A New Resolution

One week into the new year, and I’ve already had to change my New Year’s resolution.  Not a good omen?

Last year my resolution was One Thing at a Time.  I had in mind getting lots of projects accomplished, checking them off my list one at a time.

Instead, I did this:

It was hard work, and it took all year, but I feel pretty good about the finished project.  I feel like I accomplished my goal.  It was just very different from the way I had envisioned!

After 9 months of pregnancy and 3 months of doing nothing but sitting in my chair holding a sweet little newborn, the new year felt exciting for me.  I was ready to get up and take 2012 by storm!

The resolution I decided on was Make a Plan.    I was going to get organized, plan out my schedule, and start getting some things done around here!

That’s just what I did last Sunday.  I made a great plan, including all my carpools, meal plans, shopping trips, etc.

That night, Elijah had a cold.  His little nose was too stuffy to sleep horizontally.  So for the next couple of nights I held him in the recliner while he slept.  During the days I held him in the other rocking chair so I could give orders to the kids coming and going.  I was exhausted and completely pinned down.  Needless to say, I didn’t accomplish any of my carefully laid plans. 

I figured out pretty quickly that my resolution needed to be modified.  Here is my new version:

Prioritize

Prioritizing wisely will still require some serious planning, but it will also require lots and lots of flexibility.  There is never enough time to squeeze in all the things I would like to do.  If I’m not careful, I could run around all day like a chicken with my head cut off, and never get around to the things that are the most important.

At the end of the day,  I want each of my children (and Jeff too!) to feel loved and important.  I want to have really listened to them, so I know how to meet their needs.  I want to make sure I’m teaching them the skills and principles they need live happy successful lives.  I want to take every opportunity to let them see that I love my Savior, and that I’m trying to follow Him.

And somehow, in between teaching moments, I need to squeeze in meals and homework and scouts and piano and sports and… the list goes on indefinitely.

So the challenge for 2012 will be to prioritize.  For several more months, holding a baby will be high up on my list, and I don’t want to forget to enjoy every minute of it.  Cleaning and gardening and painting will still be waiting for me when the most important things are all done.

Snow

The day after Christmas we went up to the cabin to play in the snow.

It was the PERFECT snow for a snowman!

They rolled and packed, scraped and patted.  Jeff and Uncle Tommy worked together to get the gigantic snowballs stacked on top of each other, and then they shaped and molded some more.

 

Some took breaks for eating snow, or throwing it at each other.

The girls accessorized him, and even gave him “the smolder.”

He turned out to be quite the ladies man.  And boy were the girls mad when Uncle Ryan pulled out his air soft gun to “decorate” him!

I spent a little time with Simon outside sledding, but most of the time was spent cozy in the cabin with the little ones.

 

The kids all came in for a lunch and hot chocolate break, but then went right back out.  What a perfect snow day!

Christmas Eve

Not to be confused with “Christmas Adam",” which is the name my kids have given to the day before Christmas Eve.  I had told my kids that I wanted peace on earth, or at least in the Davis house, for Christmas.  On Christmas Eve they gave me my wish!  We squeezed in a whole bunch of fun, and enjoyed each other all day!

We started off with breakfast at Golden Corral – a family favorite!

Then came ice skating.

 

Our friend Anya came with us, and was so helpful with the kids!  She helped Jonah until he got good enough to skate all by himself!

After a short nap we all helped to prepare our “fancy” Christmas eve dinner.  We used the nice china that we got for our wedding, and had ham, rolls, mashed potatoes, steamed veggies, and sparkling cider.  I’m sad that we forgot to take a picture of the beautiful table!

Next came our quality Nativity play.

  

Simon took his roll as a shepherd very seriously, and baby Jesus had a super modern manger!

After the play, everyone opened their new ornaments.  We set out the reindeer food on the front porch, and cookies for Santa on the special plate.

The kids all made beds in Jonah and Simons room, and we make sure they had an alarm clock.  Christmas morning was not allowed to begin until 5:30!

I sang carols to help calm everyone down.  The last one has to be Mary’s Lullaby, just like my mom used to sing.  Sweet dreams my children!

Christmas highlights

I have had such a happy, relaxing Christmas season this year.  I’ve been trying to analyze what made it so easy so I can do it again every year!  Here’s what I’ve come up with:

1.  I’ve been milking the “I just had a baby” excuse for all it’s worth.  I didn’t sign up for ANYTHING extra.  No helping in classes, no hosting parties, no taking meals to those in need.  Nada.  I realize that may not be the best long-term approach to life, but it sure has allowed me to relax and enjoy my own family this year.

This is the newest addition to our Christmas book collection.  Gingerbread Pirates.  I think it’s funny that I have to read to them “classroom style.”  It’s the only way everyone can see!

2.  The one exception to #1 was that I was asked to direct the choir for the Stake Christmas concert.  I was a bit hesitant, because I knew it would be hard.  And it was!  As of the day before the concert, I was still a nervous wreck!  Wondering if we would have an orchestra or not was the biggest stressor. (Well, that, and the fact that I have never even been IN an orchestra, let alone direct one!  Scary!)  But the night of the concert, everything came together perfectly!  We had over 50 people in the choir, and a 15(ish) piece orchestra.  They were amazing!!  What a rush to stand up there and wave my arms, and have such beautiful music happen!  The church was completely filled all the way back to the stage, and I got so many compliments.  Every single musical number that night was outstanding.  I still get goosebumps remembering…

3.  We got our Christmas shopping done early, and mostly online.  The kids’ shopping was much more fun this year too.  Instead of taking them all at the same time and trying to hide all of their presents from each other, I took them in shifts.  Simon and I went to the dollar store while the other kids were at school, and I had so much fun being able to listen to just him, and talk through what each of his siblings would like.  It was hard to convince him that the girls, for example, would not especially want a dinosaur or a truck!

4.  We planned ahead.  We had a family home evening where each child got to pick a Christmas tradition that was important to them, and we made a list.  Then when we had a free evening, (which we seemed to have more than usual.  See #1) we would do one of those activities.  Temple Christmas lights, gingerbread houses, caroling, ice skating, hot chocolate and Christmas movies, and secret santa-ing a family.  Check, check and check!

With everything else running so smoothly, I felt like I had time to really think about what Christmas means in my life.  Yes it means fun family activities and heart-stirring music, but the birth of Jesus Christ brought so much more than that to me. 

Because He was born on the earth, I have his life and example to follow.  Because He died for me, I can repent and change.  I can become better.  Because He lives still, He can help to carry my burdens and bring peace to my life.  I feel like I have come to know Him and depend on Him more this year than I had before.  And the closer I get to Him, the more I am filled with love.  For Him, for my family, for my fellowman, and for myself.

To be continued…

Less than perfect

 

On Sunday I listened to President Uchdorf’s Christmas message.  He talked about how we sometimes try so hard to make the Christmas season too perfect.  Then when things go wrong, as they always do, we feel disappointed.  “We have in our minds a picture of how everything should be—the perfect tree, the perfect lights, the perfect gifts, and the perfect family events. … [But] sooner or later, something unpleasant occurs … and the picture-perfect Christmas we had imagined, the magic we had intended to create, shatters around us.”

His words couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time for us.  On Monday we put up our Christmas tree for family home evening.

  

We have what some would call a “junk tree.” Each year we give the kids an ornament that reminds us of them during that year.  Consequently, we have everything from Yoda to Scout Shirts to Spatulas hanging there.  We were doing the math, and in 10 years we will have at least 70 more ornaments on that tree!

Toward the end of the evening we turned off the lights to sing Christmas carols.  The kids who take piano lessons accompanied the singing- each of the older four knew at least one Christmas song.  When it was Simon’s turn to choose a carol, he wanted to accompany us, too.  He climbed up onto the piano bench, waited for me to start him, and confidently plunked out our “accompaniment” with 2 fingers.  When the song was over he climbed down, satisfied.

I have to mention that during this time Jonah was curled up under a chair with his hands over his ears, yelling his own song to block out what we were singing.

Jeff and I just looked at each other and couldn’t stop laughing.  Good thing we weren’t worried about perfection!  At  the end of the night Savannah made the comment that it was a great evening, so I guess perfection is not what great memories are made of. 

 

Elijah’s blessing

For logistical reasons, we decided to bless little Eli at my parents house on the same day that Lindsey blessed Milo.

(Milo on the left, Eli on the right.  We had a hard time getting them to co-operate for pictures!)

It was such a lovely day.  The Bishop of my parents’ ward was there to preside, and my dad conducted.  After a prayer, Jeff gave Elijah Jeffrey a name and a blessing.  I can’t find the paper that we took notes on, but I remember a couple of details:

He was blessed that he would be a good example to his brothers and sisters, and also that he would learn to follow their good examples.

He was blessed with health and strength.

And my favorite- he was blessed that he would have the desire to seek out truth, and the wisdom to recognize it.

 

After the blessing my dad invited Lindsey and I to bear our testimonies.  I mentioned how grateful I am for my family members who keep coming, even after 7 baby blessings, to show their support.  Somehow it makes me feel like Elijah is officially part of the family, and that his life is important.

Giving Thanks

It was a great Thanksgiving.  People count – 61.  Homemade (by the girls and me)roll count – 194.  Pie count –34.  You get the idea… it was a bountiful feast!

It was everybody’s “on year.”  Meaning that nobody was missing, spending the holiday with their in-laws.  All of my siblings, except for Aunt Kami in Guatemala, were there with their spouses.  All of the Griffith cousins had come- some from out of state.  Even sweet cousin Jill, who is fighting cancer, was there to celebrate.  Our family has grown through marriages and births, and it was a big, joyful reunion.

As I peeked around that kitchen during the prayer (when my eyes should have been closed,) I felt such a swelling of gratitude.  My heart and my eyes overflowed as I thought about the abundance of good things in my life.  I am married to my very best friend, who loves me and takes care of me.  My children are happy and healthy.  They have never known hunger or war.  We live in a land of peace and freedom, full of opportunities.  I could go on and on.

Crowding into the front room for our traditional singing time,  I thought about my Father in Heaven, and what the Book of Mormon calls “the great plan of happiness.”    This is exactly what he wants for us.  He wants us to feel joy, in spite of all the hard things that happen in life.   He wants for our families to be united- to strengthen and support each other.  I felt strongly that following His commandments and guidelines is the surest way to be happy.  I had to take a little break from singing so I could soak up all that love and happiness! 

I am so grateful for all of the blessings in my life.  Especially my family.  And I picture heaven as a bigger, better, Thanksgiving day!