Merry Christmas

Before the kids went to bed last night we told them that we weren't repeating last year where Garhett was up at 3am, and we all ended up at 5:30am to open Christmas presents. So this year, we told them they couldn't come out of their room until 7am. So 7am arrives and I hear Emmett talking over the baby monitor. I awake and go to get him, I see grandma and ask her if all the kids are up. She said, no. What?! No kids are up, this is amazing. So at 7:30am, Scott and I start to wake the kids. I guess we tuckered them out from our outing to the gardens last night that they forgot Santa came and today was Christmas.

When we got downstairs to where the Santa gifts were, Paige was so funny. She is the perfect age for Christmas this year. Everything she got for Christmas was so exciting. When she saw that Santa brought her the Diamond Castle Barbie with the horse drawn carriage, she said this, "I knew he would listen to me! I told Santa what I wanted and he listened to me! Oh it's beautiful!" The boys were a little more subdue about the whole Santa thing.















After presents and before my brother's family came for dinner, we took Grandma, Grandpa and the kids to see Madagascar 2 at the cheap show. We can get into the movie for $4 and that includes popcorn and a drink. It was a cute show, I am not sure it was as funny as the first Madagascar.

Today was fun and exhausting! I am glad it is over and we can work on getting back into the groove of things. We have been very blessed this Christmas and the whole year through.

Who's idea was this anyway...on Christmas Eve

I thought it would be fun to go to the botanical gardens on Christmas Eve and see the gardens all lit with the pretty lights. All day Christmas Eve it was clear, just real cold and windy. So I expected it to be cold. After we had dinner, we dressed the kids in their snow suits and boots and drove in blizzard like conditions to the gardens. The closer we got to downtown Boise the thicker the snow and harder the wind was blowing. The pictures don't quite capture how cold it was and how hard the snow was blowing from the wind. If you are wondering where Emmett is, he is the baby strapped on the front of me wearing the pink snow suit. I had given away all of my baby boy snow things before we had Emmett. The only thing I had left was Paige's snow suit that was 24 months, so I dressed Emmett in it to keep him warm while we walked the gardens. When we first started out, everyone was complaining, "Who's idea was this anyway?" Guess what, it was my idea and I didn't care how cold and snowy it was because the gardens were beautiful.















As we walked through the gardens, the kids started to make snowballs and throw them at grandma and their cousins. Grandma started to get into the fun and began wrestling with Garhett until she took Garhett down to the ground. At this point, we all were having so much fun that we forgot that it was so cold. In our group was Grandma and Grandpa, Uncle Brian, Aunt Kathy, Robyn and Randi, Scott and Cindi, Garhett, Trent, Paige, and Emmett.













After the gardens, I convinced Scott to drive to Meridian (about 30 min West of where we currently were)to see this house that has the most incredible lights on it. This family has put over 26,000 lights on their home and have timed the blinking to 10 different Christmas songs. As we were driving through the blizzard to get to this home, the kids were complaining and asking to just turn around and go home. Scott was a trooper and kept on trucking through the snow to get us there. The wait was well worth it. We rounded the corner and saw quite a few parked cars, I tuned the car radio to the radio station that this family has their lights timed to and then the incredible light show started. I don't even have the words to explain how magnificent this light show was, with every drum and guitar strum the lights blinked on and off. Scott was actually impressed and wanted to stay and watch the 28 min light show (that's how long it is before the songs start to repeat). Here's a picture of the house with all the lights on.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Well winter has officially arrived in Boise, Idaho (as I am sure everywhere else in the US). I am not a big fan of the snow or the cold, in fact neither is Scott or the kids. We are definitely more of the tropical nature.

Every since we left California 6 years ago, I have been the one to shovel snow. Not because Scott won't, but because I wanted to. When we first arrived in Utah, Scott was working 3 jobs to help us survive. I felt like I could help alleviate some of his burden by shoveling the snow before he left for work. I get a lot of looks from people as I'm shoveling the driveway. I can't stand to be out in the snow, but I really enjoy shoveling it off the driveway/sidewalks. It is a chance for me to have my ipod on, thoughts to myself, and work out. I get a good work out shoveling snow, I work my upper body, my abs, legs everything all around. It's a good feeling.

This morning before Scott headed off to work, he came out with the camera to capture me shoveling snow. I think we got 4 inches just last night. On days like today (all winter long really) we talk about moving back to California where the sun is shining and it is warmer. A white Christmas is over-rated, a 60-70 degree is more like it!




(This is our backyard)

December 17th - Paige's Preschool Program

Today we loaded up Emmett, Trent, Garhett, Grandpa and Grandma, and Mom to attend Paige's preschool program. Dad met us there and took video/pictures. Paige has been practicing her songs since Thanksgiving. She serenades us each night at the dinner table. Her teacher Mrs. Oatmeal (it's really OdNeal, but she has the kids call her oatmeal), made sure that Paige was going to be at the performance because she was one of their strong voices. Of course, we wouldn't miss it!

When we arrived at the school, I noticed all the girls were wearing their pretty Christmas dresses and the boys had nice "church" clothes on. What was my daughter wearing? Well today she didn't feel like being in the Christmas spirit, Paige wanted to wear PINK, not only pink, but pants "NO SKIRT" she said!!! I have learned a hard lesson a long time ago (about 5 years ago), that when the Morgan kids decide what they are wearing for the day it is just better to let them wear that than to fight them. Because ultimately in the end, I am the one that pays for it, they have melt downs and attitudes the whole day through. So I said, "Okay you can wear pink".

So back to the school, all the girls were in their pretty red/black Christmas dresses and here is Paige in her bright pink pants and shirt. I am laughing and dying at the same time as we walk in, of course all these heads turn. Does my daughter care? No way - she is confident, head high and walks in the classroom and greets the teacher with a hug and tells the class hi!

You know I used to be like that, didn't care what people thought about me. I knew who I was, what I wanted, and who my friends were, so it didn't bother me if you liked me or not. What happened? When in life do you lose that? Hopefully our kids will keep that attitude of "I know who I am, where I come from, what I want, and who my real friends are".

Paige's class performed first. Paige came in waving and smiling to all of us. She got up on the stand with a big smile and sang her heart out. After each song, she would look down to the audience to find me. I would give her the thumbs up sign and she would give it back to me and nod her head. I started the thumbs up sign when Garhett started performing at 3. That way they know mom was watching and listening to them. I am so proud of Paige for getting up there and singing her heart out.

December 16th - A day at the pool

Today it was cold and snowy outside, so the kids asked if we could go swimming at the indoor pool. Of course! So off we went to the YMCA. The kids had a great time swimming around. Garhett was a little bored because the indoor water slide didn't open until 4pm and we were there around 1pm. I did convince Garhett to swim the length of the pool, he asked me to time him. So I did the "one thousand one, one thousand two" counting when he started and it took him only 30 "one thousands" to swim the length and 30 to return. That was quick! Great job Garhett!

December 15th - Visiting Santa Claus

We took the kids to the mall to see santa. Little did we know as we stood in line that it was pet night with santa. So there were people in line with their dogs, Paige was in heaven seeing all the animals. It was finally our turn to sit on santa's lap, of course before getting up there Emmett urped all over his shirt. All the kids wore their christmas hats that they got for Emmett last year while he was in the NICU. Unfortunately (or fortunately) Emmett out grew the hat we had for him. Emmett did real well when I put him on santa's lap. In fact, he grabbed onto santa's beard and pulled. This santa has a real santa beard. I haven't ever seen a santa move so fast to pass a child back to his mom.

The reason for the Season

I have seen this video quite a few times and it still touches me as much as the first time I saw it. This season is for us to remember the birth of our Savior and all that he has done for us. This is a time that I reflect on all that my family and I have been blessed with because of our faith in Jesus Christ.