A Super Duper Christmas

Call me Scrooge, but it's all over around here. The tree is down, the decorations are put away and the house is cleaned up. Believe it or not, this is one of the things I look forward to the most about Christmastime; the putting it behind us and looking forward to the new year and a fresh beginning! But not before a quick recap of the highlights here:

It was a pretty exciting change to finally have a place to hang our stockings over a fireplace! Five years ago, I made four stockings thinking how long it would be before I actually needed all four (at the time Joel was just a baby). Now, it seems like I just made them!


One of my favorite Christmas traditions at our house is Christmas morning brunch. Honestly, I could take or leave Christmas eve dinner. What I really look forward to is the brunch the next day! Spinach quiche, fruit, yogurt and granola parfaits, bacon, orange cranberry muffins and grape juice. Mmmmm.
The kids were pretty pumped to see what they got on Christmas morning.

Merr got a horse and doll, among other things.

Norah got fifth's disease for Christmas. (High fever, rash covering her body, and sleepless pain filled nights)

Jack got the Bat Cave and Joel got a track with remote control cars.

Both boys have been pretty obsessed with super heroes lately. They get on their super hero costumes (paper cut out masks, towels tied around them for capes, underwear over their pants, boots, gloves, etc). They even call Norah "Super Girl" and have dressed her up a couple of times! Anyway, lately there has been a little evolution and the boys call them their "Super Duper" costumes. pretty funny.

Well, my Mom made the boys capes for Christmas and Matt and I made some masks out of felt. It was a pretty big hit.

After the opening, we went to Morgantown for Christmas dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Malone. What a fun Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!!

All Sugared Up

Moved in. CHECK.
Kids started school. CHECK.
Tree up. CHECK.
Presents bought. CHECK.
Christmas cards out. CHECK.
Received tons of cards from great friends and cookies, gourmet popcorn, chocolates, etc from neighbors. CHECK.
Finally stopped putting off the holiday baking after many MANY requests from my husband. CHECK.


































































Gave my little "helpers" a big bath. CHECK.
Cleaned up the huge mess they made. CHECK.







































P.S. BLESS YOU, Landlord, for sending the ginormous fruit basket instead of treats. I know we would've made a huge dent in that fruit by now if we hadn't found the AMAZING box of chocolates buried down under everything!

Winter and the New Place

Well, we're finally settled enough for me to blog again. Here are a few pics of the winter. The kids had a lot of fun in the snow at Grandma's house in WV.

This is the house we're renting. It's on an acre and in a nice neighborhood. You kind of have to appreciate retro style to like this house...

Built in phone table/computer table in dining room:

How do you like these cabinets?!

Mustard yellow appliances...

Dining room with built in shelves, fireplace (and green shagg carpet!)

Big bay window in the living room...

Nice sized living room with white carpet

built in bunk beds in the basement!

Red shag carpet in the HUGE, comfortable basement!

Our washer and dryer don't QUITE fit in the laundry room

Pink toilet, sink and bathtub in the kids' bathroom.

All in all, we're actually quite comfortable here. We have an awesome sledding hill in our backyard and we love the ward, community and school. Come visit!

What are you Thankful for?

http://www.lds.org/topic/gratitude/

LIFE CHANGING

"A wise man once distinguished between 'the noble art of getting things done' and 'the nobler art of leaving things undone.' True wisdom in life,' he taught, consists of 'the elimination of the non'essentials'. "



"What are the nonessential things that clutter your days and steal your time? What are the habits you may have developed that do not serve a useful purpose? What are the unfinished or unstarted things that could add vigor, meaning and joy to your life?"



Some of you will remember this quote from Sister Beck's talk in the General RS meeting. I just read it yesterday in my Conference Ensign and LOVE it! So, as an exercise, I want to make a list of things to leave undone and habits that serve no useful purpose:



1. Checking my email 400 times a day. (surfing the web for cute Christmas clothes and searching random people on facebook fall under this category as well).

2. The idle chatter that accompanies my endless telephone calls (not to be confused with purposeful phone calls to check on loved ones or accomplish some task.)

3. Staying up after I'm tired, after the work is done, and doing essentially nothing.

4. Running to Walmart every other day instead of making a complete list so I can get everything in one trip.



I'm sure the list could be much longer. These are just off the top of my head. Anyway, the second part of the quote is the really important part: "What are the unfinished or unstarted things that could add vigor, meaning and joy to your life?" I have only one suggestion...



A few weeks ago I was talking on the phone to a local friend (NOT idle chatter because it inspired me to be better). She mentioned in passing that she gets up everyday at 5:30am to be showered, dressed and ready before she wakes her children up and gets them off to school. The thought was so foreign to me! What?! Some stay at home Moms aren't still in their pjs at 11? I was so intrigued that I decided to try it. It has been LIFE CHANGING! Now, I only have to get up at 6:30 to be dressed and ready before I need to wake my children up, but still. I have noticed such a difference in myself and the way the morning runs when I'm not dragging around in pjs and sweats trying to get my kids together. I forget less, I am more patient and pleasant, AND somehow, we have more time for important things like family prayer and a little pre-school conversation! My house is clean and together earlier in the morning, I'm out and about running errands and getting things done sooner, it's just great! This is one thing I have started that adds vigor, meaning and joy to my life. Don't knock it until you've tried it!:)



What are your ideas?



P.S. Thanks for the ideas with the kids. And, Christa, we ARE the noisiest family in the ward.

Halloween