FUUUNNN Christmas Eve at Grandma & Grandpa’s 2011

We had such a relaxing and fun Christmas Eve at my mom and dad’s house.  My mom and the kids had planned a program (surprise) for us and they all performed “Here Comes Susie Snowflake”…full with homemade costumes and all!  It was so cute and the kids loved it (well, Paxton wasn’t THRILLED with his costume).  Then, Grandpa was Santa Claus and sang a song with/to the kids – ha ha ha.  It was quite entertaining.  We ate yummy BBQ steaks and had my Christmas bread & Lindy’s white peppermint bark for dessert.  Thank you mom and dad!  We love you!

 

 

Christmas Ornaments 2011

Gathered the kids to make some Christmas ornaments at our house with Pax and Lyric.  They turned out cute…except I think we put too much paint because some of them are still not dried almost two weeks later!

 

 

(Peyton may look abused…but she really just has lots of beautiful make-up on :-)

My Girls

  Jordyn:

Finally got her own email.  Some of her friends have had one for a while, but , honestly, I just wasn’t ready to share my laptop that much and wanted to be sure she we were both ready to maintain rules around when, how often, etc.  But I found an email account for kids where they cannot receive any email from someone unless I have added them to her contact list (which means no junk, gross mail).  And I also have the option of receiving a copy of what is sent and received.  That may sound invasive, but I feel it’s my right to protect her, especially as she learns to manage this whole cyberworld independently. I told her it’s not that I want to be nosy or that I’m going to read every single thing…but for now, it’s to help keep her safe and I can also teach her things along the way.  I’ve also made a request:  I told her that emailing is writing practice and that I want her to use punctuation, correct spelling and NO text talk.  I may sound like a Nazi, but I seriously don’t want her to be subject to this grammar-lazy generation.  I’ve been quite impressed so far.  It may sound like I’ve taken all the fun out of it, but really she is having a blast!  She gets to check it once per day (unless that privilege is taken) and she emails Utah friends, Utah cousins, aunts, Grandparents, mom, dad, friends from school.  It’s really cute and I love to read what she says/thinks.  I’ve actually learned, even more, what a kind and caring person Jordyn is!  It’s like a peek into her mind, without the mother/daughter dynamic involved :-).  Jordyn also remains OBSESSED with tether ball and really is an amazing player.

 

Jordyn emailing

 

Jordyn was a HUGE help getting my Christmas cards done this year!

 

 

 

Lexi:
Poor Lex and her eyes.  She is far sighted in one and near sighted in the other.  Plus we have recently learned (thanks to Mrs. Stone and her constant recommendation to see a different doctor in town that does a special test) that she has tracking issues.  Her eyes get tired so easy and it effects her reading and even her moods… because they are constantly working extra hard to stay aligned.  She needs a prism in one lens, and so she will wear a patch over Christmas break and then do the tracking test again and be prescribed new glasses.  I think that will help a lot.  She is such a happy girl usually, so when she has had more meltdowns lately…and I see her rubbing her eyes and just looking exhausted, I now understand that it is likely attributed to her eyes.  Other than that, she is the cart-wheel champion and she and her friends do handstands and cartwheels the entire recess.  She wants a ponytail daily so her hair won’t get in the way of her cartwheels!  I’m sure she’s got really clean hands when she gets home.

 

Lexi- writing her Thank You notes for her bday/baptism.  We are SLOWLY but surely getting them done.

 

I went with Lexi’s class to see the stage production of “Annie”.

 

Peyton:

I am really serious when I say I am sad she goes to Kinder next year.  Not because she’s my last and I’ll be alone…because heaven knows I keep myself plenty busy.  But because she is SO entertaining.  She always has been a grown up in a little body and it just keeps getting better.  This morning as we were waking up (I say we because she makes her way into my bed most nights and I sleep half the night with her limbs in my back) she was stretching and she said (with much more enthusiasm than I could imagine having), “Mom, look!  Aren’t you happy you have a daughter that can bend her leg THIS much!”.  I look over and she is laying on her back with her leg bent at the knee in a very strange way.  It’s just those sorts of things ALL day long.  Random, funny and enthusiastic.  I hope we are in a “phase” but Peyton has about 9 boyfriends.  She is five.  I hope it goes away!

 

Peyton helping me paint my signs…

 

Peyton was such a good helper with Kylee at our Harmony performances.  She loved being the “babysitter”.

 

Pey had her preschool program.  Was excited, cried before getting on stage, calmed down once on stage and sang beautifully!  Cousins came to see it with us.

These are cell phone crappy pics because I got there and realized there was no battery in my camera.  Thank heavens I just got my Nikon fixed after MONTHS without it!!

 

8th Birthday Questionnaire – Lexi Leilani

 

 

If you could have one super-power, what would it be?     

To Fly

What was the last chore you did?           

Cleaning Mirrors

What is your favorite song?                    

Dynamite - Taio Cruz (“I put my hands up in the air sometimes")

What's your favorite food?                      

Peanut butter and honey sandwiches

What's the nicest thing you've done for someone in your family lately?              

I helped Lucy on her pre-test

What makes you mad?  

When Jordyn beats me on tetherball

Where would you like to go on vacation next year?

Hawaii 

Who's the smartest person in your family?     

Daddy           Why?              Because he knows everything

How are you like your dad?            

We don’t have red hair 

How are you like your mom?        

I’m creative like her

What's one thing that Dad always says to you?         

I love you

If you had a million dollars, what's the first thing you'd buy?     

an iPad

How do you know that I (mom) love you?           

Because you say you do and I feel it

What's your favorite cereal?          

Cocoa puffs

What's your favorite movie?            

Hercules

What's your favorite vegetable?         

Corn

What personal item that you would never give away?            

My blanket

What's your favorite game?            

Pin ball (ours in the garage)

What's your favorite book?           

The Tale of Three Christmas Trees

What food would you eat every day if you could?        

Peanut butter and honey sandwiches

If you could choose a different name, what would it be?    

Megan

If you could eat at any restaurant for the rest of your life, where would it be?        

Salazar’s Grill (Mexican rice)

What's your favorite candy bar?            

Hersheys 

What's the last thing that you did that you were proud of?        

When Daddy congratulated me on how I always ask what a word means if I don’t understand it.

What's the best age to be?            

8

What's your favorite holiday?      

Christmas

What’s something you’re good at?

Cartwheels   

What's the best present you ever got?           

an MP3 player

What's your greatest word of wisdom at age 8?      

Do Unto Others as You Would Have Others Do Unto You

SFSU

I can’t believe I’ve been going to San Francisco WEEKLY for a year and a half.  I really can’t.  I distinctly remember the wrestle with myself when I felt drawn to this program.  It seemed so extreme in the moment…but so RIGHT in the long run.  I thought about it for nearly a year.  I recall talking to Tiffany one time (since she is in the profession) and something she said has really stuck with me.  When I was asking her “Doesn’t this seem crazy!?”.  She said “Life will feel crazy for the next two years whether you do the program or not”.  And that really is true.  I mean, I’m sure this has added stress to my life…but if it wasn’t this, it would be something else, right?  I am always amazed how it fits into my life.  Some weeks, I feel so tired that I cannot imagine doing that drive and then spending ALL day with a cane, blindfold and (now) on the streets.  And then I get there, and I learn and enjoy it and…even when it’s hard…I always like it.  It is also a HUGE mental relief that, when I leave, my kids are at my parents’ house.  What a blessing.

These are some cell pics I sneakily snapped during class a few weeks ago.  We are quite the site!  We gather for lecture for a couple hours on a corner, and then the rest of the time we are under blind fold (or our partner is) and people definitely slow down and stare!

 

I’m so grateful for Shana and Derek opening their home to me nearly every weekend.  Sometimes I go early and hang out with Shana and her cute kids, other times I stroll in at 9:30 and just set up to go to bed to prepare for the next day.  On a rare occasion I have left for SF the morning of school (class is 9:00-5:00), which means I am up at 4:30.  That is quite brutal.  So staying at SHana’s has worked out so nice.

 

Next semester is my last semester before my internship.  I’m so anxious to see what unfolds with all of this.  My priority will continue to be my children…and since Tucker travels so much, my goal is to work part time as long as possible.  With Peyton starting Kindergarten next year, it works out great.

 

By the way, you would be amazed to know how many tiny details and steps it takes for a blind person to learn to cross a street.  Any street.  So many types of intersections, curbs, elevation changes, texture changes, masking noises, electric cars, etc. It is quite fascinating to learn to see the world differently.  I get to buy my very OWN cane this week.  I’ve used a loner cane this whole time.  My cane height is 54” (with a teardrop tip). 

My second partner, Natalie.  I’ve had Grace, Natalie and now Xavier.  I’ll get a pic of him soon.

Lexi’s Birthday Outing

Since it wasn’t an official “party” year, I invited five of Lexi’s closest classmates to come have a girls’ afternoon after school.  Mabel, Kailey, Lucy, Makenna and Kaelyn.  It was so much fun.  They are such a fun, sweet group of girls. I feel so thankful that she has good friends and that I really like all their moms too!   We went into a little boutique The Diva Girl since Lexi got a gift certificate for that store (even tho it’s sort of a rival of Trinkets ha ha).  Then we went to a local beauty school and they all got manicures/pedicures (for $6 per girl).  They chose to eat a healthy dinner at McDonald’s, and we ended the evening at Baskin Robbins (Lexi’s choice, no complaints from mom!).  As we were in the car, laughing & singing…I had a glimpse into the teenage years and only hope she can have this caliber of friends at that point too!