Month: December 2020

I’m not going to post a picture of our house, but I haven’t vacuumed in 5 days and it’s driving me crazy. Paul took some video of the house because he couldn’t believe I have stayed calm through all this. That footage has been archived and not to be viewed by anyone. But, this is what Christmas is all about, right? Playing and being with family. We played hard every day for a week. We started playing the minute we woke up to when we hit the pillow that night. Five days of this!

We took a week off of eating healthy as well. It would be safe to say we haven’t followed the basic four food groups, unless that consists of sugar cookies and chocolate covered marzipan. We did have a balanced breakfast one morning, we went to the Black Bear Diner. Ha!

See what is around us? Mass hysteria is what it is.

We opened battleship and played a game. Paul was quick to sink our ship. Eli thought it was fun, but it was a long game and wanted to play something else. It’s his week, so we did what he wanted to do. And what was that?

He wanted to play the Nintendo Switch. We were going to get it for Eli last year, but we thought he was too young, and I’m glad we waited. This year was perfect for him.

They played all day. When their patooties got tired, they moved to the couch. 🙂

See the sock in the couch? The place was crazy!

We played Smess, the Ninny’s chess. Eli didn’t get this for Christmas, but he is obsessed with it. He is getting quite good at it as well. There are times when I don’t have to let him take my guy. He moves his guys, traps me, and takes it!

Well, this isn’t playing, but I have to remember it. Cyber Monday had a fantastic deal on a new kitchen faucet and we couldn’t pass it up. Paul said he would take just a moment to install it. After he installed it, we found out the handle was too tong and it hit the lip of the window seal. So out came the new one and the old one went back in.

Oh, the trains. Trains, trains, and more trains. Eli wants to be a train driver when he grows up so he wanted anything with a train. He received another box of wooden train tracks. We built a city out of train tracks. He is in love with this!

Eli learned how to read the legend on the instructions for the electric car track. He did a fantastic job putting the track together.

After the track was put together we had to protect the furniture because the cars were flying everywhere. We raced several races!

We brought out the electric train that blows real smoke. We also played with a fort kit and made several forts.

At night we went Christmas light watching. We found this street on Solemn street. It was king of fun to see the lights going across the street connecting all the houses.

One of the houses had a projector playing the Christmas story.

Then in the window we saw the leg lamp. Too funny.

Paul spotted Eli finishing up a Christmas project.

Different day, same Nintendo, but different game. They paused their playing to leave the house to purchase another game.

Same game, new position 🙂

It’s going to be rough going back to reality. We had a fun filled week of playing, enjoying family time, and eating whatever and whenever we wanted.

From the words of Dr. Seuss: Today is done. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one…but with a clean floor. Everyday from here to there, [great] things are every where.

Looking forward to a fun filled 2021!

This year Eli is old enough to participate in service projects.

We loaded up this morning and went to the store to make, and donate 50 footlongs to the food pantry.

We made all the sandwiches on the back prep tables, so our employees could have the front area to serve customers.

We wrapped them in 6 inch sandwiches.

After making the sandwiches, it was time to make some for us!

We delivered 100 6 inch sandwiches.

Eli has been begging us to ride the train. After all, he is going to be a train driver 🙂 My parents dropped us off at the train station.

Eli was skipping on the platform he was so excited.

Looking at the train through his binoculars (his fingers shaped like binoculars).

He LOVED the ride home.

It was a smooth ride home. My parents drove and met us at the station to pick us up.

It was a fun day of service. We have decided to make and donate 10 footlongs (20 six inches) every Friday when I work. 10 doesn’t sound like a lot, we may have to increase that number…

Every year we say the same thing, “It’s Christmas already? How did that happen?” Sure enough, this year wasn’t any different. Another year ending and another year will begin even if I want to prolong the holiday season.

We left last night with this….

And this…

And woke up at 6:00am to this….

Paul always makes Christmas fun. 15 years ago on our first Christmas, Paul wrote tags: To: me From: Santa, Rudolph, or Judy the Elf. He also had many tags: To: Paul, From: Paul. And when he opens his gifts from himself, he is genuinely excited saying, “That was exactly what I wanted! How did he know?” 🙂

This year, Paul didn’t disappoint. We had gifts from everyone, including the Grinch.

I had to hold back my tears with every tag that said: To: Mommy. I know it’s been 6 years, but I’m still so blessed to have a little boy in my life!

Eli was pretty excited to get gifts from Comet!

Paul did open gifts. A lot of them. I failed him and didn’t get one picture of him, but I do have a tag above to prove he was loved and received many gift from all of us. Including himself!

Every year I give Paul several bottles of different brands of root beers. While shopping for his drinks, I found a bottle of Butter Soda. I had to get it for my butter boy! Eli is constantly asking for a spoonful of butter. I don’t know where he learned to like butter so much. It’s like he was born in the South or something. 🙂

One picture of Paul! It’s bury, but it’s a picture!

One of our family gifts, a paddle board! VERY excited to use it this summer.

I love my gifts from Eli. Last year he got me a goblet and I use it all the time. The goblet was so random, I was really excited to see what he picked out for me this year.

After several hours of opening gifts, with a break of orange rolls, we packed up and left for my parents for our second breakfast.

We zoomed Bryan and Shayna, and Ferelyn’s family. We had four sessions going, including the session Mom and Dad were having on the couch 🙂 I was conducting. It was crazy.

Mom and Dad’s session on the couch, ha!

Eli was very excited to show everyone his gifts.

Rin and Gage showed us theirs.

We zoomed because Dad and I sent out the ties we made to everyone. They all loved them!

This year we all decided to give Mom and Dad a family trip and their gift from all of us. Dad said he would like to go to Italy and Aaron said wanted to go to Norway. Yeah, all beautiful places and I would love to go back and visit again, but I was thinking a little cheaper and closer to home, like Lake Powell. 🙂

I’m pretty excited for where ever we end up going. I miss spending time with the whole family and this summer we will be able to have the opportunity.

After the zoom meeting we ate breakfast. Well, really lunch. Breakfast for lunch. Mom made her usual french toast casserole and quiche. I look forward to it every year. What? No picture? I know. I don’t know what happened to that one as well 🙂

Mom and Dads tree. Easy up and easy down. Or should I say, easy up the stairs and back down the stairs into a closet. I love it. Give me a few more years and this will be my tree. 🙂

We opened gifts.

I can’t handle another dog after Charlie so unfortunately this will be the only dog Eli gets. He had fun with him.

All the boys had fun with him. 🙂

Lu Lu didn’t like him and felt left out!

We opened our Christmas crackers

Read the jokes out of the crackers.

And then we had to say goodbye so we could head over to Paul’s parents house for snacks.

Eli was spoiled here as well. A double car electric race track. He needed a new one. He was using Aaron’s 20 year old version and his track needs to be retired. Paul and Eli opened it and began to assemble.

And assemble…

Look at Paul’s face! Reed jumped in to help out.

They worked and worked on this track.

And finally!!

After an hour of building we couldn’t just take it back down. We had to stay for a while to race.

We got home extremely late. Eli hit the pillow at 9:00pm and I don’t think we read a full page of his book and he was out!

We had another wonderful Christmas! Still very grateful and blessed for our miracle, our son. For bringing the magic of Christmas into our home and to celebrate Christ’s birth.

Paul’s family has a tradition of opening pajamas on Christmas Eve and Paul and we have continued with this tradition.

Eli had a lot of fun this year in shopping for a few gifts, wrapping them, and placing them under the tree. Waiting for a few weeks until he could open them was taking everything out of him, and practicing patience was killing him! And NOW he gets to finally open one! He was disappointed that we were the ones to choose which one to open, but he got over it and was so excited to finally open one!

Eli didn’t catch on that all the gifts we opened that night were pajamas. Waiting for us to open our gift was excitement for him.

Paul wrote my tag: To: Kris (mommy). For the last few months, Eli has been asking me why people use my nickname (Kris) instead of my real name (mommy). I have always wanted to be a mother, and this little boy not only gave me the title of a mother, but a mommy!

We put our pajamas on and started to prepare for Santa’s arrival.

We have had a few discussions on what type of cookies were were going to make. Eli said he wanted to give cookies to Santa and carrots to Santa’s reindeer, so we decided to multitask and make orange carrot cookies.

Eli wanted to put out water for his reindeer as well. He insisted on using Charlies old dish. I haven’t had the courage to throw out all of Charlies stuff, so I’m pleased to see it being used.

Just before bed he had to do a research check. What is a research check??

Eli said he saw Santa flying in the sky, so it was off to bed!

We stuffed the stockings with tasty treats.

We loaded up the tree.

While Paul was making several trips bringing up wrapped gifts from the basement, I took one for the team and ate some cookies.

Eli insisted on giving Santa 1% milk, so Paul drank the milk 🙂

And Santa came. He delivered gifts. He enjoyed his cookies and milk. His reindeer were refreshed with their water. It was a successful night.

I think I’m more excited for Eli to see this empty plate than he is to open everything! I can’t wait. Christmas day is never going to come!! 🙂

Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve started out with a cold run in the snow. We haven’t had a lot of snow this year so I will take what I can get. It was absolutely beautiful out.

Came home to breakfast. Doesn’t everyone wear a life vest to the breakfast table?

I made the traditional Norwegian Christmas Eve dinner. I used a red cabbage for the Surkål. Next time I will use the green cabbage. Purple was kind of weird to eat, but it tasted great.

I used kohlrabi for the kohlrabi instead of rutabaga. I now know why Mormor used rutabaga. Kohlrabi is crazy expensive. I purchased 6 bulbs for $6.00 and it only made a small bowl.

I have never seen kohlrabi before. This is exactly what I thought of them when I saw them!

Where did I find kohlrabi? Sprouts. A note for next year.

I peeled it the bulb and removed the fibrous outer layer.

I cut it up and boiled in salty water like potatoes.

Added butter and milk and mashed like mashed potatoes. That’s all 6 bulbs made. Not a lot.

I didn’t make mutton. I’m proud to be a vegetarian when it comes to mutton.

A game of laser tag.

Against Aaron 🙂

After dinner we decorated cookies. Mom made a sheet cookie. We cut squares and decorated.

Little pea did a great job! He had so much fun.

Paul needs to show me how to do a panoramic photo, but for now we get a video of the table.

This year I made krumkake bowls for the rice cream instead of using the usual dessert cups. This was a fun change.

I hid the almond in the cups, we all got the almond this year :). Added the cream and topped with red sauce.

For the almond winners. Or the non- winners 🙂 Mom spoils us with marzipan fruits no matter who the winner is.

An hour after sunset, we went outside to see the Christmas star. The planets were not as close as I thought they would be. There was quite a bit of space between them, but it was a fun treat to see the star on our Christmas Eve night.

Another fun night with family.

And just like that, it’s December! I was going to do a day in my life back in June, but never made it a priority, so I have to get one done before December ends!

My alarm goes off at 6:40am. My nights are rough and my mornings are brutal. 6:40 can’t come quick enough, but yet it comes too quickly.

This little boy is already up and at ’em. Walking into his room this morning I found him decorating behind his tent with a roll of outdoor Christmas lights. He is a busy body, always on the move and won’t stop till this evening when he’s asleep in bed.

Paul feeds Eli and gets him dressed. I strap him into the car 🙂 Off to school!

The weather has been really warm. Only 23′ out this morning. Perfect running weather for me.

I have lots to do today, so only 3 miles.

I come home and do a weight workout. Today is a kettlebell workout day. This is one of my favorite workouts. She is really tough, and I get a really good workout!

After my weight workout, I stretch with this gal. She targets older people 🙂 but she stretches the full body in 20 minutes. I’m getting older so I guess I fit right in!

I mix up my banana smoothie for breakfast. Protein and fiber! Ha!

I deliver one to Paul at work 🙂 See the electric blanket and space heater? Just trying to stay warm today!

I take my smoothie and my laptop, and work in front of the fire.

After an hour or so of work, I do the most enjoyable part of my day. I clean and straighten up my house. Carpet lines and the smell of clorox makes me so happy! I have a little germ awareness so I love sanitizing my bathrooms and floors 🙂

Lunch! What do we eat for lunch? Anything that’s in the freezer out in the garage. I know, Paul is so lucky! 🙂 We have to rotate our frozen left overs sometime so why not now, right?

While we eat lunch, we always watch Meat Eater on Netflix. Not sure why a vegetarian likes this show, but it’s entertaining and get’s kind of exciting.

Me: Now! Now! Take the shot. He’s going to run, better take it now!

Paul: What side are you on?

I’m always team deer. I’m a traitor only for a minute. I feel sorry for him when he hunts so hard for days and then he finally sees something, I want him to get the deer.

Paul says we should go on a tranquilizer hunt. Where you hit the deer with a tranquilizer and after the deer wakes up he gets up and walks away. No harm done. Kind of like catch and release 🙂

After lunch treat. Little marzipan cakes. I can’t get enough of these. Layers of cake and cream, wrapped in marzipan. And if that isn’t enough, they are dipped in chocolate. I wouldn’t have to work out so hard if I stopped eating these.

I move to the island and finish the rest of my to do list.

Today I head over to my parents house to finish up a project we are working on. We have to get this done by next week to mail them to Ferelyn and her family.

Nice piece of wood isn’t it?

Sanding our project. It’s a lot of work being an Elf!

Time to pick up little pea from school.

Snack and homework time.

After homework, we either head to the park or go for a bike ride. Today we had an important errand to run. We went to the post office to mail Eli’s letter to the North Pole. He is an inquisitive little boy with lots of fabulous questions! How will his letter get there? How long does it take to travel there? Does the post office need a sleigh to get to his house? I love it!!

Time for bed. Hallelujah! I need a little down time. The three of us jump in Eli’s bed. He reads a book to us and I read one to him.

After Eli is asleep, I do a little reading/study. I’m so far behind and every night I get further behind. I have been on Moroni for the last several days because I keep getting distracted. I just found out Mary and Joseph got married! And they had other children! Wait, what?! I never knew. So, I have been reading and researching this instead of my nightly reading.

Paul and I watch something for a few minutes and then off to bed. We are in bed by 10:15pm. 10:30pm if we are crazy 🙂

That sums up my day!

Every Monday we go out to lunch and after lunch we find a dessert place. Cookies are part of our rotation of dessert. Aaron says he know which is the best cookie and I thought they all tasted the same until today…

The four of us decided to drive the valley, pick up a chocolate chip cookie from each location and have a taste test.

Then, Bryan said he wanted to have a sugar cookie taste.

Mom and I said we would get a specialty cookie from each store. How many cookies did we end up wtih? A lot! 🙂

We started at 1:00pm. First stop: Twisted Sugar.