tonight. I was extremely proud. But you know, they were still, "beginners". As I listened to the older student I so badly wanted my children to be at that stage already.

After the recital, I was talking with the mom of our piano teacher. My jaw dropped to the ground as we discussed "Miss Michelle's" piano routine when she was younger. I have my children practice around 15-20 minutes each day and sometimes we miss a day or two. Well, "Miss Michelle" would practice 1-2 HOURS!!!! per day. As she got older, memorized 35 pages of music. Can you imagine??? I was in awe of this mother who stuck with it.

It was a funny moment in time for me. I always feel like I am such a mean mom when I enforce certain rules or have expectations that seem unreasonable to my children. Every time I have my children play the piano rather than do something "fun", somehow I feel like I'm cheating them. They are sure to let me know how I am ruining their young lives. But tonight as I watched the amazing Miss Michelle play the piano I realized it was not without a major price. Everything we do in life comes with a price. If we want to be amazing then we have to really work at it. I was so grateful for the the moments I had to talk with Miss Michelle's mom and remind myself that part of my job is to push my children, to be mean. I can't expect them to push themselves. What child is going to choose practicing the piano over playing with a friend or watching TV, not too many.

As I watched the mother-daughter interaction I didn't see any anger between the two because "Mom didn't let me play with my friends when I was a kid". Let me tell you what I did see. A mother who was extremely proud of her daughter and a daughter who was full of confidence. I will tell you what, I don't care how many hours you spend playing with friends or watching TV, you will never get those results.

Tonight was a success. I left the recital extremely proud of how my children performed and I was reminded not to waste the days away doing nothing or feeling guilty because I'm too hard on my children, they will appreciate it later. Plus, I could remind them about practicing for 2 HOURS!!!

Family Pictures

We did family pictures last week. This is so typical of our family, Mr T has to look the wrong direction!! Emilie kept telling him, look my direction and do you think he would?? Of course not!!! Oh well, at least we have family pictures for 2009!!

The licked house

We put together our "licked" gingerbread house last night. This year the boys were more interested in eating the candy than putting it on the house. I think every time I turned around someone had picked up the frosting bag and was sucking it down plain!!! Notice the picture of Mr C, I'm stealing the bag away after he has tried numerous times to empty the entire contents of the bag onto his finger. Please take note of his finger positioning, ready for licking!!

By the end of our decorating session, our house was barely standing. Miss P tried her best to get that thing to look nice but with two brothers in the picture, it was not easy. I think it was a success because by the end Mr C couldn't even finish eating a gingerbread man that he had loaded with frosting and candy, it was just tooooooo much for him!!

So if you are in the mood to eat some gingerbread house, don't come to my house, unless you want one that has been licked in some way by every child in my house!!

Life

Tonight I about lost my head. I don't know why, but every time we sit down to dinner the kids decide it's time to be the best of friends. I always emphasize the importance of "family first" but they take it to the extreme at the dinner table. It doesn't matter if they have been at each others throats all afternoon, when Mom wants to have a deep conversation it is officially time to be crazy: laugh your heads off at absolutely nothing, roll on the ground laughing hysterically, tell dumb jokes and laugh till you almost wet your pants and the list could go on. There are days I want to scream but I have to bite my tongue and just let them enjoy each other.

Today was one of those days. I am not complaining, no, just documenting the day. I think Miss P jumped off her chair 4 times just so she could roll around on the ground while laughing hysterically. Ted asked Mr. C something and his reply was "I'm delirious" and then both of them jumped up and down, literally, laughing at the reply. I think this happened at least 3 times, as if it was the funniest thing they had ever heard, even though they heard the same remark 3 minutes earlier. I thought for sure one of them was going to pee their pants.

I know I should be grateful, and I am deep down inside but on the surface I just want to sit down and have a conversation. I guess here's to crazy brothers and sisters who love each other!!!

On another note, here are a few pictures of the ward Christmas party. The costumes turned out great and everyone had a great time. The Nativity Narration we put together turned out amazing, if I don't say so myself!!

The day of the party Miss P says to me, "I sure hope my costume isn't going to look like a sheet from my bed". "OOOOPS, it sure does!" is all I could think. So, I frantically worked on making it a little more "exciting". By the end of the project she was happy and I was glad to be done! Here's to creativity and the cold sores that came with it!!

The Festival of Trees

If you live local and you have not been then you still have three days to make it. We went tonight and it was great. We have been for the last several years and it is always worth it. I will put a plug in and say that all, and I mean A.L.L. proceeds go directly to the children. Every penny you spend there, even the food, goes directly to helping the children. A family pass is $14.00!!

Tonight was the first time my children asked if we could decorate something the following year. I just might have to do that in honor of Jose, my younger brother, next year. I think decorating a 6 ft. tree is a little much for my first time around but I could handle a wreath or gingerbread house, maybe. I may not have a choice since my children were so crazy, ready-to-do-it-right-now when I showed a slight interest in the idea.

Soooooo, go have fun and help someone else out!!

Family

We had a crazy party over the Thanksgiving weekend.
My older brother came into town and we all had a great time together.

We rode the train to SLC.

Checked out Krispy Kreme donuts.

Signed the BYU Football sign.Had a party at the BYU Bookstore

Enjoyed the lights at Temple Square.

And of course, ate lots and lots of turkey!!

Tuesday in Time

Last year at this time we were building a gingerbread house. I don't even have one of these beauties purchased, let alone built!!! I think I'm still in shock that it's December 1st. I better get with the program or my children are going to start reporting me. I hope you all enjoyed the first day of December. If you didn't, you better start because before you know it the month will be over and the new year here.

I will tell you what I did do today, made costumes for the ward Christmas party. Ted and I are in charge of the Nativity story. I hope they aren't expecting too much because I don't know that I have too much to give!! I thought I had announced to E.V.E.R.Y.O.N.E in the ward that I am the most uncreative person alive but I guess they wanted proof. So today was dedicated to creativity or at least the attempts at it!!!