Birthdays ahead

I noticed the day after Christmas that the holiday was quickly discarded by some in the community. Little things like people taking down their lights (?) and the radio station that started playing non-stop Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving back to everyday programming. What happened to enjoying the Christmas holiday until New Years? We still turn the lights on and play the Christmas music, but we are looking ahead to birthdays in our house. Dave's birthday is the 29th. We plan on going out on a dinner/movie date with friends since it's been a long time.

Toby's big #5 birthday is the end of January. Since the baby is coming in between now and then I was trying to put together plans last night for his party. I asked Toby if he were going to have a party for his birthday who would he want to come? This is what followed:

Toby: Mmmmmmmmm. Breven and Jackson!
Mom: They won't be able to come, buddy. They live too far away.
T: Mmmmm- Gramma Grace........and Gramma Evie................Milo............... and Niah.
*pause*
T: Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Jetfire.
M: Oh yeah?
T: and Sam!
M: What about Ben and Brett?
T: Oh yeah, they should come too!
*pause* while playing the GameBoy
T: Oh, I know. Jessie and Logan too.
(Jessie leans over on the couch and says, thanks Toby)
T: Walks over to me at the chair and says, "Two more and that's it. President Hinckley and..................Breven and Jackson.
M: You said them already.
T: Okay, everybody else that I like. Like Baby Jesus and Heavenly Father..........................and Daddy.......................and you Mom.................and Great-Grandma.
*Toby goes back to the couch for a couple minutes then walks back over to me at the computer chair*
T: One more thing Mom. He leaned over and gave me a smooch on the cheek.


I think he is excited about the prospect of a big party for his birthday.

Merry Christmas! 2 days late.............

I haven't checked email or sat down at the computer for days. It's been nice. We worked our tails off last weekend attending Christmas concerts, church, finishing up food and gift shopping, cleaning the house for family to come over and hosting both families for Christmas. After all that I'm tired. Dave took the kids to Grandparents yesterday and I slept for almost 4 hours. It felt so good after staying up past 2 AM the two nights before.

Our Christmas recap:
Sunday
The kids did a live nativity at church and sang a couple songs for the congregation
I accompanied the choir for several songs and did okay playing the organ, which I was dreading
I sang O, Holy Night in Relief Society and bombed one part as I was distracted by a strong contraction
Came home and ate lunch and took a quick nap
Dinner at Gram's and then off to sing at the Stake Christmas Concert at church
Home to crash with Dave on the couch and wonder why I said yes to sing so much at 9 months pregnant- my tummy muscles are working overtime keeping this baby in and singing too.

Christmas Eve
Cleaned
Did 9 loads of laundry
Cleaned some more
Dave went out early to get 2 last minute gifts and toiletries
Baked rolls, sugar cookies and made garlic mashed potatoes for dinner
Dan, Lauren and Kristy arrived and helped set the table/play with our chillies
Waited for Mom and Dad and Tom and the turkey to arrive
Ate a wonderful meal with my side of the fam- we fit all 11 of us in our tiny apartment thanks to my cool new table from IKEA with both leaves installed
Exchanged gifts, ate dessert, decorated cookies for Santa and played with the chillies
Kids put out stockings, got jammied up and said goodnight to all
Family left and Dave and I stayed up until 2 AM wrapping presents and cleaning up

Christmas Day
Contrary to our hope of sleeping in a little, the chillies woke up early at 7 AM
We had put up a sheet in front of the living room so they couldn't go in until we were up
Got up to find all 3 chillies peeking through the sheet, "MOM, DAD! Santa filled our stockings!"-so cute
Daddy made everyone peppermint tea and we opened gifts together
Denise and Arnold came over to get Arnold's new guitar we were hiding for Denise. She put a guitar pick in a ring box as his Christmas present that said, "Will you serenade me?" then sent him to our house
Showered, dressed and made breakfast; french toast casserole (thanks Denise!), sausage, bacon, eggs, fruit
All the Bennett's came over for an impromptu gift exchange (and breakfast) at our house- it was so nice to not have to pack up kids and gifts this year. Everyone came to us.
Party adjourned to Denise and Arnold's apartment 3 doors down to play their new Wii
Chilled out as a family at home until dinner at Gram's house at 4 PM
Both sides of the family ate, exchanged gifts, played games and talked until 8ish

Dave and I both enjoyed our family Christmas. I know the kids have had a great week and LOVED having their Daddy home for 5 days straight. It still seemed like the holiday snuck up on me. I wanted to plan more service opportunities with the kids and I just didn't take the time. It's one thing I want to be better at next Christmas and through the year.

what's sleep anymore

You know that feeling when you wake up from a wonderful nights sleep? Your body feels relaxed and warm under the covers and your eyes gently roll open into consciousness. One big body stretch and a deep breath in and out later and your ready to conquer whatever comes your way. Yeah, I don't remember the last time I slept like that. Lately my routine is go to bed only to wake up less than two hours later with throbbing hips and sore ligaments, since this 9-month pregnant body can't sleep on its back. If the aching body parts don't get me up the incessant need to pee does- at least twice a night. I feel like a giant marshmallow with the amount of pillows it takes surrounding my body to get comfortable enough to sleep. Sadly, our big leather couch is more conducive to a good nights sleep right now so I end up out in the living room every night. Most nights I skip my bed entirely. Thankfully, hubby understands, but I mis him. I'm there now except with my feet resting on the couch while I sit in the chair nearby.

It wasn't my body that woke me up at 4:45 AM this morning. Something possessed Logan to wake up and demand that Toby give him his Batman blanket that was keeping him snuggly warm in dreamland. Logan sleeps under Toby on a trundle bed and he reached right up, screamed bloody murder about his blanket and commenced a tug-of-war with said blanket. Poor sleepy-eyed Toby didn't know what hit him. And now I can't get back to sleep no matter how warm and comfy the couch is tonight.

So, considering my alarm goes off in 24 minutes, I think I'll get up and hem those dress pants for Toby that never got done.

Sweet dreams to you. Somebody needs to be dreaming of sugar plums at this time of year..............