Calling in Reinforcements

I know when I get too busy.  It always happens around the holidays.  Like most busy moms, I usually overbook events, cooking, and other irresistible fun things during Christmas time.  This week, I knew I needed help early on since the Cinnamon Roll Stand was coming up.  So I did the only sensible thing.  I called up my family to come over and help.  My big sister, Ayron, came over early in the week and helped me make the first 100 rolls.  We buttered, mixed, sprinkled, buttered, rolled, baked,  then buttered some more.  It was a sweet, buttery masterpiece by the time we finished.

Well, the work wasn't over!  I wanted to make 50 more rolls. I sort of manipulated my mom into helping me by pushing what a great skill it would be for her to make cinnamon rolls from scratch.  The evil plot worked!  She came over yesterday morning and helped immensely.  Now my mom is one of those women who can grab a few ingredients and whip out a golden, buttery pie crust while I am still busy studying the recipe.  She just has that natural skill.  I had not realized how handy her ability would be for cinnamon roll making!  I have gotten better and better at cinnamon roll making, but my dough is not a strong suit.  It tastes good, but it looks pretty bad.  Sometimes I imagine the dough as a rebellious teenager that is just laughing rudely at me as it cracks, sticks to the surface, and refuses to take the shape I want.  My mom took that dough, and before it knew what had happened, she slapped it on the counter, and rolled out the most gorgeous 30 x 10 inch rectangle I'd ever seen!  I didn't get anymore lip from the dough after that.  

She handles that rolling pin like a samurai holds his sword.  It's a weapon, and she's not afraid to use it.

Just like Julia Child, I'm telling you!

So she stayed busy while I took a few pictures, then went and watched a Christmas movie.  Just kidding, I pitched in...with the dishes.

Cooking isn't my only big chore, now we move on to stamping and addressing Christmas cards!

My need for reinforcements moved on to the Christmas cards!  While I wrote out the addresses, the girls stamped, stuffed, and licked.  We were an unstoppable force!

 This morning, I recruited the girls to help me with more cooking....

Cubby counts out and then unwraps caramels...

...while looking super cute.  

Emma, who is still growing out her bangs (this is going to take forever!), helped me a ton by peeling carrots.  Peeling carrots is a job everyone fights over, for some reason, despite the bloody knuckles that almost always results.

Aahhh....my little team of workers makes my life so much easier, and fun!

Then it was craft time!  I love going to Michael's craft store at the end of each holiday and picking up all the leftover craft kits.  I box them, then pull them out the next year and it's like brand new crafts at clearance prices!  

That's not the greatest way to hold a glue stick, J.D.  Oh well.  I better go check the cooking and not worry!  Thanks to you, reinforcement team, I finished all of my work today!  In just a few hours, the Cinnamon Roll Stand will open, and we are more than ready!! 

Cubby's First Solo!

We attended another fabulous Do Re Mi concert last night.  The Do Re Mi's are a junior choir singing group, and this is my girls' second year singing with this group.  The Christmas concert last night was just as it should be. It was the perfect combination of happy, whimsical, silly songs and serious carols about Christ's birth.  

The entire concert was adorable, so professional, and well done. The most notable moment for me were the girls' solos.  Each had a small solo part to sing.  This was Cubby's very first solo ever!  She has sung plenty of duets with Emma, and we do get to hear her sing plenty of solos at home, but this was her first on stage, with a microphone, in front of a crowd singing performance!  She was fantastic!!! No hesitation at all.  She sang sweetly and clearly, right on pitch into the microphone.  No stage jitters at all!  See for yourself:

Emma sang a little more serious song called One Little Star, about the star over the town of Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.  She did really well, too.  I think the transition from the first solo singer to her was a little bit challenging.  She handled it extremely well.

There's nothing like watching my daughters singing in an adorable Christmas concert.  The joy of Christmas is now alive and well in my heart!  

Crazy Competitive

Yep, this one's about me.  I hate to admit it, but I am crazy competitive.  I have been like this my entire life.  But I am ready for a serious change since really, it's no fun for anyone to play games with a person with this much need to win.

My competitive streak started way back in my volleyball and basketball days in high school.  I loved being the big hitter or the blocker during volleyball matches.  I thrived on winning.  I loved playing volleyball with a passion, and I, being taller than a lot of other players, had an advantage that made it truly fun and exciting to play.

Now as far as basketball goes, the honest truth is that I wasn't a very good player.  I had the height, but no speed, and no real coordination or shooting precision.  So, my coach just put me under the basket and I would rebound and shoot the ball in the basket by using the backboard all day long.  It wasn't rocket science, and a kid like me, without real talent or stamina, was able to get pretty far in a small league like the Imperial Valley.

As a thirty-something-stay-at-home mom, I don't get to compete in volleyball or basketball games much anymore.  I have to release my need to compete somehow, so I (sadly) do it through games with friends and family.  When Danny and I were first married, we played Scrabble once in a while.  Scrabble is my favorite game of all time.  I would always beat his butt, no question.  However, after a few months of steady play, Danny started catching on to a strategy and began catching up to me.  I was beating him by a smaller and smaller margin.  One fateful day, and I am so ashamed to admit this, but he pulled ahead of me in the game, and I literally got up and left the table.  I have never lived that one down, let me tell you.  Even now, he'll ask before we begin a game, "Are we going to finish this game?"  It only happened once, but it stuck as a very unlovely memory.

We started playing games pretty regularly a couple of years ago with another couple, Luke and Elizabeth.  They were both very experienced in game playing, and would often bring over new games and teach them to me and Danny.  Now, they had never seen this competitive side of me before; I had tried fairly hard to keep it hidden, knowing how ugly it could be.  But one day, they brought over a super fun, but very challenging (for me) card game called Phase 10.  Basically, to win the game, you have to get through all ten phases to win the game.  I couldn't get past phase 1.  They were all moving ahead into phase 3, then 4, then 5.  I couldn't get past phase 1.  My cards were atrocious.  I finally slammed my hand down on the table and walked away.  They were in shock.  Elizabeth's mouth seriously dropped open like in one of those movies when someone sees something unbelievable. It was horrible, ugly and most of all, rude.  I immediately felt ashamed.

I have had to consciously work on my need to win ever since that day.  I have tried hard to keep level-headed, repeating in my mind, "It's only a game, it's only a game."  Now just a few years ago, my sister married my sweet brother-in-law, John.  John is an excellent, although super stealthy, game player.  He will get behind in a game, so that you think he's out of the running, then he'll come out with an awesome hand, that just blows everyone out of the water.  He's the guy that lays all his cards down on the first hand, leaving everyone to clean up their disastrous remnants.  Now he's competitive, too, but nothing like me.  He teases me to get me going, and I tease back, and then the old April just comes out of nowhere.  Now as we all get seated around the table to play, the trash talk starts, usually aimed at me and sometimes at John, and it sometimes cycles out of control.  Kind of like tonight.

My competitive spirit turned ugly.  I love playing the game, and don't realize how that need to win looks to others around me.  It ain't pretty.  That's all I'm saying.  I don't think a little bit of healthy competition is bad at all.  And it's funny how some games I don't feel that great need to win.  Let's just say it's selective.  I've decided to stay away from those games that get me really fired up, at least for a while.  I guess I just really don't ever want my kids to see me flare up like that, especially at their dad, over what?  A game?  Too silly.  Too crazy.

I'm just wondering how many people have someone in their lives like me.  Someone who gets hurt when another game player decides to "skip" them in the game.  Someone who people warn others about before playing, like, "April's playing, be careful!"  Yep, that's me.  Crazy competitive.  But working on it.  Starting today, I'm working on focusing on the people's faces around the table more than the game board in front of me.

Anybody want to play?

Cinnamon Roll Stand....Here We Come!

In just six days, my family will host our 2nd annual cinnamon roll and hot chocolate stand.  This was Emma's idea last year when she begged me for a lemonade stand, and I, not wanting to stand out there in the hot sun, convinced her that the winter would be a much more profitable season here in the desert.   We decided last year to give all the proceeds from the "sale" to an international ministry called World Vision.  

Every year, World Vision sends out the coolest gift catalog.  It has pictures of a variety of farm animals (or "beasts of burden" if you are my husband) pictured, along with a price, and a description of how that animal can be of use to a family in a third world country.  For example, a pig costs $195.  That sow can produce as many as 20 piglets in a year.  As the catalog points out, "within 6 months, each of those piglets can weigh 200 pounds and fetch a hefty price at market.  The income can be used for children's education, medicines, and other essentials." Two chickens cost $25, a goat is $75, a dairy cow is $500, and so on.  Last year, the girls made over $350, in mostly loose change, since that's what we encourage people to donate.  We had the most fun picking out the animals for people.  We even had enough money leftover to begin sponsoring a child.  

Out of all the parties, concerts and programs we attended last year, the hot chocolate stand was by far the girls' favorite event.  They talked about it endlessly.  Earlier this fall, when the stores first became decorated for the Christmas season, the girls began asking excitedly if we were going to have the stand again.  It wasn't really even a question.  The fellowship with our neighbors and then the giving experience was one of those things that, for us, helped define the reason for the season.  

 

We set up the stand early in the morning and used the tent since the forecast called for a slight chance of rain.  The gorgeous, overcast and chilly day only added to the fun of the experience for  the girls.  See their outfits?  They are always, and I mean ALWAYS ready for cold weather gear.  

So, now to the point.  I spent my whole afternoon today baking cinnamon rolls in preparation for our next stand this coming Saturday.  My sister came over after church, and we stirred dough, melted butter, and sprinkled enough cinnamon and sugar to make Paula Deen very proud.  Ayron and I had so much fun.  This is when a kitchen with a large work surface really helps!  We baked 100 rolls from scratch!   

Here are the rolls just before I put them in the oven. 

I checked those puppies often!  No one wants burned rolls, I know that much!

This is me stirring the outrageously good icing.  Coffee + powdered sugar + maple flavoring = heaven sent flavor.  Seriously.  The best thing on the planet. 

Yay!  Look at those adorable little pans, all ready for eating!

Drizzling icing....

Oh, sweet home Alabama!

100 rolls ready for eating!!  

Oh, the pictures could go on and on.  I went on a little hay day with the camera here.  

Doesn't that look fantastic!?  Wait!  Is there a roll missing??  Now who on earth would eat one right out of the pan?  I'll bet I know the culprit. 

Ok, seriously, I'll stop the photos.  Just believe me when I say that this will be one of the best rolls you'll ever have in your life.  Seriously delicious.  I hope to see each and every one of you at the stand in my front yard, next Saturday from 9 until 11 AM.  Bring your loose change, or even a dollar bill or two!  

An Emotional Wreck

I am sort of an emotional wreck right now.  I seriously can't get through a Christmas movie without tears.  We watched Miracle on 34th Street the other night, and even though every year I have moved a little closer and closer to the anti-Santa side of life (thank you Luke), I still got choked up! The music video shown during the credits of the most recent Veggie Tales movie had me literally bawling.  It showed a montage of kids opening shoeboxes full of Christmas presents, and they were so happy and thankful.  I'm getting a lump in my throat just thinking about it.  Even the Dora Holiday special got me going.  It's a little crazy, I know.  


Anyway, this emotional side of me during the holidays is nothing new.  This always happens to me at this time of year.  As a mom with four young kids and a wonderful husband, a beautiful home, and loving family and friends, I feel so incredibly blessed and fortunate.  I love the sparkle, the beauty, the hope that seems to just float in the air during the Christmas season.  It's like God has sprinkled just a little bit of extra love in the air, and we get blessed just be breathing it all in.  


Today, I had to go to the grocery store in the late afternoon, a horrible time, truly, to go anywhere with a couple of my kids, let alone all four.  I had to go, though, since we were having dinner guests, and I was all out of chicken breasts, orzo, milk, eggs....ok, I won't tell you my entire grocery list.  Anyway,  I loaded up the kids in the sweet mini, and we drove over, singing Mickey's Christmas carols all the way.  My family's new favorite song?  Pluto singing, or should I say, barking O Christmas Tree.  We got out, and the kids linked hands, and we walked in.  I almost cried when I saw them with their hands grasped together in the parking lot, people!  Somebody help me here!  


J.D. requested the single shopping cart seat, and the girls were only too happy to let him have it.  They wanted to have free rein in the store, which J.D. later regretted, I'll have you know.  Anyway, the girls danced and played their way through the store, only intermittently helping with the actual grocery shopping.  I always have at least one person ask me if they are all my kids.  And I almost always have a person tell me that they are shocked that I take all four out with me shopping.  Is it because of their behavior? I don't worry myself with that, I just smile and say, "Yep!  They're my best helpers!"  


Towards the end of our grocery store journey, the kids all took a ride on the cart.  That was one heavy cart to push, I'll tell you that much!  But I didn't mind.  I was pushing my greatest, most immeasurable treasures.  Today, the check-out lady asked me all about the twins.  She was pregnant with a baby girl, and had always wanted twins.  I always feel obligated to play up how difficult it was in the beginning with the twins, how we barely made it, how those long nights and days with four kids under age three will forever be etched in my mind.  But I don't need to do that anymore.  The twins are three and a half now, and they have grown into happy, healthy, active little children. I couldn't have asked for a bigger or better blessing than this.  


See?  Now this blog didn't help my emotional state at all!  I am a wreck, I tell you, a sniveling wreck!  O.k., I've got to put a stop to this.  Maybe it would help me to remember the Sharpie incident on the tile floor by Gigi. Or perhaps the shovel full of dirt in J.D.'s bed, placed there by, oh you already know the answer to that, surely.  Or maybe the I'm-so-tired-I'm-going-to-throw-a-fit-tantrum-at-bedtime by Cubby.  Ok.  Tears are all gone.  See? They're not angels, but they make my life so sweet, and I wouldn't trade them for anything. Happy tears, I mean trails to you!  

Family Movie Night

Many areas of our lives have gotten a lot more fun since the twins turned three.  For starters, they are potty trained, sleep all night in their own beds, can get themselves dressed (sort of) in the morning, and they no longer need sippy cups anymore.  They have graduated from babyhood into true childhood, and it is a grand, wonderful time for our entire family because of this.  

One of my most favorite things to do, or should I say one of the experiences I have most yearned for (believe it or not), is having a family movie night.  A night when Danny and I could take all four kiddos to a mutually enjoyable family friendly movie, and all kids would sit and watch the movie through its entirety.  Well, folks, that happened on this very night.  We have tried family movies before, but the kids have never been able to make it through the whole show without getting bored, needing to go potty, or just plain having a meltdown mid-show.

Tonight we decided, at the very last minute, to run down to the mall to catch a late matinee of The Muppets.  Now granted, I am not a Muppet fan, like, at all.  I never got into it, and I could barely make it through the last Muppet movie.  The kids were interested, and the time was right, so we all loaded up into the car to watch the movie.  We were the only family in the theater!  That has never happened to us! We picked our favorite seats, broke open the bag of saltwater taffy, and watched preview after preview.  The Toy Story short movie was a definite treat, and I actually thought to myself that the short would be my most enjoyable viewing moment of the whole night since, again, I am not a Muppet fan.  Oh was I wrong!  And might I add, I have grown to slowly enjoy being wrong, shockingly!  The movie was so sweet, so funny, and so well acted!  I laughed, and dare I admit....I even cried at the end.  The kids loved it, and we all walked out of that theater happy...and a little hungry.  

Sometimes those unplanned, last minute evenings are the most enjoyable of all.  Have I mentioned that I love my family already? Because I do.  I love my little family.  Even when Gigi laid flat out on the floor in the theater.  Even when J.D. melted down at the drinking fountain when he couldn't reach the spout.  Even when the girls begged and begged and begged me for quarters to ride on the mall cars.  I love my family.  God is good.  And I am glad He gave me this perspective on those little hair-splitting moments of only a few hours ago, and now I can laugh.  

P.S.: See the Muppet movie....if only for the Barber Shop Quartet's version of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit.  

I Am So Thankful

For my little family, 2011 has been a banner year.  By only the grace of God, Danny and I have successfully maneuvered our six person team over some difficult twists, turns and bumps in the road.  We made it through having four small children, in very rapid time.  God has richly blessed our family and I feel we have reached a sort of golden age, a perfect time in our lives where everything seems to be clicking forward.  

We survived Danny's ever changing job opportunities and challenges, his pneumonia scare, and a year with more arthritis pain for Danny than I'd ever seen him endure in our eight years of marriage.  Despite all of this, Danny is expanding his business, having a great time with his new off road vehicle, and I might add, is more devastatingly handsome than ever with his new facial hair.  

Our decision to homeschool has been an absolute blessing.  The girls are thriving in their studies and are making new relationships and deepening old friendships.  We have struck a nice balance between attending as many workshops at our Academy as we can, while still maintaining a calm home environment where work is getting done at a rigorous pace.  Homeschool certainly isn't the right fit for everyone, but it is for my children at this time in their lives. 

As a complete side note, I get the funniest reactions from people when I tell them that I homeschool.  This one might surprise you.  I was at Marshall's the other day at around 11:30 PM with Emma and Cubby.  I'd just picked them up from an Academy workshop and we had run over to shop for a few minutes before heading back to pick up the twins.  The check-out lady noticed that the girls were of school age and asked why they weren't in school that day. I told her that I homeschool, and then I went on to describe the Academy and the requirements, and so on.  Sometimes people just give me a blank stare, but usually people are nice, but they say something like, "I could never do that. My kids would drive me crazy!"  This woman, however, looked at me and said, "You are so lucky.  I would have loved to have done that with my kids."  Wow!  That totally took me aback.  I would never have guessed that this woman would have felt that way, and it made me realize how blessed I am to have the opportunity. the choice, and the financial stability to homeschool my own children.  

Anyway, life is very good.  Now Thanksgiving this year was particularly special because we got to do it all...twice!  We were invited out to Ayron's in-laws beautiful home in the country for lunch, and then I hosted a small family dinner party that evening.  The lunch out in the country was wonderful, just perfect.  The day was overcast, but not too chilly.  J.D. pushed trucks around in the sandbox while the girls played on the swings or pretended to be horses in the nearby corrals.  

The thirty or so adults ate an outstanding dinner at a long dining table.  During dinner, our adorable hostess asked us to say what we were thankful for.  She gave us each a corn kernel, and we were to add it back to the the pot when we had finished sharing. This was a beautiful moment, the most memorable moment of my Thanksgiving, actually.  I listened as all of this people, some I knew, and some I didn't, share about their blessings.  Small things and big things were shared, but it was a moment of truth, and faith.  Most everyone there said that they are the most thankful to God for their eternal salvation, and to Jesus for guiding them and sacrificing for them.  Some thanked their spouses and children.  Others thanked the host and hostess for the meal.  A few tears were shed as every guest shared their heart, giving us all a picture of their gratitude.  

Danny and I both mentioned in the thankful activity, how blessed we are to have our four healthy, beautiful children.  Later on, I was able to capture a little love story between Danny and his youngest daughter, Gigi.  

Danny was holding Gigi outside by the fire.  She may have been a bit chilly, or just wanted some daddy time, I'm not sure, but this is how I found them.  I don't think a tighter hug is possible.

And then she went on to inspect his beard.  Now this just makes me laugh.  Every child in our family has his or her own opinion about the beard.  Emma keeps repeating, "I wish you would just shlep it off, Daddy!" (shlep meaning shave, we guess).  Cubby thinks he looks like a monster.  Gigi likes to rub her face on it.  J.D. could care less; Daddy is Daddy. 

So she likes to rub her little face against the beard.  It does feel good, I'll tell you that much.  

Lovey-dovey.  Ahhh....these little girls have such a hold on their dad.  Too sweet for words.  

Then we attempted a family photo.  Not too bad, right?!  I think everyone is smiling, or at least not crying.  That's a huge step forward, people! 

And here I am with two of my favorite people on this earth.  The three of us spent the following day (yep, Black Friday!) in Palm Desert to celebrate my mom's birthday. Never one for big birthday celebrations, part of mom's special day was actually holding a spot in the huge check-out line for me while I tried on clothes with Ayron as my personal stylist. She is the best mom a girl could ever ask for, that's the truth!

One of the sweetest Thanksgiving gifts for the host and hostess was the presence of their only grandson, baby Jaden.  He slept throughout most of the party, but when he awoke, there were plenty of people awaiting the chance to hold him! 

And here is my house , all ready for Thanksgiving dinner.  Ayron thought the table looked so pretty I should take a picture, and now that I see it, I am glad I did!  It did look awfully festive in there!

The five kiddos enjoyed all the traditional fixins' at the kids' table.  

The girls had organized a simple program.  Ellie sang "Old MacDonald."  J.D. sang "Tractor, Tractor" to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  My mom read a beautiful poem.  Finally, Danny and the girls led the group through "May the Lord Mighty God," which is sung to the tune of Edelweiss.  It was adorable.

I love that J.D. stands right directly next to Daddy to strum his little banjo during the performance.  I'm thinking that boy needs a real little instrument for Christmas so that we can truly expand this family band!

Happy Thanksgiving from a very blessed and thankful Walker family!