Merry Christmas

We survived Christmas! Tonight Isaac is with the youth in STL on a temple trip. I figured my best option at survival was to go fun mom and let them spend the Christmas money that’s burning a hole in their pockets but after Hobby Lobby before basketball practice and Walmart after I was pretty much done!

They are playing pretty well though I’ll cross my fingers it stays that way and type away! 

Before Christmas they were nagging me about "x" presents like crazy so I finally gave in. HAHA they had fun with the Coal Putty

Saturday we had another baptism, the guys was actually in the other ward but our Missionaries taught him. So we went. We cleaned the church-and played a little basketball-before hand. No pics of Cannon because he got to got on a little play date with some friends in the ward and play xbox. He loved that. 

That night I escaped to finish up Christmas stuff. Mistake. Isaac freaked out about me leaving lights on. (Well as much as Isaac freaks out-but still.)  I don’t know what other stress he was dealing with but he doesn’t seem to like it much that I like to get away when he’s off. Too bad! But “shopping” wasn’t very fun! He was mad I had "taken over" Christmas. Which in his defense he asked what I wanted and I gave him a stink'n laundry list that had quite a variety in price for him to choose from. (And I never asked him what he wanted.)  A few days later he asked which of those things I wanted most and I just shrugged and said "eh, probably don't do anything then I won't feel guilty when I do something for myself." So I guess he felt like I took over. And I thought "Duh, the correct answer is to tell me its fine to do things for myself but that he still WANTED to do something." oh well I was wrong. Good thing Santa left me a waffle maker! I was mad enough that night I finally dug out my journal, I had to vent and it had been six LONG months without it since we moved. Now I guess I can make a new years resolution to get back in the habit of writing in it. Fingers crossed. Because that would be bad if it really only had vent sessions in it. Good thing for the blog right? Its mostly positive...right??? Kindof.  As for a the rest of the "take over" I just thought it was my job...like it wouldn't happen if I didn't do it. I guess we'll have to discuss things more in the future. Live and Learn. I did tone it down a little after the blow up, there's a big package still wrapped for each of the boys upstairs. I haven't decided quite what to do with ...I don’t know why he’s such a Scrooge, but his stocking and his new coat that Santa set out are still in the exact same place where Santa left them. Untouched. It’s hard that I enjoy it so much and he couldn’t care less. Oh well the kids definitely enjoy it. Although Cannon was a little disappointed in Santa this year...too bad. Santa might just put Isaac's dang stocking away and give him the same thing next year. But then do I buy more of the things that are in there when he asks for them? Hmmm or tell him to go get in the Christmas stuff and find it. Who knows! Oh well. Anyway back to the week, Sunday we just had Sacrament meeting but the mindset of shorter church didn’t make that meeting any shorter and I wasn’t prepared! The boys did get an “x” present Sunday morning, new scriptures and it was awesome! They were so excited!!! Totally the thing to do to give them to them on Sunday. Mix in toys and they would’ve taken back seat but they were pumped! so...Mission accomplished!!

I thought we had a good Sacrament meeting, I guess someone had kinda hinted to Isaac that he should have had “stronger” speakers for the people who only come at Christmas. I thought that was silly and the speakers did a nice job but what was good about it was he asked me my opinion on it and it kindof  opened up the communication lines between the two of us again cuz before that we weren’t talk’n much.

Christmas Eve we invited pretty much anyone we knew was in town but didn’t have family here, over in the afternoon. Just for a place to go something to do. It was really nice weather in the morning but by afternoon the wind was blowing and it was kind of nasty cold. It turned out fine since only two families came anyway. And we did get the Moody’s on the zip line but it was really too cold. Isaac worked on finishing the thresholds earlier in the day. He had good help.  

We tried for another x present a game called “defenders of Zarahemla” Cannon had picked of the des book ad. Holy cow! Total fail-should’ve read the ages (I messed that up on more than one thing) it was way too complicated and I couldn’t figure it out on the fly!  Tanner swiped my phone and took the pics 🤣 thanks bud!

My favorite part of the day (AND CHRISTMAS) was probably reading story after story out of the friend to the kids that night. (After we vetoed the game.)  I think that needs to be a tradition for us. It was just really nice and calm and a great spirit! ....before the chaos! 

Once we got the kids to sleep I got to work.

Isaac decided to use the wood burning stove that night (his schedule with that seems completely random to me) oh my he had it almost 80 degrees it was SO HOT but I probably finished up around 11 or so 

Cannon was up at 11:30!!! I wasn’t even asleep when he came in and told me Santa had come and that he didn’t usually come until 12! He was excited and wanted to show me everything. Then he woke Colton up—who in turn tried to wake Tanner up. Tanner just got mad and started screaming. But holy smokes, to say it was a long night was an understatement! I'm locking them in next year! The rule was they could go through there stocking. At 2:00 Cannon was STILL AWAKE and I think he’d been in our room 15 times to see if he could just open the Legos Santa left. Ug! But I must admit it was fun to have him excited in the night. Later  on in the day we were FaceTiming and my mom said “Did Santa find you?” He said “No, just mom.” I’m pretty sure that’s the talk at school, I just hope he doesn’t ruin it for his brothers. Shoot I still believe in Santa-I love the magic!

We did force naps that afternoon...maybe it was morning-whatever. That day is hard to not be with extended family but I guess I should just make sure to enjoy that I am with my little family, I'm afraid they'll be gone before we know it and all of the sudden we'll count as "extended" family. I hope they still want to be around us, and if they cant that they at least want to.
We didn’t do anything fancy for dinner, the kids had asked for nachos thank French toast. Shoot the truth be told I’m pretty sure we never even got dressed. 

And for as bad as I hate projects...this guy always has to have a project! But Merry Christmas to me—it looks way better were he calked, now we need to paint but still! Why not on Christmas day??

The day after Christmas Isaac wanted to go to Honey Creek—so we did! He commented on the way up to the boys that I handled the spontaneity well. I did my best. From first mention to on the road was probably about 3 hours. Christmas Choas everywhere and a sink full of dishes...left it all. When I type that though I think 3 hours! That's plenty of time to do the dishes, what is wrong with me??? Oh well I didn't we left them. Anyway to handle the spontaneity--Deep breaths! But we always have fun up there and the boys are just getting to ages that it’s more and more fun. We had a GREAT TIME, it was so fun!

Colt got this little camera from Santa that had a waterproof case-they had a great time testing it out!

One really fun thing was meeting the Taylor family up there. They are members from southwest Iowa and he serves as bishop-cool huh? 

And as fun as the water park is, the truth is they get just as excited about the video games and tv too. (We did watch a cool thing on the Apollo 8 mission though!) 

As we were coming home yesterday and I realized it was Thursday already it was a good thing we went when we did it was kindof our only shot. Good job Mr. Spontaneous. Today Isaac headed to out of town today for the temple trip. We were invited and 1/2 of them were actually going to stay with our friends the Keeler’s but I just didn’t feel up to that drive.

So we just did Basketball and stuff around here today. Should’ve cleaned up. Leaving the day after Christmas...it still looks like the Christmas bomb has gone off around here. 😩 maybe tomorrow...don’t hold your breath!

Saturday we went to s baptism 

Sunday I got this cute thing from Colt 

And Cannon gave me a service present that he wouldn’t fight with his brothers!!!! It was awesome-I won’t say it’s lasted all week, but he did GREAT that day and hey, I’ll take it!! 

This was Monday morning when we were supposed to be out the door in 10 min, then the next one he’s just my little helper, we were making potato cheese soup and that one potatoe kept him busy, -and he got’r done!!!

Thurs I took the Missionaries to Iowa City to transfers. I had to leave here by 5:15 so it was a LONG day, lots of driving, and they weren’t in there meetings long, it was less than 2 hours but I still had a great time shopping, so many options. And holy cow I have NEVER SEEN so many selfies in one place, I was blown away!! But the. I saw one of my girls camp buddies—so we got in on it too, haha! 

More b-ball this week. Christmas is sneaking up on us—who knows...seems like a busy week but there were many pics on my phone to remind me of why it was busy. 

Oh I just remembered one thing...but I’m going to keep the blog positive and leave it out. Ha! 

The boys are getting pretty wound up for Christmas, last year we bought one of those silly reindeer costumes for our car after Christmas and Colt has asked 20+ times over the course of the year when we could put it on, we finally did today. So then the boys wanted to get in on the fun too—so we did! 

I guess that’s about it, I’m sure we’ll have more to say next week...although Isaacs throwing together a last minute youth temple trip we might be in on, I tried to tell him adding 3 kids to the mix is hardly adding a “chaperone” but if we stay with Colts buddy from preschool last year we might want in on it anyway. 

Time will tell!!  

Friday's Post. (Even if it says Wednesday...)
Saturday was jam packed starting with Cannon playing basketball! It was pretty fun 

Then we had Benjamin’s birthday party. So fun that the younger boys got to go too! Then Cannon ended up not wanting to go so we just had fun without him. Tanners has asked multiple times this week to go back to Benjamin’s party. 

That ended at 4, the ward party started at 5, I had everything ready but Isaac had to put the ham and our side dishes in the oven. He took care of it, but he didn’t answer calls or text so he kept me nervous and wondering. It all worked out though and I liked the early ward party—home by 7:00! 

It was still a long day! 

Sunday I tried to get pictures of the boys in their Christmas ties...what a circus—but they sure are cute kids, whether or not the pictures capture it!

 Why the toy rifle???

Inside was kindof a bust so we after church we tried outside...WHYYY??? I had bad light and It was like 30 degrees!! Too cold for no coats!!

Monday we didn’t get stuck but the doors on the van—totally froze shut! So the joys piled in through the driver door, it was okay when I had Cannon to buckle Tanner but after I dropped him off and I had to be the one to crawl back there to unbuckle and buckle back up...not fun, it was a pain. 

Tuesday was basketball. Wednesday Michaila had offered to tend Tanner so I took her up on it and ran a few errands. When I got back he looked like this...🤣🤣 

It’s been a while since Michaila had a boy, I guess he peed all over here. She’s just a sweetheart she just laughed about it, put him in a pair of princess panties and washed his clothes. And you should hear him tell the story “it was so Tazy” but he did have a BLAST over there, it was so fun for him to have somewhere to go and look forward to it just like his bros.

That night we survived dad being gone by making cupcakes and putting Christmas trees on them. I’m learning those dadless nights are way better if we have a project! 

Thursday was Cannons music program at school and he was sooo excited he got to be the elf on the shelf.

https://youtu.be/kzNIZLkacgo

https://youtu.be/tyqfzv1zduw

https://youtu.be/aBkBWPhoe_g

Tans been getting tuckered out. He slept clear through Basketball Tuesday and above is how he handled Cannons second performance. Sunday wasn’t much different (below)

Last night I ended up at some ridiculous essential oils thing—whoops—have mercy! It was painful but good to visit with my friend. Tonight I got away again (semester has ended I’m putting Isaac to work tending—it’s good for him) anyway I got yo hang out with a bunch of the gals in our ward that are med students wives. It was seriously so fun!!! It was a bday party for the gal I team teach with. It was so nice of them to include me! I loved it! 

There’s more I have pics to add of my camera but they will have to be add ins. I’m too tired!!!!

Cannon note to Isaac apologizing for having a bad attitude.


And I FINALLY got a pic of Isaac with his if/then statement.