Our Icicles Have Icicles

It's been hard for Jared to be off-track  all these weeks and it's been too cold to go outside.  His old mom doesn't have much tolerance for snow and cold, so we've spent most of our time hanging out together watching TV and playing video games. We brought Summer, our rabbit, inside the house back in December, when the temperature dropped.  She has been even more stir crazy than we have, so one day Jared decided to build a 'bunny run' for her that more than doubled her living area. We unattach it at night or whenever it gets in the way, so it's worked out really well.

Jared also finished another round of swim lessons where he passed another two levels.  He learned both the front crawl and the back stroke.  I've pushed him on swimming lessons this year to get him ready for the Boy Scout swim test he will have to take next year when he starts going to scout camps.  With this last class he has now has the skills to reach that goal.  It took quite a bit of prodding to  go out into single digit weather for swim lessons but he did it and I'm proud of him.


Half Way There

The girls have come to the end of the semester which means the half way point for the school year.  They both had test and projects due, so this three day weekend is a welcomed respite.  Kaitlin made a mouse trap car that (with a little help from mom and a late night run for a new mousetrap) won 2nd place in her class. It went something like 50 feet.  Ruth is all signed up for auditions for her school musical, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, and has been practicing her audition piece.  Kaitlin too, is signed up for a community production of Footloose, but practices won't start for a couple more months.  (Kaitlin's high school was big news a few weeks ago because the musical they were doing was found to be not appropriate by the school board.  Back when they held auditions, Kaitlin decided not to do the show, partly because she did not feel comfortable with the theme and sexual content, and we agreed that she could do this community production instead).

Dance Showcase

The semester is almost at an end and Kaitlin has been very busy.  This week she performed in the Dance Showcase, the culminating event of her Ballroom Dance class.  Her class performed a swing number to 50's music.  She said it went really well and she had a great time.   I wish I had a video or something to show you but unfortunately I missed it.  That same night was our big Blue and Gold District training dinner for Cub Scouts that I was helping with.  Kaitlin was a good sport about me missing her show and she put on a private dance concert for me right in the kitchen.  I was amazed to see what a good dancer Kaitlin had become in just a few months.

Back to It

After a blissful Christmas vacation, and a fun new years party with good friends, we put Christmas away and all got back to life this week. All except Jared, who is off-track until the end of the month.  Boy does the morning come early after sleeping in for two weeks!

Unexpected Win

On Thursday we went to council level Reflections ceremonies for both Ruth and Jared.  We were disappointed that Ruth's literature and music composition did not win.  We were, however, totally surprised that Ruth's video entry did win and is going on to the regional competition.  Surprised because we didn't know that she had won for video at the school level and that it was even in play at the council level. No one ever told her.  For her council win she got a Cafe Rio gift card.  So far Ruth has made $70 in gift cards from Reflections.  Jared's video, unfortunately, did not win at the council level.  Of course we thought his was much better than the ones that won.

Christmas is...

Jared's dramatic portrayal of the angel.

Christmas is one of those few days of the year, when everything stops and we have time to just be.   On Christmas Eve we did all of our regular traditions. We drove out to see and rate the Christmas lights (this year we went to the Thanksgiving Point lights, which were pretty good, and got caught out in a snowstorm which was not good), we played Christmas songs together on the bells, played games and reenacted the Christmas story.

The new phone.

Christmas morning is one of those moments that takes weeks and weeks of planning for a mother, but is over in only thirty minutes. Even though the family rule is that you can't wake the parents on Christmas morning until 8:00, Jared came knocking on our door at 7:30 because he was so excited.    Kaitlin got her first smart phone, Ruth got a microphone and video making program, Jared got a Wii game and a huge plush puppy from his sisters.  Chuck got a cordless drill and Becky got her first tablet.  Overall everyone was satisfied and happy with the haul. The rest of the day we broke in our new things, rested, played games and enjoyed a big Christmas dinner.

Playing Wii Batman 2 on Christmas day.

Christmas is one of those times that can lend to a lot of pondering. I've been thinking back to Christmases when we had very little, material wise; years when the fanciest things under the tree were plastic sleds, or pillows, because we couldn't afford any more;  years when most of the children's gifts were clothes and other necessities. I thought how this Christmas, when we have plenty, was no better, no happier, than those had been, and when I asked the kids they said they never remember feeling poor on Christmas day.  We've always felt like we had enough - and we have - and do.  I've also been thinking about how our family Christmases are numbered.  Our children are getting older and each year the feeling and experience of our holiday is changing.  In a way it is nice to have the shift move away from Santa and reindeer,  but also, there is a sadness at the loss of that feeling of wonder that a little child brings to Christmas Day.  My other thoughts have been about why, as Christians, do we make Christmas our largest celebration? The merging of Christmas with pagen holidays aside, I've decided it has to do with the fact that celebrating Christ's birth is really celebrating the fact that God keeps his promises. And if God keeps his promises, then there is hope for me, that I can make it back to Him, in spite of myself. That is a great reason to celebrate.


Christmas is a time for Families

The day after Christmas, we braved a lot of snow to drive to my sister Kathy's for the family get-together.  We always have a great time visiting with the family. It was fun especially to have all the older teens and young adults together, since we miss them often during the year.  There is a deep feeling of satisfaction, watching our family age and seeing how excellent the rising generation has become.  My kids also love Aunt Kathy's because that means, air hockey, pool and room to play. 

Kaitlin drove up in her own car to Kathy's and we caravaned with her to her dad' house after the family party. The snow was thick, driving treacherous, and Kaitlin is still a young, inexperienced driver. She had a couple of close calls, including a spin out, but thankfully, made it to her Dad's safely.

Four cousins at the pool. Can you see them?

 

We also took home two of our cousins from the family party, to stay with us for a couple of days.  Ruth and Jared had such a fun time with their cousins.  The girls took in a movie, and we all went swimming at the local pool.


Nauvoo 2013

We got the news last week that we have been called to serve in the Nauvoo Pageant.  We will be preforming in Nauvoo July 9th-13th.  We will be there a total of two weeks.  We are very excited!

Happy Birthday, Jared

Jared didn't want a cake this year. He asked for Neapolitan ice cream.

Opening presents.

We did some fun things to celebrate Jared's 10th birthday this week.  One night we ate out at 5 Guys burgers. Jared loves this place because they have all you can eat fry sauce. Jared loves fry sauce.   On Jared's actual birthday we had some of his favorites, chicken and rice soup and tater-tots (with fry sauce of course).   For his birthday, Jared got a cool lego set and some money and his favorite gift was the Skylanders Giants Wii game (which he had been begging for for weeks).

On Saturday we spent the afternoon and evening at Planet Pizza.  In laser tag, it was the Barnums against everyone else and, let me tell you, we totally decimated the other team with a score of 27000 to 5000.  Of the total 12 players, we were the top 5 scorers.  This domination wasn't because the other team had 4 little boys on it under the age of 8 - no, no.  It was because of all the experience we have playing together and the love and family unity we share. We played video games,  black light mini-golf and enjoyed very much the all you can eat buffet. With our game tickets we each bought colorful Dr. Seuss hats to wear home.

Family photo booth fun.

Getting Ready for Christmas

 The last couple of weeks we have been busy getting ready for Christmas.  Ruth and Kaitlin went down to see the lights on Temple Square with their youth group. Kaitlin also road Trax with a group of friends downtown to see the lights for a date.  

We've had  lots of snow, and the kids have been sledding and Jared's been helping with the shoveling.

We've also had a couple of Christmas concerts.  I sang in church choir for a night of music. Kaitlin also sang in her high school choir concert.  Her high school choir was very good and she has a good time singing with them. 

Chuck helped with our church breakfast on Saturday and spoke in church today.  Most of our shopping is done so we're about ready for Christmas. 

Living Nativities

A local church put on a live nativity this weekend.  They had real animals in the stable outside, and inside they had hundreds of Creches from all over the world. They had choirs performing and also put on a large drama production.  The production was mostly teenagers and Kaitlin was friends with most of them.  The even gave us a cookie.  Kaitlin and Ruth also went to another live nativity with their youth group. This one was a well done recreation of Bethlehem, with animals and beggars and everything.  It was a great way to bring in the Christmas season.

Deck the Halls

After much insistence from the children, Chuck dug out the Christmas decorations this weekend and we got to work.  Chuck climbed up on the roof and Ruth started putting up all the lights on the front yard.  Jared put lights on the tree and hung the stockings.  Kaitlin cut out snowflakes to put on the wall.  Everything goes so much faster when everyone helps.

The Amazing Appearing Switch

The first Christmas we put up lights at this house we learned that the outlets up in the eaves didn't work.  Chuck looked all over the house trying to figure out how to get power to those outlets without success.  This year (six years later) Chuck grabbed a flashlight and decided he would try one more time to see if he could find how to connect those outlets.  Amazingly, a rift opened in the space and time continuum and a magic switch appeared in our coat closet.  In the seven years we have lived here, we've never seen that switch before. But like some Christmas miracle, there it was. Now our outdoor light turn on and off with a flick of a switch.

Jared's Reflections Win

Jared entered a video (the stop motion lego video I posted a few months ago) into his school's Reflections contest and this week he was surprised with a pizza party because his video is advancing to the council level.  We also got word that Ruth has both an original song and a literature entry that have also won at the middle school and will be going on to regionals. We'll keep you posted on how they do.