Pause

Sometimes I wish I could pause time. This month is one of those times. I've been worried about what life will be like after this month ends. We have made so many memories. James and Isabelle's ages are prime for this season. Here are some of our favorite traditions:

Christmas Cards

The first Monday of December, we try to address our cards and get them ready to send out. Getting the mail in the month of December is less of a chore and more of a treat. Our wall is filled with friendly, smiling faces.

Neighbor Gifts

We try to get neighbor Christmas gifts delivered early on. My sister-in-law, Sara, suggested giving neighbors a "Don't Eat Pete" gameboard. I paid for a board on Etsy. I got the gameboards printed and laminated. We delivered those along with a Christmas Card and M&M's and Swedish Fish. The one downside of this gift is that not everyone can use it. Yes, I gave it to a grandparent in the ward and I even gave it to my single friend who sees her nieces weekly. We didn't feel like we could give the bishop a "Don't Eat Pete" board along with some others who don't have kids, so we used Bath and Body Works Soap for them. We typically gift soap or wrapping paper. I got lots of compliments about the game!

Santa 

Yes, things looked a bit different this year. Santa Claus was behind a fence to ensure families kept their distance, but that didn't stop our kids from the magic of the moment. It was chilly outside, and our masks kept us extra warm. To finish the night off strong, we grabbed Suss Cookies. I'd say the night was truly a success based on how upset the kids (especially Isabelle) were when we got back in the car.

Lights

Several friends have mentioned cheap, drive-by lights. We decided to join the bandwagon and trekked out to Spanish Fork. We made it extra special by allowing the kids to get out of their car-seats and sit in our laps for the short duration of the lights. Best day ever! The caramel chocolate popcorn was a must for the drive home to keep the exhausted children from dumping it. (Keeping James awake on the way there was quite the challenge-- when 5:30pm rolls around, it's pretty difficult to keep those heavy eyes open.) We also drove by some local lights in Pleasant Grove and saw the infamous "Ditto" sign. My OBGYN said that he always thinks of this house when he sees my name.

Stories and Movies

Christmas stories are a must and we read our fair share. We've exchanged many Christmas books at the library this season. My kids love to listen to books, so I know I've done something right. Nana also let us borrow a big box of her Christmas stories. Nana made a special debut and read Christmas books to my kids. Singing Christmas carols has also become a new favorite. Our kids know lots of the words now and sing/scream along. Singing "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" makes James happy. James has been listening to the story "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" almost every day during quiet time. "Deck The Halls" is also a crowd pleaser, especially on the "Fa-la-la" parts. "Angels We Have Heard On High" was also requested numerous times, with a plea to repeat the chorus.

We've upted our movie viewing game. During "A Christmas Carol," we ate pizza and breadsticks. "Elf" was accompanied with more pizza and Root Beer. (Root beer was a first for James.) During, "The Santa Clause" we ate homemade caramel corn pops. James was fascinated by "The Polar Express." 

Dollar Store Gifts

We decided to start a new tradition this year. We took the kids to the dollar store and let them pick things out for each other. James was so hyper and couldn't keep what he bought Isabelle or Andrew a secret. We opened our gifts to each other on Christmas Adam. James picked out a Spiderman Santa Hat for Andrew and ducks for Isabelle for bath-time. Isabelle got James lollipops and me purple nail polish. We will definitely be doing this again next year. It was hilarious and took James no time at all to pick things out. He did not want any help or ideas from me.

Gingerbread Houses

The kids lucked out this year. They got to decorate gingerbread houses twice! The first time was just with our little fam, but the second time was with Nana, Papa, Jessica, and Chris. They were big fans of eating as much candy as possible and making big messes.

Jammies

Christmas jammies have always been a must. We usually get them on Christmas Eve and take a group picture with my family, but this year, things were a bit different since not all of us were able to be together. (Covid) My parent's Christmas Card featured each family wearing their pajamas and turned out pretty cute.

Light the World

We enjoyed doing the "Light the World" challenge from the church this year and had many cool experiences. I'll share one. One of the suggestions one day was to send a book you enjoy to a faraway friend. I was trying to decide who to send it to and felt strongly that I should send the book to my friend in New York. After sending it, I didn't think much of it. I later heard from my friend. Through tears, she told me that she had been feeling down and lonely. That same day, she got my book and it helped her feel loved. I'm so glad I listened to that prompting! (I'm working on being better at following promptings.)

Christmas Sunday

Puzzle

My parent's also started a new tradition this year. They got each family the same puzzle and we had a competition to see who could complete the puzzle first. We were all given the same starting time with a promise that the winner would get a gift-card to their favorite restaurant. Andrew and I did not win, but we did finish the puzzle which was an accomplishment for us. We aren't good at puzzles and it took us a long time to complete. 1000 pieces is no joke! My mom had this tradition with her family growing up and I think it's neat she wants to keep it going. We are definitely leaving our finished masterpiece out for awhile to admire all of our hard work!

Nativity

This year, the Nativity looked different. I'm glad we were able to still see all of my family over zoom, but it wasn't quite the same. Daisy got to be baby Jesus all the way in Massachusetts and Simon and Esther were Mary and Joseph virtually from Provo. James was a Donkey, Isabelle a Wiseman, me an Angel, and Andrew a Shepherd. (Although some say he looked more like Obi-Wan Kenobi.) Jess and Chris as well as Joel were with us at my parent's house. Christmas Eve was special with many thoughtful gifts exchanged and of course, PIZZA!

Pandemic Update

I got tested for the coronavirus about a week after we returned from Boise. I wanted to be extra careful and was sick. My test was negative which was a relief! In other news, vaccines have now started to come out. What a blessing! Andrew and I are anxious for the day when we are able to get the vaccine. I recently had a dream I got the vaccine which excited me. We should be able to return to more normalcy in the coming months.

Unfortunately, December is nearly over no matter how much I want to pause time. I'm open to all suggestions for how to make January exhilarating. 

So Long, Farewell!

The Sound of Music soundtrack has been on repeat over here. My kids love it, so apparently I've taught them well. After over a year of employment at the Piano Place, I decided to say, "So Long, Farewell." Employment is kind of a loose term in my case. I only taught at The Piano Place once a week-- on Wednesday afternoons.

Initially, I started teaching at The Piano Place to have a built in break from my kids. I thought it would be a good outlet for me. I enjoyed interacting with coworkers and students and not only being described as a mom or known only for my adorable children. The money was an added perk too! Oh, and I almost forgot to mention one of the best parts-- Jessica. She teaches at The Piano Place too, and a scheduled excuse to see her each week was something I looked forward to.

Lots has changed since I started working at The Piano Place in October of 2019. In March of this year, I got to tackle teaching zoom lessons. I applaud teachers who are still doing this. I have been back teaching at the studio for the last several months (masks included). My feelings about motherhood have changed this year too. I'm no longer dying to have something else to fill my time. And just to clarify... I definitely still want, need, and plan on having breaks from my kids. I'll just do something more relaxing. 

Teaching at The Piano Place has become exhausting and that needed break and rejuvenation that I was seeking, was instead replaced by a feeling of dread. This is partially my own fault. My schedule used to have some breaks and I complained, so my breaks disappeared. Teaching from 3:00-6:30 strait takes its toll! Even when I taught as a full time teacher, I would get breaks throughout the day for recess, lunch, when the kids had specialties, etc. Having 7 students back-to-back tested my patience, hunger, and bladder for that matter. Each week, I'd come home grumpy, starving, and ready to collapse. I discovered I would rather have my patience tested by my own children than by a random 10-year-old boy with an attitude. This experience gave me a whole new appreciation for working moms. Hats off to you!

I said my final goodbyes to my students at the Winterfest Recitals this weekend. I even performed a duet with a student. (She happens to be my favorite, but don't tell the others.) Jessica started the recital off strong with her beautiful rendition of Away in a Manger. She set the bar high and I was glad to be there to watch her. 

Jess and I

Leaving makes me sad in some ways. I'll miss my most advanced student. He's getting so good and it's exciting to hear him play challenging pieces. I'll miss my student Annie who cried when I told her I was leaving. She was my friend. I'll miss Motivosity (earning points to buy giftcards) more than I should admit. I'll miss my built in Jess time. I'll miss seeing how excited my kids are when I get home after being away from them for a few hours. I'll miss working in my grandma's neighborhood, so I'll have to be sure to take the time to drive to see her.

I said, "So Long, Farewell" to The Piano Place for now, but my music career isn't over. I still teach a couple of students in my house and will continue doing that. I don't find it coincidental that right after I quit at The Piano Place, someone reached out to me about lessons for their 2 kids and I'll start teaching them in January. I'm happy to have my Wednesdays back!