New House Rules, First Time Sledding, and a Christmas Concert

For family home evening we made a list of house rules. The kids did a terrific job coming up with all sorts of things: don't put your hand in the toilet, no eating ornaments, no pushing, if you have a hole in your pants you can get new pants, say the prayer if your mommy or daddy asks you. They all were categorized into one of these categories: order, peace, respect, asking, obedient, kindness, service (kindness and service weren't originally part of it, but the kids wanted to add them). We also introduced the gunny bag who eats toys. Lily went to work drawing a face on a garbage bag and as we brought up the different rules or, "is that following the rule of respect in our house?" the kids seemed to respond very well to it. And if there were any toys left out they were so excited to get the gunny bag and would clean up fast. Jeff told of how he hated the gunny bag and whenever he came out he raced to pick his things up.

I had such a great start to my week Monday with mind, body, soul time with each child, exercising, eating healthy, reading scriptures that I thought I could not go down. We went to Costco to get flowers and the kids had fun looking at the toys and just walking around. We met another LDS family and talked with them for awhile. The woman I spoke to had just finished law school at BYU, has two young kids and is pregnant with her third. There's always someone who has done something harder so  it's a good reminder to not complain and just keep trekking.

This was our first week of getting lots of snow. Jeff had come home Monday night to attend a band concert for the Ford girls (whom he home teaches) with Lily. She was so excited to go to and we got flowers for her to give the two sisters. A couple other girls came from church as well which I thought was so nice of them to be supportive. Monday night it snowed a lot and Tuesday morning I couldn't believe how much we had! I didn't realize until I went out to shovel and it was the most I remember shoveling ever. I was supposed to drop off pies for a zone conference, but luckily Gena Rieger came to my house to get them. She thought I probably would have gotten stuck without four wheel drive (I have no idea how all those missionaries got there safely!). Jeff traded me shovels and he went to work for a long time. Lily and Ryan helped and ran around and had a great time. Max doesn't love the snow so much or being cold so I came in with him after a bit. Jeff then went to work and after naps I took the kids sledding, their first time! It was cold, but they LOVED it. They went up and down that hill so many times and couldn't get enough. Max went down with me and did okay so I said he could go down with Lily. They did fine until the very end Max face planted. He was so sad and cold and while I was helping me get dry and gloves back on Ryan ran into him coming down the hill and knocked him over. Needless to say we didn't last a whole lot longer after that. I was having a pretty good day, but after leaving sledding and getting a lot of resistance, I kind of lost it. I was angry and frustrated with being a mom and having to meet everyone's needs. I was tired and overwhelmed and wanted Jeff home. Lily called Jeff to tell him I was angry and after talking with me Jeff called my mom. I gave myself a little timeout, said a prayer and later that night read a conference talk by Elder Holland about not giving up and how better things lie ahead. I talked with my mom who was supportive and offered to come visit or have me or the kids and me visit, so I will consider that. It's nice to know I am loved and no matter how hopeless I feel, Jeff does not give up on me. I feel like my breaking points are closer and more at the surface. I think I need to be better about going to sleep early and just being positive in general and not so quick to react. Jeff reminds me often the thing to focus on is to keep trying and keep going when I mess up. I tend to dwell on the mistakes and want to feel like a failure, but that is helpful for no one and the spirit leaves a person with an attitude like that.

The next day the kids wanted to go sledding again, but Wednesday was much warmer than Tuesday. Max didn't really want to sled (when we went down the hill we hit some powder at the end and it got up in his face), but he walked up and down that hill a lot. He got a bit more brave and walked in the deep snow until he started getting stuck or falling with every step. Still it was a more pleasant trip. Lily and Ryan have named their sleds "Luke" and "Leia" and often refer to the sleds as speeder bikes. They hold on to each other's ropes and go down the hill together, forward or backwards. They pull their sleds up and do it again. They never seem to tire and when we finally had to leave Ryan cried and said he wanted to stay there forever. They tried to go on a little jump and whenever Lily would miss she'd say, "come on Leia!"

Lily drew nativity pictures for her teachers at school and she and Ryan were both so excited to give them some goody bags. After school we went to Costco to buy Lily some flowers for after her Christmas concert. She really wanted some I think because she and Jeff gave flowers after the band concert. The concert was supposed to be Tuesday, but because of the snow day it was postponed. Lily prayed it would be at night (there was a possibility it would be during the day) so that Jeff could come too. Her prayers were answered and we were able to go as a family which was so fun. They both did such a great job and were darling to watch. Jeff's family and my parents watched a live-stream too. Ryan sometimes looked at the screen behind him, but when he looked at the audience he was all smiles and singing loud. He wasn't too interested in doing the hand actions, but he definitely did a great job participating and he kept waving to Jeff in front (since he went close to take pictures). Lily did a wonderful job too and at the beginning there was a little nativity and she was telling the boy in front of her to turn around. She's always trying to keep people in line. They sang "Little Drummer Boy" and got to use glow sticks for drum sticks. Lily and Ryan thought that was so cool and they called their glow sticks light sabers on the way home (they were blue and green, which the kids were happy about since that meant they were "light side" light sabers). I felt so much love watching these sweet kiddos up there and knowing they were mine and that we are so blessed to have our little family.

Lily and Ryan with their good friends Reed and Olivia. 

Thursday we went sledding again! The kids can't get enough, though this time Max wanted none of it. It was a little windy so a tad biting, and he pretty much cried the whole time. We took Taryn and Blake and Tara came too. They had an entourage of sleds as they all held on to each others ropes. After we went for donuts and hot chocolate and Taryn and Blake came over. After naps we went to Megan Rieger's swim meet and the kids did a great job! Max was mostly content staying on my lap holding a ball in each hand and Lily and Ryan watched and walked up and down the steps. They cheered for Megan and for the divers. You have to be very quiet for the divers, but when it was time to cheer Ryan was the loudest one. He looked really proud of each diver. We were there an hour and a half then the Riegers offered to take us and the Julie and Scott Nackos to dinner. I wasn't going to go, and thought I had made a bad choice when Max screamed the whole time there, but once at dinner the kids were so good. Max ate his rice with his fork and got it mostly in his mouth. I was very impressed! It was nice talking and getting a good meal, we felt very blessed and everyone was impressed with the kids and how they behaved and how fun they were. Ryan did Yoda for Scott and Julie and they just loved it.

Friday morning Lily packed her suitcase, I packed Max and we were off to Mama Baer's. I dropped all three off and then I did initiatories at the temple. It's always so inspiring to hear of the promised blessings and to feel the spirit of the temple. I also loved being able to listen to inspiring podcasts about mothering or parenting and feel a renewed desire and effort to be the best person and mom I can be. I need these pick me ups more often than I realize because it's easy to be down on yourself for not being perfect. So I was really grateful for that time.  I ran some Christmas errands after then headed home to clean the house and read. It was so relaxing to have some time to myself. Jeff came home with Ryan and then we got ready to go to a movie. Jeff has been excited all week to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens. We had our first date night in a long time and it was fun going out. We enjoyed the movie in 3D and were surprised the theater wasn't more crowded, but I think we must have been at a forgotten theater because I heard others were crazy.

Saturday we woke up early to clean the church. Ryan was thrilled to spray whatever he could and use the little push vacuum, he loves helping. And before lunch Jeff took Ryan sledding on a big hill which Ryan loved. He crashed a few times but didn't even mind. I took Ryan to Mahayla's birthday party (from preschool) and the card he wrote her was so cute: "I love you Mahayla. I love you because you are my friend. I love you because I play with you."

Ryan loves squirt bottles. 

Waiting to pin the tail on the donkey.

Ryan loved the karaoke machine, it was hard to pull him away.

After the party Ryan and I went shopping and then met Jeff for dinner at Cracker Barrel. He had been working for hours on his school assignment and needed a break. Ryan thought that was so great to be able to go out to eat and he loved looking at the gift store (don't we all). It was a fun day and I think Ryan was happy to have alone time with us, though he said he did miss Lily and Max and was excited to see them again. I'm so glad they all have each other because it does add so much life and love to our home to have these three little ones around.

I woke up Sunday a little sick, but went to church to practice choir. I was fine during the practice, but when we sang I couldn't utter a word. I had a coughing attack and was trying so hard to not cough I was shaking. I suffered through one song and then went out so I could cough in peace. I ended up going home because it wouldn't stop and then I started to feel sick in general. We had a nice Sunday home and Sandy and Ron were so nice to let the kids stay there one more night. I knew I couldn't make the drive to pick them up by myself so we were going to meet up, but then they just offered to keep them. Michael, Diana, and Lisa all got to spend some more time today and Jeff took Ryan with him in the morning. Poor Max is sick and just goes from person to person being held. Jeff felt so sad having to leave him because when he said he needed to go to work, Max looked like he was going to burst into tears. As much fun as it is to have him cuddle on you, it still is hard to see him not his happy, active self.

Elizabeth Cormack from church gave all three kids church boxes with matching bags inside. She and Kenna filled them with snacks, coloring papers, Star Wars magnets, Memory, Don't Eat Pete, notebooks, church books that she put together, and stickers. It was amazing and the kids love it! I just can't believe how kind she is to us and how she really looks out for our little family. I feel very blessed.