More Snow!

It has been a very white Christmas break. We woke up to about 4 inches of snow, with more still falling. By mid-afternoon, however, the snow stopped, and the cleared sidewalks dried off. But in less than 90 minutes, a blizzard blew in, and we got probably four more inches. Crazy!

Bradley and I had a dinner party tonight, but the weather was pretty grim for walking. (It was probably even worse for driving!) Fortunately, our babysitter lives less than two blocks away, and the dinner party was just three blocks away. We bundled up Mimi well (she's still too little for much babysitting), and walked out to find that the wind had died down. Although there was much snow on the ground everywhere, it was a beautiful walk. The snow transformed the area into (forgive the cliche) a winter wonderland, and the night was so quiet and still.

The party was really great--it's so nice to be a grown-up sometimes! One-half of one of the invited couples didn't make it, because he was stuck in a horrendous traffic jam on the freeway in Provo. From what I can tell from the local news, he might STILL be stuck. Jack-knifed semis and spun-out passenger cars have created a huge mess there.

Sometimes not having a car is a blessing in disguise! (Looking for the silver lining here, folks.)

We got the word about our car today. They are calling it a total loss (not surprising), and giving us quite a generous payout. (More than we expected, which is a nice surprise.) Bradley and I walked over to the tow truck lot today and cleaned out the van. Remembering that Zee wanted a piece of the car to take to show and tell, we grabbed a largish chunk of tail light plastic from the trunk. It was a little chilling to see the back window glass scattered all over the back seat where my three oldest kids were sitting. I can't believe how blessed and lucky we were!

Next adventure: buying a new-to-us van! Honda or Toyota?

Sore, but happy

Today was a good day. It was, of course, a day when I didn't go anywhere (because I have no car), but it turned into a great day.

(My knee doesn't really hurt anymore! The pain is much more on the "banged my knee on the doorframe" level then the "car accident ruined my leg FOREVER" level. Hooray! However, I am SO incredibly stiff and sore. It hurts to sneeze, because apparently the muscles you use when you sneeze are the same muscles you tense when you rear-end someone. Who knew? The kids are great--Zee's bump is barely there, and he feels "fantastic!" No one else is reporting soreness or pain.)

Today we watched some of our Christmas movies: Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story 3, and the music video DVD that came with Zee's They Might Be Giants "Here Comes Science" CD. (Off-topic: Awesomest CD/DVD ever! If you have kids interested in science, GET THIS CD. It rocks. Em has been singing about Roy G. Biv all evening, and the DVD music videos kept all three of the older kids enthralled through two viewings.)

We also got out the coloring books Grandma Tobler gave for Christmas, and spent an hour just coloring. We built massive creations with the Legos and MegaBlocks, we read books, and we ate lots of Christmas junk food.

It was very soothing.

Also comforting is the outpouring of love and support from our friends and family. At last count we have been offered four loaner cars, six errand-helpers, three babysittings, two dinners, and many "whatever-you-need-just-call"s. Thank you, everyone. It's humbling and amazing to live in such a generous and loving community!

Still Trembly

So, this morning I packed the kids into the car to have lunch with Daddy and then spend the day with my sister Telima.

Except lunch and Telima didn't happen, because on the way--on I-15 between the north Springville and University Avenue exits--we were in a three car accident. Traffic braked suddenly, I stood on my brakes, and we couldn't stop in time. I can remember choosing not to swerve, because I was scared of flipping the van over on the mud of the shoulder. We hit the back of a SUV, and I saw the hood crumple a bit, and had just enough time to think: "OK, that wasn't so bad..." when CRASH. The car behind us rammed us.

It was so loud.

I had enough time, in the split second between crashes, to look up at the rearview mirror to check the kids, and now I have an image of them flailing back and forth indelibly impressed on my mind. Probably forever.

As I instinctively pulled off the side of the road (all three cars in the accident did), I was asking the kids if they were okay. Zee and Em were crying. Someone--maybe Zee, maybe Gee--was saying, "What happened? What happened?" I put the car in park and jumped out, frantically pulling the side doors open to check on everyone.

We were so fortunate, and lucky, and blessed. Everyone was okay. Hebs looked confused, but completely unhurt. Gee was likewise perplexed by the event, but totally fine. Mimi just grinned up at me, like, "Cool. We there yet?" Em was scared but fine. Zee was the one I was the most worried about--he hit the back of his head as he was flung forward and back. He cried a bit, saying his neck and head hurt.

I felt nothing, physically, my adrenalin was so high. My stomach was churning, my hands were shaking, and I had the overwhelming urge to cry. There was a strong feeling of disbelief, too. This couldn't have just happened. We were just going to lunch with Daddy! But I knew I had to keep it together so I wouldn't panic the kids. They were shaky enough as it was, and every time I started to fall apart, their little worried voices brought me back.

Just behind us was an off-duty EMT, who called for the police and an ambulance. She reassured the kids, me, and the other drivers. She gave the kids stuffed animals, and when the ambulance came, she had the EMTs examine Zee (who has a painful bump on the head, but is just fine otherwise). The other EMTs gave all the kids blankets to keep warm, and wrapped one around me as well.

The front hood was all completely bashed in, and the rear was totaled. The trunk space was practically not there anymore, and the window was gone. Both sliding doors still opened, though.

I used someone's cell phone to call Bradley, and told him right off the top that everyone was okay, but that the car was wrecked. He borrowed a car and zipped over as fast as he could, but because of the traffic jam we'd created, it was a good 45 minutes before he made it to us. In the meantime, I was filling out paperwork and reassuring the kids. And still holding it together, barely.

Finally he arrived, and I ran over to him as best I could, with a rapidly stiffening knee and the horrible mud on the shoulder. I knew I was going to cry when I saw him, and I did, but I stopped, because we still needed to take care of stuff. We got the kids in the borrowed sedan, finished the paperwork, accepted the citation ("Unsafe Following Distance," which, to be fair, is completely true. If I had been at a safe following distance, I wouldn't have hit the first car. That wouldn't have stopped the accident, because the girl behind me would have still hit me, but still. There you go.), and watched the van get winched onto the tow truck. And then we left.

We got home, settled the kids with food and movies, and then I fell apart.

I'm mostly okay, now. As the day goes on, I've become stiffer and stiffer. Now, at 9:30pm, I have a bit of a headache, a sore-ish neck and shoulders, but it is my knee giving me the most trouble. I've a lovely little bruise and bump on my left knee, from hitting the steering column, I guess, and if I sit too long it stiffens up and aches like the very devil when I try to use it. I imagine, after a night's rest, it will be even worse.

But! We are safe. We are all just fine. The kids seem to have recovered well from the accident. Zee wants to have a piece of the van to take to show-and-tell next week, and Gee spent some time today playing with his new emergency vehicle toys he got in his stocking, talking about a "HUGE car accident". And everyone has been a little more clingy, a little more needy of physical affection right now.

Which I have been more than happy to give. I am grateful to God for His protective hand over us today.

More Christmas Fun

Zee is quite proficient at his scooter, Em slightly less so. They both have high hopes of riding them to school next week.

Hebs loves trains. So does Gee, sadly. Fortunately, both have taken turns loving Hebs' present.

And Gee does love his present, with the little puppy figurine included. If I wasn't such a mean Momma, I'd have given a dog to these kids already.

Christmas Dinner

This Christmas, my sister Telima and I decided to make a fancy turkey dinner with all the trimmings. This has been one of the first holiday seasons that Telima and her family haven't traveled down to Las Vegas to be with parents, and so we were looking to make it fun and special. We invited Grandma and Grandpa Ross to join us, as well.

We roasted two turkey breasts (basically, turkeys without the wings and the legs, but with all the bones still in), made rolls, pomegranate salad, delicious mashed potatoes, Jell-O, veggies, and gravy. This was only my second time cooking a turkey, and my first time without my mother there to help, but it was surprisingly easy. In fact, the entire dinner preparation was totally laid-back and relaxing. That, in and of itself, was a Christmas miracle. Keryn-as-hostess doesn't usually do laid-back and/or relaxing.

Now, I don't have fancy dishes, cloth napkins with pretty rings, or gorgeous serving ware. (I do have six pretty water goblets, though, courtesy of Grandma Ross on my last birthday!) But even with those limitations, the adult table looked nice and festive when we got everything set.

The kids' table was far less exciting, but the kids didn't seem to mind. The layered Jell-O (a Christmas tradition in the Tobler family) provided all the thrills the younger set seemed to need:
(Notice Zee's Jell-O cup is upside down. He found that utterly fascinating.)

We didn't get much in the way of pictures, because we were too busy enjoying the food. It was a fun and yummy Christmas dinner.

Merry Christmas, The Loot Version

This morning the kids woke up to many presents under the tree.

(They even slept in until 8:30, a sweet gift for their parents. Of course, they didn't go to bed on time the night before, what with Christmas Eve at Grandpa and Grandma's house. When we got home at 9pm, we read our last Advent, blew out the candle one last time, and the four younger kids went straight to sleep. Not so for my big Zee. He was full of Christmas Eve excitement and anticipation. Not even a chapter from Harry Potter calmed him down--it was 10:30 before he was asleep. Fortunately, Santa's job was pretty quickly done, so Momma and Daddy weren't up too terribly late.)

Hebs got a train Lego set (the big duplo kind), and Gee got a numbers Lego set (also duplo). Em and Zee each got a Razor scooter. There were all kinds of littler-type presents, and books books books galore. Hebs and Gee got some block-books and puzzles to share, and Em and Zee got an extension kit to the SnapsCircuit set we already have. Mimi got a little book and some toys from her grandmothers, but she was most perfectly happy with the tissue paper she snagged and played with during the great unwrapping. (They're simple this age!)

For Bradley, I got him some music for the piano, a new church shirt (exciting!), and a Broadway musical CD. But the best part was the violin--he's been really wanting to learn to play the violin, but he's been a bit concerned that his hands are too big to really do it. So instead of buying him a violin, I bought him three months worth of a violin rental, from the music shop here in town. This way, he can see if it will work! It was a really fun present to plan out and give, and I think I surprised him.

For me, Bradley gave me a new calendar (Carl Bloch paintings), two new cords for my iPod (yay!), and...construction flood lights.

Huh? Construction flood lights, you say? Why, yes, flood lights. You see, I really wish we had bright lights for our side and backyard. Between masonry outer walls of our house, however, and the lousy electrical wiring, installing outdoor lights was probably out of the question, at least financially. So I've been wanting portable bright lights, that we could just plug in, and move around wherever we want. I'm really very excited about them, and now I can't wait for spring! It was a great surprise, because since winter came I haven't been thinking at all about outdoorsy stuff.

I also got several books from my mother. I'm most excited to read The Man Who Made Vermeers, all about art forgery and war crimes. Six Days of War is also well-recommended, so I'm looking forward to that one as well. Thanks, Mema!

It seemed like all the presents were a great hit--the kids spent all day playing on and with their presents. There were surprisingly few fights, and a lot of sharing went on. It has been a wonderful Christmas! (And tomorrow I'll tell you all about dinner, which was very extremely fun and successful, hooray!)

Merry Christmas

God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son. (The Living Christ, 2000)

Snow Day!

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

Mimi woke up, hungry, at 5:50 this morning. As I stumbled out of bed to fetch her, before she awakened the rest of the kids, I noticed the windows were filled with the strange, peach-colored glow that means snow is falling. I vaguely remembered seeing the same peach glow at Mimi's earlier feeding at 1:15 (she is feeling better, and so making up for missed meals), but hadn't been awake enough to care.

Before I had gone to bed the night before, the snowstorm was forecasted to turn to rain around midnight. The light outside hinted at a different outcome. After satisfying my baby's appetite, and returning her to her crib, I crept upstairs to peek out the kitchen window.

This is what I saw:

Yes, this is a picture of my garbage cans. You are jealous of my classiness.

Holy Cow! The ground was thickly blanketed in white, and every object was covered in a ton of snow. Completely surprised, I spent several minutes just staring, and then went downstairs to wake Bradley. (I wanted to share the wonder with him, even though he was peacefully sleeping, because I'm generous like that.) We marveled together for a while, and then started considering what this much snow meant for the morning's tasks. And it was still coming down!

Bradley decided to go up to the church and snow-blow the sidewalks around the ward building. It's not our ward's turn for this job, but it hadn't been done the day before, and the church is in our neighborhood. I decided to get dressed and shovel our walks before it was time to get the kids up and going.

I didn't realize what a job I was letting myself in for. The snow came up to my kneecaps, and it was wet and heavy. Everything was liberally coated in white--fences, cars, roofs, railings, trees. Several times I heard a cracking sound from across the street in the park, and once I turned just in time to see a large tree branch falling from one of the big evergreens. (Later, Zee watched, from our front window, when what seemed like half the tree came crashing down.)

Poor tree!

We live on a little tiny lot, but it took me more than an hour to shovel our walks and small driveway. By the time I was done, my back, legs, and wrists were aching. More disappointing than my general state of weakness, however, was the fact that an additional inch of snow had fallen while I was shoveling, and had covered everything I had done.

A mockery of all my work

I reentered the house to find my children awake and raring to go. Today was the last day of school before Christmas break, and all three school-aged kids were very excited about the parties, treats, and giving their teachers gifts. Calling for Zee and Em to hurry to get dressed, I pulled Gee on my lap for a quick snuggle while I checked the news reports for school closure reports. I thought that 12+ inches of snow overnight might be cause for a snow day, or at the very least a late start, but, being from Las Vegas, I never know what to expect.

The first bit of information I found reported that our school district had canceled bus service for the day. Parents could still take their children to school, but we were urged to use caution in traveling. Shortly after reading this, Gee's bus driver called to tell us they weren't coming. No problem, I could just take Gee to school today. He and I decided this was a good idea just as I clicked over to another website that announced that our district had just decided to completely cancel school for the day. Snow day! (Apparently the first snow day for our district in at least 20 years, possibly more.)

My children greeted this news with mixed emotions. Gee was excessively sad for a short time, Em was slightly sad for a little while, and Zee was sad not at all. Sugar cookies for breakfast, however, resolved most of the sorrow.

After sending Bradley off to work (and can I just send out a hearty "thank you" to our public bus system? No driving though the slippery dangerous roads for him!), we settled down for our very first snow day. Em was concerned about Santa Claus, and I reassured her that the weather was supposed to be good on Christmas, and anyway Santa flies through much worse storms than this one all the time. Gee was concerned about the amount of snow on the roof, and I reassured him that our roof was very strong.

Of course, then I walked by the kitchen window and caught a glimpse of this:

Good-bye, shed. (Sniff!)

Wow. I hadn't even thought to worry about the roof of the shed. Guess I know what we'll be spending on our spring yard money on this year. I was sort of hoping for a new patio.

When I saw it, I panicked at first, and frantically tried to reach Bradley at work. When I couldn't reach him, I thought about calling home teachers, or my father-in-law...to ask them what, exactly? When I reached that point in my train of thought, I calmed down. What, exactly, did I want someone to do? It is (and will be) a huge pain, yes, but not an emergency. And, really, what are you going to do but laugh, and be grateful it wasn't a tree branch on your roof or electrical lines?

So we made the most of our day, playing inside and out. Gee especially enjoyed the outside. Either he doesn't feel the cold as much (fine), or he can't feel the cold as much (not as fine), because he was the first one out and the last to want to come in. We wallowed in the deep snow, building "forts" and "cars", throwing snowballs and making snow angels, pretending to be "stuck" and gently pushing each other down, and of course we constructed a beautiful, slightly lost snowman, who seems to be looking for the beach rather than the ski slopes.

Our confused snowman

The snow didn't let up until around 1pm, and we have more rain/snow in our future. It's hard to imagine a better way to welcome winter, though, than +14 inches of snow on our heads. Even if it did take out our shed.

Measuring the snow on the van

Good things, II

Daddy: Why do we put a tree in our house at Christmas time?
Momma, thinking of pagan rituals and winter solstice: Oooh, can I answer that?
Daddy, giving Momma a dirty look: No
Zee: So we can put the presents under it!

(Just in case you were wondering, Bradley was going for the "evergreen tree" and the "Living Christ".)
__________________

Momma: We don't have any active volcanoes in Utah. It's a bummer.
Zee: Not really. Then they might erupt.
Momma: That's the point.
__________________

Gee, strutting around with a backwards apron around his neck: Look, it's Super Chef Gee!
__________________

It snowed all day today. (Gorgeous, gorgeous, but awful to drive in.) While I was carrying Hebs out to the car at one point, he pointed to the sky and said, "Snow-rain, Mom!" Sure enough, the snow was really more like a freezing rain than real snow right then.

Good things

I've been feeling pathetically sorry for myself this past two weeks, and it just won't do. Time to start concentrating on the good things in life.

Exhibit A: Hebs' cast


When Gee had his casts as a baby, I used them as a canvas. I wanted to do the same for Hebs' cast. Of course, his cast is fiberglass, not plaster, which makes drawing on it far more difficult.

But, lo and behold, I had bought glitter glue sticks a week before, intending to have the children use them for Christmas cards. Figuring it was worth a try, I cajoled Hebs into sitting still, and began drawing snowflakes, stars, Christmas trees, and bells on his cast. They looked great!

Unfortunately, glitter glue is, well, just glorified Elmer's glue. Which, as any kindergarten teacher can tell you, takes a LONG time to dry. Especially since I drew with thick-ish lines.

So...experiment semi-fail. Most of the designs got smudged, because there is only so long a two-year-old will sit still. (And that amount of time is not long enough for glue to completely dry.) But his dark blue cast is now sparkly! And some of the snowflakes turned out okay-ish.

However, I think this could really work, if your 12-year-old, say, broke a limb. Someone with the attention span greater than that of a gnat.

Exhibit B: Loving Children

We've been pretty sick around here, lately, and Mimi hasn't escaped it. She is so pathetic, with her sad crying, her imploring looks, her general discomfort. Poor, poor baby. She's done a lot of crying, and I can't always hold and comfort her the entire time.

Take tonight: While Bradley was at the ward Christmas party (he was part of the program, so he had to go), I gave the three older kids baths. As I was washing Gee's hair, Mimi's whimpers escalated into full force cries. The other three kids all gathered around her, singing snippets of "Twinkle Twinkle", patting her head, and telling me (every three seconds) that "The baby is SAD!" Awed by this attention, Mimi stopped screaming and cooed and laughed at her siblings.

When I brought Gee out of the bath into the hallway where she was laying, I discovered that Hebs had given his most prized possession, his beloved blue blanket "Naps", to the baby to comfort her. He was sitting on the ground next to her, gently patting the blanket, which was snuggled up against the baby. It was one of sweetest things ever.

And right now, in his darkened bedroom, Hebs is calling out to me, "I wuv you, Mom! I wuv you!" His call gains in volume if I don't respond in kind. Repeatedly. It is a trifle annoying, but COMPLETELY adorable.

Hebs' and his beloved "Naps" blankie

So, life is good. Nay, it is GREAT!

DIY Christmas Craft

Do you despair over decorating gingerbread houses with your children? Is the stress over the crumbles and the mishaps and the runny icing (that doesn't even taste nice!) dampening your Christmas spirit? Does even the lesser version of this time-honored tradition (graham cracker houses) fill you with dread?

Then Keryn's patented, one-of-a-kind, as-seen-on-TV "Christmas Tree Candy Solution" is right for you!

Follow these handy instructions for a relaxed mother, happy, sugar-stuffed children, and little-to-no mess to clean up!

Edible Christmas Trees

Things to buy at the store:

• sugar cones (not waffle cones, nor those styrofoamy light yellow cones, but sugar cones)
• cream cheese frosting (the Best Frosting in America, according to Zee) (I agree)
• green food coloring
• lots of cheap Christmas candy (for the kids)
• one carefully hidden bag of your favorite, not-cheap candy (for you)
• little paper plates

1. Tint the frosting green. (For an even easier craft, don't tint the frosting. Tell your children it snowed in the Christmas tree forest.)
2. Smear frosting thickly on the sugar cone.
3. Smear frosting on the opening of the cone.
4. Plop the cone on the paper plate, squishing down on the frosting.
5. Lick your fingers.
6. Hand to adorable child to decorate with the tons of candy spilled out on extra paper plates.
7. Don't stress about how much candy doesn't make it on to the "trees". (Decorating the trees is just a cover for getting as much candy in your mouth as possible.)
8. Doing this before lunch is not advisable. (Trust me on this one.)

Provo Tabernacle Fire

('Tis the season for (thankfully) brief bouts of flu, fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la. Sorry about missing yesterday.)

Bradley has his computer programed to turn on the radio to the local NPR station every morning at seven, just in case the kids haven't awakened us yet. (As a side note, "awakened" sounds totally pretentious. But "woken" can't be right, even if it is the way I usually say that phrase. Woke us up? Now that whole word is looking very, very odd. Whatever.)

This morning, I dreamily half-heard the local host talking about traffic. "Traffic is very slow in Provo right now, with the Tabernacle fire..." I sat bolt upright and said, "What? Did he say the Tabernacle is on fire?" Bradley confirmed that he had heard the same thing. So I reached for my computer and pulled up the Deseret News.

Sure enough, the beautiful, old, pioneer, stately, gorgeous, unique, amazing Provo Tabernacle was on fire. I read, with my heart sinking a little, that the roof had fallen in, and taken some of the walls with it. The fire had been called in somewhere around 2:30 am, the roof had fallen around 6:00 am, and the fire was still visible inside the building (from the high-rise next to it) at noon. According to the reports, it is likely to burn for a while, because of the heavy timber framework.

Oh! It is sad. I have many amazing memories of that gorgeous old building. We had a sunrise Easter service there one year. I remember watching the early spring sunlight shining through the old pioneer stained glass. We had a pioneer sesquicentennial celebration there one summer; I was an usher and wore a gorgeous late-1800s style costume, with my hair elaborately styled. Last year, I took Zee to his first concert ever, there, to watch his good friend Jacob in a children's choir performance. Just last night, Bradley and I drove past the Tabernacle, and noted that the "Gloria" concert would be there this weekend. We debated going, but realized that sick kids weren't going to make that possible.

I am so grateful nobody has been injured in the fire. (When the firefighters went in, they pulled out almost immediately because of the extreme danger.) And it feels silly to think that this is a tragedy, because it's just a building. But it was a building that was such part of life in Provo, and was such a testament to the determination and spirit of the pioneers. It is a tremendous loss for our community!

My Girls

Em and Mimi, both 4 months old.

Most of us are incompetent, you know

This, I worry about:

"Childhood obesity isn't just a public health threat, it's not just an economic threat, it's a national security threat as well.... We can't just leave it up to the parents." --Michelle Obama

It turns out there are a whole lot of things that the government does leave up to the parents, and these are things that can directly affect a child's quality of life. For example, most states have a "personal belief" exemption for vaccinations. (Whether I agree or not with choosing not to vaccinate is not the point. The point is, we leave it up to the parents.) We don't make parents teach their children to swim. We don't make them go to school (although we do require schooling of one kind or another). We don't make parents take their children to the doctor for regular checkups.

Educating parents is good. Encouraging the behavior you want is fine.

The phrase "We can't just leave it up to the parents" is not okay.

When I saw (or think) "I can't leave it up to person X", that generally means I don't think person X is competent enough to accomplish the task. This is not how the government should consider the parents of America.

So how, exactly, is the government going to ameliorate this "national security threat" of childhood obesity? I don't know, and I don't want to know. It's a terrible (and frightening) precedent to set.

Brotherly Love Forgives Even Vomit

So last night was interesting, in an amusing train wreck sort of way.

We did not get to go Christmas caroling again last night. Zee called from school, twice, while I was walking up to get his little sister from kindergarten. He had a stomach ache. By the time I got back home, saw the messages, and called the school, however, he was back in his classroom, acting just fine. So I left him there, wondering idly if he was bored.

After school he was fine, as well. (Especially after I reminded him that he was going over to a friend's house, so I could finish the last bit of Christmas shopping.) At dinner, though, he started to droop, and complain of being cold. He seemed a little warm to me, so instead of going out into the chilly wind and cold night, we stayed in. All the kids got cozy in bed, and Daddy read "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" aloud for an hour, until true bedtime.

At about four in the morning, I awoke to the unmistakable sounds of sickness. Hurrying into the boys' room, I found that Zee had vomited all over Gee, who had been sleeping next to him. Lovely. Although, remarkably, both boys were dealing quite well with the situation. Nobody was screaming, crying, or even whining (too much). Luckily, Gee only got tagged on his sweatpants, and a quick change and wipedown had him happy again. Zee was feeling better, as often happens after emptying your stomach, and submitted cheerfully to the wiping and changing. Within ten minutes, we had them back off to dreamland.

All the hullabaloo woke the baby up, and she needed some grub to help her get back to sleep. But she rewarded me with the sweetest baby smile you ever saw, as I laid her back down in her crib.

And then, of course, I laid in my bed for 30 minutes, wide awake. Oh, well.

On a Cold Winter's Night...

This past week was really hard, with Hebs in a splint (that he kept unraveling, thank-you-very-much-two-year-old) and Gee having major dental work, various appointments and responsibilities, and a momma trying very hard to keep it all together.

It was a giant relief to get Hebs' cast on Friday. It is over-the-knee, so he isn't standing or walking in anyway, but he needs so much less vigilance on my part, now. Thank heavens. I think the constant watchfulness was getting on his nerves as much as mine.

I feel as if I am climbing out of a dark well. (Aside for my siblings: "Are you in a well?" "Yes, I am!") I think this week is going to be much nicer than last.

And we started it out right, by going Christmas caroling tonight! Caroling is a fond Tobler tradition, and we went once last year, to Zee's kindergarten teacher. This year we are expanding. Because the weather is fairly mild for this time of year, we decided to walk around our neighborhood, caroling to some of our good friends along the way.

We've been practicing "Jingle Bells", "Far Far Away", and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" for the past six weeks. Gee and Em know all the words, and sing them quite prettily, and Hebs sings certain parts of certain songs. (He especially loves the chorus to "Jingle Bells.") Gee doesn't really sing in front of others, but he loves to groove to the music.

We bundled everyone up, wrapped Mimi in her sling on my chest, put the little boys in the stroller with a blanket, and gave everyone little flashlights. (The flashlights were a stroke of genius on Bradley's part. They made the walk an adventure for everyone, and had the added benefit of making us more visible in the winter darkness.) And then we were off.

As is normal for drop-by caroling, we had about a 50% success rate. But the children were completely adorable, and incredibly well-behaved. The looks on our friends' faces as we appeared at the door, singing, made all the preparations worth it.

And we all got an extra strong dose of Christmas spirit, too.

Christmas caroling, 2001
(I have the feeling we were much cuter carolers when we were much younger, but this is the only picture I have of my family caroling.)
(And you'll notice that we aren't bundled up. This is caroling Las Vegas style, baby.)

From left to right: Daddy (Michael Tobler), my sister's friend Brittanie, my sisters Telima and LaDale, me, Bradley, Mema (my momma), and David (my brother). Not present are my sister Jenafer (already married with three kids), and my brother Samuel, on his mission in Australia.

Warmth

The sun shone brightly today, and for whole minutes at a time I closed my eyes and turned my face to the light.

When my daughter was dropped off at the house after kindergarten, there was soup tureen full of taco soup, and all the fixings, sitting in a box on my front porch. A friend dropped it off while I was on the phone with Gee's teacher, having a makeshift IEP since I wasn't comfortable getting a sitter for Hebs.

Another friend, who has two small boys and is pregnant with her third, dropped by with a plate of cookies and some sympathy and love.

Bradley came home from work early to take Gee to his dentist appointment, so I didn't have to drag all five kids to an unpleasant event.

Maybe I'll make it through this week after all.

Tie a Knot

I won't lie, life is pretty hard right now. So I will leave you with something cute to look at:

Another First

Today Hebs proved his momma a prophetess.

It's an honor I could have done without.

Hebs is my rambunctious kid. He rockets around the house, careening into walls and bumping his head at least daily. He almost always has at least one lump on his forehead, unsurprising given his propensity to trip over his own feet, fold in half at his waist, and hit the ground headfirst. (I am going to enroll him in karate when he is five, just so he can learn to fall.) (I'm not kidding.)

So I have always said that Hebs is going to be my first visit to the emergency room.

And I was right.

This afternoon, Hebs and Em were running around the house, playing some sort of game. I was downstairs, napping. (I'll have to tell you about my Friday later, but believe me, I deserved this Saturday afternoon nap.) As far as we know, he tripped and fell in the entryway. I vaguely heard the crying, but didn't think much of it. Crying is a pretty normal sound in our house, and it didn't last very long.

About an hour later, I am upstairs to find a pretty quiet Hebs, with pillows and blankets, lying on the floor in the family room. Bradley mentioned that he had hurt his leg when he fell. When I picked Hebs up, he cried with pain, and wouldn't put any weight on his right leg. There was no swelling or bruising, but he was so sad. Concerned, Bradley and I decided to call a friend who has a bit more experience with broken bones then we do. She recommended we take Hebs to the urgent care, just to be on the safe side.

I hurriedly nursed Mimi and then took Hebs to the ExpressMED Urgent Care Center on Main Street. Bradley stayed home with the other kids. I have to tell you, I am traditionally a little leery of urgent care centers, but this one was wonderful! They were very helpful and quick, and (aside from one instance) very competent.

Every time I had to pick Hebs up, he moaned and cried. It was heartbreaking. It got to the point when he would just wave good-bye to me when I told him it was time to move to another room. Poor baby, he preferred to let me leave him then to have to move again. Usually, when one of my kids isn't feeling well, I will cuddle them on my lap, but that was not a good idea in this case. As soon as we got anywhere--waiting rooms, exam rooms, etc--I put him down on a chair or bed. He was much happier that way.

At the care center, they gave Hebs some Motrin, and tried to examine his leg. He wasn't very pleased with that. It was really hard to tell where the problem was, because every time you touched his leg or hip, he'd cry. So the nurse practitioner ordered a full leg x-ray. (Which was about as fun as you might expect. Poor, poor baby!) (And poor Momma, having to hold him down.)

Here was the only part the center didn't do as well on. The x-ray didn't come out very well, and they couldn't see anything. This was partially because Hebs wouldn't hold his foot still, and partially because they did something wrong. The nurse practitioner was concerned that he was still in so much pain, and that maybe the (possible) break was in the thigh, where the growth plates are. So instead of trying for another x-ray, she sent us to the ER in Payson, because there they could give him something stronger for the pain, and if it was the thigh, we'd have to go there anyway.

They refunded our $35 co-pay, and called ahead to the ER to let them know we were coming.

Mountain View Hospital in Payson is about 20 minutes away, and Hebs was calm and even cheerful on the way, albeit very subdued. He was that way all the time, in fact, unless someone was carrying him or touching his legs. The ER was pretty quiet, and as soon as we were finished with co-pays and paperwork (about five minutes), they took us back to a bed and gave Hebs some Lortab.

We waited awhile for the medicine to start working, and Hebs held his special blanket up to his face and sucked his thumb, while watching "Backyardigans" on my iPod. When the doctor came to examine his leg, the medicine wasn't enough to block the pain, and he was really sad. Again, they couldn't tell where the problem was, so it was back to a full leg x-ray.

Hebs was unimpressed with this experience. He howled the entire time, and took breaks only to refill his lungs and implore to "go home now". But they were able to get a good picture this time, and to see that, sure enough, there was a break on the tibia. Which is in the shin, thankfully, not the thigh.

It's a pretty good break, not just a hairline or greenstick. You couldn't quite see if it was all the way through, but it was near enough. Fortunately, it is also an "inline fracture", which means it will heal well and pretty easily without surgeries. Whew.

The nurses in the ER splinted his leg right up, and he howled though the first part of it. But once the bone was immobilized, he perked right up. I suspect that the Lortab was kicking in in a serious way, because he began blowing kisses to everyone in the ER, and telling them "I wuv you!" I sort of love them all, too, because they were great.

We have to keep him off his leg at least until the full cast, sometime next week. The cast is going to have to be over the knee, which is not fun, but we've experienced that with Gee before, two years ago. So we'll deal with it. I am so incredibly grateful it isn't worse.

He's peacefully sleeping now, leg propped up on a pillow. Zee, Em, and Gee have been very curious and very sweet to him, giving him kisses and loves and anything he wants. And we have more Lortab for later if he needs it.

The best part? Hebs had his Saturday bath this morning, before the fall. So, at least he got that in. Sponge baths for the next four weeks now.

Advent Readings

Last year, for every night in December, we celebrated advent every night. We turned off all the upstairs lights (except the Christmas lights), lit a candle, and I read a scripture that talked about the Plan of Salvation and birth of Christ while the children had a small piece of candy. The kids really enjoyed it--the candle and candy part, at least. There is much happiness when it is your turn to blow out the candle.

This year, ever since we got out the Christmas decorations, the children have been begging me to do "the candle time". Yesterday, they finally got their wish!

I love Christmastime, and I love having a quiet (ish) minute with my family at the end of the day to talk about Christ.

____________________________
Advent Day 1: We are children of God. Proclamation on the Family, "All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny."

Advent Day 2: Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ created the world. 3 Nephi 9:15: Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name." Moses 2:1: And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I reveal unto you concerning this heaven, and this earth; write the words which I speak. I am the Beginning and the End, the Almighty God; by mine Only Begotten I created these things; yea, in the beginning I created the heaven, and the earth upon which thou standest."

Advent Day 3: Adam and Eve were the first man and woman, and they lived in the Garden of Eden. Moses 1:34 "And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many." Moses 4:26 "And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living; for thus have I, the Lord God, called the first of all women, which are many."

Advent Day 4: Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. This was against God's command. They became mortal, and had to leave the Garden of Eden. 2 Nephi 2:19, 22-26 "And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth.
22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.

23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given."

Advent Day 5: Because we are mortal like Adam and Eve, we can't live with Heavenly Father again without help. 2 Nephi 9:7-8, 10 "Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement—save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs have remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.
8 O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more.
10 O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit."
Alma 34:9 "For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made.

Advent Day 6: Jesus Christ offered to help us return to live with Heavenly Father again. Abraham 3:24-27 And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;

25 And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;

26 And they who keep their firstestate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.

27 And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me.

Advent Day 7: Jesus Christ loved us so much that He promised to come to earth and die for us. This is called the Atonement. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Heleman 5:9 O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world.

Advent Day 8: For thousands of years before Jesus was born, everyone watched and waited for Him. They were excited for Him to be born. Number 24:17 "...there shall come a Star out of Jacob..." Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

Advent Day 9: Many prophets talked about Jesus's birth. Alma 7:10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem...she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall...bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God. Mosiah 13:33 For behold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people?

Advent Day 10: Mary was a young woman living in Israel. An angel came to her and told her she was going to be the mother of Jesus. Luke 1:26-32 "And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David."

Advent Day 11: Mary was supposed to marry Joseph, but after he found out she was having a baby, he wasn't sure they should get married. But an angel came to Joseph and told him that he should marry Mary, and that the baby was going to be the Son of God. Matthew 1:18-21 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Advent Day 12: Right before Baby Jesus was born, the emperor of all the land wanted to know how many people lived in Israel. So he made everyone go back to the land where their family was from. Luke 2: 1, 3 "And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed...And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city."

Advent Day 13: Joseph and Mary had to go down to Bethlehem. Luke 2:4-5 " And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child."

Advent Day 14: When Mary and Joseph finally got to Bethlehem, it was so crowded that there was no place for them to stay. All the inns were full. So they had to sleep in a stable, where animals live. Luke 2:7 "...there was no room for them in the inn."

Advent Day 15: There in that stable, Baby Jesus was born. His mother Mary wrapped him in swaddling clothes, which were to keep the baby warm and cozy. Luke 2:6-7 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Advent Day 16: An angel appeared to shepherds, who were taking care of their sheep in the fields near Bethlehem. Luke 2:8-9 "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid."

Advent Day 17: The angel of the Lord told the shepherds not to be afraid, because something wonderful just happened. The Savior of all the world had been born! They could find him in a stable in Bethlehem. Luke 2:10-12 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Advent Day 18: After the angel told the shepherds where to find the baby Jesus, suddenly in the sky there were many angels, all of them singing and thanking Heavenly Father for sending Jesus down to save us. Luke 2:13-14 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Advent Day 19: Wise men from the east saw the star and knew that Jesus was born. They traveled to Jerusalem and asked King Herod where they might find the baby Jesus. Matthew 2: 1-2 "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him."

Advent Day 20: When the wise men found the baby Jesus in Bethlehem, they knelt and worshipped him. They gave him wonderful gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:9-11 "When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."

Advent Day 21: On the American continents, clear around the other side of the world, the Lamanites and Nephites were preparing for Christ's birth, too. A mighty Lamanite prophet named Samuel came to the Nephites to tell them to repent. The wicked Nephites didn't want to listen, so Samuel had to stand on a wall to tell them that in five years, there would be a night without darkness. This was the sign that would tell them that the baby Jesus was born on the other side of the world. Helaman 14: 2-4 " And behold, he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name.

3 And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day.

4 Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born."

Advent Day 22: Many wicked Nephites decided that after five years, they would put the believers to death if the sign did not appear. This made the people who believed and followed God's commandments very sad and scared. 3 Nephi 1:9-10 "Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet.

10 Now it came to pass that when Nephi, the son of Nephi, saw this wickedness of his people, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful."

Advent Day 23: The prophet Nephi prayed that the Lord would keep the righteous safe. The Lord tells him that tomorrow would be the day that baby Jesus would be born. 3 Nephi 1:12-13 And it came to pass that he cried mightily unto the Lord all that day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:

13 Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.

Advent Day 24: That very night the sun went down, but there was no darkness! All the people in the Americas knew that Jesus was born. 3 Nephi 1:15 And it came to pass that the words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came.

Advent Day 25: Jesus Christ is our Savior. Through His Atonement we are redeemed from the Fall. He lives, and love us. From the Living Christ: Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son.

You got a problem with it?

For Moms of Large Families:



My friend Cynthia posted this on her Facebook page. (She has six kids.) I laughed when I watched it. Living in Utah County, I don't get many comments on the size of my family. (Although the ages of my children--five in just under seven years--does cause comment, even in Happy Valley.) When we were in Durango in October, though, we definitely got comments, and not all of them were entirely polite. Whatever, though. I'm just providing for their happy retirement.

I told Cynthia we need to get a T-shirt:

So I designed one at Cafe Press. Too bad they cost $19.95 each, because I would TOTALLY get one, and wear it with pride.

Primary Program

Today was the best sacrament meeting of the entire year: The Primary Program!

There is nothing more adorable and diverting than watching 30-35 children, wriggling and squirming, sitting up on the stand. The littlest are too precious for words, and even the older kids (the ones just too cool for all this) are sweet and funny.

Zee has been so excited for this day to come--his part was the very first part of all. He did a great job reading, too--they added quite a bit to his part at the last minute, I think because someone else was absent. He ended up speaking for a good two minutes. (I've heard youth speakers with less to say!) Zee got to introduce the theme and everything. (I only have the part we practiced at home, not the extra.)

"For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth" Job 19:25. This year in Primary we have had the opportunity to learn of the great love that the Savior, Jesus Christ, has for us.

Gee was fairly excited, too. He has been eager to try "the big microphone" for ages. When the Primary President called the kids up to the stand, after the sacrament, Gee jumped up and was off. He then stopped short, turned around, and asked in a loud tone, "Where's the microphone, Daddy?" (Good thing his teacher was there to help him, or he would have headed up to the podium right then and usurped Zee's introduction.) When he finally had his turn at the mike, the congregation couldn't see him at all, he's so short. But they could definitely hear him:

Prophets are called by God. In the Book of Mormon we learn that Lehi was called to take his family to the promised land.

Afterward, he couldn't stop telling everyone about his "BIG" voice in the microphone, and how he said "Promised Land" SO LOUD. He was mighty proud of himself.

Em's turn came a little after Gee's. She got up, looking so much older with her new haircut, and seemed a little shy at first. But then she got into it, and by the time she was done with her part she was fairly beaming with excitement. She gave a little flourish at the end of her part that was so adorable I nearly busted with love:

In the Pearl of Great Price, we learn that Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and was called to restore Christ's church on the earth. President Thomas S. Monson was called by God and is the prophet on the earth today.

(Of course, I was slightly less amused when she came down from the stand a few minutes later, "whispering" loudly, "I need to go potty, Momma!" She never needs to go during sacrament meeting, except for today. Of course.)

Gee didn't sing at all during the songs (no surprise there), and spent the entire time on his teacher's lap (bless her heart!). I teared up a little when they did the sign language for "As I Have Loved You", because he had his hands over his teacher's hands while she did the motions. It was sweet.

Em was in the far corner of the stand, so I couldn't really see her, but there were times I could definitely hear her. ("I KNOW he LIVES!") And Zee was hilarious during some of the songs. He really loved certain parts of them ("We are his DESCENDANTS in the LATTER DAYS!"), and because he was sitting in the front row of the stand seats, um, he was well-noticed.

Several people came up to us later to compliment us on our adorable children. One woman said, "I wonder if you think they are as hilarious as we all think they are?" I answered, "I usually wonder the opposite: Do you all find them as funny as we do?" I guess the answer is yes.

(Poor Hebs was a little under the weather today, so he slept on the pew next to me the whole time. (Daddy then took him and Mimi home for the rest of church.) As much as I wish he wasn't feeling sick, at least we were spared his reaction at being left behind while everyone else went up to the stand! )

Winter Lights

I love my little town. ("It's a quiet village/Everyday, like the one before..." Except Spanish Fork has fewer bad guys, and only the occasional beast.)

The Friday night after Thanksgiving is the annual Winter Lights Parade. It's smaller than the big summer parades, and has a much shorter route (both of which are a good idea, considering how cold it usually is Thanksgiving weekend), and (sadly) doesn't go past our house. But this year the ending area for the floats was just past our street, so most of the floats came past our front window anyway! Hooray! (And, sorry, Liz and family, for telling you that the parade wouldn't be visible from our house. Last year, it sure wasn't!)

So we got to stay warm, and cozy, and comfortable, and see all the floats and lights. Best of both worlds, baby. All four of the older kids were SO excited, but I think the little boys were the happiest.

Especially when the train came by, still sparking and tooting. Such joy.

Some of my favorite things

Happy Thanksgiving, world!

The Aftermath of the Great Blizzard of 2010

So, yes, my prediction about the blizzard being a fizzle was right on. Bummer! Something about Point of the Mountain forcing the storm downward and dropping all the snow and none coming to Utah County, or some such nonsense. All I know is that we got maybe an inch-plus, and less than 2 hours of blowing snow. Oh, well.

On the bright side, Bradley got a snow day today, unexpectedly. So we had a MARVELOUS day just bumming around the house. It is very cold outside, and our upstairs (with old brick outside walls) was colder than usual, but we just put on sweaters, cranked the heat a little, and played computer games, read books, refereed children, and really enjoyed the break. I made some delicious (if I do say so myself) chicken enchilada soup for lunch and dinner, and we didn't leave the house once. What a great holiday!

Much Ado About...Something?

I first experienced a snowstorm (at least in my conscious memory) at the age of 17. Growing up in the hot desert of Las Vegas doesn't afford many chances for snow, and since my mother detests the snow and cold with a fierce, burning passion, we didn't travel seeking it out, either. Much to my surprise, I found I really love snowstorms. Falling snow is very romantic weather.

Even though I was a complete snow novice when I first moved to Utah, I've lived here 15 years now. I'm getting somewhat experienced in the ways of snow, both falling and on the ground already. Plus, here in Utah, it is necessary to adopt a kind of indifferent attitude toward snow. We don't ever cancel school, for example. (Much to my dismay while I was at BYU. Seventeen inches in 18 hours doesn't merit a snow day? Really?) (Not that I needed a snow day, living on campus as I was at the time. But I really, really wanted one.) Generally speaking, our snowstorms disrupt traffic but little else. (Usually our snow falls straight down, of course. I realize that wind + snow is a different story.)

So I'm feeling somewhat alarmed about all the hoopla surrounding the blizzard that hit the Wasatch Front today. They've been warning us about it for about 36 hours now; quite dire warnings and serious language. This is a dangerous storm, we've been told. Utah County closed all its government offices at 2:30pm. BYU closed campus at 3pm. (This is big. BYU never, ever, EVER declares a snow day. And yet today and tomorrow, campus is closed.) Leave work early, they say, and NO unnecessary driving. If the power goes out, bundle up. Hole up in one room, close all the doors, stuff towels in the door cracks and over the windows. Expect snow-choked roads 15 minutes after the storm hits, and a drop in temperature of 15-20 degrees in about the same amount of time. (The storm did hit exactly when they said it would: Spanish Fork at seven pm. At 6:55 the house shook with the first gusts of wind. Pretty accurate.)

It's freaking me out a little, I'll admit. And getting me a little excited. I'm sorry to say that I don't have a coffee grinder to turn wheat grain into flour, but I do have wheat grain! (And a ton of canned goods, a freezer full of meats and other delectable items, and even some raspberry lemonade. So I think we're all good.)

But I have a feeling that tomorrow morning I wake up, see the sun shining on the three inches of snow, and wonder what the big deal was.

Apparently, Winter Has Arrived

Fortunately, today is the day the car is getting some work done. Instead of walking the kids up to school in 16 degree weather, it was somewhere around 30 degrees at 8am today.

Unfortunately, there was an ice storm last night, so it took us 25 minutes to walk 0.6 miles, a-slipping and a-sliding the whole way.

But at least we weren't frozen by the time we got home.

Substitution

For Christmas, my mother has me order books for the kids. I do this for the birthdays, too, because it is easier for me to keep track of what we have and want. We received our Christmas order today, with a bit of a problem.

Barnes and Noble messed up my order slightly. Instead of "Chicka Chicka 123", they sent that children's classic "The Quarterback Killer's Cookbook: A Bit of Bull, Plus Bear, Boar & Buffalo from Football's Best Big Game Hunter". As tempting as it is to give this wonderful book to my four-year-old on his birthday, or better yet, Christmas, my heart's kinda set on "Chicka Chicka 123".

Although the back cover blurbs are intriguing:

"Jared Allen, scourge of the backfield and offender of offensive linemen, is just as forceful and irreverent in the woods or kitchen as he is at teh line of scrimmage..."

"Try the pheasant nuggets with your next batch of sloppy does."

"...you should see him when he's tracking a spear-struck bull elk..."

Wow! Maybe I won't send it back.

The View Outside

I love the gorgeous autumn sunset outside, as seen through the park trees...

...but not as much, I must admit, as the view at my door.