It's Finally Here! Christmas 2011!

Christmas morning came early at the Kidd house (as well it should- Christmas is NOT a day for sleeping in!).  We were all up and ready to go by 7.  

Kate got a new baby doll from Santa this year.  The baby has a magnet in her mouth so her binky and her bottle stay put.  Kate loved it!  She spent all morning lugging "baby" around trying to feed her and rock her to sleep.

 The boys did indeed get their StarWars space ship, along with an AT-AT walker (or a poo-pooer in layman's terms) and a snow speeder.  I'm a little embarrassed that I know exactly what each one of those are- but I would be a bad mom if I didn't have a working knowledge of what my kids know and love.  They were sooo excited!

 Cousin Deja got a small 4 wheeler that both of the girls liked to sit in.  It was cute!

 And Christmas fell on a Sunday this year- which I LOVE!  I love having the morning with your family and then the afternoon in worship.  I love that you are almost instantly reminded of what the season is about and why we celebrate Christmas.  I am so grateful for my family and the chance that I have to live with them forever.  I am so grateful for my Saviour, and for the fact that He made it possible for us always to be together.  I know that He is always watching out for us and that He loves us.

Christmas Eve

This year, we celebrated Christmas in Declo with Shaun's parents, his brothers, their wives and their kids.  Our crew is getting pretty big now- it's so much fun!  

Christmas Eve was really fun- we made pizzas for dinner.  Which the boys loved doing- they got to make their own and put on it whatever they wanted.  For some reason they were super excited about that part- even though they only like cheese on their pizza.  I guess it was really really fun to lay out the cheese exactly the way they wanted it.  

 We also made some sugar cookies for the kids to decorate before they went to bed.  These are the cookies they left out for Santa- so they HAD to be good!  Jacki was nice enough to let me take over her kitchen again so that I could make some gluten free sugar cookies.  We had toyed with the idea of just making regular ones- but really- I couldn't pass up the opportunity for cookies!  I mean come on!  Christmas cookies are one of the best parts of Christmas eve!

 We made Christmas trees, circles and stars and lots of frosting!

 And... were they good!?  Ty thought so!  Me too actually.  These particular cookies were the result of a lot of trial and error in the kitchen during the month of December.  I threw away more batches than I care to admit.  When baking G-Free, you can't just substitute one cup of rice flour for one cup of wheat flour- you have to mix different types of flour in order to get the taste and texture that you want.  I have been taking a lot of classes on re-learning how to cook and bake so that I am not getting sick any more- and it's been rough.  But like I said- I finally found a recipe that didn't fall apart in my mouth and actually tasted like a cookie.  My family thought they were good and that's good enough for me!

Christmas Traditions

One of my favorite things about December is going down to Temple Square to see the lights on the Temple grounds.  There is just nothing like it- and the people that actually put up all the lights are my heros- because it literally makes the most incredible sight.  I loved it when I was a kid and now that I have my own to bring, I love watching their faces light up when they see the lights too.  

It was freezing- so we are bundled up to the hilt!

 My mom and dad came with us- which was fun.  The kids love spending ANY time with their grandparents!

 I'm getting a little better at taking pictures at night... I wish I could capture how beautiful it is to look across the pond at the Nativity with the lights in the background and as a reflection... but you'll just have to kind of imagine it from the picture I took.  I also love that my boys ask a zillion questions about Christ's birth when we are down here.  Ty wanted to know EVERYTHING about it.  I was grateful to have Shaun's help to field some of the questions since they came about every two seconds.  Shaun and Ty have a relationship that struggles sometimes, but when Ty has a lot of questions about something he always goes to his dad.

 Kate was just happy to be out of the house.  She loves to "go go" anywhere!

 After we saw the lights, we went to read the Christmas story.  Every year there is a cul de sac/ circle over by Westminster College that puts up lights and huge posters of the Christmas story in their front yards.  So cars line up at the beginning of the circle and can read the story from their cars.  I remember doing this as a kid- we'd all take turns reading a board- and I can remember Dave and I trying to skip Melissa.  She'd scream and my mom and dad would get mad at us- and Dave and I would just laugh.  It's funny what you remember.

I was so impressed that Ty could read right along with us this year.  These signs are written with the actual Biblical text- which isn't easy reading for a lot of adults- but he read like he was 12.

The Big Man Himself

Each year we have a Christmas part with my extended family on the Newren side, and each year SANTA makes an appearance to check on the little boys and girls to make sure that they are being good.  Each year the kids' reaction has been different.  Half of them are excited and the other half is screaming in terror.  Good times really.  

 I love the look on Ty's face here- he is so full of excitement and a little bit of anxiety as he waited for his turn to sit on Santa's lap...

 Kate hated Santa and only sat on his lap long enough for me to snap a picture.  She ran back to Grandpa and sat with him until the bearded man had left the building.  She wouldn't even go near him to get her present.

 Ryan was a little leery- but still proceeded to sit on Santa's lap.  He very quietly asked for a Star Wars Spaceship and a helicopter.  Yeah.  That's right.  A helicopter.  Why did he change his mind two days before Christmas?  Because he's Ryan.

 Ty was the very last one to sit on Santa's lap this year.  He waited very patiently (and let's be truthful here- I think he was a little afraid- not getting presents when everyone else does is like fear in it's most primal form), and was very polite when talking to Santa.

In all, we had a great time.  It was the first one with out my grandpa, but I knew he was there in spirit.

The Elf Returns...

I don't know how many of you paid attention last year when the Elf on the Shelf was new to us- but the Elf returned this December to remind our little ones to be good.  Ernie somehow ended up with a helper this year- a little reindeer named Ed.  He joined our little family one day when Ryan brought him home from school.  For some reason, Ryan had it in his head that Ernie needed a helper and this reindeer was IT!  So- Ed entered our home and has been a menace ever since.  He's pretty mischievous- Ernie has to take him to task every once in a while because of it.  One day, Ed made snow angels on our kitchen table and the next day taped up snowflakes in our living room.  The boys loved him and were happy to see that Ed finally talked Ernie into relaxing in a marshmallow bath.  

Ryan's Christmas Program

Ryan is currently enrolled in the BEST preschool program ever!  I love the curriculum at his school and how involved and sweet his teachers are.  The school had put together a Christmas program for the parents and I was so excited to go and watch.  I was hoping that Ryan would be a little bit more outgoing and active in his program this time around- since he simply sat there like a bump on a log for their Halloween program.  

He didn't disappoint!  While he wasn't stoked to be there (because really- he NEVER is), he sang his little heart out and helped Miss Tammy with the bells when she asked him to.  

Letters to Santa

While I was making dinner about a week before Christmas, Ty decided it was time to sit down and write a letter to Santa.  Because he is our big Kindergartner this year- he had to write it all by himself.  He rose to the challenge magnificently!  He carefully crafted a letter to the man up north about how good he and his brother and sister had been and that he hoped the reindeer were getting along.  He proceeded to ask for a Star Wars space ship (yes- the boys are still OBSESSED with Star Wars) for he and Ryan and a baby for Kate.  Baby doll actually- I should clarify...  :)  Then he signed and sealed it and left it on the tree for Ernie (our Elf of the Shelf) to take to Santa that night.  He was pretty proud of himself- and actually- so was I.  I'm really really impressed at how well Tyler is doing in school and how much he is learning.  He is such a smart little cookie! 

 We had spaghetti for dinner that night and Ryan was a SUPER slowpoke!  So Kate climbed up on the chair next to him and helped him out with his salad.  Of all the things for a one year old to love and Kate loves salad. I think it's a little weird myself, but I guess it's good for her so I shouldn't complain!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

It was that time of year again.  Thanksgiving was over and done with, and it was time to bring on Christmas... One of my FAVORITE holidays!  As much as I am hating to see my kids' baby years over and done with- I am starting to see how much fun they are as little kids now.  They are totally into holidays and decorations and anything that I am excited about- transfers over to them.  

One of the first things we did after we got the tree up was pull out our Nativity.  Last year I cringed as I brought my beautiful Nativity down where my kids could see and touch- mostly because I wanted it to be in the forefront of their minds as they passed through the living room.  Maybe helping the message to sink in... maybe...  I don't know- I figured it was worth a shot.  BUT!  I got smarter this year and bought them a Little People Nativity.  Way smarter.  Not only was it no big deal to leave it down on the ground by the tree, but the kids got to play with them and act out the story themselves.  Like I said... way smarter! 

 The kids were really cute this year- Shaun and I walked them through the Nativity story a couple of times, and after that, I could hear Ty and Ryan arguing over how the story went as they tried to act it out.  Kate just wanted to eat the angel.  Poor thing.  Our angels suffer at our house.  Last year it was a "bug" and this year it's a snack.  I guess we'll have to work on that next year...

Ryan's Feast

 Ryan is in preschool this year at a great little pre-school here in town.  And I volunteered to help in his classroom for their Thanksgiving party- or their FEAST!  It was so much fun- I went a little early because I wanted to watch him in his classroom for a little bit before everything else got started.  I peeked in his classroom and he was singing his little heart out.  I walked into the room and he burst into tears.  Oops.  He's such a funny little kid- I still haven't figured him out- but he's cute enough I think I'll keep on trying to. 

30

I turned 30 this year.  Apparently it's a bad thing.  30 is a number to be feared.  But I have to admit- it's not so bad.  It's all about perspective.  Something that must be an important lesson for me to learn- since the Lord keeps insisting that I understand it.  So often I get bogged down in the enormity of all the little things that I forget about the big picture and why we are here. 

I'm looking at this picture of Shaun and I as I type this post and I have to admit- there are a few wrinkles, and I'm not the weight I want to be and I need lessons in how to do my hair...  But each of those things paint more than just a picture of what I look like physically- they each give testament to where I am today and how I got there.  Those lines around my eyes are there because I smile and laugh... a lot.  Even with three little kids that drive me nutso- I laugh a lot.  The wrinkle in my forehead is from giving my husband "the look" too many times.  The weight is a result of three beautiful babies and evidence that I have never gone hungry. 

I am so blessed and I am happy to be 30, because of everything that has come with it.  Thanks everyone for being a part of my journey- I look forward to many more birthdays to come!

Beethoven's 6th

Shaun and Jess at the Symphony

One of my favorite things about being back in the city are the opportunities that are more readily available to us.  I have missed being able to go to the symphony and the ballet while living in Montpelier, and we took the chance to rectify that last weekend and went to Beethoven's 6th with my mom and dad for my birthday. 

It really was so nice- and even Shaun, who had never been to a symphony before said that it was "alright."  Which- if you know Shaun- this is counted as a WIN.  The fact that he didn't fall asleep or say outright that he hated it was such a relief to me.  I LOVE classical music and hearing it live is such an awesome experience- I get really caught up in it and it was kind of nice to be able to share that with Shaun.  

Fall Days

The boys are constantly playing ball at our house.  In the house.  Out of the house.  Around the house.  If they could figure out a way to play it on TOP of the house, I'm sure they'd do that too.  They love to play catch.  They are both better at catching a football than a baseball right now- so most afternoons you will find the two of them in the front yard playing a brotherly game of football.  I'm not saying that either of them play fair or that the rules don't change from time to time- but at least they are having a good time. 

 

Of course- with a yard full of leaves- they tend to get sidetracked from time to time and get into a leaf fight instead of a football game- but really- that's just good fun.  

 Kate tries to play both football and the leaf-fight, which leaves her brothers with an interesting challenge.  They want to play with her too- but don't want to hurt her.  They try to play so nice and soft- and she usually turns around and whops them both.  And she's not afraid of tackling either.  She's probably the roughest of the bunch. 

 

 Dad came out to play with the kids the other day and started throwing Kate in the air- this was her face on the way back down... She LOVES it!  And her dad... 

A Monkey

 We live with a little monkey.  I have never had a climber before- so this is NEW to me.  But Kate climbs on EVERYTHING!  She's driving me nuts.  It seems like everytime I turn around she's climbing on something new.  Yesterday I found her on the table.  The day before that it was the bookshelf in the living room.  I may have to tape her to the wall just to get her to stop climbing it!!

I also bought Kate an apron to wear around the house- besides being a climber- she is a total slob and spills anything and everything all over herself.  Instead of a bib- which only covers the top half- I bought her an apron that covers most of her body.  Pretty ingenious I thought.  And she likes it too- so it stays on.  It's pink and covered in cupcakes and it looks so cute on her.

 I also gave piggytails a try the other day- just on the side of her head instead of on top- and they worked!  And then I braided them to be silly and she looked just that.  Silly.  Shaun thought the braids were fake because of how they stuck straight out of her head.  I think we'll wait a little longer to do the braids again- maybe give her hair a chance to get thicker!!!