Merry Christmas!

Here's what we've been up to in December...

Sickies
To follow up with other health post, Ryan & I got the puking-bug the week of Thanksgiving. It was a great diet plan for Ry - He ate all he wanted at Thanksgiving dinner, and then his body rid it all from his system the following 24 hours. It was awful. I was sick Saturday night and Sunday, so I missed my last Sunday teaching Primary. (Read on if you are curious about my new church calling.)

Then Brennan got another cold, a nasty-coughing-horrible cold. He has been sick for two weeks now. We took him to the doctor, and... DRUM ROLL, PLEASE... he has a double ear infection. Sigh. We haven't had a healthy week since Ethan arrived. In fact, Ethan is battling his SECOND cold himself. Christmas Day he had a terrible fever, and he's throwing-up a good amount of each feeding. This has got to end!

Ward Christmas Party

This year's Ward Christmas party was a Cowboy Christmas. Ryan built the stand for this cute photo-op board. Here are the boys when he tested it in our dining room.

Fearless Collin sat on Santa's lap and asked for a bike horn. Chicken Brennan sat on the bale of hay next to them.

Here they are looking adorable next to the pretend campfire. The committee even arranged for line-dancing and campfire carols.

The last event of the evening was a nativity play performed by the youth. Ethan was cast as Baby Jesus, and I missed the whole party (except dinner) trying to ensure his happiness for the skit - He was fed and napped to perfection. Here's the first scene. How does he look?

 

Ah, did I fool you? Yep - Surprise! That's my baby doll from when I was little. He got all fussy backstage when he needed to go on, and I swapped him for a doll at the last second. (Yes, I came prepared with a doll.) Here I am coming through the door as Ryan realized he'd been snapping pictures of a pretend doll and not our baby.

Anyway, Ethan didn't end up being Baby Jesus after all. It would have made a great story too, since Ryan and I were both the Baby Jesus in our ward's nativities 32 years ago. (October babies make the best Jesus' apparently.) Unfortunately, Ethan just hates the hours of 7-11pm.

Advent Tree
I finally came up with an advent calendar idea I like. So here's what we do...

Each night the boys find the number on the tree. On December 1st we did number 25, and we did number 1 on Christmas morning. Each card has a picture (and the number) on the front and on the back it has: scripture verses, Gospel Art picture, online LDS bible video, and an assigned ornament. So we look at the picture, read a verse from the bible and watch the video. Then the boys put the matching ornament on the tree. I adapted it from the Pinterest idea called "25 days of Christ." It's awesome! The boys really look forward to it too.

Three Boys

I have THREE BOYS! Can you believe it? I sure can't. Here are my three boys in their "City Jammies."

Collin and Brennan have had theirs about a year, and they were so excited that Ethan had pajamas with cars and buildings on them too. They insisted they all get their picture together.

Aren't they cute?

Christmas Around the World Family Home Evening
I can't remember if I have ever blogged about this tradition before, but I absolutely love it. Everyone should do this!

For the past three years, we have been inviting over 2-3 families one Monday evening in December. Each family is assigned to plan an activity or craft or bring pictures or a treat from another country. Anyway, over the years we've heard about Germany, France, Venezuela, Russia, New Zealand, Brazil, and - of course - Japan.

Usually Ryan teaches some origami, but this year our group was a little younger; Collin was the oldest. He found this cute game that translates into "Other people laughing at you while you're blind-folded." Anyway, it's a 'pin the tale on the donkey' kind of game, and the little ones loved it.

Our friend who served a mission in New Zealand taught the kids the Haka dance. It was cute.

And our friend who served in Russia brought his wolf hat and stacking dolls.

We ate some fun treats, and it was a great evening for all. With all the multicultural experience our returned missionaries can offer, I think everyone should try this tradition. It's really fun, and we all learn something new.

Weather

It snowed early this year, beautiful fluffy snow. Collin and Ryan built a snow tunnel in the front yard again. We also had our second storm this weekend, which started with rain, then ice and finally snow. Church was canceled for Christmas Sunday. Sad huh? Anyway, it is beautiful... as long as you are safe and warm inside.

Gingerbread House

 

I missed this whole event (napping, I think), but check out this creation! Ryan and the boys decorated this great gingerbread house two Sundays ago. See the car out front and the W above the door? They even crafted a chimney with Starbursts for bricks. And the brick-mould around the front door actually matches our own real front door.

My New Calling
I got released from Primary. I've been there 3-1/2 years (since I got pregnant with Brennan!), and I am/was devastated. I cried when I found out that a release was in the works in September, but I had about two months to come to terms with the change. I finally got officially released and called to my new calling on Thanksgiving Sunday. I found out the night before (between bouts of puking) that I was getting called to be the new compassionate service leader in Relief Society. I was pretty speechless, and my mom's and mother-in-law's jaws literally dropped when I told them each via Skype. Anyway, I really felt like I was in need of service instead of needing to arrange for everyone else's services. Ethan was only a month old!

But this past month I have learned how wonderful the sisters in our ward are. I have yet to call someone (though I know it will happen soon enough) and be turned down to take a meal to someone. Our ward has already had three babies born (all the same week in December), and other needs for meals as well.

I know I'll be busier than I was with primary, but so far the boys have been understanding of my need to make a lot of phone calls. Hopefully we can all adjust, and it won't be too painful a transition.

I think it will also be cool to get to work more closely with Ryan. He is the elder's quorum president (and has been for almost two years), and he does all the arranging for giving priesthood blessings, loading moving trucks, and assisting with broken cars. Now I arrange for the meals, packing of moving boxes, and rides for car-less members. What a team we make!

Christmas Eve
We stayed home this year, for the first time ever. In the morning, we went bowling with about ten other families in the ward. It's a tradition for one of the families, and she invited all of us to join her. I hate bowling, but Collin is begging to go again, so I may just have to suck it up. Ryan and the big boys had a great time playing, and I had a great time socializing. :-)

In the evening, we had over our neighbors for soup and appetizers. We also decorated sugar cookies. Their children and grandchildren were with other family, so we were able to steal them away. It was great. We're so glad to have "family" now in Peoria.

After Jake & Laura headed to their church's Christmas Service, we opened this year's "Nana Jammies." Here are our little tigers.

At bedtime, Brennan was having a hard time calming down. I went in their room and told him he needed to go to sleep so Santa could come. He said, "But I am listening to hear the bells on Santa's sleigh." Yeah, think we've read Polar Express a few too many times this year? It was adorable. Then Collin told me that he had said his first personal prayer. He had thanked Heavenly Father that we could celebrate Jesus being born. That melted my heart too, and I left smiling.

Christmas Day

Being home to open presents with just our little family was awesome. First, we read the Christmas Story in Luke 2 and finished the last ornament on our Advent Tree.

Then we sorted our presents and took turns (youngest to oldest) opening one present each. Here's a random assortment of photos - monster hats, Curious George blanket, kitchen/cooking toys, books, a Marble Run, dress up clothes, and Mr Potato Head.

 

 

Ryan made eggnog donuts, scrambled eggs and sausage and bacon. We played toys the rest of the day! It was nice to be home and relaxed.

Unfortunately, Ethan was sick all day, and I spent the whole day in a panic. He had a raging fever, and on any other day I'd have taken him to the doctor. But we did NOT want to be in the ER on Christmas Day (miserable experience with Collin at 4-days-old in the hospital), so we did piggy-backing doses of Motrin and Tylenol all day. When Ethan is sick, he pukes up all his feedings when he gags on the mucus in his throat, so Ryan and I (and Ethan) went through several apparel changes throughout the day. Laundry on Christmas Day? Yuck. The fever finally broke after his 1pm dose. That part wasn't the best. He seems to be doing much better now. Thank goodness.

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you are enjoying lots of time with loved ones.