1.9.23 Christmas part 2

After a nice though rushed breakfast of hashbrowns, sausage, hot chocolate, and stuffed french toast we adjourned to our front room for a quick lesson about the nativity story then the present unwrapping finally began around noon. The kids were in such a rush I honestly didn't see what most of them received. At this point its just let them go and get out of the way. Andrea loved her first doll. 

John's very unique and well thought out gift to his dad a stress ball and empty box to put stuff in so it won't get lost. 

Lia also got a doll and a coat. 

Mark got one of these from the farm show last year. He wore it to football practice and gained the nickname Big Iron. The shirts are about worn out. I contacted the company about buying more they responded they would happily send me more as it was advertising for them. Mark was surprised and is now ready for another round of football. 

We got some lego's. That's part of our Christmas tradition is spending the afternoon putting together our new kits. 

Reed assembling his remote controlled car. 

Merle with his new drill and safety glasses thanks to Afton. 

John in his new pajamas.

More legos

a tractor set MArk assembled. 

Working on sweet potatoes for Christmas dinner. This year we had the dinner I grew up with. It was always a highlight to eat dinner as a family at my grandparents on Christmas Eve. My grandma didn't love to cook but once a year she put a lot of work into making a special feast. Turkey, rolls, mashed potatoes, white gravy, sweet potatoes and pie were the menu. This year with just our family attending Grandma Saunders we had the same. 

Dishes are a constant task here. Thankfully the kids occasionally take a turn. 

We got to visit with our missionaries. 

See Andrea being tossed in the background. A tired homesick Anna, and a Harold continually rolling along with the passing of time. 

The girls show off their new pajamas. 

Lots of families posed family pictures in pajamas. I didn't post ours but the kids were excited as well. 

People choke and comment on our family size but their minds never comprehend the friendship, companionship, and goodness that can be achieved and experienced with a big group of energetic kids. 

My brother had handed Merle a new tractor as he walked out his door on Christmas Eve Merle was so thrilled to have a tractor for each hand. 

The older kids played some games with a recovering Uncle Bryce and Uncle Matt. 

The younger kids enjoyed playing with cousins. 

 Christmas was quiet and slower this year. We completed the traditions we love, we were necessarily slower with sickness and other responsibilities. We are always thankful for the gift of family and time to love others. We are blessed with so much more than what can be bought in stores. Life is good and we are thankful for a nice Christmas and another set of memories. 

1.9.22 Christmas Eve

My mom was the ultimate winner of the dice game. My brothers seemed to enjoy watching her roll dice and win the money pot as much as anything I've seen in a while. It was good and she deserved it. I did not play but appreciated the easiness of the game versus trying to find 5-9 white elephant gifts. And I was very thankful to not open a box with mice this year. 

The adults playing their game. 

The kids played a Christmas bingo my dad was the caller. There were plenty of fun treats. 

Santa made an appearance. We don't push the Santa story here so Bruce is an adamant non-believer but he seemed to enjoy talking with this man none the less. 

Kids cereal exchange is always fun. We don't do much with sugar cereals so the kids really enjoy having these during the Christmas break. 

They then got to watch a movie in the playroom. It's pretty easy and relaxing. 

Greg got to visit while we cleaned up. Then we loaded the pickups and car in the ice storm and slowly headed to my parents to unload. We carefully drove home to put out stockings and rest for the next day. 

Kids were up the stairs all night long. I heard many of them. The next morning we didn't eat but got ready for church and headed out early as the roads were icy and we were sharing the chapel with the other larger ward. We were there about 30 minutes early. I was dreading this but really enjoyed the beautiful musical duet performed by skilled musicians. Greg visited around the room and we had almost "our" seats in the chapel. We yielded our traditional spot to an older man whom we give respect to. 

 It's not about boxes and bows but about the love that we share and the blessings that are ours in abundance. We had traditional Christmas when we got home. 

1.8.22 December

With the quilting projects looming Livy got to be my helper ironing material. She discovered she enjoyed the task. There are so many skills that dominated women's days that are now lost arts and novel experiences. She ironed yard after yard getting things ready for success. Bruce is at the age where he loves to be a clown. 

We caroled several evenings. It was much easier to do with Aliza home. We braved a few nights without her but our singing was definitely not in sync or strong and confident. A new coat for Alia helped as well. The weather got colder as the month went on. 

Bruce is a lean young man. After some consulting with my sister we decided milk shakes were the easiest for some extra calories. Thus when the kids were at school the younger three enjoyed a calorie dense milkshake. They are all willing eaters to this breakfast. 

Livy had some intense tooth pain for a few nights and we found she had a rotten tooth. Therefore she had her first root canal. Thankfully antibiotics helped the pain subside and even better the procedure was totally manageable for Livy who is notoriously wiggly in the dentist chair. Unfortunately, she's not even 11 yet. 

Andrea loves with the older brothers come home. She leans for them and wants to play and interact with them. Babies are great lovers of older siblings. 

Bruce and I have been pretty consistent with school this year. We had a goal that Bruce could read by Christmas. While he is not choosing to read, or very literate he does know his letters and if pushed can read words. So we are celebrating that. He is also very good with math. 

The kids were impressed with the quilting stands. They were playing that they were calves getting drinks from buckets. Oh the entertainment imagined with siblings. 

The kids had their annual Christmas presentation at school. It's vastly different from years past. The one element of being in school for many years is the changes in education experience. 

A favorite part of December is visiting our friends. This is our 4-h leader showing the kids her pig stud semen catalog. They were impressed. She then showed us her AI tools and live semen. I've never seen the supplies but it was fascinating. Sometimes they have baby piglets or goats warming in their kitchen during this month. We were slightly disappointed to find no animals in the house. 

Merle loving Andrea. 

The boars she used this year. 

Another neighbor has this elaborate village in his basement. We love watching the train go around and around. It's fun to discover the different scenes that are on display. This is a full 4 tables worth of decorations. 

For some reason Christmas needs to be a cleaning month too. 

One night it snowed and every stop he worked to make a snow angel. 

Deep in quilting process, Millie was making some cards and Livy was probably already getting hers together. She might have been cooking as well. 

 There's always lots of hands and activities going on here. December pushed my mental abilities but like I mentioned before it was fabulous to have Aliza back helping. I'm thankful for each of these kiddos and their growth. We are blessed. 

1.3.23 Aliza

Each kid is unique and its a challenge to keep up with who likes what and doesn't like that. This one is on the top of the stack in  so many ways. I tell her when she is scheduled to come home it's like the cavalry is coming. She is my friend and confidant she gets life, my days when she is away start with news articles she is reading. Sometimes she calls breathless from fascinating ideas she's studying or a concert that touched her artistic heart. 

While she was home we didn't do anything grandiose. We were mostly isolated because of sickness and the time of year which requires constant computer thinking. She shared her time and talents serving her family each day. Between her and Addie they picked up Christmas and made it happen. She loved Andrea, she tied quilts, she listened and she was just an anchoring force here. As I have become a cry baby these last few months, I of course cry as I write this knowing each moment she is another mile away back to her necessary growing up at college. 

She indulged the kids in rubbing their feet with lotion. While we did scriptures. 

She spent hours advising and listening as speeches were written and edited. 

She tied and bound three unique quilts for her siblings who really needed new bedding but I never have enough hands or time to get to. Purple is Addie. Brown and yellow deer in utter irony for Reed. The deer eat his hard work and lay waste to his favorite melons and squash. 

She spent endless hours holding and loving Andrea. This is the saddest part. I cannot hold my kids like I want while doing computer stuff. I didn't worry at all knowing the very capable Aliza was here. So today we are back on our own. Still sick still demanding. 

She is patient and gets jobs done. 

This morning after another night of interrupted sleep I heard crashing and banging downstairs. When I looked out the window there was someone with bags loading a car. I wondered if we were in fact getting robbed. Greg looked as he stumbled out of our room and declared it was just Aliza loading the van to leave. She had stated she wanted to be on the road at 8 am. So at precisely 7:55 am she departed. I found her notebook to do list and she reluctantly returned for it. No fan fare no emotion, just crisp efficiency that is her trademark.

I learned this break she enjoys needle hand work. I learned she loves old Disney- North Avenue Irregulars may just be the best Disney ever made. Blackbeard's Ghost, and Bells on their Toes are close runners up. I learned she is very service minded and protective of home. 

And as each kid grows up and moves on I learned how imperative it is that I learn to count on and know the younger set so they too can grow into helpful talented young people. It is so great to watch them become especially sweet as we also traverse the hard and the trials that are particular to each kiddo. We are blessed and Life is still good even if it is harder now.