around here

Around here, we've been fully into the Christmas spirit.  I swear with a 4 year old and a 2 year old, there is no other option but full-throttle.

Here's our December (so far) run down.

Started off the season with Miss A's much anticipated dance recital.  

 We were both worried she'd become really shy preforming in front of so many people, but she surprised us by being really anxious to get up on the stage.  Such a fun moment.  Mr B was super into the music, and danced his heart out the entire time.  Maybe next year we'll enroll him?  (Oh wait, Bug says: never.)

That night we hit up the ward party.  It was beautiful!  (who knew an LDS cultural hall could be?) And the main event for our family was the big guy who made his appearance at the very end.  Miss A was really, really nervous.  Bug took her to say hello at our local pharmacy, Jolley's, and she was not interested.  She said she'd "tell him what I want next year."  But after a lot of prep work and coaxing, she said, "Mom, I'm ready.  Let's go do this" and marched up on the stage to put her order into Santa.  Which for the record this year is a unicorn pillow pet.

 Bug and I made it to our first experience of the Christmas Carol at Hale Theater.  It did not disappoint.  I see why its a family tradition for many.  We are on & off season ticket holders and usually love what Hale does, but what can I say when you work with a classic to begin with?  We were both touched and felt the Christmas spirit(s).

Also, the house has put up a good effort to make us all feel a little more cheery.  I swear we kill at least 30 minutes every day with all the advents and countdowns.  Love it.

 If you look closely, you'll see our family elf riding the reindeer.  He's not tricky or naughty like some other elves we hear of (thank goodness), but he's brought some fun gifts randomly along the way.

 On top of my hutch is one of grandma & grandpa Myers nativities.  Another result of us inheriting the house & all that was in it.  Couldn't bring myself to watch it ship off to the DI.

 The tree: in which miss A adds to daily with homemade ornaments and mr. B subtracts from daily.

Apologies for the horrible picture.

 This year I finally decided to get different Christmas Stockings.  Ours previous to this were horrible.  I knew what I wanted: something skinny and classic.  Skinny because, so sue me, I don't really understand the hype over Christmas Stockings.  It just seems like another excuse to spend more money.  So this year, I am hoping old St. Nick himself will address letters to the kids.

Also in the stockings my kids are going to find these.  (You may have seen the squirrel made from a glove floating around pintrest ) Here we have a raccoon and a fox.  I finally caved and made something homemade this year after wholeheartedly swearing it off.  These 2 only took an afternoon, and everything else on the to-do list was under control.  

And we are obsessing over the new baby on the way.  Can't wait for Christmas morning to officially talk it over in detail with the kids.  

which one will it be!?!

 We've also celebrated by driving through the cemetery to look at the beautiful luminaries and visit our well-missed loved ones. (being pregnant during the holidays sure brings on a lot of tears)

Our Christmas present from Bug's parents was to go see "Annie" the play, and so we took our Ms. A on a date night while Mr. B had his own fun with Grandma Hammond.  Ms. A didn't know how to act with so much attention.  We talked about polite behaviors on a date, asked each other how our days were, and enjoyed a great time at the theater.

We've also been back to Christmas Street, and it's redeemed itself somewhat in our eyes, though not entirely forcing us to scout out "good Frosty's" within a 7 mile radius.

And that's about it.  We've partied, sang out to rockin' Christmas tunes, ate seasonal delicacy's, reserved our Christmas Eve movie tickets, have plans to go see the lights at Temple Square, and get our exercise delivering the 12 days each night.

And our fingers remain crossed for that pillow pet to arrive...

To Santa with Love

This year Santa is in for a real treat at our house.  Instead of finding the usual sugar cookie laid out for his arrival we are making Southern Rice Krispie Date Balls. (worst name for the best little treat)  Our family is going to start calling them Snowballs.

I got this recipe the other night from a friend, Natalie, in our old neighborhood.  She commissioned me to do several paintings for her for Christmas last year, and when I stopped by to drop them off she had a batch of these Snowballs on hand.  I pride myself in being somewhat adventurous in my eating, willing to try it all once, and found myself in heaven when I tried these.  Ever since I have had them on the back of my mind and asked for the recipe (& was promptly rewarded...love good friends).

And for the record, I have never, ever bought dates before until yesterday let alone cooked with them until this afternoon.  But there was nothing to fear.  If you are unfamiliar with this fruit: familiarize yourself with it.  

You won't regret it.  

Snowballs

1 stick of butter
1 cup of sugar
1 pack of chopped dates (8 oz) (I chopped them myself, but make sure you get them pitted)
2 cups Rice Krispie cereal
1 teaspoon vanilla
confectioners sugar (enough to coat balls)

Put butter, sugar, and chopped dates in a sauce pan. Cook on medium low heat until dates are melted. This takes about 8 minutes.

Take off heat and stir in Rice Krispies and vanilla.

You can also add a cup of chopped nuts if you like. Pecans are good.

Pour date mixture in a pan and let it cool. You don't want it totally cold, but you don't want it so hot it hurts your hands.

Take pieces of the mixture and shape into balls. It helps if you put a little butter on your fingers to do this.

Roll balls in confectioners sugar.

That's it. Very easy. Very tasty.  And even your four-year-old will love helping you with this one.

I am taking mine tonight to my family party...thinking about not telling them there are dates in it at first to see their reaction?

Happy Snowballing!

on my mind

• So prepared for Christmas this year it's scary.  But this, however, could be largely related to the fact that I have banned myself from any homemade gifts.  That's right, bring on the thoughtless commercialism over here.  
• Spent the night outdoors at Zoo Lights in the subzero weather with my side of the family.  Got a little awkward when random people assumed our mass meant there was free hot chocolate and donuts for all.  And then it just got really, really cold.
• Met with our potential doula last week.  Went relatively well.  Okay, I admit that when she was talking about tender moments she's witnessed in other births I totally started crying.  I blame it generally on my raging hormones, but must admit I am so ready for a good birth experience.  And the third time WILL be the charm.  
• Speaking of pregnancy the 4 year old hasn't officially been told that number 3 is on it's way.  Sure, shes suspicious especially since we brought the bassinet home and are storing it in the spare bedroom.  Christmas morning will be the big announcement.  In fact we are going to have the ultrasound tech wait to inform us if its a girl or boy and all discover together Christmas morning.
• I'm just going to say it: telling the 2 year old boy "don't touch the Christmas Tree" 50 times a day and then some is getting a little old...and it's only the 7th.  Sigh.
• Found three potential holiday go-to outfits yesterday while out shopping with a friend.  Everything about this is a plus.
• Neighbor gifts (or lack thereof) were officially all delivered last night.  We have always lived in a neighborhood that supports a local charity instead of gift-giving.  As far as I know, this neighborhood doesn't have the same deal going, so we decided to deliver cards that explain that's what we do.  Stressed forever about how this might come across, but it is done.  
• And if there's room for total negativity in my thoughts today: Christmas Street has been a bit disappointing this year.  There used to be a huge inflatable Frosty in one of the yards and he is not to be found anywhere.  And this family has two young very dedicated Frosty groupies that are severely disappointed.  Any suggestions?  
• Although I profess to be all squared away for the 25th, I'm still debating about Christmas cards.  We failed to get family pictures this year (thank you pregnancy fog) so it'll be just a kid picture, but can't make up my mind if I should crank one out or not.  Seeing as how we have yet to get a picture that I will endorse sending to 100 of my closest friends, we might opt out this year.  And yet...
• The 4 year old commented that we have 3 different nativities (she referred to them as Jesus's) in our living room right now.  "Mom, we are SO lucky!"

Christmas Prep

Did you know how cool we are at our house?

Well let me fill you in.  Santa (the big guy himself) has us on speed dial.  That's right.  He called us last week.  Talked to me personally on the phone. (By the way, he said to tell you "hi")  Anyway, turns out he had a specific message for our 4 year old.  He needed her to carefully go through her toys and decide what she didn't need anymore so that there could be room for the new ones he's bringing on Christmas.  (And oh boy, there will be some good stuff coming.)

I told miss A this as she was going to bed the night before Thanksgiving.  ("Guess who just called?!")  And she instantly assumed she would be giving away her Lion.  You know, the toy she's slept with every night since she was around 3 months old?  We assured her this wasn't the case, and that is was the toys she never plays with that other kids might like to play with.

It seemed to stress her out, because she kept bringing it up all the next day.  I was busy with Thanksgiving prep and figured we'd go through her room together later with a garbage sack.  But she beat me to it.  With relief in her voice she came and told me she had found the toy:

Some little polly-pocket-something-or-other from a kid's meal prize.  Great.  Now I can call Santa back and tell him we have loads of room for him.

I then went through with the giant garbage bag (by myself) and made some selections from both kid's rooms (where do all these trinkets come from?) and will be stopping by the DI later while a certain someone is at dance class.  

Let me know if you need a word put in with the big guy.

the one about the kitchen

Last week for a Relief Society activity night, I was asked to speak on what I was grateful for.  I actually found this really hard to do.  How do you talk about how your life's been blessed without it coming across as how MUCH you have, perhaps lending others to start the comparison game of what they don't have.

Anyway, I chose some topics that I think worked and kept it light.  You know me, sarcasm has always been my safety blanket.  But I would like to share here what was forefront in my mind but didn't share.

It has been a little over a year since we made the big move to Grandma and Grandpa's house.  I can't believe it.  At this time a year ago we still had two of the most amazing grandparents around blessing our lives.  December is when it disappeared all too quickly.   But at this time last year, they had moved to assisted living, and us to their home.  

It was hard at first, probably for too many reasons to list here.  Hard to feel like we were suddenly invaded a space that was special not only to us, but all of our family as well.  Yet, I really felt strongly that we needed to make this house our own.  So two weeks solid were spent de-wallpapering.  (possibly the worst way to spend one's time.)  Each room had it's own special wallpaper.  One room was even covered in a grass wallpaper that I discovered I was allergic to.  It was exhausting but well worth all the effort to give us a clean canvas for our family's changes.

Before all the work began, we took some before pictures...you know of just the way Grandma and Grandpa had it.  I just spent some time looking through them, and I am actually shocked at how there isn't a single room that looks totally different.  It feels like us now when we walk in the door, but we kept some elements of our well-respected loved ones so they weren't erased.

Here are some before pictures of grandma and grandpa's kitchen.

It is important to note that the wall paper had pink ribbons and green artichokes in it.  It wasn't until that came down that I realized the cabinets were two different colors (top and bottom).  Also, for tall people that center row of cabinets were frustrating.  Bug and I had differing opinions on this one: remove them all (me) or keep them for storage (bug).  We ended up compromising in the end.

Although it was tempting to replace everything and start afresh, Bug reminded me we have a ridiculously tight modest budget.  Actually these cabinets are amazing.  Each drawer rolls out, there are specific drawers for flour and sugar, a spice cabinet that is the envy of some, and very solidly built.  I just wasn't digging the fleshy color.  Or the yellow counter-tops for that matter.  What can I say?

Enter in simply solutions time: paint the cabinets.  I have always dreamed of having a white kitchen.  And I am not disappointed.  Although pounding out this project in a weekend was a bit overkill on my part.  But this meant instead of forking out $ for cabinets I could upgrade our laminate counter tops and the stove top to gas...enter in my unbridled excitement!

Other loves: how it has brightened this room up, the new hardware (I admit, I cried when I put it on...but that was admittedly probably due most to fatigue), the granite counter tops, the tin back-splash under the microwave...I could go on and on.

 

Not to mention a new sink.  When I get to heaven, one of my top 5 questions for grandma will be "why in heaven's name did you put up with your tiny sink for so long?" I think it's meant to wash a teacup.  Bug was excited that  I am now thrilled to do the dishes, and it isn't accompanied by any cussing from water overflows.

I would't feel right if I left out the disclaimer that when the project fund gets back up again, we will attack the flooring.  (so sue me if white carpet under the kitchen table isn't a favorite of mine...or laminate flooring. bleh.)  And if I can pull it off: a new fridge (that doesn't stand out like a sore thumb) and a double oven that was made at least during my lifetime and not 3 decades earlier would be nice.

And remember how cool I thought the flour and sugar drawers were?  Apparently so did our toddler. 10 minutes before we had to head out the door.

He discovered it.

And has loved it ever since.

the halloween one

I shudder to think of the time when A finally realizes most people get to pick what they want to be for Halloween.  For now, I highly manipulate recommend what she will be each year.  And since I know the window of recommending is closing quickly I like the kiddos to have some sort of theme.

Last year they were Little Bo Peep and her Sheep.  This year they were yard art.

Behold the garden gnome.  This gnome ran at top speeds the entire evening.  And although he discarded the beard immediately, we count ourselves lucky he kept the hat on for most of the night.  Also, I did clue in and roll up his sleeves after the picture was taken as well.

 And every yard needs a pink flamingo.  (thanks to my mom for her mad sewing skills on this one)  A has a tutu, a wing cape, and tail feathers to complete her look.  What 4 year old girl can't resist dressing in that much pink I ask you?

 And for the first time in years, Bug and I got in on the action.  These are the greatest pictures, but they'll give you the idea.  Bug dressed up as my idol when I was 10: good old Bob Ross from The Joy of Painting.  You know the guy, the one with the Afro on PBS who always talked like he was high on something other than life?  And everything in his world was happy?  Which inspired my costume as a Happy Little Tree.

I don't want to brag, but we did win funniest costume.  

(But I think that might of had to do more with "bob's" dance moves.)

Also, when I explained what we were going to be to my mom, her reply was "remind me what Bob Villa has to do with a happy tree again?"  Good try mom, at least both are PBS superstars...

Anyway, it was a fun Halloween for us this year.  Complete with pumpkin decorating, preschool trick-or-treating, parties every weekend for the past several weeks, boo at the zoo, visits to pumpkin patches, and finally trick or treating as a family in great weather in the best neighborhood that includes homemade doughnuts at one neighbors and ends with us all cuddled around fire pits drinking hot chocolate at another's.

A was pretty disappointed that it was all over this morning.  

She said "Mom I have a good idea: maybe I should wear my flamingo costume for Christmas!"

yep

Around here, it seems some phrases just keep repeating themselves.  Such as:

"Who's ready to watch another show?" (me to kids)
"I promise I got ready today" (me to Bug)
"I don't feel so good." (me...about every hour)

Yep, it means that baby #3 is on its way.  And our house seems to have shut down from day one.  This one has been hard (not made any easier by the bout of stomach flu I experienced on top of the constant nausea).  The house hasn't been cleaned in forever, my kids could easily file neglect charges against me, and Bug has been running all over this city to find some sort of food that will pass the test.  And also might explain why I cut all cooking off my 30 before 30 list (gross) and celebrated on my actual birthday dinner at Crown Burger (unthinkable) because I let Bug pick the restaurant since nothing sounded remotely tempting.  Don't feel too bad for me though, because the next night I was in the mood for steak and potatoes...

Don't get me wrong: we are definitely excited.  The little one should make its debut in early May.  One of my most favorite moments is in the doctor's office hearing the first sound of the heartbeat, the first connection to a tiny life.  We haven't told the kids yet. Which, can you blame us?  It would be like asking them what they wanted for Christmas in January.  But I am sure A can't remember life before mom's tummy didn't hurt.  She also excitedly discovered in the car the other day that we have room for one more kid in between her and her brother.  Perhaps Santa will break the news?

Anyway, if you have had this funny feeling like I've fallen off the face of the earth...I have.  But I'll be back.  Just give me one more month and I'll be ready to tackle it all once more.  I may even one day cook dinner for my family again.