P.S.

We followed through with our other gingerbread house tradition this afternoon.  You know, the one where we smash them to smithereens.  Sam was a little worried at first--"Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh!"  And then he really got into tossing pieces of gingerbread down the hill.  No pictures though, what a bummer!  That's okay, it was all fun and games until the biggest slugger (Caleb) accidentally whacked the loudest screamer (Sariah).  Good times, good times.

Gingerbread Houses

It was a lot of work, but we did it.  We sacrificed and ate as we decorated.  Man, that was rough.

 Mm-mmmmm.  Spaghetti, meatballs, red hots & miscellaneous gingerbread house candy.  Admit it, you are completely jealous.

 Sam's house.  {Insert eyeroll here.}  Daddy helped.

 Rex's 70s look.

 Can you see any of Sariah's patterns?  They were extremely important.

 Rex thought his door was most creative.

 Do you see Sam's smiley face?

 I am really proud of Caleb's icicles since I did them.  They DO look nice, don't they?

Lizzi went with the lived-on look.

 This is clearly the product of an artist.  Long after the rest of us were already picking pieces off of our houses, Hannah was still perfecting hers.

 Caleb's house again.  It was pretty well done.  I really liked the roof.

Mom and Sariah got carried away with the colored decorating frosting.  Our blue window sagged, and our gingerbread man has a bleeding heart.

We had so much fun.  Glad that we work to make this a yearly tradition.

Chorus Program

Lizzi gets to be part of an amazing award-winning chorus program here, and their Christmas program was at a spectacular local church.  We really enjoyed the program, especially the song, "The Twelve Days after Christmas," which included lines like, "The first day after Christmas, my true love and I had a fight.  The second day after Christmas, I pulled on the old rubber gloves and very gently wrung the necks of both the turtle doves." And of course, Lizzi's personal favorite, "The third day after Christmas, my mother caught the croup.  I had to use the three French hens to make some chicken soup."  And mom likes, "The fourth day after Christmas, the four calling birds were a big mistake for their language was obscene."  Now that's entertainment.  And totally in keeping with Lizzi's personality.  Just sayin'.

 Not that you can see this, but that's Lizzi on the very back row with her head turned, paying lots of attention.

Pre-K Program

 Sariah's pre-K teachers this year are outstanding (especially when you consider that after this program was over I left Sariah kicking and screaming bloody murder on the playground because she didn't want me to leave).  They put together a beautiful program that these cute 4-year-olds sang all the words to enthusiastically.  It was really a spirit-lifter for the season.

Season's Treats

That's our large cutting board.  Those are no ordinary peanut butter cups.  We should have put some regular sized ones next to them for perspective.  We divided these up into 8 pieces and we each got more than enough.

Ward Christmas Party

Our ward Christmas party was breakfast-for-dinner with cinnamon rolls for dessert (I won the contest!--but it was hardly fair, since all 4 submissions were unique variations on cinnamon rolls). The kids could wear the pajamas--only Sam "opted" for this. Food, fun & friends--a perfect evening.

Can you find all three of the little Tracy and Bobs?

Lizzi and her friends from chorus at school sang the wrong words.  Hannah avoided the camera (typical).

Sam didn't care much for Santa.

What a bunch of goof offs!

Weighing In on Weighing In

I recommitted myself to Weight Watchers this week.  I'd been getting lazy, not tracking, and here recently, not really caring either.  That's bad.  It means that I have stayed within 2 pounds of my 10% goal for weeks ... ok, 2 months actually.  That's so ridiculous.

So.  I'm back on the bandwagon.  I have faithfully tracked my food and activity EVERY. DAY. this week.  AND I've been to the gym to work out, in addition to walking the dogs.

We got a Y membership, and we are loving it.  This Y is so nice!  They have an awesome training program for new members, and they are much more family oriented than our old Y was.  That means the older kids can use the exercise machines, or they can come to classes with me, or they can go to their very own classes.  It's wonderful, and I'm totally psyched to get back in shape again.

On Loving Hannah

My first baby celebrated her 14th birthday this summer.  That is wicked crazy.  I remember being 14.  I remember that I thought my parents were dumb as rocks (they weren't).  I remember that I thought I was old enough to take on the world and be on my own (I could have, but I'd've made a lot of ouchie mistakes in the process).

Fortunately, Hannah seems a little more mature than I was.  She has an amazingly strong and pure spirit.  She works at being honest and good and true...Christlike.  Yeah, she's got things to work on and a stubborn streak about 50 miles wide (nooooooooooooo idea where she got that from).  But she's so good.

Hannah can excel at just about anything she puts her hand to ... piano, cello, school work, church work, puzzles, art, peacemaking in the family.  Children can feel her love and respect.  Mom and Dad have to work to make sure we don't take advantage of Hannah's awesomeness.

I remember when Hannah was born and we found out she was a girl, and I said I would ship her off to boarding school at 13 if she was anything like me ... but the wonderful thing is: she's not like me.  She's better and unique and amazing, and I wouldn't trade her for anything.

On Loving Sariah

This is Sariah's birthday in May.  She was so excited to get a Pillow Pet from Grammy and Papa.  She'd been waiting for the unicorn pillow pet.  The ladybug was not cutting it.  See that smile on her face?  Sariah is the BESTEST smiler.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, life for this little girl is a musical.  One with really high highs and really low lows -- fortunately the lows are brief.  Dramatic, but brief.  Usually.  Sariah is always singing to herself, to her dolls, to her toys, to her food, to the dogs, in the car, in the bathroom, in the great outdoors.  I foresee drama, music, and cheerleading in the future (seriously, she told me about the cheerleading this week).

Some of the most ... high maintenance ... things about Sariah are also her most endearing qualities.  She wants to sleep with Mommy, be with Mommy, do everything with Mommy.  Sleepless nights?  Not so much.  But she holds my heart in her hands when she grasps my hand when we're walking, kisses me just because, and tells me she loves me mostest.  She talks.  A.  Lot.  But she's so cute when she talks, and she says the most incredible things (you can take that incredible however you want).  She hates sleeping with a passion, but she looks like an angel when she finally gets there.  The getting there can be pretty entertaining, too, since she sings and dances to keep herself awake.  (I said it was entertaining, not something to be entertained ... though I suppose that happens.)

She loves swimming, candy, her sisters' toys, keeping Sam in line, having stories read to her, nail polish, watching movies, horses, princesses, wearing boots, dresses, and nightgowns, and telling the boys exactly what to do and how to do it.

Sariah is amazing, and her world, as it grows, will know it when she arrives.

Flooding

Yes, I'm going to flood you with posts because I got a little behind, and since the last two things I am thankful for are so important to me, I figure better late than never.  K.  So I'm lame.  Whatever.