Christmas

Santa came through for Parker.

Nothing says Christmas like sick children, crying about opening their presents. It was a great Christmas despite the fact that everyone was infected with something. (Or multiple somethings.) The past week I have spent $75 in co-pays and $100 in medicine to relieve the following: cold, bronchitis, sinus infection, pink eye, stomach flu, and ear infection. Here's to wishing myself, and those that our family infected over the holidays, HEALTH and happiness in the coming year.

Santa

Saturday was our ward's Christmas party. The highlight of the evening was the arrival of Santa at the end of the party. Well, the highlight for Parker anyway. McKay fell asleep waiting in the 45 minute line for Santa. Deacon was screaming because he was tired and hungry. And I was just annoyed to be standing in such a long line.

Now Parker had been asking Santa to bring him a real BYU football helmet. I found BYU football helmets. They were all $100-$200. So I told Parker, "I don't think Santa can find a BYU helmet. Maybe you should ask for something else." To which he replied, "Santa can make it in his toy shop. He's always given me what I want before." Desperate, I spent hours searching ebay and every other place I could think of, all the while trying to convince Parker he wanted something other than a football helmet for Christmas.

Then amazingly I found a brand new plain white football helmet on Amazon and BYU football helmet decals on ebay. I was giddy! I tried explaining my great find to Chris. "I got it for half the price, plus free shipping, plus if I sign up for this Amazon thing I get $30 off--why are you not excited?!?" He got in trouble for not being appropriately enthusiastic at my great deal.

So standing in line with Parker, I was thinking how excited he's going to be on Christmas. "What are you going to ask Santa for?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said, "maybe a skateboard."

"What?!? I thought you wanted a BYU football helmet."

"Yeah, but you told me it cost too much money for Santa."

"Remember Santa can make it in his toy shop."

"You told me he could only make toys that you can find in a store."

"I lied! This is the real Santa. He can do anything!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

He asked Santa for the helmet, but he seemed very unconvinced.

Zoo Day

Last Saturday was Paws-n-Claus at the zoo. This meant two things-Santa and free admission.

You can see only cheap people go the zoo in December, as it was pretty cold.

Parker was very adamant on his outfit choice. He wanted to dress like a zoologist. Apparently zoologists wear jellybean gardening gloves.


McKay started out being grumpy because she was cold and sleepy. But she finally came out of her shell.

I feel that this series of pictures of the kids playing on the Komodo dragon statue deserves a truly clever caption, but alas I'm striking out.

Manners

We've been working on teaching our kids table manners. This week we have been concentrating on asking to be excused when finished with dinner. Today we were almost done with sacrament meeting when McKay, who had been sitting amazingly well on her chair, turned to me and asked, "May I please be excused?"

Childlike

Today McKay helped me make cookies. Our stake participates in a program that makes cookies for inmates for Christmas presents, so I was making cookies for that. I put some of the cookies on a plate, and told McKay she couldn't eat those ones because we were giving them away.

"To who?" she asked. Unsure if she would understand I said, "To people in jail." "Oh," she said. Then when I went to move the plate she said, "Is it time to give the bad guys our cookies? Because I can be nice to bad guys, too."

To me that is the definition of being childlike.

Phone Calls

While talking to my sister, Riki, on the phone today, I overheard her say, "Bailey, why are you microwaving a pickle?" This reminded me of other great phone calls with Riki. Once I heard her say, "Bridger, don't eat it. Don't eat it." Followed by crying and, "I've got to go. Bridger just ate an onion." Which reminded me of the time I was talking to her and I said, "McKay,get your foot out of the frosting!" This was followed by, "I've got to go. McKay's walking on the couch with a frosting foot." Apparently, we tend to ignore our children when we talk on the phone. This must lead to their weird usage of food...

Almost Twins

My sister, Emily, came up to Idaho for Thanksgiving. Though she is six years younger than me, apparently we look more alike than I thought. McKay came up to me and asked, "Are you mommy or Emily?"