New Year's Eve

Grandpa and Nana came for pizza and games

and this Russian soda which has tarragon syrup and tastes like spice gum drops in a forest with licorice...or something.  Strange and good!

 Homemade churros

 And a toast to the new year with sparkling grape juice

Happy New Year!!!!

Goodbye 2018!

What can I say about 2018?  I feel like it was trial after trial and yet so many blessings at the same time.

Our theme for 2018 has been "Live after the Manner of Happiness".  We were truly tested in this, but I can honestly say I feel happier than I did a year ago.  Happiness is less about what's happening to you and a lot more about what's going on inside.  It was a good theme for me.  And I'm so glad I feel happier.

But oh my, were we tested!  Just a bit...here are a few things we dealt with in 2018:

January 
no power for several days
Cooper puking
truck oil leak
truck radiator broke
power out again
truck drive bearing broke
toilet flooded for hours while we were gone
water damage from flood through center of house on all three floors
Cooper puking again
van got hit

February

house repairs

living at Nana's
truck differential broke
computer died
truck differential again
Todd's company went bankrupt and he lost his job

We kind of stopped keeping track at that point, but here are a few more highlights from the year:

Todd's truck broke about 19 more times (ok, maybe not 19...)
My van had three recalls and two flat tires
Todd got shingles
The furnace broke
The garage fridge broke
The garage flooded from the water softener
The oven broke in a display of fireworks out the top
The basement lights did the same thing

I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in my mouth

Cooper was diagnosed with lazy eye

Various other bouts of puking and fevers

Madeline has a relentless rash on her leg that won't go away

Ethan's allergies don't either

But...BUT...we lived after the manner of happiness.  Yes, I think we did.  We love each other.  We love the Lord.  We try to serve and trust and have faith and be kind and forgive and smile and love.  And I am not kidding when I say I am happier.

Maybe 2019 will be easier.  Maybe it will be worse.  I have no idea.  But I'm going to keep reading The Book of Mormon and feeling that power.  I'm going to keep following the prophet because nothing brings me more joy.  And even though 2018 is coming to an end, I am going to keep living after the manner of happiness.  Which is trying to be a disciple of Christ and doing things that happy people do.  Come what may.

The Past Few Days

Todd rented a chipper again to take care of the two trees we had taken down that had died.  I can't believe the amount of work our yard takes.  I'm kind of dreading spring.  Which is a funny thing to say and something I never thought I'd say...but the yard work is so overwhelming to me.  I'd be so happy if my yard required zero maintenance and was the size of a postage stamp.  True story...

 But I will instead be so happy that no one was injured during the chipping!  And also so happy that my husband is such a good hardworking man.

 Meanwhile, Oliver was beyond delighted to play me in his version of tic-tac-toe.  I was at a complete disadvantage seeing as how I didn't know the rules.  Oh my!  How he giggled.  It was too cute and funny.

 I made a Quiche Lorraine for dinner.  The pastry crust was a new kind I hadn't made before and I quite liked how it turned out.  I have found a lot of happiness in the kitchen lately.  Baking brings me a lot of joy.  And I guess, I feel most at home when I'm in the kitchen.

 We've also been playing a lot of games.  I don't ever feel in the mood to play games, but I always feel happy when I do.  Obviously some games are better than others, but I think if I pick a good one, it's a really nice way to spend the afternoon with my kiddos.

 Madeline painted her fancy unicorn she got from Mimi for Christmas.  It lives above her bed now and looks lovely.

 And Oliver, who got a straw dispenser for Christmas, has really really really been enjoying selecting new straws each time he's thirsty.  I'm still giggling...

 Cooper continues to make awesome creations that I have to take pictures of!  He's quite the builder.

Our Christmas

Santa came, with all his magic

 Ethan was surprised to find that Todd and I had wrapped his door.  It thwarted his plans to snoop at 1 AM.  Still makes me giggle...he said the bow was a nice touch.

 Waiting for the others to wake up...we let Oliver and Madeline and Dad sleep until 7.

 Madeline's dolls got stockings too

Yes, oh yes, Santa came!

 The kiddos got lots of delights

 But we saved the biggest surprise until the end!  A treasure hunt with clues that took the kids all over the house and the yard.  Eventually they ended up in Daddy's shop and found three huge wrapped boxes.  What in the world?!?!?!?  A trampoline!!!!!

 After jumping around and hollering with excitement (except Oliver who wasn't impressed with the trampoline idea-lol), we went into the house for Raspberry turnovers.

Daddy built the trampoline in the afternoon, and even Oliver decided it was a pretty good present to get after all!

 They had so much fun jumping.  I was so grateful it wasn't raining.

 The whole day was happy and wonderful.  I felt so much love and gratitude.  We enjoyed a Grandpa and Nana visit.  I talked with my family on the phone.  I miss them.  But feel so grateful to have them.  What a very Merry Christmas.  Oh my, we are so blessed!

Here are some more random pictures:

 Earrings from Madeline

  A giraffe I sewed for Oliver

And the prettiest gift of all...Todd spoiled me!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Christmas Eve

Oliver kept himself busy on Christmas Eve morning by building a Beanie Boo Castle.  He named all the parts of the castle and showed me around.  Oliver always cracks me up at the words he invents.  His castle was very fancy and included: a hooks track, a lixit, three hooks traps, a hex blanket, a loo loo and the lex rocket, a hex, and another hex, and ..."this one is also the hex, and this one is the damage.  And these three cups are called the everything." Wow!

 After lunch, we made our candy houses as per tradition.

mine

 Cooper's Squido mansion (in honor of his favorite plushy squid)

 Grandpa and Nana's carousal

 Ethan's Bowser's Castle

 Madeline's cutie house

 Oliver's

 Todd's aircraft carrier

We had lots of treats (of course)

 And after the candy house clean up, I decorated the table with real boughs and pinecones.

 Madeline made a Santa hat that fit perfectly on Dad's head in our family picture.

 They played games to pass the time until dinner, a feast of turkey and stuffing and potatoes and other delicious things.

 Then we went straight to opening pjs.  We wanted to maximize our wearing time.

Epic!

Then we had a lovely time singing Christmas songs at the piano.

 Before bed, we had a special story time at the table.  Each one of our birth stories was told as the candle was lit.  We read Christ's birth story and lit the center candle at the end.  It was a beautiful feeling and just the right Spirit for Christmas.

We tucked the kids all in with shivering excitement.  The magic is here again!!!

What a fun fun day.  Merry Christmas!