Our building only hosts two wards so we either have 9am church, which we love, or 1pm, which we a lot less than love. We were sick the first Sunday of the year, so last Sunday was our first one back on the 1pm schedule, and the morning was almost as long as church felt....And then this morning, it's like 10 and the house is clean and everyone is dressed and we're all basically looking at each other, like, what now? And Steven said I could do whatever I wanted....That NEVER happens. So my Sundays are now this. Turning Veggie Tales on for the kids and blogging. Not every Sunday, because, well, lets face it, one single week doesn't consist of blog worthy material, but today, we blog!
We tried to do at least some traditional Christmas type activities with the kids. Costco sold a pre-assembled gingerbread house this year so all you had to do was decorate it so we were all over that.
Caden went to the barber for his first real big boy hair cut. He literally would throw punches at me when I would try to cut his hair. so Steven would hold his arms down and I would buzz the whole thing really quick. But we got a coupon for a $5 cut and I thought, worth it! And the Naughty little man just grinned at this lady nearly the whole time. He was on his best behavior and now he has a little man hair cut, just like his daddy.
Speaking of naughty....whenever you can't find Caden, you know its nothing good...This time he was completely naked in his laundry basket....Why....
Grammy and Papa came to see us off before we left for Seattle to visit the Jarvis' for Christmas, and Caden, well, he's a lip kisser. and not just one kiss. Lots of lip kisses. Grammy was easy to persuade...
But Papa...
Not so much...
Got him in the end though. Once you make eye contact, he's got ya
We knew it was going to be long drive when I look back and this is Evelyn before we even get to the freeway...
We made it over without a puking episode. We got her Dramamine and it worked like a charm.
We even got a few naps on the way over
It was the longest driver over to Seattle that we had ever had at that point. We've been making that trip for the past 7 Christmases, and it took us 9 1/2 hrs to get there. But luckily, I had been doing some travel pinteresting before we left and was well prepared.
We had a really nice time in Seattle with David, Chelsey and Delaney. We got there after Delaney was sleeping and when she woke up in the morning she came right into me and Steven's room and when we got up to tell her she'd gotten the wrong room, she reached up for me to picker her up, so I did and held her for a minute then she reached over for Steven so he could do the same. So cute. We seriously hadn't seen her for a year and she's only two.. The kids had a great time with her
I made chili and beans and tortillas for everyone one night and all Chelsey had for a rolling pin was and empty margarita bottle. No big deal, we improvised.
We had a lot of fun with them just hanging out and playing games *cough(Magic)*. Chelsey and I even ventured to make a whole turkey dinner. I'd seen whole turkeys be cooked, but this was a first in the hands on process. It was fairly gross and violent. I did pair it with a nice white wine gravy that was, not gonna lie, awesome. We called it our winter solstice feast.
We got to hang out with the rest of the family and cousins and what not the day before we left. For the family activity, Mama and Papa J took us to see the Good Dinosaur in a theater with the big recliner chairs. It was a lot of fun and the kids had a blast.
Then tragedy struck on Christmas eve eve, aka snow, and all the passes closed the day we were going home (on Christmas eve). I wouldn't of minded staying Christmas except all the family was on the mountain and Kelsey wanted to go home. So we took that alternate route through Oregon...the alternate 10 1/2 hour route. The kids did super good though. We had to basically pry them off of each other once due to some seriously impressive across car fighting and promptly stopped at a play ground so they could get their energy out...all in all, not a bad 10 hrs comparatively speaking. That's comparing flying 3 hrs with two kids, barely 4 and 18months, by yourself, when the 18 month old weighs 30 pounds and has to be a lap child on a full flight and the crack in front of you keeps turning around saying, "Can you just stop kicking my seat!" and your like, "What do you want me to do, his feet almost touch the ground."...you know...hypothetically...I'll take the 10 hour car ride where only a few punches are thrown.
But we made it!! Just in time for our favorite Christmas Eve tradition, S'mores. Don't worry, the kids made sure we put out the fire for Santa.
SANTA CAME!!!!
Why I love Christmas on the mountain SO much!
Caden and Uncle Jason looking at Caden's new photo album
We found a plate Gma and Papa J had gotten Evelyn before Caden was born that had gotten lost in all of our moves. She was so happy it said her name.
Oh yeah...so there was a whole lot of snow and a whole notta power....for a week. We made due, like we did just a few weeks previous. Good ole' Grammy's getting quite skilled at wood fire cookin'.
And playing in the snow on Christmas
Eating in the dark
And Everyone looked so cute going out to play that week.
One of my better ideas...there was so much fresh snow I went and got snow cone paper and some flavored syrups and we had a snow cone party.
Jakey and Caden opted for an alternative snack...
And, yes, there is a reason they don't sell egg nog flavored snow cones...
Then we spent a day on the farm and we all got a turn getting pulled on sleds behind the buggy
Cooking Chili by lantern light. My dad did get the generator fired up to we could have water and flush the toilets, and of course watch tv. BUT if you flushed the toiled while the TV was on, it would shut everything off. The first time Evelyn had to go potty after the power was back, she asked if she could flush, and I said yes, and she said, well...should we turn some lights off first?
Santa brought the kids these really cool bath color fizzers and they're really pretty and fun....when used correctly...
When someone sets the whole jar open on the edge of the tub and doesn't tell you and then you turn around and knock the whole thing in the tub...not so pretty
Evelyn got a Belgium waffle maker so we've been having a lot of fancy waffles
And I did it again...I think 'I' in this situation can be used loosely. Those kids put anything and everything in their laundry baskets, and most the time, I sort through it, I find the odd item. other laundry days like this one, I find hangers, rocks, chapstick, toys, and the dreaded diaper. This particular day, I found all of the above. I hope you never have the pleasure of washing a diaper...
And disaster strikes again, as it does every year. this year at least, we held out until the end of December. I was the first in our house to have it...it being the most violent flu I have ever had. Promptly followed by Steven and lastly Caden. I will say this though, after the many, many...many times we've had sickness in our house, this time went the smoothest. I had back stock of all medicines, extra sheets, Costco packs of Lysol and paper towels (if your wondering, why paper towels, you've never been puked on properly) and extra laundry soap. All of which I have ran out of in the past. The first night Caden had it, from midnight to 7 the next morning I did 5 loads of laundry and can add, cleaned puke off of tractor loft bed, to my list of manys'.
To entertain Evelyn when Caden was sick, we took some selfies, which she loves.
On New Years day, we had to run some early, early morning errands for a few more sick staples and since it was a holiday, Evelyn wanted to dress up.
It was a super short sickness, I had it for just under 24hrs, Steven had it a little longer and Caden for a little over 2 days. But quick in comparison to past times
Caden, up and better, was playing 'Papa' one day in his neon yellow and construction vest.
And Evelyn scratching my head. Best. Daughter. Ever.
And this is why when I do laundry, I can't leave folded clothes alone for even a minute....
And! Our household was selected to participate in random surveys and they send me cold hard cash...well one dollar at a time but it's fun.
And since we didn't eat so well for a few days over the holidays, me and Steven decided to do a juice cleanse. it was just this juice that you have before breakfast and again at dinner for five days. Steven warned me it was fairly awful, so I had my camera ready for my first drink
And poor Caden fell down in the Target parking lot. He slipped in the ice, and didn't even catch himself with his hands when he fell so he hit hard, then slid under my cart. I'm sure it was a sight to see.
Then sickness strikes again as what I thought was a head cold. And when my nose is stuffy, I find that the breath right things that are supposed to help with snoring, do wonders for congestion
And worst decision ever, the kids pooled their piggy banks and we wen to Chuck E Cheese...on a Saturday afternoon... you know one token at that place is 33 cents. That's so stupid. The kids had $10 and it was spent within an hour and we were done. Hopefully never to return
But best decision ever....a two dozen cupcake pan. It bakes them more evenly then two pans and its like, 15 minutes and done with making cupcakes.
We were going to do a little photo shoot before church because the kids looked so cute, but me camera battery was dead so all I have a few from my phone. This little suit Caden has on, I bought a few months ago because it was so inexpensive, and literally the week before Christmas I had him try it on and it was way too long, then the week after New Year, oh it's nearly an inch above his ankles...
So...Then Evelyn gets sick, but a different sick. She has a fever that just won't break so we go in, and it's strep...and what I thought was a head cold for me...was strep. Poor little girl had to miss 3 days of school.
So Caden was a big helper while mommy and Evelyn were sick helping me pound chicken
It was going good too until her took his little hammer and started mangling the chicken
Can life get any better for this little boy...
I was heading out one morning to do a few errands and Caden comes up to me with this and said he made me out a list, we need milk. You have to look close, but he drew a gallon of milk
And then every few weeks I let the kids rent a redbox movie and they each get to make their own pizza and we have a pizza party down stairs and watch a show on the big TV. It's a big deal around here...
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