Christmas Cheer

family day on the train

We have been anticipating today for a few weeks now.  We were all going to be home on the same Saturday, right before Christmas!  Jake and I really wanted to do something fun with the kids that they hadn't done before.

We rode the Frontrunner train to Salt Lake for a day of fun.  We ate at the Lion House Pantry, checked out the magic of the Disney store, looked at every calendar in the other toy store, then ... we met the Big Guy, Santa, himself.  I sang and quoted our favorite movie, Elf, while we trudged through the crowds.  Abbi (who is only 8 years old) kept her head down and tried to hold my hands down.  She also pretended not to know me when I elfed it on the escalator.  If she's already embarassed by me she has a long life ahead of her.

Abbi jumped right up on his lap and asked for a telescope, and Easy Bake Oven, and earrings.  Then, she asked Santa to "Please split our presents because me and my brother have two houses."  Santa assured her that he would do that so he is coming a day early to our house!

Noah quietly (oddly) sat on Santa's lap and asked for a toy truck.  He gave all the right answers about being a good boy and jumped off as soon as he could.

I loved the way that City Creek had the Santa business set up.  We got to go into Santa's lantern without any other kids and have his, and Mrs. Claus's, undivided attention.  It was awesome!

After our visit, we ran through the revolving door and rode the elevator to the the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.  I told Abbi that Grandma and Grandpa Hansen got to walk out on top of the temple before and instead of being awed she was just happy they lived.

We took them into the tabernacle next.  Abbi loves to hear the odd bits of history Jake and I could pull together to tell her about Temple Square.  I told them how, once, my face was broadcast onto the ceiling of the tabernacle during Young Women's Conference.  Instead of being awed, they tried to figure our where the men and women sit in the choir seats.  Oh, well.

The horses pulling the carriages were a hit so we ran to catch one.  Unfortunately, forty other people had already thought of it.  Noah begged for ice cream for dinner.  I would have obliged but Jake is a little more sensible than me.  There was exactly no where to sit to eat anything due to the ginormous crowds doing last minute shopping and sight seeing.  I dare say downtown Salt Lake City hasn't seen a Christmas season like this in a long time.  Thank you, City Creek.

My country boy husband wore thin among the people towards the end but assures me that we will be doing this every year because of how much the kids love it.  I love it too but I certainly will be wearing better shoes next time.

This has to be the best Saturday of the year.  We have had a lot of good ones but the Christmas atmosphere trumps everything.  I thought about how, for the last eleven years, I have been scheduled to work every Saturday.  I feel so lucky to be at home now to take advantage of these good days and to make memories with my little family.  Man, I'm one lucky girl.

      Christmas is love.

a weekend getaway

Jake should smile more often for pictures, but this one was probably legit.

Isn't this the funnest thing you would ever see in an airport?

"Yes, Ma'am"

Jake and I were cuddled up, preparing for take-off, watching the young girl sitting in the window seat with her legs shaking and her hands twisting a piece of thread over her fingers.  Jake was worried about her and suggested I talk to her during take-off.  

I don't know her name, but she is headed home to Houston (pronounced yu-stun) for Winter Break from BYU-I.  She just finished her first semester in Psychology and wants to specialize in criminal psychology.  But really, she wants to be a stay at home mom.  

We visited for the majority of the flight, talking about school, careers, the horrendous crimes in the U.S., boys and their games, and dating.  She was a good conversationalist.  The thing is, every time I asked her a question or when she agreed with me she said "Yes, Ma'am."  The whole time.  I really thought I identified with her and we were basically friends but Jake doesn't agree.

Jake thinks my new friend doesn't think we are friends.  He thinks that she thinks that I'm just the "wife and mom" lady.  He helped me think back to when I was her age and what I thought of someone who was the age I am now and the stage of life I am in now.  He's right (don't tell him I said that) but when I heard their stories, even if they were similar to what I was doing, my brain was sure they didn't understand what life was like for me.  I liked their stories and I wanted to be like them and have what they had.  But they were "old" and did what I was doing "a long time ago."

I got my butt handed to me.  I swear I jumped like 15 years by getting married.  At least half of that is courtesy of Noah.

Harsh?  I agree.  24 hours ago I thought I identified with 19 year old girls.  

You probably thought that by harsh I meant the 15 year remark and even throwing Noah's name in to the mess.  But, I didn't.  By harsh I mean .... Today, I may not be exactly who I thought I was ..... 11 years ago.

Good luck with your life, you little young thing.  Have fun at school.  Don't worry about dating.  Keep your standards high, like you have, and keep your kisses for the right boy(s).  Go to institute.  Find work you love and enjoy it.  Time will bring the blessings you are waiting for.  In the mean time, you'll have experiences that will mold you.  You're not waiting for happiness and you're not waiting for the next stage of your life.  You are who you are and there is happiness to be discovered every day.  Don't wait to be someone else.  Don't wait for the next stage of your life.  Prepare for it, but shouldn't we prepare for the next step no matter where we are in life?  Enjoy where you are now.  Be good.  Be happy.

Gingerbread Houses

Listening to Jake tell the story of Hansel and Gretel

Abbi's house - in progress

Noah's house - in progress

The front Jake & Joey's house - in progress

The front of Noah's house - Finished product

The front of Abbi's house - finished product

The back of Abbi's house - finished product

The back of Jake & Joey's house - finished product

The back of Noah's house - finished product

The front of Jake & Joey's house - finished product

This drawing started out as a sketch of a table Jake & I saw in the Celestial Room in Draper.  He really loved the table feet and thought they looked like ox hooves.  Jake thinks it's a sign that we maybe should get sealed there.  Somehow the drawing changed from when I saw it and it was just a table to the picture you see now.  I hope our dinner guests were amused.