Christmas Day

Tyce and Harrison woke up first and made sure to rouse Cam and Mary before pouncing on our bed at the magical hour of 7:00 a.m. I think the first two had been watching the clock for a long time before. Someone got Heather and we all gathered on our bed for family prayer.

With Heather.

With me.

After that the kids lined up by age (the one time Harrison does not mind being the younger twin) and headed downstairs to see what Santa brought.

How cute are these kids?

Flying downstairs!

The stockings always hold exciting treasures.

The big kids got video games (Assasin's Creed for Tyce; Pikmin 2 for Mare) and the twins got Legos (a Lego City garbage truck for Harrison {his #1 choice, btw}; and a Lego Creator 3-in-1 airplane/boat/truck for Cam).

They didn't have the Lego City set Cam wanted but he said he liked this one better anyway. Rock on, Santa.

Mary got Christmas socks. You can tell she is nearly always barefoot by the confusion and struggle that donning knit footwear causes her.

Katie was like, "Um, is this it?" Just kidding, she was a very grateful dog. She got a squeaky football too.

After the Santa gifts we moved to the front rooms for the rest of the gifts.

My parents got these musical, dancing hats for the kids and Bryce!

They also got these cool glasses.

Those are some scary elves.

Mary got an organizer called a Caboodle, which I filled with lip gloss and other cosmetics.

This was after I explained, "You have your own makeup now so you don't have to steal mine!"

Both boys really, really wanted messenger bags for Christmas. These were on mega sale from Lands End! Cam's was a space theme; Harrison's has wolves.

Tyce got a gift card.

Work it Cammy.

Tyce got a rugby ball and a South African flag.

Harrison opened a great surprise--a MythBusters experiment kit. He opened it and exclaimed, "Adam and Jamie!"

Bracelet and earrings for Mare.

Heather got new gloves from the Prices.

Bryce enjoyed stroking his beard while reading his new Mark Helprin book.

After the present-opening Bryce and Tyce dashed off to the airport to greet a friend flying in from Mexico, Allison. She is a super sweet girl Tyce met this summer in Utah and has remained a good friend. She was meeting family and driving to Arizona to spend the holiday with her grandparents and so Tyce enjoyed an hour with her.

Later that evening we saw the movie "Les Miserables" and it was, no hyperbole, one of the best movies I have ever seen.

I suspected I would need a tissue and boy, was I right. By the ending scene I was practically sobbing and so were Tyce and Mary! The entire theater was sniffling at least a little--except for Cameron who was asleep and Harrison who asked a million questions.

The car ride home was miserable, I won't lie, but I also won't dwell on it. Some people do not handle transitions well, as you know.

But it was a great day and I was glad to spend it with my family.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

And all the night long,
Christmas traditions were ringing with feasting and song.

That's the poetic way of saying that we had dinner and a devotional (with the one-and-only Heather, auntie extraordinaire).

Everyone before dinner.

This year's dinner was pork roast, mashed potatoes, and green beans.

And a Jell-o-y homage to the Mexican flag, apparently.

We have a few Christmas dinner traditions: we eat by candlelight and we pop Christmas crackers with the person next to us (and tell the joke and wear the paper crown contained therein).

Cam and his crown.

This year Heather introduced us to a new tradition: the peppermint pig. From an article on the subject:

As the candy pig is passed around the dinner table, each person uses the hammer to break a piece off, and then shares a bit of good fortune from the year just passed, with hopes of good luck and prosperity for the new year ahead. 

Heather read the tradition to us and took the first pound of the mallet.

Mary said that seeing everyone at Thanksgiving was a good thing that happened this year.

Cameron said that he made a lot of new friends.

The reason I write things down is because when I'm put on the spot I can hardly put my brain in gear. I know I have plenty of good fortune but I basically copied Mary's answer. Heather said, "I thought you would have mentioned going to Cambria's baptism" to which I enthusiastically replied, "Yes! That!" Oy. And a hundred other things.

Harrison did an experiment with the sparkling cider bottle.

After dinner we cleaned up a bit and had our candlelight devotional. This is a highlight of the entire Christmas season, for sure. Bryce always does such a good job of weaving scriptures and real life examples to really bring home the true meaning of Christmas.

Everyone with lit candles.

Sharing the light. Check out Mary in her cape.

"Ye are the light of the world" Matthew 5:14

At the end of the spiritual lesson we move on to our final Christmas Eve tradition: new pajamas and a new book. We are a family of readers and so the big kids usually race right up to their rooms to devour their new literature. We got Harrison a novel called "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio, which was daunting to read on his own. Cameron got two Diary of a Wimpy Kid books which was at the top of his wish list. Aunt Heather was a gem to read the books to both boys all week.

Not Christmas Eve, but I forgot to take a "new pjs" photo.

Heather reading to Cam.

And you will probably hardly believe this, but Bryce and I finished wrapping the gifts this year on December 22nd! So we were able to go to bed like normal people; I'm not sure that has ever happened before. Of course we three adults stayed up talking way too late instead but it was worth it.

You Have A Place

My last teaching day of seminary I talked about some of Jesus' many miracles, per our lesson in Luke. I ended by having the kids read this quote while I presented the book "The Crippled Lamb" by Max Lucado:

"The same God that placed that star in a precise orbit millennia before it appeared over Bethlehem in celebration of the birth of the Babe has given at least equal attention to the placement of each of us in precise human orbits so that we may, if we will, illuminate lives, so that our light may not only lead others but warm them as well."

--Neal A. Maxwell

We were born at the time, place, and circumstance that would enable us to meet the people, to experience events that will make us who we were meant to become. Haven't you ever noticed that certain circumstances seemed tailored for your personal growth? So many times I've marveled that others have stepped in at the right place, at the right time, to be angels in my life; saving me, comforting me, helping me, or lifting me when I would have otherwise been alone. Surely our Heavenly Father delights in His children doing as Elder Maxwell said, letting our light so shine that we lead and warm those around us. I have been led and warmed and especially at the Christmas season, I am grateful and mindful of that. I am also supremely grateful for The One who led perfectly and warms perfectly, whose birth we celebrate and whose life we adore.

And a Little Child Shall Shame Them

We used to have garbage pick up twice a week, where the guys would ride along the sides of the truck, jump off, heave our cans into the big receptacle, hop back on, and drive away. Boy, did our twins love to play "garbage man" by hanging out of the minivan while I backed out of the garage with the sliding doors open.

Recently our city began an easier system of recycling. We traded in our large can for two smaller ones: one for trash, and one for bottles, boxes, cans, and the like in exchange for once-a-week pick up. This is good for the environment, for sure, but there are some technical issues. The new garbage trucks are automated, which means that the cans are lifted by a mechanical arm. Even though there are still two guys in the truck they don't seem to notice when the trash cans clonk back to the curb and fall over, or if trash starts rolling in the street.

(One time I waved at the collectors on my walk with Katie, just to be friendly. When I came back home our can was on its side and a bag had exploded in the street with rotting jack-o-lantern remains. HELLO!!!!)

Anyway, yesterday before school Harrison heard the recycling truck come by so he stood on the driveway to watch. "Mom! Mom!" he screamed excitedly, "They thew our recycling can away in the recycling truck! The whole thing!"

Cameron ran out there to see. "Oh wow, they did Mom! Ha, now the guy has to climb on the truck to get it back out! Oh my gosh, did you see that? He chucked it off and now it has a dent!"

The garbage man looked at the boys. Because he had an audience he reluctantly kicked the dent out of the can.

They moved on to our neighbor's house. The cans were too close together and the mechanical arm knocked the regular trash can over. Cameron and Harrison jumped up and down on the driveway yelling and laughing, "Oh no! Look at that!"

The garbage man was clearly annoyed by our kids but he got out and righted the can.

Makes you wonder how much time they save with the automated truck, eh? There's nothing like a kid mocking your performance to make you get out and do the right thing.

Sandy Hook

Oh my word, the tragedy in Connecticut last week...holy moly. It is an unthinkable mix of mental illness, access to firearms, and probably a host of unknowable triggers that would lead someone to open fire on an elementary school like that. My heart aches for the families who lost children or parents that day. I am painfully proud of those teachers who risked and lost their lives defending their little ones. I can't begin to fathom why this happened and what it all means but I trust that somehow, God knows--and I have no doubt those Innocents were received with open arms, now free from the pain and fear of this world.

Family Card

Jingle with the Joneses!
(I will mail these. I will mail these.)

View the entire collection of cards.

The Will to Live

Last night it happened again. I began to fall asleep but instead of slipping into peaceful rest, I clawed my way back to consciousness, terrified of dying. As the darkness of deep sleep enveloped me I felt that if I succumbed, if I went too deep, I would slip over to the other side; that giving up control would literally result in me giving up the ghost. I grabbed Bryce's arm to keep me tethered to earth, as if that act could keep my spirit from flying away. I prayed to God that I would be spared; I think I also prayed for some crazy things too since I was hardly in my most logical state of mind. As you can see He did answer my prayer to live though it remains to be seen if He answers my plea for the ability to clone our dog so we can have a lifetime supply of Katies. (Which would be the tenderest mercy I could imagine).

It's all about control. And you don't have to be a Freud to see that I want it and I don't have it, I alternately take and then try to relinquish it (on my own terms) but then I panic--and anxiety takes over, even in my (almost) sleep.

Christmassy Stuff

This weekend Bryce's sister Betsie's family stayed here overnight on their way to Disneyland. (Lucky family!) Shortly after they rolled in we went to Lake Las Vegas to hear Tyce sing carols with some of Basic's chamber ensemble.

Don't they look good?

They sounded good too.

The younger kids liked putting money in the hat but little Natasha had a different idea: she tried to take the money back out. She is an enterprising toddler. So Tyce scooped her up and let her be a special guest in the number. At the end it even looked like she took a little bow! (Though I think she was doing the universal symbol for "put me down").

Sing it, little sister!

Tonight he is caroling with the group at the Magical Forest. When he's busy, I'M busy. There is someplace to be every night this week.

This Monday we decorated the tree for Family Home Evening. I would like to say it was filled with joy and laughter and warm memories in the making. In reality Mary was perturbed we put on our favorite Christmas albums when she wanted to play songs from Twilight on the piano. She argued and stomped before letting us hear "O Holy Night" in peace. Cameron was a super pest--I've already blocked out the details but he was determined to push people's buttons. Harrison was a little grumpy and Tyce just wanted to sit there and eat shrimp. Then Bryce suggested Tyce play Christmas carols for us on the piano and Mary, as you can imagine, howled at the injustice. HOWEVER. We got the tree done and it looks lovely.

Mary placed the star.

Here are the cute kids.

One of my favorite ornaments!

A list of my favorite people.

We also watched a wonderful video depicting the Savior's birth. Do you know the Piano Guys? Look them up because they are fabulous. I really enjoyed considering the emotions of Mary, mother of Jesus, as I watched this. I also loved seeing scenes of Jesus' healing and compassion. As He loved those among Him surely He loves US as well; I marvel that the literal Son of God descended below all things so that we can one day rise with Him, free from sin and death through His marvelous Atonement. This season as we reflect on His birth, and in so doing remember His great eternal love for us, I hope to feel a renewed ability to serve, help, and love my fellow man. I hope to better follow His perfect example and heed His call: "Come Follow Me."

Accidental Harvest

We have a citrus tree in the backyard, a really cool one called a citrus salad tree. There are five main branches grafted together and ideally the tree produces 5 kinds of fruit: pretty green limes, 2 types of oranges, and 2 types of lemons. However, we have had one lime in 5 years, and probably one orange that first year. Last year I don't think we picked anything at all. So I hacked, I mean pruned the tree but I really had no idea what I was doing. To make a long story short, after that I neglected the poor thing and figured we'd never see it bear fruit again.

Last week as I put something away I glanced out the playroom window. When what to my wondering eyes did appear . . . 14 lemons as yellow and pretty as sunshine! They were all on low-hanging branches, hidden from critters and kids.

Our harvest.

 Everyone was so excited! The twins decided to make lemonade right away. The funny thing was, they forgot that lemonade is made with sugar and so they really drank that juice with a puckered smile.

Harrison using the lemon squeezer to juice his fruit.

Cameron did the same.

Harrison's first sip.

Cameron loved his fresh-squeezed lemon juice.

In our lives, sometimes things go poorly and our best efforts seem for naught. We may give up on ourselves but God never leaves us and He never stops caring. Sometimes He sends us something to be a message of hope. For our family, a reminder of God's grace, mercy, and love came through a lemon harvest we neither expected nor deserved, but which we gratefully acknowledged and happily received.

Night of the Notables

Mary and Nikki were a pretty version of the Grimke sisters.

Angelina and Sarah. If only makeup, fashion, and speedy cameras had been available.

As Mary stood in the kitchen wearing her cute borrowed costume she poured soy sauce on a plate of rice. "You know what I'm least looking forward to tonight? Nerdy parents asking me about my poster. We have to stay in character the whole time!"

The girl and her poster.

To Mary's horror, I WAS a nerdy parent who spoke to all 30 kids. I loved talking to the kids about famous Americans I already knew (like John Adams, Jefferson Davis, Clara Barton) and finding out about many I did not (like Deborah Sampson, the "American Mulan"; Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor who was so gifted people thought she was a witch; and the Grimke Sisters, bodacious abolitionists). I gave little Sacagewea a hug after she talked about her hard but brave life. When I saw that John Wilkes Booth had set up next to Abraham Lincoln I said, "Whoa, Abe, you'd better watch your back." That was the straw that broke the camel's back and she hissed at me, "I have never been so embarrassed in my life!" This coming from a girl in a bonnet.

Check out these kick-butt women: Mary as Angelina Grimke, Nikki as Sarah Grimke, and Sara as Emma Smith. Hey, abolition is serious business.

All of the kids read three or four "Who Am I?" sentences about their characters. Ms. McPhee handed out a test to the adults to see who could identify the most historical figures based on the kids' presentations.

Mary read very well.

And guess what....I scored the highest. High five to me! I won a gift card to Starbucks. I don't drink coffee but I hear they have great hot chocolate.

The girls did a great job.

Afterward Nikki and her mom joined Mary and me at Subway so it was an acceptable ending to the night, according to the 7th graders. Everyone talked about their favorite posters and I thought it was an awesome evening. It was cool to see what the kids did for their projects--they worked hard and I can only imagine that they'll never forget what they learned.

Seriously adorable, right?

Events

Last week I attended a lovely Young Women in Excellence with Mary, her first one. The theme was "Never Let Anyone Dull Your Sparkle" and it was beautifully done. Our ward has such great Young Women leaders. One of the activities was the personality color test. I am true blue all they way but Mary was a rainbow--equal parts of each of the four colors. What do you make of that? Bishop Hardy asked the girls to name things that sparkle and they said stars and diamonds (which was what he was looking for) but I seriously feared that Mary would blurt out "Edward from Twilight." Luckily she didn't and so that crisis was averted.

Saturday was the ward Christmas party. It did not end well for one of our children.

It went well for Mary, thank goodness. How cute is this little munchkin in the front?

This week Tyce is busy with choir performances all over town: the mall, Lake Las Vegas, the funeral home. Mary has a special program at school called "Night of the Notables" where she and her friend Nikki will present their papers on the Grimke Sisters as part of their History grade. Somewhere in there I need to find time to set up the Christmas tree and decorate the house. Bryce hung the lights on the house and the trees on Saturday so we look sufficiently jolly from the outside.

I went Christmas shopping today and got stuff for Mary. She is the easiest person in the world to buy for.

Patterns

You know how when you have a baby, you try to figure out his or her schedule: After breakfast he likes to play. After lunch she takes a 2-hour nap. And just when feel like you've got it, the baby changes the routine. Actually she naps after breakfast and plays after lunch. And his favorite food is now peaches.

Well folks, in case you didn't know . . . the same thing is true of teenagers. Mine, at least.

And let me tell you, trying to figure out what's coming up next, what they need, how they might react to something new--it is exhausting. It's like I'm up in the middle of the night every night, only it's not for bottles or diapering, it's for chasing people out of the kitchen and telling them to turn off their lights. It's worrying and wondering about the big things that seem to embody progression and regression on a comically broad-tipping scale.

But one pattern I can tell you is that after a vacation things are always, always hard.

I don't know if it's that holding it together was hard and now they fall apart, or if there's the disappointment of having to return to normal life, or it just feels good to run around and cause mayhem and misery. I really don't know but I sure am glad for a few hours to myself today because I need it.