On the First Day of Christmas...

Our Christmas was WAY too exciting for just one post. So here it is, "12 Days of Christmas" style:

ONE EARLY CHRISTMAS
My family headed south for an Arizona Christmas, so we had a little Casdorph Christmas a few days early. We watched a pretty funny "mockumentary" called Stalking Santa, ate some chicken stew and yummy bars, and enjoyed each other's company. We finished up by exchanging gifts. The kids got jammies from Grandma, and Alex immediately had to try his on. He started calling them his "animals" (because of their cute animal print) and would not take them off for two days. He literally wore them for a full 48 hours.

Thanks to Grandma Casdorph (aka MOM) for starting the holiday off right!

Check back for the next 11 days to read about the rest of our fun Christmas!

Mario Party Super Brothers

Yeah, yeah, I know it's really called Super Mario Brothers. But not at my house. Here we play Mario Party Super Brothers. And we play it all the time.

I have to say that this video game is both the best and the worst thing to ever come into my house.

Best because it can entertain 4 little boys for endless periods of time.
Worst because we have to hear, "Can I play MPSB?" during pretty much every moment of every day.

Best because the adults love to play it just as much as the kids.
Worst because we have to kick the kids off to get to play it.

Best because the kids can handle it all by themselves.
Worst because they argue incessantly about who stole who's Yoshi and who is leaving who behind.

Best because it is something we can all do together as a family.
Worst because we can't seem to do it together without lots of frustration.

Best because the kids love it so much that when told they couldn't play it because it was Sunday, they went and found pencils and paper and pretended to play it. Still not sure exactly how that worked, but they seemed to love their make-believe version just as much.

I guess for now, the "bests" have it.

Mission: Accomplished

Remember these?

They've successfully turned into these...

Now I just can't wait for the Sunday after Christmas to put these babies to use. (At least the blue ones. The cute girly one is for my neice.)

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Links for anyone who might want them:

• http://www.skiptomylou.org/2009/07/17/how-to-make-a-simple-reversible-totebag/
• http://www.skiptomylou.org/2008/09/09/keep-on-rollin/
  
  

"You're Ruining My Life!"

I was really flattered when someone told me my boys are the best dressed boys at church. Not that it's something I'm going for. I just kind of hope it somehow it compensates for the fact that they are the worst behaved.

Week 2 of Kirk working on Sunday was significantly less successful than last week. No Cinderella story here. Dylan did not sleep through Sacrament Meeting. Adam and Alex were neither quiet nor well behaved. In fact, at one point (while lining his crayons up as a loud choo choo train), Alex screamed at Adam, "You're ruining my line!" Although his speech has been getting incredibly clear lately, the couple in front of us still thought he had told Adam that he was ruining his life. Thanks to the angel known as Sister Pope who came and rescued us again.

Last week I was grateful for blessings manifested here on earth. This week, I'm thinking I'm owed some in heaven. Next week, Kirk will be attending church with us. Period.

Faith and Blessings

Last Sunday, Kirk had to work for my dad, and I was faced with the prospect of a Sunday alone. I briefly considered playing hookie from church, but then I decided I'd better go, even if it might be difficult.

It was Fast Sunday, and I really did want to fast. With all the craziness of bathing all the kids and dressing them myself plus dragging them off to choir practice with me, eating was not even an option. At least it made fasting easy.

In Sacrament Meeting, my kids are generally ok-behaved. Not great. Not terrible. Just OK. And that is generally with lots of threatening, bribery, and two parents to watch them like hawks. This Sunday, I think I learned what Cinderella must have felt like when her Fairy Godmother came to grant her wish of going to the ball. My kids were ANGELS. My only explanation is that Heavenly Father blessed me for my faith in braving church by myself. Not only was I blessed with well-behaved kids, I was also blessed by ward members who stepped in to help in the few moments where my two hands were simply not enough. Thanks to Sis. Pope for sitting with Alex when he needed a little extra attention. Thanks to Sis. Michaelis and Sis. Mecham who both held Dylan for me when I had to focus my attention elsewhere (like on my primary calling). Thanks to the countless others who made offers to help me if I should happen to need it.

Unfortunately, the kids' equivalent of Cinderella's midnight was apparently 4 pm, when we got out of church. The last four hours of the day were less heavenly. Still, I am incredibly grateful for the blessings I received.

Tuck, Straddle, Pike

My brother-in-law teaches a tumbling class at a dance studio not far from me, and when I mentioned that I thought gymnastics might be a good outlet for some of Alex's energy, he said I could bring him by to try out a class. Granted, the class he teaches is full of teen and pre-teen girls, most of whom can do back handsprings. But hey, you have to start somewhere.

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Alex got to participate in the first half of class when they do "line tumbling" which basically means they all practice the same stuff one after another in a line. Alex proudly took his place in line and completed his "front rolls" (somersaults in laymen's terms) just like the girls. Then when the girls did their back rolls, Uncle Skye taught him how to do his "moose ears." (He had him put his thumbs by his ears with his fingers out like antlers to get prepared for his back rolls.)

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After the line tumbling while the girls were taking a water break, Skye taught Alex some of the inportant tumbling terms, tuck, pike, and straddle. Skye said Alex caught on very quickly for his age.

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Alex seemed to have a great time, and his focus amazed me. Maybe we'll have to talk Skye into teaching a little kids tumbling class so we can go every week!

2 Months Already?!

The last two months have officially been the fastest of my life! Every day I feel like this little guy's infancy is just slipping right through my fingers. I generally don't find much time to take pictures lately, but I made sure to do a little "photo shoot" today on his 2 month birthday. He was so sweet, and he let me take a million pictures of him. (Okay, actually only 92). He even did his little attempt at a smile in a few of them. I was fortunate to catch him in such a cute mood.

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It has been so fun to have his little personality in our home. In so many ways his temperment reminds me of Adam (sleeps a lot, rarely fussy), except with the cuddly cuteness of Alex. He still sleeps all the time, which I am not complaining about. He is generally only awake for about 90 minutes between his 3 hours naps. He only wakes up once during the night, which I can definately handle. And when he is awake, he just LOVES to cuddle. He almost never cries except when he truly needs something, and he is so easy to soothe. He loves to be swaddled up really tightly, and he loves to be held by his big brother Adam.

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All is well here, although most days keeping up with the boys is all I can manage, and any cleaning or laundry I manage to do is just considered a bonus. We are all adjusting well, and I simply couldn't be happier.