Sums it up.

Maeser's note to Dan says it all. It was a wonderful Christmas. It's all about love.

Translation: Merry Christmas. I love you. From Maeser.

Old ways

I easily reverting back to old ways... I constantly feel that I’m starting over, setting new goals, or making the same mistakes. Persistence keeps me diligent, but progress is slow and sometimes the fruits of my labors are even slower. But I have faith that eventually, I will become a better person, I will have more faith in my prayers and in my ability to do the work God needs me to do, and faith that I will recognize that work. I shouldn’t get ambitious or overly confident in my abilities... because that is when I realize I have made mistakes and need to repent and that I can’t do anything with out the Lord consecrating my efforts. 

God gifts us grace. And strength. 

Housekeeping

The holidays are fast approaching. School is out on Thursday, Sarah arrives a week from tomorrow.  I love that we'll have so much family time in the next few weeks. Maeser closed the week by sleeping for days as he fought a bug... he is improving fast is now eating. On Friday he had his holiday concert with Valentine, they were adorable and couldn't stop waiving or blowing kisses. I loved that the programs were made by the children and each was different. 

Mary read 5 books this week and made the school variety show. It's a bigger show than we (her parents) anticipated- with daily practices for two weeks prior. She is ecstatic.

Abe began a coding class after school on Fridays. We had a family policy that all after school activities would be team sports... his enthusiasm for the class makes me think we should have been more flexible and let the children help choose. "Mom! Coding is more fun than basketball or swim team!" He sets an alarm twice a week, Fridays (for coding) and Sundays. He walked down to breakfast today completely ready for church. (A Christmas miracle and something I'm going to ask for as a present this year.)

New words for Moses: later, dad shoes, dirty. And he showed off when Dan named body parts and Moses pointed to them. He understands so much... directions and even parts of conversations to others, but he has a hard time verbalising anything. (He turned two last month and has just started calling his bottle ba-ba. He uses less than 20 words on his own- but has begun repeating what we say this week.) 

Scout loves to play. With anyone. She begs for friends everyday and by the time Valentine and Maeser get home she can't wait to have someone to boss around. Val and Maeser have been quite patient but began hiding from Scout this week. Poor girl.

I am posting the last of our Christmas cards tomorrow- here's a teaser. It's absolutely fantastic this year. 

 

Snapshots

With few creative ideas left for writing I walked around the house to take a snapshot of everyone doing their thing. Life is normal, busy, good.

It is pouring rain. Daily. We've been caught in the rain almost every day when getting the children from school, we come home soaked and the kids stay out on the trampoline while I try to get changed as fast as I can. I feel like the WWofW melting. 

Mary having an afternoon snack with her best friend, Isabelle, they just tried out for the 5th grade variety show... they'll find out tomorrow if they made it.

The hazards of a 2 year old with a fetish for cars.

Littles are playing with Valentine upstairs, I am so thankful for cousins.

Abe is at swim practice and Dan is at the office.

I am taking a break from writing Christmas cards to write you... actually I've been procrastinating the letter with the excuse that if I didn't get the cards in the mail they wouldn't reach you before Christmas. I'm afraid they will be late.

Highlights from last week:

   

Scout cut her hair... moments before leaving for church and we didn't notice until we'd sat down in the pew. We took her to a salon to have a stylist salvage her hair and he kept flipping her hair around while he cut- disgusted that she'd chopped it! I think he was more disappointed that her hair cut wouldn't look like a masterpiece no matter what he did to try to fix it. She, on the other hand, loves it.

Dan came back from the US Saturday night and was up for a game of monopoly before church. Yay for dad.

It's the most wonderful time of the year! I hosted a Christmas brunch for my bible study group, and 13 women came and each shared their favorite scripture about Christ. I was so thankful to stand with women who love the Lord and celebrate his birth and light just as I do. I love this class, I am torn if I will continue attending it in the new year, I feel a little over committed... but maybe it does more good to attend this class than it does to attend the RS study group and fellowship the ward members... I really can't keep both. From a missionary perspective- you'd probably advise the non member group study, right?

I am so thankful for the season, and the Light the World Campaign, and the family we will see so soon!

Last photo of Scout before she cut her hair.

Oh, and it was Mary's birthday! She made her own cake with Isabelle. 

December

I'm listening to Manheim Steamroller Christmas as I type. 

It's almost the end of rainy season, and just in time, because our walls have become waterlogged and the upstairs floors will take weeks to dry out.

Dan is being diligent in his training, thankful for his dedication to a healthy lifestyle. Less than two months before his next race.

We transitioned from our tropical Fall to torrid Christmas season this week. We successfully had pie night, Thanksgiving, pulled out the Christmas decorations, and received our first Christmas card!​

Scout and Moses helped make most of the pies, they played with dough for hours on Tuesday. Who knew Moses had an attention span lasting longer than a gold fish! Mary ran home from school to help with the last apple tart, she is becoming quite useful in the kitchen. And her Apple Tart was delicious.

Moses has a fetish for cars. And lots of them. His arms are always full of them and he'll stand above a dropped car because he can't manage to hold another single car! This is the morning he finally mastered the basket... a feat we've attempted for weeks.

Belated Thanksgiving  was on Thursday night with Dan's brother and a family fresh off the boat from the US.

Most mornings were spent outside, walking, running or playing at the park. All three activities warrant a post dip in the pool. It is so HOT!

Advents also began this week... a lego calendar, Maeser's paper chain, and (my favorite) Light the World. The children have all offered suggestions, I hope we find a way to do all of them, I think this is a beautiful way to simplify the season and be deliberate in teaching about the Savior.

Penultimate Saturday was spent at a swim meet, where I lost Abraham for an hour (my worst nightmare), and decorating the tree. 

​​

Most of the nativities were out by Sunday and we had our first Home Teachers (in 8 years!) come by. As we sat down to visit, Abe asked aloud, "What are we doing? Why do they want to come to our house?" Simply a tender mercy. So thankful for their willingness to serve and share in our responsibility to teach the children.

I got a note from Ann on Friday night that she'd got a new phone! Welcome to the world of Apple, Ann! FaceTime is a lifesaver.

I want to be deliberate. To be determined to choose my actions and responses.