The Nineteenth Day of Christmas

Our neighbor gave us this light-up Rudolph nose. Apparently, "it makes you need to pick your nose."

When Mike got home, he took the kids around to deliver neighbor gifts.

Then he helped mash potatoes for dinner. A few days ago, I asked the kids what their favorite meals were--I need inspiration. They all agreed that chicken noodle soup was their favorite. I make it like my Grandma B--served over mashed potatoes.

Christian spent the day at Grandma and Grandpa Peel's. Whenever the kids are off track, they schedule a day at their house. Mike drops them off on his way to work and picks them up afterward. They eat breakfast, play games, have lunch, watch tv, and do a few chores. Christian delivered a few gifts across the street. He was very happy with his payment. The kids are so lucky to have such precious time with Grandma and Grandpa.

With Christian gone, Drew and I had a day to ourselves. We ran some errands and had lunch together. I knew I would be staying up late because Mike and I needed to do our annual "accountability meeting." This is the meeting where I haul out everything I have purchased and we go over everything. We try to figure out what will make Christmas morning magical but not overkill. I don't typically like this meeting because we don't always agree on what constitutes "magical." This year went surprisingly well.

I knew it would be a late night, so at Target, I got an energy drink. I have only had one a few times, but figured I could sure use one later that night. Drew saw it in the cart and asked why I was buying it, that he had learned at Stake Standards Night that energy drinks are against the Word of Wisdom. Dang. I told him that I don't drink them very often, but that he was right, I shouldn't be drinking them at all. I put it back.

He asked why I was going to stay up late. I told him that Daddy and I had to go over our Christmas list--just to make sure we are on the same page. He then said, "Yeah, you and Dad need each other. He needs you to lift him off the ground a little bit and you need him to pull you back down to earth." Wow, this kid has us figured out.

Later that night, Drew took a break from Monopoly and played Mike in a chess match. It was a pretty intense game, from what I gathered listening from the kitchen.

The boys get to stay up past bedtime, and they love hanging out in Drew's bed watching a movie on the portable DVD player. Tonight, Drew fell asleep, but Christian hung on to the end of the movie.