What I Read This December

Instead of posting at the beginning of each month what I will be reading (and having hiccups in the month in which I actually don't read all the books I intended to) I decided to start posting the books that I have read at the end of each month.

So, without further adieu here is what I read this month:

I have read this book before, but it was worth a second read. I really enjoy Glennon's writing style. 

Andy gave me this book at a Christmas gift. I began to read it Christmas morning and finished it up by late afternoon. I could not put the book down. It was a powerful story that I would encourage anyone to read. 

I absolutely hated this book. I disliked it so much that I could not even finish it - which is pretty rare for me. This author began his career as a successful salesman and the whole book reeks as if I am being sold a shady deal. Don't waste your money on this book. Don't even rent it from the library. It is not worth your money or your time. 

I began reading Jen Hatmaker when she wrote the book 7
I liked her writing style then and I still enjoy it now. 

Christmas 2017

Christmas Eve is chock full of traditions in our house. We wrap presents on Christmas Eve. We go out to a nice restaurant for dinner. We come home and watch Polar Express. (This is done solely for my sake as it is my favorite Christmas movie of all time and in my top 5 favorites across any genre. The kids just humor me as they really don't like the movie anymore - at least that is what they say. I do wonder if there aren't some secret likers among the 4 of them. Plus, they really enjoy making fun of me as I tear up year after year in the same parts. They instinctively know when to turn their heads to check on me at various time throughout the movie - those darned rascals - and they will ways find me near overflowing with emotion.) Before bedtime I read The Night Before Christmas.  (My dad read that book to us every Christmas Eve while I was growing up and he intended to pass the tradition down to Bob, but Bob was fired from that gig as his reading voice is monotone and without any inflection. I am the entertaining reader in our house and have been the sole reader of this book for a long time and will continue to be so. Sorry, Bobby.) We then all head to bed in which none of us really sleep all that well because we are so excited for the next morning.

Some holidays (like Thanksgiving) being away from family is extra hard. Other holidays (like Christmas) aren't so bad because by the time we finish opening gifts we are all so tired (because my kids still get up extra early) that the thought of going some place or having people over seems extremely overwhelming. Instead Christmas for us is about just the 6 of us snug in our own little cocoon.

There was a renewed excitement about this Christmas between my boys, and I fed off of that. I don't know what was so special about this year, but there was definitely something in the air that had us all extra excited. So much so that Bob and I woke up at 5 am to celebrate with the kids following shortly after at 5:15ish.

We spent a couple of hours slowly opening gifts. Bob and I wanted to do something different this year for our kids and so instead of buying them material things as gifts we bought them an experience. Next week we will be spending 3 nights and 4 days up in Mt Hood in a house we rented. We will be using one of those days to go snow tubing down Mt Hood at one of the ski resorts. The other days we will do as we see fit. Most likely, we will be playing board games, sled riding, reading good books, and just having an overall great time. (I will be sure to post pictures!) The kids were all excited, but Sarah is the most excited. Bob has been doing a good job going to stores with sales and making sure we all have good gloves, snow pants, coats, etc...it's been a while since we have experienced actual winter conditions as both Las Cruces and Portland do not offer those. (Not that I am complaining one bit. I love not having traditional winter weather.)

I don't know who was more excited to see the kids open their gifts this year Bob and me or Andy. Andy ended up emptying his bank account (just his checking not his savings) to buy his siblings their Christmas gifts. It is tradition in our house that the four of them pick one name out of a hat and  they buy a gift for their person. (It is supposed to be done in secret, but never is.) This year Andy decided to get everyone a gift. What I love about what he did was that he gave his all. It wasn't the amount of money that he had to give, but rather that he gave 100% of what he could to others because in doing so that made his heart happy. That is the kind of kid that he is. He is one of the most unselfish people I know. The biggest compliment I know to give him is that he reminds me a lot of my grandfather. Quiet, thoughtful, introspective, liked by all. Beyond generous. That is Andy. He is a rare gem that kid. A rare gem. And some day, should he choose to do so, he will make an amazing husband. His potential future spouse is one lucky person.

Anyway, I digress - back to Christmas. After the gifts were opened everyone tinkered with their new stuff for a while before some of us went back to bed for a nap. Others stayed awake for a while, but laid on the couch. Elizabeth was a Lego putting together phenomenon and created set after set of her new Legos.

As dinner time approached we all made our portion of our Christmas meal as is tradition in our house for us to do. This all started in my house when I was growing up and used to be a part of Christmas Eve dinner, but since our family goes out to eat every Christmas Eve we have changed this dinner routine to Christmas Day. (A couple of weeks before Christmas we put the various dinner components on paper & into a hat: salad/veggie, starch, meat, dessert, appetizers, & drinks. We then each pull out one portion of Christmas dinner and then that is what we are responsible for choosing and making on Christmas day. Except for the person who gets meat. That person always trades with Bob. Which I know that some of you may be thinking why don't we just assign that to Bob to begin with and take it out of the hat as an option to pick and the only thing I can tell you is what my father would tell you and that is: tradition! All of the options have always been put into the hat therefore all of the options will continue to be put into the hat whether it still makes sense or not. Tradition, people, come on.)

Overall, we had a good day. It was quiet and peaceful. Exactly as Christmas (in my mind anyway) should be.

5:15ish am Christmas morning. Even Lily is excited. 

Look at house big my tribe is getting!

Lily was so excited about her gift that Josh is opening for her. The laundry baskets were a failed attempt to corral all of the kids gifts so that the living room did get to be an unorganized hot mess. 

Sarah had Andy has her Secret Santa person. She got him some Star Wars Legos.

One of Andy's gifts to Sarah was one of those pillows where you can sit up against it. 

It was clearly too early for Moose to be up. As he feel asleep in this position early on in our gift opening. 

Andy wrapped Josh's gift in a box of rocks so that Josh thought that was all he was getting for a hot second. You can tell he finds this humor pretty funny. But was super shocked and excited when he pulled out the latest model ipod. 

I have had a Dyson vacuum for the last 14 years. It has been my sidekick in cleaning my house and I swear by the them despite the cost. My Dyson stopped working when an outlet in our house had a power surge one afternoon and blew out to the motor. After 4 kids, a couple of dogs, guinea pigs, and now a kitten the thing was on it's last leg anyway. I found an amazing deal on a new dyson - like a 60% off deal - which I could not pass up. So, I bought it and had the kids wrap it for me as a Christmas gift. That bad boy is freaking amazing. 

This is the portable carpet cleaner I also bought for myself and had the kids open. I love me some cleaning products. 

Elizabeth starting her build-a-thon. 

Moose taking his mid-morning nap. 

Leading Up to Christmas

Moose falls asleep in the weirdest positions. He is so cute and is the "purrfect" fit for our family. We just adore him. 

 A few days after I came to Arcadia Beach by myself I decided to bring the kids up here. The sun has been very generous with its appearances here in the Portland area this fall/winter and I find myself taking every opportunity that I can to enjoy its warmth. Last week we had another couple of days of forecasted sunshine. I decided that the kids could skip school and we would head to the beach for the day where the temps were in the high 40's / low 50's. The clouds were few and far between. I love the fact that I can take my family to the ocean in December and we can spend the day there without freezing.

The kids had fun building a fort. Sarah wove some seating out of large pieces of seaweed. I took a long walk down the beach again with Lily while the kids were occupied. I love when they all band together like a tribe and work on a project together. Each child has his or her own part to contribute and each person is equally needed.

My one son always amazes me because he will groan and kvetch when I tell the kids of an outing I would like to take - especially if this outing has to do with nature. But he always seems to have a good time and this day was no exception. After the sun had set it was growing colder quickly and I had asked the kids if they were ready to head out. It was my initially uncooperative son who asked if they could stay longer because the kids were all having a good time together and wanted to finish up their fort.

When our family gets the official word that we are leaving this area I will celebrate. It is no secret that the kids and I do not like living here at all. (At. All.) When I think about leaving the one thing  that I know I will miss is the ocean. Having the ability to be at its doorstep in an hour and fifteen minutes is a gift. I try to head out there as much as my life will allow because I always find myself rejuvenated by the ocean. The rocky driftwood littered shorelines are stunningly beautiful and speak to me the way A Mountain and Soledad Canyon did in Las Cruces.

Although similar to my last post I could not help posting the pictures from this day as well.