Doctor Lindsey

Emily was showing Lindsey how to be a doctor. I think she does a great job don't you?

Forgotten Present

I bought a great gift for the girls for Christmas and completely forgot to wrap it and give it to them. I remembered on Saturday. It is a 2 man tent. I knew with it being winter and us being stuck inside, they would love something to keep them busy. Emily has slept in the tent for the last 3 nights. We feel kind of bad that Lindsey hasn't had a chance, but no one would get any sleep if we did that. Emily has actually slept really well in there. They love it, course I don't know how long we can keep it up, its kind of overcrowding their already crowded room.

Don't Open the Door

Lindsey decided this would be a fun place to lay her pillow and blanket. Silly girl!

Singing Emily

Emily loves to sing. All day long she sings. She has a beautiful voice with wonderful pitch, I don't think I am a bad singer, but she definitely got more of it from her Daddy. He has a great voice and he sings all day too. She tells me that her dream someday is to sing with a microphone in front of a crowd. Which is probably why she loved singing at the family Reunion. She really does sing well. However, there is another side to this sweet tale. As much as we love it, it can get hard on the ears all day long. High singing to songs from Enchanted. We often have to tell her to go a little lower to save our aching heads sometimes. Despite that though, she turns everything in the house into a microphone, so for Christmas she had to get one. And here is a great picture of her using it the best way she knows how.

Louisa May Alcott

I finished reading this today. I started it at the beginning of December, but the work of Christmas kept me from it even though it was only 188 pages long. I finish books that are over 600 pages in 2 days so had I not been so busy it would have been done long before now. It was Louisa May Alcott's first novel and I had never read it. I found it at a thrift store and had to have it. It was well written and sweetly too. For a 17 year old she was quite the literary. She spent her days with Thoreau, Emerson and Hawthorne so it isn't any wonder that at the age of 17 she could write something like this. I used to write short stories as a teenager and let me tell you, her story possessed so much of what mine lacked. I now don't care for story writing much anymore, but I do remember the hours I spent on it. I haven't read much of Alcott's work, but one of my favorite works of literature is Little Women. I love the movies that have been made of it also, however, no actor has ever been able to really capture the characters she creates in that book. My sisters claim that her book titled An Old Fashioned Girl is another fantastic novel. I have yet to read it. Alcott is one of the authors that I have said rivals any of the "popular" ones of today. If you get a chance read this one. Or better yet, read Little Women so many books pale in comparison, even Alcott's own earlier works.

Christmas

On Christmas Eve we read the Christmas story. Here is Robert with the pictures, telling it to the kids.



We sang some Christmas hymns and the girls opened their Christmas pjs.






Then Christmas morning Emily and I didn't want to eat, but Robert and Lindsey said they wouldn't be happy until they had breakfast. So we waited for them to finish and then let the present opening begin!





The girls got a toy kitchen as their big present and they loved it. Lindsey won't stop playing with it. Every second she is "washing hands an face" or "cooking food". They broke the fridge door on it 2 hours after opening it. Nice. It was cheap and flimsy, but small enough to fit in their over crowded room. Maybe next year we will invest in a nice big wooden one. If we have the money and space for it of course. But here is Lindsey loving it!


They both said they loved Christmas and their presents, so it was a success. At night we spent some time with Robert's family and ate a wonderful meal. It was beautiful and ended in a blanket of thick snow and a slow drive home. I never got out to get Emily snow boots, which is very unfortunate because I would love to take her sledding down that hill behind our house. Oh, well hopefully there will be more snow like this before we move from here. Anyway, Merry Christmas!

Morbidly Obese Cat

Please someone tell me I am not the only one who thinks this Japanese* correction- it might be Korean* commercial isn't the funniest thing ever!

Merry Christmas

It is almost here! And as I prepare for all of the temporal things that go along with the holiday, I am reminded what it really means. That it is the birth of yours and my Savior Jesus Christ. I love Christmas because it is centered around Him who gave me everything. If we had nothing to give our children, no toys, nothing. We would still celebrate this special time and be just as excited. I have loved teaching my children about the reason for the season and I wanted to share the traditions that we have started that have kept our focus on the Savior during this season.

*As you can see in the last post we go every year to see the lights at the temple. No matter how cold we are, we make sure to watch and listen to the scriptures being read over the manger scene all nestled in the snow.

*We keep a manger scene in our home and at the top of the tree we have a glass ornament with a picture of Christ on the inside.

*Under our tree we have a special box with paper inside. These are our gifts to Christ. We keep these a secret until Christmas Eve when we read them to each other and tell how it felt to serve. "For inasmuch as ye ado it unto the least of these, ye do it unto me." Doctrine and Covenants 42:38

*We make sure that on Christmas Eve we read the nativity story and sing Christmas carols.

*We keep the picture of Christ under the tree to remember Who it is we are celebrating.

I am very grateful to have been blessed so much this year and I know that it is through the strength of the Lord that we have made it through the trials and struggles of this year. Life is beautiful and precious and God is in control. I am also grateful that once again, the thoughts of the people are returning to Christmas. People are saying Merry Christmas once more, putting up Christmas trees, playing Christmas shows. Jesus is the reason for the season and I celebrate Him.

Christmas Lights

On Sunday Robert went to go visit his granddad in the hospital. Granddad is 92 and his heart is beginning to fail. We know his time is short, but no one knows when that time will be. The family has been going to see him to make sure he knows we all love him. Grandma is very sad and we are praying for her comfort during this hard time. It has been a difficult month for family health.







After Robert went to see him he came home to give him some rest, we had dinner and dressed the girls really warm. Full stockings underneath their pants, sweaters, gloves, hats, coats and we headed to our down town to see the Christmas lights by the temple. It was beautiful. Robert said it wouldn't be as cold as I was preparing, but I am always glad when we over dress. It was COLD!
Lindsey walked around with us without being in the stroller. She loved the lights and said "Mommy, qwimus yites". And when we went into the square she said "Mommy, tempo" when she saw the temple in front of us.





We saw the reflection ponds with the lights and the manger scenes and statues. This is a tradition for our family to go. Before Robert and I were married we spent a lot of time by the temple in the cold kissing... I mean looking at the lights. Then each year after that we have gone. We were afraid with all that has gone on this month that we would miss it this year, but tonight was perfect. We love our girls and were very happy to share our tradition once again with them.

Christmas Song Quiz

These are really funny. Try to figure out which Christmas song they are talking about with each one and put it in your comments, it's lots of fun!

1. The apartment of 2 psychiatrists.
2. The lad is a diminutive percussionist.
3. Decorate the entry-ways.
4. Sir Lancelot with laryngitis.
5. A B C D E F G H I J K M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z.
6. Present me naught but dual incisors for this festive Yuletide.
7. The smog-less bewitching hour arrived.
8. Exuberation to this orb.
9. 288 Yuletide hours.
10. Do you perceive the same longitudinal pressure which stimulates my auditory sense organs.
11. The red-suited pa is due in this burg.
12. Stepping on the pad cover.
13. Uncouth dolt has his beezer in the booze and thinks he is a Dark Cloud's boyfriend.
14. Far back in a hay bin.
15. Leave and do an elevated broadcast.
16. That exiguous hamlet south of the holy city.
17. Behold! I envisioned a trio of nautical vessels.
18. Listen, the winged heavenly messengers are proclaiming tunefully.
19. A joyful song relative to hollow metallic vessels which vibrate and bring forth a ringing sound when struck.
20. As the guardians of little woolly animal's protected their charges in the shadows of the earth.
21. Frozen precipitation commence
22. We are Kong, Lear, and Nat Cole
23. Oh, member of the round table with missing areas
24. Boulder of the tinkling metal spheres
25. Vehicular homicide was committed on Dad's mom by a precipitous darling
26. Cup-shaped instruments fashioned of a whitish metallic element
27. Oh small Israel urban center
28. Our fervent hope is that you thoroughly enjoy your yuletide season
29. Parent was observed osculating a red-coated unshaven teamster
30. May the Deity bestow an absence of fatigue to mild male humans
31. Natal celebration devoid of color, rather albino, as a hallucinatory phenomenon for me.
32. Obese personification fabricated of compressed mounds of minute crystals.
33. Have hitherward the entire assembly of those who are loyal in their belief.

Fudge Trouble

Okay, I made fudge delicious and perfect our first year of marriage. And every year since then I have ruined it. I don't get it hot enough, I burn it, etc. Just not good. I don't know why I thought I would make it this year. It's about $10 worth of ingredients, but I really wanted some for me and my kids and our neighbors. But this year is the same as the last 5 years. So here is the failed attempt at fudge once again.

Pictures

I thought I would share more of the pictures I took and my wonderful sister Rachel photo shopped for me.

Lindsey was not very cooperative that day. It was getting too close to nap time.












And a different version of the same picture.

New Bed

We bought a new bed! You know those really stupid commercials about having a "recuperative sleep" because of a "sleep number". Well, our bed is about 20 years old and VERY painful to sleep on. I am 25 and it stinks to wake up every morning with a sore back, hips, butt and neck. I can't count how many mornings I wake up with a headache. It's so painful. When I was pregnant with Lindsey I swore I couldn't go another pregnancy on this bed. Some day we would like more kids and I am not even thinking about it until I can have a relaxing pregnancy without aches and pains from the bed I sleep on. We previewed one of their beds in a store when I was pregnant last and I LOVED it!



It was so comfortable and we have been waiting for the right deal to come along so that we could buy one. It came! We planned to buy their lowest style, without pillow top, none digital, etc. This week they have a deal for their pillow top, whisper quite- the other one you can hear the motor-, digital, wireless AND $250 less than their cheapest bed because this one is 50% off. We went to the store and I was sold and we happily bought ourselves a big well deserved Christmas present. And we also got mall deal of $100 gift cards to be used anywhere for spending so much. Nice. I can't even tell you how excited I am. Oh and I found my sleep number- 30. Perfection!

Christmas Reunion

Every year Robert's family has a Christmas family reunion together. We have Santa come and the kids get presents. It is so cute and fun. The "babies" (Sienna and Lindsey cousins) love to play together, hold hands and hug. Emily and her cousin Kara are also inseparable. We had a good time with the family and hugged and tried not to talk too much about Robert's sister Lori's and Robert's brother's wife Jill's cancer. I was glad to hear from Jill about what they are doing since I haven't even had a chance to see her and feel like a terrible sister in law. We love both of them and pray for them every night, so does Emily.




Lindsey was too scared to sit on Santa's lap and so was Sienna. They just HAVE to be alike.


Emily was so cute and such a ham. It was really sweet. They had a talent show and Emily decided she really wanted to sing in front of everyone. She got up and sang I Am a Child of God and she did SUCH a good job! She was on key and Robert and I were chocked up at how sweet it was. She was so fearless too.





The kids were so excited to see Santa! Emily said she wanted a princess doll with clothes to go with it. We had a great time and afterward we got to see Robert's sister Lisa and Jeff's new house. What a cool house with tons of awesome potential. How exciting for them! It was a very good day with family.

No, I Don't Want to Live in a Crack House

We are waiting for the condo we want and have been waiting for a very.long.time. There was trouble with the agent's company, the one who is trying to sell the property. They went under and didn't tell their employees. Nice. We hear little things like "Well, the other offer is similar". Code wording for "Give us more money PUNKS!" I'm sorry, I don't listen to threats, especially not from banks who won't get back to me on the property. Robert has said that he wants to find the bank located out east, call them up and yell, "Stop, NOT selling me the property!" Apparently, the other offer has pulled out because they were sick of them too. That may be good for us because we can wait forever, as we have proven so far. And the latest news is that "Oh, ooops, we waited so long on this that our appraisal expired. Wait another week." ANOTHER WEEK?! Added onto WHAT, last week?? And the week before?? No one seems to know that we have a deadline of January 1st. But of course it is the holidays and no one cares to do their jobs during this time of year. So while we wait, we decide to see if there is anything worth while on the market right now.

We go out to see 2 houses. I wasn't that excited about them, but okay, we will give it a shot. The second place was actually pretty cute. I did like it, Robert did not. The location wasn't my favorite and the condo we are killing ourselves with waiting on is better in that aspect. The first house? I just couldn't get over it! Now, I don't know for SURE if it was a crack house, but if crack can be judged by a pungently putrid smell, then it would HAVE to be one. The boxes, crap and kitty litter were piled high and I was afraid of the diseases my children would contract by even being IN there.

Our agent tried to be positive and tell us to imagine it not covered in slime, but I couldn't. I had visions of neighbors just like the people living in the squaller house we were traipsing through and I shuddered. Then after stepping over nasty laundry and stepping over a belt of BULLETS (that is NO lie), I was done with that house. I can get over a lot of things, but that one, hummmm... You can live in the nicest area and still have a house like that on the block, but when you realize that most of the houses on the block look JUST like this one, you want to drive really fast and try not to notice the naked lady bumper sticker on the van in the drive way. Or the sticker that says "SKINS" either. Now that we are home and the fear of lice or some unknown airborne illness is gone, I can only laugh and be glad I am not doomed to buy a place that disgusting. Ah, isn't my tiny disorderly apartment just like a palace compared to the crack house? I think so.

Cute Christmas Girls

My girls are loving Christmas time and really being cute with it together. Lindsey wakes up and the first thing she says is "Mommy, Qwimus twee". They want me to plug in the lights immediately. Emily asks when Christmas day will be and Lindsey loves the "yights". When we get in the car, before I even start the engine, Lindsey says, "Mommy, Qwimus song!" pointing to the radio. And if the song doesn't sound Christmasy enough she doesn't like it. I think Emily is so happy to spend the holiday with her little sister who is starting to understand more and more. She has a friend and a child to share in the joy. I am so grateful that those two have each other and we have been really enjoying watching them this wonderful season.

Dress Up

My little girls LOVE to dress up! They have a box with Hawaiian leas, little princess shoes, dresses, scepters, purses, etc. Emily gets up and dresses in some concoction and convinces Lindsey to wear something too. They both come out all cute and frumpy and we love it. I know they would love more dress up, but how much more can I have in my house? Lindsey also loves to pretend cook, makes me feel good about the present that is sitting in Grandma's basement waiting for Christmas day- their play kitchen. Can you tell I am about as excited as they are? Every day Emily asks me if it is Christmas yet.









The girls LOVE each other. There is definitely fighting going on and squabbles to settle. But in general they really are best friends. It seems that Emily was SO happy when someone her size came to join our family. And she has treated Lindsey so well ever since. Now that Lindsey is able to play more, they run around our tiny place chasing each other, jumping on my bed (I HATE that, but in our little place with bad weather, where else will they play?), building block towers, playing picnic, reading books, watching movies. Emily does want some big people time too, but she has a lot of fun playing little games with her sister. I was worried what with having them 3 years apart that they couldn't play, however, that has not been the case with these two.

Book Collection

I have posted before about my book obsession and I know that there are people who have it worse, but in my tiny space, it sure does effect every day living. And let me say that I am now in desperate need of another large bookshelf. However, I can't do that in the space I am in now.





This is the girl's "bookshelves". Just cheap shelving because I don't want anything unstable falling on my children and can't afford anything sturdier yet. I feel this is really good for them to reach their books. We have such a fun library now the kids love it. Frog and Toad, Amelia Bedelia, American girl books. Emily's book about the body and science.



I have been collecting the books of Beatrice Potter, but sadly my kids are not very excited about those.



We love our section of educational books. Math books about Sir Cumference and the Dragon of PI, Electricity, The Science of Magnets, History of Music, pilgrims, etc. Our fun books like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Click-Clack-Moo, Goodnight Moon, The Big Bad Pig. This is what it looks like after I organized it, it does NOT look like this normally. Instead the books are all over the floor, out in the living room and in both girls beds and many times in my bed.



This is my bookshelf. Sometimes some of the girl's books end up here and some of our homeschool books are on this shelf, the ones I don't want in their room. But most of these are mine. I have not read everything here, that is my goal, but when I keep adding to it, its hard to keep that goal going. As you can see though, I need another book shelf. In fact I need my own personal library. I can't imagine what it would be like to have room enough to have a separate place for learning and reading. What a dream come true, but right now I would just settle for ANY larger space than where we are.

Inside the Fridge

Okay, here it is. The turkey leftovers are gone, now it is just the regular stuff. Eggs, lots of milk, yogurt, veggies. Oh and some condiments that have been there FOREVER I am sure. I do clean out my fridge all the time, but right now there are a few things that could use a good tossing. And there is some left over caramel from Halloween in the back. I keep vowing to one day use it on popcorn, but that is kind of a weird idea because I don't have a popcorn popper. There's got to be a way to cook them without it.

I tag Jill, Maren, Amberly and Jolene

RULE: Don't clean, throw anything out or move things around. Just snap the picture!

Elder Withlin

I loved hearing Elder Wirthlin's talks in General Conference. His last one called Come What May and Love It, was perfect for how I have been feeling. He has a wonderful way with words. I also remember a few conferences ago after he lost his sweet wife, his talk about Sunday Will Come. That so many times our lives are filled with turbulent Fridays and Saturdays, but on the morrow, Sunday will come. I loved his talks of hope and of the Savior and about 5 years ago I got to shake both his and his wife's hand after a General Conference. It was nice to be almost the same height of an apostle too. He will be missed, but I know he is happily reunited with his dear wife.