The Best Gift 2008

Last week, Kate was given a slinky at her class gift exchange.  She was careful to keep it up because she has seen the usual fate of slinkys--a tangled mess of coils. 

On Monday, she left it on the floor and Weston found it.  I watched him as he did the normal slinky stuff with it and thought it was harmless enough.  A few minutes later I discovered him with a tangled mess of coils. 

Weston's first thought was to hide the ruined slinky under the chair, but I told him to think again.

"That's not honest" I tried to teach him.  " The best thing to do is to go tell Katie that you are sorry that you ruined her slinky." 

So he did and ended up with a shove from his big sister.

Then, on Christmas morning, Weston unwrapped a present from his stocking.  It was a brand new slinky.  With all the commotion from opening stocking stuffers, I hardly noticed that he had opened it.  I didn't see him get up from his gifts and cross over to where Kate was sitting.  But, he finally caught my attention as he stood beside his big sister and stretched out his hands, holding his new slinky.

Katie, a little absorbed in her own stocking presents, commented,  "Wow, Weston, you got a slinky."

He pressed his gift-giving hands in her direction once again, this time he said softly, "You keep it."

Kate realized that her little brother was trying to right a wrong.  She took the slinky from him and then she hugged him tightly.  He hugged her back and they stayed like that for a few moments. 

That was the best gift this year.

Christmas Morning

Christmas Eve

Keaton made his shepherd's crook from a hanger. 

He came up with the idea and broke the hanger all by himself.

1 small square of wrapping paper

That is all I handed to him.

Weston wrapped this present to me all by himself.  He only used about 11 pieces of tape.

My Own Two Hands

Katie's Diorama

Weston's Gingerbread house

Steck Family Gingerbread House

Keaton's manger

 

Temple Lights

It rained on us this year.  The hot chocolate at Village Inn seemed a little better this year because of it.

Christmas Cards

                 {The One We Sent Out}

                                     

                                             {The One We Should Have Sent Out}

                                                              --edited by Kate

Experiencing Christmas

Growing up I shared a room with my older sister, Amy, for as long as I can remember. Often at night, neither one of us wanted to get out of bed to turn off the light. We would each try to convince the other sister that it was definitely her turn to turn off the lights. Usually, one of us would end up saying, “I WISH I had a clapper” (the gadget that would automatically turn off the lights at the clap of your hands). We would laugh and one of us would give in and turn off the light.

One year at Christmas time, Amy thought it would be funny to actually give me a clapper for Christmas. So at the family Christmas party she told my cousin and a few of my siblings that a clapper is what I would be opening that night at the gift exchange. They giggled with each other and I was irritated because I was not in on the joke. Then Grandma came in the room and clapped her hands to get our attention and laughter erupted from their corner. I got angrier. I was feeling selfish and feeling sorry for myself. When I finally opened my gift, I threw it aside and said that I didn’t want it. I did not like myself in that moment, but I felt like I had gone too far to take back the angry words. I would not let myself step back and laugh in spite of myself. I let selfishness and pride govern my behavior. I learned a lesson that year.

In contrast, some twenty years later I was doing some Christmas shopping at the mall and noticed that a jewelry store was going out of business. Everything was marked 75% off. I excitedly went in the store, thinking that I might find a diamond band for myself. I had been wanting a ring for my right hand for a while and thought this might be an opportunity to get something I really wanted for Christmas. I quickly found a pretty band that had about 20 or 30 sparkly little diamonds set in white gold. It was perfect and it was a great price. I bought it and hurried out of the store before I could change my mind.

It wasn’t until I was on my way home that I thought about my sister-in-law, my younger brother’s wife, who had lost her wedding ring and had not been wearing a ring for some time. I knew exactly where that sparkly band belonged and it was not on my finger.

My brother and his family came to Christmas dinner that year. Just before he left, he pulled me aside and said, ”You know, my favorite part of Christmas every year is when all the big gifts are opened and we are left with family gifts that are nestled in under the tree. I love to see how excited my children are when something is opened that they picked out. I love to watch brothers and sisters giving gifts to each other.” Then with emotion in his voice, he confided, ”This year, there was another little box tucked in deep behind the tree—a little box with a diamond band in it—another gift from a sister to a brother. I just wanted to say thanks.”

I learned a different lesson that year. I learned that acting with selflessness and love is the best way to celebrate Christmas.

He's Got Heart

I woke up this morning, looked at the clock and realized that school was just about to start. I coughed half the night away so my internal wake-up alarm was a bit off. I scrambled out of bed and hurried to get the kids up and ready. We were amazingly pretty fast.

Just before the grand exodus, I helped Weston with his tennis shoes. I started to cough again as I finished with the velcro straps.

After my coughing subsided, Weston wrapped his little arms around my neck and nuzzled his precious nose on my cheek. He stammered,"I hope you...I hope you..."

It took a moment before he realized what he wanted to say,"I hope Jesus Christ will help heal the sick away."

Honey-Pie.

This is the same boy that hollers, "You are MEAN!", almost daily.

This is the same boy that often throws two-year-old tantrums, even though he is five.

This is the same boy that can't help that he has a passionate heart.

Ewwwww! Gross!

As a child I believed that mook was the real name for--(there is not a gracious way to put it)--poop.

Any variation on the word worked as well. Imagine the incredulous giggles when my sister and I found the Mookie Wilson baseball card in my brother's stacks. Who in the world would name their kid "Mookie"?

I was in the second grade before I realized that mook was not a recognizable term to most of the world.

I was in the school bathroom with my best friend and for some reason the subject came up. I repeated the word mook several times before I realized that she did not know what I was talking about.

I finally said, "Never mind." Too embarrassed to explain that the first 7 years of my life I believed in a made up word.

Twenty eight years later, I still can't shake the word. I was in the Costco parking lot, digging through my purse--come on camera, where are you?-- I had to get this picture before someone ran me over. Of course, I giggled all the way home. Who in the world would love Mook and put it on their license plate?

Some things just stick.

Fat Lip

Something involving a swinging jump rope (think helicopter) and Keaton's mouth being in the wrong spot at the wrong time...

Seriously, I think the school nurse has us on speed dial.

Still There

  Today, I could have busied my little ol' hands folding this--

But instead, I chose to go to lunch with my hubby.  We ate delicious things together.

And we ate delicious things with these cool people.

Then, off to Hobby Lobby to buy more  good wrapping paper (half off, thick paper, and a ton on the roll!)

Next, of course, there was the all important errand of finding Christmas treats to fill my jars.

Guess what was still waiting for me when I got home?

At least I know I didn't miss out on anything while I was gone.

A Penny for your Thoughts

Weston came down to breakfast this morning with one hand shoved in his pocket. He got up on to the barstool, still, with one hand shoved in his pocket.

I asked him what was in his pocket and he answered, "Nothing."

I asked if he was sure about that because I really thought there was something in his pocket.

After a few seconds to think it over, he decided to come clean. He pulled out a handful of coins, spilling them on the floor.

I asked, "Did you want to take that money to school?"

He said, "Yes, because my friend Christopher broke his toy and I want to buy him a new one."

Oh! Sweetest boy ever!

I helped him put the money in a bag to give to Christopher.

Then he asked me, "Can you give me ten?"

His generosity was still sugaring up my heart, so I started to pull some coins out of my wallet to add to the toy fund. Weston stopped me, "No, I already have ten cents...I want a straight one, you know, ten dollars."

LOVE my boy!

My Favorite Line of the Day

After their baths, I promised Keaton and Weston they could watch an episode of the Clone Wars (a new series on cartoon network).

During one of the final scenes, a traitor droid unit (a gold r2d2 called r3--i know, i know-- i am getting star wars geeky) was destroyed in a battle.  Weston climbed up on my lap and, with all the empathy he could muster, moaned:

When Life Gives you...

  ... unripe, green, very sour lemons - USE LOTS OF SUGAR!

The boys were out playing in the backyard while I was getting some work done.  At one point Keaton comes in and says, "Dad, can we have some sugar?"  Fine.

Next thing I know I see Keaton and Weston happily engaged in making something in the kitchen.

Baby Teeth

Weston lost his first baby tooth on Wednesday. It was actually about 5 o'clock in the morning when I felt a little nudge and heard a sleepy, but excited, "Mama!"

I peeled my eyes open to see his open hand, inches from my face, with a tiny tooth right in the middle of his palm.

My heart broke, just a little.

I am crazy about those little teeth and I hate to say goodbye to them.

Mmmmm-mmmm....good

Thanksgiving is just about two weeks away so I thought I would post the recipe of the side dish that always has a place at our Thanksgiving table--or any table where we feast!

Pomegranate Salad

· 1 C. whipping cream, whipped

· 1 bottle marshmallow crème

· Seeds from 2 pomegranates

· 1 can crushed pineapple, well drained

· 1 medium sliced banana

· ½ C. chopped nuts (optional)

Fold marshmallow crème into whipping cream. Fold in the rest of ingredients just before serving.

 

Some Items are Not Machine Washable

Shucks.

Mama's Boy

Stuffed in the bottom of Keaton's backpack I found an art project he made at school. It was a paper cornucopia filled with things he is thankful for. I laughed when I realized he had pasted on a picture of fire as one of the things he is thankful for, but then again, he is the master of the flames and the stoker of the fire. Also, I loved that he included a tiny picture of bones.

But my heart felt all fuzzy when I saw the tattered "mama" glued to the brown construction paper.

The feeling is mutual--I would stick that boy's name on my cornucopia, too!

My Pretty

Kate's Elphaba costume was handmade and hand delivered from her sweet Aunt in California.  She literally put it on and ran out the door to Trick or Treat.  She did not want to pause for a picture.  I don't know what happened to her cape and her green face was melting ("I'm MELTING")...but who would ever notice any of that when we can drool over the corset?  I think I will put an order in for a few corsets for me!

Editor

One of the presents Katie was most excited to receive for her birthday was a premium subscription to picnik, a photo editing website.

She has spent hours unleashing her artistry on our old pictures.

Her latest project--

She turned this:

into this:

She is so cute!

Extra Large with Cheese, please

I  bought an adorable apron on Saturday.  It is so cute that I put it on as soon as I got home and didn't take it off for 7 hours--and I even ordered pizza for dinner while I had it tied neatly around my waist!

Remains of the Day

Weston has all of three pieces of candy and an empty jolly rancher wrapper left from Halloween.

yep...that's the face of an inhaler.

Halloween 2008

Jedi

Caramel Apples

Pretty China Girls

(Kate was an incredible Elphaba from Wicked...will post pic soon!)

Gimme A Break

Fall Break proved to be fabulous this year. We took a break from all the craziness and ran for the hills--well, not the hills, but the mountains.

We rented a cabin in Show Low for three nights. It was perfect.

We explored and took long walks.

We played at the nearby playground.

We played Phase 10 and Canasta for hours. (I love my competitive face in this shot..."Seriously, you are not laying down again!")

I loved being able to set aside all the things I needed to get done at home and just...be.