Some things

Eloise is so funny. She just laughs at everything and totally pushes buttons, but then cheesy grins. She can get her way out of everything! It's so funny. I freaking love her. Today I turned the water on to heat up for a shower, and she got her bath toys out of the cupboard. When I told her it was for a shower and not a bath, she turned around, deposited the bucket back under the cupboard, and walked away. It was really funny for some reason.

Conley leaves a cup on the fridge ledge where the water spout is. Haha just leaves it there. So he can easily access water when he gets thirsty. I asked him if that was why he left it there and he said, "yeah." hahahahah

Conley wanted to read Jesus's birth story for extended reverent scripture time today. It was sweet. We talked about it a lot throuhgout the month. So I talked about Joseph Smith and the plates. I made little cardboard and foil plates and buried them under a blanket and stuff. It was fun. Also, after church, the nursery leaders gave us Conley's and Eloise's blank pictures of Joseph Smith and the first vision. When I was snuggling with him later after we got home (he totally cured my headache on my bed), I asked him what he learned at church. He said idk. So I said, "Donald Duck? Mickey Mouse? Woody? Buzz Lightyear?" And finally he giggled and stepped in. "No! No! joseph Smith!" And I said, "What did he do?"

"Went into the woods and kneeled down."
"Why?"
"Because he wanted to see Jesus."
"Why? What did he ask Jesus?"
"Which church he should go to."
"And what did Jesus say?"
"He said he should go to Jesus's church."

It was so cute and sweet. I always want to ask lots of questions. And also to not get caught up in details or check boxes or whatever, and focus on conversion and asking questions and forging a strong relationship with Heavenly Father.

Eloise has been saying more and more things. She definitely says "no" the most. Haha. This week she said "Pay Pay, no." She was talking to Perri, whom she calls "Pay Pay." Her hair is just past her shoulders. So soooo unbelievably soft and beautiful, curly and bright bright white-blond. She just melts me. Her cheeks and nose and smile are just to die for. I told Joseph the other day, and I'll tell you here, that the best word to describe children is "delightful." She has been delicious and delightful at every stage.

Christmas lights and Conley said something sweet

Conley has been yell-crying lately and it gets so loud and obnoxious. I have been patient for the most part. We figured out that drawing on the dry erase board helps him calm down. So I offered that today, and he drew for a while. He ended up drawing Jesus. "Look, Mom! I drew baby Jesus! But I didn't draw the hay or the manger yet. I'm gonna draw that now.....Look at the manger, Mom!" And it was a little baby with hay under it. So sweet. He also came up from the basement and I said, "I thought you wanted to be in the basement and play." And he said, "I came up her because you're up here and you're my favorite thing." It was so sweet and I loved him for it.

We went, the four of us, after dinner, downtown to the Union Pacific headquarters to see the big Christmas tree and the train that goes around and around it. The kids just loved it. Then we walked across the street and walked down the river trail and saw all the trees with lights on them. It was so pretty. Eloise loved it. She walked a little and held my hand, but I held her close the rest of the time and she just kept looking above her head, so fascinated by all the lights. I used to think my dad was so cheesy when he'd talk about family time and how it was so precious to him. But seriously it is the best. I just relish in it.

Christmas break 2018

Uhhh the kids are so yummy and delicious right now. We just sit and watch them. I'm trying to make my motto nowadays "get on the floor"--because I want to remind myself to focus on the kids and soak them up and not worry about cleaning or other stuff. And to just be there and play with them. They are so cute and fun to play with. Conley loves everything Spiderman. Whenever I say something bad that happens, like someone dies or someone gets scared or kids are mean at school (which is one of the reasons I gave to him tonight when he asked me why he is going to do school at home), he always says something like, "But Spider-man comes in and saves them!" But usually it's really intricate, and less sensical. Tonight's: "But Spider-man jumps down through the rook [eye squint and fake laugh] and then he pushes all the mean guys out of the window and they fall down, but they land on the cars but the cars don't get smushed, they just go down [uses hands to show pushing down] and the guys land in the soft seats." I thought this was so sweet, that he was trying to be kind even to the mean guys.

We have been talking about service and giving gifts around Christmas time instead of just getting things (he's not getting much this year). And he just loves talking about service. He points it out all the time. And he likes doing it. Today we walked around the house and found pictures I'd hidden about service. One was a girl writing letters, one was a sister helping her brother on his bike, one was a happy face and sad face, one was a family. He was so sweet. We made a list of things we can do to give gifts, and I want to talk to him about them every day, so that we can get away from tangible presents and stuff. I read an article from Boystown about how to help your children be grateful, and that is one way they suggested: make lists of things to give. A few more ideas:

1. Make a memory mosaic of pictures of your favorite memories throughout the year
2. make gifts to give
3. pick a toy to give away
4. choose what actions to give
5. practice showing appreciation (include for things they DON'T want)
6. give them gifts of attention, and maybe point those out.

And the other day he said something funny too. I was putting him down for bed, and he wanted all these stories and books, but Joseph had already read to him. Anyway, so I sent him into bed, and I said goodnight and he said, "Wait! Do you know how to get to the North Pole??" It was so cute and funny. 

And tonight he said the sweetest prayer. "Heavenly Father, we're grateful we could be together to learn about service, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." He doesn't like praying very often. He always wants me to say it. He has been loving Reverent Scripture Time, though. He loves the stories and books and stuff. 

And Eloise has just beena snuggle bug. We picked her up from Beth's house late (she was already asleep), and when we got home, I got into bed with her and we snuggled belly to belly and it was just so nice. She seriously is just the snuggliest baby. She LOVES Joseph. He just got out of school on Friday, and she hasn't let him put her down since:).  I definitely have to steal my snuggles from her, and usually it's only by tickling her, or by giving her food. Or the occasional book. I just love her so much. She is saying so much--mostly jabbering still. So funny. So expressive and happy. She has so so many sounds. She says, go, don't, spicy (picy), nan (conley), nana, papa, beshie, pay pay (Perri), baby, bee bee (binky), eat, may (Mavis), nana (banana), cheese, cheese (Jesus).  It's delightful.