Gingerbread, earthquakes, and tornadoes...

Everyone needs a kind-hearted child with that extra dose of sensitivity and compassion... Alexandra tends to consistently be that one in our family.  She's concerned for the welfare of others and is more sensitive to other's feelings than any normal six-year-old.  So on her very own, she called Ama and invited her & Kelly to spend Christmas with us because she couldn't stand the thought of them being alone in cold Mt. Pleasant without grandchildren to share the joyF with...  So we have Alexandra to thank for Ama gracing our home at Christmas this year. a

One of our traditions that I just never accomplished this year on my own... was gingerbread houses.  It's one of the kids' faves... because there generally are no rules about two for me, one for the house, three for me, one for the house, etc.  And with individual frosting pouches, eating that was easier too.  So Ama brought the goods...

... But it's the last time she'll ever do it with these six kids, I'm sure.  

Sugar highs and the high-energy with big kids that want to destroy & eat the houses faster than they can make them-- nope, she didn't bargain for that.  I should have snapped a photo of the earthquake that hit Monson's and the tornado that tore through Brayden's.  Then we'd remember why.

Thanks, Mom... for being a sport & carrying on the tradition!

Christmas Morn.

Isabella says it all...

Joy Noel in our hearts

We've never been unemployed for Christmas.  We've never been unemployed for longer than three months... and this year we shot that right out of the water and continue to set records. 


We've never exhausted our savings and had few to zero options in our immediate financial present & future until this last summer.  It's been a whole insane year of financial crazy.  It's also been an insane year of amazing blessings and tender mercies.  I have no other words to adequately express those feelings.




It's much easier to focus on needful things when you have no other choice. It's much easier to continue to sacrifice wants and some needs when we seek to gain a little understanding of the sacrifice and embrace our challenges wholeheartedly.  


Yes, some days are tougher than others... some days we turn into two antagonistic nightmares.  Other days we force ourselves out of bed.  But at some point we do it (becuse we have to) and press on.  Curt hasn't quit looking for work and he hasn't quit furthering his education in the tough times.  There is light somewhere at the end of the tunnel.  There is hope in all things.


It's so incredibly sobering when so many others are cognizant of our struggles and generous beyond words.  It's that extra phone call, the note in the mail, the random 'thinking of you' email, the quick lunch date, the ear, the shoulder.  We have been blessed.  Heavenly Father will never forget His children.  Looking back at this last year, which was supposed to be our year to 'rebuild'... I chuckle a little bit.  But I think we've done just that in almost a spiritual sense.  We've changed our thinking.  I actually wouldn't wish for a different challenge at this time in our lives.  Call me crazy.


How grateful we are for the resources and gifts of love, tokens of kindness, all the small & simple things, and a few really large ones that have been sent our way and thrown us to our knees.  We were all geared up and actually quite excited to have a Christmas that has been unlike any other.  We weren't worried for the kids... these kinds of lessons and experiences are among those they'd remember for a lifetime.  


The love we felt this Christmas season was truly humbling... in an indescribable dose.  And all this is why.  Christmas for us has always been about a big family service project... and all the other wonderful traditions fill in the gaps and bring us all immeasurable joy and allow us to properly reflect upon our Savior as we turn our hearts to Him.  Sure, there's Santa and commercialism-- that's part of the butterflies & excitement.  Most the time it's too much.  Certainly our children have never gone without.  This year, we were all willing to do without.  The older kids each came to us at separate times saying they only needed pencils and shoes since his were a size too small and had holes.  One needed a jacket & socks, another needed nothing, but wanted a book.  Each of them told us we could have their money they had saved up so we could pay the bills... they were so sensitive and fully willing to sacrifice their own means so the little girls could have Christmas.  Lesson learned by all.  And I am one grateful mother.


But this year we weren't quite ready for what was in store.  And it was a lesson in gratitude and humility to try to graciously accept all the amazing outreach.  We were still able to participate in a wonderful service and reach outside of ourselves.  But we were the recipients of basically most of Christmas Day as our children know it.  It's harder than you might think to be on this end.  This is a first for us after 16 years of marriage.  So a heart-felt thank you to all, near and far.

Christmas Eve Traditions

For the last few years, Brayden has taken charge on our Christmas Eve Program.  I always look back...bummed, that I didn't capture the night sufficiently with pictures.  This year was no different... I'm bummed... didn't capture it. I'll learn.  I'll learn.  And that's also bad flash.

Brayden has not had violin lessons in over a year now, but practiced and performed a number especially for us... a treat for me.

McKenzie & Monson both played the piano...

And Alexandra, Isabella, & Viviana performed their 'Gift to You' number from kid karolers for Ama. 

kisses for Ama b

We all contributed... Curt told the story of the Christmas 

Orange... something we traditionally receive in our stockings year after year.  And we all did our Christmas Eve puppets as we read Luke 2 and sang lots of beautiful Christmas melodies.  Again, no photos.  But there's plenty of cute little Vivs fully enjoying our Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve I usually let the kids open their handmade gift from me...

and it usually ends up being their most treasured fave.  Just saying.... 

happiness is homemade

2010 was the year of the magnet boards... all personalized for the boys, and spiffed out to their personalities, for the girls.  These took HOURS.  Especially Brayden & Monson's.  The best part about them was the cost.  Taipan practically paid me to take these off their hands last spring.  

The boys is not only magnetic, but a chalkboard too... that made them even more giddy.

One day, I laid out a whole bunch of different fabrics and had the girls each choose their absolute fave.  That's what they got, so no bad guessing here.  I wanted to do a monogram of their initials on the wood... may still do it later.  Time was running out.

My boys each have like a gazillion teams.  They had no idea what I was doing... but I asked them to rank their teams so I could at least narrow it down to something do-able.  Did I say these took forever?  Cause they did.  

My mom hates cameras.  can you tell?  She'll rarely look at the lense.  But I take the photos anyway.  
I added detail to her corners... and it's polished and just so Ama..

and I couldn't resist making one for me... a bird's egg blue toile.  Lovey.

And another favorite tradition... Christmas Eve Jammies.
We have some pretty great family that watched out for us this year and even down to the PJ's...made that tradition still possible.F  Thank you dearly, you know who you are.  See.. yet again, a picture of all of them would have been nice.  Oh, ya... they were too giddy to even obey long enough to group together for a picture.  Except for these three cuties.

Merry Christmas, with love... blog catch-up version

Our 2010 Christmas e-greeting.... complete without a letter.  We went 'green' because we didn't earn much 'green' this year.

My sweet friend, Brooke, agreed to come out to Temecula and attempt to do a photo shoot in November.  The older kids were beyond giddy... probably because of the little slide incident at the beginning.  But Brooke most definitely did the best with what she had to work with.  Some more faves below...  and it's more than a few.  That's what happens when you have this many faces.  Plus, they are all photogenic and little hams when the camera shows up.

We thought it would be fun for the kids to all sit on the slide... 

in order-- but their weight completely collapsed it.  

They all piled into one another.  Ooops.