Christmas Eve 2011

This holiday season was spent in the comfort of our own home.  We had friends, food, and fun.  We played a few games.  One was a musical pass the present.  When the music plays you pass the gift. When the music stops you unwrap a layer.  Every time it came to Natali or Isaac we had to start chanting..."pass it, pass it, PASS IT."  

Spencer with his "helpers" unwrapping the package on his turn.

Isaac ready to make his appearance in the nativity as a wise man.

The kids opened their new jammies and we were quick to send them off to bed! We had things that needed to be done :)  A great Christmas Eve...minus Ben getting called into the ER at 11:10pm.  

Little Handprints

The house the quiet.  The kids had made their way to the backyard.  They were busy!

 They rubbed their hands in the wet grass, rubbed it on the chalk...

...and left their mark, ALL over the side of the shed!  

Gingerbread Houses

Earlier this week we made ginger bread houses.  It served 2 main purposes 1). it gave us something to do over this long Christmas break & 2). it was an attempt to help me get out of my ba-hum-bug mood.  Not sure how succesful it was on the later, but the kids seemed to REALLY enjoy themselves.

 Spencer never made it past the frosting really.  At one point I saw him licking the roof of the house.

 Sweet Natali was so excited for the decorating aspect.  She LOVED every second!!!

Isaac ate more candy than any one 4 year old should eat.  But look at that smile!

Love this...

This picture makes me happy!  It warms my heart.  

Putting up The Tree

To say these little people were anxious to help put up the Christmas tree would be a HUGE understatment!  So with college football on in the back ground, a fresh bowl of popcorn to munch, and lots of ornaments to hang, we offcially started the Christmas holiday season!

**(We've already been asked about 20 times if Christmas is tomorrow. After explaining that it's techincally not even December yet I am having serious doubts about having the tree & decorations up)  :)

"T" is for Turkey

 This little guy gets to go to preschool once a week.  This particular week it was my turn to teach.  The letter was "T".  We went on a turkey hunt, we played in a Tee-Pee, and we made 

edible turkeys out of apples (raisins, grapes, marshmallows, & fruit loops).  I love seeing

 these little ones learn & explore.  It makes me feel like I'm doing something right (ever once in awhile).

Welcom to the "real" show

Two nights ago was one of those built up cry sessions.  Not a pretty cry...above and beyond ugly cry.  It was the kind of cry you muffle with a pillow so none of the neighbors call 911.  Yep it was THAT special.  It wasn't any one thing in particular just lots of built up things...

• I totally feel verbally and physically abused by my children. (coming and pounding your fists into my stomach, bottom, or thigh, does NOT feel good...no matter how big of a smile you give me while you do it)

• Dinner does NOT M.A.G.I.C.A.L.L.Y. appear  on the table at 5:30
• ...in that case...nor does the laundry MAGICALLY get washed, folded, and put away
• or the sink full of dishes that MAGICALLY disappear each day...etc, etc.
• I hate when I am doing something fun for & with my kids and I get rewarded with a major tantrum (from the kid old enough to know better) out in public
• When they come home from school and instantly want to know what "FUN" thing we are doing and the immediate complaint that the after school snack is lame and they want candy (seriously I just need to throw all leftover candy away...that will take care of it)
• NO I do NOT like the squeaker toy literally in my face being squeezed over and over 
• Or the fact that I feel like I couldn't maintain a intellectual conversation unless it was about Vampires, coupons, diapers, potty training, Team Umizoomi, or The Biggest Loser.  Let alone formulate a grammatically correct sentence (goodbye higher education)

Anyway I could make my list go on and on.  But the truth is I know that some of this is just the terriorty of raising kids and being a mom.  It's life.  I feel under appreciated.  I feel like I live in an endless state of Ground Hogs day.

I was telling a friend though that I feel frustrated when I feel this way.  I have a lot to be grateful for...I get to stay at home with my kids, they are happy & healthy, we have a roof over our heads, food on the table, heat, safe cars to drive, and family that love us, to name a few.  But despite that some days are still really hard.    It helps me to vocalize this.  To realize that despite what my husband my think I am NORMAL (or whatever that is).    This is part of it, the good & bad.  And although I feel this way at times, I still love my family and want to keep being their mom/wife (despite the occasional fantasy's of running away) :)

Halloween 2011

Halloween this year brought a  few TRICKS along with the treats.  I got sick the day of trunk-or-treating.  Natali hurt her foot and couldn't go to the trunk-or-treat with her dad & brothers (imagine the most irrational and overly dramatic 2 hour meltdown on how her life was over).  On Halloween, Monday, Natali woke up sick (aka. the barfs).  Thankfully the bug that was going around was a very quick bug.  Once you barfed you felt pretty good just a few hours later.  So by Halloween evening we gave her the OKAY to go out and get some candy. This years costumes:

 Buzz Lightyear, Fairy, Superman

 I think Spencer's face says it all!

Happy Halloween

Donuts

My BIG mouth is rarely an asset.  But when it comes to a donut eating contest...I have the advantage!  I was first introduced to this long standing tradition back when I first started dating Ben at his families Halloween party.  And since then in one way or another we have tried up hold the tradition.  The kids seem to look forward to it (I'm pretty sure they are just excited to eat the donut).  Here are some of this years contestants.

Austin was going with the "get low" approach, Natali after sheding tears just held the string, and I think we had to stop Caden from eating the string. 

 Isaac was in it 100%

Spencer had the right idea.  At one point I think he had gone around to almost all the donuts and taken a single bite out of each one hanging there. 

Abbi, Isaac, and Spencer having their turn after the big kids.

My Hero's

Superman & Buzzlight Year to the resuce!  These two little guys are my little sidekicks.  On Friday's we go to music makers and this week we got all dressed up for our "Halloween" music makers.

We had "superhero" dancing... 

We listened to "spooky" stories... 

We collected candy... 

We played with friends... 

And we ATE candy!  

Handsome Boy

My sweet handsome little man.

(his first tie)

San Diego Wild Animal Park & Shopping

It was our last Saturday in San Diego and we wanted to do something outside and fun.  We headed down the hill and took full advantage of my moms zoo membership.  

The first thing we did was go ride the tram (or the "train" because that made Spencer happy).  We got to see all the animals doing their normal thing....eating & laying around.  My favorite is still seeing the giraffes.  They are just plain cool!

We ate lunch overlooking the "African Savannah" and then walked around to more of the exhibits.

 (Not a bad shot by Natali...besides the fact that I think I look like a bug with my white glasses)

The Animal Park was kinda short lived.  The kids were clearly not appreciating the outing and I was getting more and more frustrated by ALL the WHINING.  I was on the verge a HUGE mommy meltdown.  Not even a diet coke was helping.  (yes it was THAT bad people)

So my genius mother decided we should go hit up the mall.  And you might be thinking, the mall, on a Saturday, with 3 kids.  Crazy I know...but it WORKED!  My mom took the kids over to the inside Mc Donalds, bribed them with ice cream and let them play a little while I browsed the racks in H&M.  It was bliss....PURE SHOPPING BLISS.  Kids played with grandma, I got alone time...I was rejuvenated.

Eventually Spencer zonked out and I took full advantage of hitting up a the vast majority of stores that we do not have here in Temple.   I loved it.  It was just the retail therapy that I needed.  

It was a great Saturday, zoo, shopping, being with my mom.  I was one happy momma by the end!

Rain

You may or may not know but we are in a SEVER drought.  Notice that lush green grass in our backyard! Oh, wait you can't see it....that's cause it's ALL D-E-A-D!  It's gross.  It feels like you are walking on hay. We haven't seen rain in what feels like FOREVER.  

This morning however we woke up to the blissful sounds of pitter patter against our windows.  The skies were over cast and gray, and it was windy outside.  It was nice.  It made me feel all cozy inside.  I never thought I'd get so sick and tired of having clear blue sunny skies.  I liked the change.  It made me want to bake all things pumpkin and fill my crock pot with homemade soup.    

The kids begged and pleaded to play out side in the rain.  There was NO WAY I was going to deny them of such a simple pleasure.  It was a happy moment.  They played long enough that Ben was able to make it back home from rounding at the hospital.  We ate pancakes and enjoyed some chocolate milk courtesy of daddy & the cafeteria.  

 The girl couldn't resist dancing in the rain!

 I hope there are a few more rainy days in our near future, please!!!

Mormon Battalion

I haven't been to the Mormon Battalion visitors center since they remodeled it.  I remember going as a kid.  It was...okay.  A big list of lots of names and a few artifacts on display, paired with some different LDS videos.  I have only heard GREAT things about the new and improved visitors center and I have to agree...it was WONDERFUL.  I took the kids down one morning and we had the whole thing all to ourselves.

First off it's centered in down in Old Town, which is just a fun place.  The atmosphere there is great, and so pretty with all the old historic buildings.  The visitors center is very hands on and my kids had a hay day talking the Sister Missionaries ear off.

 In front of the visitors center.

(I love the adobe tiled floor)

 Playing inside the covered wagon.

(Mom...you mean they had to sleep in here?)

 Natali all preped for the Mormon Battalion hike

 Panning for gold.  This was probably their favorite activity, especially Spencer.

 Each kid could keep two pieces of gold...they thought that was AWESOME.

 My cute little boys.

 Isaac pumping water from the well, and Natali getting ready to do the wash in the background.

After a full morning of learning about the battalion and becoming unofficial soldiers, we were starving.  Lucky for us there was an In & Out Burger near by (let's be honest...I know where pretty much every In & Out is in the San Diego area).  My mom even came and met us from work.  PERFECT!

I had to take a picture and send it to Ben...rub it in...he didn't see the humor :) 

The kids loved it!  

Mormon Battalion and In & Out with Grandma.  It was a great day!