Wow

Merry Christmas. I hope your holiday was filled with wonder!

Ride On

Last year Lenna and Andrew asked for new bikes for Christmas. Since they rarely rode the ones they had, I was hesitant to buy anything new. Especially since they both insisted on using training wheels.

Finally, I relented and made them a deal. Ditch the training wheels before Christmas, and I will get you new bikes for Christmas. Well, time marched on and the wheels stayed on, so Santa filled his bag with other surprises.

Christmas Eve day arrived and stayed long and longer. They needed to burn off some energy so they would be able to get to sleep that night, so I took them to the park to ride their bikes for a while. Apparently, that is a weird thing to do on Christmas Eve because our car was the only on e in the parking lot!

However, before I left I took off their training wheels, hid them in the shed, and threw their bikes in the trunk. When they saw their bikes, they mounted a wonderful protest. Hopefully Santa wasn't watching too closely.

After much resistance, Andrew bravely mounted his bike and wobbled off down the sidewalk. He never looked back, slowed down, or crashed. Maybe because I hadn't showed him the brakes yet?




Lenna was more cautious and insisted on a few laps around the car before she tackled the sidewalk hill. Finally, I was tired of holding her up. I turned her down the hill, gave her a push, and let go. And then she rode. All alone, down the hill, without stopping, slowing down, or crashing.




After several laps around the track their little legs were tired enough to take a break. I was a very proud mom! On the way home, I was feeling very proud of myself for finally getting the training wheels off and teaching them (ok, I just pushed and watched them) to ride.


Unfortunately, Lenna called out from the back seat, "Hey, it's not Christmas yet! Mom, can we go get new bikes on the way home?" Sadly, and to my relief, all the bike stores were closed for Christmas and it was too late to get a message to Santa that close to Christmas so the bikes had to wait.


I guess I should be careful what deals I make, huh?

Christmas Cookies

I wonder how many will be left for Santa to enjoy on Christmas Eve. He may have to settle for Oreos.

Merry Christmas!

We took this picture of the kids by the tree on Sunday afternoon. They were dressed in their Christmas clothes for the church program. I love the deep red velvet and that they can match even though they are so far apart in age. And it only took me about ten tries to get a picture when they are both smiling and looking at me.

What's that you say? Why, yes, we do have three children. There is a boy supposed to be in the middle. I had his clothes laid out on the bed that morning- black pants, vest and socks. Burgundy dress shirt and striped silver tie. He would have looked great next to his sisters. Alas, middle child was in one of his moods and there was nothing I could do to change his mind about his determination to wear clothes of his own choosing. At 8:55 on the morning Lenna was looking forward to singing in front of the congregation, I didn't have time for a battle of wills. So I threw a protesting, disbelieving, stubborn little kid over my shoulder and strapped him in. He went to church dressed like this:

He was still refusing to comply with any of my requests and closed his eyes so he wouldn't look at the camera. I think I need to ask Santa for a parenting book. I am confused, humbled, challenged, and exasperated by this one every day.

I will end on an adorable note with this picture.

A Year in Review 2009

Our Hopefully-not-so-Boring Christmas Newsletter

Merry Christmas from the Cross Family! We hope that this letter finds you well. This year has been an eventful one here in Augusta, GA. We experienced a career change, a college graduation, new church callings, new schools, tried lots of new things, and adjusted to life as a family of five. We faced new challenges, achieved good things, reached important milestones, and received even greater blessings. From first steps to final exams, all of us have grown in many ways. We are grateful to a loving Father in Heaven who has guided us at crossroads, provided for us in uncertain times, comforted us through wonderful friends, and protected us on our many adventures.

I know that this is the part where I begin my five page summary of the above mentioned adventures. I thought I would try something a little different this year. Instead of a narrative- a pop quiz! The first to answer all questions correctly and contact me with the answers wins a prize! There are separate contests for electronic and paper versions, to be fair to those who are not technically inclined. Need a hint or want to check your answers? Get your magnifying glass and check out the photo collage at the top of this letter or visit the archives. Good luck!

1. Which branch of the military did Mike separate from early this year?
a. Army b. Air Force c. Marines d. Navy

2. Which child made their first trip to the ER for stitches?
a. Andrew b. Lenna c. Becca

3. In what sport did Lenna NOT participate in 2009?
a. soccer b. cheerleading c. gymnastics
d. swimming e. ballet f. horseback riding

4. To celebrate turning 30 this year, Mike:
a. went to the beach b. took his wife on a date c. took a midterm exam

5. What imaginary creature did Andrew try to catch in the yard last spring?
a. leprechaun b. unicorn c. snipe d. fairy

6. Jannet’s favorite part about her calling as a primary teacher is:
a. She gets to team-teach with Mike
b. She gets to teach Lenna’s class
c. She doesn’t have to go to Relief Society with the grown ups
d. She gets to dust off her teacher clipboard again
e. all of the above

7. Lenna was what animal in the first grade play, ”Bugz!”?
a. firefly b. butterfly c. lady bug d. ant

8. What was Andrew’s favorite part of playing t-ball last summer?
a. the uniform b. running the bases c. the snacks
d. practicing in the backyard e. all of the above

9. Both kids were in the primary talent show. What were their talents?
a. gymnastics and ballet b. jump rope and knock-knock jokes
c. soccer and t-ball d. light saber tricks and cartwheels

10. Which of the following was not a favorite summer time activity for the Cross family:
a. going to the library b. swimming at the pool c. gardening d. eating outside e. going to movies f. horse camp g. visiting family

11. How many miles did Jannet and the kids travel on their three-week trip?
a. 80 b. 800 c. 8,000 d. 1,800

12. Which ocean did we not visit this summer?
a. Pacific b. Atlantic c. Gulf of Mexico

13. On the first day of school Lenna started second grade, Andrew started pre-K, and Jannet and Becca did what?
a. cried, then took a nap b. went to the pool
c. had a party d. walked in the park

14. Andrew started pre-K. What did Jannet do to help him get over his separation fears?
a. teach his class part-time b. come for lunch every day
c. bribe him with candy d. send him with a bug in a jar every day for a week

15. Andrew turned five this year. What was not part of his birthday celebration?
a. Star Wars cupcakes b. a Ben-10 watch
c. a haircut d. moving up to the big kid clubhouse at the gym

16. Jannet did all but what to celebrate her 30th birthday?
a. had a mid-life crisis make over b. went to lunch with Mike
c. had a spa day d. had cake with her kids

17. What did Lenna write about in the story that won at the state level for first grade in the Young Georgia Authors competition?
a. horses b. fairies c. summer vacation d. her family

18. Mike earned two college degrees this year. An associate’s degree in Arabic from DLI and a bachelor’s degree in what from ASU?
a. accounting b. Arabic c. computer science d. math

19. What was our least-favorite part of our Florida vacation last fall?
a. Disney World lines b. Sea World crowds c. parking fees
d. catching the flu and spending the majority of the week in our hotel room

20. Which of the following did not happen in November?
a. Becca’s 1st birthday b. We got a new van
c. Lenna’s 8th birthday d. Our 10th wedding anniversary

21. What was Lenna’s favorite part of her baptism?
a. her new white dress from Grandma b. her dad baptizing her
c. both of her Grandpa’s coming d. all of the above

22. Of the following, which was not a first for someone in the Cross family this year?
a. swim in the ocean b. dive into the deep end c. pet a shark
d. get soaked by a dolphin e. drive through a tree f. ride on a plane
g. win a medal h. ride a horse i. touch a starfish
j. learn to read k. learn to walk l. ride a bike
m. see Cinderella’s castle n. play on a team n. we did all these things!

Still reading? Excellent! See, wasn’t that more interesting than reading a five page summary of the past year? Now back to business.

Thank you for being part of our lives. We love you and miss those of you that are far away. We hope that you have a Merry Christmas and that the New Year brings you many adventures of your own!

Love,

Mike, Jannet, Lenna, Andrew, and Rebecca

Update: answers in black

Double Date

Mike and Lenna went on their first official date in December.

The "Daddy-Daughter Dance" at school. Lenna was so excited! She wore her most twirly dress, because that would be the best for dancing, and had me curl her hair. They came home late, with tired feet and happy memories. A definite success!

No one wants to stay home on a Friday night when others are out having fun, so Andy, Becca, and I went out on our own date to Baskins Robbins. We celebrated with mint chocolate chip ice cream cones and doughnut holes.

Date nights are fun. We often do split movies, Mike takes Andy to the animated action flick while Lenna and I check out girly movies like Hannah Montana or Ramona. Those are fun, too, but it is nice to change things up a little get some time out with my little guy. Here's to future date nights!

A Letter, in Which Wal-Mart joins Dollar General on the list of places I will not return to until after the seasonal staffing changes take effect.

Dear Wal-Mart Employee,
I am writing this letter to offer you an explanation of my bizarre behavior this morning. Had I been aware of how our outing would end, I would not have made the trip out in the first place.
Circumstances in our home warranted a trip to the super-center this morning, as we are nearly out of milk and in need of some fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition, I was planning on throwing a surprise party for my oldest child this weekend, which required the purchase of craft supplies and cake frosting, and other sleep-over related snacks. There is a gingerbread house contest at our church party on Saturday and I assumed that my children would like something other than leftover halloween tootsie rolls to decorate it with so was also planning on buying some Christmas candy.
I wish to offer my sincerest apologies for leaving the fully-loaded grocery cart (or buggy, if you are a southern native) in the middle of aisle 7. I tried to at least push it off to the side so it wouldn't be blocking traffic. Let's just both be grateful that I hadn't made it to frozen foods or the meat section, so there was no eminent health risk to future customers if you didn't get around to put things away for a while.
As for the cleaning up of the substance that required a "caution wet floor" sign, I hope it went well. I am assuming that you have some sort-of industrial strength cleaner for such an occasion but if not, I have found that a generous sprinkling of baking soda will help absorb the liquid and smell before vacuuming with a wet/dry appliance.
I know it probably looked like I was simply being an irresponsible parent, but that was never my intention. The baby looked well enough this morning. A slight runny nose but nothing that couldn't logically be attributed to normal teething troubles. It wasn't until she started coughing in the craft section that I began to worry, then when I picked her up in party goods and felt her warm head I decided to skip the other GM aisles and go straight for the groceries. I never imagined that the coughing would turn into gagging, followed by lots of snot, and tears, and more gagging, and well you know the end result. You had to mop it up. Anyway, at that point I thought it best to simply exit the premises and return home as quickly as possible to change out of the soaked t-shirt and stop the germ sharing and administer appropriate medication. And of course to care for the baby with clean clothes and infant tylenol.
We are recovering well in case you were wondering. I shall send back-up to purchase the needed groceries and reschedule the party to a time when we are not contagious. Out next trip will be much more enjoyable for everyone involved, I promise.
Sincerely,
Jannet Cross

Christ: The Real Gift of Christmas

Christ: The Real Gift of Christmas

Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time there was a little princess who loved reading and writing, books, pencils, story time, and day dreaming. Her vivid imagination often got her into trouble but provided an endless supply of ideas for the many stories she was always scribbling on any flat surface she could find.

One day the little Princess had a birthday. It was a momentous occasion because in the girl's kingdom, the eighth birthday was commemorated with a very special religious ceremony. Her family members traveled from distant and neighboring kingdoms to help her celebrate. A joyous time was had by all.

However, when the little Princess retreated to the solace of her bedchamber, she held a secret wish to her heart. You see, deep inside the Princess was missing something. She wanted to celebrate the anniversary of her birth with a riotous celebration in the company of her peers, not just the solemn religious occasion. She kept this wish to herself for fear of offending the Elders of the kingdom or appearing ungrateful for the kindness already bestowed upon her. She continued silently hoping that her wish would come true while fearing her desire would be forgotten by her very busy Queen Mother (who is NOT the Evil Queen, at least in this chapter).

With the aid of a magic mirror, crystal ball, or some other magic device (that may or may not be the Princess's new diary that she left open on the royal sofa) the Queen learned of the Princess's secret wish. She arranged for a royal banquet to be held in honor of the Princess. The castle banquet hall was a bit crowded due to the many decorations amassed for the upcoming holiday, so the Queen looked for an alternative location that would not empty the royal coffers. She came across a free meeting room in the Princess's favorite place, the town library. There was a small eating establishment nearby that would provide space for eating and lighting candles (a big no-no in a building full of books) and a large green space with playground equipment outside for boisterous frolicking and shouting, and all would come free of charge.

The Queen quickly began printing royal invitations, baking cakes (and wishing she employed a royal pastry chef), hiding decorations, and trying to secretly contact the Princess's royal acquaintances to gather them on short notice to the celebration hall by Saturday morning.

The end of this tale has not yet been written. Hopefully it will have a happy ending!

Thankful

Today I am thankful for . . .

My testimony in its simplicity.

Fasting (the first time in about 2 years).

My primary class, even the one I have to coax out of the window each week.

Pleasant company in the mother's room.

Friends who can help with child watching while I am out of the room or up in the front.

Children who eat the food that is placed in front of them.

Medicine.

Afternoon naps.

Children who are my example and reminder to CTR.

Christmas songs.

Done

I am done shopping. Now for wrapping and mailing and baking. Trying not to get too busy and to take time to enjoy the holiday. So far, so good. Went to community tree lighting tonight. Saw Santa, had hot chocolate, listened to chior. Played in soap snow in front of tree.

Mitzah: I didn't leave Andrew behind. Trust me, its an act of kindness.

Date night

Tonight is date night. I am always impressed by how different my son and daughter can be.
Lenna and Mike are headed to the Daddy-Daughter dance at her school. She is wearing her white twirly baptism dress and Mike had to wear a tie for the fifth time this week. She asked me to curl her hair. I had to dig out and dust off my curling iron, which has been sitting idle for about 5 years. As I helped her with her tights and tied a purple ribbon in her hair, I was struck by how fast she is growing up. I just wanted to hold her in my lap and keep her from getting any bigger. I have a feeling she isn't going to be my little girl much longer.
Andrew was feeling a little left out. Last weekend Lenna and Mike went to the Nutcracker and he was stuck home with me. I tried to make it worth his while with a trip to Chic-Fil-A and an ice cream cone but I could tell he was getting a little tired of my too-tame dates. He exclaimed to Mike in the kitchen before they left "I am tired of going out with Mom! I want to hang out with you." I need to step it up a bit for his more adventurous side. Tonight I took him to Baskin Robbins to get a mint chocolate chip ice cream cone and a doughnut. Rebecca came along and cried most of the time, so we had to leave early. We followed up with a trip to the video store where he selected Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Hot Wheels. He has Star Wars from the library that he "can only watch with Daddy because it is a boy show" so we needed something different. Even with his new entertainment, he was really just waiting for Daddy to return home and toss him around.
I think I will declare next weekend girls day out, and let the men of the family do something manly like light-saber fight or play football or something. Thankfully, I was able to secure a babysitter and tickets to a grown up event for Tuesday so Mike and I get to see each other, too. It has been a while. In 4 days my husband will be a college graduate and we get to have him back in the evenings for the first time in 3 years. Hooray! Welcome home Daddy, we have missed you!

Serving at home

I always love the thought expressed by a fellow mother who said that her way of feeding the hungry and clothing the naked was by nursing and diapering her baby. Sometimes we have the most significant work to do right here at home.

Which is good, because that is where I am today. So what kindness can I deliver while housebound with a sick kid? Well, I'll just deliver it to the sick kid.

Mitzvah #3: motherly love. Milkshake (laced with medicine) for breakfast. Back rubs at nap time. Relinquishing control of the remote all day.

And because I forgot to include it yesterday-
Mitzvah #2: flowers to a friend who needed a boost.

External accountability for some internal motivation

So I joined this group today.

http://www.nablopomo.com

Had to do it today, as tomorrow would have put me behind already!

National Blog Post Month encourages you to post something every day for an entire month. This group gives you a theme for the month to follow, which can sometimes make it easier to think of something to write about when it has been one of those days. Or weeks. Or years. Whatever. Anyway, the theme for December is Mitzvah. Not being Jewish, I had to look it up. Although it traditionally refers to the commandments, in this instance it is referring to an act of human kindness. So each day in the month of December (maybe cheating a bit with scheduled posts?) I hope to post at least a line or two about what kindness I have given that day. Something big, small, tangible, or not- just as long as it is something. And if I throw in the catch-up posts I hope to write this month in order to archive the events in the same calendar year they occurred, I should have plenty to write about.

Hopefully letting the world (ok the minuscule corner of it where I reside and the handful of people who read the words I write) know of my intentions will encourage me to actually get it done. So here's to NaBloPoMo.

Mitzvah: Let a friend come into my home on no notice to use my computer to do some urgent online banking. Didn't tell her to ask me tomorrow when my dishes were done or the floor was swept. Sometimes it isn't that important.