The Night Before Christmas

Merry Christmas Eve! I love this night so much, and I don't want it to end. That will probably result in a 2am bedtime over here for me, and I'm not ashamed.

Our week had highs (Christmas Eve! My parents coming! Games, food, lights, live nativities, Michael having time off) and lows (laundry room floods, wrapping all the presents..., shelling out for a new washer and dryer), but mostly we've just loved soaking up the last of the season over here.

Michael:

was on call twice this week -- one night he only got two hours of sleep, and the other he literally never slept. So he's been catching up on rest and we're so grateful he has a couple days off. He came home after working two days with two hours of hospital sleeping to a flooded laundry room and just immediately jumped in to help me clean it up. Westin stayed up until almost 10:00 just because we were in too much of crisis mode to put him down, and he loved that :) He "helped' us clean up the water quite a bit and just thought it was so funny that daddy was using his leaf blower inside the house.

Maddie:

is so happy to have a new washer and a dryer. Also I'm happy I bought Taylor Swift tickets and an alarm system before the washer and dryer necessity came up because then those would have felt much more frivolous. But as it stands, I'm just really happy all three of those things have been purchased lately and let's just say there's nothing else under the tree for me this year... Oh, December spending. You really outdid yourself.

Westin:

is having fun learning about the first Christmas. He really loved a live drive-through Nativity that I took the boys to when Michael was on call. It was put on by a local church here and I was so impressed with the work they put into it. I am so emotionally connected to Jerusalem and their recreation of it had me so grateful for the meaning of Christmas and the reality of the Savior. I asked Westin who he could make happy for Christmas and he wanted to "give a big big present to the garbage man!" So we put together a little package for him and Westin drew him a picture, and he was so happy all day Wednesday waiting for the garbage man to drive by. They were later than usual and finally it was nap time and I thought Westin was going to miss him, but right as I finished his story before putting him down we heard the garbage man coming down the street. Westin was so excited and jumped out of bed and we ran outside barefoot and met the garbage man. His conversation with Westin was really sweet and I just loved watching them interact. It made me really want to keep Christmas even simpler next year and just help Westin have more experiences like that.

Bennett:

is thrilled that grandpa is around and it's so sweet. He just lays his head on grandpa's shoulder, and wants my dad to put him down for his naps and bedtime. It's so sweet. He laughs all the time at nothing, just laughing and smiling about life. He's becoming a pretty picky eater and it drives me crazy! I'm trying all I can to get this kid to be more than just a meat-and-bread eater. He doesn't even like mac and cheese, and that's supposed to be my nice-mom lunch. The only vegetables in him come from soups or smoothies. He loves to find two small books and put them under his hands, then crawl around while his hands are just sliding across the floor. It looks so funny, like a little turbo mode. I swear he could walk if he want to but instead he just sits down and laughs when we try to get him stepping. I'm so excited to watch him experience Christmas morning tomorrow. 

Santa came! Though to be honest I cannot figure out how to approach the whole Santa deal around here.
So many feelings there.

I was proud of these until my friend and I swapped cinnamon roll pictures and I realized they were even more a mess than I initially thought... hahaha. Oh man, I think they'll taste good though? Potatoes were involved??

I love them. 

Tater hole! Um, my parents totally crushed Michael and I and it was their first time playing. It was possibly the most unlucky round of Tater Hole I've ever had and I need a rematch ASAP.

I can finally manage to get some Sunday pictures when church is one hour instead of three.

My boys! I'm outnumbered and in love.

We went to Christmas Tree Lane (a famous Christmas lights neighborhood) on the 23rd and we had NO idea it was such a huge deal. And soooo long. It was kind of insane and we're just going to consider that Fresno box checked. There were some really fun houses though.

I love this Mary and Baby Jesus scene so much.

My favorite house on Christmas Tree Lane.

They had two lanes going down and we were right next to my parents at the beginning. But then their lane was the sloooooow lane so that ended, but Westin kept yelling at "Hey grandpa!" at many more cars during the experience.

Conveys a little more of the craziness.

Watching TV like a teenager again.

Organization makes me sooo happy. Preschool and primary have been needing a solution for a while now.

SimpliSafe! I'm extremely thrilled about this.

Renting that RugDoctor. Oh the flood.

Our washer just kept filling at the SAME TIME that our drain in the floor wasn't draining, which we didn't know. So that unlucky combo ended with so much water.

I had to snap this picture because I was so depressed for a minute at Costco at how much money I spend on bodily functions. Also, I always wanted to be above pull ups and just train my kids at night right when they potty trained, but night training Westin has been a WHOLE difference scene than his day training. So, this is me admitting defeat. For now.

My random Instagram poem, because I needed a distraction on Friday night:

Twas the week before Christmas, and all through my home
were holiday to-dos, but I write a poem?
The stockings were hung on my mantle with care,
the wrapping, not so much, too much effort there.

The children were nestled all snug in -- wait, no,
Westin literally just fell out of his bed, so...
There was re-tucking in and second hugs and kisses
Plus promises of tomorrow with the daddy he misses.

Now visions of Reeses Trees dance in my head
But I ate the last one today, need something instead...
There are gifts to be finished, rooms to be cleaned,
But, I'm thinking new Fuller House is going to be screened.

I know, it's horrible, but you're watching too.
And if you're not, come on, just embrace 90s you.
Then from the side of my house there arose such a clatter,
Same old story, huge neighbor dog convinced something's the matter.

Christmas prep is winding down, Westin asks every day
"Is tomorrow Christmas?" And yet again I say
"Not quite!" and his toddler mind struggles to understand
When is this Christmas deal, I mean, how long's it been planned?

But soon enough, little man, you'll wake up and see
Christmas morning has come! And the best part will be
Having everyone at home, even grandparents too,
And I hope the day feels magical to you.

Because I remember the feeling of counting down days
and loving Christmas time, and all the different ways
that we celebrated Christ's birth and the fact that He came
to bring peace on Earth, and a way home again.