Friday, January 18, 2013

Burning through the last of our Christmas candles...

Aren't you?  I mean, they never smell as good the next year, plus using precious storage space to pack them away?  Please.  And that wintery, juniper tree smell?  That still jives with my January, so I've been lighting what's left of those guys all month.

I think I justified procrastinating posting Christmas pictures because firstly, it is no longer December (somebody had to tell you), and secondly, if my Christmas candles weren't burnt out, then neither was a post about Christmas.  It's a very mathematical equation, but in the end, I'm glad I waited.  Why?  Because January is boring.  Like, damn boring.   So I'll do us both a favor and rewind to a festive season, full of presents, houses wrapped with multi-colored lights, hot apple cider, and the smell of cinnamon...because, you know.  My Christmas candles are almost burnt out.


Lincoln and I flew back from California on Christmas Eve, so we could spend Tyson's one day off work, as a family.  Since my parent's house was never warmer than 60 degrees each night, Lincoln slept in bed with me while we visited, making our first night back home filled with Lincoln yelling "Moooom!!!  Bed!" into the video monitor.  So. Much. Fun.

Once we woke up Christmas morning, about to open presents in pajamas (who doesn't?), there was a knock at the door.  Naturally, I fled the scene (although I do rock snowflake thermal leggings), while Tyson and Lincoln answered the door to find Tyson's entire family on our porch.  Surprise!  And they even brought dinner.

By the time they left that evening, we were so exhausted we considered opening presents the next day, but ended up tearing through everything...because are we really so old we would choose sleep over presents?  Never!   Then Lincoln gave us a Christmas present by sleeping through the entire night, in his own bed.  And Oh. Holy. Night.  An entire night, sleeping in my own spacious bed?  It was the best gift ever.

Monday, January 7, 2013

"We cannot call back time that is past"

After the endless games of hide-and-seek, the complete lack of personal time and space (because heaven forbid I close the bathroom door), the soaking splashes of turbulent bathtub-turned-battleship-water, and the emotional exhaustion felt from turning every errand on my "to do" list into an exciting adventure, I occasionally need an extra reminder to truly treasure what I have been so very blessed with.
Because that's what every moment is, and should be as a parent: an exciting adventure.  Most days with Lincoln are haphazard escapades, spent embracing discoveries and laughter...but, of course, there are days I struggle to maintain patience, where enjoyment does not come as easily.


With the difficult moments in mind, these words perfectly articulated the importance of valuing time.  To help me remember, again and again: time passes too quickly to allow even one day to escape appreciation.  Thomas S. Monson writes,
"As parents, we should remember that our lives may be the book from the family library which the children most treasure. Are our examples worthy of emulation? Do we live in such a way that a son or a daughter may say, “I want to follow my dad,” or “I want to be like my mother”? Unlike the book on the library shelf, the covers of which shield its contents, our lives cannot be closed. Parents, we truly are an open book in the library of learning of our homes.
Near the end of his life, one father looked back on how he had spent his time on earth. An acclaimed, respected author of numerous scholarly works, he said, “I wish I had written one less book and taken my children fishing more often.”

Time passes quickly. Many parents say that it seems like yesterday that their children were born. Now those children are grown, perhaps with children of their own. “Where did the years go?” they ask. We cannot call back time that is past, we cannot stop time that now is, and we cannot experience the future in our present state. Time is a gift, a treasure not to be put aside for the future but to be used wisely in the present."

Saturday, January 5, 2013

New Year Kisses, (etc)

For New Year's Eve (being such party animals) we visited Temple Square to see the Christmas lights.  Every year we've set aside an evening to see the lights, but hands down, this year won for "most freezing."  After walking in fifteen degree weather for fifteen minutes, we got back into our car and slowly drove around Temple Square, Lincoln pointing to all the different lights, yelling, "ober 'der!  ober 'der!"

Our yearly visit to Temple Square's lights is the only night where I can 100% justify paying $4.00 for apple cider.  I was seriously concerned for Lincoln's little fingers, because even with gloves on, my hands were so cold they started burning (ironic, I know).  Once we were home and Lincoln was warm in bed, we rang in 2013 by watching fireworks from our balcony (with crossed fingers the explosions wouldn't wake Lincoln).

Sidenote: if Lincoln looks like he's wearing lipstick, it's probably because he is, courtesy of my kisses!