Cactus, Oranges, Pineapples and Coconut

Random thoughts on Arizona.

I love being in 60' weather in December, BUT, it doesn't seem right to have Christmas lights, wreaths, and Christmas trees up when it isn't cold and snowy! Guess it's all what you're used to.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our Phoenix cousins.

A twelve hour drive is a LONG, LONG drive with five children.

The party Mike had planned for when we hit the 100,000 mile mark on our suburban, was a little anti-climatic driving through a barren desert highway.
Loved and appreciated the three separate COMPLIMENTS we received from three separate people while dining at a restaurant yesterday on how beautiful/well behaved our five children were. (The lecture in the car previously must have worked!!)

Luke is aching to touch a cactus and Joshua insists the Joshua trees "aren't me" and Ellie says "palm trees remind me of pineapples."

Megan questioned "Why aren't there any coconuts on the palm trees?"

Love sitting out on a deck playing Skipbo on December 30th.

Oranges growing on trees are a constant source of finger pointing and "look over there."

I miss watching my local news each night. Yes, I am a litle obsessed, and feel mild anxiety going to bed each night without it.

Checking into our resort, the 'Concierge' asked me if I needed a glass of wine when she realized I had just been in the car for 12 hours with five kids. I was very tempted to say yes.

With the exception of playing with the Phoenix cousins, a twelve hour drive is a long way to "only want to swim and play games as a family."

We are telling our children that in Arizona they celebrate the new year at 9pm. Isn't that right?

Until next year...

Santa's Visit

Megan was thrilled (and a little alarmed) at the mannequin hair doll she received and has spent hours doing different hairstyles without her 'models' saying, "Ouch" or "I'm bored of this now."

Luke LOVED his 'hunting boots' that are now constantly on his feet. Everyone has to watch out for their toes or small toys to not get stepped on.

Ellie immediately began using the scissors to get into the baby doll inside the box and the baby doll combined with the new cradle Nana and Grandpa gave her declared, "This is my best Christmas ever."

Joshua loved his new bike, (after Grandpa and Daddy modified it so he could actually ride it), although his 'new BB Gun like Bubba's' has rarely left his side. (It is not a BB gun.)

Drew usually co-operates with whoever sits him down on his fire-engine at any given moment. Drew looked like a big boy in his first pair of cowboy boots courtesy of Nana and Grandpa.
Mike acted like a kid as he had Grandpa time him to see how fast he could lap the house on his new bike.
And Mom, though she is thoroughly enjoying the new computer we purchased earlier in the month, was momentarily speechless when Mike said, "The thought didn't even occur to me to get you anything else."

So, later on Christmas Day when Mike said to me, "You do a really great job of making Christmas a great day for all of us."

I bit my tongue and refrained from saying what I really wanted to say.

(You're damn right I do!)

Christmas Highlights

Christmas Eve Dinner, (wearing our silly hats that came out of the Christmas Crackers)

Cindy found the quarter in her dessert and won the $5.00 bill for the third time in the six years we've had this tradition. (Grandpa has won twice, Luke once.)
Everyone was mildly disappointed to have another repeat winner!

Finally ready to say goodnight.

Drew and Cousin Annie's First Christmas.

Christmas afternoon spent with extended family at Mimi's house.

Fine Sweaters and Fine Mothers

I couldn't help but smile extra big on Sunday during the Sacrament Meeting choir program number in which the senior primary accompanied the choir. Luke was on the front row in his Christmas sweater, grudgingly singing along. And I just knew there was a smile shining down from the other side of the veil. I'm sure Granny is thrilled that the sweater she lovingly knitted is still being worn 18+ years later.

Though this Christmas sweater is less traditional than Christmas sweaters other boys may wear, it has turned into a sentimental, tangible reminder of not only my beloved Granny, but my son's enthusiasm and love for Christmas. I love that he wants to wear it.

Well, even if last Sunday he was a little hesitant to wear it because "Brennan and Chloe made fun of it last week in Primary." And so in my true, honest, mothering way I said,

"Tell them to shut up."

Merry Christmas!

Test of Obedience

"No one touch the candy. It is for the party."

Zooby Family

(random photos from December)

During the recent snowstorm, Mike was on and off the phone for hours on end dispatching and coordinating the snow removal crews. Sunday morning was just a normal Sunday morning for us. Even with an earlier than usual church time due to Stake Conference, things were rolling along quite smoothly. Mike continued to be on and off of the phone, and was doing quite well multi-tasking between phone calls, flipping hash-browns and frying sausage.

I was in and out of the kitchen when I could hear words such as "home", "five", "range from 11 to 9 months." What is he talking about I wonder? When for the previous 24 hours I've heard nothing but snow removal lingo.

The phone call ended. My questions began. Who was that? And what were you talking about?

"Oh it was Mark. He asked where I was, because he thought it sounded like the zoo in the background."

I chose not to be offended.

My house. Five children. Getting ready for church.
Really? I think. A zoo?
And I thought the morning was going quite well.

I've wondered since, how many children does this Mark guy have?

Oh. That's right.

NONE

A Blessing In Disguise

Each December, we meet with our Bishop for Tithing settlement. This year we didn't receive a letter with our scheduled appointment. With the chaos of Mike's surgery, then Mike's canceled surgery, we received a last minute phone call tonight. We had been 'forgotten' and could we come tonight?

The evening wasn't going so well at our house. Major temper tantrum over homework, unkind words to siblings, and a dinner that three younger kids deemed "disgusting" or "gross" or "I'm not eating that." Add to all this, Mom's request to put on church clothes to meet with the Bishop. Mom was snappy...Dad was getting irritated mom was snappy...

But to the church we went.

Daddy carefully chose his seat by the Bishop's candy jar to help the genetic sugar radar in our children from going off full-blast during our meeting. Most of the words were exchanged, the opening of the candy jar was soon to be the reward for the well behaved children.

While the Bishop states we are "one of his favorite families" (we sure have him fooled don't we?!) and because we "are the last tithing settlement of the year," he turns to a drawer to his side and tells us, we deserve "the good stuff."

King size Snickers for all. Faces immediately lit up. A reward? for the money the children had moments ago gasped that they had parted with. A blessing? the Bishop assured them paying tithing would bring.

Seven king size snickers, yet Joshua still requested the sucker he had been eyeing for the previous ten minutes.

Ellie's (lack of) gratitude as we drove home was, "I really wish he'd given us each one for how old we are. Then I would have five for me."

Joshua's genuine kindness, "I will hold Dewie's. He can eat it next year."

I've always believed tithing blessings come in all shapes and sizes.