Our Violinist

This year Hannah started playing the violin.  She loves pulling out her violin and playing it a few times a week.  She is working hard and improving at this and the piano.  I am proud of her efforts to follow through. 

A few weeks ago she had a concert.  I wasn't able to go but Hyrum said her concentration was amazing.   Between her piano and violin, Hannah is shaping up to be a pretty good musician.

The Puzzle

I've always enjoyed puzzles of one kind or another.  Logic puzzles, jigsaw puzzles or physical puzzles; about the only thing I don't like is word puzzles.  I appreciate the intellectual element, as well as the experience of working with a group of friends towards a common goal.  As a child, it wasn't uncommon for there to be a jigsaw puzzle on a table somewhere in my parents' home, and even after leaving home, it seemed like a puzzle would be on the counter when I returned.  Particularly at Christmastime, there was always a puzzle somewhere where family and guests would put a piece or two in.

More than 20 years ago, I got a 2500-piece jigsaw puzzle for Christmas.  It was the biggest puzzle I'd ever seen in person, and I wanted to work on it.  A New England gristmill in the fall, it was full of subtle shades of red and orange and yellow, with a bit of stonework thrown in for good measure.  It measured over six square feet, and I didn't even have the space to do it at first.

Over the years, I've taken it out a few times, but never really made any progress.  It's been on a table in my room, under the bed, and in common areas, but each time progress stalled and I had to put it away, uncompleted.  Finally, this past Christmas, when my in-laws were in town and I was on paternity leave, I decided to take advantage of the time (and our new living room lights!) and make some progress on The Puzzle.

That was almost a month ago, and thanks to the diligent efforts of extended family, children and even guests, we've made good progress.  My biggest fear was that with all the starting and stopping over the past decades, a piece had gone missing.  Between young children, couch cushions, carelessness and the occasional vacuum cleaner, there was simply no way that all the pieces had made if from my youth to today.  Every time we finished a section there'd be a few pieces missing, and I was convinced we'd never find them.  But we always did.

Today, right after dinner (and right before pulling Jonathan's first tooth), we finished the puzzle.  It was a group effort, to be sure, but all the pieces were there and we finally got it done.

Triumph!

We're not really sure what to do with it now.  The kids don't want to do it again, and so are against putting it away.  I'm kind of leaning that way as well, so we might just look to preserve it somehow.  Does anybody know anything about gluing and displaying jigsaw puzzles?

Sunday Fun

On Sundays we have church this year from 11-2 am.  I like being a little more relaxed in the morning as we try to get everyone ready for church--though we almost always end up rushing anyway.  Because we get home at 2 I try and get dinner ready asap and we generally skip lunch.  The bonus is a little more time together in the evenings before we put the kids to bed. 

Hyrum started this puzzle on Christmas Eve and we are still working on it.  Tonight the kids decided they wanted to participate in puzzle time as well and brought up puzzle they had received for Christmas.  It was nice to be together talking with minimal fighting.  I

I have fond memories of playing games on Sundays and I look forward to when our kids are old enough to do that.  For now, puzzle time works. 
 

Latest Update

This past month has flown by.  I wish we could say it was because we were having so much fun but that isn't quite true.  It has been good but challenging.

Benjamin joined our family at the end of November but he was kind of enough to wait until after we had eaten our turkey.  The first couple of weeks were a bit intense as we struggled to sleep at night, I had a couple of migraine due to changing hormones, a blood clot scare, and a nasty cold.  Jonathan had a throw-up bug and Benjamin lost a pound and wasn't gaining weight for the first two weeks of his life.  We were a little on edge trying to get him fed without having to use formula.   We are all well now and Benjamin is flourishing.  He put on about half a pound a week over the past two weeks.  I hope the trend continues for a few more weeks so we can sleep all night long : )

Thankfully through that craziness my mom and Hyrum's mom were here to help us out.  My mom spent a night with Benjamin so I could sleep, Hyrum made a lot of peanut butter and jam sandwiches and changed a lot of diapers, and Hyrum's mom played with grand-kids so I could take care of Ben.  Grandma's were the favorites for tucking in and doing hair.  Hyrum took Jonathan to school everyday and he also made some needed home improvements--recessed lighting in our living room--during his paternity leave. 

December brought the normal craziness of Christmas.  I did as much as I could ahead of time but Ben was, and mostly still is, eating constantly.  I often feel like I spend all day on my couch feeding him.  I reigned in my desire to go all out for Christmas and pared down our treat list and Christmas Eve dinner list.  I also asked Mom to do a bunch of things.  It worked out well since my parents and brother and sister ended up coming on the 24th instead of the 23rd and weren't around to help earlier.   Hyrum and I were able to take the kids Christmas shopping over the course of several days which helped reduce our stress and allow some time with each of them.

We enjoyed a quiet Christmas with my family.  We built Lego creations, went rollerblading, read books, took naps, worked on a crazy puzzle and just enjoyed being together.  The 26th brought great weather so we went for a hike that morning and then another walk that afternoon.  Hyrum even got in a couple bike rides last week.  Saturday we said goodbye to my family and 45 minutes later welcomed Hyrum's brother and sister-in-law for a couple of days.  Ian and Charity played lots of games with the kids and were good sports to put in their puzzle quota.  Sunday, Hyrum and I sang in church and I went back to Primary for the first time since Ben was born. We also celebrated Hyrum's birthday.

It has been a busy month but we've been glad to share it with family.  Ben has filled a place we never knew was empty and everyone loves having him here.  Each day brings new joys and new challenges with him but we are working through it.  It's been great to have a month with Hyrum home.  I will miss him when he goes back to work next week.   I've never been one for New Year's resolutions but I am looking forward to what excitement this new year will bring. 

November

So far November has been pretty tame.  We've spent the month close to home and I've been to lots of appointments; doctor, dentists, eyes, speech therapy for Spencer and church stuff.  I've been filling my freezer with things to eat after this baby gets here.  I've put so much in it I was worried we would have to get a turkey for Thanksgiving next week.  I've finished all my sewing projects and think it's time to start a new one. 

This was from our new stove but Hyrum thought it applicable for my growing belly.

Every night we go to bed hoping on one hand we don't have to go to the hospital in the middle of the night and on the other hand really hoping we do just because we are ready for this kid to get here.  The only thing we don't have for the baby is a name--#5 will do for a few days : )  I'm hoping I get to be home for Thanksgiving next week and look forward to seeing my parents for a couple days. 

There is the belly.

We've been busy but just normal life goodness like tears over practicing piano and doing chores, laughs over silly dad jokes and gearing up for Christmas songs and movies.