Life has been SO great lately. Here are a couple highlights.
The dead DVD player became the greatest entertainment ever. Garret just kept saying "I didn't even know all this stuff was in here." They spent literally hours taking screws out. 
We started our 12 days of Christmas (early since our Christmas will be early). So Friday night we read "Aaron's Christmas Tree". (It made me think of my Mom). I barely made it through! Then we all slept in the living room by the tree. It was so fun! The boys looked so cute sleeping all snuggled together. Spencer talked quietly to himself for a while and pointed at the sky then suddenly crashed!
Saturday Morning we started by reading another story. This story was about giving gifts on Christmas and how important it is to give. We told them that later we were going to take a toy to donate. Then I got on the phone with my Mom and while I was on the phone they started making a pile of toys. I got off and they told me they wanted to give more toys to people who didn't have toys. It was so sweet of them, they wanted to give some of their favorite things. I reminded them that they wouldn't get them back and they still wanted to give some of them away. The sweetest thing was Spencer giving away his Lightening McQueen car. He got the car for potty training and loved it. I reminded him over and over that he wouldn't get it back and I didn't want him to cry about not having it. He still wanted to give it and after we gave it away he said "someone else is playing with my car" all smiley and happy about it. It's so easy to give things you don't want but I think it means the most when you part with things that you would like to still have. In the end we put together a whole pile of things to give to the homeless shelter. They loved it. They went through the whole house, getting games, toys, clothes, food and art supplies (as well as some art projects Garret made for "the other kids"). Then they decorated the box and very eagerly loaded it up and we went to deliver it. The whole experience was so great because they really instigated it. I think in a small way they really got it! (I hope they always have the spirit of giving). Just so you know they are not always this sweet, but its the sweet moments I want to remember forever!
After that we headed off to see Santa. My kids are pretty funny about Santa. They always ask if he is real. They don't even look at the Santa at the mall because they don't think he is real (he has no reindeer). This one they seemed to be more convinced about. They really enjoyed playing with him and talking to him about Christmas.
After that we went Christmas shopping. At one point it really drug on. I tried not to get annoyed by how slow Tyler was going. The kids were getting grumpy and he was still going SO slow. We were at Target and I was starting to say things like "can we wrap this up in like 20 minutes". Then suddenly I rounded a corner and who do I see but my Dad. It took me a while to recognize him (you don't expect to see your Dad in Target (he is rarely in Target)) and especially not the Target in Buffalo. It was so exciting!!! He decided to surprise me and totally surprised me. He could only stay for about 48 hours (I feel pretty special that my Dad would spend all that time traveling to see me for such a short time).
We started out by going to dinner. Then there was lots of wrestling, cookie eating (thanks Mom), late night chatting, more wrestling (the boys and my Dad- no one else joined in), lego playing, puzzles, Church, more wrestling (my boys like to wrestle), pizza and farewells. For Sunday's Christmas activity we shared our Testimonies of the Savior. It was fun hearing what the boys had to share. Spencer said "I thankful for Jesus Christ". Garret talked about his birth and how he died for us and a few other things.
My Dad had never met our little Deli girl so that was exciting! She seemed to really enjoy being held by her Grandpa! She even decided to give him a special present at Church- nope not a Christmas present...the only kind of present she knows how to make and it was a big one! The boys love Grandpa Bob so much!!! When we dropped him off at the airport Garret and Spencer held it together pretty well. They needed lots of hugs. As soon as we pulled away, Garret started with the lip quiver followed by heavy breathing. He said in the most pitiful little voice "I'm getting sad already". It just escalated from there and after a few minutes I was getting worried he was going to make himself sick and throw up. He eventually calmed down. Spencer didn't going into hysterics he just kept saying "I miss him, Grandpa Bob is my friend". Then when Garret got all upset Spencer started saying "Garret, we gonna see him in Washington, it's ok".
We all loved seeing my Dad and can't wait til we get to see him and everyone else again. Thanks for the visit Dad- We love you!!!
Once Tyler got done with school it was time for our next Christmas activity. We pulled taffy. It was an annual event growing up for me and one I remember loving. The boys loved it too! They were kind of wimpy pullers but they still had fun. Tyler was very un-wimpy, so tough in fact he burned his hands!!! It was lots of fun! We really have had some great times the last couple days. Everyone is a little on the exhausted side now but it was all well worth it!
Adele was so smiley this morning but I still couldn't get a great picture of it. She loves to look at the lights on the tree and will push herself up pretty good to get a better look.
