Service and Burnout

We did so much that first week of December. I wanted to get things in before the tradition of being sick during the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. Actually, nobody was sick for that this year. Yay. We did enjoy watching it together.

In Sacrament Meeting that morning, our bishop talked about doing simple acts of service, which as you know I've been thinking about and trying to do lately. He shared an experience where he offered to throw away somebody's trash for them because it looked like they were done eating. Simple acts of service. I offered to take someone's cart back for them in the Costco parking lot. I was already taking mine back and he had one arm already full. Simple acts of service. At church, I complimented a couple men on their ties because the Christmas season brings out some awesome festive ties. Simple acts of service.

I also took some time Sunday afternoon to make paper bag puppets with Jet. He loved it. 

So I tried to do service. I tried celebrating. Then Monday and the burnout came. I had my nice little breakdown, feeling the overwhelm. I managed to clean and vacuum the living room. I did not manage to catch up on dishes. Did you know baking uses a lot of dishes? I still haven't caught up on the dishes. I'll just admit that right now. And I want to do more baking (read that with a whiny voice).

I still managed to do service when a couple people asked me to help with things. I mean, when someone needs a balloon blown up and you have access to balloon pumps... 

Monday evening, I dragged the kids (a couple were grumpy and didn't want to go- everyone's feeling the burnout and overwhelm) over to the mall for something new. 

They had a live nativity. Students from one of the local high schools were the performers. I knelt down with Jet to explain who the different people represented. When we get to the different groups (shepherds, wise men, etc.) in our family scripture study, I'll be able to remind him of what we saw. 

We also got hot chocolate and brownies there which we were excited about because December 8 was National Brownie Day.

Jet wanted to go inside the big Christmas tree while we were there. It is so cool looking inside.

 

We enjoyed the holiday lights (including the lights of the fountain). 

Here's a funny story. We sat down by the fountain to let Jet eat his brownie because he was just carrying it around for a while. While we were sitting there, Lucky handed me his napkin which he had shaped like a flower and said, "Here's a pretty flower for the lady." Awwww. When Jet finished his brownie, he handed me his crumb covered napkin and said, "Here's a napkin for when you finish your brownie." Ha Ha Ha Ha. I think he did it in a similar voice to what Lucky was using which is what made it hilarious. Have I mentioned I love my kids?

 

We got to see live animals as we walked back to our van, including a camel.

The weather was so good that day. We were really fortunate. I think the student performers were also really fortunate because when Nichole went to the mall just a couple days before that, it was so cold.

The grumpy kids didn't stay grumpy very long which I am grateful for and Jet was very well behaved.

We talked about how many years ago (November 2017), most of us got to ride a camel, so when we got home, Jet got on his brother's back and told us, "I'm riding a camel."

Since it was also Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day, we had "fish fingers and custard" at home.

Huh. I guess going to a live nativity also works for that holiday because we went back more than 2000 years to when Jesus came to Earth as a little baby.

 

Yesterday, December 9, was National Llama Day so my mom said I could share a couple pictures she took of her neighborhood llamas. She shared some llama thoughts with me as well. I love that my mom helps me celebrate. 

Other Things That Happened in December

Jeremy took the kids to our friends' Christmas village again. This time they had a large dancing Santa. The kids took the time to dance along.

Lucky's Christmas party at school was a Polar Express party. Jeremy built his class a balloon train engine like he did for Nichole's kindergarten class back in 2010.

We also had our annual family Polar Express party. Nichole and Jr. provided background music and sound effects as Jeremy read to us.

We tried some new hot chocolate flavors (cookies and cream, malt) and I fell asleep while watching the movie again.

We put Jet in a cute Christmas outfit and he also fell asleep during the party.

Star Wars episode IX The Rise of Skywalker came out in December. For obvious reasons, I didn't go to the showing with friends this time like I did for episodes VII and VIII and Rogue One. This time Jeremy took Nichole. She'd watched all the other movies at school and at home so she was ready. Good bonding time for the two of them. I'll just wait until the movie comes on DVD.
Speaking of bonding time, Jeremy and Jr. got some bonding time in when they went to get an oil change for the van. It's become their thing.
Nichole and Jr. got together with other youth and went caroling to homes in our ward. It was pleasant to hear our neighbors being caroled to then hearing a knock on our door and opening it to see a group of young men singing to us. Way to LightTheWorld, youth.

The kids and Jeremy took some time to demolish the balloon Christmas tree. They had fun with it.

Balloon Christmas Tree

Finished Christmas tree pictures.

Jeremy went beyond just finishing the tree, though.  The kids helped with branches and ornaments and Jeremy also built presents for under the tree, a candy cane arch, a wreath, holly garland, and a Santa hat.

We invited people to come see our Christmas tree since we're still new to the area and many of our neighbors are still learning about our balloon art.  We also had Chex Mix and hot chocolate for those that wanted it.  Yumm.

Earlier in the day, Jr. and I went out to deliver Christmas-themed balloon sculptures.  Jr. twisted them all himself.  He's doing really well with this.

Yesterday, December 21, was Humbug Day.  Jeremy and I decided to watch the Christmas Carol episode of Doctor Who.  I looked at the clock right before starting the movie.  Midnight.  Oh well.  I still wanted to watch it so I guess we celebrated Humbug Day Observed.

Light Your Family

This week for Light The World is "Light your family."  The boys helped Jeremy make our balloon Christmas tree (Nichole helped a bit, too).  The branches are all made out of 1-balloon dogs twisted together.  Even Lucky was twisting dogs.  He knows how to do it well.  I'll show finished tree pictures later.

Nichole and I had some one on one bonding time.  She and I ran errands together including craft shopping! We also spent some time at the Orem Library.  Nichole decorated an ornament to put on a tree in the teen section.  It's a dragon (of course) carrying Santa.

When we got home we worked on crafts while watching a movie.

Great time for all.

Catching Up on the Last Five Months- 7

Let's talk about November.

Jeremy's dad came to visit for Jr. Jr.'s baptism the beginning of November so he was there for Halloween and for getting together with our upstairs neighbors to make pho.  That was a new experience.  It is a long process but the result is good.  Most of our kids were even willing to try it (and you know how picky our kids are about eating).

I am so proud of Jr. Jr. for choosing to be baptized.  It was such a good choice which will help him in his life.  I'm also grateful for the good friends and family who came to support him that day as well as those who supported him in other ways.

I got really really sick in November.  I can't thank the people in our ward enough for how they took care of the kids and me during that time because Jeremy was out of town. Amazing people.
We missed a lot of potential celebrating because of sickness and recovery (even Pizza with the Works except Anchovies Day on November 12), but we were able to have some more great family time when my niece got married.  That was a long but beautiful day.
Lucky went up with Jeremy and me to the temple and got to play with cousins while Jeremy and I were at the sealing.  My parents made the trip from Oregon with two of my brothers.  It was so good to see them.  After the sealing, Jeremy, Lucky, and I stayed around for pictures then joined everyone for a luncheon.  We went home to eat dinner and gather kids then we all headed to the reception that evening.

My crafting sister made a wedding sign for the couple.  This is my sister who created the vinyl sticker for Jeremy's Polar Express conductor hat.  To see more of her creations, visit her website, Finding Time to Create.

My niece's sister wrote and performed a song for the bride and groom while they danced.  It was beautiful.  They put on a few songs for everyone to get up and dance.  My mom had a lot of fun dancing with Lucky and Jr. Jr. (all the pictures I have of that are all blurry).

I'm proud of my niece and my new nephew for making such good decisions to lead them to each other.  They are a good match.

November 17 was Homemade Bread Day.  Nichole has been making bread lately.  She even learned how to make rolls and she made and brought me some bread when I was getting over my sickness and could do nothing more than lie in bed.  Thoughtful girl.

She also makes pizza dough and learned how to make cinnamon rolls.  Mmmmmm.

Jr. Jr.'s school class presented about different holiday traditions so he brought a small balloon Christmas tree to school and shared how every year we have a balloon Christmas tree in our home.

Jr. and Nichole both got to go on field trips to watch a Utah Symphony concert.  It turns out that while Jr. was there, classes from his old school in Pleasant Grove were there so he got to see friends.  The kids from his old school were lined up and as Jr.'s class went by, he held his hand out and got a lot of high-fives.

We were thankful on Thanksgiving.  Nichole crocheted a turkey (If you give Nichole a medium) with a blindfold so it wouldn't see what was on the table before it.  She filled the turkey with batting and made a vest and pilgrim hat for it to wear so her turkey was "stuffed" and "dressed."  Ha Ha Ha Ha.

Like last year, the day after Thanksgiving, we all went with Jeremy to Vernal where he was twisting balloons for Holly Days.  The kids and I ended up doing a lot of free activities there (but we didn't ride camels this year- the camels were snowed in in Colorado.  Jr. Jr. took it well even though he'd been waiting a whole year to ride the camels because he didn't last year).

We ate french fries and drank water.  The kids got to go in a money machine and see how much they could catch while it was blowing around them.  They each caught some.  Good job kids.  The boys played on the indoor bounce houses.  We had hot chocolate and kettle corn and cotton candy and roasted marshmallows.  We looked at the ice sculptures.  Lucky and Jr. both played on various sized toy vehicles.  Jr. went on the big slide.  Jeremy was given a whole pizza so the kids and I got to have some of it for dinner.  Jr. and Lucky both got to shoot balls out of small air cannons.  Lucky helped Jeremy with balloons.  We watched the light parade.  We rode on the Polar Express mini train.  We watched fire dancers.  The kids helped close Jeremy's line then we all went to a motel to stay the night instead of driving all the way back home in the dark.

 

 

The next morning, we drove to Dinosaur National Monument in Colorado but decided not to drive up the canyon because the road had not been plowed so we made our way home with a few stops along the way.

We got home in time to give all the boys much needed haircuts.  Some of the after pictures didn't turn out so just keep coming back to my blog and you'll be able to see their short hair.

The end of November saw us at the Orem Library again, this time for a concert by the UVU Chamber Choir.  Well done, choir.  The best part was my niece was in the choir.  It was great to get to support her since we didn't go to any of her concerts when she lived in Oregon.  Great job, niece.  This is the same musical niece who wrote that song for her sister and brother-in-law.  She's awesome.

When we got home, Jeremy put on music while the kids were getting ready for bed.  Lucky and I took the chance to do some dancing together.

Wow.  For missing a lot in November, we sure did a lot.

Well, I did it.  I got caught up on our crazy months.  Now to slow down a little (at least on the amount to fit in each post) as we go through December.