A Carlsen Christmas

So, the Christmas present rush of this morning is over. The kids played upstairs with their "Christmas Eve" toy they had opened the night before until 7am, then we videoed their stocking opening (too bad I have no idea how to post video from our camera). They had a blast and made a mess (as you can see). We had Belgian waffles and chocolate milk and then played all morning. Don's brother Mike came to share Christmas morning with us and revel in all the presents that were sent to us by his Mom because she didn't trust him to wait (good call Mom). This is our first Christmas away from any family at all and even though I am muchly enjoying being in my own house, I had not expected to miss them as much as I have. I guess it is not as much fun being the grownup. We do not miss traveling with a billion bags, living out of suitcases and the general ruckus of a million kids (that is, even one more than we already have currently residing here). We hope (I hope) this Christmas "break" is filled with lots of organizing the garage, planning for scouts (Don and I are the bear den leaders), and maybe a couple more shelves put up. Hope all of your Christmases were great!

Ramblings about Christmas

Christmas is a funny time. I LOVE the decorations. I love getting out things that I remember from years past. I like the Christmas music in the stores. Lights on houses across the neighborhood. But, I hate the Santa story. I just can't pull it off. I don't remember growing up ever believing in a real Santa Claus. I have a hard time perpetuating the story for my own kids. I am trying (my husband is absolutely insistent on this aspect of Christmas), but I don't like it. I am just not creative and, in addition, a horrible liar. No really-- you can see straight through me. Luckily my oldest is 5 and thinks I know everything magically. Really funny actually - I walk into his room and see a portion of a 1x2 we had left in the garage after making shelves. The board is sticking into the space between his very bent screen and the window frame. I find Ryan and say "Ryan, why did you break your screen?" Ryan, with wonder and apprehension on his face says "How did you know?" There have been many such incidences. Oh, the innocence of not trying to cover your tracks. In all instances, I look at him firmly and say "I know everything, that's why I'm your Mommy." But the Santa thing really stumps me. I have the pat answers for what how Santa will find us, and how he will get in when we don't have a chimney - but it is getting harder. Soon he will notice that I look uncomfortable and pause with a umm...well...mmm, whenever he asks a "Santa" question. And really, well, I don't care that my kids believe in Santa. There is going to come a time when I look at them and say, "Umm, well, yeah, your friends are right. I have been lying to you all these years. Santa is more a symbol than anything. Sorry about that..." Humph - I don't like it. But it is funny seeing the kids sooooo excited to see Santa at Walmart - how can you deny them that?

You don't say....

A couple of days ago Mia was reading through a book given to us by Aunt Denise and Uncle John. Their picture is posted in the back (which the kids love by the way). Mia reached the picture, stared at it and said, "I wish Aunt Denise was my mom. She has pretty lips. I wish you could be married to Uncle John and Denise could be my mom cause she has really pretty lips." What this means is that she was wearing lipstick. Mia is infinitely fond of people who wear lipstick and disgusted with her mother who sometimes does not make it out of sweatpants. She always comes up to my room when I am getting ready looking to "make her lips pretty". I have stashed a lip gloss in my drawer for this purpose. Anyway, know Denise, that you are loved.

Ryan started a conversation asking me, "why do some kids not have parents?" After talking about adoption and orphans, etc. We talked about what would happen if we died and that he would get to go live with Aunt Miranda and his cousins. He screwed up his face and said, "Could I go live with Sophie instead?" Sophie is one of his best friends. I said that Emma would probably be OK with that.

Back into Action

These photos were taken this morning - the first morning I was back from vacation. The boys had gone "missing". Turns out they had raided the fresh laundry and were out jumping on the trampoline with some major kung-fu action. I don't know if the socks were for warmth (highs are down to the low 80's - this is cold for my kids in the mornings) or for dramatic effect. They were sure having fun. Another note - the fresh clean socks are now sitting outside in the dirt - eight mismatched orphans. Sigh...

Cruisin Along...

Well, we're back and Gramps is still alive (for the record, we were never worried about the kids). For those out of the loop, we went with some of Don's co-workers on an eight day cruise to the Mexican Riviera (Alcapulco, Ixtapa, Manzanillo). Grandpa Jackman graciously made it all possible by watching the little characters while we were gone. We had a blast on the boat eating, relaxing, eating, and playing...and eating. We went kayaking in the open ocean (my poor sore sore sore arms), snorkeled, and read read read. We took advantage of an unbelievable price. It hard to believe they can make money selling tickets as cheap as they did. They probably counted on us buying a ton of alcoholic drinks and gambling while on the boat. Whooops...
We heard a stat (not actually checked out as fact or anything) that said the diesel engine of the boat used a gallon of gas for every sixty feet moved. Our groups tickets couldn't have got us out of San Diego Bay. Most of the good pictures were taken by other members of our group, but here are a limited few of our own. We had just got a new camera and were too nervous to take it out too much-- wierd, I know. So when we share the photos, we will have more to show. The very well named boat was the refueling vessel at the San Diego Port - fun, huh?

Addicted to Haircuts

Ok, I guess more news about haircuts in our family (we hope to take family pictures soon with Brent...hint, hint). Ryan has three , count THREE, vicious cowlicks so we have to keep his hair pretty short. A sad Ryan with long hair and a happy Ryan after chopping it all off.

Special Unrelated to Haircutting Note: Ryan just came downstairs to ask a question. To understand this question, you need background info. Wyatt and Ryan started sharing a room after this move. They sleep in a bunk with Wyatt (obviously) on the bottom. Wyatt is having a hard time not talking to Ryan (and vice versa, although he denies it) and an especially hard time staying in bed with a companion in the room (which must mean playtime, right?). Ryan is forever coming out of his room with complaints about Wyatt. Well, with that info, here is the question:
Ryan: "Can Wyatt get in trouble if he is not talking and not getting out of his bed?"
Mom and Dad: "What?? What is going on?"
Ryan: "He is not doing anything-- Wyatt just wants to get in trouble"

Huh?

Pumpkin Guts

So, we attempted, for the first time EVER to carve pumpkins with kids around. It actually wasn't too bad. The kids were utterly grossed out with the idea of putting their hands into the slime inside, but after they were (strongly) encouraged, they got over it. The kids cleaned out their own, designed faces on paper and helped mom and dad hold the carving utensil for the rough parts. They loved pushing the parts that were already cut right out of the pumpkin. Mia had more fun than anything else putting the pieces in and out again and again. You can tell she is my puzzle girl. Mom carved a bat and Dad did a ghost from a template. Really fun - except for the massive amount of pumpkin slime that ended up on the floor....

Oh the PRESSURE!!!!

So, I've been told by a close maternal figure that I am the ONLY one of my generation not posting regular updates on a centrally accessed Internet site, commonly referred to as a blog. I thought about telling this as-yet-unnamed person that the pressure would be too much and I like keeping you all in suspense, waiting for the littlest morsel of news. Now what am I going to put in my Christmas letter? Or will this absolve me of any responsibility for holiday cards at all? But the pressure finally got to me. So here goes...

We have been in our new house a little under a month. We are still trying to decide where things should go and the master bedroom still has piles and piles of books waiting for a bookshelf. But things are starting to resemble normal and the kids are getting used to stairs. 

We decided (OK, mom decided) that Mia's hair was getting too long and since she didn't like combing it (except with food covered fingers), we were going to cut it. Unfortunately we didn't take any "before" pictures, but here is an "After" picture. Don even admits it is cute and he is president of the "women shouldn't cut their hair...ever" club.  

Halloweem was also interesting. I bought a 75% off dragon costume after Halloween last year, thinking that since Mia was going to be three -surely she would want to be a princess this year and I could do a cute fairy tale theme. Well, when Mia saw that dragon costume, she decided that this was exactly what she wanted to be. She puts it on herself and walks around "scaring" mom and dad. When we get a frightened look on our faces, she pulls back the hood and says, "Don't worry! There's a pretty girl inside this dragon!" Well, we don't have to work on self esteem issues yet.... We finally convinced her that she was the only one who could be the princess, so she wears the dragon during non-official Halloween functions. The picture above was taken before our ward trunk or treat.  Wyatt was trying to get the dragon head up, Ryan is protecting...someone, and Mia is dancing (immediately what she does when a camera is pointed her way these days). 

Oh...one more thing that makes me laugh. Mia has adapted the term she has heard Ryan use for his closest friends for her own use. Quite fun to hear, "Mom, did you know that Ryan and Wyatt are my best boys? Yup, they are my very best boys."