Merry Christmas

Christmas 2018

Making marshmallow and dipping graham crackers for give away gifts.  I really love this picture of my beautiful kitchen.

Cooper and Dad's Rocky Road Day

The finished Gingerbread House.  No marital fights this year.  I guess it only takes 25 tries.

Dad's Christmas Prime Rib.  (Dad was on call so it was just he and Wilson and a side of beef)

Cousins at the ice skating rink

Christmas Eve Dinner with homemade tamales.  Celebrating Grandpa's Birthday!

Marshmallow making wars.

The Moses Lake Nutcracker with all the girls.  Minus Eliza at a basketball tournament.

Eliza at the Christmas Concert.  Max was home sick in bed.

Audrey brings belated and appreciated birthday cupcakes

Tony's Christmas Colonoscopy!  Cooper's  Christmas gift was taking him to the procedure, and boy oh boy did that turn into an adventure!

With the cousins in Boise to celebrate Rebekah and Colt's wedding.

Grandma and Grandpa with the nearly missed Christmas Jello!

Christmas Eve Angels were our program this year.

Uncle Dustin at the rink

The annual stair picture--we barely fit!

Cooper receives his hoped for Costco card.

Eliza is delighted with her locket.

Santa helps feed Max's pancake addiction.

Marcos sports a new basketball jersey.

Everyone loves Grandma and Grandpas gifts of cash

the hoped for EarPods!

Eliza is pleased with her fabric.

Wilson is surprised to receive new headphones too.

The best gift I ever got.

Christmas day checkers.

Christmas Basketball boys

post Christmas Gingerbread House

Eliza excited to try out her sewing skills

We set a new record this year.  We lasted until Christmas day at 3:00 before the big implosion! That's 24 hours longer than last year.  Christmas is beautiful and hard.  So many unrealistic expectations, and moments of bliss.  Christmas is getting much easier for me as I learn to decrease expectations.  I felt pure joy Christmas morning watching my kids receive the gifts.  Wilson's face was as excited as it was when he was 3 year's old, especially with his ukulele.  Cooper liked his piano, or at least successfully faked like he liked it. Eliza was thrilled with her fabric and pins and patterns, and especially her mirror.  Max didn't expect both headphones and a microphone and was really surprised.  Marcos seemed happy with his jersey and nerf guns.  It was a wonderful peaceful Christmas morning.  The best we have had in years.  After presents the kids all went to play basketball at the gym and left me in utter peace.  They even took the trash out on the way.

Happy Birthday Marcos

Yesterday marked the official close of our family's childhood.  Marcos turned 12 and we are official parents of teenagers and adults.  Marcos will be ordained a deacon next week, will qualify for a temple recommend and will advance from primary.  Marcos is well liked at school, especially by the ladies.   He is the primary guy on the basketball court who knows what he is doing and tells the other teammates what to do.  He struggles with grades at school, but is learning good life lessons about being honest, being prompt and giving best effort.  Marcos continues to shoot no less than 1 million basketball shots a day. He is starting to develop a real style, with his hair, and with bowties and suspenders.  For his birthday he received a "fit-bit" and is serious about fitness.   We also celebrated with an ice cream basketball cake that Coop and his girlfriend Jespicked up.

This is my fourth time raising a 12 year old boy and I am aware that there is a lot that simply has to be endured.  The constant eating habits, the fart jokes, and the cracking voice are just part of the package.  What I love about Marcos is his generally even temperament, his patience, and his intuitive empathy.  Marcos does not like discontent or dissection.  He expends a lot of silly energy to try to make peace, whether it works or not.

Marcos' birth has made Christmas extra special for the last 12 years.  I love remembering the phone call I received early December and knowing that this little baby born in Guatemala was meant for our family.  He has always been the chispa in our family, a tie that binds us together

thanksgiving