T oothless!

It happened Christmas Eve after opening presents from our secret friends! Robbie was playing with the ball when it bounced back at this mouth and BAM!

Establishing Traditions

We've been married ten years, and this was our first Christmas at home. Alone. Just our little family. And . . . it was magical! Rob and I are still soaring. Last night we decided that we will stay home for every Christmas! We can see family before or after, but Christmas is ours! :) So, it was time to begin our own traditions--picking and choosing ones that were important to us as children. 

For Rob, it was Aebleskivers Christmas morning. He remembers eating them at his great-grandmothers house on Christmas. So, since he and I both have Danish heritage--this is a great tradition. I used my family recipe and borrowed a pan from a neighbor--delicious! We coupled it with bacon, sausage, pomegranates, and clementines!

And, they got to open one present on Christmas Eve--pajamas! This is a family tradition I have always had. The boys thought it was great!

We made Pahklova (an Armenian dessert. I still remember brushing the butter on each of the layers as a girl!)

We read Luke 2 on Christmas Eve. (I still can hear my Grandpa Wilde's voice and my Dad's reading it. It was fun to hear Rob's)

Each stocking had an orange in it (my family tradition), and some beef jerky (Rob's family). Plus each child got his own bottle of Sparkling Cider (Rob's family).  It was amazing! I can't wait to continue to establish traditions; they are really what make this holiday so fun!

12 Days of Christmas

We're loved! The other morning I found this beautiful tree (and the box) on my porch with the note: "On the first day of Christmas, my true friends gave to me . . . A festive Christmas tree!" Isn't it darling?

Day 2: Two chocolate oranges
Day 3: Three PEZ dispensers
Day 4: Four games for playing (there were tops and little pinball games--one for each boy)
Day 5: Five mugs of cocoa (we all drank it for FHE!)

 

Day 6: Six Christmas Carols (it was the Elf Soundtrack--super cute!)
Day 7: Seven Things for Cookies

Day 8: Eight Gourmet Lollipops
Day 9: Nine Fruits for Eating (pomegranate,grapefruit, clementines)
Day 10: Ten Ounces of Chocolate (Hershey's Pot of Gold Box!)
Day 11: Eleven Cans of Soda
Day 12: Twelve Presents!

Family Gifts: KC Royals baseball and bat; Boardgame
Robbie, Ty, & Jimmy: They each got a ball attached to a bungie string that you put on your wrist (for practice throwing, catching, hitting); and Mario, Luigi, and Wario cars!
Kyrsten: A silver bracelet; a gorgeous plum-colored acrylic Calvin Klein scarf.
Rob: A KC Chiefs beanie and headphones.

The family who I think did it (their little boy kind of gave it away) has five boys and just finished their residency three years ago. The wife and I serve in the Relief Society Presidency together--we're like them in five years! Anyway, I am sure they want to go unnoticed, so I won't embarrass them, but Rob and I have decided we will pay it forward and definitely do this special thing for a family in the upcoming years. It brought so much joy and anticipation to the Christmas season!

Nativity

Our sweet friends, The Tates, invited us of for a night of reenacting the Nativity. Robbie was a shepherd. Ty the angel. Jimmy was a sheep.

Beverly (Tate) read in her beautiful British accent (she's from England), and the children sang and followed along. It was so sweet.

Getting Crafty

I made this little sign for Thanksgiving. And I guess that just got me in the crafty mood.

So . . . I made stockings! 

This wreath I made a few years ago; still going strong!

The boys designed this baby tree--sports themed, obviously!

And they put up the fake tree.

And did the bush lights outside.

I took the old boughs from Home Depot that they weren't using, and hung these on my porch lights.

And then we decided the boys needed a real tree! As a child I remember going to Faulkner Farm every year to cut one down. Loved it. With Rob on crutches, we decided to rain-check the whole chopping down event for next year, but the boys still picked a beauty!

Merry Christmas!

Cut the Bushes!

 Rob did a little hazing--nice dad! :) But, the boys must be like him; they thought it was HILARIOUS!

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 Since then, Robbie has loved being able to squeeze his head back into hats and not having to do his hair in the morning.

 Jimmy could care less.

I have yet to get a picture of Ty. He thinks he looks ugly (impossible). A girl at preschool made the mistake of telling him he looked like a prince. I guess Ty doesn't like princes. He put a hood on and wouldn't take it off the rest of the day. :)

Grandma C

Meet Grandma C. The boys love going through her bucket of toys at her house and nibbling on her Tic-Tacs. I have to say, she has more battery-powered stuffed animals than I've ever seen, and the boys get a kick out of them! It was great to see her again.

Thanksgiving on the Farm

 Robbie bringing Ty for a "ride" on Horse Rider.

 The kids loved collecting the eggs every morning--it was like the best game of hide and seek ever! Only bad part--can't be too sure when the eggs were laid!

 Loving the bunnies with Aunt Kristen and Uncle Matt

 Chasing the chickens

 Snuggled tight!

My Fam in Utah

While in Utah, I got to see my family too! So exciting! 

Did a little Black Friday shopping (yikes!)

Went to Midway with Jimmy--my sweet home away from home. Got to meet Aricka's man, Justin (who has KILLER dimples!) and spend time with Johnny, Chelsie, and Anabelle!

Toured the Heber Valley Cheese factory (a private tour, actually!) This is the owner--and we're in the cheese fridge!

Surgery

We like drama, I guess. That, or we just wish could move into a hospital. But like all of our crazy heath stuff, this story ends well. Bottom line, Rob had hip surgery--an arthroscopy. He's fine. But . . . there's a back story and I feel that I should tell it; I love acknowledging the miracles in my life and this is another one. 

Rob was born with bad hips. His mom was told he'd never be an athlete--probably never would run well. With hip displasia, no arches, terrible knees--I think the only thing he had going for him was heart. Between bad genetics, twenty years of football, and hours on his feet each day without breaks, his body was telling him it was done. He was in chronic pain. His hips were killing him! How could he go on like this for the next four years? Or the next 24, at that? This whole drama coincided with Jimmy's hospitalization--it always hits heavy, it seems.

Rob was at a loss. He had chosen a terrible vocation and was stuck. He finally got an x-ray. It showed moderately arthritic hips (virtually unheard of in someone his age). He got even more depressed. But, with courage, he found an orthopedist who specialized in hips and went for a visit. From the xrays, it looked as though he may just have impingement (which, if gone untreated, leads to a total hip replacement anyway). Rob was hopeful and went ahead and got an MRI. Bad news again. There was little that could be done. My young, beautiful, active husband had 80-year-old hips. Complete let down again. Rob panicked. He could barely stand without severe pain. Did he need to change professions? It was a scary time. We argued a lot. Cried a lot. Prayed a lot. Finally, Rob found peace again. He decided to move forward in faith. He had been led to become an orthopedic surgeon. My dad had given him a blessing that he would be able to get through residency and that his hips would hold out.

He got a CT scan, just so Dr. Harlan could make sure the diagnosis was true. We left for Utah and my brothers' wedding. And then . . . the miracle. Dr. Harlan called three times. Finally, he got a hold of Rob. The CT showed that indeed he did have impingement--so severe, Dr. Harlan was shocked Rob could walk (and here the whole time that Rob said he couldn't sit cross-legged I thought he was joking!)--said he nearly fell out of his chair and never seen the like. And . . . he could fix it. Miracle. It was only after Rob had trusted in the Lord and moved forward in faith that we saw the miracle.

And so . . . he underwent surgery on the 15th. All seemed to go well. Until he found out Dr. Harlan had to do a micro fracture (basically they tap into the bone to create scar tissue that will imitate cartilage--meaning, Rob had none!) :( It's like a roller coaster sometimes! Rob heard the terrible news from the physical therapist. Dr. Harlan texted Rob and said, "We have our work cut out for us." More sadness. The surgery seemed for nothing and he'd still need a total replacement! Faith time again. Miracle time again. Harlan called back and explained that only part of the hip needed the fracture and there was, indeed, cartilage inside! Fabulous! Yes, he now had to be off his feet for 8 weeks, but his program was so kind (giving him clinic for 6 weeks so that would still be eligible to graduate on time) and they even got him an electric scooter to get around the hospital! His mobility is much-improved. We HAVE been blessed! 

36 hours post op, we boarded a plane to Utah. Rob had to use all of his vacation days for the surgery so wouldn't get time off until summer; he figured if he had to sit, might as well be with his family. So, he anti-coagulated and boarded while I carried all the car seats and luggage--it was chaotic! 

He took out his own stitches at home (actually, I had to get the deep ones and started getting nauseous--so not meant to be for healthcare!)

And, he got spoiled for a few days--well, maybe only one or two, but still . . .

Soccer Party

There's nothing like celebrating a season at a pizza joint! Congrats Blue Lightening! You were amazing!