Christmas Week

If I don't do a quick Christmas post, it may never happen.  Besides, I'm realizing that everything in my life either needs to be done quick or forgotten about because I have a Leta and an Annie that like mom's attention, pretty much 100% of the time.  Mostly a Leta.  And I'm learning that I better not schedule anything during the morning hours, unless it involves the ability to give my full attention to Leta and Annie.  Lucy and Elsa did this same thing at this age and anytime I tried to clean, or make phone calls, or eat, or get ready, or get things done other than give the year old girls my full attention, there was screaming and crying.  Lots of it.  So, my usual morning cleaning and to-do list time needs to be moved to the after bedtime hours which is when I try to blog time.  So I better learn to be brief this new year or none of this precious craziness is going to get documented.   

Wednesday, Lucy and Elsa got to play with cousins and friends all day.  Ryan's sister and her family is in town so we were enjoying cousins that we don't always see.  That night we got invited to our neighbors, the Fullers, to see Santa.  (My first time taking my kids to visit Santa - Thanks Fullers for making it easy).  Lucy looked worn out and was complaining a little of her head and tummy hurting.  I chalked it up to the fact that she had bonked her head and had a full day of playing.  We got the the Fullers and she got worse.  She had to come home in the middle and throw-up.  Aren't we nice neighbors.

After some coaxing, Elsa agreed to sit on Santa's lap and tell him her present wishes.  Elsa wanted a....ballerina baby with shoes, magic cat, camera, cash register....

Sorry Annie, your mom didn't get your hair done in time.  You are a beautiful little girl, although this picture makes you look like a cute boy. Thanks for being a good girl for Santa though.

 And this was the best we could do with Leta.

And my sick little girl.

A family shot would have been pushing it with all of our quirks for the evening.

Thanks Fullers for including us, allowing a throwing up Lucy to still come back to see Santa and for being my baby placer so I could quickly take pictures.    

Thursday, I woke up with a sore throat, that quickly progressed to one very weak and sore Kathryn.  I had errands to run but was too weak to do anything.  That evening was my grandma Nichol's Christmas party.  Needless to say, I didn't get any pictures and we had to leave early.  I was sicker than I thought.  

Friday, Christmas Eve, I stayed in bed all day.  I was miserable.  My throat hurt worse than I ever remember.  Ryan had to take over full parental duties and had to finish all the last minute Christmas stuff.  I cried.  That night Ryan made dinner, helped the girls with cookies for Santa, and we drove around to look at lights (I could handle that).  When my sisters found out I was in so much pain, one sister came and kidnapped me and took me to an Urgent Care (one of the only ones open) at 9:00 at night.  The doctor, who looked like he got his PhD from an online university, agreed that it was probably strep and gave me some antibiotics.  Just knowing there was an end in sight made me feel much much better (plus the Tylenol 3 with codeine).  Afterwards, I had my sister stop so I could buy Ryan part of his Christmas present, fireworks.  When I got home, Santa had already finished wrapping everything, eaten the cookies, and filled the stockings.  Maybe Mrs. Claus will get to help next year.  We both hope.

Saturday was the big day.  Lucy and Elsa were very excited, but one of the cutest things was that when they ran in to see their presents, they first went to the presents we had out for Leta and Annie and were excited to give them to their baby sisters.  They are good big sisters.  For the most part, Leta and Annie just enjoyed carrying around the presents, rather than opening them.  Lucy seemed to open her gifts twice as fast as Elsa again.  And all or our girls are very loved and very blessed.  (thank you everyone!).  After opening all the presents, Elsa did ask Ryan if Santa left any more presents anywhere else.  Ryan told her no, that was it.  Well, a few minutes later, I did remember a few presents that Santa had forgotten to put under the tree.  Santa (well more Mrs. Claus) left them in mommy and daddy's room.  Elsa told Ryan, "see Dad, I told you." 

Annie with her "Ballerina Baby."  Lucy and Elsa specifically asked Santa for a ballerina baby with shoes. (Well, that and a magic hat and cat - maybe next year girls).  With some help from one of Santa's favorite elves, all 4 girls got a ballerina baby - with shoes.

These were the forgotten gifts that ended up being one of the favorites this year - Lucy and Elsa go their own violins just like mom.  Even grandpa had to take a turn playing.  Who knew $6 could be so exciting?

And lots and lots of Legos....a gift for the whole family.  (Thank you e-bay for Legos by the pound.)

For the rest of Christmas we stayed home and I continued to be miserable and have to sleep.  Thankfully my parents and grandma stopped by for a visit and the Fullers took Lucy and Elsa on a bike ride. That night we lit off fireworks.

Sunday, we all stayed home from church too.  Too many key players were sick.  I still felt terrible, Elsa had a sore throat and fever (probably strep too) and Annie had green buggers.  That meant Ryan had to stay home and take care of all of us - again.  We did go to my parent's for dinner since we didn't have to worry about getting anyone else sick there.  Lucy and Elsa needed to get out of the house and Grandma and Grandpa Papa were a good cure for that.   

Oh and because of our sicklies we missed out on the excitement of Anna having her baby on Sunday night.  One minute she was at the Temple lights with the Melzer's, the next she had her baby (pretty much literally).  

It's now Tuesday and I am finally feeling good enough to be up and about.  Elsa is feeling better too.  We went to the park with cousins and out to eat.  It's finally feeling like the holidays.  But now I better get to bed cause I'm still only running at about 80% capacity. 

(And I have a feeling I'm never going to learn brevity.  This quick thing was better in theory than practice.  I like details too much.)      

I seem to keep going to bed when night is already turning to morning hours and then for the last few days have had to wake before the sun even wants to make a presence.  So, although blogger was eating and tearing up my post last night, I went to bed before it got fixed.  Here is attempt #3:

Here is our best Christmas dresses picture. Clicking a pic before church doesn't work due to Ryan's absence and 8:30 AM church.  After - well - you can see for yourself.

Lucy and Elsa's dresses:  K-mart with some mommy modifications.  (I made the red bracelets and added green ribbon in an effort to make them just as excited about theses dresses as they were about the pink ones they saw.)  I love these dresses.  They remind me of 50's wrapping paper- shinny gold.

Leta and Annie's dresses:  Circa 2007 (Lucy and Elsa's Christmas dresses of yore).  Having my kiddos exactly 3 years apart is pretty close to perfection.

We are a whirlwind at times as witnessed in this picture and by the Richards who sat behind us in church (although we did make it through all of Sacrament Meeting - miracle of miracles.)  But I do love my little whirlwind of a family.     

Non-Winner

Remember that bath-time contest I entered?

I just knew I was going to win.  I mean - look at it again.  It's cute.

I've been waiting all week for them to announce my name.  I had already spent in my mind the $500 of free swimming lessons.  I just knew my girls would be chosen.  In the very least we would be the second or third winners who still got $250 in swimming lessons.  We would have lessons in March and April.  Pool ready by May.  

Then I started to get nervous.  What if I was chosen?  Would other moms look at my picture and say, "That picture won?"  "Mine is so much better!"  "Why did she win?"  I didn't want other moms to look at my picture and say that.  So I almost didn't want to win for that matter, but in reality, I REALLY wanted $500 in free swim lessons.  

I've waited all day.  Checked a million times for them to announce the winner.  And they did.  And guess what?  I didn't win.  Not even a second or a third.  And guess what?  I look at the winners and I say to myself, "That picture won?"  "Mine is so much better!"  "Why did she win?"

I'm a hypocrite.  

But really, mine is better.  Go here to see for yourself.  

The picture is supposed to promote bath safety.  Maybe they thought Leta wasn't safe because she was standing up.  That has to be it.  I guess they have never been the sole bather of twin one year olds when their 4 year old sisters are in the bath too.  That's as safe as we are getting.  

(Hubbard is a good swim school, and I still want to do lessons there for Lucy and Elsa in March - it's an indoor pool- but I do think their 'outside agency' missed the mark on this contest.  Seriously.  But don't tell the other moms that.)

The Past Few Days in a Blur

My advent calendar has fizzled.  We still try to do a fun activity each day, but we got a little off track.  Oh well.

My tree is still more undecorated than decorated.  (Undecorated because half the ornaments are strewn about my house).  We don't have Christmas lights up but we do have our Little People nativity and Christmas music.  I'm calling it good.  

Tonight was crab and Star Wars night.  All my girls love crab.  

Leta and Annie got their mullets cut again last night.  By me.  So don't comment if you don't like it.  

I've been super busy with I Heart Mesa stuff.  Yesterday I talked to a reporter from the Tribune.  Earlier this week we were featured on NieNie.  We sent in our papers to be an official LLC.  I spend hours a night doing orders and e-mails and the day to day stuff.  I always wanted to start a 'business', I guess I never figured I would choose the busiest season of my life to do so.  

I've learned again that taxes are not my friend.  And that sometimes you work hours and hours busting your rear to make what you can spend in 10 seconds taking your daughters to Dairy Queen.

Lucy and Elsa had dentist appointments today.  Free at Carrington College.  They did awesome.  Much much much better than the 'cleaning' we actually paid for 6 months ago.  We practiced last night and it helped that they had great student hygienists and stuffed animals with big teeth to hold and practice their teeth brushing skills on.  (Hence the DQ visit.  They did so good getting sparkly teeth that mommy promptly took them to get a treat.)  Oh, and no cavities!  

Look at those smiles.  The cleanings took longer than normal because it is a student doing it, but it was very thorough and the people were very nice.  I actually left feeling refreshed.  I got to spend one on one time with them and read them books, hold their hands and visit with them during the process.  Elsa told me tonight that going to the dentist was fun.  Yes!  (This is the same college that did a head ultra-sound on Leta for free.  Tender tender mercies.)

  

Lucy and Elsa would live at Grandma and Grandpa's if I let them. 

It rained today!  Time to turn off our sprinklers for a few weeks.  

I'm writing this blog post because I'm avoiding other work I should be doing.    

The end.

Sometimes I don't know how to describe my current season of life (1 year old twins + their older sisters).  If I say it's hard, I could be perceived as complaining - which I'm not.  And sometime describing it as hard connotes that I don't enjoy it - which isn't the truth either.  Or maybe someone will think I'm saying that I think my life is harder - making it a comparison.

Maybe motherhood is like climbing Mount Everest.  It's crazy and hard and takes every ounce of physical and emotional strength, but people give their fingertips and toes and sometime life to do it.

So this season of life, it is many things, but it is most definitely hard.

It's hard getting 4 young girls ready to get out the door.  And then just when everyone is changed, there is a fresh poopy diaper, or Leta undoes her hair again or we can't find all the shoes, or....

It's hard strapping two screaming toddlers into their car seats.  Toddlers who seem to have grown some brute strength.

It's hard wondering what I did wrong that my 4 year olds always seem to want more.  There seems to be a lack of contentment or gratitude.  Though after my post-Zoo Lights talk, Elsa has been working really hard today to say thank-you for everything.  I hope she saw that it did help me have more energy when I see that they really do appreciate what I do for them.

It's hard figuring out how to go grocery shopping with 4 small children.  I went tonight with all of them.  Lucy proclaimed that everything she saw would bring her never ending happiness if I bought it for her.  Apparently not buying it brought her never ending sadness.  Leta and Annie had melt-down in the line and the cashier took pity on me and walked my groceries to the car.

It's hard knowing that my house will never be fully cleaned the way I want.

It's hard knowing that I don't get to everything that I've told people I would help them on in a timely matter.

It's hard dealing with whining and crying for such a big part of my day.

And it's hard knowing that sometimes I dream of the times it will get easier, knowing full well that when it does get easier, I'm sure going to miss these precious hard years.

Because I would give my fingers and toes for it all.

Just look at these kiddos.  They are so stinkin' cute for a reason.

 Who needs bunk beds?  Our shoes shelves will do the trick.

 Annie is just too tuckered out after doing her own version of sorting the laundry.

 Their favorite toy:  the pantry

Annie sure likes to get physical.  She loves to hug or wrestle or lay on her sister.

Leta doesn't

Sisters

Growing up, my sisters and I weren't perfect, but we did have a reputation for being kind and thoughtful.  Service projects, we were there.  Even with a happy face.  We did good in school, we mostly made good choices, and I know we made our mom proud.  I loved when I would hear people say, "those Papa girls...."  

Saturday was Sadie's Day.

A year ago I wrote this.  It's one of those posts that just seemed to be inspired.  More words from a loving Father in Heaven, than words from my own mind.

A year later, I'm still reminded how thankful I am to be one of those Papa girls.  My sisters and I pull together and send out the troops when needed.  What would we have done this past year without each other?  From infant loss, to surgeries, financial stresses, children overload, our husband's careers (enter a political campaign and another as a head football coach - people can be ruthless), the routine day to day emotions...it's good to have sisters.

"Sisters by chance.  Friends by choice."  

(Well, I know it wasn't exactly chance that we are sisters, but you get the point)  

Contest

I entered a bath time photo contest.

Here's our entry:

We get free swimming lessons if we win.  I told the girls, "smile if you want to win money."

They aren't all looking and it's not focused on all their faces, but that's kind of what makes it cute and real.

I once read, "When children get crabby, just add water."  In our family, those words have been a lifesaver.  

We have a curse on our family.

Every time Lucy and Elsa are to spend the night at the Melzer's, they throw-up.  

When I was pregnant with Leta and Annie, Ryan and I left for a quick anniversary trip.  We left what we thought were healthy kids.  When we called a few hours later to check on them, they had already started to throw-up.  This past year, Elsa had to miss out on a slumber party due to being sick and throwing up.  I think Lucy had to miss out on one too.  It seems we can't manage a normal slumber party at the Melzer's.

Tonight, KS had their work Christmas party, or as we can also call it, a family reunion.  Sister, sister-in-laws, brother-in-laws, cousin-in-laws, brother-in-laws who are also cousin-in-laws.  You get the point.  The Melzer's were watching all the girls so we could go and then we were going to pick up Leta and Annie and leave Lucy and Elsa there to spend the night.  

I was worried that because we were an hour past bedtime, that maybe babies were going to be fussy.  Nope.  When we arrived, babies were as happy as larks and Lucy and Elsa were sick on the couch.  Lucy had been throwing up.  What a nice present I left Helen again.

We loaded everyone in the car and both Lucy and Elsa started throwing up.  We drove home with me sitting backwards on the center console holding blankets of barf and a cup and pot for catching throw-up.  We went from happy and playful to throwing up within an hours time.   

Poor little girls.  They look forward to spending the night at the Melzer's with such excitement.  They even packed a huge suitcase, only to have to be brought home to sleep in mom and dad's room.  Hopefully we can break this curse soon (and hopefully we didn't get anyone else sick - sorry Anna and Helen).  

Lucy fell asleep with her head hanging over the throw-up bowl.