Random Ramblings

I was working on a Christmas present for Evie and found this picture and it made me laugh. He's always got at least one eye on his mama, that's for sure!

Talmage has been talking nonstop about missions lately. He loves to tell his friends in the courtyard about what will happen when he goes on a mission. Sometime last week he told me he was going to go a mission with "butter." I thought, "Ah, cute, he wants to go on a mission with Ev." Then yesterday he was helping me make cookies and was absolutely elated when the butter came out. "When I go on a mission, I'm going to go with butter," he told me. "You mean you are going to go with BRO-ther?" I said. "No mommy, I'm going to go on a mission with butter," he replied, pointing to the big yellow brick in front of me. For some strange reason I think T would get along quite well with Paula Deen.

Is anyone else worried that my water out of the faucet comes out the same color as milk. Just wondering.

We were talking about the true meaning of Christmas.
Me: What is Christmas, really?
T: It's Jesus' birthday.
Me: That's right. Where was Jesus born?
T: Utah.
Close T, super close.

During finals week Stanford students scream at the top of their lungs at 12 o'clock midnight. It's called the primal scream. I've been tempted, ever so tempted, to go scream with them. I feel like it might be theraputic. And heck, I have two little boys that test me ALL day long...does that count?

T: I have a great idea.
Me: What is it?
T: My great idea is carrots.

our fam

Our ward Christmas party this year was seriously incredible. They had Santa, a live nativity by the primary, dinner and dessert, caroling, a-ma-zing decorations and dun, duh duh, dun...

Family pictures!

An uber talented photographer, Robert Bradshaw, just moved into our ward and had a room set up for memory-making (aka picture-taking). I LOVE how they turned out. Gosh, look at those cutie boys (both looking at the camera even)!

on santa's lap

Talmage meant business when he saw Santa at our ward's Christmas party. "I want trains for Christmas," he told the jolly old man. When Santa did not acknowledge his words, Talmage repeated it again. "I want trains for Christmas. Thomas and James and Percy." People were calling for T to look at the camera, they wanted him to smile, but he wanted assurance from the man in charge, who once again did not give Talmage his desired response. I'm actually suprised T didn't take him by the cheeks with both hands like he sometimes does to me. Instead, he looked him square in the face (and luckily this time Santa looked back) and repeated his request for the third time. This time Santa repeated his words, "Oh, you want trains for Christmas, do you? Thomas? And Percy? And James? OK," he said while smiling into Talmage's sweet, confident, innocent face.

And with that OK from Santa, Talmage gave the camera the biggest, cheesiest, truly happiest smile I've ever seen in my life. The moment (both actually) were priceless and I'm so glad they were captured so perfectly. All I'm saying is Santa better deliver. ;)

Double Chocolate Pomegranate Cookies

Jim made these cookies last night, and I was in HEAVEN. The cookies are rich and chocolatey, and the pomegranate adds a burst of sweetness to your mouth. Believe me, they are worth trying.

And the dough isn't half bad either!

Creche

Our church put on a creche exhibit and it was incredible. They had over 400 nativities flown in from museums and donors all over the world on display, there were choirs and musicians softly singing their testimony of the Savior, they had an amazing children's room with a marionette show about the birth of Jesus, and so much more. Every last detail was considered and it was just gorgeous.

My parents came to see the creche with me and the boys. It was so nice to share this special experience with them--they are the greatest. We took turns wrestling with the kiddos and we all were able to enjoy the spirit of the exhibit. I actually volunteered the next day as well, and was so glad to spend more time in that beautiful place. I already can't wait to go back next year.

Our little cuddle-bug with his Pepa. I just love, love, love living so close to my parents. It's so nice to see them so often and have all of these experiences with them.

Stanford Volleyball Game

Last week we had another family date night, this time to a Stanford Women's Volleyball game. It was actually a NCAA Championship game...and we got in for free...and the attendance was awful...and T mostly loved seeing the band and the dancing tree, but what's new...and we didn't get to stay for the whole game, again, what's new...and we still had a BLAST and love living up this Stanford experience!

We ended up moving a lot during the game. We started on one end of the court, but then when the band sat on the other end of the court T coaxed us into moving closer to them, but when the band actually started playing Evie coaxed us into moving again...far far away from the band. We had lots of different seats during the game, but like I said, it was very poorly attended so we could go anywhere that we wanted!

The dancing tree was all dressed up for Christmas, and stopped to let me take a picture. Thank you tree!

This is where we spent a good portion of the game--at the top. I covered Ev's ears and he ended up falling asleep in my arms. It was well past T's bedtime and he ended up laying on my lap to watch the game. It wasn't long after this that we decided to be nice parents and bring our kids home for bedtime.

A super nice usher at the game found Everett some ear plugs and life was so much easier after that. I've seen some really cool baby earphone/plug things and I think I need to get some for this little dude since his parents seem to think that babies + sporting events = lots of fun!

T's Friends...

Mr. Talmage LOVES friends. He is constantly talking about playing with friends, sharing with friends, going to the park with friends, eating with friends, etc. Pretty much anything and everything he has to/wants to/is supposed to do during the day ends up having "with friends" attached to the end of it. It's a good thing T does have such awesome friends.

Seriously BFF. T talks about Franklin all day long, and has even started calling him Frankie Frank. They play together everyday and we LOVE that they are our neighbors.

Of course Daddy is still number one. We had to bring something to the law school and Jim and T ended up eating cheetos and jumping in leaf piles...who says there is no fall in California? It's marvelous!

T's other BFF, Cedar (or as T calls her, Cedar-girl). He is often heard saying, "I weawy wuv Cedar." Holy cuteness. And also cute that they are checking email together at the table. They are hilarious together.

Um...and even though sometimes I have to force him to be nice to me, I think we're friends too!