Lately I have been feeling like I have only been able to do everything half-way. My house is half-way cleaned, the kids half-way cared for, the laundry half-way done (or not at all until Jer stepped in!), dinner half made, thank you cards half sent (sorry if you didn't get yours), scriptures half read, exercise half done, husband half loved, and the list goes on and on.
I love the inspiration we can gain at times when we need it most. Trying to cope with life today, I decided to read the Ensign and found just what I needed.
We heard that Santa was at RC Willey last weekend (Thanks Nik for the heads up!) so we ran over for a visit. We were pleasantly surprised to see that we were the only ones interested in seeing the red fat man so we completely avoided the lines at the mall! Neeley hopped right on his lap and told Santa she wanted polly pockets, a radio and some ear rings. Kayla and Lilah on the other hand were not getting anywhere near him. From a distance, Kayla told him she wanted a camera and Lilah a babydoll. I finally managed to have them get close enough for a picture. On the way home Lilah couldn't stop talking about how fun it was and saying "HO, HO, HO!"
We are trying something new in our family this year. We have been drawing names for our kids to give presents to their cousins for a few years now, but decided to take it one step further this year. We decided to give everyone a secret cousin that they could be a secret elf to for the month. My girls have had a fabulous time plotting, making and delivering fun gifts to their secret cousins. So much fun in fact, that they have been more concentrated on what they were going to give to their cousins than what they would receive from the own secret elf. However, Neeley was elated to get this secret delivery of Cutsie oranges from her elf.
Growing up, my friend Amber Read had a tradition of making home made donuts every time it snowed for the first time that year. That has been a memory which has stuck with me and I have always wanted to create some sort of fun memory for my kids.
Then Uncle Clint and Aunt Nik came around with the four wheeler and we tied up all the kids to the back for an awesome ride. Lilah just laid there with a big grin the whole time. As soon as we all decided we were frozen, it was time to waddle back in to unthaw with some hot cocoa, popcorn and a movie. 
Neeley is really taking to this reading thing. She loves to read everything she can and can't wait to do her homework every day. She has caught on to the adult language of using code. And since she can't spell very well she has resorted to using just the first letter for her code. Like: "Mom are we doing "N" today." Which is her way of asking if Kayla and Lilah are having naps. Or, "Mom can I have some "C". Which is code for candy. Well, today she asked, "Mom can I have the "F" word." And all I could do was laugh.
