Pink Christmas Exchange

Erin sent me this beautiful bag made entirely out of ribbons. I love it, the ribbon is so pretty/spunky and she sells it here. Thank you Erin, I really do love it and will use it often!

Find out about Pink Christmas here.

The Highlights

Miriam and Byron received so many thoughtful and wonderful gifts this Christmas. Lots of cute clothes (which is what I get excited about!) and games (we played a rousing game of Tea Party tonight...thank you Landon!!). But, every year there are THE gifts...the ones that really cause a stir of excitement. Here are the ones from this year.

Grandpa Byron made Miriam her very own kitchen!! To understand why this is so exciting, you just have to know Miriam. She rules over the kitchen in nursery, she asks to drive into S.L.C. to play with the kitchen at Pottery Barn Kids, she pretends to have her own cooking show, she wants to be a Costco cake decorator (and a ballerina/doctor) when she grows up...I could go on and on. The girl loves to bake!

The John Deer tractor has been fun as well.

The kitchen caused lots of spontaneous hugs and expressions of love for Grandpa B. I am just happy to have some place to put all her food toys.

Grandma R gave Miriam the cupcake decorating set (along with full uniform) she had been oogling over in the Hearthsong catalog. She wore the outfit all day, and had a blast making mini cookies in the tiny muffin tin. I think I am going to have just as much fun with the icing tools as Miriam will.


This little thing caused so much laughter! Miriam loves remote control anything (she is kind of a technology geek like her daddy). She giggles uncontrollably as this thing buzzes and flip flops around. Little Byron went nuts trying to crawl after these things. He was squealing, and doing this worm-like break dancing move to reach them.

Thank you Grandparents for making this Christmas magical!

Recipe for a Great Christmas

Start out with wonderful hosts

Add an Uncle who will watch movies with you, and an Aunt who brings toys to play with, spends time with you, and makes you feel special by taking your picture every chance she gets.

Add a dash of magic..

and a whole lot of beautiful fluffy snow

plus, lots of yummy food and treats

with a sweet guy who is almost crawling, and who gets his first tooth for Christmas


and a cute little girl who is enthusiastic about everything
(Miriam after opening almost every gift: "this is just what I wanted for years!")



and you have created a Merry little Christmas

Thank you Mom and Dad for having us!

Odds and Ends before Christmas Post

Miriam had a wonderful time at Grandma's house. Everyone was right, there was no need to worry, I don't think she missed us much. I keep getting bits and pieces of little conversations she had while on her dream vacation. She was reporting the weather to me "snowstorms are likely on the eighteenth, and the twenty eighth", so I know there were discussions about the weather. She told me grandpa's horse can be called "Stumbleina or just Alina but don't expect any babies from her". She said that "when you fly to the beach called Hawaii, you have to bring movies and snacks on the airplane because it gets really boring". She loved going to her first movie, dance class with Miss Julia, picking up Josh from school, visiting Great Grandpa's farm, and her special shopping trip with G'ma and G'pa.

G'ma and G'pa know just what a little 3 year old needs. Barbie band aids of course, since I only buy the cheap Rite aid ones, and a cat ornament (Miriam won't let me take out the picture of the cat that came with the ornament). Thank you mom for sleeping with Miriam when she was out of sorts, washing Miriam's clothes, packing them so neatly, and especially for my treat of yummy antioxidants! Thank you Julia, Kelly and most of all Sarah for watching Miriam. She is ready to get shipped back down, but no worries we won't leave her down there anytime soon.

BIG NEWS

a FAIRY moved into Miriam & Bub's room!!

she left a gift with fairy dust all over it...

and said she would leave more treats if M kept her room tidy. SO EXCITING! We have been hoping a fairy would move it and it finally happened! Want a fairy to move into your house?? Go Here.

Cute wreath M and her cousins made yesterday at the Children's Museum. We love that place, but it is even MORE fun with cousins!
I love that I won't have to take down this wreath until April.

Lastly, Miriam has really gotten into the Christmas spirit! She has made cards for the cookie bakers at Smiths and Dicks, and made the above treats for the story time ladies all at her own suggestion. She is catching the vision!

In Defense of....

Darin defended his thesis today. Whew....what a grueling process that is. I will not complain anymore about my root canal because this was just as unnerving (get it?) and I guess more expensive if you consider everything. Darin did an amazing job, and I have to say looked rather dashing up there defending his hard work over the last few years. I seriously would have been in tears with all the interrupting questions from stern looking professors. I was so proud to have such a smart and handsome husband...lucky me!

I had to laugh at myself. Sitting there with my hair all curled, and wearing my pearls. I tried hard to have my most intelligent and interested expression on but really I was totally and completely lost. Going out for pizza afterwards was just as amusing as I heartily laughed at the periodic table jokes being told.

CONGRATULATIONS HONEY!

8 years, 2 kids later..........

This was then.

8 years, 2 kids, 2 bachelors degrees, 1 masters degree (after Wednesday), 4 moves and one root canal later.

Here we are

and he is still making me laugh.

More about today's root canal later, that is too sad for an anniversary post.

Little Tatum's Blessing

Julia and Jared blessed their sweet little Tatum this weekend. Jared gave a beautiful blessing and the dinner afterwards was wonderful (props to Jared's sisters for the sweets and mom and Sarah for the soups!). It was fun to get together before Christmas since we are all with our in-laws this year.The kids were a bit rambunctious so we opened up the gym and let them run back and forth for about 20 min. It's amazing how entertained they were by just running.

My sister Sarah, and my mom (and probably Julia and Kelly at some point) are going to watch Miriam for the next 3 days. This is the first time we have ever left her overnight anywhere. My mom stayed here with her when Byron was born but she has never slept somewhere else without us, and never for longer than one night. It's been rough on me (I cried a bit on the drive home) but I dearly need some time without her around. I can't thank my family enough for the this pre-Christmas break. We have a ton going on this week; it's our anniversary tomorrow, I need to finish up Christmas stuff Miriam can't be around for, Darin defends his thesis this Wednesday and we are driving to my in-laws for Christmas on Saturday (is that news to you Mom and Dad?). Also, I have a big hairy dentist appointment tomorrow morning that is suppose to be about 3 hours long!! Tomorrow will be the first time Byron is babysat by a non family member, I can't stand that it will be for sooooo long. A good friend is watching him, that is my only consolation. I have the hardest time leaving my kids for just an hour let alone 3 days...I couldn't have left Miriam if it wasn't with my mom and sisters. Good Luck Sarah, Mom, Julia and Kelly...THANK YOU!

Miriam Funnies

Darin took Miriam on a daughter daddy date to buy Christmas gifts for Byron and I. She was positively giddy about it and had a wonderful time. I was surprised at how observant she is about things I would like. She had suggested ear rings but "small ones, because mom loves small earings" which is very true and a "Jesus picture" which is also true, I REALLY want this certain picture of Christ. Anyway...that is not the funny part. When they got into the car to leave Miriam said something like "I know! We can get mom new underwear because her bum shows sometimes...and new bigger pants and shirts!" AHHHHH I had to post this so Sarah can tell me "I told you so!" she has been telling me to get a belt for months now. Message received I will wear a belt with my jeans. (BTW although Miriam thinks so, it's not that my clothes are too small, it's just that my waist to hip ratio causes the waist of my pants to be huge to accommodate my thighs. This is a common problem among us hippy women.)

This morning I showed Miriam an advertisement of something I thought Darin might like. She looked at the $6 and said with her face scrunched in sympathy "Oh Mom, I am sorry this says 6, and that is lots of dollars, I don't know if we can get this right now. You might have to earn those dollars". Where does she come up with this stuff? Oh wait, I know I know, she gets it from us but it just sounds so silly!

*edited to say: Thank you mom, for being overjoyed with your gift of a crystal oyster (with a little pearl inside) one year for Christmas or Mother's Day or your birthday. Sarah and I thought it was perfect for you, and Dad didn't hurt our feelings by saying it was ridiculous. You've been kind all these years to display it next to your Danish glassware in the curio cabinet. I am sure Sarah would agree that if you would like to take it down and donate it to a good cause it would be fine with us.

Christmas Answers

Real tree or artificial?

I like real trees when my parents have to deal with it (at the cabin). At my house, since I am the one putting it up and taking it down, artificial all the way. A family in our ward puts up a fake tree but on Christmas Eve gets a real one for free from a lot and decorates it that night...kind of a cute idea.

Julia, risking her life to add the star on top of our cabin tree.

When do you put up the tree?

The day after Thanksgiving, it's part of the Thanksgiving celebration in my mind.

When do you take the tree down?

Right after New Years. I get bad Holiday let down so taking down the tree is symbolic of my sad mood.

Hot chocolate or apple cider?

Hot chocolate!


Favorite gift received as a child?

I was thrilled to get a Cabbage Patch Kid, my darling Maida Ethel, the year when they were so popular. I didn't know it at the time but my mom had aunts in 4 states looking for one because they were sold out everywhere. I am not sure which aunt came through for me.

Also, my little brother Mark gave me these hideous dream catcher earings when he was in the first grade and I was a junior in high school. He had bought them at a little store his elementary had set up. He was SO excited to give them to me. All month he would say "Oh man, you are going to LOVE your gift...you are going to die". The earings were HUGE and they made my lobes itch when I wore them but they make me smile when I see them (yes I have them).

Do you have a Nativity scene?

Yes a Precious Moments Nativity. I collected Precious Moments ornaments when I was younger. I have quite a few of them but only get out the nativity, which is put up high, with the little ones around.


Hardest person to buy for?
Darin, every year, even in high school it is/was always Darin. First of all, he LOVES technology which is expensive, and I have no clue about. Secondly, he LOVES getting great deals and knows how to search the internet to find them. So, even if I bought something he loves, it would kill him to know that I had spent way more than he would have on the same thing. I have bought him clothes, cologne, books etc but those things don't cause the "WOW" factor I would love to see one of these years. I tried to surprise him with Bouldering lessons one year, but he totally knew what I was up to. The worst part about it is that he is always buying me such great gifts, totally surprising me.

Easiest person to buy for?
Miriam, my sisters....Me.

Worst Christmas gift ever received?
One year I got a microscope. I was shopping with my dad and he thought it was cool, and because I am a born pleaser I said that I thought it was great too. So I got it, and then felt bad that I never wanted to play with it. So it wasn't a bad gift to get, it just wasn't really what I wanted. My poor dad, how can you win when people will say whatever they think you want them to hear...does that make sense?

Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail. Although I love getting both.

Favorite Christmas movie?

Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas

Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

Every year that my cousin Heather throws her after Christmas party.

Favorite thing to eat at Christmastime?

When we are with my family aebleskivers and all the Danish dinner fix ins. When we are with Darin's family, Clam Chowder, and the sweet rolls in the morning.

Clear lights or colored?

I prefer clear for my tree, but I love the colored lights one our tree growing up. I remember sitting on the couch and squinting my eyes until the lights got all fuzzy, thinking how beautiful it was.

Favorite Christmas song?
What Child is This sung by almost anyone, and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Sarah MacLaclan and the Bare Naked Ladies

Travel or stay home?
We've never stayed home...can you believe it??

Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?

Yes, thanks to the song Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

Angel or star on top of the tree?

Star. But we actually don't have either (well, I have a precious moments angel but since I don't get out the ornaments she doesn't get to be on top of the tree either). We have reindeer antlers Miriam made on the top this year.

Because I have missed the SPT this week, here are our favorite ornaments. Given to us by Grandma C.

14 Days to Go!

Our advent calendar shows 14 days to go till the big day! I think we are ahead of the game at this point. (We love our calendar Cristin.)

Cards are sent, far away packages sent, neighbor/friend gifts are wrapped and ready to be delivered.

Nutcracker is played everyday (as per Miriam), Messiah is played on Sundays. FM 100 and Cozy on in the car ALL THE TIME (you should hear Miriam sing "F...M... one hundred!" it's very funny).

We got to the library early for a good selection of the Christmas books to add to our collection (which is growing every year thanks to Grandma C!). We are enjoying our nightly stories under the tree.

Nativity is up and safely out of reach.

Stockings are hung...

Kids Christmas jammies are out.

I am feeling pretty good about Christmas this year. I am still stressing over gifts for parents, and need to finish off things for the kids but it's manageable. I love the way both of our families handle gifts for brothers and sisters, it has really helped to simplified things. On Darin's side, each family makes a scrapbook page of their year that gets color copied ans sent to everyone else. Eventually we will have a book full of memories from each family. My family does something small having to do with 72 hour kits or food storage for everyone. It's amazing how fun it is to get things like duct tape, and emergency blankets when they are wrapped up all pretty. It is also nice to have a few things put together so those lessons about emergency preparedness are easier on my overactive guilt sensor. I know of a family that does something else to get away from stressful family giving. They pool together the money they would spend on each other and do something for someone else. Leave an envelope full of money anonymously on a doorstep, or buy theater tickets for a couple in need.

Any other simplifying ideas out there??

Dipped with Love

Miriam's hand dipped marshmallow reindeer's, and artistically sprinkled chocolate pretzels....she's going to have some happy friends and teachers this year!

Funny Kid update

We made "gingerbread" (gram cracker) houses at the Children's Museum today.
Here are some funny things I want to remember about today:
Miriam dropped the lid to her chap stick lid and asked me to retrieve it.
Me: "I don't know if I can"
Miriam: "I believe in you Mom (she puts her hand on my arm) you just don't believe in yourself"
That has to be from some movie or something.

To a girl next to her making gingerbread: "Did you try the icing? Ohhh it's really good I think you will really like it"
The little girl gives Miriam a blank stare.
Miriam to me: "I think she speaks Spanish"

We saw Santa (of the real beard variety) taking a break from picture taking with kids. Miriam yelled from a distance "I want a light writer!" (which is a new development, and I don't think she will be getting it) Santa said "what was that darling?" and started to walk toward us. Miriam puts one hand out in the stop fashion, one arm goes up to cover her eyes and she says "No No! I just want to yell it to you!".

Miriam, flippantly, when Darin came home from work: "Hello Faaather" (just like a British socialite).


I have no picture of this, but Bub has started clicking his tongue, and is quite proud of himself. He is beginning to move now, squirming and rolling around. He is not so content to sit in one place, and is getting a bit frustrated that everyone can just get up and leave him at any given moment.

Nearly every night after we put Miriam to bed she makes a "campsite" for herself by the door or by her night light so she can look at books even though it's lights out time. As long as she stays in her room we don't mind, we just go to our room and shut the door sending the message we are done for the day. Sometimes she tries to lure us into playing with her by slipping notes under our door. Eventually she will give up and fall asleep.

What was it Ferris Buller said? Something like... "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around you might miss something". Thats how I have felt today.