Merry Christmas. -Journaling-

So here we are a little less than a week before Christmas and I find myself just now settling into the "Christmas Spirit" of the season. The past 3 weeks have been so full of parties and performances that it has been difficult to focus on much else. We do still have 2 big family parties to attend this weekend, the Robison party on Saturday and the Thompson (White) party on Sunday night. I am looking forward to those 2 parties since it is just family. The girls are so excited about Christmas and Sam has been counting down! Every morning she informs me of how many days we have left until Christmas. We had the girls buy gifts for each other and they loved picking something out for their sisters. Scott and I bought one gift for them to share and that is it (under the tree) they will get a Santa gift and stockings--but all in all--a simple and relatively small Christmas. I know that they will get gifts from Nana and Grandma Diann and they are getting gifts from a cousin gift exchange, but this year is feeling better to me--as far as not going over board on the "stuff"--Yeah!! It helps me feel more calm inside. The other fun thing that we did with the girls was that we got names off an Angel Tree! They loved picking out gifts for someone that they didn't even know, but for someone that actually NEEDED a gift for Christmas. Very good experience for us all.

Scott continues to be-Chiropractor, JV coach, husband, father, 1st councilor in the Elder's quorum . . . and I know that he is getting a bit worn out. He is looking forward to a week long break here at Christmas. Coaching has been a big time commitment for us all. I miss him. I am trying to be supportive and encouraging (this is one of his big dreams) but I still miss him. He is my best friend. The girls and I have gone to all his home games, we don't stay for V or go to away games . . .but we are doing our best to go to as many as we can. I do want to go to some away games, but I will try to leave my "3 ring circus" at home when I do.

I am glad that December is almost over and that life can get back to a more normal pace--I was barely keeping up with that--- Y.W.'s is going great. We went caroling last Tuesday and they seemed to enjoy that, very Christmas Cheer and all. We do have Baptisms coming up on the 23rd, I hope we have enough girls still in town to make it worth the trip.

Samantha just had her Christmas singalong and they sang a song about a big, red sled. It was cute. Her whole class wore scarves. She is not the tallest in class any more. I think that she is slowing a bit and may possibly average out---much to her dismay, her life's ambition is to be taller than me--- She looked darling up there with her new Christmas dress on and her hair in pigtails with big red bows. (I love having 3 heads of hair to do--one of the many perks of having girls, I LOVE to do their hair). The past 3 mornings Sam has gotten up with me to do Yoga! (I get up almost every morning at 6 a.m. to do Yoga). She was also my little exercise buddy in the summer--getting up early to walk 2 miles with my Mom and me every morning. She is so insistent on getting up. I actually love having her up with me.

McKenzie just had her pre-school sing along this week too! She was darling up there in her silver skirt and red sweater ( a combo of last year's Christmas outfit and this years)--she was not pleased that I was mixing the 2 outfits, but the out come was darling!! She kept telling me that they didn't match, " They don't go together!" she protested! (she's been watching too much "What not to wear!" on TLC) This last year in pre-school has been just what she needed to finish getting ready for kindergarten! I am very glad that we did not send her this year! Kenzie sometimes struggles to feel good about herself, and uses phrases like, "I can't do anything good!" and "I don't fit in this family!" sometimes I know it is just the DRAMA coming out in her, but sometimes I worry that she really does feel that she is not good enough. She really is the most like me of all the girls. I feel where she is coming from. I try to pay special attention to her and try to boost her up.

Whitney is talking very clearly now. She says and does the funniest things! She just cracks me up! Like this morning she had pulled her night shirt down around her waist and was running around the house. I asked her, "Where's your shirt?" and she said, " I naked!!" I later found her trying to give herself some medicine, through her belly button with a baby medicine syringe! I don't know? Go figure! Also when I cut up apples for them I make them eat the peel. Whit always rebels and won't eat it. Well, I bought some green apple this time and the peel is so tough, I don't even like to eat it. So I was cutting off the peel for everyone. Whitney could not get over it! She kept say, "Mommy cut a peee-ll off fooor mee!" over and over again! Also once when I was doing her hair I got a little hairspray in her eye. Since then when ever I do her hair and I don't get hairspray in her eye she tells me, "Mommy, you din-nit get har-spway in ma eyee!" over and over! So cute!

I feel so very blessed. I have so much. I am very grateful for my life and my family. My heart is full of joy and happiness. I am grateful for Scott and all that he does to take care of all of us girls! He is a wonderful man. Love you Scotty!