Uboldi Christmas

This one is sad for me. I still wasn't feeling great - at all. About an hour into the party at my mom's on Christmas, I felt like I shouldn't have gone. My head was pounding and I felt so dizzy. Preston woke up with a 103 degree fever on Sunday morning so I knew church and the party at Abuela's house were out for him. Since I was still not doing well, I stayed home with Marissa (who was starting to get congested) and Preston (who had a fever and still had a pretty bad cough) all day. I took these pictures from Laura's blog (my sister-in-law) since Marcos didn't even take the camera that night. It's one of those weird things where you can picture the party, but weren't there to experience it. They ate good food, played and opened presents. We sat in the hall and opened our presents when Marcos and Dylan got home. It was a pretty depressing day for me, but I'm glad Dylan and Marcos were able to go and enjoy the party.

Most of the grandkids in their new pajamas from abuela. I love how Gabi is hugging Dylan and Dylan is just smiling so sweetly in this picture.

Abuela passing out presents

Marcos feeding Otis (Laura's baby)

Dylan playing

Dylan, Diego and Mylo

Marcos and his mom, Mercedes

Christmas 2010

Christmas morning was pretty fun. Unlike last year, Dylan did actually fall asleep and slept until a normal hour - somewhere between 6 and 7. We had planned on having a very little Christmas this year. We knew we had to do something for the kids, but it has been a really rough year financially. Not only do we live on a very tight budget, but we have had a string of bad luck that just won't end. Pretty much everything we own has broken and needed to be replaced, not to mention the fact that the medical bills for Marissa were much larger than we had anticipated. Anyway, the hard part is that Dylan is old enough to know what he wants. The kid asked for a violin. That's it. And he told Santa he wanted a Playmobil zoo set. Preston and Marissa didn't care really, but Preston is IN LOVE with Toy Story 3. Anyway, without going into details, I will just say that we were very blessed this year. When I thought I could bare no more, we had angels literally knocking on our door. It was a year that brought me to my knees time and again...both pleading with the Lord and thanking Him. I have never had such a trying yet such a spiritual Christmas. It was very humbling...a year of many Christmas miracles. With that said, we had a very lovely Christmas.

Dylan got his Playmobil zoo set and Preston got a farm from Santa...plus there was a sled from Santa for the family to share. We were going to do one gift each this year, but ended up continuing our tradition of three gifts (symbolic of the three gifts the wise men brought for Jesus). I actually read a book this year that talks about bringing more meaning into Christmas and they did this as well. We used to say "a need, a want and a spiritual gift" but the way it is described in the book talks about what gold, frankincense and myrrh were used for. The book refers to them as "a joyful, a needful and a meaningful gift" so we're going to start referring to our gifts that way. Preston's joyful gift was Buzz, Dylan's was a 1/2 size violin (I'm going to start giving him lessons, but it was totally his idea...he begged and begged us to get him one), they each got a book for their needful gift (not exactly needful, but kind of) and they got a picture of Jesus to go in their bedroom for their meaningful gift. It was a gift they got together since they share a room. Marcos got a new tennis racket (Why he wanted a new racket when he has a really nice one already, I will never understand, but whatever. Men are weird.) And I got... Wait for it. Wait for it. A wheat grinder. After Marcos had bought it, we found out how much the car was going to cost and I about lost it. I told him to take my gift back to help pay for the car. But...he didn't and I have to say I'm glad. I make homemade bread all the time and I always have to have someone else grind the wheat for me. It will be so nice to be able to do it all myself at home. And, not that I'm complaining, but we mothers often become martyrs out of necessity. I haven't had a really nice gift in a LONG time. But I still feel guilty about receiving such a big gift this year.

My mom spoiled everyone again this year. She had four fun matching gifts for all the grandkids to open (not the babies, but the bigger kids). They all got Zhu Zhu pets, these cool hexobugs, monster trucks that jump over things and snow tubes. The men played a game with their presents and ended up with all sorts of different presents. We got walkie talkies - the nice kind. SCORE! I got a mini-umbrella, a cute bracelet, a scarf and some awesome kitchen towels - the flour sacks from way back when. I've been wanting some of those forever! It was a really nice Christmas afternoon and evening, although by the end my body was ready to shut down. I thought I was over my illness, but apparently was still pretty sick. I made mom and Barney a movie of 2010. Probably one of the best ones I've made. We all attempted to watch it, but it was slightly chaotic with all my mom's kids, two of Barney's kids, the in-laws and all the grandkids running everywhere. It was a lovely Christmas though. Now that I'm a mom, I can better appreciate all the thought and hard work that goes into making the holidays so memorable for everyone. Thanks, Mom! I love you!

Twas the Night Before Christmas...

...and the night before that. These were really difficult days, but I still tried to enjoy the moments the best I could. I had a 101-103 fever the entire time and was trying to take care of Preston and his bad case of croup during it all. You should have seen me....sweats, hair pulled back, no shower all day, flushed fever-ridden cheeks...I was a DISASTER! Oh well, that's just how it goes sometimes.

David and Anthony came by to drop off gifts for the boys. Marcos went with David to drop off his car. We had borrowed one of their cars since ours was in the shop after Marcos slid off the road in the snowstorm. Yeah...good times! :P It was all I could do to get through the night. I felt HORRIBLE! The past several years I have made a video for David, but I didn't have nearly as many pictures this year since Anthony is now in school full time. I settled for a small photo album I made online. Kind of lame, but what do you do? And...what do you get for the kid who has everything? We found an affordable gift that I thought would still be cool and fun. It was a game of catch with little balls that you shut the mitts and then open them to release and launch the ball. Good enough. I hate always being on the receiving end of generous gifts. Preston got a Thomas set and Dylan got Star Wars legos. They were in heaven!

Our home teacher asked us if we would like a visit from Santa. He came two nights before Christmas. He talked about the true meaning of Christmas and gave the kids a present to open. They got Christmas coloring books from Santa. I could tell Dylan was skeptical. He told me after that he had a guess about that Santa. He said he thought it was Brother Behunin and told me that his voice was different than the Santa on the Polar Express. I told him that Santa is really busy and needs lots of helpers at Christmas time. With surprise in my eyes, I said, "Maybe people we know were asked to be Santa's helpers this year." He really wants to believe, but is starting to wonder and question quite a bit. Preston, on the other hand, is just barely figuring this whole Santa thing out. He was excited to have him there and just watched him the whole time. After Santa left, he walked around saying, "ho ho ho" in a very excited tone. :)

Christmas Eve. We stayed home since I still wasn't feeling well. It was all I could do to wrap presents and prepare that day. We even skipped making cookies for Santa and settled for setting out cookies one of the neighbors had brought to us that day. Dylan wrote a note to Santa and was more concerned with asking him if he gets along with Snowman than anything else. He watched the show "Santa Verses Snowman" and was pretty upset that the two of them would fight. He's funny! The kids opened their new pajamas, we read the Christmas story from the bible, put the kids to bed by 9 and tried to get everything done early so I could get some rest. It really was a rough year physically and emotionally for me!

Christmas With Dad & Suzanne

My dad has started having a Christmas get together the week before Christmas, which really cuts down on the stress of over-scheduling that used to happen. We had a nice meal, played, opened presents and watched a movie. We all got beanies and the kids got gloves, snowball makers and snow fort brick makers to play with in the snow during our Yellowstone trip this year. I made a movie for my dad and Suzanne with pictures of everyone throughout the year. Everyone loved it and they started to cry right after they opened it. Now that's a sign I did a really good job. :) My grandma wasn't feeling well and didn't make it to the party, which was sad for all of us. We decided to stop and visit her on the way home and I'm really glad we did. I think it made her day.

Grandma Suzanne had all the kids gathered around playing with her. They loved playing lincoln logs and Tony even managed to build a big tower without any of the younger kids knocking it down. That has to be some kind of a record.

Cute winter gear, lots of girlie dress-ups, cupcakes (I think Preston had 4) and the reaction I was hoping for from my homemade present. :)

Our visit to GG on the way home from the party. I gave her a copy of the DVD I made and we watched it with her while we visited. Preston was cute and kept pointing out all the different cousins during the video. Marissa just kept looking up at grandma and smiling. So cute! Little did I know she would be in the hospital a couple days later. I'm so glad we stopped! She is currently in a rehab facility, but it's hard to say what's going to happen at this point.

Polar Express

David treated our family to an evening on the Polar Express again this year. I was a bit nervous going with a baby, but it was a great experience. The weather was perfect (last year it was freezing and there was a huge storm) and all the kids were on their best behavior. They must've known we were going to see Santa. ;) We drank hot cocoa, ate a cookie, sang songs, listened to poems and jokes about Christmas, got to meet Mrs. Claus who gave us a recipe for Santa's favorite Christmas cookies and then met Santa who gave the kids a top. Last year they got a bell (like the book and movie). I'm not sure if there were budget cuts or they ran out of jingle bells, but it didn't seem to be too big of a deal to the kids. Preston was excited to be on a train and finally understands who Santa is to some degree so he really enjoyed it. He was hopping around shouting "ho ho ho" and trying to get the attention of the cocoa chefs. Good thing we were on the back row so we didn't disturb too many riders. :)

I wasn't sure how this would go. Dylan was looking for Santa at the ward Christmas breakfast because he has come before. He even asked me if he could go look on the roof to see if the reindeer were out there. Sure, whatever. Some kid in the hall noticed he was looking for and asking about Santa. Dylan came and told me that some dumb kid told him Santa didn't exist. I shrugged it off and said, "Yeah right." Then he said, "I know, Mom." I asked him what he said and he said me he told the kid, "That is so rude. How would you like it if somebody told you that you didn't exist?" He also told me he thought that kid would probably get a lump of coal in his stocking. Okay, crisis averted...for now. But when Dylan looked up at Santa on the Polar Express it was magical. He completely lit up. "I believe" was written all over his face and his eyes were sparkling with joy. So I think we're okay for another year. But the kid is smart and other kids are mean. I'm telling you, the second my kids stop believing, they will get a huge lecture on keeping the secret safe. Hello, there are only a few years that they are old enough to understand and young enough to still believe. Let them have their moment. Anyway...here are a few pictures I managed to take of our train ride to the North Pole. Marcos was on one at the end of the ride. He was singing the 12 days of Christmas, but filling in all sorts of weird stuff. Remember we're potty training Preston still. Um...yeah. So I am posting a video below for your entertainment.

Random December Pictures

Sorry folks...this one is going to be a long one. Below are all of my random pictures from the past month that don't need their own post, but that I thought were worth mentioning. The Christmas posts will come later.

Making Christmas countdown chains

Preston wasn't as excited about the Christmas chains, but LOVED coloring pictures representing the 12 days of Christmas

Dylan reading to Marissa

This kid has become such an amazing big brother

Playing a kid game at the Apple store while I waited to get my iMac registered to be fixed

I decided to have a SLC day since we were at the Gateway for the computer anyway. We ate off the dollar menu at McDonald's and then the kids played on the toys for a bit.

Then we headed over to the Planetarium to get in some education for the day. The kids LOVE watched the balls roll around and around. We read a little pamphlet on Newton's laws and then watched them in action.

Walking on Mars

One of MANY moments of complete exhaustion and survival this holiday season

See what I mean...SURVIVAL

Movies, snuggling, mommy trying to get a little rest...

How many people can we fit on one couch anyway? :)

Preston has really started loving his toys. This is how he hugs them. He also carries his favorites around in a little bag with him EVERYWHERE.

I put the sleigh up by my garland to decorate and Dylan couldn't handle it being alone up there. We didn't have any reindeer so as always, the kid improvised. We had zebras pulling Santa's sleigh all season long.

I took the kids swimming all by myself one day. We just had to get out and get some exercise. I was a little stressed out since it was Marissa's first swimming trip (she doesn't even own a swimsuit yet), but it worked out fine. As long as I have floaties and an eye on Mr. water-loving dare devil... That kid is CRAZY!

Marissa loved her little boat and used the handle as a teething ring :)

The YW leaders at our "Christmas appreciation luncheon" hosted by President Slade

I seriously LOVE these women! It has been an incredible year and a half (almost) since I was put in YW and now I don't know what I would do without it.

We went to see the Layton City Christmas lights with our friends the Talbots

It was pretty warm for December and the snow had melted...so Preston rolled down a hill in the leaves over and over

I love Marissa's excited/startled faces. She cracks me up with some of them!

Playing in the snow

Preston loved getting bundled up so he could stay warm and playing forever outside. He is impossible to catch on camera though...and lost his gloves the first time in the snow. Honestly! Those kids...

Marissa hanging out in her Bumbo...a common sight at our house

Dylan loving his baby sister

Yes, we decided to give potty training another try...just before our insane holiday season began

It's actually going quite well now, but the first week, I think I changed Preston's clothes at least three times a day. I thought this picture was too funny. His "pooping stance" can be unusual. He kind of likes to sit with his legs crossed...and occasionally checks on his progress. Weird, but as long as we have success, I don't really care how it happens.

The worst night of croup for Preston. This was a couple days before Christmas. We ended up giving him steroids, two breathing treatments (thanks to our friend, Paola for lending us her nebulizer) and still had to take him out in the cold air twice to open his airway. Can you tell I feel like crap myself? My fever got up to 103 that day. This was one of my crying, near-meltdown moments. It was all I could do to try to take care of poor Preston.

I told Preston to put these gifts under the tree and came upstairs to find this. He had hung them on the tree as ornaments. He really loved decoration the tree this year and took very good care of it all season long. CUTE!

Anthony came over for a sleep over a few days after Christmas. He brought his knight castle and the kids spent hours playing with that and Dylan's new zoo set he got for Christmas.

Anthony and Preston. Notice the bag in Preston's hand. He will not let go of that thing. It has his little Toy Story 3 figures in it and he takes them EVERYWHERE.

The three of them slept on the blowup mattress in the family room. They know they're not allowed to jump on it because it might pop, but they are creative and before long had turned it into a slide.

Making sugar cookies. We didn't end up making cookies for Santa because so many people had brought treats and I felt like I was going to die so we made some for fun while Anthony was visiting.

There is something magical about watching a movie in a fort

Preston's decorated candy cane cookie

Dylan's Christmas tree cookie. We didn't make frosting, but decided to improvise on the decorating part and used neon gels I had in the cupboard. Not as tasty, but it worked.

Marissa practicing using a spoon :)

Five months old and sitting pretty well on her own...just not for very long without some supervision

Dylan decided he wanted to make dinner one day...so he did. He got on his apron and hat (that is way to small for his gigantic head) and went to work making pasta. I love his initiative! It sometimes drives me crazy how he gets an idea and starts on it without permission, but I'm glad I don't have to push him to learn stuff. He comes up with ideas all by himself and doesn't wait for anything. He just gets busy working on his goal.

My sweet little Preston. I have missed this sweet boy this year. Three is just a rough age for kids and I spent way too much time being concerned about his development and not enough enjoying this unique little guy. He is so caring, understanding and loving...and he learns the way he needs to learn. That's something I had to realize to be a better mom to this kid and is one of many reasons homeschooling seems to be the answer for our family. I love him to pieces! When he needs physical attention, he just comes and gets it. I love that about him. I don't have to worry about how much he needs because he lets me know. He comes and hugs me tight around the neck and kisses my cheeks over and over (the way I do to him) and I know he wants to show me love and probably wants to receive some too. :)

Brothers!

At first this picture seems pretty normal, nothing spectacular...but I have grown to love it. It seems to portray a relationship and personalities that I don't ever want to forget. There is Dylan in his chef's hat finishing fixing the meal for our family by himself with all his excitement and zeal for life and his incredible drive to achieve. He has on the biggest smile, is hamming it up for the camera, and has his arm around his little brother like the protector he is. Preston, on the other hand, is either completely oblivious to the fact that I even have the camera out or would rather ignore me. He is in his own world focusing on whatever he wants to focus on at the moment. He has his hand on his cheek (by his mouth) like he does so often when he is thinking or focusing and is just content to be alive. Because he is 3 he has plenty of energy right now, but in general he remains my mellow little fellow. He's not shy, but is more of an observer. He takes the world in and doesn't usually demonstrate a new skill for anyone until he has it perfected (one of the reasons I often worry that he is behind in something only to later realize he already has it down to a science).

Sorry For My Absence...

I feel like I should talk like people are reading...although I'm quite certain I've lost the majority of my readers since I'm not as good at posting regularly as I should be. I honestly cannot believe it's been an entire month since I posted. Geez! But, if you think this year has been crazy, this month has truly been insane. Here's my list as to why I couldn't find a moment to catch up on life's happenings...my "excuse list" if you will.

1. My computer went on the fritz and I had to take it in to be fixed, leaving me without Internet access for several days
2. Without thinking, I decided to give potty training Preston another go, right before the holidays
3. Being very low on cash flow this year, I decided to make the majority of my gifts, including three separate movies (which are SUPER time consuming), two photo albums, and over 30 full-sized loaves of homemade bread
4. We were blessed to have a very full December calendar, leaving few moments to blog
5. I ended up catching some random virus that seriously took me out. I had a 101-103 fever for three days just before Christmas.
6. Preston caught something too - maybe the same bug, maybe not - but had a terrible case of croup. He ended up needing steroids, two breathing treatments, a humidifier and I still had to take him out in the cold dry air three times that first night to open up his airway. Scary!
7. Marcos slid off the road in a snowstorm and ended up having to get his car fixed again. This seriously happens to us way more often than it should. Stupid car problems!
8. I came close to having a complete meltdown over EVERYTHING...TWICE...finances, the car, my "to do" list, my health... I almost lost it for real.
9. My family witnessed multiple tender mercies from the Lord as we struggled to hang on during such trying times. A couple of these tender mercies were more like real Christmas miracles for our family.

During this time Marcos couldn't take off time at work because the other social worker was off to spend time with his family. Handling all the holiday prep while potty training and getting sick was NOT FUN! It was a very stressful holiday season, but became the most humbling and spiritual one we have ever had as a family. I may have to go into more detail at a later time. Suffice it to say, it's been super busy. But I will attempt to get caught up and be a little more regular with my postings in the future.