The Christmas Spirit

I have just been the recipient of a kind sole who portrayed the Christmas spirit.

Last week I was at the post office mailing a package and I got all the way done and I looked in my wallet and realized I had left my debit card in my pants pocket. I didn't have any cash with me so I told the lady I would go home and get my card. The lady standing behind me said she would pay for my package. I said that was okay she didn't have to because i only lived a few miles away but she was already handing the post office worker her card.



I don't know if it was because she saw I had two little kids with me or if it's because it wasn't that much (only about $4) or if she was just being kind but I really appreciated not having to get my kids back in the car and go home and get them back out at the post office. It really wasn't that much but I thought that was awfully nice of her.

Christmas Tag

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?-- Paper, especially shiny paper. I like bows too.

2. Real tree or Artificial?-- Grew up with a fake one, I would love to have a real one someday

3. When do you put up the tree?-- Right after Thanksgiving except this year because I abandoned my hubby to go to my parents house...(see previous blog)

4. When do you take the tree down?-- middle of Jan. because we're lazy (takedown is not as much fun as putting up)

5. Do you like eggnog?-- sort of...I can only have a few sips at a time, it's too rich

6. Favorite gift received as a child?-- Can't think of just one, one year I got a jogging suit, one year I got a popple

7. Hardest person to buy for?-- Kevin, all he wants are movies or video games

8. Easiest person to buy for?-- The kids, all they want is toys, trick is finding cheaper ones

9. Do you have a nativity scene?-- yes but it's really small and glass, I want a new one

10. Best Christmas gift you ever received?-- Can't think of a best but I got married just after Christmas, so I guess my hubby was the best gift.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?-- Barbie clothes, I didn't like Barbie much

12. Favorite Christmas Movie (s)?-- Tons, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and "Charlie
Brown Christmas" and "Life and Adventures of Santa Claus" and "Miracle on 34th St. (the new one" and I could go on and on

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?-- I always say I'm going to start in the summer but I always end up doing it last minute...somewhere around the week before

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?-- Yes, but only for a white elephant gift

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?-- Plum Bread

16. Lights on the tree?-- Absolutely, I grew up with colored but I like white better

17. Favorite Christmas song?-- "Breath of Heaven" sung by Amy Grant

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?-- As long as I"m with family, I don't care, usually travel

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's?-- Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder, Blitzen, & Rudolph

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?-- Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? --We're starting a new tradition of opening one on Christmas Eve, (pajamas but don't tell the kids)

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?-- Nothing, I love all of it

23. Favorite for Christmas dinner?-- Don't know

24. What do you want for Christmas this year?-- Carpet Steam Vac

Oh Christms Tree

We finally got our tree put up. Landan was actually a big help. He was very proud of the tree. Especially the Storm Trooper.


Now we just need to teach Gavin not to touch the tree.

Kiss the Baby

Crawlin' Gavin

Look out world! Here he comes!





(Please excuse the dirty floor. That's what you get when your baby pukes on the floor all day long. I'm hoping for a carpet cleaner for Christmas)

Gavin- 7 months

Never fear folks. Gavin got reweighed last week and he is growing just fine. He now weighs 14 lbs 9 oz. He gained 1 1/2 pounds in a month. He went from the 0% to about 4%. We did some things different to get some calories in him and he's doing much better. And he's growing so much! He has changed very quickly in just a few short days.

He can hold himself up on his feet for a few seconds all by himself.


He can sit unsupported...well, sort of. He'd rather be laying on his stomach and rolling around on the floor.


He's started saying consonants too. He used to just say ah..ah..aaaaahhhhhh. Now he says, " aduh...aduh...aduh...aduh". It's so cute. He's growing so fast.

My Family, My Life

I have said it before and I'll say it again. I feel like I lead a double life. I have my family/church life, and then there is my work life. I feel like I have to defend my ideals and morals and all my beliefs every day at work. This world is so different than I have ever experienced. Today at work I had someone belittle my family and my desire to have more children. She made me feel stupid and ignorant because I want a big family. She told me that I'll never be able to afford more children, I'll never be able to spend enough time with my kids, and I won't be able to love them enough. She made me feel bad for even considering it. I come from a family of 5 children and Kevin comes from a family of 8 children. I never felt unloved even with so many kids. WE have both always wanted a big family ourselves. I know it's ridiculous to let someone else make you feel bad but the way she was talking made me want to defend my decision to have children. Now I'm not saying that having a big family is right or even possible for everyone, but it's nobody's business but yours and the Lord's how many kids you have.

Sometimes I feel like I grew up very sheltered. I knew it was unusual for my parents to have 5 kids, especially so close in age, but I didn't know people actually frowned on it. I just thought we were an oddity. When I went to college I went to BYU in Utah, the land of big families. 5 kids was small potatoes there. Now that I live in Austin, I have had to explain my desire for many children time after time. And I always get the same answer..."How will you remember them all?...Are you crazy? That is way too many...That's ridiculous." Or something like that. I have a very hard time being excited about something when everyone around me is telling me it's wrong. Unfortunately the normal thing here seems to be to get pregnant, get married because you're pregnant, get divorced because you can't get along, and spend the rest of your life regretting the mistake of having a baby in the first place. Isn't that sad, that children are growing up knowing they were a mistake.

When I'm at work I miss being home so much I don't get to go to church as much as I'd like to because I have to work and I finally figured out why I hate missing so much. Besides the fact that it does make my week go so much nicer and I feel good and it's the right thing to do, but it's almost like a safe haven. It's my cool water after traipsing through the desert all week at work. I get to be with people who understand me, they have the same values and morals as me, They believe the same things and they accept me for who I am and love my family no matter how big or small or rich or poor. I feel safe and happy.

Let me tell you something. I love my family. Not just my husband and kids but my extended family and in-laws too. I'm proud to have such a big family. I like being with my brothers and sisters and parents. I love belonging to a church that preaches the sanctity of marriage and that holds the family in high esteem. I love my kids. I think about them all the time, especially when I'm away. I love how Landan runs into my arms every time I come home. He gives the best hugs. I love how Gavin's face lights up when he sees me. His eyes get all big and he has the cutest giggles. They are so precious to me and I wouldn't trade them for all the money in the world. And even if I have to work for the rest of my life, I will love every single one of my children and they WILL know it. And no one is going to make me feel bad about having kids. I may not be perfect, but I can be a mom, and that's the most important thing to me right now.