Sliding into 2011

2010 was full of change, the biggest being our move to Texas. We were hit with one last change before the new year began being the passing of our dear Grandma Beth. She passed away the 28th and with the funeral being on new years eve, it was inevitable that I would be spending the holiday solo (with exception to the two midgets I tote around). Chase flew to Utah Friday morning and returned home Saturday evening. The only entertainment left for me?...Sadie and Jack.
We were fortunate to have a beautiful day so we headed down to Central Market to feed the ducks and throw rocks in the water. We also had the splendid idea to get cafeteria trays and slide down the hill. The idea soon caught on and other children joined us. Sadie has been complaining lately of Texas' lack of snow. She was pretty excited to find you can still sled in Texas as long as you have a tray.
Even though Jack is grumpier than ever and won't eat ANYTHING, we managed to get a smile on his face once he saw the pond and rocks. The ducks had obviously been fed because they were lounging in grass surrounded by bread crumbs. They weren't baited by our offerings.

Jack even decided it would be fun to slide down the hill on his own...no tray. If I put him on the tray he strongly protested but then giggled as he flew down the hill.

I managed to get a cheese stick in Jack's system and was pleased as punch. I don't know if he's gotten picky or if his teeth are hurting, but I can only get him to eat his oatmeal in the morning. I've offered even the tastiest stuff, like chocolate milk, and he still refuses. I guess being outside on a picnic blanket distracted him enough to eat something for a change.
When we got home, we put "Grumpy Gills" to sleep and set about washing the car. After a few weeks my car starts to look like a storage unit/dump. Seeing that it was such a nice day we got in our flip flops and swimsuits and hosed her down. I had so much stuff in there I filled 5 recyclable bags to bring inside.
I love getting out the vacuum and cleaning out the car seats, crumbs, and foot prints on the back of the seats. After it was all clean we were wet and sweaty, but I felt like a new woman. To top it off we arranged the garage as well.
That night my cute neighbor (Ginger,you better be southern with a name like that:-) invited us over for a wild New Year's party. The kids ran around in the back yard, grumpy Jack occupied my lap and fed me carrots, and everyone else got loopier and loopier from their drinks. When Sadie's nose turned red we decided it was time to head home. I put the kids down, watched a chick flick, and went to bed at 10:30! I am so lame but I knew I would need my energy the next day if I had to tackle the kids on my own.

Chase had such a great time with all of his siblings. He said the funeral was amazing and so fun to hear all the stories about his Grandma. It really is a unique situation to have all your siblings around with no children and no spouses. I was jealous of his family time. I would love to head down to Zions and go backpacking with the Etherington clan. Hopefully it won't take a funeral to make it happen:-)

Wimberly

Another beautiful day too amazing to stay inside! Chase had a half day at work so we headed down south to Wimberly to experience antiquing at it's best. The lack of a particular blue pacifier made for a long hour drive. We even pulled over at a local grocery store to buy some new ones but Jack has become quite attached to his "bibi" and shoved the new ones away.

The trip inside the store wasn't totally in vain. I saw a woman wearing cowboy boot galoshes, and an old man with the gnarliest get up I ever did see. He had on a pink floral shirt tucked into brown pants cinched high with a belt. With the white cowboy hat and boots to complete his getup I was sorely wishing my camera had accompanied me inside. It made me smile to see him and all the other folks hanging about.
I love small towns. I love going into their little shops to find the perfect treasures. I found some twin beds that I totally fell in love with and Sadie found a miniature glass unicorn...of course. Jack never quite recovered from the drive down and the fact that we forgot his pacifier. I failed to mention that he didn't wake up for the day until 1 p.m!! He got some vaccinations the day before and with his new teeth coming in, he was super groggy and angry the entire evening. It wasn't until we finally sat down to eat dinner and let him dip his own sweet potato fries in the ketchup that he smiled a little. We also had our first (and last) taste of fried pickles.

Now just because I don't want an animal of my own doesn't mean I can't drool over a squishy, furry little blob of a cat dozing on a bench. I was quite taken with this cat and told Chase he needed a home. Chase wasn't fooled.
On the way out of town, we went to the Trail of Lights where they have 8 acres of land totally adorned in Christmas lights. They had local artists singing carols, hot chocolate, and even Cinderella's carriage all lit up for Sadie's pure enjoyment. I love how festive everyone is around here.



The drive home was equally as eye opening for little Jack and quite the opposite for little Sadie. Jack couldn't decide if he wanted the new pacifier or not and went from loopy to whiny the whole way home. I don't know how Sadie slept through it all, but she did.

We're hoping for better days with our little Jack. We realized after he refused to eat a chocolate peanut butter cup that there was nothing we could do to alleviate his grumpiness. I remember Sadie going through the same thing when she had her molars coming in. Not fun for anyone involved.

It was however, a fun little excursion and we can't wait to go back when they have their butterfly festival in April.

P.S. Clifford has a new side kick in the form of a stuffed pony named Acornia. A Christmas gift from Pops and CC and at her side 24/7. I think Clifford is jealous.

Merry Christmas y'all!

We decided to not travel this year for the holidays. Last year ended up being such a miserable traveling experience that frankly, we were too scared to try it again. We did live in Virginia where all planes were grounded from the snow, but even if it would have been easier too get on an airplane this year, we had a hard time leaving this 70 degree weather for Utah's sub zero temperatures. There's also the issue of transporting gifts and getting them home in your suitcase. It was so nice to wrap everything here and put it under our own tree! We did miss being around family this year but nothing tops hanging out in your pajamas all day long with out the worry that the guy coughing next too you on the plane will inevitably get your entire family sick.
I'm a nostalgic person so I tried the best I could to make our Texas Christmas as magical as our Utah ones. Somehow I thought I could fill the void of family by making all the same recipes, decorating the house, reading the same Christmas books, and playing Santa. I was doing pretty well until our tree toppled over the 23rd and I was convinced it was going to ruin the whole event. I should probably explain why our tree toppled over. Well, you see, we were watching a friends little kitten while they traveled for the holidays. I couldn't say no to her face (she came over to my house and asked me in person:-) and even though Chase was vehemently opposed, I thought it might be fun to have a kitten around for Christmas. I was wrong. I have always wanted a cat. We said we'd get one as soon as we owned our own home. I have since changed my mind. After dry heaving while trying to scoop the kitty litter, hearing Clover (otherwise known as "Clovert" by Sadie who just couldn't say it with out throwing in a "T" at the end) whine throughout the ENTIRE day, getting the cat off our furniture, and the musty "cat smell" looming through out the house, I was convinced that once we are finally in our own home, we will have no animals of any kind. So in reference to our toppling tree; it was the result of Clovert climbing up the trunk. The stand snapped so we couldn't get the tree to hold itself up anymore. I guess all the pressure of making a perfect Christmas caught up with me and I burst into tears. Chase raced to Walmart to get another stand and after some serious doctoring, and redecorating of the tree, Christmas was back on again.
We had Sammy and Melissa Markam over for Christmas Eve dinner and it was my first time making a ham. It turned out pretty delicious and Melissa brought Grandma Phillis' delicious orange rolls. LOVE THEM! We hung out until the it was time to spread the reindeer food on the lawn and get the kiddos in bed. We put Jack to sleep and read a couple of books about Jesus' birth with Sadie. She was tired enough that getting to bed wasn't too hard. I was worried the excitement would take over and she wouldn't be able to shut her eyes. She was out in about five minutes.
We were informed the next morning that Santa came!! Santa even hid some My Little Ponies in some of the ornaments around the tree and it bought Mom and Dad about 30 more minutes of sleep. Sadie was very patient while waiting for Jack to wake up. He usually sleeps until 10 but we decided that was just too long to wait. We made a delicious breakfast (we tried to replicate Uncle Nick's complete Christmas morning menu) and Sadie ate pancakes, of course. She put her last cotton ball on Santa's beard, played with her new ponies a little longer and then it was FINALLY time to wake Jack up around 9. She had to exercise some SERIOUS patience. I remember waiting in AGONY for Emily to wake up at the Etherington household. She was always the hardest one to wake up. Mom and Dad always used her as an excuse. They said that as soon as Em was up they would get up too knowing it would take us forever to get her skinny buns out of bed.
Sadie was so excited to get her Sweetie Bell pony that I couldn't get her to stand still for a photo. The picture speaks for itself. Jack got a basketball hoop and played with his "gahs" the entire morning. Sadie didn't mind opening his gifts as he wasn't too interested in being distracted from his future NBA training.


Chase got his beloved Utes authentic football helmet which I found him wearing periodically through out the day and I got an Iphone. I haven't purchased it yet because I want to wait for Verizon to set me up in February. I'm so excited! I just hope I don't lose it because I lose my little flip phone EVERY DAY. My favorite website around here is www.wheresmycellphone.com. You put in your number and it calls you. Considering we haven't yet set up a land line, I use this site every day...literally. My parents sent me an afghan I've been eyeing at Anthropology for about a year now. Thanks Mom and Dad. What a treasure! Cute Connie sent me a beautiful porcelain soup bowl with a ladle. It makes me want to make Erin's Yam Curry Soup just so I can use it.
We probably should have tipped the recycle man on Monday for all the destruction we left on the curb. I tried to go green this year by using boxes instead of paper, but we still had a mountain of stuff to recycle the next day.
While Jack took his afternoon nap we continued to hang out in our pajamas and play with all the new toys. We played Christmas bingo, assembled puzzles, dressed the polly pockets and read lots of new books that Mimi and CC sent.

By the end of the day we still hadn't brushed our hair (Chase was the exception) or taken off our robes. We did feel like we should leave the house at least once that day so we loaded the kids in the car, pajamas and slippers in tact, and drove around searching for the best inflatable penguins we could find. Once the kids were in bed that night Chase and I snuggled up and watched Miracle on 34th Street. It was cozy, thrilling, remarkable, memorable and relaxing all at the same time. The only thing missing was the chaos of extended family, but it was fun creating a little chaos, or not, of our own. Merry Christmas!!

We're READY!

-Hang up the Christmas lights, hang the stockings, and decorate the tree....CHECK!
-Get the shopping done...Check!
In Virginia our tree looked really cute in our little townhouse.
Texas ceilings are rather high and our little 7 foot tree looks pretty puny. Can you tell that I prefer small and quaint to large and spacious? I still remember when we first got the tree we had about ten ornaments. Now after five years, we can almost fill up this tree. I can't bring myself to just go out and buy ornaments if they have no sentimental value. This year I found a nutcracker with cowboy boots for Chase, and a porcelain Santa riding a pony for Sadie. When we first got married I gave Chase a little suitcase with a note inside reading "I'll go where you want me to go...dear Chase!" I truly have moved all over the country with this kid! I love looking at the ornaments and remembering why we bought them.
For most of my Christmas shopping this year I was at the mercy of the Internet. I'm still learning my way around here and the weather is so great I don't want to spend anytime in doors. The mall was a place to get warm in Virginia, and now it's something I try to avoid, especially on a beautiful day! I only ended up at the mall one time this season and it was enough to keep me away for another 6 months.

-Survive the ward Christmas party for the fifth year in a row. Check!
I don't know how it happens but I end up on the ward activities committee in every ward I move into. I've served on the committee my entire marriage. Thank goodness the Ward Activities Committee is no more!

-Make a cute Gingerbread house with Sadie Lady...Check!
We tried to make it look like the picture on the box it came in, but gave up about half way through when we realized they didn't give us the same amount of candy...LAME! We came up with our own accessories.
-Get out all the Christmas books...check!
Mimi sent us some Christmas books to open BEFORE the 25th so we could enjoy them through out the season. Rudolph is definitely Sadie's favorite, mine; Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect.

-Nurse Sadie and Jack back to health...CHECK!
Sadie and Jack both got pretty sick about a week before Christmas. Jack especially took it hard. He was super lethargic, had a ridiculous cough, and a runny nose to drive me completely bonkers. Thank goodness they both recovered before the festivities began.
-Wrap all the presents while Dad's at work and Sadie's at preschool...CHECK!
I made the mistake of wrapping the stocking stuffers in the same paper as everything else. One would think this is something Sadie might overlook, but they would be wrong. I came up with the great idea to leave the paper, tape and empty boxes on a chair by Santa's cookies so he could use our paper and other supplies "if he needed them." I thought that was pretty genius, but then again, you have to be quick on your toes when you're Sadie's mom.
-See Santa, sit on his lap, tell him what you want, and BE BRAVE...CHECK!
Even Sadie was a little worried to sit on Santa's lap this year. He was wearing cowboy boots for heaven's sake! We bribed her once again to sit on a strangers lap, all for a picture. Jack couldn't be bribed, or fooled for that matter. This stranger was NOT to be trusted.

The biggest tree EVER!

Everyone in Texas decorates their yards. To get in the spirit we've been driving around to look at the exceptional neighborhoods where the people decorate to the extreme. We heard from one of our neighbors that you can eat pizza at CPK and sit by the large Christmas tree at the same time. We decided to check it out. Sadie was so excited to see the enormous tree. In her words "it's HUGE! It's like twenty nine sixty one sixty one and forty five sixty." She's become quite creative with her numbers. It was a warm night(about sixty) so we ate outside while enjoying the festive scenery.


Sadie decided that everyone needed to see her in her fairy skirt and wings. She was especially keen on running into Santa with such an impressive ensemble. Jack decided that the ornaments were "gahs" (balls) and was more interested in playing in the fountain.

Family Pics

Family pictures didn't go as smoothly this year as I had planned. I tried to find a photographer but ended up running out of time. I really wanted to use Macy Robinson who always takes the Sanderson's pics when they're in town but I dropped the ball on that one. By the time I finally got around to getting back to her, she was about ready to have a baby. I decided instead to do it myself. I have a great camera, all I need is for someone to take the picture for me. A tripod, easy right? WRONG! Using a tripod is hard because even if you set the camera up the way you want it, it's not the same as being behind the lens. I thought about asking someone in my ward but didn't want to hurt feelings if I didn't like the way they turned out. I guess I'm hard to please.
We had about 30 minutes left of daylight on an overcast day so we ran in the back yard and attempted to get the kids to look at the camera. As you can see I didn't get any of Jack because he is totally on the go these days. Most of his turned out blurry because he wouldn't sit still.
The goal was to get Christmas cards out early enough to inform friends and family of our new address. Didn't happen. They were addressed and mailed about four days before Christmas. Oh well. I'll be better next year.

Where's the snow?

Sadie is confused! She just can't get over the fact that it's almost Christmas and warm outside. We've had some amazing weather lately. Usually we have a week of upper 60's and lower 70's but the other day it got all the way up to 80! On this such day we decided to decorate our tree and hang up Christmas lights. I couldn't help but take a picture of Chase is his flip flops hanging up lights on a bright sunny afternoon. There's something weird about this picture!
We all came out and decided to keep Dad company and enjoy the warm winter breeze. I could get VERY used to this kind of lifestyle.