Christmas Ramblings

I love Christmas and since my kids have started school I always look forward to the fun holiday crafts they bring home. On this day Jeff brought Cooper home from school, I heard the door open and in walked the cutest little reindeer. I laughed cause Cooper insisted on having the brown nose all day.

My mom purchased this little people nativity for my kids a few years ago, and this year Kaylee is determined that the people remain in certain spots (I have not idea were she gets it from). Dalton however is obsessed with it everyday I find him with the baby Jesus and Mary, he tells me their his favorites. However today I found him loading the whole crew up in the the airplane I asked him why he had them in the plane, he responded by telling me, "cuz I don't have horsey." Sure that so obvious, what was I thinking?

Christmas Countdown

I have had a lot of people ask me what my countdown made out of the muffin tin was so here is a picture of it. I got the mini muffin tin at wal-mart for about $5. I cut the numbers, the circles, and squares out on my cricut machine but you could do it easily with just scissors and a ruler. Then I put magnets on the back of the cards to hold it in place on the muffin tin. I had touble finding candy to fit behind the card for each of my kids, so I just put one herseys kiss and a little note to help the kids do something for someone else (like make someones bed without them knowing). Then I let the other kids get a kiss out of the bag that I kept in the cupboard, which I was suprised worked out well as long as the kids get a treat they didn't care were it came from.

The last straw!

For family home evening we talked to the kids about how blessed we are and how we have each other, a warm house, a kitchen full of food and plenty of toys to play with but, there are some kids that might not get a present for Christmas and that we were going to go to the store and each one of them was to pick out a toy that we would pay for and then put in the toys for tots box. They each picked out a great gift and then purchased it and then ran to the big white toys for tots box at the front of the store. I was so impressed with all of them, their was no fussing when I reminded them that we were shopping for someone else, and no one threw a fit when it was time to put the toys in the box. I was so proud of them. If fact Kaylee kept asking me if she made a good choice she wanted to give someone something special. So I asked her if she were to get that toy would she like it? She said that she would have loved it. So then I told her that she made a great choice.

After finishing at the store we returned home and ate a great dinner cooked by Jeff (thanks for the night off honey), and I read the story "The Last Straw." We then talked about how hard it is to always be nice especially to our brothers and sisters but we are a family and that we should always treat each other with love. Then we got out the little mangers that the kids made last year and each child placed a piece of straw in it for the gift they donated. I then talked to the kids about continuing to do good deeds for others and remember to do what Jesus would do. I showed them a count down chart that I had made out of a muffin tin. When they remove the number there is a treat and a little note and on the note it gives them a suggestion to help them do something for someone else so they can keep placing straw in the mangers so the baby Jesus can have a soft bed.

Today was the first day of the count down chart and the kids were at me as soon as they got up so they could do the count down chart, I was so proud they were more excited about the little note and quickly started planning out what they were going to do. I know we just started this but, I truly hope they continue to be excited about this and we find the true Christmas spirit.

Date Night!

Tonight Jeff and I went out for a date night which is very rare. We went down to the temple to do a sealing session with a few couples in our ward but, us and the couple we drove down to St. George were the only couples that showed up. But, that's okay it has been a while since Jeff and I have been to the temple, so it was definitely time. I have never done a sealing session so it was really fun. It was really nice to actually hear the ceremony, I was so full of emotion when I got married that I was lucky I heared when I was suppose to say yes. It was just a wonderful time we were doing sealings for couples from the 1700's, these were couples that had been waiting quite awhile, I felt honored to finally do their work. Plus a great date night is even better with a great couple to enjoy it with. Thanks Amy and Tyler!

Remembering our Veterans!

On Monday we had our family home evening on being thankful and showing our appreciation to others. So with veterans day being on Wednesday I felt it appropriate to remember my Grandpa and his service in World War II. I took my kids over to the Veterans Memorial here in Cedar and showed my kids were my Grandpa' name was on the wall. I guess I just wanted my kids to have an appreciation of the sacrifice that all these soldiers have made for all of us and the solders that are continuing to make sacrifices for us, to ensure our freedom as well as others.

With doing this activity with my kids it really brought back a lot of memories of my wonderful Grandpa Pete. My Grandpa was one of the greatest men I knew. He as well as my Grandma were some of my biggest supporters all you need to do is ask. We were all asked to help with his needs. I started out just helping with meals, and just going to visit him. But, one Summer he needed help planting and watering his garden. So every Wednesday I would go down to his house and spent most of the day with him. That time with my grandpa was hard work but, I really am truly grateful that I got that opportunity. My grandpa would talk about tell stories I had never heard him tell before especially about the war. When my grandpa left to fight in World War II, he left my grandma with a child and another on the way. So that was not only hard for him but, my Grandma as well. I guess he had promised to try and write her every week, but it was hard finding time to write with all the things they wanted the solders to do so one night after everyone was suppose to be in bed he snuck off the the latrine to write my grandma but of course he was caught and then was forced to spend the rest of the night scrubbing the floor with a tooth brush, but he didn't care he still finished the letter and got it to my grandma. "She needed to know I was okay," and that is all that mattered to him. I was so impressed with his love and dedication to my grandma.

As a little girl I would spend the afternoons at my grandparent's house when I was done with kindergarten. I remember washing up for lunch and listening to him sing and then when he would come home from work I would help him in the garden. One things my grandpa was notorious for was his beautiful gladiola flowers, they were so beautiful and he had a huge garden filled with them. He would cut some and put them in bouquets and a lot of times he would ask my sisters and I if we would help deliver them to some of the widows around town. Those flowers would bring such joy to those ladies and they truly looked forward to his visit. I treasure the time I had with him, the stories he would share, and the many lessons he taught. He was a tremendous man and an outstanding example to me. My grandpa had a strong testimony of the church and had a deep love for the savior. He threw him self into all his calling and always was willing to do service for others. He also had a deep love of this country and was so proud of the service he gave this country. I am so grateful for his service and the sacrifices he and others made for us as well of those that continue to service this country. THANK YOU!!!

Being a Mom

So today I was driving Kaylee to school just her and I when she asked me if it was hard being a mom. I told her that being a mom was the hardest thing I have ever done but, it was also the most wonderful, and rewarding thing I had ever done. She got quite and we sat there listening to the radio when finally she said, "I think I would rather get a job!"

Happy Halloween

We had such a great Halloween this year, great weather, fun costumes, and free candy does it get any better? I got a kick out of Dalton this year, the kids knew what they wanted to be but, of course Dalton wanting to do whatever Cooper is doing wanted to be the same but only blue. I don't even think the knows who Commander Rex even is. The kids had a blast at the the wards trunk or treat, the activities committee put on a great carnival but, of course for us parents we just love visiting with the other grown ups. I was stressing over fighting the kids over the all that candy but, I got up Sunday morning and Kaylee knew it was fast Sunday so she didn't eat anything. Cooper had a couple of candy bars. Dalton on the other hand I found him in his bed with his bag and a huge pile of candy wrappers I think he had just a handful of candy left. Something tells me I have a dental bill in my future.