A Day in the Life...

This kid cracks me up. Tim and I were sitting on our bed when Micah bounced in next to me. "Mom, dad has had you for seven nights because I've slept in my own bed.  It's my turn for snuggles.  Dad, COME ON!  COME ON you guys, it's my turn next to mom!" "Mom, don't you miss my snuggles in the middle of the night?" *********************************************************************** Me: Micah, why do you think you have two stockings hanging on your hook at Oma's? Micah:  Probably because I'm the greatest.

I was going to work Tuesday afternoon but didn't sleep well, still felt sick, and frankly didn't want to so I cancelled two appointments.  Instead I watched Tim work on some things in the house- installing two deadbolts, fix our front door, and install new smoke/carbon monoxide alarms.  What a good guy he is.  I took down Christmas because I'm a little tired of the house being a disaster.  I helped Copper bake, we played lots of games, built with Legos, and watched Copper hop around EVERYWHERE on her pogo ball.  It's her only mode of transportation.  She hops everywhere.  Tim and I are looking to get adult ones.  :) I helped Kota and Micah make mini donuts.  They're terrible. My mom watched the girls while Tim and I went to lunch and after-Christmas shopping (50% off wrapping paper...).  Cameron came over with her new Karaoke machine which was a hit with my girls.  They were too embarrassed to sing in front of every...

The girls woke up a little after five o'clock Christmas morning and were thrilled to see snow falling outside.  It's been a dry winter so far and I think all of us wanted a white Christmas.  We made them wait until 6:00 a.m., then read the birth of Christ in the scriptures and prayed a prayer of gratitude for our Savior, our eternal family, and all the blessings we're given.  I'm surprised the girls were patient enough for it all, but they were! We took our time (sort of) opening gifts, letting ourselves enjoy what one another got.  Mom and Dad got the girls each a pogo ball (big hit), mermaid blankets (I made them!), and a purring stuffed animal cat.  Santa brought Copper a toaster oven (that's nicer than my regular oven), Kota a jewelry box with dangly earrings and necklaces, and Micah an art kit and drawing book.  Plus stocking stuffers.  Santa even brought our kitty a stocking full of stuff.  I mostly laid on the couch, snapped p...

Christmas Eve is spent with the Helferich clan- family games, Lasagna and bread, cookies, gifts, and good times. We got lots of family games- Blink, Farkle, and Ticket to Ride (USA). It's our favorite thing to do! Coloring books, new pajamas and clothes, and more.   My favorite gift is below.  Several years ago I asked the inlaws to complete a "fun" little family history exercise.  Fifty-two questions about their lives, answered in-depth, typed, and bound.  Including pictures.  SUPER awesome.  I can't wait to finish them.  It's like a little treasure.  I love it. We went to my mom's on Christmas Day.  Good times, crazy busy, lots of kids, loads of fun.   I wrapped my parent's gifts in this pretty incredible prank box called "Roto Wipe."  It claims to contain a rotating wheel that hooks onto a toilet.  I got it from Tim's mom, who prank wrapped one of Barb's gifts in it. I wish I had gotten a pictur...

 Homemade gifts are the very best! Copper made me a coupon book... here's what I get: 1)  30 minutes of piano that never expires 2) Her telling me her 0-12 multiplication facts, expires in 2021 3) a 5 minute hug, expires 2022 4) Keeping her room clean forever, never expires (yeah right, hahahahaha!!!!) 5) Doing 10 chores a day, never expires And, a little something that reminds me of Micah...

We celebrated Copper's half birthday at school a few weeks ago.  It had been written on the calendar for quite some time!  Her class and teacher sure love her.   Taryn, just because...  A few weeks ago we tried to get the Beck grandchildren to take decent Christmas pictures for my mom.  Shandee, Amber, and I all made them matching Christmas pajama bottoms.  These two pictures are some of MANY taken... most of them goofy because it's hard to get ten kids to cooperate- especially the oldest ones! I gave the girls early Christmas presents, new pajamas.  So cute.  I made delicious bread for our school teachers and helped out at the twins' Christmas class party.  The Grinch stopped by, calling all of the children stinky and disgusting.  Haha, they thought it was hilarious.  Copper's piano teacher, Tavia Howard, got her a chocolate piano for Christmas.  It's amazing! Last night we...

A couple of weeks ago, we got our tree, decorated it over the course of several days, made a gingerbread house, and wrote letters to Santa. I was SO disappointed to find many of my green strand lights went out since last year.  It's white for this year but I'm hoping to get more green ones at the end of the season when they're cheap.  I also had big ideas on new decorations but I didn't make time to make them.  Maybe next year. This year was the funnest we've had decorating a gingerbread house.  Micah was hilarious, saying things like, "Well, this is a disaster," and "Look at it, it's terrible!"  She and Tim took breaks from decorating to play hockey with the candy canes and candy balls. In case you can't tell, that's a crab on the lower right.  Copper added it.  The big red glob by the door is a sign with no words, thanks to Kota.  The Santa hat on the top is thanks to Tim. Letters to Santa!  Yes, C...

I've been a bit humbled lately and I'm so glad! For while I kept noticing everything I felt my life was missing- mainly things.  Like a new stove would be nice since ours is mega old and rolled down the street once (okay, twice) after falling off a moving trailer.  Somehow it still works despite being super beat up.  Or like a new bread mixer, because mine is an old Kitchen Aid and bread makers know that Kitchen Aids kinda suck at bread making; and also because my mixer smokes after it kneads for longer than 10 minutes.  Or like a new couch because ours has several rips and the stuffing (green, mind you) is coming out in a few different places.   I could probably go on and on (because I have lots of ideas on how to improve the home front). Then our van broke, sort of.  Tim told me one morning to swing by Les Schwab to have them fill up a seemingly low tire.  On the way I thought of how really wonderful it is to be at a job I can be late...

I'm trying to read the four Gospels in the Bible before the end of the year.  I should stop making scripture reading goals because I'm working on three at a time and it's a little overwhelming.  But it's okay, right?  The other night I was reading in Mark 10:45, which says, "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." I thought about it and decided we all come to earth not to be served but to give, in whatever way we can.  Our greatest accomplishments and growth come through compassionate service, in its billion forms. It's fitting for this Christmas season.  The more I've thought about it, the more I've realized how much I've been blessed by God through others .  It's one of the greatest gifts our Heavenly Father has given us- each other.  Sometimes the to-do list around this season is overwhelming but this year I've decided to be more joyful about it, makin...

Random funnies My little Micah leaves me notes all the time; I love it.  "Dear mom and dad.  We love you so much that we want to hug you.  Love Micah." Our little (fat, lazy) cat gets injured a lot.  Last week he was limping pretty heavily and did something to his front paw.  Usually if he comes in the house it's to drink out of a freshly-used shower (it's the only place he gets water, won't drink from his dish) and to stretch out on my bed.  But when he was injured, he took the closest comfy spot... A herd of deer the backyard... so random and weird and kinda cool... Taryn shot her first buck with the tag her dad got her.  Pretty cool!