Remembering

Abby was teary-eyed this morning as she explained to me,

 

"My birthday is too long.  I should have been born first and then I could be taller.  It just takes too long to be a big girl." 

 

I wrapped her in my arms and didn't say a word.  I just thought.  Life goes so so fast.  I want to remember the feelings and the smells of the day.  The smiles, the tears, the pain....all of it.  I have a wonderful life.  We are so very blessed.  I went around and snapped some pictures of the house all decorated for Christmas because I just wanted to remember it.  In just a little bit it will all be taken down and we will move on with something else.  But for some reason, I wanted to remember today.  The way my life is right now.  It is far from perfect, but I think that is what I want to remember; the struggles, the growth, the great love I feel from my Savior each and every day.  I want to remember that trials make us stronger and bring us closer together.  It helps to put meaning into this season and meaning into each day.  I want to remember it.

 

 

Fa la la la la

It's been Christmas-y around here.  One thing after the next.  As I type this, I am sure my girls are enjoying their Christmas parties at school.  Olivia and Sammie both went in pajamas today.  Abby stayed in her pajamas too today, but it's because she is sick.
Last night we had our Christmas piano recital and decorated graham cracker houses.  Messy and fun.  We do it every year with our good friends.  I only teach their kids and mine and so recitals are just a fun family get together.  I didn't take a single picture though.
Sammie had her 1st grade Christmas program.  She wasn't too excited about it because she was a present and all they did was sit and sing.  We couldn't see her at all from where we were sitting.  The cafeteria was packed and it was only the first graders!  During the performance, we managed to sneek in on the floor so she could see us.  Her face lit up so bright so I didn't care that we were being annoying.

 I did a little Christmas baking with Abby.  I could tell I was pushing myself and so I still have dough sitting in my fridge from a week ago.

We went to the ward Christmas party and the primary sang.  Abby snuck up there with them to sing the song. She'll be in primary soon! She was so cute and knew all the words and signs to "Away in a Manger."  The girls weren't excited to see Santa, but they mustered up a smile for me.

And here is Abby sick this morning; eating her breakfast and picking at her graham cracker house.

I'm so excited for Christmas this year.  It is so much fun with kids.  It's magical.

Stowaways

Sammie's backpack when she came home from school one day.  These little critters must have accompanied her that morning.

Your face looks different.

This morning I looked at Sammie and held her chin in my hands.  "Your face looks different.  You look like you're getting older," I said to her.  She gave me her typical Sammie scowl (the one where she really is happy) and ran into the bathroom to check.  "I don't look different," she said back.
She's wrong.  She looks older to me.
Sammie is the queen of faces.  She even looks cute when she is mad.  Our friend took pictures of us and these were taken after Sammie had tripped and fallen.  She got so upset and didn't want any more pictures.  I love this little girl.  She has so much spirit.

45 "Much-es"

Abby loves to whisper in mine and Joey's ear and say, "I love you a hundred forty-five much-es,"  or "Forty-five much-es," or a thousand forty-five much-es."  There's always a forty-five.  She gets so excited to say it.  She scrunches up her little face afterwards with a big smile.

Kids make you feel so special sometimes.