The Holidays 2010

The past month has been a whirlwind! We managed to pull ourselves together for a trip to Utah to see family for Christmas. That means early prep and wrapping for our Santa visit at home. He comes the Saturday before Christmas, because he knows we usually go to Utah and it is too hard to haul our entire family's worth of presents back. We got all of the Christmas parties and school programs in, and off we went! I flew with wild Walker, and Del did it again! He drove with the three older kids all by himself. I have to admit that my nerves would not make it. He is amazing! And the kids just love it because they know they get to spend a night swimming at a "fancy hotel, eating fancy pizza with dad." to quote Wally. He even made it with a bump in the plans when Wally suddenly had an attack of horrible pain in his stomach, and they had to pull off in a small town in Iowa to see a doctor. Wally ended up being fine, but I am sure it wiped a lot of the energy out of Del.  And the next day he had a devastated Will on his hands when it was realized he left his blanket behind at the hotel. Del stopped back on the way home and rescued Blankie. They are all some good road trippers!

I only had to hold it together for a little over four hours on the plane while Walker tried incessantly to touch the kind man lucky enough to be seated next to us. It was a huge relief to score a first class seat on the way there. We were in coach on the way home, but I can't complain because Walker slept practically the entire time! What a champ!
We were only in Utah for what seemed to us the blink of an eye! It was actually a week, but that flies by when you are hitting all the family get togethers, seeing some friends, having dinner with work people, going to both the BYU and Jazz basketball games, attending a temple sealing , getting kids to cousin sleep overs,  lunches with sisters, having meetings with financial planner guys, lots of basketball playing for Del, and just running around! But we like it like that! I do however feel like I may have left my brain there, because my head still does not feel like it is on straight.

Georgia at her school Christmas program. This girl HATES to have all eyes on her. She was so nervous while all the parents were arriving, she sat and ripped her shoe apart with anxiety while everyone filed in.

I almost forgot to write down her Christmas wish. All the kids took a turn hugging a plush star toy and saying what they wished for this Christmas. As the star made it's way around the circle, all the little girls would say a doll, or a jewelry box, or something else girly, the boys would say an action figure or something along those lines. When the star got to Georgia, she said without hesitation,
"A monster truck!"
It got quit a laugh and the man behind me said, "A little tom-boy. She must have brothers."
Bingo, Mister!

I was pathetic when it came to taking pictures Christmas morning this year. This is all I got.

Wally and Chomper the dinosaur. Very exciting. However, Santa forgot to tell me and Del that Chomper makes all kinds of rude bodily function noises.

We went to the Planetarium at Gateway with my two of my sisters, Emily and Lauren and their kids.

The kids walking on the moon.

The BYU basketball game with Del's family. It was a lot of fun! we hung out in the nose bleeds with the cousins.

My best friend Christy had a baby! Sweet little baby Ivy. Too bad I met her at Arctic Circle. With them living in Colorado, and us in Illinois, sometimes you just have to be happy to see someone, even at a fast food place.

We were invited to attend a temple sealing in the Oquirrh Mountain temple. Beautiful! And so many more things that words don't do justice to. In our faith we believe that to be married in this life, and after death in the next, we must follow certain guidelines to be worthy to enter a temple and be married there by the proper authority. It is always a privilege to witness one of these ceremonies.

Del's Mom and Dad.

Whew! I finally got it all up! We headed back to Chicago on the same day a huge four day long snow storm hit the Salt Lake Valley. Del woke up and left very early, and was lucky to make it through Parley's Canyon before it closed. He was able to get ahead of the storm! Yay! We had a nice little break from the everyday, and a Merry Christmas with family!

Family Pictures 2010

I have sent out the Christmas cards, rearranged everything we will miss while we are out of town, today is cleaning and laundry to have the house ready to go, taken care of teacher, and church people presents, and just about finished all of the shopping for family gifts. Except for one person. A teenage boy. It is killing me! What on Earth could he possibly want? I am thinking a gift card. Any ideas for me? I guess I better figure out the teenage boy thing because in no time I am going to be in the middle of having three of them!

Time flies, and I will forget how little they were this year, and I know I will be amazed at how fast things change. I am glad we were able to have some pictures taken this year to document just what everyone looked like in 2010. I posted some of them earlier, but wanted to get more up. Went down to Lincoln Park in Chicago and had them taken. Sorry for the overwhelming amount of photos. I am finally having all of this made into a hard cover book, and I want them included.

Oh! And I still have quit the stack of our Christmas cards left! So that means I have not sent them to someone I intended to. I had a lovely detailed list made up of all of those I was sending them out to, and I left it within the reaches of my children. You can guess that did not last long.  If you didn't receive one, please let me know, I would love to send one!

 

 

Smarty Pants

We have two boys at our house who look like they are headed to the Ivy League.
Wally and Walker got glasses this week! Yes, my one year old is in glasses.  They both look so smart in them. Especially Wally.

It sounds crazy, and trust me that is what I said to the doctor. But both boys have issues with depth perception, and just plain old incorrect input coming from their eyes. We are hoping this helps both of them with their head tilting tendencies. Talking to the eye doctor was fascinating! I never realized how some children see, and how that can change your entire way of moving your body when you don't see correctly. I felt like I had been in another world after I left her office. A world that literally sees things differently than I do!
Walker's glasses have  plastic frames so that they can't be broken as easily. They do look a bit swim goggle-ish. I really have been amazed at how well he keeps them on so far.  How well it continues to go remains to be seen.
He is even walking around much more now! He took his first tentative little steps about three weeks ago, then this past weekend little Jack Tyson came for a visit. Watching him zip around inspired Walker to get more serious about walking on Sunday. After we put the glasses on, we couldn't stop him from trying if we wanted to! It is SO sweet to watch our baby toddle uncertainly around the house!
Wally told me that he was embarrassed and he was going to hide the glasses at school. Oh no! I wrote a quick note to the teacher to give her a heads up! So it has taken a bit of convincing that he looks good in them.
He was watching "Alvin and the Chipmunks" and he said,
"Mom, Simon is the smart one."
I told him, "Yeah, and he wears glasses."

Wally could not even think of anything to come back with.
We are just checking things off our list to try to find what best helps these little guys. We have now got glasses covered. And it is just a bonus that Wally looks like a little deep thinking scholar.

Santa Claus

We have had a couple of encounters with Old St. Nick this year.

The Polar Express.
Will's cute teacher put together a ride on the Polar Express for his Kindergarten class. I got to go along as a parent chaperone. We all wore our jammies, and rode the train, then went into the station for hot chocolate cookies, and a visit from Santa! It was fun to spend some time with my Will.


Here it comes!!

Me and my five year old guy.

It must be the year 2010. I didn't think this would be the entertainment of a group of five year old boys quit so soon. I think they are more technologically savvy than I am.  They were looking at pictures of one little guys pets.

The therapy Christmas party.
Wally and Walker go to therapy at a local rehab center every week. We have gotten to know them pretty well after ten months. So were were excited to go to the family Christmas party they put on.
The kids did crafts.

Walker played on the raised mats. No fun for me. He is a dare devil and wants to hang over the edge.

And then Santa came! And gave all the kids a very nice Christmas gift. Some were fans. Other were not. Let's see if you can spot those in the "not" category.

There is one.

And here is the other. Georgia would not get with in more than three feet of poor Santa. Her face says it all. We had fun though, and we are so grateful to those who help children with all kids of physical, and mental disabilities, of every level of severity! We have much to be grateful for, and the party was a good motivation, and inspiration to do, and give more.

A Patient's Choice Christmas Party

This weekend was the Chicago area Patient's Choice Christmas dinner. I am sorry to all of those employees who live in other states! The logistics are not in our favor for having a company wide party.
I was able to meet a couple of people that I have heard about, but never been introduced to, meet many spouses of those I do know, and to eat some nut free, and yummy Chinese food. It is also good to see Del with the people he works with, and hear them express their appreciation for what a great man he is to work for.  They did all the work to put this together. All we had to do was show up! Late! How embarrassing! Traffic!
We may not have been able to have all of the employees in a central location this year, but we sure do feel appreciation for everyone who works so hard, takes stress off of Del, and for the very nice gift of great seats at an upcoming Jazz vs. Bulls game here in Chicago! Merry Christmas!

Gymnastic Fantastic

 The kids have been in gymnastics for the past few weeks. They could not love it more. And Coach Kyle is exactly what Wally needs. They all get lots of direction, help with discipline (stretching,) and self confidence. Apart from the crazy that comes with supervising the children that are not in class while we wait for those who are, it has been a good experience. It is also pretty cute to watch all of these little kids using terms like "P-Bars," and "Pike."

Georgie waiting for class to start.

Georgia likes to say "I can't." She learned it from Wally. That does not fly with Coach Kyle. You TRY.

The boys.

We Gave Thanks

My Mom and Dad were able to come to town for a visit this Thanksgiving. It was so nice to have them around for a few days. We trekked them all over tarnation in the car, and more than likely, sent them home exhausted, and grateful they live in a valley, were everything cannot help but be contained within a reasonable distance. Thanks for letting us wear you out Mom and Dad! We love you!
We had some great friends and my parents for Thanksgiving dinner this year.  We were full of Turkey, and good company! Just how our house likes it. Cram 'em in, and fill 'em up!
I got one shot of the bird on the table, but got busy, and started eating, and didn't get one with all of the fixin's. But we had them, and them some!

What a good day.

I also had one of those "over the hill" birthdays the day before Thanksgiving. As I have reflected on my life so far, I have decided that I have been given some priceless experiences. Lots of happiness, had lots of kids, collected lots of amazing friends, and even acquaintances, spent ten years of it married to a man I can't imagine loving more, felt just enough sadness mixed in there to make all the joy stand out... and I would not change any of it.

I only hope that I can learn from it all and become "seasoned" and try with all my might to be somewhat wise as I move forward.  I have to say, I like it on this side of the "hill."

For the kiddos. Our decorative Tom the Turkey sat with the kids. We had a beading project for them that was a hit, and I am still finding beads in places you can't imagine. Oh, and the Midwest priority of a dining room has officially rubbed off on me. In my next house, that will be on the list!

Happy Birthday Walker

Today is Walker's first birthday! It has definitely been the fastest year of our lives! It seems he just arrived, and yet it feels like he has always been a part of our family. Walker is very attentive, and very sweet. From the moment he was born, he has paid attention to everything surrounding him, and has never been a great nap boy, because he might miss the action! Walker loves to play with the kids, wants real food, nothing to do with baby food. He loves to climb the stairs and is not afraid to give you a jabber filled lecture if he does not like what you are up to. I love this little boy so much! He is our much loved little brother!