Keep Moving Forward!

Here it has been months since I have blogged. I have a whole lot of catching up to do. It seems like a whole lot of something called LIFE has gotten in the way. Four kids is busy! I will try to go back and catch up on the fun times we have had in the last few months...there have been a lot. For now though, my new motto comes from the Disney movie Meet the Robinsons. They say in their family to "Keep moving forward." That is what I am going to do...not just in the blogging area of my life.

This busy holiday season makes it hard to do certain things...exercise, read, have patience...just to name a few. But, the one thing I have decided is that it is ok if I have only run 3 times in the month of December. I just have to keep moving forward...not worry about the past too much...just learn from it! That is one of the things I love about getting older. I love learning to be more patient and kind with and to myself!

SO, here is to a new year of fun, of adventure, of craziness in the Wayment house! There will be so much to write about. There always is! I hope I can Keep Moving Forward!

A Very Merry Christmas

This year, like our normal tradition, we went to Grandpa Bob's house for Christmas Eve. This is always a fun way to start of the Christmas holiday. We have had good weather and I had all the presents wrapped. This year I did it by myself...no wait...Erica came and wrapped presents with me for a couple of hours. Getting Christmas ready for these four cute little boys is a lot of work, but it is also so much fun!

At my dad's house, the kids watched the Santa tracker on the computer. Grandpa showed them Santa landing in Australia, Germany, Japan, and many other places around the world. That was just magical! We had a nice Christmas puppet show. Marsha had worked hard to make these cute little puppets at a Relief Society meeting. My dad read the script...complete with a high pitched voice for Mary. The kids sang primary songs. I was nominated the leader, but there was no hope for that group. No one could carry a tune. One thing I have learned being primary chorister is that it doesn't matter what you sing like, just sing! So, I was proud of the traditionally nonsinging Jacksons for singing that night. Carson and Nate sang their very best versions of  When Joseph when to Bethlehem and Stars were Gleaming. Robbie said the kids stole the show! We exchanged gifts and then we had to travel back to Rupert.

With no snow on the roads, we got here in record time. One Christmas we drove 35 the entire way home. Nathan was screaming the entire 4 hours we were on the road. It was NOT fun. This year was different. Then it was onto getting ready for Santa to come.

Breakfast casserole...check. Rolls in freezer...check. Cookies out with milk...check. The presents Robbie bought with my dad on Christmas Eve wrapped...check. Our presents under the tree...check. We were ready for Santa and it was only 11:30.

Christmas truly is magical. At 6 am I woke with a start. "He came! Nate HE came! Wake up! Hurry! WOW! I can't believe this!" Carson was so excited. He rushed out with Nate. Robbie and I came running as fast as we could. It was magical. Their faces were priceless. Carson and Nathan both asked Santa for legos and he brought them...and a little more. Our train table broke 2 days before Christmas, but it was on its last leg for a long time. Our Christmas elf, Mr. Peeps, told Santa about the table breaking, so Santa brought us a new one!

We put Legos together for about 45 minutes until Logan woke up. And Robbie couldn't take it, and he woke up Luke! Logan asked Santa for a "red Thomas the Tank Engine named James". He was thrilled. Lukey was still too little to ask for anything, but when he saw that big pile of Legos, he got crazy eyes! He grabbed 2 hands full of Legos and put them strait into his mouth. Nate tried to get them out. Luke spit them out and tried to bite Nathan! That little baby is going to choke on Legos!

This little baby LOVES candy. I was shocked the first time I gave him a whole big candy cane and he ate it all. He only has 6 teeth! My favorite gift I gave this year was the mugs I made for the boys. They all had 3 pictures on them...one baby, one toddler, and one current. It took me hours to look at the pictures and decide. Robbie said I was taking way too long. He said to just pick. It was too hard. I loved them all. It makes me sad to see how fast time is going.

After presents, Robbie's parents came for breakfast. Then it was the huge race to get ready for church. WOW. The primary kids sang. It was so sweet. I love my calling.

That night Jake and Jodi's family came over along with Robbie's parents. We made prime rib. Mmmmm...it was so yummy. We had such a nice day.

It was really special to have Christmas on Sunday. I loved it. I am so thankful for our Savior and all who were involved that sacred night. This Christmas I have often thought of Mary and Joseph and the sacred responsibility they held. What a great mantle they had placed on them. I know that my little boys are not the Savior, but I am responsible for them. It can be overwhelming at times. Just like Mary and Joseph did, I know where I need to turn for help. Heavenly Father knows them best and how to care for them best. I know if I turn to him for help that these little boys will learn the things they need to.

Anyway, it was a very merry Christmas!

Forever Memory Made

There is no one more special in this whole world that my cute little 90 year old grandma. The boys call her Grandma Great, which is very fitting. She is wonderful. For one of our 12 days of Christmas activities, we had her over for dinner. She of course thought the chicken noodle soup was the best thing that she'd eaten. She is so sweet.

Then the boys treated her by singing her songs. I may have bribed them with a dollar, but don't tell her that! Actually, do. She'd get a kick out of it! Logan sang Give Said the Little Stream. Nate sang Stars Were Gleaming. Carson sang When Joseph Went to Bethlehem. She loved it.

We then packed everyone in the car and took her to see all the Christmas lights. For 2 hours we drove. It was delightful. She is always so happy and loves goodness so much. She is so easy to have around and to please. We even took her to my mom's cousin's house (Brent) to see the Nativity that was her father's. Brent displays it in his yard. It was neat. I loved hearing her recall Christmas memories of long ago. She was a little girl and would stay at her Grandma and Grandpa Norton's home. Her Grandpa Norton would always take the kids out to see Santa's sleigh and reindeer tracks. She said it was magical.

We ended the night at Dairy Queen. She got a giant twist cone. It was perfect.

I called her the next day to ask her a quick question. I told her that I wished our evening went on longer. It had gone by too fast. "Oh Courtney," she said, "That is the neat part about our night. We've created a forever memory, and no one can take that away from us."

It is true. It will be a forever memory. I love this dear sweet lady. When I was a little girl I told her that we'd always be best friends. I am pretty confident that is still the case 20 years later. I love you, Grandma!

This picture is of that night. I could tell that she wanted to hold Luke. He is getting quite busy. I picked him up and set him on her lap. He sat still as he could be and just let her hold and kiss him. Sweet baby!