Christmas Twenty-Fifteen

Since we don't have a ton of room in our apartment for decorations, our Christmas was pretty simple this year. We set up a couple of small trees with colored lights and the decorations from the trees that were downstairs in the Perry house. There some other knick-knacks here and there.

We did get into the Christmas spirit, though. We saw Santa AND the Grinch. We listened to holiday tunes non-stop. We read Christmas stories. The magic of Christmas is so wonderful.

We had a little party with the Arbons like we do every year, but this year it was toned way down. We didn't do a cousin gift exchange because most of the cousins are old enough that they aren't that interested. We skipped the adult gag gift game, too, and just hung out and ate lasagna.

Christmas Eve was spent with the English family. We had the traditional Mexican food, sang Happy Birthday to Granny, and acted out the Nativity. The girls that that was so special. They took turns being Mary, and they've been pretending to be Mary for days since then.

We tracked Santa on our phones, which Mason loved. Then he came to our house! The kids took turns waking up throughout the night, but luckily no one spotted the big man! We record Christmas morning on the video camera, so there aren't any pictures.

Mason the Artist

Mason entered a holiday coloring contest in Brigham City this year. Nana picked up a page for each of the kids and Mason really took his time to make it perfect. She turned it in for us and a couple weeks later I got a call that Mason won a prize for his age group! I wish I could bottle the feeling he had when he found out he won and just give him a little of that whenever he is feeling down. He was beaming.

We went to a city building a few days later to collect the prize. He got a pass to Kids' Night Out at the Peak and his picture in the Box Elder News and Journal. We were so proud of his picture - you could tell that he worked hard.

So now he wants to be an artist, instead of an astronaut.

Santa!

Timmy T Turns Thirty-Three

My husband is getting old so much faster than me!

For his 33rd birthday we went out with our friends Jaron and Becky to Texas Roadhouse. Jaron told the waiter that it was Tim's birthday, so he had to sit on the bull. He didn't want to, but he did it. I got him a new saw for his birthday, which he will be returning. It was quite an exciting day!

Tim is awesome. He is a thinker. I have a tendency to not want to think about things that stress me out. I am very glad that he is willing to take the time to look at decisions from every angle. He stews about things and worries about them, and then he makes good decisions. He can brainstorm. I admire it and I'm glad someone in this marriage does it. 

He's also really fun. He's the one that gets down and plays with the kids the most. He could pass the football with Mason all day. He plays barbies and "house" with the girls. He makes me laugh. 

One thing I love most about Tim is they way he puts his family first. Anyone who knows him knows that he likes to talk about money. He thinks about it and talks about it and worries about it. He wants more. But anyone who knows him also knows that he puts his family first, always. He could make more money, He's got the smarts and experience and ambition. But he isn't willing to sacrifice quality time with his family. He is such a good provider, in more than one way. 

There are too many things that I love about him. It's morbid - but sometimes I imagine what I would say at his funeral. And there is just too much. People would be there all day.  

Eric turns 1

My final infant is now a toddler. He turned 1 year old today. I cannot believe it.

Eric is the sweetest baby. He loves his Mama so much. So much so, that mama is the only word he will say. And even that is rare still. He has started walking and showed off a few steps at his birthday party. He is good about entertaining himself or just following his siblings around. He loves to eat. He loves to cuddle in my lap and hold my hair. When he gets fussy at night he won't settle down until he can reach up and grab my hair to make sure it's me.

Sometimes I wish I could just cuddle him up and hold him, so tiny, in my arms forever. But he been really fun to watch grow. Each new stage and been wonderful and he gets more and more personality each day. I am so excited to see what kind of man my little guy turns out to be. So far, so good.

Autumn Leaves

I am still trying to get in as many park days as possible before it snows. Now a lot of the park trees have dropped their leaves and given us a new activity when we play. These kids are the best to hang out with.

Halloween

I think Halloween is the favorite holiday around here. They look forward to dressing up and getting candy almost as much as they look forward to Santa. They have been getting their fill of scary stories and spooky cartoons. We went to the Pumpkin Walk in Logan, and a haunted hay ride in Willard. We had a costume party at Nana's and then the bread bowl party and trick or treating and Grandma's. They each chose what they wanted to be this year. Mason was a devil, Brielle was Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas and Ava was a witch. Little Eric was a monkey, but he didn't get to choose.