December

I was dreading Christmas. 

And no one should dread Christmas. 

So even though I had started some fun traditions, I knew I needed to cut back and simplify this year. I think it went well.  Elfie only came a few times. I didn't do our advent calendar with goodies and activities for every day. I used it as a Christmas card holder instead. No Grinch party. I bought food to take to parties instead of bringing something homemade. 

There are some things you just don't get to cut back on, but for the most part, I felt less stressed this year.

Maybe these stinkin' cute smiles from my favorite baby helped.

Yep. They definitely helped!

Ward Christmas party. 

This ward puts a LOT into their Christmas party. It sort of gives me anxiety just to see all the fancy decorations. It's better than a wedding reception. But the food was not. I almost didn't make a plate, the iceburg salad and yucky rolls to go with the ham and potatoes looked so unappetizing. I guess you can't be awesome at everything.

Pomegranate season. No shirt stains here!

I read the book, Wonder, with the boys over the past month and loved the discussions it created for us. This is one of my all time favorite books. Teaching empathy gets me so HAPPY. We finished it two days after the movie came out. It's so fun for me to hear them make comparisons between the book and movie. They both felt so protective of August and loved the fight scene at the end in the woods. They were all talk about how they would have "given it" to those bullies. These are the experiences I live for as a mother. I'm so grateful for these tender hearts that God has entrusted me with.

I saw this Hot Air Balloon event on Facebook at San Tan mall that sounded like a fun, family outing for a Saturday night.

I was wrong. Sooooo wrong. It went from 5pm-10pm and we pulled in right at 5pm. Madness. We found a parking spot far away and walked up to rows of booths selling things...all in the dirt. The stroller wheels dug right in. We waited in long lines for food and didn't even get to the booths with kid games. They started firing up the hot air balloons so we pushed our way over to see them. We had invited the Porter's but only Camilla, Posey and Fox came. I felt so bad that I had gotten her into this mess too! The kids thought it was pretty cool to see the balloons fill up and see the huge torches. And I guess it was cool. But NOT worth the crowds. I kept telling Travis, "I'm soooo sorry." Around 7pm we fought our way back to the car and hightailed it out of there!! There were still lines of cars pouring in and cars parked across Greenfield Rd by the Living Spaces building. We found out later that David and Abbey had gotten caught in the traffic unknowingly while they were at a store and just ended up parking and seeing a movie because traffic was at a complete standstill for hours. 

NEVER AGAIN!

Olive is scared by the fire. Tanner's wondering what in the heck is going on.

Another funky do for church.

Elfie finally came, all apologies, and bringing Christmas cereal. I think that got him forgiven.

When your child is vacuuming and lifts up the vacuum, spraying all of its contents everywhere. I believe that's called irony. 

Whaaaa?! We've got a roller on our hands! The lights enticed him to get moving. I found him tugging on an ornament. And here I thought we were safe from babies pulling down decorations this year.

A section of lights went out. I guess this is our last year with this tree!

Some girls in my ward organized a playgroup for the month to help us mama's out with Christmas preparations. I loved it! Gave me a chance to escape to Highland Yard to try and find a new wreath for our door. Instead, I found some really yummy, hot chocolate! Tanner was the easiest shopping companion! Everywhere we go, I get comments about what a happy baby he is. I'm so lucky!

Shelley hosted us for a fun night of eating, crafting and caroling! We had Ginger Zing, made Lifesaver trains and pumped rap music through the neighborhood while riding in the back of Casey's truck, looking at lights. It was SUCH a fun night!

I think Austin was telling us about a guy in a parking lot who pulled a Swiss Army knife on a lady for taking his parking spot. I'm very expressive.

I want to do this every December. We'll call it Carol-ancing. Here's a tradition I would keep alive!

Headed into the Hatch Christmas party at the Thornhills. Olive wanted her whole shirt tucked in. Travis taught her to just tuck in the front. Is her dad trendy or what? ;) Collin obviously loves pictures.

For both the Lindblom and Udall Christmas parties, our family performed a dance. Yep, you read that correctly... A DANCE!!!

It was to the Justin Bieber remix of Drummer Boy. Us girls spawned the idea based off a YouTube video we had seen of another family doing a dance to this song. We used some of their choreography but made up a lot of it too. We practiced and practiced at my parent's house in the weeks prior to the parties. I can't even believe that we got my parents on board! Ok, my DAD on board! It was a riot to figure it all out and do it together. Unfortunately, both nights of the parties, my Dad was super sick. So, wonder of wonders.... CASEY STEPPED UP!!! CASEY. It was awesome! He did my dad's part which included "drumming" on my mom's behind. It's not as inappropriate as it sounds, but was still hilarious. I loved every second I got to jam on stage. I have a hip hop soul. I wish I could say this is a new tradition, but I doubt we'll be able to convince everyone to do it again. It's OK though. Christmas 2017 is going dowwwwn in the history books and in my happy moments memory!

Collin and Olive had their dance recitals with The Dance Loft at Gilbert High School. The studio has THREE different performances. They were in different ones (bug) so we were there at 10am for Collin's and 4pm for Olives. Collin has been taking a hip hop class. He's the youngest in his class with no previous experience so he struggles a bit, but I'm proud of him for keeping with it. It was fun to watch him up there.

My mom, Marcie and Austin came to Olive's performance (they would have come to Collin's but is got a little complicated with my mom being sick). Marcie always wished her parents had brought her flowers for her dance recitals so she made sure to get one for Olive. Lucky girl. She danced to Alvin and the Chipmunks "Shake Your Groove Thing" and it was adorable. Austin gets about 2 million uncle points for sitting through an entire dance recital for a niece. 

After that, we rushed home to drop the kids off so Travis and I could make it to Gammage to see The Forgotten Carols. His office had given us the tickets for Christmas and I loved how thoughtful they were to do more than just gift cards. Travis had seen this production several times growing up, but this was my first time! I fell in love with the soundtrack during college and was excited to understand how it all tied together as a play. I wasn't disappointed. I wasn't expecting it to be so funny, but there was a lot of clever lines and we laughed throughout it. Of course the music was incredible and at the end, Michael Mclean had us all sing together, "We will be together, forever one day". Then he had us link arms with the person next to us and continue singing. Sounds cheesy, but it really was powerful and a beautiful experience. December is so stressful, but I loved how this one evening I just got to relax and feel the true Spirit of Christmas. 

Someone's hands get mighty dry in the winter.... cracked and bleeding. I would slather Eucerine cream on them then cover them up with gloves. He loved sleeping with them, funny boy. 

I don't feel like I openly toot my own horn much, but TOOT TOOT!!

This updo turned out better than I could have ever hoped! So sleek and fancy. She was the most sophisticated Sunbeam at church!

This bow mohawk was a fun one too!

It's really been fun being in Primary with my kids this past year. I love seeing them help out with singing and sharing time. The chorister has this neat idea to make the Sunday before Christmas, the Primary Christmas Concert. Collin's teachers taught them some carols on the wind chimes. So cool! Sis. Webb is incredible! I played Silent Night on the piano with Weston (I played the right hand and he played the left hand) and Collin came up with us so we could all sing along. I loved it! Group effort. 

Sunday afternoons usually go like this:

-I make breakfast (the only hot breakfast they get all week)

-Mom takes a nap (Travis dozes on the couch after reading his Atonement book)

-Kids watch scripture movies or Veggie Tales

-We all come together for a family game or two before leaving to Grandma's house for dinner

I think Olive must have rolled a Yahtzee! ;)

Sometimes you do fancy hair on your daughter, and then she clips on every bow in the drawer all over it. I laughed pretty hard when they walked out. 

Ohhhhh this nakey boy has my heart! The way he smiles and his eyes turn into half moons. His giggle is the best sound on this planet. Getting him to hold still after his bath is no easy feat. He always flips to his left side and is off! He gets lots of tickles, kisses and mommy munching on him before jammies!

We finally moved him into the toy room. My exhaustion was getting unbearable. I hoped that if he was in a different room, he could start sleeping longer periods at night. Slowww process, but I think it was around January that I finally got him sleeping through the night! Halle-freakin-lujah.

Oh, us? Just getting grounded.

Grandma approved activity. ;)

We all gathered after family pictures in the desert for Bobby Q. Good suggestion, Shelley! 

Paula's Christmas present from her kids was a girls night out! 

We got pedicures, ate sushi at Masa and saw The Greatest Showman. I had heard good things about this show, but I still wasn't getting my hopes up. Well, hopes turned into sky high LOVE! From the opening scene to the final musical number I.was.hooked. Mesmerized. Completely taken by the dancing, costumes, Hugh Jackman, the beautiful actresses and such a inspiring story that had... wait for it.... GOOD MORALS! What?! Hollywood produced a movie encouraging fidelity and family?! Yep. Miraculous! 

Three days later I was seeing it again with my family and if it were possible, I loved it even more the second time. I was boppin' along in my seat, silently singing along and decided that it had actually replaced While You Were Sleeping as my new #1 favorite movie. Added bonus was that Tanner came along and snuggled on me the whole movie... even falling asleep on my chest for the last 45 min. My babies never do that!! Blissssss.

I showed up on a Monday morning (laundry day) to drop off Olive at Lindi's house and look what the twinners were wearing! Senergy covers a good portion of our wardrobes. 

People are amazed that Olive will sit still for her hair to get done every day.

Well, this is what I deal with a good amount of time. She is very patient, but not perfect.

We do not let our kids climb in bed with us so I have NO idea what this picture is about. I can't even remember what was going on. She is a lucky girl and I am brain dead.

The gummy smile makes my world spin. Is there anything cuter?! Oh! He is so handsome. I just can't get over it!

We planned a park playdate while Christopher was in town. 

The City of Mesa remodeled Pioneer park.

It was a ZOO.

And I had to notice... you can take the ghetto-ness out of the park, but you can't take the park out of the ghetto. It was an interesting crowd. 

I can't believe that kids can just climb all over this train!! I mean, it's what WE used to do growing up, but I thought times were safer, right?! But they put railings all around it as though to encourage climbing. But then, they landscaped it so huge, sharp rocks are underneath. Who was in charge of this anyway?! Not mothers. 

His smile melts me, but this face.... this face might be my absolute favorite. Little, pouty lips, jowls hanging, big round eyes. 

A place called Andy's Frozen Custard opened up on McKellips and I've been dying to try it! Ever since Nielsen's closed, we've been pining for good custard. I got like the Snowmonster or something and it was delicious but didn't have a lot of toppings. Not much monster to that snow.

We also did a trip to the zoo. I'd like to go on record as saying that I hate trips to the zoo. They poop me out. It's far away (if I have to make multiple freeway changes I consider that far), parking is usually awful, it's hot and a ton of walking, crying kids, finding restrooms, begging for treats and carousal rides, yada yada yada. And I don't even like animals! But Shelley dreamed this up and talked us into it. There was a ridiculous line to get in, but after that the day shaped up. You're welcome, kids! You're welcome, Shelley! ;)

Apparently zoo trips poop out Lucy too.