Westward Leating

One of the highlights of our Texas adventure was the Grandkid Party. A few days before Christmas Bryan's mom, Shari, planned an afternoon of games and stories for the kids. They made reindeer food and noshed on sweet treats. Some of us bigger kids were on-hand to lend support, which means I got almost no pictures of the fun. However, I did get one movie.

Near the end of the festivities the grandchildren all had an opportunity to share a talent. Peter, Cooper, Nathan, and Sam all played the piano (some with the assistance of Papa Ron). I know that I took videos of the boys playing, but I can't find that memory card. Lucky for you, I recorded Phoebe's performance on my phone, which uploads automatically to Google. She asked if she could sing her favorite Christmas song and Shari happily added it to the party itinerary.

Note: I cannot convince Phoebe that the word is leading and not leating. I'm pretty sure she'd be able to read it if I showed it to her, so maybe I'll try that route because she certainly doesn't believe me just telling her.

Lean On Me

Has Someone Been Giving Peter Selfie Lessons?

Look what I found on my phone. There were several, but this was the best. Seriously, who taught my child the duck face?

One Is the Loneliest Number

As I sit writing this post on Sunday night (scheduling it to publish Monday morning), my phone tells me it is one degree outside. ONE DEGREE.

Cooper and I went to a fireside tonight at church for the Primary kids who are turning eight this year. When it was done and everyone was enjoying refreshments I saw my friend, who had participated in the fireside, walk into the room, keys in hand and perplexed look on her face. I asked what was going on. Her car was frozen shut. She couldn't even get the key all the way in the lock.

After a few more unsuccessful tries, I drove her home. One of my doors was frozen shut, but thankfully it was a back door and Cooper was able to climb through the front. When we got to her house, we discovered her door wouldn't open. Not knowing this was an existing issue (I don't drive this car that often), I thought her door had frozen. I offered to let her out through my door so I reached for the handle.

And it broke off in my hand.

I don't think cars like the cold.

Don't worry, I rolled down the window and opened the door from the outside, so we're not all still stuck in the car in one degree weather.

"Sophie, Are You Playing With Phoebe's Legos?"

Busted.

Shock.

Cover-up. "Away Mama!"

Confession.

The Big 0-2

Our sweet Sophie had a wonderful second birthday! She ate delicious waffles for her special breakfast, enjoyed playing, and had a good nap. Then she had the perfect toddler dinner: mac and cheese and fish sticks. Bryan's family decorated their house in purple and white streamers in honor of the occasion. I didn't get any good pictures of the fun signs and streamers, so you'll have to trust me.

We found several occasions to sing Happy Birthday to her, and she loves that song so much that she would have been thrilled with just that.

Then we added presents, which made for a very happy girl.

We ended the day with a cake covered in bright red frosting. That prompted the switch to pigtails and a bib.

It turns out we didn't need to, since she is the neatest eater of any child I've met. She may even be tidier than me.

Some fun facts about two-year-old Sophie:

• She sings almost all the time. She requests specific songs by name and then sings along. And she sings to herself while she plays. 
• She loves baby dolls more than any other toy and she is a sweet little mom to them. 
• She loves books almost as much as she loves dolls.
• She recently discovered monsters and has started running to me in terror and demanding that I pick her up and hold her until the invisible monster is gone. 
• She runs and plays with the big kids as if she were their peer. This means she sometimes requests homework to do while the boys are working on theirs.
• She can almost count to ten, but doesn't understand what those magical words mean beyond their power to make us all clap and cheer for her.
• She bosses all her siblings and they almost always listen to her.
• She is very cuddly most of the time, but occasionally has a clear personal space bubble. She lets you know if you've come too close. "No! Away! Out!"
• She is naturally compassionate. When she sees someone cry, her instinct is to go and comfort them with a hug and the questions, "You okay? Cry? Need ice?" And she sits with them until they're not crying anymore.

I am thankful everyday for my sweet Sophie girl.

I Wish to Laze About

My proclivity toward sloth is in full force this week. We unpacked and cleaned our house as soon as we got home from our trip, and I think it wore me out. I made dinner the last two nights, and I've slowly been putting Christmas decorations away, but I am dragging. I'm not the only one. The boys went back to school today under some duress. Yesterday, when questioned about his plans for today, Peter announced that he would be sleeping until noon.

He did not.

I let the girls stay in their pajamas today, part of my attempt to hold on to our Christmas break. Phoebe was disappointed to learn that she would need to actually get dressed tomorrow. Is love of lounge wear taught or a genetic trait?

My big goal for the week (to support my bigger goal for the year) is to go to sleep earlier than eleven o'clock. I haven't made it yet, but I still have a few nights left to try. Then next week my goal is to maintain that bedtime.

Hopefully more sleep will help kick my love of laziness out the window. Or at least across the room, because out the window would take too much effort.

The Challenge of Having Seven Children Smile and Look in the Same Direction

We took advantage of having those cousins in one place and took as many pictures as they would sit still for.

In their Christmas Eve pajamas:

Outside the museum:

During pretend meals:

With Nana and Papa:

While playing:

Even in coordinating superhero attire:

Hooray for cousins!

Arch!

We are back from a wonderful two weeks with Bryan's family in Texas. The weather was warm (for the first week at least), and that's just how this California-girl likes her Christmases. We all loved it. Peter loved it so much that he spent most of yesterday making arguments for why we should go back and live there.

According to Google Maps it should have been a fourteen hour drive down. Add three more hours onto that and you'll have our total one-day travel time. It was a very long day in the car, so we were especially happy when we arrived at their house.

We saw the St. Louis Arch as we drove, which was cool. On the way back when we passed it again Sophie looked out her window and announced, "Arch!"

Our stay was full of celebrations. We partied for Sophie's 2nd birthday, Christmas, Peter's 10th birthday, and then we rang in the New Year. The most amazing part? Nearly all of Bryan's family was there. His brother Paul couldn't come, but the other six siblings (and their families, for those that have them) were there. That means all seven grand-kids enjoyed spending time together.

We took roughly eleven hundred pictures while we were there, so expect lots of photo-filled posts in your future.

Self Improvement

I've been pondering my resolutions from last year. I failed spectacularly at going to sleep early and replying to emails and texts. At least I'm improving on my response time, even if only by a little. I like to think I focused more on Bryan but he's at work most of the time, so maybe I give him more attention because he's home when the kids are asleep. And I kept the blog goal, as I am wont to do.

2016's list looks very similar to 2015's.

1. Blog in some fashion every weekday.
2. LISTEN
3. Sleep, because I'm tired and exhaustion makes me crazy
4. Exercise four times per week as a means of managing my migraines
5. Speak kindly to my children, even when their behavior makes me feel like my head is going to explode
6. Continue daily scripture study
7. Learn to make Thai food that is safe for my whole family to eat

Numbers five and seven are new to the club, the former certainly more important than the latter. But I do love a good curry and I think Peter would too.

What goals do you have for 2016?