I Will Never Wear a Zucchini

Sometimes I just have things I want to remember.  In this case I will need to show this post to Gage in about 4 years and to Claire in about 8 years.   You'll see why. 

Last week Gage had a Dr. appointment and in true doctor form we had to wait 45 minutes in the waiting room.  We were so bored and so I grabbed a stack of People magazines and started reading them.  I don't subscribe to any magazines so I only ever read them in situations such as this.  Gage had brought a book but I started noticing that he was turning over all the magazines that I had on the chair next to me and was placing their covers down.  He was making a grimacing noise with each magazine that he turned over.  I stopped and asked him what he was doing and he said he couldn't stand to look at the covers because none of the girls were dressed modestly!  Gage's internal moral compass never ceases to amaze me.  I love that he pushed them aside.  Made me so thankful I don't have magazines lying around at home.

Last night at dinner the fact that Tim had taken the boys to see Hobbit 3 came up and Tim was expressing regret for having done so.  I asked why (I didn't go with them) and he said that the movie was violent (duh) but that he was regretting the previews that the boys saw.  Sidenote:  Previews are way too long and are not appropriate for all ages as they claim.  Major pet peeve of mine.  Anyway, Gage said he remembered the previews and he was weirded out by one that showed all these girls in bikinis.  He was still shuddering at the thought, bless his heart.  The following conversation occurred: 

Mom: "Don't be surprised if in a few years you find that you don't feel the same way when you see a girl in a bikini.  You may even like it."    

Gage:  "I will never like that!"  Looking to Tim for confirmation.....

Tim:  "It's true.  It happens to us all."

Gage fell to the floor in disgust and apparent pain. 

Claire grabbed her chest:  "I will never wear a zucchini!"

We were all dying!  Tim was saying how funny wearing a zucchini would look and tried to explain to Claire that it was a green veggie and that bikinis were immodest swim suits!  Either way she was not wearing one.  Phew!

Something I learned from my parents is that talking about sexuality, morality, and chastity are not topics that need to be discussed in hushed tones behind closed doors.  I remember them talking to my brothers openly about how being attracted to girls was normal and natural but that they were responsible for where their thoughts went after that.  I love that my kids will talk to me now about what they are seeing and feeling and I so hope that continues as they age.  I hope I can help my kids navigate the world we are living in.  Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the filth.  Societal norms have been dark for so long we have forgotten what the light feels like.  I hope the time in my home is light enough that they comprehend the darkness when they leave and that they will push it away.  I hope Claire never wears a zucchini.  I hope Gage and Luke don't feel ashamed when they start liking girls but that they will choose to respect girls as human beings no matter what she may be wearing.       

Christmas 2014

I really enjoyed Christmas this year.  Tim took two weeks off and we spent most of it in our house and in our pajamas with our kids; playing games, eating good food, and watching movies etc.  The weather was so unseasonably warm until Christmas Eve  and then boom the weather grew cold and we woke up to a white Christmas.  I love it when it does that!

During Christmas break it is so nice to have the kids all to myself.  It's reminds me of when they were toddlers and their world and my world were the same world.  It always smacks me in the face on that first day back to school that they have a life that doesn't always include me.  It seems every time they enter that world they grow up just a little bit.  This is Claire's last year before she will be in 1st grade and in school all day.  I have become so protective of our time together.  When friends call and want to play with her in the morning I feel defensive.  Like they are trying to steal her before I'm ready.  People routinely ask her, while we are out in the morning times, why she isn't in school.  In my mind I'm yelling, "Don't do that.  This is our last year together.  She will be in full time next year!!!!"  She looks so old for age and she is really tall so I'm sure they think I'm derelict in my duty to my 2nd grader, but dang it she is only in kindergarten.  Don't try to fast forward my time!

This was our Christmas Card this year.  I didn't want to forget about it because it is one of my favorites!

Early in December we took the kids to a live Nativity.  It is an interfaith nativity sponsored by a Mormon Stake, The First Baptist Church, Wasatch Presbyterian, and Our Lady of Lourdes Parish.  It was incredible!  I felt the spirit so strongly while I was there.  We were greeted by Roman Soldiers as we entered the Glen.  Next came a market where they served Hot Chocolate and had some live animals including a camel.  They had sheep for the Shepherds as well as wise men who visited the Christ Child.  Angels were singing.  It really was the highlight of my Christmas Season.   

This is the view on our way out.  The path was lined with beautiful paper lanterns.  It really was breathtaking.

Draper City Park had lights on their trees this year.  Including this Willow that had over 1000 strands of lights on it.  People began to call it the tree of life.  It was so warm the night we went to see it that instead of sledding and snowball fights the kids were rolling down the hills and playing tag.  

It's hard to capture the scale through a picture.  It sort of looks like cauliflower to me though.

Because we were so happy with our live Christmas tree last year we decided to get another one this year.  For some inexplicable reason we went to a new tree lot.  We found a tree we liked and asked on the price.  Um yeah, it was $30 a foot!  So we stayed long enough to take this picture and got the heck out of there.  We found at tree at the other lot and paid $45 for the whole tree.  I don't have a picture of it.  Dang it!  Luke picked it out though.  I am officially tree decorating challenged though. I have got to do better next year.  One night, Claire and I saw the Nutcracker together. She loved it!  I hadn't seen it since I was a child and I was captivated!  No pictures though.  

Wright Family Christmas party.  Cousins's gift exchange.  Fun!

Christmas Eve donned with new PJ's and dinner and festivities with Aunt Pam and my Dad.  You would think since I give the kids PJ's every year that I would get on the ball enough to buy them in time to buy Christmas themed ones.  Oh no, I'm always frantically looking the day before Christmas and we get some pretty hodge podge stuff.  The kids don't seem to care at least!


Santa brought some ride on toys this year.....

Gage got this electric crazy cart.  This thing is so much fun. I know that because I meet the weight requirement and I have ridden it a few times.  The spins, the speed.  Fun Fun Fun!

Luke got this electric Razor 360.  This is like a motorized big wheel that does tricks.  I have also given this one a spin.  Although not as many spins as Luke.  Just watching him makes my stomach turn.

Santa brought Claire a plasma car.  He was even smart enough to bring two so one of her friends or maybe her mom could tool around with her.  As I am writing this post she is ridding around the kitchen.  We set up an obstacle course one night and did races.  Seeing Tim maneuver one of these was pretty funny.  When Tim and I ride these our knees are practically up under our chins but we held our own in the races.

The electric toys have been trickier to use because of the snow and freezing temps which doesn't mix so well with electric stuff apparently.  We tried our upstairs hall for awhile but they kept running into the wall and scraping off paint.  Then we decided to pull the cars into the driveway and let them ride in the garage. That was fun to watch.  It has been warm enough a few other days so they could ride outside a little.  I'm looking forward to spring!

Gage loves books so much it is kinda scary....

Luke asked Santa for Cheez-its.  That old elf delivered!

We gave Claire a Frozen Karaoke Machine.  She loves to sing!

Tim rocked the Karaoke on our Karaoke night!

 This pic kinda sums it up!  Love these kids.  Until next year.

 How could I forget Santa Sarge?  This is his 3rd Christmas with us.  He hates his costume.  Poor Puppy!

Also, how could I forget that after we opened all our presents the kids begged to go sledding.  We had so much fun in the first snowfall of the season!

Poor Claire really struggled with keeping her footing while climbing the steep hill.  She's had it by the end.