Truth...

For fear of becoming one of those blogs that only highlights all the amazing and fantastic things I do with my family, I figured it was time for a dose of truth on my blog.  Yes, I have just posted some fabulous things that my family has done recently and honestly my family LOVES doing tons of things together.  From movies to hiking, from cooking together to snuggling on the couch we love spending time together.  It doesn't matter what we do or what it costs we just like the time together.  The girls enjoy it and get excited when we declare we are going to have an adventure no matter what the adventure is.  (Honestly it has been grocery shopping and they get just as excited as camping or fishing)  That is the truth, but that doesn't help anyone else see the reality of my imperfections.  We do a lot together, but I am not the "perfect super mom".  I am actually very far from it.  While writing those last two sentences I actually stopped to get mad at Shelby.  For what?  Putting her feet all over the wall and chair.  Is this life threatening....NO!  Is this damaging to anything....NO!  I just simply get cranky.  I usually get super cranky every Sunday while getting ready for church and this week was actually an exception which came as a shock to me.  We were off to church and all in good moods.  During church some things happened which frustrated me and happen often.  I then took my frustrations out on my girls.  If they wiggled I gave a stern look, if they played with their pretzels I took them away.  I am not proud of any of this, I am just hoping that one mom reads this and realizes that they are not alone and they are NOT a bad mom.  We came home and changed and ate some mac and cheese which was from a box (which is the only mac and cheese I ever cook).  We didn't have any fruit or vegetables...this was far from a healthy meal.  I didn't even go as far as doing the "healthy" option for making the mac and cheese.  The more butter the better in my opinion. After eating the girls played and I sat on the couch.  Every now and again I would ask them to calm down because they would get too rowdy.  I did eventually raise my voice and put them in time out because the constant rowdiness just simply aggravated me.  I have my cranky days as I'm sure all moms do.  The problem is that nobody shares their cranky, embarrassing days and so when we have them we feel inadequate.  I know that for a long time I felt that I was a bad mom because I didn't make all my meals from scratch.  The fact of the matter is, my kids are fed and that is enough.  Being a mom is tough and nobody is perfect.  I have great days where nothing really bothers me and we giggle and laugh all day long.  I have my days when we are so busy running from here to there that I forget to do homework.  I have days where I don't clean the house because I simply don't want to and don't have the energy to even think about it.  I have days when I try to plan the perfect adventure for my girls so that I can selfishly see their smiles.  I have days when I feel like I should be like all the other moms.  (but I am not a mom to THEIR kids)  I have days when I feel like a terrible mom because I get frustrated over trivial things.  I have yelled when it was unnecessary.  I have scolded when it wasn't needed.  I have failed to see their intent and looked past it only to feel bad later when I realized it.  I am not proud of my actions all the time but I am proud of this: I love my kids.  I often feel like I love my kids more than anybody else could possibly love theirs.  I know my kids know that I love them.  They never have to question it.  They are happy and they are thriving.  They are taken care of and they don't have the same fears and insecurities of some of their peers who live in a home where love isn't the main emotion.  They are lucky to have me despite all of my insecurities and imperfections.  I love them.....I TRULY love them.  There isn't anything that I wouldn't do to see them smile.  I take notice of my imperfections in order to better myself and better our relationship.  I hope that everyone who reads this knows that their children are lucky to have them.  You are amazing!  You are doing the best you can which is all any of us can do. Hug them, love them, listen to them always....beyond that just do the best you can to survive this thing we call parenting and enjoy the ride!

Snow!

Ok, here's another thing I need to be honest about: I hate the hassle of getting the kids bundled up to play in the snow as well as getting them changed and warmed when they get inside.  Because of this, I tell them that they can't play in the snow until it snows enough to cover all of the grass.  I'm terrible I know.  The other day it snowed more than a foot and the girls were thrilled.  Unfortunately we were super busy all day and didn't get to play in it.  The next day we were again super busy but right before dinner we headed out for a bit as the sun went down.  Shelby LOVES snow....she loves anything that can make you wet.  She was absolutely thrilled.  She was a little frustrated that the snow was powder instead of the good "packing" snow meant for snowballs and snowmen but she was still excited!

 Kadence has always loved making snow angels.  Its the first thing she does in the snow every time.

 The side of the driveway was really high where David threw the snow he shoveled and the girls had fun climbing on it.

 Shelby kept pretending she was flying.  She would put half her body over the edge and her arms out to feel as though she was soaring.  They make me laugh!

We couldn't stay out long because my girls get cold super fast.....just like their mommy!  We went in and Shelby immediately asked for "Hot cocoa cocoa" to help her warm up.  Hopefully I can stop being such a pain and let them venture out more this year than years past.  Playing in the snow all day long is something I remember doing when I was little. 

Christmas!

It was yet another perfect Christmas for us.  The girls had asked 4 different Santas for a Furby this year and Santa delivered.  I again tried to keep Christmas smaller scale because I get so carried away.  I think I did pretty well this year EVEN with the stocking.  Last year I tried to tone down Christmas and the stocking was packed completely full of too many things.  Here is what Santa left.

 The elves blocked off the living room again...tricky elves

 The girls came running out and couldn't find their stockings....really?  As you can see in this picture they are in plain site.  Shelby was looking near the fireplace:

 Kadence couldn't find it so she grabbed a present from under the tree (That had been there a few days) and started unwrapping.  I don't even know if it was her present to be honest.

 With a little help and direction they found their stockings AND their furbys (And these faces crack me up!)

 Kadence always daintily goes through her stocking and Shelby dumps it all over the floor

 Once Shelby dumps it out....so does Kadence!

 While they went through their stockings we got their Furbys working

 They wanted to eat before opening the presents from mom and dad.  Its always been a tradition for David to eat Lucky Charms on Christmas morning and the girls were delighted we found chocolate Lucky Charms

 I didn't take any pictures of the girls opening their own presents but got a few of them opening the presents for the family

I failed to get very many pictures of the rest of the day because I had a terrible cold.  I just enjoyed watching the girls from the couch most of the day. We cooked a ham which always smells so good to me and lounged around.  We watched E.T together which we got for Christmas and the girls loved it!  I wasn't positive since it could be a little scary too.  Even with my cold I thought the day was perfect.  The girls were SO happy and that is truly my favorite thing.



Joy Christmas Party

The Joy Christmas party was the Sunday before Christmas this year so I have to add pictures of the girls in their Christmas dresses.  For some reason this is something I never blog about but is so important to David.  One thing he ALWAYS wants is to be able to give the girls a new dress for Christmas and Easter.  He said it is something he immediately envisioned when knowing he would have a daughter.  No matter how much or how little we have in the bank we will always find a way to get our girls a new dress for both holidays.  I find no shame in saying that he has had to donate plasma in order to get the funds before....but hey, it worked out. I usually get coordinating but have never gotten matching before.  I just loved this skirt so much so I dressed them almost identically.  People already think they are twins and dressing them alike didn't help much.

 After church we were able to eat delicious food prepared by Dale and Connie and then we started in on the presents.  Dale and Connie always do a game with gifts that nobody knows what are.  It's really fun and we get some awesome things.  Jeff got all 3 nieces a doodle bear and Shelby was a little more than excited.

 Brylee wasn't super into opening the presents this year....maybe next year

 Grandma and Grandpa Joy got the girls a tablet and Kadence squealed "I got an ipad like yours mom!"  Its not an ipad but they are both thrilled!  I am excited because it will make dr visits that much nicer.

 After the party we headed down to temple square with Jeff, Ashley and Breanne

 David took this picture and I love it

 Jeff started the cycle of "planking" at the temple

 Ashley and Breanne let us know that they had candy windows at ZCMI.  We took a little stroll over and it was amazing.  They had tons of designs made entirely of candy.

It was fun as usual and another tradition that I hope to keep going.  My family went most years and it was always something that I looked forward to.  We are hoping to add a carriage ride to the adventure next year.  We always want to and never do.....next year!

Gingerbread houses

First of all, every time I upload pictures to blogger it does them in a completely different order than I want and I am getting sick of fixing it so this post will have the pictures in a random order selected by blogger.

 

Every year it used to be a tradition to make gingerbread houses with the Joy side of the family.  The last 3 years we have either been unable to attend the big gathering or they haven't had it so we have done a smaller version with Jeff, Jason/Sage and Ashley/Breanne (when they are out).  It is something that I hope to do every year even if it is just the four of us.  The girls love it and I love watching them as they grow.  It has gone from trying to get as many sprinkles as will fit to trying to make it look "perfect".  This is actually the first year we have let the girls go to town without much supervision and without any help. (Other than putting white frosting all over it so that there was plenty of sticking surface)

 

Here's Kadence with Chloe, Brylees little sister

 The girls decorating

 Ashley, Jeff and Breanne decorating

 The front of Kadence and Shelbys house

 The back of the house.  Kadence licked her finger and carved a little door on the back.

Brylee enjoyed eating lots of treats and it looks like we put her in time-out in the corner but she was just playing 

 Sage busy decorating (Jason avoided the camera somehow)

 Sages finished house

 Jeffs finished house

 Ashley and Breannes finished houses

We had a lot of fun and hopefully it will be a tradition that the girls will look forward to every year.

Projects...

Christmas brought many crafty things for my girls to do.  Its the perfect time for crafty things since we have plenty of time during the break to do them.  I struggle finding the time during school.  I'd love to say that we get out the paints and craft every time my girls want to, but I simply don't have the energy most days and so we don't.  The first thing hey decided to do was on Christmas day.  We bought them build a bear stuffed animals that they do at home.  Shelby specifically requested this gift and wanted a bunny with a pink dress.  Umm, ok?  Kadene wanted to go to build a bear and make one so we got a gift card to do that later.  I did happen to find Shelby a bunny that had a pink dress after some time looking on the internet and I got Kadence a rock star cat.  They LOVED making their new stuffed animals and they are in an elite club that gets to sleep in bed with them.  :)

 

 

 

 

 The next project they chose to do was to form their own crystals.  Santa left them a few science projects in their stockings that he found at the dollar store....I mean that his elves made.  Here are the girls preparing the cardboard piece that would soon grow the crystals on it. 

Now, you may have thought I was trying to be "artistic" or something with the above pictures.  I mean it was just their tiny fingers and the cardboard piece.  Well here is the truth:  It was 3 in the afternoon and I still hadn't done their hair.  It was the mess left from the day before.  Also in the background you can see pants hanging on the chairs to dry. (If I put them in the dryer it's hopeless.  No amount of squats can fit me back into my pants) So that is the truth, you're welcome!

 About a half hour later we already could see some crystals forming

 Here are the trees almost a full day later.  The girls were absolutely thrilled and I was super happy that it actually worked.  I mean the kits were only a dollar so I didn't get my hopes up.

 Finally, Shelby got a new piggy bank from Kadence in their "sister gift exchange".  She loves piggy banks and carefully selecting which bank to put her coins in when I give her my spare change.  This piggy bank combined her love of piggy banks and her love to be artsy.  She was able to decorate and design her own bank.  She, being the sweet girl she is, allowed Kadence to help her color her pig.  Here she is transferring some money into her new bank

Happy girl and a piggy that is decorated and ready to be filled.

 I seriously love these two girls SO much and love the way they delight in the small things. It doesn't matter what we do, they just love doing things together.  I hope that it continues throughout their teenage years or this mom might get her heart broken.  (Totally kidding, but I will demand a few hours of their time every now and again)