Christmas

This was the first time in years I struggled to sleep on Christmas. I was so excited! Gavin and McKay are at such good ages and I knew they would have a great time. They slept well and McKay woke up first. I popped my head into Gavin's room and he was on his tummy looking at the wall and when he heard me, he whipped his head around and asked, "Is Santa here?"

This year was especially wonderful to have just us in our home. It was simple and the boys just did their thing. We could open each present and look at it and play with it and then move on when they were ready. I love, love, loved it. It really was perfection.

The first signs of Christmas.
Santa came through with the one thing Gavin asked for: a Batman toy.
McKay just ate the treats all morning.

They helped each other open gifts. This is great, since everything was pretty much for everyone anyway...
A firetruck from Grandma & Grandpa Woolf.
Santa was super cool and brought a super hero to ALL of us. Gavin got Batman, McKay got Robin (fitting), I got Catwoman, and Brian got Superman.
Breakfast was a bust, but it's not that I didn't try. I attempted a breakfast casserole that was pretty much gross. Brian humored me, but the kids weren't falling for it. The cinnamon rolls were the one redeeming part and we threw in some omlets for good measure. Even after my extensive planning, I can see we will have to revisit this area next year.

After breakfast we were sitting around and Gavin wondered, "Can I start at the beginning?" "At the beginning of what?" I asked. "The part where Santa comes to my house." So, so sweet. He was so appreciative and happy. He seriously would have been just as happy with one present as he was with them all. It was the best. day.

Perhaps one of our favorite parts of the vacation happened after Christmas. We went to church at 11:30, had some lunch, put McKay down and packed the car. We headed to St. George and stayed there for three days. Just us. Although I don't have one picture to show for our time there, it was relaxing and so nice to have a change of scenery. We took new toys and games with us, went to the park, swam, watched new movies, and truly enjoyed one another's company.

The jury is still out on whether or not we will do Christmas elsewhere come next year, but we can figure that out later. For now, we will pack up the tree and be glad that it was low key, low stress and all sorts of good. Just how Christmas should be.

Now to get Brian home with me all the time and still be able to pay the bills...

Christmas Eve

Besides making a few pies during the day, we were pretty relaxed. Everything was wrapped and ready to go. We headed to G&G Robinson's for dinner, a nativity, and presents. It really was such a fun time. The kiddos were so excited and happy.

The Nativity is always a crack-up. I know we are supposed to be a little more serious about this, but it just never pans out that way.
My two little shepherd boys. I was surprised with how darn reverent Gavin was and that McKay actually participated and didn't rip that headband off.
The boys were so excited with their gifts from Grandma & Grandpa. Gavin was even more surprised to learn that he got another present from a cousin. He was truly grateful. He got a train set and then a Spiderman movie and a Superman action figure. McKay scored a Toy Story tunnel, a Magna Doodle and a car set.

We headed home around 7:00 and had time to unwrap jammies and get cookies out for Santa before bed. Gavin didn't take a nap because he was so darn excited, so he fell asleep quickly and Santa stopped at our house first. I swear it was like 8:30 or something!

December Happenings

Gingerbread Houses

The little boys actually worked pretty well together. I love buying the assembled house. I love not buying different candies. I love not making frosting. And I love not giving a hoot about what it looks like. They ate all the candy off within a day or two anyway.

McKay was pretty stressed out about the frosting on his fingers. Both of our boys are actually not so into dirty fingers.

Checking things out the next morning.

Gardner Village

Holy coldness. We were four of about twelve people there. It was fa-reezing! We went to check out the elves, which had never seen before. Despite the temperature, the boys had a fun time. They are surprisingly not to worried about that when they are out of the house and free to run and play.

Other activities we participated in were lots and lots of lights-looking. We drove to several neighborhoods, especially on those nights at 5:00 or 6:00 pm when Brian wasn't coming home and I was out of ideas for the day. Or if I was going to pull my hair out. The lights at Thanksgiving Point were fun for them as well.

Christmas movies, music, and books have been a daily thing. I love putting them away and only using them this month because then they are super special and more exciting.

Brian showed Gavin Joy to the World during one family night and Gavin got to pull out different people in the nativity as they came up in the movie. He loved it and I felt like he understood. It's hard for Jesus to mean more than Santa when you are three, but he knows the baby Jesus, the shepherds, the wisemen, the manger, and swaddling clothes. I think that's pretty good for now.

The magic of the season has taken over and we can feel it outside and especially in our house. It's so fun to have these little boys who are catching on remind me of how much fun Christmas is - for so many reasons.

Gavin lately

This little boy has been such a sweetie lately. I think the Elf on the Shelf has had a little to do with it, but the truth is that he really is a good boy. December has been a .great month and I am so hoping that it carries over into January. He has a good heart. It is not uncommon for him to walk up to us and give us hugs and compliments. "I think you're so great, mom" or "Love you, dad" or "You're the best, dad." Brian and I could eat him up right now. I love those little stretches of time where it's a little easier to overlook the hard parts of parenting. I feel that way about both of my kids right now.

I am constantly amazed at what Gavin is learning. Recently he said, "I used to be afraid of the Grinch and then I realized that he is not scary and he is nice." Realized?? His vocabulary continues to baffle me. The other thing he said the other day that I wanted to remember was on our way home from a friend's house in Provo. We were getting closer to home and he asked, "Is this our village?" Meaning is this Pleasant Grove... I had to laugh.

He's got an ear for music and comes home singing primary songs and continues to sing them for weeks after. Next week he will be a Sunbeam. I was just released as the primary chorister and am only sad that I won't be able to see him singing his guts out in the front row.

His latest obsession is with dad's iPad. Brian got one to use for work and Gavin is always wondering where it is and when he can play it next. This 3 1/2-year-old can work that thing like nobody's business. And when he has it, it's dead silent until I go and find him and make him turn it off. He is figuring out difficult puzzles and playing Angry Birds like a mad man. His attachment to that thing is frightening - borderline crazy. What he won't do for a moment alone with that thing.
He gets so excited that he trips over words and sentences just trying to get his story out. There are many Aaa-nds mixed in there and although there are moments when we are unsure what on earth this exuberant kid is talking about, we love him to pieces.

Fall Days

One thing about fall here at our house is that there is no shortage of leaves. We have about 40 trees - so that keeps us raking for days. This year Gavin got to help. And he was, actually, quite helpful. Brian has come up with a system (took four years to figure out...) and we rake them into a tarp and load them into Grandpa's trailer. Gavin then jumps in to mush them down. We got it all done in two nights, thanks to good friends and neighbors like Jenny and Kameron.
I love pulling out the hats and gloves when it gets cold. They actually take quite a bit of time to put on, but they just look cute. I love how McKay is discovering and running and talking and so excited about life. The past month or two have been a whole new world to this twenty-month old boy. Two in April? Already??
Here he is alerting us of the airplanes...

And then I was THIRTY-THREE

It felt like a Natalie love-fest. My birthdays are getting longer and longer. And by that I mean celebrated for days at a time. I'm not complaining!

Karen called me earlier in the week and got us tickets for Forgotten Carols. We had a blast. I love her dearly and I always feel lucky when we can go somewhere and visit and not be interrupted. She really cares and understands me. Good friends are a happy thing in my life. Several other friends stopped by and called and that made my day(s).

Brian had planned a weekend get-a-way to Little America, but I asked if we could stay at home and buy me some new jeans instead. Brian complied. (Good jeans are expensive these days.) We dropped the kids off to Shauna and drove to Gateway. We ate at Thaifoon, which was delicious. We got my jeans and drove home instead of going to Temple Square because it was so cold. We came home and had a wonderful, kid-free night.

We woke up and picked up the kids and took them to Home Depot to make a project. We all napped and then we took the kids to Karen's so we could go to dinner with Brian's family. When we picked up the kids, we took them to yogurt. No cake, you see... It was fun, I felt loved and thirty-three is going to be great. I don't worry about getting older. I am learning so much! Hopefully I can get better with time??

An Arizona Thanksgiving

The drive down was delightful. Really. I know, I'm just as surprised as you are. We generally have pretty low expectations of how the kiddies will do for ten to twelve hours in the car, but we were more than pleasantly surprised. Gavin only puked once (which I totally caught in a bucket - score!) and McKay cried for a total of ten minutes, just when he was about to go to sleep. Brian read to me and we made it in record time.

Oh - how can you not love this face?
And are those lips the juiciest or what?
We stayed with Matt and Lynsey in Gilbert and the nine of us hunkered down for four days. We have a lot of fun with them and they always make us feel welcome and loved. The boys were so good and played and played and played. Gavin and McKay really are their best selves in a new place with new toys and people they don't get to see as often as they'd like. They love their cousins.

We headed over to my parent's house on Thursday and the kids were again excited to see all of their Arizona cousins. We were the only out-of-towners. Nate, Liza, Lynsey, Dave, and Dave's families were there.

I so appreciated the sunshine and shorts and t-shirts we got to wear. The weather was 70-degree perfection.

McKay's second Thanksgiving. But the first one he was really awake for...

Brian was a hit and played with the little boys before the feast.

Gavin digs the "haim."
All that eating makes a boy tired.
After the Woolf party we headed over to Mother's in Tempe for dessert. McKay was happy to be there. I always love going over there. Brian said, "I like the Snedigar's." Me too.

On Friday we headed to Freestone Park to get out for a bit. The weather was perfect and the little boys all rode their bikes.

After we went on the train Lynsey and I left with the baby boys while Brian and Matt took the older three. And that's when it happened. Gavin had gone down a grass hill on his bike to get to the park. On the way back, they took the same hill, but this side was a bit steeper. Gavin got going too fast and started wobbling and then his handlebars turned and he flew. He rolled and landed on his little face. Brian texted me a picture of him not too long after and I was thinking, "I just left like ten minutes ago!" Poor kid.

And that's what you get when you leave your kid with your husband:
We met up with everyone at another park later in the day, ate at In-n-Out and then walked around the temple lights. Gavin's face was a hit and there was no shortage of attention. The boys loved the lights and loved their last chance with the whole group of cousins.


All in all, it was a fine trip. It was quick, jam-packed and we really had a great time. We headed back on Sunday and got home not a moment too soon. If the ride down was all roses, then certainly the ride back couldn't be. Our low expectations were met - if not exceeded - and the ride couldn't have been longer. Gavin threw up twice, I wanted to throw up for three hours, McKay cried incessantly and Brian just wanted out. And that's just how it goes sometimes...

Keepin' it Real

There was one day not too long ago (well, actually, I have lots of days like this) where I looked around my house and thought: There is not one square foot of house that doesn't look like a tornado hit it. I had to laugh out loud and then decided to just take pictures of every room. Why? To remind myself of this season in my life... The time where I'm still trying to find a balance between mom, wife, and housekeeper. Will I ever find it?? The time where I walk into another room to pick up and come back and find yet another mess. The time where keeping up on dishes and laundry and basic cleaning seem sometimes impossible to me. The time where sometimes I just want to sit or read or sleep or play with the kids rather than pick up the house.

I'm an organized person, but staying on top of cleaning has never been my strong point. If I focus on that and only that, I do a great job. But I feel like I have so many other things (and people!) that need my attention. Less TV and napping on my part would certainly help. I'll work on that... But for some reason, I just feel like I will want to remember this. Because this is as real as it gets.