Energizer Bunny

Here's my day yesterday.  

(going and going and going and going . . . )

4:30 a.m.  I wake up for no good reason, and my brain immediately switches on and won't stop.
4:45 Figure I may as well get up and start doing stuff.  I start some laundry, make banana bread for Dallin to take into his Student Council Holiday breakfast.  (I didn't make it the day before because I was too busy making a bunch of other stuff for the neighborhood Christmas party I was hosting that evening.) Also, I catch up on some email and plan what to do for playgroup that day.
7:40 Take Dallin to student council.  Come home.  Me and Julianne get the other kids breakfast and ready to go for the day.
8:40 Take Daph & Sean down to school
9:15 Hayden's playgroup friends arrive and we do play group
12:15 Hayden's playgroup friends have left.  I dive into making dinner since the afternoon is going to be crazy, and I need to have it ready by three.  Julianne has been  helping out so much with meals and stuff, I just don't want her to have to worry about it.  After all, she's hugely pregnant!  Thank goodness she's up taking a nap with Lilly.
1:15  Busy chopping chicken when I get a phone call.  CRAP!  I know who it is before I even get to the phone. I had completely forgot to pick Sean up from preschool.  for the second day in a row.  How does a mom forget to pick up her son TWO DAYS IN A ROW!!!!????  I think part of my brain might be dying . . .
1:16 Race down to the school to pick up Sean
1:25 Finish making dinner while wearing Sydney in the bjorn because she wants to up where the action is-not in her swing, not in her jumper, not on the floor.  I have to be careful that her little fingers don't get in the way of the knives or on the hot skillet.
2:30 I have 30 minutes to catch my breath before the next wave of crazy.
3:00 Teach a piano lesson
3:30 Put away laundry
4:00 Kids get home from school, snacks, talk with Daphne about some drama at school.  (Isn't 2nd grade a little young for drama?)
4:30 Dallin's violin lesson
5:15 Dinner
5:30 Get Dallin to basketball
6:30 Pick Dallin up from basketball
6:45 Load up the family to get down to the church to pack meeting. Takes awhile because nobody has shoes on or is ready in any sense of the word.  When I got back from getting Dallin, the adults were busy picking up ornaments and sopping up the water that spilled on the carpet when Lilly pulled down the Christmas tree.
6:57 Almost at the church, turn around because in all the confusion, Arthur forgot something he needed for his song.
7:03 Grab his forgotten item and a container of gasoline because the van might run out of gas at any minute. We also notice that the white car has a flat tire that will have to changed when Arthur gets back because he has a meeting early the next morning.
7:10 Arrive at the church, and race into the building since we're ten minutes late, and Arthur's the cubmaster.  (He runs the whole meeting.)
8:15 Swing over to the gas station to fill up the van. Get home.  Arthur changes the tire on the white car while I get everyone in bed.
9:00 Put away more laundry. Get in pajamas and sit on my bed and talk to Julianne for an hour. (sisters are great!)
10:30 Fall asleep in probably less than a minute.

Thank goodness today was MUCH LESS hectic.  I'm still catching my breath from yesterday!  And that was primarily activities for one child! (Tuesdays are BUSY for Dallin!)  What do you moms do when you have multiple children taking lessons and doing extra-curricular activities?

Making Spirits Bright

Here are some of our Christmas Festivities so far this year:

Trimming the Tree:

The kids love watching the electric train under the tree.  

Last weekend was our Stake's 3rd Annual Nativity Open House and Messiah Concert. 

Above, the kids are seated in one of the beautifully decorated foyers of our chapel before we went and looked at all the rooms full of Nativities.  They loved looking at all the "baby Jesus's" from all the different countries, and were really good about "No Touching!"  It really is such a neat thing to walk through and see expressions of faith on the Savior's Birth from all over the world.

Since I am the Stake Choir Director, I have been involved in rehearsing the Messiah choir 2 of the last 3 years (I missed last year because of "Secret Garden" . . .).  Anyway, because I'm involved in producing the concert, Arthur supports me by staying home with the kids.

Well this year, a wonderful couple from our ward volunteered to stay with the kids each Sunday evening during rehearsals so that Arthur could participate. It was so fun to go to rehearsals together and even though we didn't get to sing together (since I not supposed to start singing again until next week) it was still so wonderful to be able to have that experience together.

I won't name these people because they are the kind of people that don't want public recognition, but I just want to say that I hope I can be just like them when I grow up.  Our children LOVED having them come over every Sunday, and we left each week knowing they were in great hands.  Thanks so much for your time and service to our family.  

Here is Arthur on his way to his first performance of Handel's "Messiah."  Look how handsome he is in his suit, all ready to sing.  I would love to have a choir full of "Arthurs."  He spent time on his own learning the music, and sang with his whole heart.  I am also thankful for the many members who give of their time and talents to be a part of this Christmas concert every year--it really is the perfect way to start the Christmas season with a focus on the Savior and his life.  My thoughts are turned toward Christ more abundantly through learning this sacred music.

Sugar Cookies for Family Night:

We are so lucky to have my sister Julianne and her daughter Lilly staying with us until Eric finishes school and comes down with all their stuff.  Julianne and Eric are moving here next week for 2 1/2 years while Eric goes to Physician's Assistant school, and I couldn't be more excited!  I have never lived near a sister since I left home for college, and I am highly anticipating all the fun we're going to have!  Since she's been here, we've done lots of baking and crafts and enjoying Christmas music and movies . . .  it's so great!  Welcome to the land of enchantment, guys!  We're so excited to have some family close by!

Thanksgiving 2010

Every year for Thanksgiving, we love having Mike and Amber come to visit us.  This year, Arthur's brother Matt from Brooklyn, who we NEVER see, was able to come too, which made it extra fun this time.  We ate, played games (Matt humored us, I don't think he's much of a game player), went on our traditional Christmas tree-hunting excursion, went to dinner, and just enjoyed hanging out. The kids loved being with their uncles and aunt and all clamored for their attention.  Thanks for being so good to them, guys!  We just love you and can't wait to you again soon!

Here are some of the pictures from the fun weekend:

The "Brothahs."

We got a new camera--hurray!  I was playing around with one of the features which is a "smile timer."  It doesn't take the picture until you smile.  Amazing.

But you have to smile very big, for it to sense the smile.  

Uncle Matt & Uncle Mikey made a very amazing marble tower with almost every single piece.  It was so tall, Hayden had to stand on the bin to put marbles in it.

Thanksgiving morning, we woke up to some snow!  How festive! And the great thing about Albuquerque is that is was all melted away by noon.  ;)

The Thanksgiving Feast--mmm, delicious!

Aunt Amber with Sydney who got very spoiled while they were here.

Dallin & Hayden sporting some gansta gold teeth, compliments of Uncle Matt.

And of course, our Annual Tree Hunting expedition:

The chosen tree is the one behind us.  

We actually found it remarkably fast--in fact, we had to play around a bit longer just to make it worth the trip.  This is one of my favorite traditions our family has.

Thanks for coming guys!  We had so much fun with you, and look forward to your visit every year!  We hope it won't be as long till the next time we see you, Matt!  Love you guys!

9 & 3

November Birthdays

Dallin turned 9.

To celebrate Dallin's birthday, we took him to see Harry Potter 7.  It was the first one he's ever seen in the theater and it's probably the scariest one they've made.  But he just plugged his ears if it got to be too much.  When he got home, he told Daphne that the worst part was a kissing part that he thought was totally disgusting.  So it seems that the scary parts didn't both him very much.  ;) When we got back, from the movie, we had a BYU football game to watch, with some friends. So he had friends over on an "no party year"  but technically, it didn't count as a "party."   

Dallin with his blanket from Nona.
The kids all love their blankets that she made for each of their birthdays and use them whenever we watch movies.

Dallin on his new bike

Hayden turned 3

His "movie" blanket from Nona.

I asked Hayden what he wanted for his birthday dinner, and he replied, "I can't tell you mom."  ?  He ended up choosing pizza.  We also had a dance party to his current favorite song, from his current favorite movie, Ice Age 3, and enjoyed opening presents and eating cake.  He opened a card from Nona and Papa with $10 in it, and proceeded to dance all over the room holding the bill and singing this little ad lib song:  "I got money!  I got money!  I'n tho big!  big, BIG, BIG!" It seems that He's thoroughly enjoying being 3 so far.

The first time I heard this song about a year ago, I loved it.   I'm always on the look-out for good music, but since I'm ward choir director right now, I'm especially compulsive about it.  This year, I'm using a Christmas program that I put together back in 2007 for another ward choir.  But I'll be doing a new one next year, and this song will definitely be among the chosen ones.

Alright, here's what I recommend.  Take a couple of minutes- Open the link in a new window, then read the text while you listen.  And then you can  listen to it a few more times while you're doing the dishes or folding laundry or something.  It's a beautiful message and the music is so moving! oh, I love it.  A great way to remember the reason for the season! Enjoy!

http://www.danforrest.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/18-carol-of-joy.mp3

Carol Of Joy

Green leaves all fallen, withered and dry;
Brief sunset fading, dim winter sky.
Lengthening shadows,
Dark closing in...

Then, through the stillness, carols begin!

Oh fallen world, to you is the song--
Death holds you fast and night tarries long.

Jesus is born, your curse to destroy!
Sweet to your ears, a carol of Joy!

Pale moon ascending, solemn and slow;
Cold barren hillside, shrouded in snow;
Deep, empty valley veiled by the night;
Hear angel music--hopeful and bright!

Oh fearful world, to you is the song--
Peace with your God, and pardon for wrong!
Tidings for sinners, burdened and bound--

A carol of joy!

A Saviour is found!

Earth wrapped in sorrow, lift up your eyes!
Thrill to the chorus filling the skies!
Look up sad hearted--witness God's love!
Join in the carol swelling above!

Oh friendless world, to you is the song!
All Heaven's joy to you may belong!
You who are lonely, laden, forlorn--
Oh fallen world!
Oh friendless world!

To you,

A Saviour is born!

Good news!

I went up to Los Alamos and saw and ENT on Monday (all the ABQ ent's were booked until February!)  And I don't have nodules, like I thought.  It's just swelling-- which is much easier to fix than nodules.  Apparently they've just been swollen since I got sick back in September.  I can talk!  (No yelling or over-doing it of course.)  All I have to do is no singing for two weeks while I take some steroids to help reduce the swelling quickly.  After that, I should be back to normal.  I feel so blessed that it isn't a bigger problem!


Arthur went with me to my appointment, and frankly, we were both kind-of preparing for the worst.  We were trying to come up with a plan for if I needed to fly out to UCDavis Medical Center and have surgery followed by six-weeks of vocal rest and what we would do with the kids during that time-- who might be able to help us for certain chunks of time, etc. etc.  So when the doctor told me they looked fine except for some swelling, I wanted to jump out of my chair and hug him!  


I'd been so worried about the possibility of losing my singing voice and what I'd have to do to get it back--It's been this constant nagging worry in the back of my mind.   It's such a huge part of my life, not only for personal enjoyment, but also, it's the primary way I serve the Lord, especially since right now my callings are Ward Choir Director, and Stake Choir Director.  I'd like to think that I've come a long way since High School, and that my identity isn't solely based on my musical abilities anymore.  But when faced with the prospect of going through that same thing with the long recovery, and all the uncertainty about whether or not I'd be able to sing again, I kind of started panicking inside.


So I feel like a huge burden has been lifted--I feel physically lighter, and the tenseness I was harboring in my chest has eased.  Ask Arthur--I was skipping out to the car in the parking lot after my appointment, and have been thanking Heavenly Father every day since.  Thanks to Carrie who helped get me into that doctor, and thanks to all of you who were praying for me. I really appreciate your thoughts and concern and faith in my behalf.