The recent haps

We've been in Florida for the last two weeks. Braden went to build Reese new kitchen cabinets. True to tradition, we contracted a lively stomach virus while there, and some of us were violently ill (me of course). Lila got a dog bite which left three deep holes in her pudgy paw, and another nasty cold. Anabelle romped with cousins, uncles, and Grandma around the clock, Braden worked around the clock, and I got to snuggle and smell the new wee twinners, which made me happy. We just got back yesterday so I'm trying to get things in order around the house, and we are feverishly trying to get everything together that Braden needs for OTS. Somehow that list grows daily and it seems like we won't be done getting him ready until he gets there.

Our last bit of time together didn't turn out as we had hoped. We didn't have the chance to spend any fun play time together. But I helped Braden as he built and installed cabinets and it was good to work together and share a two-day glue high. New element to our relationship.

I'm sitting here listening to Braden tuck the girls in for what will likely be the last time for a long time. I must admit, it's yanking at mt heart a bit. As our final few days together are closing in, I can't help but feel a little anxiety, a little dread, a little sadness, and a little excitement (for him).

This blog will probably become unreadable and absurd to everyone but Braden. He asked me to update it often so he doesn't miss the next few months of the girly happenings. So basically the conversation that most parents have at dinner or after work about the day and the goings on of the kidlets will now happen here each day. Be warned of the boringness that is to come.

Here's to 2 more days hanging out with my Beldy.

And here are a few pics from Florida...





The rat pack who would sit at the piano and bellow out songs that they made up as they went. Wish I had a video of this one

See what her little beaver teeth can do if you give her a pile of wood? If anyone ever asks her if she ate wood chips as a kid she can probably say yes and feel good about that answer

Daman and Reese "helping" Braden

Naked dancing with Grandma. At least Grandma isn't naked. Although, I don't think it would surprise too many of us if she were.

Anabelle loving Grandma's high heels

...and glasses

Truly her father's daughter, Lila grubs on a rib from Sonny's


Visiting our fat friends, the manatees

Cultured?

We were driving in the car and Anabelle asked me if she could hear "Cosette", which is "Castle On a Cloud" from Les Miserables, her favorite song.

I say sure and put it in.

She listens happily for a miute then says, "Mom, do other little kids listen to this?"

"Um. No. Probably not".

"Awwwwwwww. That is SO sad".

I'm going there someday...

One morning I told Anabelle that she and Lila were going to her friends house later that night because Dad and I were going to go to the temple. She didn't really acknowledge the information in any way. Eight hours later, the minute Braden walked in the door, she ran to him and yelled, "DAD! YOU'RE GONNA MARRY MY MOM?!!" We laughed and said, "Well, at least she knows where to get married".

Then a few night after that Braden had volunteered to go help with the youth temple trip. He came home from work and came out of our room dressed to go.

Anabelle: "Dad, are you going to church?"
Braden: "No, I'm going to the temple".

He walks away. Anabelle comes to me with a face a great concern.

Anabelle: "Where are Lila and I going?"
Me: "Nowhere. I'm staying here with you. Only Dad is going."

Her face goes white and a look of panic comes over her.

"IS DAD GOING TO MARRY A BUNCH OF OTHER GIRLS?"

Christmas

In a conscious and deliberate effort to keep Christmas alive all year, I have purposefully postponed my Christmas blogs until February. Whatever I can do to extend the merriment and good cheer of this wonderful holiday season.

I was overcome this year by the absolute joy it is to have children at Christmas. It was for me, the most I have felt the Christmas spirit since I can remember. It was certainly different than when it was just Braden and I or when we just had babies. Anabelle gave me the gift of focusing. She has not yet had commercial Christmas shoved down her throat. She hasn't been to school yet to know all things secular. She knows the story of the birth of Christ and she knows it well. I bought an illustrated book of the birth of Christ as told by the gospels. It has maps of where they traveled from Nazareth to Judea by the Sea of Galilee (wherein I pointed out the Dead Sea and she said, "Where is the alive sea?"). We read that book several times a day for the entire month. By the time Christmas came, she had memorized the book, almost in its entirety. Which was just memorized scripture. It filled my heart to hear her tiny sweet voice recite, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And you shall call his name Jesus." And it wasn't just that she knew the words of those sacred scriptures, but that she believes them. You can hear it in her voice and see it in her eyes. I can tell by the way she begged me to read it all throughout the day.

It was December 23rd and I stood in the kitchen with a pen going over my to-do list that was literally two pages long. I was feeling overwhelmed by the things that had to get done before we left town. She came to me saying she didn't feel very well. I told her to go to her room and lay down for a while. To which she replied, "If you read to me the Christmas story I will feel better, and I will feel happy." My heart immediately softened for this small child of faith. We sat together on the couch reading the sacred words of the scriptures and I found that amidst my frazzled mind and overworked body, she was right; it made me feel better and happy too. I hope I never forget how I felt as I sat with her in that moment and realized that in all my Christmas preparations, I was missing Christmas. Thank you Anabelle for giving me my favorite Christmas gift.

Another favorite moment came at 3 am on Christmas morning. The four of us were all sleeping in the same room together at Ryan's house. We were awakened by Lila who began to sing perfectly, the tune of Silent Night. I was shocked. She can't say the words, but in perfect rhythm we heard "Duh duh duh duh..." Braden and I smiled at each other in the darkness. She had never sung it before and I'm not sure she has sung it since. Best wake up to Christmas I have ever had.

I decided to do a low-key, homemade Christmas. In November I went to work on a felt playhouse for the girls, with intentions of it being basically all they were getting. Well, as December rolled around it didn't go quite as I had planned. Time drew shorter and shorter, and my once fun project became a bit of a stresser. I contemplated getting her a few presents and finishing it later, but when asked what she wanted for Christmas, the response she gave everyone was, "a house". I couldn't let her down. I had to remove poor Ole St. Nick from the picture altogether if it was going to happen. She knew her Christmas present was coming from me. Tired of trying to hide it, I told her that her present was in my room, that she wasn't to see it until Christmas, and not to go in there. Wow. If ever I wondered if that girl is a rule follower I wonder no more. If she ever saw that one of us had left our door open she would yell at us, "MOM!! Shut your door! I don't want to see my presents until Christmas!" And then I would yell back, "OK you weird kid!"

The house did not end up being all that I wanted it to be, and in truth it is still not done yet. But there was enough to give to her. When she walked around the house and saw what all the accessories did, she began to get excited. (But the true love of the playhouse would not fully come out until we returned from our trip to Seattle-more on that later).

Lila got a pack of balls from the dollar store which made her one very happy girl. Yes, that is about all she got. I also made Anabelle a puppy dress and Lila will get one too when I return from my sewing hiatus.

It was a joyful Christmas morning (although it was actually Christmas Eve morning) at our house. We opened presents and then rushed out the door to the airport for a larger Reynolds gathering.