Christmas Tree

It was going all according to plan.  We went to the Ward Christmas Party and then headed over to a Christmas tree lot to pick the perfect tree.  The weather wasn't freezing, it wasn't dark, and we weren't in a rush.  So instead of it taking 20 minutes to find the perfect tree it took about 4.  There was a minor snafu when we realized the lot didn't take cards but our bank had an ATM just a couple blocks away.  We ran to the ATM and the the nice guys at the lot strapped the tree to the top of the van and we drove on home.  I pulled out the Christmas decorations (all handily stored in red and green totes) and I took a moment to marvel at how smoothly this was going.  Then...the kids told me Michael couldn't find the Christmas tree stand.

So we looked in the shed, then we looked in the other shed, then the other shed, then we looked in the crawl space, then we called everyone to see if they had an extra stand.  Our stand had completely disappeared.  Our huge, green, plastic Christmas tree stand had gone AWOL.  Michael checked craigslist for a replacement without much luck.  I started to call thriftstores.  On call number four I got lucky.  Goodwill assured me they had six.

I loaded up Ethan and Libby and drove back across town (scarcely three blocks from where we got the tree).  After searching high and low and with the assistance of three employees, we found the tree stand.  Mission accomplished.  Then we ran home to set up the tree.  Michael grabbed the stand to put on the tree and commented, "Did you notice the bottom of this is cracked?"  No, I hadn't.  I'd like to think I wouldn't have bought it if I had noticed.  So Michael and Ethan made one more trip to Goodwill and we were ready to rumble.  Unfortunately the babies were now getting up from nap.  Toddlers do not help set up trees.  But it is hard to hold it against them because they are so excited and confused that there is a tree...in...the...house. 

While Michael was gone to Goodwill I untangled the lights.  The kids came home and "untangled" them some more.

Sam just stared at the tree when he woke up.  He couldn't figure out why there was a tree in the house but he thought it was a good thing.

He was also excited by all the balls we had hung on the tree for him.  They were the perfect size to carry and throw.  Rest assured they are plastic and that we didn't hang any of my breakable ornaments on the tree this year.  Also Sam has made sure the bottom half of the tree is now bare. 

Merry Christmas to all.

Danger!? I Laugh in the Face of Danger! Hahaha!

Sam is kid number four.  It seems that would mean I'm calmer and have pretty much seen it all.  My gross-out threshold is pretty high.  I don't freak out when I find him playing in the toilet (he thinks it's his own private swimming pool); I wash his hands and send him on his way.  He shovels in the dog food and I just watch to make sure he doesn't choke on it.  He stands naked in the middle of the dining room table and gets his groove on and I just shrug, hoping he won't do on the table what's meant for his diaper.  After enduring his three older siblings through this stage my standards have sunk to an all-time low.  But here's the rub:  Sam is the most destructive, dangerous, kamikaze toddler I've ever seen.  He can not sit still to save his life.  His favorite hobby is climbing on, well, everything.  I've adopted the attitude to let him do what he wants as long as the consequences are only bumps and bruises and not ER visits.  Sam has not yet adopted my way of thinking.  

Case in point:  I was in the living room and Sam was in the kitchen, which I can see from the living room.  I lost sight of him for just a couple minutes during which he was too quiet.  I walked into the kitchen to find he had pushed a chair up to the counter and discovered an apple next to the knife block.  This knife block has been on the counter through three kids and has remained untouched.  Sam was sure there was something he could do with these shiny objects with the handy handles.  Behold!  Sam's work of art and mom's source of heart failure.  When I walked in he was trying to find a place to stick the butcher knife.

 

The knife block now faces the wall, making it impossible for a short little man to pull out the knives.  But he, refusing to be outdone, spent the rest of the day trying to push his chair up to the gas range to play with the knobs.

At the end of the day, all of us were miraculously and completely unscathed.  I hope our luck holds - it's all we have left.

Traditions

What can I say?  This is our third year running of sugar-induced madness or gingerbread house making, whichever you prefer.  Aunt Kristal and Uncle Tom joined us this year in our sticky goodness.  We bought actual decorating bags this year and it worked out so much better.  Michael didn't mutter and curse under his breath about cheap bags and most of the icing ended up on the house.  Success. The pictures tell the rest of the story.

 

Grace look at the camera.  Grace, Grace, look, Grace, look.

"You can't make me.  I'm two."

Growing Like Weeds

Man these kids of mine are getting big.  Sometimes it just takes me a while to notice.  Following is the pictorial evidence:

My back was turned.  Things were quiet.  That made me suspicious.  This is what I found.  I had no idea he could climb up onto the counter (Ethan had moved the chairs so Sam wouldn't climb up onto the table while he was playing with Legos).  Nothing is safe anymore.  Nor are my dishes done.  Sigh.

Ethan and Libby have decided to write to pen-pals.  They always fight me on writing so I was very pleased to see these samples.  Ethan's handwriting is usually almost incomprehensible so I was shocked when he showed me the letter.  I asked when he learned to write like that.  He explained that he actually tried because he was writing it for someone other than myself.  Sigh.

Grace is not as big as she thinks she is yet.  I tried to help her get dressed and she was adamant that she could do it.  Underwear, sister's socks and sister's church shoes.  What more does a two year old need, and in the middle of winter no less?  So starts the battle of weather-appropriate clothing.  Sigh.

Yes, I've been doing a lot of "sigh"-ing.  Four kids will do that to you.

Thanksgiving Break

Yes, I know Thanksgiving was two weeks ago and Christmas is fast approaching.  I like to be fashionably late.  

We had a lovely break.  The kids and I all enjoyed a break from schoolwork.  We trotted off to the Discovery Center (along with all the other citizens of Boise).  We pulled levers, played on the swing, made robots and in Sam's case, made a new friend and then pushed him over and stole his book.  So pretty much your typical outing.

He looks so innocent but he is really plotting how to get the ducky book.  His sweet innocent face is a sham.

Then we had Thanksgiving.  Twice.  Here's hoping everyone had a family- and pie-filled day.  If not, let me know next year.  I know where there is more than enough family and pie to go around.