Day After Day After Day

We're just a few hours away from 2010. Bryan's family is staying with us and everyone is rocking out to Beatles Rockband in the other room. I snuck away for just a moment because I've had something on my mind for the last two weeks.

You see, I made a few resolutions at the beginning of this year, and (this is going to be shocking) I've kept all of them. One of those was to blog something every weekday. Some posts, like this one, have shown up shortly before it was the next day, although most were written the night before they were published.

Some nights were rough. I would be tired from a long day and my brain simply didn't want to cooperate. Other nights I would knock out two or three posts in one sitting.

Now we've come to the end of the year, and I've met my goal. I wonder though, should I keep it up? I've been going through the pros and cons:

Pros

• I've recorded things I wouldn't have otherwise. Conversations with the boys, funny pictures of them, my random musings, I don't think all of these would have made it onto the blog if I hadn't been writing so consistently. This year was pretty well documented.
• I've had to stretch myself, in my writing and in the things about which I've written. I mean, I don't think I would have written about Good Eats or comments if I hadn't wanted to have something go up everyday.
• I feel closer to many of you. You've answered my questions, offered advice, commiserated with me, and made me smile with your comments.

Cons

• Writing every night is hard. Once I turn the computer on it seems to steal away the rest of my evening. I want to read more books and spend less time on the computer, but the whole blogging thing gets in the way.
• Similarly, finding something interesting to write about everyday has proved a challenge, which explains the YouTube videos.

Well, the pros outweigh the cons, but I still haven't made a decision about what I'll do next year. I think I'll post something tomorrow and then take the weekend to think about it.

What would you do?

Winter Wedding

I'm going to spend part of today here:


celebrating these two wonderful people.


I'm so excited for them.

And I hope we don't freeze...

What Did Santa Bring You for Christmas?

In the few days since Christmas we've had a number of people ask Peter what Santa brought him. He's responded with a blank expression while I quickly mouth behind him, "Santa doesn't come to our house."

Now before you start leaving comments about how I'm stealing away the magic of Christmas from my boys and referencing Miracle on 34th Street, let me explain. We are not trying to deprive them of childhood wonder, but rather, we want them to understand that Christmas is about the Savior, not a jolly man in a red suit.

While our focus is on the birth of Christ, we have certainly introduced the concept of Santa. Bryan's favorite Christmas book is The Polar Express and mine is The Night Before Christmas (followed closely by this Santa Claustrophobia), so Santa is not shunned by any means. We just don't teach that he comes through our non-existent chimney to deliver presents.

Someone asked me last week what Peter wanted for Christmas. I knew the answer to that one. (Thanks Uncle Ian and Aunt Amanda for fulfilling his GeoTrax Christmas wish.) Then they asked what Cooper wanted. I said I honestly didn't know. She looked shocked. I had a moment of realization: most kids write letters to Santa with their holiday requests. We focused so much on what we were giving to other people that I had purposely not asked what they wanted. I had to explain to the person posing the question that we don't do Santa at our house.

People either give us looks of sadness or consternation when we reveal that St. Nick doesn't make a stop at our home.

One evening Peter asked Bryan how Santa was going to get into our house since we don't have a chimney. Peter was visibly concerned. We have never taught him that that's what happens, although we have read plenty of books depicting the event. He spent the next day pretending he was Santa. Cooper and I were his elves. Peter took us on a tour of his workshop, gave us assignments, and put us to work. I think he's going to come through the no-Santa-at-home thing just fine.

But that doesn't solve the dilemma, what do I say when people ask Peter what Santa brought him? How do I prepare him to answer that question himself?

How about this?

"What did Santa bring you?"

"Nothing, but my family sure made it a great Christmas."

Reasons, Reasons

Did you like all of my cop-out posts last week? I was scrambling to get something up because almost all of my free-time was spent making this for Bryan:


and this for my sister-in-law Kate:

I am pleased to report that all projects were completed as least a few hours before they were to be delivered.

How was your Christmas?

Remember

Merry Christmas.

One More Sleep

There's magic in the air this evening
Magic in the air
The world is at her best, you know
When people love and care
The promise of excitement
Is one the night will keep
After all there's only one more sleep 'til Christmas

The world has gotta smile today
The world has gotta glow
There's no such thing as strangers
When a stranger says "Hello"
And everyone is family
We're havin' so much fun
After all there's only one more sleep 'til Christmas

'Tis the season to be jolly and joyous
With a burst of pleasure we feel it all right
It's a season when the Saints can employ us
To spread the news about peace and to keep love alive

"Merry Christmas, so long!"

There's somethin' in the wind today that's good for everyone
Yes, faith is our hearts today, we're shinin' like the sun
And everyone can feel it, the feelin's runnin' deep
After all there's only one more sleep 'til Christmas
After all there's only one more sleep 'til Christmas day

-One More Sleep 'Til Christmas from The Muppet Christmas Carol

Vacation Day

I took a pseudo-vacation from blogging today. I didn't even turn my computer on until the afternoon.

What did I do instead?

• I slept in until nine in the morning.
  
• The boys and I played at a friend's house.
  
• I made progress on one of my two remaining Christmas projects.
• I took a nap...
• ...and so did all three of the boys at my house.
• I made mini-pumpkin muffins
• and brownies with a melt-y layer of peppermint goodness on top (Bryan's idea, and execution)
  
• and I might make one more baked delight if I can think of one that goes with the other two.
• I sang Christmas songs with the boys
• and then we sang some show tunes.

Something I didn't do? I didn't go shopping. And that was really nice.

Counting Down the Days

Peter: Name all the days.

Me: Until Christmas?

Peter: Yeah.

Me: (starting to count on my fingers) Okay, today's Monday-

Peter: No. Start with the day I was born.

A Hand

Speaking of miracles, I might need one to finish my projects before Christmas.

Photographic Evidence

Remember that scarf that I've talking about for so long? Well, I took a few pictures of it before it began it's journey to the land of cheese.


And now a close-up.


I'm pleased with how it turned out.

And in case anyone is curious, yesterday was a good day, a much better day than we've had in a while. I think my attitude change had more to do with it than anything the boys did or did not do. I'm hoping to repeat our success today.

Life's Billows

Yesterday was hard. The last two weeks have been hard. I'm not sure why. Instead of writing about the bad, I'm going to take my own advice and list the good things that happened yesterday.

• I finished the scarf I've been making for my brother-in-law. This is the first time I've really finished anything I've been crocheting.
• I finished two other presents I've been working on.
  
• That scarf and the presents that are going to our family members far away went out in the mail yesterday. Maybe they'll get there by Christmas.
• I was able to talk to all the right people to get the addresses we needed to send those gifts, and it was at a time that I thought everyone would have been at work.
  
• Cooper knows the words to both "Do As I'm Doing" and "I Am a Child of God". Peter and I were singing them and Cooper joined in. There were times when he got ahead of us and would sing the words before we got there. He only sang every fourth or fifth word, but it was still very sweet.
• Peter's friend Benjamin taught him how to count to three in Spanish. We spent some time at dinner counting to ten in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language.
  
• We discovered that Cooper knows that twelve follows eleven and that thirteen follows twelve.
• I went to a meeting last night for my calling. I don't think I've talked about my current calling on here, I'm the Stake Young Women's Secretary. There are many things that I still need to learn from this calling (and about this calling), but last night's meeting was good.
• When I got home I walked into a clean kitchen and dining room. Bryan had just finished. It was beautiful.
• My boys are healthy and whole. They can make choices for themselves. They're not always the choices I want them to make, and I did not agree with many of the choices that they made yesterday, but they have the ability and the awareness to make them.
• Bryan gave me a blessing. That is truly one of my greatest blessings, having a husband that honors his Priesthood and willingly gives blessings of comfort or healing whenever I ask. I am so thankful for him.
• I had my testimony of the love that my Heavenly Father has for me strengthened.
• I had my view of my abilities as a parent adjusted, fixed. I know that I can do what I need to do to help my boys grow and learn. I know that the greatest thing I can do for them is to love them and give them consistency.

I anticipate that today and tomorrow could look very much like the last two weeks have, but they don't have to. I'm going to watch for more blessing to count, rather than dread what's going to happen next.



When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Hymns, Count Your Blessings, no. 241

Busy Hands

It's amazing how in demand my hands are right now. Today is the last day to mail gifts if we want to get them there by Christmas, at least that's what the US Postal Service's website says. This means that I must spend the morning willing my hands to move as fast as they can. I love that I've made some of the gifts I'm giving this year, but my goodness, my hands are tired. And they're not done.

To my family members in California, Hawaii, and Oklahoma (and Wisconsin and North Carolina, but neither of you can read this blog), your gifts will be in the mail before the Post Office closes today. To my family in Texas, I'm afraid you'll have to wait until you see me in person to unwrap your Christmas cheer from us.

Now, I'm off to work!

A Little Help From My Friends

The boys decided to color yesterday afternoon. Fine. I got the crayons down (they are not always accessible since I try to discourage the boys from expressing themselves all over the walls), Peter got a pad of paper, and Cooper got the flattened diaper box that he draws on. This coincided with some phone calls I had to make. I stayed nearby, but occasionally moved out of sight. At one point I walked into the dining room (the location of the artistic spree) just in time to see Peter grab handful after handful of crayons and chuck them across the room as he yelled, "Cooper's making a mess!"

He spent the next hour and a half vehemently denying he had strewn the crayons all over the floor.

I told Peter that he needed to clean-up the mess that he had made. Well, of course since he was holding to his assertion that he hadn't done the deed, he was quite indignant about being asked to clean it up. Multiple time-outs were administered, dinner was delayed, at least two calls were made to Bryan in order to maintain my composure.

Finally, he had about half the crayons picked up. He announced that he was worn-out and needed to stop until he had more energy. I guess I wasn't convincing enough when I told him that I did plenty of stuff without energy, because he didn't buy it. He began pleading for help. No, not help. He wanted me to come clean the crayons up for him.

I sometimes wonder if it's a blessing or a curse that I'm just as stubborn as Peter is.

I did not give in and kept saying that I knew he could clean up the mess if he stopped using his energy to complain and just went to work.

Peter: But I need help.

Me: I know you can do it Peter.

Peter: (in his whiniest voice) But I caaaaan't. I need heeeelp.

Me: (thinking I was being clever) Have Franklin help you.

Peter: Mom! I can't. He's not real. I need someone solid.

He had me there.

Christmas Hero

On Thanksgiving we had the opportunity to let our inner Liverpudlians loose by playing Beatles Rockband at Bryan's aunt's house. It was truly awesome. At one point Bryan (an actual drummer) was on percussion, Spencer (my brother-in-law who truly plays the guitar) on strings, and me (a real-life singer) on vocals.

Yeah, we have skills.

We don't have Rockband, although we do have Guitar Hero. Peter has tried playing it, but he and Cooper prefer to use the guitars as vacuums and zoom them around the floor.

This young man had a slightly bigger vision for his guitar time. And yes, it is a bit long, but stick with it, or at least have it on your computer while you're doing other things so you can watch it in the background.



Maybe I should call him Electric Company Hero due to the amazingly massive power bill his family is going to have next month.

Lets Make a Deal

Why hello Migraine, it's been a while.

I can't say I've missed you, nor am I particularly thrilled to see you again. I was hoping the two Tylenol and two pieces of sugar-free chocolate would have sent you scurrying, but judging from the numbness in my tongue and my flattening vision, you've decided to set-up camp.

I have one request before I lose the power to form coherent (or any) sentences: would you be swift? I'll go to sleep and let you do your thing if you'll be gone by the time I have to wake up and do mine.

Deal?

Seasonal Soundtrack

I grew-up with a specific idea of what Christmas music was. For me it fell into three camps:

1. Church Christmas music
2. Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, and Perry Como Christmas music
3. The Nutcracker Suite
   

We had a tape of the second kind of Christmas music that we would listen to in the van as we drove from place to place during the holiday season. I specifically remember listening to it as we journeyed to a rehearsal of a children's choir that I (and at least one of my brothers, though I can't recall which one, or was it two of them?) belonged to. Those soothing voices always make me think of twinkling lights and opening presents.

When Bryan and I got married I expected that he would cherish the same Yuletide songs and singers that I did.

I was wrong.

Bryan grew up listening to the Christmas stylings of Mannheim Steamroller. I had never even heard of this group until I'd been in college for a few years, and then I just heard their name in passing. Bryan played some of their music for me and it was... okay. It was so different from I was used to that it didn't feel like Christmas.

I remember one very cold, very snowy evening during the first December Bryan and I were married. It was either a Tuesday or a Thursday because I had a class that finished at just after five and Bryan had to be at work at five, which meant that the car went with him and I crunched home in the snow on foot. The whole way home I thought about what I needed to do that night: the dishes, my homework, etc. We lived just five blocks from campus but I was thoroughly chilled by the time I got to our little apartment. I punched the code into the keypad that kept our door locked, turned the handle, and walked into a world of magic. Before leaving for work Bryan had cleaned our apartment and turned on the Christmas tree lights. He had also put in a CD of Christmas music, Mannheim Steamroller. My house was a wonderful contrast to the gloom outside.

Since that day I have had a warm place in my heart for the Christmas music of Mannheim Steamroller.

I was thinking about this yesterday as the boys listened to four or five different Christmas CDs. One of them was a Perry Como, Bing Crosby, and Nat King Cole CD. Another was a Mannheim Steamroller CD.

I'm glad that they're getting a little bit of each.

Part of the Vernacular

I may be mistaken, but I'm fairly certain that Cooper has the lowest voice in nursery.

And Primary.

Ha Ha

Me: (after seeing Peter doing a tell-tale dance) Peter, you need to go to the bathroom.

Peter: No I don't.

Me: (emphatically) Yes, you do.

Peter: (more emphatically) NO, I DON'T.

Me: Peter, why do you ignore your body?

Peter: Oh, it was just joking.

Marge in Charge

I think I have control issues.

On Saturday Bryan picked up lunch from the Golden Arches for our family. Included in his order were two Coca-Cola glasses. Peter thought they were really cool and immediately wanted to drink out of one of them. I told him they had to be washed first, so he started emptying the dishwasher of clean dishes. I helped him and soon that big magical box was ready to wash our new breakable toys. I even let him (very carefully) place the glasses in the dishwasher. Then Peter reached for one of the dirty dishes in the kitchen sink so he could put it in the dishwasher as well.

And I asked him to stop.

Let's review this, shall we? My child voluntarily emptied the dishwasher and attempted to fill it up, but I wouldn't let him.

Crazy much?

I'm not sure why I stopped him. He was picking up a plastic dish, it's not like it would have broken. Was I afraid he would fill it up *gasp* wrong? I work really hard to have the boys help me around the house, even if it means projects being done differently than I would do them.

I think I need a new mantra. Maybe something about letting things go or not having to always have control. How about "If you let them, they will clean." That has a nice ring to it.

You Can Dance If You Want To

Since the park is not a desirable option when it's twenty degrees outside, we have been burning off our energy indoors. Dancing is our favorite activity, followed closely by throwing tantrums. Both are effective ways to tire a body out, although the first is significantly more pleasant than the second.

I can totally see these boys busting a move at stake dances in ten to thirteen years, can't you?

The Look

I have seen this same look on Peter's face multiple times. So, is Bryan wearing Peter's face, or does Peter wear Bryan's face now?

Paul looking composed, Melinda looking angelic, and Bryan plotting something awesome

I squeal every time I see a picture of Bryan as a child. He was just so cute. I told him once that if I had known him when I was little I would have chased him around the playground.

He told me he would have thought I was weird.

Touché.

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Six Hudred Minutes

Over the past two weeks a specific thought has been floating through my conscience: I'm so glad we're not moving right now. This time last year we were knee-deep in boxes and thankful that we had found a place to live.

I just re-read the posts that I wrote around the time that we moved last year (it was fun, I'm quite humorous). It's hard to believe we've been here a year already. And it makes me wonder where we'll be a year from now. Bryan and I like it here, and we don't love moving, but our lease is up in March, so our future living arrangements depend on whether our landlord decides to raise our rent or leave it where it is.

The best thing about living here? It's a tie between having a house big enough for our family to come stay with us when they're in town and the garage. I really love the garage.

Hurray for not moving during Thanksgiving this year!

Face Off

Yesterday morning while putting the last of the decorations on the Christmas tree, Peter reached for this homemade decoration.


He held it out to Cooper and the following conversation took place:

Peter: Oh look Cooper, it's you.

Me: Actually Peter, that's you.

Peter: (taking a closer look at the picture) Oh, that's me, but I'm wearing Cooper's face.