all i want for Christmas...

are my TWO FRONT TEETH!Bryson has lost FOUR of his front teeth! The latest and greatest are his two teeth up top, so the song 'All I want for Christmas are my 2 front teeth' is his perfect song for the season!

He lost the 2 on the bottom sides (the eye teeth) about a month ago and they are still working their way up. And having 4 teeth out must not be enough, as there is another tooth up top next to the BIG gap that is super-duper loose!

Probably within the week we'll have a real gummy gentlemen. And you know....we've never seen a cuter toothless man! :)

Christmas Card

Christmas Wish List - NYC

Our wish list for this Chirstmas Season - by the kiddos and Mommy :)

1. Rockettes Christmas Spectacular Show

2. See tree @ Rockefeller Center

3. Ice Skating @ Bryant Center

4. See Santa @ Macy's

5. Train Show @ NY Botanical Garden

6. Christmas Window Displays - 5th Ave. & Herald Sq.

7. Visit the MET and see the Christmas Tree & Creche Display

8. See the tree @ Lincoln Center *go to a Stake Christmas Music Performance

9. Take Daddy to Central Park Zoo

10. See Tangled as a family

11. Go to Winter Concert (WFC) with Mommy

'tis sweet

The other morning Bryson Sr. took some extra time in the morning, leaving after the older 2 were in school. Jacob and I walked him to the elevator, and as the door closed on Daddy heading off to work, Jacob's hand found mine and he said....

"I like Daddy a lot"

His statements are adorable and he says often to each of us that he loves or likes us in varied ways. When he sees Bugaboo go into his class and we walk away, he'll say "I love my Bryson a lot" or when Madeleine goes up the stairs to her class he'll comment, "I like Madeleine. She's so nice to me".

He really is a boy that expresses his feelings of adoration rather easily.

I foresee this (optimism at its' best!) lasting well into the teen years! Right? Of course right :)

* although we have a little spunk that mixes in with all that sweetness!

This Week...

It's a start to a brand new week, and on this lovely Monday morning.....

*I emailed my first first "appointment" while slowly waking up and canceled where I was supposed to be this morning. I realized life was going to move on without me being there. It was an unnecessary stress - so why rush and start Monday already feeling like I'm in a race?

*I'm still sitting here in my PJ's doing Christmas present things online. A big check for orders from American Girl (that place is slightly addicting!). Poor Bryson doesn't understand why we are spending money on dolls and accessories when our little girl isn't so little and while some girls her age have outgrown the doll phase, we seem to be getting right into the thick of it. I told him it's like boys and legos - some things you just never outgrow! Personally, I'm so happy that Madeleine's holding on to this part of childhood - I was into dolls for years and years, so this brings back many wonderful memories.

*In working on another project for Christmas, I ran into pictures from Monday about 4 weeks ago (time is going too fast - where is that pause button?!) ---- I haven't been great at keeping up any blog or posts on life, so here is at least a little rewind (pretending that button exists in life).

Monday (10/25) was the first day of Spirit Week at the children's school and the theme was 'Dress for Success'. Madeleine was also highlighted as Student of the Month for her class - so off we went to the assembly to honor Madeleine and see her dressed up as a teacher, or like her teacher whom she adores....

Madeleine our 'Student of the Month' dressed up as Ms. Rubenstein

The boys looking extremely handsome and dressed up for success, as:

Bryson Jr. - Investment Banker (he even had business cards that said 'Bryson Lord - Bank of America' in his pocket.....sometimes it is very cool to be a Jr.!)

and

Jacob - the little Professor

*Jacob is munching on a bagel and watching his 2nd movie for the day. It's one of those Mondays - and I'm embracing it. My goal is to be guilt free for December (and life...but I thought it would be better to start one month at a time!).

*It's going to be a harsh reality doing everything on my own this week. We were blessed to have my mom here for 6 days - I think the last time she stayed with us that long was when Jacob was born. I was completely spoiled as she took the kids to their activities for me so that I could run errands and do things at home. She cooked. She cleaned. She did our laundry. I realized that if we had room and if we wouldn't completely drive each other nuts - I'd have her live with me. I admire people that live with their family....they must be less of an OCD personality than I am :)

*We put our tree up last night and decorated the house for Christmas. It didn't take as long as I'm used to....combination of not as many decorations as we used to have and giving away all our Christmas lights last year (they were partially broken and partially I couldn't handle trying to tie them up....so I just donated them to the Thrift Store). Although we don't have a lot of decorations - what we did put up put a merry smile on all our faces and I realized that we have the most important decorations we have. I'll try to do a post during the holidays and showcase the items we have....they all have a story and I love pulling out each item and remembering why and where we got it.

*This week, my goals are:

*** Call the hair salon that chopped off my hair last week, and work to get a refund. I think I can now talk to them without crying that my 6 months of hard work in growing out my hair was cut off within minutes. I wish people wouldn't say they can cut curly hair when they can't! In case any one ever reads this with curly hair - remember, your hair is NOT like every other person that goes into a salon. If someone doesn't cut curly hair - save yourself the aggravation and just wait until you find the perfect solution. Really. the PERFECT solution. It is out there and you will be so much happier to just wait and get what you really want.

I was told about the perfect solution by someone at the Temple on Friday night - it's amazing all the answers we get when we go there...spiritual and secular. I know this sounds trite - but whatever, I'm already sounding superficial by going on and on about my hair (if I didn't have to deal with it EVERY day than it wouldn't be such a big deal!) - however, really it's another way that I realize that Heavenly Father loves us, and if he can put someone in our path that can share some information about a place to get your hair cut that specializes in curly hair....than I know I have a Father in Heaven who loves us all very much. If you had a child - wouldn't you want to tell them where to get their hair cut? Yes. So - it does all work out. Amazing.

*** I have other goals this week besides my hair, but I need to actually get up to leave the computer to make everything possible....so updates will have to made later. :)

Giving Thanks

Our Family Home Evening lesson on Gratitude happened a little later in the month than we usually like to do. No excuses, but we could blame it on work if we wanted to :)

It was absolutely perfect (and of course divinely inspired) that our Prophet should speak on Gratitude for one of his talks at this past General Conference - with 'The Divine Gift of Gratitude'. It was a talk I remember hearing a little bit of - the beginning with the little piano 'Here we go to a Birthday Party' I remembered...however, I hadn't remembered many of the particular stories he had shared in the talk so being able to read it and then give a lesson was a treat for me. {the hard part for me with FHE is keeping them short --- there always seems so much that we want to talk about and do as a family...although the minutes don't go by perfectly, we usually find that once we are into a "lesson" we are enjoying our time and we tend to go over the time we had planned!}

The highlights of the talk and our FHE lesson are as follows:

* Bryson Jr. going to the piano and trying out the little diddy on the piano that President Monson had talked about....'Here we go, here we go - to a birthday party!' I wish it would have dawned on me then to grab my camera and record it....it was absolutely precious!

* Talking with the children about having an 'Attitude of Gratitude'. Coming up with ways we can each do this - for myself, it's being grateful we have food and a kitchen to cook in, even if the kitchen is really, really small!

* We watched the clip of President Monson as he told the story from his talk about the family that realized how thankful they were for something as simple as electricity (simple to us in today's realm of what we have) - when everything else they had that year was wiped away. I love watching my children's faces when they are listening to the Prophet...and when they pay attention to what he is saying!

*Finishing with our own 'Attitude of Gratitude' project. We have made different versions of Thankful Trees during previous years - this year, I bought decorative sticks from Michael's and put them in a vase for the holiday season. We cut out leaves and tied them onto the branches after writing down things we were thankful for....which ranged from everything from a Bed and the Holy Ghost (Bryson Sr.), 'this pencil that I can write things with, like what I am writing now!' - Bugaboo, 'my family, my teacher - for the things that they teach me' - Madeleine, and 'I love everyone' - Jacob (with help from Miss M), and from Mommy 'a warm home, my family and our Savior Jesus Christ'.

It was a great reminder for Thanksgiving week and reflecting on how we are blessed.

Now, for a moment to write more about the thoughts I have on all I'm grateful for.... {the list takes on a sort of 'If you give a Mouse a Cookie' theme - one thing makes me think of something else, and then that makes me think of something else and so on and so on....}

*yummy food (this was done after eating a really good meal!)

* a home

* children in our family - namely Madeleine, Bryson Jr {Bugaboo} and Jacob

* clothing to wear

* being happy

* playing outside - good weather

* using our bodies, physical movement

* NYC

* This country -our freedoms, those that have and are protecting our freedoms

* History - places to visit and learn about

* Good examples - family members, scripture heroes, historical figures

* Our senses that we have been given and how rich they make life!

* Heavenly Father

* Our brother Jesus Christ

* His birth and His death

* Sacrament and church

* True friends

* Sharing what is important with others - the gospel and other wonderful truths in life

* Eternal Families

photos: Kennecott Copper Mine visit, August '10

* Bryson - the relationship of being husband & wife, amazing and complicated as it is!

* Watching our children grow - it gives such intense feelings of thankfulness that we have our beautiful children, who are (mostly) trying to do what is right.

* Testimony. At the end of the day...it's what we all KNOW deep down that no one can take away from us.

* Tithing and Fast Offerings. Wonderful experiences have led me to believe whole heartedly in this principle....

* Fast Sunday

* Breaking the fast.....

back to

*Yummy food and being able to cook in my {small!} kitchen :)

It's always wonderful to take moments to reflect on our blessings - to give thanks for all we have, and remember not only in this Thanksgiving season - but always - to have the Attitude of Gratitude.

Fabulous Fall

Last weekend we had the most scrumptious fall weather. It was warm, mild, and yet the leaves were changing and there was that undeniable feel in the air that change was happening.

It was a typical busy Saturday - the children had places to be at the same time....Bryson Jr. had his final soccer game, and there was also the Primary Program practice at the church. So, like most families...we played the 'Divide and Conquer' Game. Thankfully Bryson was home for the morning so he took Bugaboo to his final soccer game and to get his trophy, while I took the kids into the city to the church building for their practice.

Buguboo loved receiving his trophy and was all smiles when we caught up with them during a little activity for the Primary children after their practice....

We walked from the church building (which is on 15th St. between 6th & 7th Ave) over to Chelsea --- I've heard a lot of things about Chelsea Market which is an old warehouse that has been refinished into a shopping district. It's unique and we enjoyed going into Anthropologie (a shop I've heard a lot about, but have never set foot in), trying the samples at a Brownie shop, waiting in line for a restroom for 30 minutes and then finally getting a table to sit down and eat our brown bag lunches.

We seemed more in our element when we wandered back outside and meandered down a path that ran along the Hudson until we found a playground and then a green field (with great astroturf!) for another game of soccer that day!

Our "makeshift" goal & Jacob's kick off!

A little bit of cool-down after the intense running around and play!

My handsome All-American boy!
Taking a family picture - ourselves. This was the best one that turned out.....don't expect it on our Christmas card, but it is something current of all of us for now!

The next day was another warm and beautiful day! We enjoyed the children in their Primary Program - each child said their part and we had friends with us that were gracious enough to accept our invitation to come and hear the children sing and say their parts. Madeleine was asked to be the closing speaker and give her testimony/thoughts about her baptism. She wanted to write the talk completely on her own, and although in the moments where she was working on the talk I had OCD moments - I'm so thankful that she did everything 100% on her own. It was a beautiful talk full of her own feelings and words on her most special day of her Baptism. As she said in her talk, 'it will be something to remember in {our} minds and hearts every day".

These are scenes on our walk home from church, along the river here on our island...