Just December

*Just a note I am doing 4 December blogs. One for Just December, One for Christmas, One for Family time, and one for Christmas cards and Presents.

This is our crazy December. We started off running. I had a baby shower for my Cousin's wife Stacy. They are having a boy. It was so fun spending time with cousin. That is what holidays are all about family.

We finally got our tree up, we really wanted to have it up before Thanksgiving but time just got away from you. We also put up a Christmas train (it did not last long the boys and cats could not stop playing with).

This year I waned to do a little more about giving. We picked off "gifts" for our ward Christmas tree. It was just gift cards but I made the boys go to Wal-Mart pick out the "Gift" and give it to the bishop.

I have been trying to do more things with the boys after school anything helps. They love doing crafts. We made snow flakes with glitter pens. (Glitter pens are the best things that even happen to glitter and kids) They LOVED it, mom got a lot of quite time but also a lot of clean up.

Of course we have to talk about nesting. The last things I had on my list was cleaning carpets. I was just going to clean around beds, but come on, you know I could not do that. The boys room about killed me. I took a very lazy day after that.

My main thing I have been doing this month is working on Mom and Dad's Christmas present. I have been stopped at every turn.  I could whin (I just deleted 2 lines of whining but I will just tell the end) I was able to get the Stanin' Tall, with lot of manual labor, into MP3 and MP4 format. I did learn a lot.  I also got them a year of Living Scriptures (LDS Netflix) I think the whole family is going to love both presents. With all my new knowledge I found a program that is easy to merge videos together. I was able to go through all my family video 2006-2018 and merge each month together. I guess lots of good came from all this craziness.

There was store that had snow shoes for Colvin (I check about 3 and on line). I finally found a pair on facebook. They had buzz light year on them, Colvin did not know who buzz light year was and he thought buzz was a funny name for a human robot. (the funny thing is Denali loved  woody and buzz at Colvin's age)

We try and do things with the boys as much as possible, since we know that when baby comes that will be a lot harder. We took the boys to small foot. It was better than I thought it would be.

Our main holiday tradition is going on the train to SL, the kids were so excited they could not contain themselves. I was able to fall asleep for about 30 min, on the train, we meet Greg in SL. It is nice my kids can do things on their own. It was super cold, Colvin always have to do things his way, coat zipped up or gloves on pick one. They loved playing in the family history center. We spend about an hr in there. Satan called just as we were getting done with dinner so perfect timing. (In 90% of the pictures you see a blue and red balloon they got them from dinner and packed them all night) We also got to see the Christus but there was so many people. Half of Utah has the same thought as us. The best part of the whole thing for the boys is just riding the trains looking at lights. At 11 PM they were still jazzed.

My search is over for camera/baby monitor. I only had to buy and return about 3 different ones. I found a camera that will show me Live views, on multiply camera, at once. There is also 2 way talk, and the app works on a kindle (the kindle part was a bonus). I scared Colvin to death the first time I told him to lay down. Greg had to go in and comfort him. (very sexy)

We had a ward Christmas party. It was fun, I let my helicopter mom go and let my kids run. They had a great time. I remember playing with friends at parties too so it is all good. We have the best Mr. and Mrs. Clause in our ward. We also have a great photographer so win win for all. 

Denali needs to be pushed to do things sometimes. We started his first chapter book. (he also earned money for reading it) he did wonderful and improved more than I even thought he would.

This running around and the not sleeping has made bears out of my boys. I made them lay down one day after school, since we had a party that night. Colvin was out in 5min and I could not get him to wake up. Greg ended up just taking Denali to the VA party and I stayed home with Colvin. I put him to bed early. It was a great time for all. I was able to get things done after Colvin went to bed and before Greg got home. Denali loved being the spot light at the party.

Big News for me was I was able to finish the Book Of Mormon. I even wrote down some of my thought. It was a great experience for me.

We went to the VA for Greg's dad birthday. My kids were not so good. We left with them screaming and Greg blowing smoke. Parenting is not for the faint of heart.

We hosted the Proctor Party. We did pizza easy kind of, just time consuming. We wrapped present that day and Colvin just knew that he was not going to get a present. He ended up getting a hot wheels set so he was over joyed. It was so fun just hanging out with family. We did not really play games just talked.

Greg just happen to be home when the library had their Santa night. That was a huge blessing for me, not having to do it on my own and having Greg there was so special for the boys.  We even let them play in the dark-lights after. They loved running through the rose bush maze.

Then the crazy party time started. Greg was able to move his day off to make a party or singing time for each boy. I got to help in the 1st grade Christmas activity. It was crazy in the gym with all the first graders. Denali loved that I was there. Then Denali had his singing program. There was 2 of them, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. We were able to made both. Right after the afternoon singing program it was Colvin's party. I know that Colvin felt so special since he was the only kid with his dad there. The last of the main event was going though the Spanish Fork lights. It is so fun to see the joy on our kids faces. It makes it that much more special. Note all but me helping the first graders was one day. 

More family memories; We took the boys to Nickel Manna. Denali is all about the tickets. Both him and I hit a jackpot that was over 100. Colvin is all about the games/rides.

Lets talk baby.; on the 24th we had a doctors appointment, I was 80% defaced and at a 3. He was kind of shocked I was so far a long. He was betting I would not make it another week. Greg just started to laugh. However, I made it to the next appointment on the 31st. I had not changed from the 24th to the 31st. The doctor bet I could make it to the 16th. I am not sure I want to make it to the 16th, I am having major Braxton Hicks because of all the sugar. They really want me to make it to the 16th since I tested positive for strep.

Mom and Dad came up with Timber's kids and took 5 kids on the train to SL. Denali really wanted to be the boss. It was a crazy time. Greg and I got a nap and date night. For them it when like this: train in SL for 15min and train home.

 

 

 

Story: It snowed a little so we took the boys sledding. We thought they would last 30 min since we made them walk up and down the hill, Nope! After 2 hours we made them leave it was getting dark and cold. We went to the golf course.
* Sid left and went home after thanksgiving. The boys thought they were in trouble since everything was gone. This is the best thing for her.
 * I have been trying to follow the spirit no matter how crazy I think it is. I gave one of our neighbors a Christmas gift. I only know their daughter from our church class. Ended up being a great thing.
* Greg and I started wrapping presents early but on the 24th we were still wrapping present. Did not help that we got the last 2 presents the morning of the 24th.
* The Lord really cares for everything. Colvin lost a little pop up ball. We prayed to find it and found it that night. Made Colvin over the time happy.
* We had our last 3 hour church. It was kind of sad to see what I have always know to go away and I was over the hill excited.
* Sad news: Spencer has censer. We know very little at this time. The boys have been awesome at remembering him in our prayers. I know more and more will come.