Sweet Prayers

After talking many times about how we need more of an attitude of gratitude in our prayers, Christian has taken it to heart more than I could imagine. Now all he prays for is what he is grateful for and why. It is really quite cute, so I thought I would write down a few of his favorites.

• I am thankful for the rocks, so the earth isn't a lot of mud.
• I am thankful for the grass, so the earth isn't ugly.
• I am thankful for the water, so we can live.
• I am thankful for the animals, so we can have help. (I am thinking horses, dogs, etc,..)
• I am thankful for the air, so that we can breath.
• I am thankful for the gravity, so that we are not floating all over the place and can walk around.
• I am thankful for my family, so that we can be together.
• I am thankful for food, so that we don't die.

I am thankful for his attitude of gratitude. We love him!

Wii Love Christmas!

I tell my kids that the only thing I will lie to about is for presents. If they ask me what I got for them, I will leave them hanging, in the wrong direction,...well you get the picture. Since we try to stick to a budget, we figured we would go with less presents that had a higher impact. Get the kids what they really wanted. We don't spoil the kids through the year, so we did adjust the budget a smidgen for Christmas. I have found that sometimes they might wish for a lot of "things", but really only truly want a few of those items. The rest are forgotten in the closets, only brought out by their friends when they come over. So, this Christmas brought fewer gifts, but what they really wanted. (Many pictures are included for Grand-Parental enjoyment... :) )

Katie really wanted another American Girl doll. Besides the Webkinz that Santa brought, this was pretty much it along with the doll carrier that she wanted and was pretty sure she would get. She was shocked. She thought, if she was going to get one, she would have to help pay for it like the one she got for her Birthday. Look at that face...not posed one bit. It is a Just Like Me doll. Katie wanted one that looked like her and immediately called her Katelyn (see, it is almost just like her).

Christian wanted some Legos and Bionicles. He got one of each...he loved putting this together...maybe he is finally ready for more...

For the last few days before Christmas all Christian would say that all he wanted was a Wii. Hmmm...luckily we had already decided to take the plunge. But we kept telling them it was out of range...

When they opened the present from my sister (and family) it was a game for the Wii. Katie said, "But we don't have a Wii." I told her we could return it and get something else then. Aunt Barbara must have not realized her mistake.... ;)

Then Christian opened his next gift...two Wii games. "But Mom," Katie persisted, "we don't have a Wii."

"Who got that...Dad...oops, big mistake, we will have to take it back." I said.

Christian, ever hopeful, spoke up, "Oh, well, we can save them until we get a Wii, it is okay."

Onto the family gift from Mom and Dad. Do you see the confusion on this girls face as they open another Wii game?

"Hey," Katie says as she catches on...look at that smile...

They have just been told that Grandma and Grandpa's Christmas gift money combined with ours to get the family a Wii for Christmas (Thanks!). But I made them help clean up all the paper before I showed them that it was all set up in the family room already.

Here is a video just so you can see the level of spastic excitement...he wasn't sure that it was really okay to lie about not getting a Wii though. Really, what am I supposed to do, tell them what they are getting?

A little clip of the first match-up...Katie is a natural at Wii sports, she needed no pointers...

Mom, this is just for you, Katie's face says it all as she talked to you on the phone. She was swinging her doll carrier back and forth the whole time. It was so cute!

The peaceful slumber after the madness. They fell asleep almost instantly last night. And boy did they need it after all that excitement.

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

"Christian, Santa came, it is Christmas Morning..."

At 7:25 we finally decided it was time to wake Christian from his slumber to participate in the present opening. Katie had hardly slept the night before, because she was so excited, and had been up before 6am. She read until we could not keep her in her room any longer.

You can see that Christian got out of bed initially when he was told it was Christmas Morning. But as soon as the first camera flash went off...he scurried right back to...


bed and covered up his pretty little head. He did not like that at all. And was not quite awake enough to handle that amount of light.


Then Katie came bouncing, literally, back to him to remind him why he was being woken up..."It is called Christmas morning and there are presents under the tree silly!"


As you can see, he was still not convinced very quickly and was contemplating staying in that warm cozy place for a long time...but Katie persisted, "Come on, come on, it's Christmas!"


He finally made it there...yawns and all. I am sure that sugar he is unwrapping will help him to wake right up!...oh, and keep Katie awake too.

Christmas Eve 2008

We had a pretty relaxing Christmas this year. My mom always did a Christmas Eve dinner so that she could relax on Christmas day and just enjoy the family and do leftovers. I think it is a fabulous idea, mom's need to enjoy it too. So we had Christmas Eve dinner finished up and eaten by 3pm with our little family. We had WAY too much food and we will have leftovers for forever too. :)

After we finished dinner, Christian just really wanted to open a Christmas present right then. Another Christmas tradition that we have is that the kids can open the present to each other the night before Christmas. We made an executive decision to do it in the afternoon so that the kids could enjoy them before going to sleep. Christian smiled so well for the pictures so that he could open it up...as you will see later...he knows how to perform at the time to get what he wants.

Katie got a new reversible apron that she really wanted at a little boutique that we went too. I told her it had been sold to someone else...and she bought (wink, wink) the excuse. She was so excited about it that, if you pay attention in the pictures, she wore it the rest of the night. Christian got these noodle swords which were used immediately and carried in the car to the different locations we went too.

After that excitement, we went to the Mesa Temple Visitor's Center, to remember the true reason for the season. They have beautiful lights and usually tons of people there. We went before it was dark, got great parking and there were no lines for the beautiful displays there. Christian always loves to go and hear Jesus Christ's short but beautiful message (I know, you can't tell from this picture). The sister missionary apparently was talking to long and Christian said "Can you please push the button?" so that the message could begin. Got to work on those manners. I think he has a little ADD.

There weren't many people when we first went outside, so to kill time and to run off some Christmas Eve energy, we had a few skipping races...

Katie got a good picture of Christian, still cooperating with the camera beautifully.

We ran into one of our old friends from Oregon while there, the Barnwells! They moved to Arizona a few years ago. They were only there for a few minutes and we just happened to be in the right spot. He took a family picture for us! Look at that gorgeous sky!

Here are the lights at dusk around the temple. It was really pretty. They have them up until Dec 31st at least, so go if you haven't already.

Here is the manger scene, the reason for the celebration we call Christmas. Katie took this one for us. She really loves that camera. (I think I have an idea for a present for next year!)

The Three Wise Men...the reason we started the gift giving tradition...

A sea of lights. It is so peaceful and beautiful there.

We ended our night by going by our friends the Moore's house for hot chocolate in front of their lit up house (see previous post). We got to see many loved friends before we turned in for the night, waited for Santa to come and wrap all the presents...

Lights and Sounds of Christmas

Some friends of ours, the Moore's have fantastic Christmas lights set to music that they set up every year. It is broadcast right around their house so that you can get it as loud as you would like in your car. It is a highlight of the season to stop by many times to their house. We went by last night and the kids were dancing and waving at Santa, you only get a partial idea of what it was like. (and Annette, sorry for getting your name so weird. I think I was concentrating...or something).

A few of my favorite Recipes!

I have had a few requests for a couple of my favorite recipes. They are simple and easy and I have one each that have been passed down from my grandmothers.

The first one is from my Grammy Wilson (My Mom's Mom) who I adored as a kid. My mom would make her Yam Casserole for every major sit down dinner celebration and I always wondered why she bothered until my taste buds matured and I wondered why I had been such a dope. Katie who just turned eight surprised me by maturing already. She loved it this year. It is supposed to be a side to your Thanksgiving/Christmas/Easter meal, but really it is dessert during dinner. It is really that fabulous. So here we go...

Yam Casserole

3 Cups Mashed Cooked Yams ( I just use them from the can, but you can do freshly baked)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1/4 Cup Butter
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix it together with your mixer until ingredients are incorporated. Then scoot the mixture on over to a 13x9 pan. Then mix your topping up...

Topping
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Flour
1/3 Cup Butter, Melted
1 Cup Chopped Pecans (can be optional, but really if your not allergic, it isn't)


Mix topping and spread that yumminess over the top of the yam mixture.
Bake at 350, uncovered so it gets a bit crunchy on top, for 35-40 minutes till it is a rich brown color on top.

Even if you have your Christmas meal finalized, go get the ingredients and make it, you won't be sorry. I will post pictures later because, if I make it now, it will be gone before Christmas.

The next we were given from my Grandma Rawlins (My Dad's Mom). She had it years ago at a friends house for an ice cream topping and then used it on us...for PANCAKES!!! What a wonderful woman she was! She spoiled us when we would visit her. Hot breakfast in the morning would consist of pancakes with Carmel syrup and bananas sliced the long way, fried in butter. It is great on many things. I just have great memories of this breakfast with the Carmel syrup in a pitcher that WE got to pour. That is one great memory....so onto the recipe.

Carmel Syrup

1 Cube of Butter
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 T Caro Syrup
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring all of the ingredients to a boil for about 5 minutes while stirring CONSTANTLY!

WARNING: VOLUME TRIPLES! So do NOT use a small pan.

Let it get a nice Carmel color in the bubbles and then turn it off. It is fantastic!

I will get you some pictures of this too. I really should do this for Christmas breakfast! I could do cinnamon rolls with Carmel syrup topping, that might be a bit much, but we can always try!

Hope you enjoy. Really, you should try them!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all of you! We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and we love you all very much. Since we have the blog, you can discover as much as you would like about what we did this last year. Or not.

At this Christmas time, I would love to leave this beautiful video with you about our Lord, Jesus Christ. We feel so blessed by his birth, his example of love, and his sacrifice. May your Christmas be bright and surrounded by those you love!

Love,

Those Crazy Marchese's (i.e. Mike, Cherylann, Katie and Christian)

Prelude to Christmas.

The other night we got together with the rest of the Young Women's Presidency (the women currently in "charge" of our girls youth group) to have a little Christmas Family Home Evening. We had a yummy dinner, a lesson that my shy Katie actually did in front of the whole group (she even volunteered), decorated cookies and visited. It was a lot of fun! Here are a lot of the kids icing their cookies. Yes, some have icing on their faces.
Katie loved the chairs that the Hatch's have. You can actually play on the furniture!

Here is Christian looking like he is starting to slip into a sugar induced coma. Close to being true. :) We had a lot of fun with the families and I would love to do it again sometime. I love big family gatherings and we don't get many of them down here. Coming from a big family I miss the noise and energy from a large group.

Christian has been pushing for helping in the kitchen more lately. So one Saturday morning we were making scrambled eggs and Christian brought over a chair and offered to help his Dad. It was really cute. He was very intent and concentrating. (And yes, he has had a hair cut since then.)

We finally remembered to break the wishbone from our Thanksgiving turkey. This is the first time we have done this, especially since we usually go home to California for Thanksgiving and my sister does the turkey. The kids had a blast. It was almost a split down the middle, but Christian ended up with the bigger half of the wishbone. He is keeping his wish a secret...

We have been really busy and I plan on posting more in a while. December is just flying by and I can't believe we're almost to Christmas. So many things to do, like watch Christmas movies and make the rest of my Christmas Pizzelle cookies. But I am glad that the kids are out of school, even if they are sick too. I am just glad I have a good stash of medicine.

Merry Christmas!

Another Sunday Thought...True Discipleship

We have listened to this clip many times. It is like a condensed capsule of wisdom. To read the entire talk here is the link.

A Sunday Thought...

There are some very talented people out there that have put some amazing videos together that are on YouTube. Here is one that really touched me. Thanks Brian for sharing this on your blog...

Next week there is another one that Mike and I have really made us think and want to do better. I know your are just chomping at the bit...so stay tuned. :)

A Love Letter to my Dad...

I learned today that my dads cancer is starting to get worse again. It has slowly been going down hill for awhile. Over Thanksgiving it got bad enough that he hasn't yet gone back to work. This troubles me much more than I am willing to type or explore, because I am am much better at burying my feelings than bearing them. Know that this is not an obituary, but a love letter to my dad. Honestly, we never know when we will be taken from this earth and I could be hit by a bus tomorrow (although probably not, since I am almost never around them). So...here we go.

I am thankful that two years ago, when you were in the hospital, that the Lord saw fit that you got to stay with us longer. We literally weren't sure you were going to make it out of the hospital alive, but you did. Not only that, but you have traveled, been on cruises, and most importantly to me, made it with no problem to our family reunion this summer.

I am thankful that my kids love you (even when you are a bit surly :) ) and that they know how fiercely you love them too. Have I mentioned that they want to move next to you. (Hey, it is actually getting affordable.)

I am thankful that you always were willing to have mom come and stay with me for 2 weeks after my babies came so that she could help me know what I was doing and take care of us. I know how much you hate not having her home, however you always let her go cheerfully.

I am thankful that you are such a great example of faith in the the gospel of Jesus Christ. You never wavered in front of us and I am forever grateful to you for that.

I am thankful that you were strict with us. Okay, you could have lightened up maybe a teensy bit. :) But as a parent, I now understand the weight and responsibility of teaching your children right from wrong.

I am thankful for your work ethic. You always have worked hard for what you believe in.

I am thankful for your sheepish grins, when you know that you are "in trouble". They are the sweetest things.

I am thankful for your devotion to your marriage. What a great example you are to us. I remember going shopping with you when I was a teenager/college student at OSH (a hardware store). There was an attractive looking woman in front of us in the checkout about your age (at the time) and I watched you to see if you would even notice her, like I had seen so many other men do. As she finished her transaction, the only acknowledgment you gave her was to see if she was moving out of the way. I was proud to be your daughter that day. It also taught me that the world was wrong when they said all men look. Now, I have that in my husband and am glad I waited for the right one.

I am grateful that you loved Mike from the first time that you talked to him over the phone. I remember you met me at the front door of the house when I got home from shopping with Mom and told me I had to call this guy named "Mike" back because he called. I rolled my eyes (I wasn't interested yet...silly me) and you were persistent until I called. I think you have liked all of your girls husbands right from the start. I guess you are a good judge of character. :)

I am grateful that you love to work with your hands and do it well. I know now that it is a talent and that not everyone is blessed with that.

I am grateful that you are my dad and that you love me just the way I am. Not that you can't or couldn't see what I could become, but you always loved me where I was too.

I love you dad. I don't talk to you on the phone as much as I do Mom. But, I do love all the same! My prayers are with you and will be fasting and praying for you this weekend.