'Twas the Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas 

at Eleven o-Three

My kids were not sleeping yet.

Too bad for me.

They were much to excited 

To fall fast asleep

So I put their energy to work

and the kitchen they did sweep

Then up to the bedrooms

to vacuum the floor

I was glad for this chance 

to have them do chores

They worked hard and quickly

So Santa could see

That they've been tidy children

since January

Then they still were not tired,

so they played cards and had fun

Around 11:30 I said

"Ok, time to be done"

 

They hushed up and layed still

While I bided my time

By laying in bed

and making up this rhyme

Now it's 1:49

and the stockings are ready

Time to unload Corey's car

of the spoils it does carry.

 I turned off Ethan's alarm

that was set to sound at 3

(He'll probably be a little bit

upset with me...)

But I can live with that

if it means I'll get some sleep

But now around the house

and sleeping children I must quietly creep

They started this tradition
of sleepovers under the tree
I like them making memories
I love my family!

 I hope not to wake them

And that in the morning they'll see

Lots of love for them

Under the Christmas Tree

Merry Christmas! :)

Melodie is 17!

We had a really fancy party for Melodie's birthday tonight. We sent out invitations and everything. The dress was formal.

Just kidding. That wasn't for a birthday party. The kids had a concert at the school tonight. They are a good looking bunch, don't ya think? For the real party, most of the kids were gone, but Mel was home. My mom came over with gifts, so we sang and she enjoyed her cake with the little kids before Mel had to leave for rehearsal. Her younger siblings were glad it was finally cake time, cause they had already been waiting ALL day. 

Natalie his very - pink cake! 17 candles Mel... you're getting up there! Happy birthday to you! Natalie wanted a better view and even helped blow out the candles.

I love Owen's little head. I had given Mel her birthday present from me 10 days early - an academic planner.

Yes, those are technically for mothers, but Mel is a mother at heart. And she is smarter than me, cause she just puts white out over the pages of things she doesn't need and makes them into something that is helpful to her. She received money and crafty things and I think was a good birthday. Lucky Mel is finally going to get her drivers license! Her driving test is scheduled for next week. She's almost ready to launch. Hope you had a good day Mel.

My day was good cause I took care of some tasks that had been bugging me. I took Natalie with me to Home Depot and got a tree stand and a toilet handle for the two current things that made me feel like our life is falling apart. Bugging me item #1 - our tree that won't stand up. One of the legs of the stand broke last week. I tried to fix it with hot glue. It worked for about 24 hours. When we came home from church on Sunday (after I was already feeling a little miffed at our not together life) we walked into the house to see the tree crashed over again. Joseph was behind me and saw it - "Mom, the tree is broken..." and I replied "Just like our life..." I had noticed it myself, but as each kid entered the house from the garage door, they each saw it and then made it a point to seek me out and make me aware. "Yes, thank you, I know." "Yes, thank you." So, I left it leaning again the wall on Sunday, then that night took it apart in half and attempted to gather the scattered ornaments.

There already were/are ornaments scattered everywhere in our house. May I introduce culprit #1 -

And the rest of his posse -

I'm sure one of these little kiddos is the reason the tree fell apart anyway. So today I got a stand for a real tree at Home Depot. Sophi helped me get it ready, while Owen pretended to help do something on the tree.

I broke off the rest of the legs of the tree to before my first try at fitting it in the new base. Unfortunately, the thin trunk of the artificial tree did not fit in this base made for a real tree. So I had to get creative. A few sports balls from the dollar store and I sawed some small blocks of wood, and voilà, we have an upright tree, yay.

The second thing that had been bugging me for a few months was our broken toilet handle. It didn't to back down to plug the tank, so for a few months we've had to remind the kids to fix the handle. This past week, it totally broke and we couldn't move it, so I had to take off the tank lid and any user of the bathroom had to pull the chain. The little kids found the inside of the tank very interesting. But they didn't want to touch it. So I've been walking in to find a bunch of unflushed stuff. I'm glad I got that checked off now, I finally fixed that today, thank you YouTube. Good bye old handle.

I also looked around Home Depot at the dishwashers. We've needed a new one since we moved here and it's really gotten pathetic the past few months. I think it's gonna happen soon. 

I'm excited to have buttons on top where our button and dial happy baby Daniel can't reach it. He likes to turn on the dishwasher. Also, if we cook something at the stove top, we have to put on the handle and take it off after turning on the gas, cause Daniel has a radar antennae or something and always goes straight for it. He's turned the gas on a few times, isn't that right Daniel?

Yeah, you messy sticky freeze dried strawberry boy. One last thing, it's been fun to get cards and surprise treats from neighbors, like this one tonight. We have many blessings.

We haven't done it for a few years but I hope to make Christmas popcorn or to get something to give out this year to share our love.

Christmas Day

Merry Christmas! It was a happy day. Kids playing with Katharine and enjoying time together. 

They enjoyed their sleepover in the front room under the tree. 

They ate the treats in their stockings. After Corey and I got up, Corey gave everyone the letter that Hyrum wrote to them. 

In the letter to Corey, Hyrum let him know that it took him FOREVER to write everyone.

...followed by "You have a lot of kids."

Then it was the moment they'd all been waiting for and they opened gifts from each other. the kids drew names for Secret Santa over Thanksgiving, and it was supposed to be: J - A, M - Eth, E - Wes, W - lily, A - Joseph, L - Mel, S - O, N - S, O - D (Lily help), D - N (Abi help), and P and K did not participate. Ethan didn't buy Wes anything, but I had a gift that I let Ethan pay for and he gave that to Wes - a metal earth SL Temple, which Wes loves. After opening the first present and putting the wrapping in the trash, Natalie jumped up and grabbed it from the trash "Don’t throw that away! That bow is still useful!” Uh oh - she might be her mother's daughter. Two other quotes from today - Corey and people talking about India - “it’s a different world…” Ethan- “There are a lot of different worlds in this world...” haha. Also, Corey warning the children "The more you complain, the more your mother will laugh." Some highlights of the gifts: Sophi gave Wesley a coupon book - 

Some of the coupons will be very helpful. Most of the gifts were just regifting personal items, or someone else's items that they found. 

Joseph put Katharine in his Christmas sweater that he got in a thrift store in Guatemala. She didn't like it.

Mel gave Ethan a poor student discount plan but disguised it as digital Trump cards as a joke. It looked pretty legit that it really was Trump cards, so funny!

He wasn't very excited to get digital Trump trading cards.

Everyone knew what it really was, haha.

We've enjoyed having Ethan's pet fish Sushi here over the break. He's a nice fish. Abi gifted Ethan some of her fish's former belongings, on loan until Sushi dies or Abi gets a fish. 

Then to the side room for more presents. 

Lego sets...

The mission books for JME were a hit. The only problem we realized was that some of Ethan's photos must not have downloaded onto his blog, so there were a few weeks that were missing the photos. I don't know if he'll get it reprinted sometime, but I don't think I'll redo it, unless I give it to him again for Christmas next year. I'll let him decide if he just wants to make do or if he wants to pay for it himself. 

Joseph looking at the photo of him, on the side room tv, wearing the same sweater, just two years ago. 

Peter liked the Spidey and his amazing friends cars that Wesley chose for him at Costco.

At one point, Daniel was crying cause he couldn't carry all his stuff. We were laughing at the first world problem. Joseph went to help him. 

We went to church for just an hour today, for a special musical Christmas program. Sophi and a group of girls sang one of the numbers.

Katharine wore her pjs to church. But with a bow and pearls!

A photo from someone in San Diego who was taking care of Hyrum today. 

It had been an early day for Peter, and he fell asleep during church. 

We went over to Corey's parents house around 1 and enjoyed lunch/dinner over there, visiting, and more gift giving.

Katharine being sweet and beautiful.

Talking to Hyrum!

Playing with more presents. 

Back at home - basking in the Christmas fun explosion. 

Wesley helped Owen build his Ninjago temple lego set, it was pretty cool. It reminded Wesley of Avatar. 

I'm glad I've been able to sneak in some blogging up here (Today is actually 2/26/23 but I truly am grateful I was able to sneak in blogging, yay, I'm almost done with December!) Time for bed soon. Katharine with a tiny bottle of sparkling apple cider that I stole from my parents. Merry Christmas.