Merry Christmas. This year we celebrated the birth of our Savior in our home. It was nice to not have to travel this year. We didn’t travel, but we’ve been busy!

Early in the week, Mama offered to feed a neighbor’s horses. Each morning and evening she goes to feed the horses. Sometimes she takes the boys. Underfoot loves to see the horses. K2 doesn’t seem to think they are anything special.

On Christmas morning, Mama fed the horses, and we decided to go all together. Some friends joined us. They ended up at our house afterward and eating Christmas breakfast. It was quite a feast. After our friends left, it was time to participate in the phone call from Elder K. (Mama’s brother on a Mission in Washington D.C.) Mama enjoyed hearing his voice and listening to his experiences while in the vicinity of the U.S. Capitol. He recently had a tour of the Capitol building and met all the Mormon Congressmen (3 Senators and about 10 Representatives).

After the phone call, we opened a smattering of presents. The highlights were a a Cars table and marble works game for Underfoot, musical instruments for K2, a camera for Mama, and a wagon for me. I also got a Lowe’s gift card to help me finish off the projects I’m working on this week.

On Monday, Mama and a friend were in a local grocery store. This particular store is not in the best part of town. As Mama and her friend were leaving, they noticed a man running out of the store. It took them a few seconds to realize that he had not paid for the items in his bag. Mama learned an important lesson about where not to shop.

Later that evening we attended a local neighborhood’s light festival. The streets are like a maze, and most of the homes participate. One house had “snow” being blown out by a fog machine. It was soap bubbles. Another house had done a water show. Pretty amazing what people will do to decorate.

Mama has been involved in editing documents created by her great-grandfather, MEC. It has been interesting to read about his life, his ancestors, and the people around him. We’ve learned about his trials, triumphs, and other interesting tales.

On Saturday, I spent the day building storage space in the attic above our garage. My head is full of cuts, bumps, and bruises. Hopefully it will be all completed before it’s time for me to return to work in a week!

Our 7 month old:

Postive and Productive

We try to write the highlights so we seem very productive and positive which isn’t always the case. We don’t write about the experiences where Underfoot spent more time in the corner than playing or the “accidents” that happen with two boys in diapers (or more appropriately what happens when the diaper is off). Someone said today that no one is perfect. We are only asked to be perfectly obedient.

Just so you know we can’t always get everything done when it is written down on the list (which is long and in less than size 10 font) or struggle to know how to parent and be better spouses. Here are some of the positives from this last week.

L4 came home from work and said that a co-worker had some sky lighting tubes put into their home. We looked into it and had tubes installed in our kitchen and the end of the hall on Friday. The tubes provide enough light that we go to turn the lights off when we leave the room. The end of the hall has not seen that much light since before the roof was put on the house. They are wonderful!

Our Honda had a factory recall for the air bags. On Monday, we spent the day having the dealership replace the air bags and a few other recall items. It only took from 8 am to 3 pm. Lucky for us we ran errands with a friend in town so we didn’t have to play in the dealership ALL day long.

L4’s sister, M., and her children met us in Mesa to see the Christmas lights at the Mesa temple grounds and then go to supper. It was great to see them. The lights were beautiful. Underfoot could name the different colors of the hats on the wise men. I asked him if they came from far away to give gifts to Jesus. We have been learning a song that has the phrase “long ago their fathers came from far across the sea.” The song ends with the word “righteously.” So Underfoot turned and sang, “righteously.” I thought is was very cute. I worry often that he is not learning from me. It was a tender moment.

We called our home insurance company to have a plumber come fix our secondary bath before Thanksgiving. After two companies coming, five visits, and multiple telephone calls, the shower was fixed on Thursday. He installed new fixtures because the valve would spin in a continuous circle. So if you were taking a shower, you never knew where hot or cold was. It is now fixed so if you come for a visit, the shower works.

Our boys have shown some contrasts in character. Baby K2 sleeps best in his own bed in a different room. He does not like to snuggle and likes his space. Underfoot on the other hand likes to sleep anywhere but his bed. His new landing spot is in the corner of our bedroom. Underfoot also has a “Cars” lunch box that he must know where it is at all times. He sets it in a certain spot before going to bed. What would a 2 year old almost 3 year old carry in his lunch box that is so important? Multiple pairs of big boy underwear and an orange.

On Tuesday, Underfoot decided to call all of us by different names. L4 is now Mr. Incredible. I am Mrs. Incredible. He is Dashiell. Baby K2 is Baby Jack-Jack. He will calls us that in our home or in public.

L4 has been reading books again. He is reading about the SR-71 (the Blackbird Airplane) and Chuck Yeager.

Today I sang a solo in church. I was given nice compliments on it. I was terrified, got wobbly knees, and feel like it was terrible. I am grateful for the experience because I sang out loud a lot in our home. It gave a good spirit.

We hope you enjoy Christmas this week.

Remember

K2 had a well baby checkup. He is in the 75% for height and weight. His head is in the 25%. He likes to sit up and watch what goes on. He is quite the babbler especially and likes to say “da da da da da” over and over again. He also likes to have his mouth tapped on like the sound a child would make while playing cowboys and Indians. The baby is the Indian.

Underfoot learned the letter T, the number 2, the color brown, and made all sorts of crafts this week. He likes school, and school is a great motivator to get him to do other things like pick up toys. He is learning how to trace and color.

My major feats this week were laundry, ironing (after not doing any for a month), and curtains. The curtains “complete” the look of the room. It only took me 14 months from buying the material to putting it on rods before it was done.

L4 was busy cutting holes in the ceiling and working long days. He has started to work an extra hour so he will have “extra” time for meetings that the company asks him to go to, but he can’t get paid for those meetings. The hole in the ceiling is to put an access hatch into the garage ceiling to do all sorts of wonderful things. That is a to-be-announced project as it gets accomplished.

We were reminded to remember this week. There are lots of things to remember like birthdays (Happy Birthday Uncle David!!!), anniversaries, and other monumental days. Another thing to remember is the lessons from our past and those of grandparents, founders of nations, and our personal values. We hope that we can remember the lessons of the past to help us make wise decisions for our futures. My Great-Uncle (he is a great guy too) has been compiling stories from his father (my great-grandfather). As he has sent some of the stories to us, we have had a chance to remember the sacrifices and passions of our ancestors. Remembering is monumental and can solve conflicts and avoid poor decisions for all us.

Chew it up & spit it out

We are almost already for Christmas. We mailed off packages and just need to wrap a few items at home. I put up our nativities and Christmas tree with Underfoot’s help. The tree is lovely.

K2 is getting up into the crawling stance. He will muscle his way up onto all fours and then rock back and forth eventually falling to the floor. He also can pack away the food. For example, tonight he ate a whole banana, a cup of soup, a 1/2 cup yams, and a 1/2 cup yellow squash. I think he is hoping secretly that one time it will be a ding dong and keeps eating. We have taken to holding his hands down as he eats so that he will not have a total sensory experience by sucking his thumb between each bite.

One day this week, Underfoot and I were doing his scripture study. For scriptures Underfoot get a “scripture” treat to keep his attention and have him participate. (We weened scripture treats a while ago, but they have made a revival.) He “shared” a treat with me, and as I put the treat in my mouth, he says, “Spit it into my mouth.” So I did and he was very happy. He even said thank you.

Underfoot likes to go to the library bookmobile. It’s not because he likes to read so much as he has movies to pick. He chooses very carefully and then attempts to check out about 15 movies. Mr. Wade, the librarian, will hide the movies I don’t want to check out. Mr. Wade and I have a system. He looks at me, and I shake my head for a approval. The bookmobile comes once a month, and Underfoot calls the bookmobile the library bus.

My cousin, Charisse, and her family came this week. It was such a treat for me to have them come. Her children listen to her and will do what she says. It was good to reminisce with her about family events and create new memories. My Auntie Lyn says that if you don’t take a picture it didn’t happen. Well just before they drove off into the wild blue yonder, we took a picture.

For all those in colder climates (L4’s note: just to rub it in), we would like to report that we harvested tomatoes and peppers yesterday and have LOTS of lettuce. I have never grown or eaten turnips but they look beautiful. I read about turnips in “Farmer Boy” by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I hope that product is as good as she made it out to be. Any recipe suggestions would be welcome.