Christmas!

Well we had a busy but wonderful Holiday and I hope yours went well too!

Justin’s sister and her family came into town,  so we spent a lot of our Christmas at his parents visiting with them. We have a lot of fun with any of Justin’s siblings, so it really was a treat to have them here. I just wish I could have seen my sister from Chicago this Holiday.

   

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were spent carrying out a bunch of Crook Family traditions, as well as a lot of lounging and chatting. Just an enjoyable time for all.

After Christmas we had Justin’s sister and her family over to our house to relax and have a good time. Hopefully that was achieved. We played games, watched some football, and socialized. I think it was great to have them over, and I hope they can make it out again sometime.

Sunday evening we had two friends come over to visit and they stayed almost until midnight. It was lots of laughs and memories shared. I love having good friends or family to visit and play with!

As for little stories about the kids… I’ll start with Hazel. She is getting so good at her balance I know she will just get up and walk away one of these days. I even caught her going from a sitting position to a standing position on our bed, and then bounce… all while standing. So, I know she can walk, she is just choosing not to. She is also a little jabberer, I need to be reading to her a lot more because pretty soon she is going to be talking up a storm. Another thing is that one night Justin was getting Hazel in her PJs, and while he was throwing out the diaper she ran off stark naked. She went straight for the bowl of Muddy Buddies on the couch and sat to eat them… naked as a jay bird. It was adorable… so I had to get a picture. Don’t worry it’s been blurred! The last shot is of Justin styling Hazel’s hair… its amazing how much she really has!

Levi had his cute moment on Christmas morning. Justin woke up with him at about 6:30 or so. He told Levi to watch a Christmas show and we’d open presents when Hazel woke up. well about half an hour later Levi comes running into our room yelling, “Santa brought me a gun!” over and over again. Well considering his present was a Nerf shotgun, I knew he had opened at least one present. We went downstairs only to realize he had opened about four presents before finding his gun. Luckily Hazel woke up at that point and we opened the rest of the gifts together. He was just so excited about his gift, I couldn’t really get mad at him. It was Christmas after all!

Well that’s all from us, we hope you had a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Pre-Christmas

So here I sit, all my obligations this month are over and done. I can actually now enjoy my Christmas season. I finished my Sunday lesson, which went well, all presents are made and done, the Christmas party is over… it seems all in done.

I got a lot accomplished this last week, but unfortunately blogging was not in that to do list. But I am managing to get one out before Christmas, so that’s good! I am very excited about this holiday, as I usually get really excited the week before. Although this year doesn’t bring as much family in to town and I have yet to do my holiday baking with my mom, I still am enjoying my holiday! I gave a lesson today in church and made a movie for it that was a montage of paintings done about the life of prophet Joseph Smith from our religion. I also did one about Christ’s life, but was not able to show that at my lesson because we were already short on time, and the lesson was about Joseph Smith. However, many people asked for a copy of the movie I made and I offered to put the second one on there too, one lady said she wanted it to show in her Sunday school next week. I’m just glad it was enjoyed. We had the Sister Missionaries over for dinner and I showed the video about Christ to them and they want a copy to show to people they teach. I’m glad the work I put into it can be used to touch and teach others!

Levi and Hazel have been really sweet to one another lately. Don’t get me wrong, they still have little spats, but for the most part they love to play together. In fact I am starting to see a little instigator and inciter in Hazel. She will go into Levi’s room and literally make it look like a tornado ripped through the room and then just sit there and look innocent. On more than one occasion Justin has come upon the mess and sworn Hazel could not have made the mess on her own. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would have been with him, and Levi would have been falsely accused. She is our little curious monkey and into everything. Levi loves to follow behind her and investigate something she has already discarded. It is fun to watch them play together.

  

Well I will let you all get back to your holiday prep, and from our hearts to yours, Merry Christmas!

Before The Madness

So I thought I would blog a little before my super stressful ward Christmas party and dinner.  Hence the title…

Well my little Hazel Baze celebrated her first birthday this past weekend! Unlike her brother she gobbled up the cake and loved smearing it all over herself. We let her go for a little while but she was not happy at all when daddy came to take her to the bath. She loved her gifts too and received many things I know she’ll play with a bunch! Thanks everyone!

 

Levi, in his innocence and cuteness had an adorable conversation with Justin today. Justin said, quoting an ancient Chinese proverb, “He who hurries cannot walk with dignity.” to which Levi says, “Dignity?” Justin tries to explain, but before he gets two words out Levi continues, “Dignity!! I LOVE Dignity!!!” Then he just runs off into the other room. What an adorable little boy. I am trying hard to teach him manners and to keep his cool (which is hard when mommy herself has to constantly learn to keep her cool too!). He has been learning well, one thing that is hard for him is when a show ends he would start whimpering or screaming. I finally sat him down and explained that all he had to do was come to mommy or daddy and ask ‘My show turned off, may I watch another one please?’ He nodded, and I felt he understood. I was confirmed since then because almost every time his show has turned off he will come over and say that exact phrase to me. It is a proud moment as his mom, for him and myself!

 

Well Justin is finishing up finals and can’t wait for it to be over. He is already looking forward to summer. Although I am not too happy about this winter break for him. His boss at work failed to hire the needed people and temps for the holidays so they are short staffed already and when people take vacation time it makes it so much worse. So Justin is working almost every day this month and almost every weekend! I am not happy at all! He has Christmas Eve night, and all day Christmas off, New Years Eve night, and New Years Day off. So I should just be thankful for that.

I am prepping for my ward Christmas dinner. For those who have been following me on facebook you know some of this. I was put in charge initially of just food for the dinner (which in and of itself is a huge thing). Well the committee chair couldn’t be at the event so she appointed someone else in charge and me second (technically third if you count her) in command. Well then the woman she asked to be in charge can’t be there either. So that left me. Luckily we have an awesome committee that are working their tails off too! I am doing a ton with the food, but thankfully I don’t have to worry about music, the program, decorations, and the like. But I am conducting the meeting. So most of my stress will happen the night of when I am trying to get everything off without a hitch. I’ll let you know next week how that all goes.

Well Christmas cards are finished, kids gifts are bought and wrapped, and I’ve almost finished both sets of parent’s gifts. All that’s left now is to finish my brother’s family gift and deliver that. Oh, and I am feeding the sister missionaries in a week and teaching a lesson at church in two weeks. I know you all may be thinking I need to learn to say no, but I felt that I was supposed to do these things, so I am. I don’t question when the Lord prompts me to do something, I just do it!

Merry Christmas to all!

Long Time Gone

First of all, I really like that song by the Dixie Chicks (my title)!

Well we have been a long time gone, and I apologize! After Halloween both my kids got pretty sick, so did Justin, so did I. Unfortunately Hazel was sick the whole time, Levi was sick for about two days, same with Justin, and I was sick after Justin and Levi were better, but I was sick for a week. So all in all we were down for the count for three weeks! Poor Hazel, she had it bad for that whole time! But we are better now, although I think Levi might be getting a cold now!

One event for us was Christmas decorating!!! Justin and I got the Christmas bug a week or so into November. So by the 20^th we had all our decorations up, inside and out. We've been listening to the music for some time as well. I personally don't see anything wrong with "getting the bug" that early. I mean we are celebrating the Savior's birth, why not start early!! Justin was also really excited about putting up lights since we have an actual house type place that he can really decorate. We still have some finishing touches to do with the lights, so I will post a picture of our house when I have one.

Another major event was Thanksgiving. I invited my family over to my neighborhood clubhouse this year, which meant I was in charge. I made the assignments, and got things all set up. My main focus was the turkey. I have never cooked a turkey, so I was a little nervous. I have cooked duck and a whole chicken, but I was told that turkeys are just different. I decided that I would make a citrus turkey stuffed with lemons and oranges. I had some great help from my sister all the way from Chicago! She gave me some great advice and even calmed me down when I thought I had ruined the turkey (which I hadn't). The turkey came out great, it was super moist and tasted wonderful with just a slight hint of citrus! The whole went off without a hitch, and we were even able to catch some football! I mean Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving without some good football!!

Our last major event was a couple days after Thanksgiving when Justin's grandpa remarried. Justin's dad preformed the ceremony here in Corvallis and some family and friends travelled in for the event. He married a very nice woman named Rita, and we are so excited she is a part of our family!

Well Hazel the Baze! She, once she got past being sick, has decided that walking might not be a bad idea. She is standing a lot more, on her own that is… not holding on to things. She's been walking along furniture for a while now, and she'll push things along and walk with them. But she has made it clear she will walk when she is ready, not when mommy or daddy want her to. I was watching her one day and she actually took a step, until she saw I was watching her, then she immediately sat down and gave me this look like, 'What, I didn't do anything!' She is nearing her one year mark (two days and counting), and we are so excited for her! I think the first two or three years in any child's life is just such a fun and exciting time!

Now for the little Levi-O-Ski! He is developing quite the personality and mostly an attitude. I guess its normal for his age, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. He is mostly just like his dad and a total goofball. He says and does things that are totally crazy and just make us laugh. He has quite the imagination and will come up with totally out there ideas. Justin's mom brought over a cardboard box the other day and it instantly became his favorite toy. He has used it a ton (mostly as a train car). It is so cute to see his imagination at work!

Well I have loads to look forward to the rest of this month, including Hazel's party, Levi's first dentist appointment, I'm in charge of my ward Christmas party, and then I have several craft projects to work on for Christmas gifts! Busy, busy busy! Hopefully I can find another day to blog a little so we don't go another month!

Love you all, and Merry Christmas! Remember our Lord and Savior!