Christmas This Year

Twas the night before Christmas....

Yes, these littles of mine were soo excited for Christmas this year. Oh, the anticipation of it all! We had a great time with our Christmas traditions, old and new.

Christmas eve found us like this:

The only picture I took. We took the kids to Grandma and Grandpa's house in St. George. We had ham and shrimp salad and rolls. Lots of yummy things to eat. We exchanged gifts which consisted of slippers for the older kids, jammies for the little one, and a sweater for me. My mom loved the 2017 chatbook I made for her of our family.

Christmas morning found us like this:

 I had to laugh at the first gift Grant opened. A yard stick from Audrey.

 A Furreal Tiger for Audrey who was told repeatedly that Santa may not be able to bring one this year. He cam through though.

 Grant loves him an Atlas.

 Legos for Audrey.

 Robo Dog for Grant.

 New iPads for each of them.

 An American Girl doll with a matching outfit.

 A fan, purse and bracelet from Grandma Shauna.

 A Suprizimal from Grant.

 A Steelers hoodie that fits. Not a small feat for someone who is 6 foot 6 inches.

 Adam joined the party later on that morning. The train table was a big hit, and this Mickey Mouse Clubhouse toy was fun for even the bigger kids (Grant.)

Grandma and Grandpa Killpack came to our house after spending some time up north with the other kids. We made eggrolls for dinner and were sure glad they could come. Love the peaceful happiness that Christmas brings as we take a season to remember the birth of our Savior. And hopefully it isn't just a season. We should remember his birth and what it means the whole year through. Looks like I found a New Years Resolution, doesn't it?

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Christmas Traditions

So every Christmas I think that we are going to have the most Christ centered Christmas imaginable. Everything will be prefect. The manger will fill the space at the middle of the room. Reading the Christmas story from the bible while my kids eagerly listen with anticipation as the fire crackles in the background. And oh, the service that will be given. My kids will gladly give of their service to those in need every day in the days leading till Christmas.

These are always my thoughts at the beginning of the season. I tend to overthink, over anticipate the season every single year.

And now it is almost here. We did do some of our old traditions and added some new. Some I wish we could do still, but then I am always reminded that we need to have Christmas in our hearts throughout the year and not just at Christmas time.

Here is what our family did this year. Some old some new:

1. Temple square lights. We headed to Salt Lake the weekend after Thanksgiving mostly for our nephew Jon's farewell to Spain, but thought we would have a little fun before that. The whole family hitting the Temple lights, and then Grant and James heading to a Jazz game for the rest of the evening. We did this at just the right time. It was fairly warm still, and I thought got us started on the right foot to remember the real reason for the season, which is the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

 

 

If you go and touch the temple, the temple will touch your life.

 

 

 

2. We started the Little Lamb of Bethlehem tradition this year which is a reminder to remember to do kind things for others. We stuck them in our Noel stocking and will leave them there till next year when we will get them out and be reminded of all the good service we need to give to others. I read about this in a Deseret Book brochure and it sounded like fun and it came with this cute little stuffed lamb. If we remember every day to write down the good we did, this will be a fun tradition.

3. Gingerbread Houses/Train. I found a Gingerbread Train kit this year at our local Wally World. This worked out great. I am a total novice when it comes to gingerbread houses. This was my first one, while the kids have a few under their belt from school. The kids worked hard and we figured out where everything was supposed to go. Audrey actually wanted to eat hers, and I let her, but only a little bit. My kids have never been big on candy, so they pretty much just decorated their car, and that  was all they had to do with the candy. It turned out pretty cute, and I think we will do one next year as well.

 

 

 
Love the look of concentration on Grant's face. When you see the tongue, you know he is working hard on something!

 

 

4. Christmas lights around town. This tradition we have done ever since we moved to Cedar City. We love to go look at everyone's Christmas lights and grab a treat on the way home. We like to visit Christmas Lane near the golf course where that neighborhood lights up every home complete with story boards from Twas the Night Before Christmas. It is pretty amazing and such a sight for families. The kids loved this, and I am grateful this neighborhood does this.

5. Putting up our own lights. Audrey has been begging us for years to put up Christmas lights. I super do not want James up on a ladder risking life and limb just for lights on our house. But he did suggest that if Audrey really wanted it, we could put some lights around the pillars on the front of our house. She was so excited, and it does look fabulous.

6. Putting up our Christmas tree. We tend to do this right after Thanksgiving. This year, we did this after we returned from Salt Lake from seeing our family and the temple lights. The kids pretty much took over the Nativity scene, the wrapping of lights around our banister, and the Christmas village, which is always a favorite to be played with. My job was fluffing the tree and reminding them to stop playing and put some ornaments on it. Grant and Audrey were pretty content playing with the village and nativity. Oh well. The tree got decorated and it looks like we have little kids here. Which we do, and I love it! Betsy and Adam are interested in the tree and won't leave the ornaments alone, so all of our ornaments are living at the top of the tree. Nice and safe.

Audrey insists on putting up the angel this year and last

 year.
 

 

 

7. Christmas Cards. This is the first year I have sent Christmas cards. We took some family pictures back in February! I know, almost a year ago. But, not every one got to see them, so I went ahead and made them off a website called VistaPrint for a great price. I sent them to our family and friends including my sisters, and we have received some in return. I think this will be a lasting tradition as long as we get a good family picture we can send every year.

8. Baking. I don't know what has happened with me this year, but my desire to cook/bake has become supremely low. I just don't want to. But Audrey informed me that baking Christmas sugar cookies was her favorite tradition, so I obliged and we made some, but I halved the recipe. I just don't need 80 sugar cookies in my house, and last year, I made a big batch and they did not all get eaten. I think this year we made just the right amount.

9. Christmas egg rolls. Every year for the past 3 or 4 years I have made homemade eggrolls for Christmas eve. This year this tradition will be on Christmas day, since we will be visiting my family in St. George on Christmas Eve. We usually visit my parents on Christmas Day, but this year, James and I just want to stay home with the kids. James' parents will be visiting us on Christmas Day and will be around for our eggrolls so we will just do this then.

10. Visiting Santa. This year Santa was at our local Smiths. We lucked out with not having to wait in line. Grant and Audrey both read their lists and had no problem sitting on Santa's lap. Santa was very kind and good to them. Adam, on the other hand, did not want anything to do with Santa and was very happy when we left. :)

 

 

 

 

11. The Christmas advent calendar that I bought for the kids the year Grant was born is still being used. And instead of the little numbers getting played with and thrown outside, Audrey has been super great this year at changing the numbers and we actually have been counting down until Christmas. Betsy and Adam have even left it alone and this year it is all Audrey. I hope she will continue this next year. 

 

 

Progress

For anyone who knows Grant, knows that he does not know how to deal with a crying  baby. He absolutely cannot stand it when a baby is crying and is not afraid to let everyone know in the vicinity that he does not like it. He is very vocal that way, and shows no filter. When a baby cries, he does not know how to deal, despite loving examples from his mom, dad, sister, and anyone else who has ever had to deal with our crying Adam. I should also note, that Adam really is a great baby. He is super happy and loveable, and loves to cuddle and give hugs. He is great. But he does cry on occasion. I was particularly proud of Grant on this day, because he actually let the baby crawl onto his lap, and drink his sippy, and Grant was perfectly okay with that! Hooray! I have been silently praying for this to happen and it finally did. Progress has been made. I hope it will continue. This is worth documenting since moments like these are few and far between. Hopefully, the trend will continue.

Progress was also noted on this day:

Conference, baby! That is right. Grant is not in this picture, but my 2 oldest, and even mom and dad joined the fun with some good old fashioned Conference Bingo. The kids loved this game, and I think it will be a tradition from now on. These cute kids of mine stayed in front of the TV during the whole morning session, and listened for words like family, prophet, sacrament, and many more. They had the opportunity to earn prizes from the bag on the shelf. Easily a hit. I had printed off a conference packet for the  kids to do during the afternoon session, but it was not as enjoyed as the Bingo game. Lesson learned. Bingo, it is. This is an improvement over fighting with them to stay in the room while conference is on, and not being able to listen myself.

Life Lately

Well, it has been a year since I last posted, and to be perfectly honest, I do not remember posting that last one a year ago. Life has gotten a hold, and then held on, and kind of gotten away. But it feels good to be back and hopefully to continue blogging about our journey.

Right now, life is grand. James loves his job, and he is good at it, being the breadwinner in our family. His success allows me to stay home with our littlest who is now 2 and a 1/2. Can hardly believe that one. I love being home with him, and for our oldest 2 who are now 9 and 7. Seriously where did the time go?

Grant loves 4th grade and he has an aide  just for the morning part of his day. He plays and gets along with the kids at school, but he does not have a close/best friend yet, or even a gaggle of buddies that come around and ask him to play. He plays mostly with his younger sister whom he adores and won't admit it yet, but she is actually his best friend, and vice versa. Growing up, I always wanted an older brother. Now I have an older brother for my middle, and I love it for her. Someday, hopefully, she will be grateful. Grant has had a great year of 4th grade so far. Turning in assignments has proven to be a bit of a task, but hopefully, he will get the hang of it? Truly, how hard can it be to just turn in the assignment? I don't know, but this skill just has to get mastered.

Audrey is doing great in 2nd grade. She has a friend that she has had since preschool in her class, and she loves that, but sometimes tells me that her friend isn't as nice as she could be. Already, drama in the 2nd grade. But I did tell her if someone is hurting her feelings, she doesn't need to be friends with them anymore. We shall see where this leads.

Adam, my baby, is a the sweetest little cuddler. He loves to just snuggle in and I will not complain. My oldest 2 were cuddly, but not like he is. He is a great baby/toddler and I am dreading potty training next week on the first. I have dreaded this since I first found out I was pregnant, but hopefully he will catch on. Adam is not a big talker, but neither were Grant and Audrey. He will probably go to preschool when he is 3, and this will be a good thing for him.

School started about a month ago, and I was surprised to see it come so quickly. Some of the days were long, but  I was not ready to let my littles go back so soon. We did have a great summer, though, especially Grant and Audrey who got to see their cousins for a full week. They were so excited.
We also went camping, took trips to St. George, needless to say, it all ended to soon.

Back into the routine with a vengeance, but with a few changes.
The kids now make their own breakfast and lunch before they leave. I will make pancakes once a week, and then keep the ones that don't get eaten for the kids to heat up themselves in the morning. Huge life saver. It is nice to wake up slowly before being thrown into the routine. For the most part, they do pretty good. Grant needs many reminders some  mornings, and others, he does not seem to need much. He is a work in progress, but doing so much better than he was doing even just last year. Audrey has no problem most mornings getting ready.

Miss them when they are at school. Audrey does such a good job playing with Adam. I think Adam misses her too when she is at school. I miss Grant's pictures and things that he makes and places them around the house. Our house was full of items this past summer. It's hard to take them down. He is seriously so fun and creative.


Audrey will be getting her tonsils out tomorrow, and she is pretty nervous. Never having had them out myself, I do not know what to tell her. The promises of the yummy things she gets to eat, seem to have little appeal to her.
Can't wait to have this behind us. Hopefully no more school will be missed because of sickness.