You've had a

birthday, shout HOORAY!

I went shopping for Ed's cake supplies with all 5 children, since they were home for Christmas break. Before we went he said he wanted yellow cake with strawberry frosting. I tried multiple times to talk him into something else, but you can see I wasn't successful.
(I think it's a side effect of following 3 girls).
He didn't care one lick that it was pink, but someday perhaps he'll get a good laugh out of it.
My parents, sister, and cousins came to go to the newly opened children's discovery center to celebrate a few days earlier. It was packed and lots of fun--we will go back again and again.

Ed and Grandma trying out the same instrument. They had mouthpieces you could try with different shapes to blow into. (It tested my germ sharing limits). Each person got their own mouthpiece . . . . supposedly.

b-day cake for Eddie made by Bryn

I asked for a cute face

The kids were home from school on his birthday so we celebrated with a little playdough, gifted from a close friend, and I let them watch Ice Age: The Meltdown. Ed missed his nap, in honor of siblings home from school.
That night was his first night in his big boy bed, and our home is cribless. (Hard to believe).

We love Edwin!

New Year's Day

We spent at home. It was bitterly cold and we stayed inside all day. I sat under a quilt I was tying and Nathan played basketball with the kids nearby. Mostly they played pig and horse. A few shots were invented: the bathroom shot, (which is shot from the bathroom), the office shot (guess where from?), and the macaroni and cheese.
It was great.

Resolved

2012 was a good year for our family. We grew and changed, changed and grew. In some ways we improved, in others felt like we still have a long way to go.

In my blog reading, I found a young mom who makes ONE resolution for the year. I love that idea . . . . so my 2013 resolution is to eat vegetables at lunch every day. I made it the first two days but slipped on the third. We had grilled cheese and tomato soup. (My dad says that the soup counts, I would like to believe him).

I think I can do it--but it is a change for me and will take some planning. I can only eat carrot sticks so many days in a row.

Resolution 2013: Veggies at lunch

Peace on earth

Is it possible? I say YES--I found it here in my town.

Peace on earth--this is my wish for my children for the rest of their lives . . . . its been on my mind for the last 10 days or so. 
This is the answer and it came during Sacrament meeting last Sunday . . . .
The Power of Peace 2004 December Ensign, James E. Faust.

Merry Christmas!

December how many?

 One posed in the elf hat.

This is the face we get when we ask him to SMILE.
Clenching his teeth.
Awesome.

 Seven snowflakes hung. Above seven mugs (left by someone on our doorstep).

 One gingerbread man was photographed (and then eaten . . . . Elmer's glue and all).

 One expander was placed and many photos were taken. (By the one behind them--ie, her).

Four braces on the bottom, more will follow on the top.

One very sore mouth.

Two stayed home from church with one sick tummy.

A community choir tour to two nursing homes and one Hotel lobby. While this was the most beautiful it was Bryn's least favorite performance.

One pastel art brought home from middle school. (And quickly photographed and thrown away before pastels got everywhere. Maybe I'm too stressed about messy . . . . Nathan didn't get to see it in person.)

 Two nativities placed on the piano--one favorite.

And the magic of family prayer by the lit tree . . . . Love this most of all. It's so pretty with all the other lights in the house turned off. I remember doing this as a girl and loving it--I want them to have it, too.

One great idea found . . . .
About halfway through the month I found this Christmas planning guide, which I love and recommend to you if you are interested in changing your holiday experience. What I like best is that it focuses on what you want to feel and want your family to feel, and to plan experiences to provide those opportunities. Some things I want to feel and have my children feel:
the joy of giving to each other, 
the joy of receiving, 
to experience Christmas music
to spend time with friends and family
to connect with friends and family who are far away
to prepare earlier so there is less to do when the kids are out of school
and more. I will use it in the future--I like the thought process and the decision making process spelled out for me--I am easily overwhelmed when faced with too many options.

This year we had our children draw names for each other and they've gone on individual shopping trips to get the gifts. I've loved watching them work (and sacrifice) to do something thoughtful for someone else. It's been a special experience, which will be complete as they open them on Tuesday.


Peace on earth--this is my wish for my children for the rest of their lives . . . . its been on my mind for the last 10 days or so. 
This is the answer and it came during Sacrament meeting today . . . . The Power of Peace 2004 December Ensign, James E. Faust.

Merry Christmas!

Brownies and Layered Jello

 Bryn was very determined to make this layered jello dessert for her birthday. We let her at it and she did most of it herself. Dad helped a bit. She also decided that candles weren't going to work very well in jello, so she put them into brownies. Which were mighty gooey themselves. We had a couple of friends over, pizza, and a very good time.

We found our recipe at ourbestbites.com

 She talked about making this dessert again next year, but decided she probably won't. (It looks better than it tastes).

Gift bags included notecards, rubber duckies, a stamp alphabet and a stamp pad.

We let them create for nearly an hour.

She wasn't really working here . . . this is a posed photo.

Grateful this day for Bryn.

Tuba Christmas

I found out about TUBA CHRISTMAS this week and decided we would go. If you haven't been, you should check it out at a Tuba Christmas near you. I was drawn in by "80 tubas and the people who play them" as it was listed in the community ad.
I loved it.

(Forgive me for the quality of the video . . . it's just my little camera--not a video camera by any means). That was their first song, "Deck the Hall." We were quite far back from the action, but I snuck up closer to get a photo.

Not everyone in my family dressed as warmly as they were asked, and it ran a little long for the attention span of a little someone, but I thought it was humanity at it's finest.

Music unites people.

The plaza was full. We could hear them warming up two blocks away. Some brought their dogs, too.
They played 15 songs or so, there was a written program which I saw in the hands of a passerby . . . . I never saw where to pick them up. The youngest performer was 12, (in Andrew's band class), and the oldest was 77. One man had played in 26 Tuba Christmas's, and someone else drove over 50 miles to come play.

Sitting on top of one another to keep warmer

Andrew is in "Heater Mode" and Eddie was just trying to get through it

One who likes her outerwear

Only two didn't ask to sit here during the concert . . . . Andrew and me

Spotted in Old Town

Some had to leave to go to the car early. After sitting there longer than they wanted to, they saw an "Open House" sign on one of the historic mansions, so they went inside for a peek. It was decorated for Christmas and we learned a little about our town. A great day together as a family.