And to all a good night

December is full of fun and sweetness.  It's everyone's favorite time of the year.  Here's part of ours.

Before a BYU game, Grandpa wrestles with the kids

The ballerina has her recital.  =)

And Halle's most recent attempt at mascara:

Ok, before you start thinking that she has a lot to learn about applying it, I want you to remember Halle's first attempt, and notice that she's getting closer and closer:

We make gingerbread houses at Grandma's house with all the girls & aunts

And mine:

We frost cookies.  I'm not sure where the most frosting ended up, but I don't think it's on the cookies!

And our Christmas Eve traditions.  The gifts come down from the arch,

We act out the nativity.  You do see the wooly sheep, right?

Chaos ensues, as per the norm.

All is assembled

Annual stairs picture

And finally, displaying the blankets Grandma Mel made us!!!

Um.

K, I turned 36, right? So Jeff wakes up and makes me a breakfast & the kids bring it to me in bed. He takes the older kids to the Ward Christmas Breaky and the twins to my in-laws; you guys are amazing, thank you. Time alone. I took such a long shower, I was pruny before I shaved… how long has it been since I got pruny in a shower?

He comes back and starts cleaning the house with the kids, and tells me to go out somewhere and get away from the house. When I come back, the house is spotless. My daughters give me a birthday gift: the white coat in ensuing picture. We get ready to “go out.”

The door bell rings and at my door, is a giant piece of wrapping paper being held by… 4 beautiful women with bows on their heads: Mom, Jana, Kimmy & Christi!!!!



How he kept their plane flights, etc. from me, I’ll never know. We primped for a few minutes and left for The Roof, while Jeff took all my kids to his mama’s house so we could have the house for GNO.

There is a moment of silence here for his genius.


So when the waiter brings me my little dessert with a candle in it (my favorite way to get Happy Birthdayed at a restaurant), he also gives me this beautiful bouquet of orchids, pink gerbers, & mini roses. Gosh.

We come home to a spread of yummies, and my favorite women break out even more. We talk (all us girls are either pregnant or nursing, so the convo is the funnest EVER), soak our feet, pig out, and finally find beds to sleep in.

Is Jeff cool, or what?

BUT. THE COOLEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT CAME TODAY,

Monday, December 14th, 2009: The results of Carlie’s last MRI.

HER TUMOR IS GONE.

GONE.

Not just “stayed shrunken” like we were hoping for,

and just live with a benign tumor that makes her eye bulge

but doesn’t blind her.

GONE.

I’ve been sobbing all day. It doesn’t always happen like this,

but this time it did.

And I can’t praise my Heavenly Father enough

for this miracle in our lives.

Carlie has lost about 10 of her 24 extra pounds,

and is walking normally.

The swelling of the capillaries in that area

should resolve itself over a little more time,

and make her eye dilate normally.

So Wow on the flying my sisters in,

but I would take this “pseudo tumor” diagnosis any day

over any other great birthday present.

Pseudo Tumor. I love the sound of that,

and we are partying over here, Wendy’s & all.

Triage

When Jeff’s patients check into the ER, they’re triaged according to emergent need. You have to laugh at the people who put “head ache” as their symptom, because they’re going to get put at the bottom of the list, right?

Let’s see how I would fare if I reported any time in the last few weeks.

Symptoms I may be experiencing:

*Severe hunger
*Severe exhaustion
*Severe blah
*Perma-PMS
*Swelling in or around the abdomen
*Craving of random items of food:
-- chicken artichoke alfredo burrito
-- sourdough smoked turkey gouda artichoke Dijon sandwich
-- mozzarella pepperoni pineapple olive quesadilla
*Emotional response to such things as:
-- Ariel kisses daddy good-bye
-- Animal Planet – Lion taking care of gazelle baby
-- Primary lesson for 4 yr. olds on tithing
-- Climax of Halloween book read to 1st graders in class
-- Belle whispers, “I love you” just in time
-- Anakin digs Ahsoka out of the rubble against all odds
*Clear complexion
*Great hair
*General glow
*Ultrasonic tests show signs of alien life inside

Do I need help, or what?

Oh, and we’ve been shopping around. We’re going to go from the Black Pearl:


To something like these beautiful vehicles:

We’ll need this vehicle on or around June 25th.

Whaddayathink????

Five Year Old Sunshine

Derek Christian is such a Sunshine Boy.

He was fast asleep when we sang and brought him his breakfast:

He opened each present with gusto & a smile:

This is my favorite picture of him:

His reactions to presents are the best:

This darling son is always smiling, loves his friends,
leaves & enters rooms with drama,
and still cuddles with his Mommy.
Happy 5th Birthday, Sunny Boy