HoHoHo! Merry Christmas!

Here are some mug shots for Christmas. Please ignore the fact that Cache came downstairs on Christmas Eve, saw his car and played for it for a few hours before heading to bed. We are bad parents. So what? The kid was in heaven! Then Wes finished putting things together in time for Christmas morning! We spent Christmas Eve with the Crandalls this year. We had an amazing Christmas dinner and then spent time playing games and talking and opening new slippers and PJs. We also got to see them first thing in the morning.

Cache was so fun! (I woke him up because I was very excited for him to see what he received!) He didn't understand the concept that more presents were awaiting him. He just opened one and got so excited and played with it for hours. What a good, content kid. :) We were severely spoiled by both sides of our families and Wes spoiled us as well. I hoped we got him something that he wanted...Santa has a hard time keeping up when Wes buys himself most of his gifts. Oh well! We feel very blessed this time of year (and always) for the wonderful loved ones were are surrounded by. We have amazing families and pals and we know that they are the reason for our happiness! Love you all. Merry Christmas to all and a happy New Year!








Chase said we were lucky. We got a Baby in a Box for Christmas!





The "Lee" Brothers. (ug-Lee!)


A LOOOOONNNNGGGG winter's nap!


Auntie Caryn and Cache have matching PJs! Footies!




So you Think you Can Dance on the Wii!

Christmas Cheer

Thanks to my amazing friend, Jessie's, advice, I have been trying to focus on others a bit more. We had a Brewer Surprise Holiday Party the other night. We had dinner, treats, games, and a holiday movie. It was really fun and the best part was, Wes and I dressed up as Joseph and Mary (Cache was the angel) and told the Christmas story. Then we kidnapped the Brewers (my family) and brought them here for fun! Here are a few snapshots from the evening. It was a TON OF FUN!

Thanks Jess and Merry Christmas Everyone. I love you and I am so grateful for you!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

So I've found myself being quite the grinch this year, and I can't really put my finger on the reason for my lack of holiday cheer. Wes has assured me that the quickest way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear; this only lasts for a little while though. Cache is another great source of joy and life...I am so grateful for him and his happy little personality! But in the quite moments when he is asleep, I find myself drifting toward grinch-y-ness again.


I have really been trying to focus on the Lord and His special and humble birth. I really think this will help me. It has brought me more peace than any other year. At the same time, I feel that Satan is ON MY BACK and trying everything he can do to make me depressed, upset, anxious, and rude this season. So...with that in mind....can anyone share how they keep the Christmas Spirit close to their heart during this season? I could really use some help....

HAPPY THREE YEARS LOVER!

Dear Wes,

I can't believe another year has gone by in our marriage. Thank you for being my best friend. Thank you for memorizing a song on the guitar yesterday and then playing it and singing it for me. What an angel. I honestly was brought back to high school days (you were one hott tamale playing "Buttercup" in Mr. Springville)!

Thank you for taking time to talk to me and listen to me. I can tell you anything and I know you will try to understand what I am trying to say and what's in my heart. You are the best at making me laugh and comforting me when I am down. I love your happy smile and your optimistic outlook on life. Your goofiness is something I cherish (even though many people don't get to see it!).

I am so grateful for the worthy priesthood holder you are. I love watching you with Cache. You are such a good dad who tries hard to teach and lead by example. I appreciate your willingness to be a conscious dad. I know Cache adores you and tries to be like you whenever he can. He watches for your laughter and approval on a regular bases now. :) One thing that always touches my heart is how aware of me and my needs you are. You are always serving me in some way: doing the dishes, helping fold laundry, bathing Cache, helping with my pictures...this list could go on for a while. Thank you. It means the world to me!

I love you, Wes. I can't wait to be with you for 100 more years and then into the eternities. :) Love,

Me

{Reflections on Learning}

I've had a few days to think about my education and the blessings that have come from the chances I had to pursue English Education. I can't think of any other job I would rather have than teaching (besides being a mom) and I am so lucky that I had the opportunity to do it.

I think I am always going to be a life -long-learner. I had the amazing opportunity to get my reading endorsement (which I just completed! Yeah!) and this has taught me so much about different children and their talents and skills and disabilities. I think the thing I've learned the most through all my education and teaching is that everyone just needs a little love. Love can make people open up and start anew and find power and confidence within themselves that no form of pedagogy skill can inspire. I think that's THE REASON I loved getting better at my job. I got to love those kids every day and learning new skills just made it easier to help them and love them.

So...next on the agenda? I don't know. I think maybe a masters in educational pedagogy? Maybe learning how to sew a decent quilt? Skills that will help me be a better wife and mom (like cooking and getting laundry folded on time?)? My passion is people and learning. I find myself constantly wanting to master new things and understand and learn how things work. I can't picture myself hanging tight for too long. :) Somedays I am crazy because I don't just sit still...but I think that's the beauty of the gospel as well. We get to take everything we learn and understand with us into the eternities...so it's kind of fun to fill up my brain with as many different subjects, ideas, and topics as I can.

Why am I writing about this? I don't know. It is neither organized nor revised (shame on me, right?), but I think I just needed to express my love and gratitude for a Heavenly Father who allows us to develop and use our talents to help others in this world. My teaching has hopefully touched lives. But I know the skills I have help me in my marriage and with Cache everyday. I hope that as I continue to learn new things that I will be better able to inspire, lift, help, and encourage...MOSTLY LOVE...those around me every day. Anyway...there you have it. :)

I am such a 'tard

I was decorating my tree today. I couldn't find the little gold and silver hooks I use to hang the bulbs on the tree. I vaguely remember Cache running around with the bag and thinking, "That's sure cute. He's having Christmas Spirit." Rather than spend a whole $.98 cents to get a new box of hooks for the bulbs, I snatched the paperclip jar from the desk. Same thing, right?

Now I have bulbs hanging from the tree by multi-colored paperclips. Best part? I am putting the extra stuff and containers away and there sits the hooks, nestled in their plastic bag. NEXT TO THE TREE. Whatever. I'm not redoing the bulbs.

FAMILY PICTURES! {again}

There are years that have pictures and years that have none. This is a year of pictures. I don't know why, but we are all in the mood to get our family pictures taken! :)

Wes's brother, Chase, returned from his mission a week before his other brother, Rhett, left for his. I think we needed to make the most of the family being together and so we took Crandall Family Pictures! Fun!

We had a beautiful gal named Lizzie take our pictures. I think that the funnest ones are the ones that captured our family in our Klim jackets. We love snowmobiling together, so it was fun to see us all together in them. I love this Crandall family that I married into! I am very blessed.

Our family in our KLIM snowmobiling jackets! SNOW BABY SNOW!

Whirl-wind Week!

Wow! This last week and a half (possibly two weeks..I can't remember) have flown by! We have had a lot going on in the Crandall family! First things first: Cache's Uncle Chase got home from his mission. He was serving in Indiana and he is fluent in their native language: NASCAR. We are so proud of him. The whole family (and some friends) went up to the airport to greet him.







Then we headed off to Disneyland for three days of fun in the sun. It really was a blast. Cache liked the cracks and gum on the pavement more than the rides and the characters, but we aren't complaining. The kid was an angel on the plane, in the park, and sleeping at night. Awesome! We had a blast going on rides and seeing the Christmas stuff taken out. It was VERY magical. No wonder I love that place so much!












Then we hustled home for a double feature in Church on Sunday. Chase had his welcome home and Rhett, Wes's other brother, had his farewell. Rhett is serving in the Dominican Republic West mission (I think I left the real name out. Sorry!). They both did a great job and we had a full house those few days.

Finally, Wednesday, we said goodbye to Rhett as he entered the MTC. We sure love him. He is a solid kid with a good heart and a strong testimony. I think he will do awesome on his mission. But man will we miss him! He was my little protector when we went snowmobiling. He'd stick with me and if I got stuck, Rhett was always the first one there to help me out. :)







What a great week. Now I need a nap! (And my mother-in-law needs a FEW!)