Christmas with the Fallers

I have a lot of catching up to do... Or maybe I'll just pretend that I posted this on Christmas rather than over a month late.

I had to work the night before so played Santa at work, wrapping presents after the residents went to bed.

Got home, cleaned up, arranged presents, and went to bed because in a few short hours, I knew my kids were about to wake up.

Much to my surprise, I woke up before the kids. That. Never. Happens. I brought the kids into our room, and ran downstairs so I could record their faces when they came around the corner.

Christmas Eve, we had nothing under the tree. Not a single thing. Christmas morning, there was a nice array of presents under the tree and the kids were amazed when they saw everything.

Santa was the hero this Christmas.

......


Okay, in the end, Christmas was fantastic. Church was great and only an hour long (Hooray!) and then we were up to my brother's for dinner.

Aaand if I had actually posted this around Christmas-time it would have had a lot more details and pictures instead of me posting this on March 2 and just retroactively dating this to December 25 as if I were actually on top of things. Meh. Such is life, apparently.

My house has a blackhole

Let's call it Aiden, ya know, just for kicks. This blackhole has swallowed my DVD remote, rendering my husband's X Box a glorified DVD player for most of the day. It has swallowed some of my favorite not-maternity clothes. It has even swallowed about half of my left shoes, but one thing I'm super perturbed about is that it has taken in my camera. I keep telling myself that they will turn up, but that'll probably be when I pack up my house and that's not much of a consolation because I really dislike packing.

Since this "blackhole" has taken in my camera and misplaced it, I had to rely on my sister in-law's camera to take pictures for Christmas and I have yet to see them, hence the absence of a Christmas post.

It was wonderful, by the way. Aiden took time to play with each and every toy, which made it well worth the while.

So I'm just going to publish my Christmas post on Little Christmas and say I was planning on doing that the entire time.

New Year's Resolutions

I've been thinking long and hard about what I want to accomplish this upcoming year other than the ubiquitous goal of being a better mother, wife and spiritual person and I think I have it narrowed down to a few attainable things:

I wish I could say I am going to lose 25 lbs by the end of the year, but it seems that the only way I can do that is to get pregnant, gain 20-50 lbs and then lose it in the following months and then be at a stand still about five pounds under pre-pregnancy weight. So, I'm just going to say that I'm not going to gain any weight and if I lose some, then bonus. So it looks like 2010 will be a pregnant-me-less year.

I am going to eat healthier... Right after I eat all my clearanced after-Christmas candy we splurged on.
...
And I don't think that will include the after Valentines Day chocolate, either.

I will potty train Aiden. Does this even count as a New Year's Resolution? Aren't those supposed to be something that you do to better yourself? I'm sure this counts because smelling his poopy diapers up close and personal on a daily basis can't be good for my health.

I will pack my house up before the last week before we move, minus essentials, of course. I hate moving. A lot. I moved once the entire time I grew up, and I was 6 so it doesn't really count. I didn't do anything to pack. The only thing I remember around that time in my life has nothing to do with boxes and packing tape and moving trucks, but instead my dog being ran over by a car, being excited about my first plane ride and being terribly upset that I was missing my Christmas Concert at school. Really, why couldn't we have moved our entire family a week later so I could sing with my other classmates for 20 minutes? That's not irrational, 6 year-old mind reasoning at all.
But anyway. I moved when I was 6 and that doesn't really count as having to deal with the moving process, but then when I was 19, that was across country from New Mexico to Florida and that was a process.... And again when I was 20, not across country, but I had "grown-up" stuff that made it a process that was moved in the back of my brother in-law's pick-up truck, load after load after load ..... And then again when I was 21.... And then when I was 23, with a 14 month old and 7 weeks vomiting-pregnant.... And now again when I will be 24, across country, from Florida to Utah, with two children and my husband staying behind for an extra month or so. I hope I won't have to move again for a while after this one because I'm tired of it.

But onto the most important ones:

I resolve that I will not be so desperate for the lime-light that I will pretend my son is caught in a homemade balloon that is drifting away.

I resolve to keep my threats away from the "shove a ball down your throat" path.

I resolve to not be, in any way, shape or form, like Kanye West.

I resolve to keep my congratulational gestures to hand shaking when it comes to blind people. That way my high-five won't be left hanging.... on national television... on one of the most watched shows.

I resolve this year that I will not marry someone, have twins with them, try for just one more and end up with six more and drive them so crazy by my constant nagging and stupid hair cut that they are driven to cheat on me with someone way younger just months after renewing our vows and telling the world that you are doing this so your children will know that Mommy and Daddy will always be together, no matter what.

I resolve to only fly US Airways through a flock of birds if Chesley B. Sullenburger III is my pilot.

I resolve to keep being a homebody instead of turning myself into a famous golfer that then cheats on their spouse with more than a baker's dozen of women.

I resolve to not take fertility drugs and end up pregnant with 8 babies.... especially if I already have 6 at home.

I resolve that when I win a record number of gold medals at the Olympics, I will not find myself in a huge controversy because a picture of me smoking pot surfaced.


I resolve to never help Drew Peterson with anything. Especially anything that involves disposing of blue barrels.

I resolve to stay home instead of flying on any commercial airplane if I have tuberculosis.

I resolve to not help a pimp and prostitute in their endeavors to open an under-aged brothel.

I resolve to leave the biggest carbon footprint possible, now that we know that Global Warming isn't real.

And last but certainly not the least:

I resolve that if I find myself attending a Midnight Mass with the Pope, I will not attack him because no matter who you are, or what you believe, that cannot be a good thing.

Seriously, how could you see this and think, "I'm going to attack that man."

Hope 2010 brings you all the best!!

Notice how I didn't mention anything about Michael Jackson? That's how it should be...

Merry Christmas!

I've had mild interest in Celtic Woman recently, but today I think it bumped up to full blown love. Every song I have listened to has given me goosebumps at least once. I hope you enjoy! This song is absolutely beautiful.

P.S. Can you tell I just figured out how to post videos without having to look up the steps to make it work every time?

I Believe in Santa Clause

Is it Santa Claus or Santa Clause? I can't remember! But that is besides the point.

Recently my husband has had two very separate conversations with two very separate people that could not have more opposite mindsets when it comes to politics, religion, and family. Yet, they came to the same conclusion: They aren't comfortable teaching their children about Santa Clause.

One is in the far left as far as politics goes, is atheist or agnostic, at best and doesn't feel that marriage is a sacred covenant but instead just a piece of paper. He feels that to teach your children about Santa Clause is a bold faced lie and nothing more and that it will be detrimental to the child's upbringing when they find out their parents lied to them for years on end until they were old enough to find out for themselves that Santa isn't real.

The other is far right as far as politics goes, is a devout Christian and feels that marriage is a sacred covenant to be taken seriously and to be upheld. He feels that to teach your children about Santa Clause is taking away from the true meaning of Christmas and that it is commercialism gone awry and trying to take Christ out of Christmas.

Given the two options, I have to say I relate more to the latter, but not entirely.

I feel that you can teach that Santa is the Spirit of Christmas personified. How do you explain to a two year old the true meaning of Christmas? How do you make them understand that this is a time to remember all that we have and because we have so much, we should share of our love, time and in some cases, our means, to better mankind? What better way than to tell them of Santa Clause and how he comes in the middle of the night, not to receive glory, to leave presents anonymously under the tree for each and every person so they can put a face, a name, to what we all feel inside? Then when the times comes that they find out Santa Clause isn't "real", they can truly understand that he is real in the spirit of what Christmas truly is about. Love and giving of ourselves, which is what Jesus Christ did throughout His entire life.

Santa Clause loves little children, Santa Clause is happy, Santa Clause brings great and wonderful gifts much like Jesus Christ loves little children, is happy and brings the world's greatest and most wonderful gifts known to mankind.

So you can say that at my ripe old age of 23, I still believe in Santa Clause and I hope my children never stop believing, either.

Merry Christmas!

Random Thoughts for a Random Day

I love Christmastime. When I see Christmas decorations go up for sale in the stores before Halloween, it takes all I have to wait for Thanksgiving to put up my tree.

On a similar note, I think I am going to make it a tradition to put the Christmas Tree up for Family Home Evening the Monday before Thanksgiving and every ornament we put up, we have to name something we are thankful for. That way I can get my tree up earlier, tie in the two holidays and keep Christmas from stealing Thanksgiving's thunder.

I don't know if it's just me, but dead batteries feel lighter and more hollow than brand new batteries. I wonder if it is actually that way, or if I am just making it all up.

Recently my husband and I have had separate conversations with our mothers about memories we have of things that happened when we were younger and when we actually found out when it happened, it's when we were like two or three years old. Realizing this, and seeing as how my son is almost two years old, the things he remembers now or soon, he could potentially remember for the rest of his life. Which makes me think; what things am I doing now that I want to change before my son remembers me doing it? Do I want him to remember me sitting at the computer on Facebook while he is eating breakfast? Is that really such a big deal? I haven't decided yet.

I'm going to be moving across country in a few months. Any suggestions on how to keep a two year old and a four month old occupied for a possibly four day trip? Especially if I move out there before my husband to go to school.

It is so heartwarming to see my son try to be like his Daddy. He will stand next to him and prop his foot up and then check to make sure he's doing it just right. He will pretend to shave. He will act tough and speak with a booming voice. But my favorite is when he drinks his milk from a soda can, pretend to belch and then say "smee me" (excuse me) in a really sheepish way.

Halloween!

This year was a total cop out again, but much to my pleasure, my son had no idea he was missing out.

Friday night we went to our ward's Trunk-or-Treat where Aiden ran around like a maniac dressed up as a nerd (his underlying costume clothing was super nerdy, but you weren't supposed to see that because he was supposed to be stoked to wear his costume... that didn't happen) and Cecilia was adored by the other mommies in the ward. My goal with her costume was to try to get as many people bit by the baby bug as possible. :) Actually, we thought it would be funny if she were a frog and then a few weeks later I realized that with just the costume, people would think she was a boy, so I added a flower to the cap of the costume and made a little frilly tutu, and voila! She was worthy of inducing bites by the baby bug.

Saturday we stayed at home because we are actually in a place that people will come to your house to trick or treat, my husband was working to keep all the bad guys off the streets and I was stuck nursing every hour or two. Granted my mom could have taken Aiden out but that is just full of downsides. One, she could have gotten lost because she doesn't know the area very well, two, I would have missed Aiden's first Trick or Treating, and three, there would have been that time that I would have to nurse and kids would be at the door. Now in this situation, I could do one of two things: I could ignore them and not answer the door, but you can see my nursing chair from the front door, so they would know someone was home and then I'd be that person, or two, I would answer the door while nursing and somehow I don't think the parents of the children would appreciate that too much.

Good thing Aiden had no idea what he was missing. He thought it was great when someone would ring the door bell, making the dog bark and then to answer the door only to see a group of crazy kids there. Then we'd pass out the candy, and he'd yell goodbye and slam the door shut. He loved it! Ignorance is truly bliss.

So there we go. I don't think we will be able to get out of next year, but really, who wants to? Halloween was one of my favorite holidays growing up with all the fretting over what you were going to wear and then the preparation, the chance to wear make-up before I was allowed and not get in trouble for it going around the neighborhood multiple times, making sure to hit the jackpot houses time and time again and then the diligent sorting of the candy afterwards.

I can't wait!

Now feast yourselves on the cuteness of my children in their costumes:
This was the underlying clothing of Aiden's SpongeBob costume. The part you weren't supposed to see.


Cecilia as a girly, frilly frog. I definitely think I'm going to like girls costumes. They're fun.


And my masterpiece: Aiden's homemade SpongeBob costume!! I think it's adorable, even if you can't get a good look at it because he is smooshing it up.

Fourth of July Weekend

So for the Fourth of July, we went out to the "compound" (the property where the family lives, and we used to live) and had a nice BBQ. We were going to go to neighboring cities to see fireworks, but decided last minute that it wasn't worth it for the three of us seeing as how Aiden probably wouldn't even remember it in the morning. So, we went out on the boat on the Suwannee River. This was my first time on the boat and it was pretty awesome. Aiden was very hesitant at first but as it turns out, he has much better sea legs than I do. But honestly, who's that surprised?
We were out with Pop-pop, Daddy, his cousin Zach, Aiden and myself and it was fantastic to just ride along with the wind blowing in our faces. Aiden especially loved that and would stick his tongue out like a dog when we would be going fast.
I wish I could say I took pictures the entire time, but I was way too much of a nervous Nelly and was busy making sure Aiden wasn't in the way of the fishermen and I was also the official cutter of hot dogs for the boys because I couldn't fish because I don't have an up-to-date fishing license, but here are some pictures when we stopped at a beach near the end so Aiden could play in the water.
And just so you know, the water is supposed to look like that. At least, it always does because of the tanic acid created from all the leaves that fall in it. It's essentially a tea river.

Happy Father's Day!!

So, I've been pretty terrible about updating this lately. Clearly.
But I would be completely remiss if I didn't publicly wish Thomas and my own dad a Happy Father's Day! Not that he ever looks at this, so this is really for everyone else to know that I love the men in my life! They really have been wonderful examples for me.
From my own dad, I learned the importance of a testimony of Jesus Christ and the gospel and how that should influence my life in absolutely all that I do. That I should take time out of my life to sit down and read my scriptures on a daily basis so I have a better understanding of what I need to do as a wife, mother and daughter of God and the importance of having daily family prayers. Thank you so much for everything you have taught me, and I pray that you may have patience with me, as I am still learning and sometimes I get fed up and petty.
From my husband, I learned the importance of taking time out and playing with our kids, especially when the time is not convenient. I learned that the laundry doesn't need to be done this second, that getting him a sippy cup right now doesn't matter when you can take a second to wrestle with him and give him lots of kisses til he is red in the face from laughing, just to emphasize the fact that we love him.
So, happy father's day! I wish you the best day ever and thank you for letting me be a part of your lives!!

P.S. As the ultimate Father's Day present from Cecilia Ann, she kicked hard enough to let Thomas feel her kick through my stomach for the very first time. Talk about holding out for perfect timing.

Memorial Day Decorations

Today we woke up bright and early and headed down to my parents house to cut flowers from the garden and make the arrangements for the gravestones.
I absolutely missed doing this and it was such a relaxing tradition. We made four arrangements: one for each of my mom's brothers headstones, one for her parents headstone and one for her grandparents headstone. After going through and cutting all the flowers and making the arrangements, we headed up to the cemetary.
We went all over and placed mums on most of her relatives graves while my dad assumed his normal position of telling whoever would listen how this person was related to this person and how that tied into our family and how they got here and that so and so was actually so and so's second wife when most thought she was the first. It was absolutely fantastic.
We had a couple mishaps. Jacob hit his head somehow and started bleeding but considering it stopped fairly soon, it wasn't too bad. Just enough to hurt. And we forgot the water buckets and crosses for my Grandpa Greenhalgh and Uncle Ned which signified that they served in the military.
Then it was back to my parents house for a BBQ in the sprinkling rain. It was nice to have all of our family together, even John came up for the weekend because he had it off. Aiden just ran around and kind of mooched off of anyone who was willing to give him food while I was able to just sit and relax and soak it all in.
That afternoon, Thomas volunteered to take Aiden up to Dennie's house while I stayed at my mom's so I could work on the quilt Tracy, my mom and I are making for Aiden. Apparently Aiden missed me a lot because he kept going from room to room, poking his head in and asking, "Momma?"

It is good to be loved.