TrahdeeeeeSHUN!

Many are the traditions of the Magleby family, but the most diligently kept and my personal favorite is the Little America Christmas Weekend.  Every year we swim at the hotel, have dinner in the cafe, ride Trax to see the lights on Temple Square, meet back for treats, sleep (or not sleep, depending on child status) have the delicious brunch at the hotel, and see A Christmas Carol at the Hale Theater.  It's magical.

This whole shebang acts as a dual heart-warmer for me because it happens to be the weekend that, seven years ago, my own little family started when Zach proposed.  So, no matter what obstacles or distances might stand in our way, when the Maglebys meet at Little America we are THERE.

Port and Eli at dinner.  Rolls added to rolls upon rolls.

Riding Trax

The Founders of the Feast and Fun

Maglebys! No, we don't own the restaurant.

We took pictures at the beginning, giving the impression that our kids were happy and energetic the whole visit.  A false impression.

Running through the hotel with McKenna

Best. Breakfast. Ever. Always.

Eli was finally old enough to see the play with us this year (ok, maybe we padded his age by two months) and despite a few scares from the ghosts of Marley and Christmas Yet To Come, he liked it quite a bit.  Quote, "the actors were so fun!"   In fact, Eli loved the whole trip and I think this is the year that he will finally remember it.  A toast to passing on traditions!

Poor November

It's not like there's anything wrong with November, November is an awesome month; it has my birthday, Thanksgiving, fall weather, etc.  I just never seem to blog in November.  Then when I get pumped to write about December happenings I put it off because poor November has been neglected until I can stand it no longer and just do a November highlights post.  This year is no exception.

So.  NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS:

Birthday Times

All I wanted for my birthday this year was to have one morning where I could sleep in with Zach as long as I wanted to and not have to wake up to immediate child caring.  Thanks to my sweet parents and husband my wish was granted.  The weekend before my birthday we dropped the boys off with their doting grandparents and Zach and I had a marvelous two days in Park City, full of delicious food and child-free shopping. 

When we got back the Judkins were so sweet as to have a second birthday celebration for me, complete with Tawny's amazing desserts.  That woman's pastry skills amaze me.  

On my actual birthday we were home and Zach had to work, but that didn't stop me, Eli and Porter from making and consuming large amounts of banana cream pie.

Thanksgiving
Thanks to the Haights (who are great) Zach and I started out our Thanksgiving with a 5k at Thanksgiving Point.  Since I signed up just two weeks before, it seemed pointless to try and train so we both did it cold turkey (get it? So punny).  I've been more sore after a race, but not that much more.

As our contribution to the food, Eli put his play doh skills to practical use and made pie after pie with Grandma:

We pulled off two Thanksgiving dinners again this year and it was as crazy as ever.  At the Magleby's Porter ate his first ever turkey dinner (if "eating" can be defined as dipping everything in your water glass and smushing it around your tray and down your pants) and Eli loved hanging with his cousins.

We didn't get any pictures of the food at the Judkins' (which is a shame because it was way yummy) but there was lots of this action, which made my heart happy:

Fall Weather
Despite having two trees removed from our yard in October we still ended up raking a ridiculous amount of leaves (20 garbage bags full, to be precise).  But Porter and Eli loved it so much that it was almost worth it.

 It was just in time too, because before December could even start it snowed, which fulfilled all of Eli's greatest fantasies.  Porter had no fantasies, but ate the snow anyway.

 
Family Pictures
As our final November highlight, we had family pictures taken by the talented Randy.  The children
(and, let's be honest- the husband) were not thrilled, and no amount of degrading antics or silly faces could get Porter to smile for a single shot.  But I love them anyway.

A Flash Sighting

This Halloween season has been the longest of my young life.  

Maybe it's because we're at the store to visit Zach so often, and they started putting out decorations in late July.

Maybe it's because we got the costumes way early in a deliberate avoidance of my usual last-minute panic/settling.

Maybe it's because we actually decorated the house this year and I had to watch the slow decay of the fake spiderwebs outside and the Porter-destruction of everything else inside.

Maybe it's because we had at least four Halloween parties that we threw or attended in the week leading up to the big day.

The Flash rescuing stuffed animals from Mom's room

Or maybe it's because Eli was SO DANG EXCITED for it.  He was incredibly thrilled to be The Flash and have Porter as his Green Lantern sidekick.  He actually remembered trick-or-treating from last year and couldn't wait to do it again.  He insisted that our daily walks be "Halloween Hunts", which involve lots of excited shrieking when scary decorations were spotted.  Good times!

Joy school party

Our ward primary is pretty small, even for Elko, so the ward trunk-or-treat was especially gratifying for Eli.  Tons of attention and even more candy!

Porter did't get too into the pumpkin carving- he mostly just tried to eat it, but Eli nearly wet his pants he was so eager.  Many minutes of serious pumpkin research went into his carving choice.

Zach's dragon, Porter's poop, Eli's bats, Clarissa's Frankenstein

To wrap up, the month of October was a Halloween blast.  But in the dark secret part of my Mommy heart I am so glad it's November.

DC Fam

Things to Remember: Zach and Clarissa

First I'd like to say that the number one official purpose of this blog is to show off our precious babies. This is something we have dutifully tried to do.

But parents are people too, gosh darn it.  And while our children remain our most adorable asset they are slowly sucking my brain power in a way that I swear is affecting my memory retention.  So, to document our young lives, here is an update on me and Zach:

The biggest life changer in the last few months was Zach's change of employment from 90 hrs/wk at Kmart to 40 hrs/wk at Smith's.  WE LOVE HAVING HIM HOME.  I can't ever imagine going back.  Suddenly we have time to do those projects we've putting off for months- stain the deck, hang our shutters, re-landscape the front yard, replace our gate, etc.  The list never ends, but at least some of it gets done now.

We also managed to get our new passports and are planning a trip to Baku, Azerbaijan in the spring to visit our favorite cousins.

ZACH

With all this new free time, Zach has three major hobbies:
1- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
2- Trying to get buffer than his little brother at the gym
2- Kicking people's trash in online chess

 We took a trip to Salt Lake at the beginning of October so that Zach could put his Jiu Jitsu skills to the test at a tournament.  Apparently he's amazing at it because he won every match and was the champion of his weight class in both the Gi (fighting robe thing) and No-Gi events.

Zach is also officially not a less-active church member now.  Not only am I not alone with two kids in Sacrament meeting every Sunday (one of my very least favorite situations to be in) but he can serve in his Elders Quorum presidency and teach the youth Sunday school class.

CLARISSA

Back in August I made a conscience effort to reclaim some of my non-mommy identity and signed up to take a woodworking class at the local college.  I've really missed school (apart from, you know, homework) and I may have squealed when my new student ID came in the mail. The class is fun and a good way to get out of the house at least once a week for a few hours.

It may not look like much, but that strange creation has taken 7 class periods of planing, joining, routing, ripping, chopping, filing, and sanding to get to that point.

I serve in our ward primary presidency and the scouts and this last month has been all about surviving the scouting carnival and the Primary Program.  As a kid I never even thought about the work that leaders put in, but I have a new appreciation now.  It's a little late, but thanks Sister Peterson!

And as my final update, I dyed my hair.  Purple.  And I loved it.

Things to Remember: Eli at 3.5

Age: 3.5

Favorite Song: Trashin' the Camp (Tarzan)

Favorite Show: Little Einsteins

Favorite Food: cantaloupe, popsicles, and bagels (read: doughnuts)

Favorite Superhero: The Flash

Oh this kid.  Motherhood is often described as a lonely business, but with Eli around that's impossible.  He follows me around all day, filling the hours with chatter and tricks.  He is squarely in the questioning phase, and there are times when I feel he will "Cuz why?" me to death.  When he's not straining my scientific chops I am a captive audience, demanded to "Watch this!" several times a minute.  Those jumps and "super fast running" never get old, am I right?

We will be starting a little neighborhood preschool this week and I can't believe it. When did my kid become old enough to go to school?  I've started planning my share of the lessons and it is so fun to think of the things his mind will be learning.  Like all mothers I know my child is curious and brilliant and I can't wait to see his progression.

Eli loves to help, and nothing pleases him more than you telling him that he's been very useful (a la Thomas the Train).  Every house project, cooking pursuit, even cleaning duties- he must be right in the middle of it, doing whatever we're doing.  He digs when we dig, stirs every stir-able thing, and under no circumstances should I sweep the pile into the dustbin because that is HIS job. 

Zach and Eli are the best of friends.  Eli thrives on his daily ritual of hugs and kisses before Zach goes anywhere, and has a meltdown if he doesn't see Dad do a cool trick out the window before he leaves to work.  Those two are thick as thieves, giggling over shows, jumping on the trampoline, or eating "secret snacks".  I go all gooey on the inside watching them together.

The latest obsession and craze these days: Tarzan.  Taking precedence over legos, sometimes even over superheroes, is talk of gorillas and elephants and swinging in trees.  Once he gets started on the "Zabada zoobeedoo" camp song it doesn't end for quite some time, and the begging to watch the Disney movies never does. End, that is.

Sometimes I come to and look around and realize again that Eli is our son.  I am so taken with his little personality, his confidence, and his enthusiasm.  How did we get so lucky?