Christmas {12.24-26.13}

We started some new traditions this year which was great.  First, we sent the following out to friends of our family who we have exchanged gifts with in the past.

Dear ________,
Our family is trying to simplify & minimize this year & we'd love your help. We adore this time of year & the 

added focus on family, friends and our Savior. It can be so magical! We don't love that it's become a crazy chaotic 

& stressful "race to grab a gift for everyone we know" time. We've found ourselves buying things we don't even know 

if the recipient will like because we "just have to give something! 
We've decided to do things a little differently this year. Instead of giving THINGS you may not use, like, want, 

or need, we are giving the gift of US and of TIME. We'd love to watch your kids while you go on a date, get our 

families together & make dinner, have a girl's outing or Xbox party, or double date & go see a movie together. 

In this busy & crazy fast pace life we definitely don't get to recognize how awesome you are often enough, so this 

is exciting for us!
We'd kindly ask that you not spend money on our family & if you want to do something, spend TIME with us or 

spend that money on a family in need. We really have more than we could ask for and are above all just grateful 

for the gift of YOU in our lives. 
Please support us in this as we are trying to spread the spirit of Christmas & it's true meaning to our kiddos & we 

know the material things won't last, but our relationships with each of you are forever and so cherished. 

We love you! Merry Christmas! 
Love: Zac, Karli & Boys

Those who responded gave very positive responses.  I think everyone starts to feel the out of control sense that can come this time of year.  Definitely a tradition I would love to continue.  I'd rather randomly send a gift to a friend during the year because I saw something that reminded me of them.

Next, instead of spending Christmas Eve night with my fam, we started a Christmas Eve breakfast.  After some early morning cuddling & xbox on our bed, we met at my folks and shared our secret service highlights {helping some families who we knew very little about-shopping was cryptic, but very fun}, ate yummy breakfast, opened Christmas eve jammies + awesome i-spy quilts for the boys made by Grami, and enjoyed each others company.

The rest of the day was spent lounging and chilling at home.  We had everything pretty much done & no big plans, so we just played with the boys & got them to bed early {even forgetting to leave stuff out for Santa!-we took care of it for them, whoops!}, and after helping Santa put Christmas out, we cuddled & watched Parks & Rec in our bed!  Very chill and perfect night.

Christmas morning the kids slept til 8 which allowed us to shower & be ready before the woke up.  Fischer kept sleeping & we let him.  The boys saw their letter from Santa + his eaten cookies & Wally's farewell {more on that in the Wally 2013 post} & were excited to see that there were gifts under the tree.  We had family prayer and let them open gifts.  We had a goal of being very minimalist this year.  We semi adopted the 4 gift rule Grayson's first Christmas {something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read}, but have had a hard time sticking to it in the past.  This year we did awesome.  We were VERY lean and it looked pretty meager, but it was really perfect.  I felt better about the reason for the season this year than I ever have.  The boys didn't act like it was a big deal at all & were excited about what they did get.  I figure we can always go bigger as they grow, but it's harder to suddenly scale back.

The favorite thing was our family gift of the Wii U.  We sold our wii & our old phones & made enough {Craigslist} to upgrade.  What a great system!  The kids LOVE it, the adults love it, it's tons of fun for group settings, and it got tons of use Christmas day.  The way they found it was after their other gifts were opened & they were playing, Wally the Elf sent us a text message.  He said we'd forgotten one gift in the cupboard where the brooms are kept.  The boys raced over & found it and were super excited.  My parents did things like that often growing up & it's a tradition I'd love to continue.

We ate breakfast, enjoyed cuddling & playing with our gifts a bit & were ready to go to my parents before 10!  {This deserves some applause because we are usually the last ones to arrive at my folks for any family get togethers & we were there before T&T!} (;

We ended up spending the rest of the day at my folks.  It was a great Christmas.  The boys all played great together, we all had fun trying the Wii U and Grandpa's new race track.  I love the Fuel Band my parents got me & we just had fun chatting and hanging out together.  Every year-especially since having kids-Christmas is so much less about the stuff and so much more about the feeling, the experience, and the relationships.  Very grateful for a completely wonderful day & incredible people to share it with.

 

We spent the 26th celebrating Christmas with Cleaver's.  Another wonderful day full of family.  The kids played, we exchanged sibling gifts, and the grand kids had a treasure hunt that led to their Christmas money.  Beckham cried that he got money & not an actual gift to open {have I mentioned his love language is GIFTS in a really big way?}  We all laughed that some day he won't react that way.  Morgan & Brian got our names & were still in TX til January, so this was their IOU for us.  So clever!  Lots of good conversation, fun playing with cousins, and yummy food.  Love Holiday time with family.   {I did NOT take pics this year-whoops!}

Sibling Date {12.21.13}

Usually at Christmas time, we draw sibling {couple} names & have a $50 limit to buy that couple a gift.  This year we decided to forgo the gifts & go out on a date all together, instead.  We loved having Doll & Mason home and we all really do love spending time together, so we thought this was a good way to spend TIME instead of money on each other.  We had gotten a sitter, but Wendy called & said she wanted all three boys & not to pay a sitter.  This time of year that type of phone call is such a gift, so we gratefully accepted.

Dropped the boys & T&T rode with us.  Mom & Dad ended up joining us which was so fun, too!  We went to the new Hunger Games movie first.  L&K had seen it & Mom & Dad had errands to run, so they all met up with us later.  Doll & Mason, T&T, and Z & me went to the movie.  It was good!  Love those books & movies.  We all met up at Ogawa's afterward and enjoyed a yummy dinner & good conversation and laughter.  {this picture Lance took of himself with my phone is the only shot I got all night!}

 

We grabbed ice cream after for Taylor's baby & headed home.  The boys had done great & we are VERY grateful for the relationships we have with our siblings and their spouses & our parents.  Such good good people. 

Fischer: 5 months {12.21.13}

Sleeps 10-7 usually

Spits a ton (almost unfailingly whenever u put a new outfit on him!)

Chunker: lbs.

Sucks on hands constantly!
Sits in bumbo, but still wiggly

Nicknames: Fishstick, Fishbone wishbone.

Still great about taking a binky

Rolled from back to front twice

Wears 6-9 month clothes

Laughs & smiles all the time

Rarely cries

Moved to his own room & crib 3 weeks ago-does great (loves to have help going to sleep if he's over tired, but will generally fall asleep in his crib by himself)

LOVES his brothers

Starting to hold toys 

blows bubbles lots

VERY ticklish 

Still stuffy nosed most mornings

Loves his softy lamb & sleeping with a soft blanket near his face.
loved playing Santa baby in the costume my cute dad bought for him!

Completely adorable & we fall more in love with him everyday!  Such a gift to have Fischer's sweet spirit in our home.

a shower of PINK! {12.12.13}

I hosted a baby shower {with much help from Mom, Kelsey, & Megan} for Taylor at my house.  We are all pretty giddy about little Aspen showing up & being our first baby girl, so it was a fun affair.  Taylor got tons of darling stuff, the hot chocolate & donut bar was a big hit, and so many people came & stayed to show their support.  Fischer was well loved by Talon's aunt Meredith & fell asleep happily sucking on her thumb.  This baby girl won't have to wear the same outfit twice & will be VERY loved!  We can't wait!

While we were socializing & talking all things girly, Zac sweetly took the big boys to Carl's Junior for dinner & playtime.  After a couple hours he texted me: "How's it going?  Beckham lost his socks in the play set.  Phone's almost dead... When can I come home?"
Haha!  He had to get someone to get the socks out & it ends up they brought the wrong socks home!  Gross!  No wonder he hates those places.  Good daddy, though!

Sing sing sing! {12.9.13}

Grayon's first day back to school after being sick was also his Christmas choir concert.  He was nervous that he'd forgotten the words, but Julene is one of his awesome music teachers & said she'd help him.  Taylor rode with Zac and me & my parents met us there to watch.  Talon was helping with the sound system.  Adrian is a smaller school {one class per grade}, but we have been so happy with our decision to send Grayson there.  It wasn't the popular choice, but the one we felt was right for our family after lots of thought, discussion, and prayer, and I am seriously happy about it.  The concert was no exception.  They sang original music {Julene & Mrs. V are amazing composers/musicians} and it was a darling program.  The thing I love most about the school is that Grayson is known and loved.  The staff {even teachers grades above him} and other students look out for him {and everyone else}, and there are many people watching out for him.  His personality has the potential to naturally curl inward & not draw attention to himself, but because it's a small school, he's naturally drawn out & his confidence is strengthened.

He did NOT want to sing.  Plus I could tell he was tired after being sick for a week and then having a long full day of school.  He has a beautiful little voice and likes to sing at home where he is safe, but HATES being in front of people for any reason {totally a trait he got from his dad, because I adore being in front of people!}, so we knew he was nervous and totally dreading it.  It's literally painful for him to be front & center like that.  I love that he still does it, though.  I know it's a hard and uncomfortable thing for him, and getting a smile was not going to happen, but I'm proud of him for participating and singing.  Especially because he'd just gotten back to school after a full week being home sick!  He did awesome-love his little class, too.