To-Do List

So, here is my to-do list for 2012:
For G-- Volunteer at his preschool at least once a month for the rest of the school year. Start giving him a regular allowance, along with a few weekly chores. Teach him to write his name.


For Z-- Resist the urge to make him use the potty, and let him decide the when and how. Teach him to recognize the letters of the alphabet. Play with him for a solid twenty minutes at least two days a week while his older brother is in school.


For Baby-- Give birth, of course. Breastfeed exclusively for the first six months. Remember to take a lot of pictures even though I'm busy caring for three kids.


For Nick-- Resist the urge to instruct him when he helps me around the house (unless he asks for it). Call him on the phone once a week while he is at work to tell him I love him. Save $10 a month to put into a secret stash and surprise him with it at the end of the year.


For Me-- Stay sane :D Give myself a real night off every other week. Visit my sister in Idaho. Read the Ensign (church magazine) cover-to-cover every month. Call my mom more often.


For the Whole Family-- Read the scriptures together every day. Do a family photo shoot after the baby is born. Play more family games.

A little early Christmas

Because we will be out of town this Sunday until Christmas Eve morning, my mother-in-law requested a small get-together before Christmas so she and my father-in-law could give our family our gifts from them before we leave town. So, we had them over for dinner (taco salad), and visited for a bit, and then exchanged gifts. The boys, of course, received the bulk of the presents, and it was fun to watch them open their new clothes and toys and get excited about them.

The big hit of the evening, though, was a particular video game. And here, I must digress with a little back-story:

A couple months ago, we tok G to the video rental store and let him pick out a video game to rent (he used some of his own money, too). We helped him select a game called The Munchables which looked like a great choice for a preschooler. And it was. He played it over the next four days and loved it. When we had to return it, he was a little sad; but we told him we'd rent it again someday.

Nick mentioned the game to my mother-in-law the next day when she started asking him what the boys would like for Christmas. So she went to the video rental store and found this game, and asked if she could buy it. They sold it to her, and she saved it for Christmas. Nick and I knew all this, but of course we kept it secret from the boys.

A few times over the course of the last few months, G has mentioned wanting to rent the game again, but I just kept saying vague things like, "someday," or "that would be really fun," but never actually took him to the store. He even worried that someone else might buy the game, and then I just said "well if that happens, I'm sure we could find another copy somewhere else."

Fast-forward to last night. G opened up his gift, and I wish I'd thought to get out the camera and take a video, because his reaction was priceless and I'm sure I can't do it the same justice in writing. He was laughing and crying at the same time. And when I told him about how Nana had been sneaky and gone to the video rental store to buy it for him, he ran and gave her a big hug and was sooo appreciative. He kept saying "Thank you!" and "This is the BEST Christmas EVER!" and "I'm so happy!"

Now I'm just afraid anything else we give him from here on out will be anti-climactic. Does this mean we can take all his other presents back now?

"Oh Christmas Tree" Tribal Dance?

After we'd finished putting up the lights on our Christmas tree, G spontaneously started singing "Oh Christmas Tree." We started to join in, and then I noticed Z doing this crazy dance. So, I grabbed my camera and we started the whole thing over. It's sweet, adorable, and downright funny all at the same time. I love my boys.

Cloth "nose-wipers" for the boys!

I made a set of twelve of these for each of the boys (including the one on the way). One side of the wipe is flannel, and the other side is quilter's cotton. They have not been tested yet, as I am saving them for Christmas. But I'm looking forward to trying them out! I may even "borrow" the baby's wipes to use on my own nose :D We've been using Gerber prefold diapers (not great as diapers, but excellent spit-up cloths and nose-wipers!) up until now, but these are much smaller, and the flannel is oh-so-soft. Plus, these are "color-coded" so the boys won't be mixing snot.

In this pic, you can see how the wipe folds to the size of a pocket tissue.

Trash to Treasure Creation #2: plastic bag shoulder bag

Just cut plastic grocery bags into loops, then loop together like you would rubber bands and crochet! Note: don't try to loop several loops together all at once, it doesn't work too well-- just add on as you go. This was a lot of fun to make, and I've gotten quite a few compliments :) I don't carry anything real heavy in this bag, but if I did and the shoulder straps were to ever stretch or break, they'd be easy to replace.

Random pics-- First Installment

Some random pics from the last year...Most of these feature Z, but I think the next installment will have more pics of G.

A monster dragon fly hanging out on our condo wall outside...

I made this taco casserole one evening, and it looked so pretty I had to take a picture before putting it in the oven...

Z started playing with the spoon rest, making noises as he did so. I asked him what he was doing, and he said, "This car!" So imaginative! And not even two years old...

Z wanted to brush my teeth before he let me brush his.

Yep. Right of passage: Z got a hold of the cereal box...

 ...then dumped the whole plateful onto the floor...of course...

Taking a ride in the toboggan out front of our condo.

G made this one day and then just left it on the table. I noticed it a while later and was so excited, because it was the first real sculpture he'd ever made. He's just not very visually creative, or at least not very interested in expressing himself artistically. Of course, I took one look and said to G, "Wow! You made a dragon!" "No," G replied, "It's a man with one foot and one hand!" Oh. Duh. Why didn't I see that before...lol

Z running around in Daddy's shirt :)

Picnic outside in January. Getting some Vitamin D from the sun in the middle of winter.

Z donning a decorative hat Nick bought in Honduras on his mission several years ago. It barely fit; of course, he didn't want to take it off.

"Oooh! That's cold!"