Mommy/Daughter Date

Its been over 3 months since Paige had a birthday. She received some money and we discussed some of the possibilities she could do with it.
Of all the options, she chose to to have a Mommy/Daughter date with me. That made me feel pretty good. Yesterday we finally got around to it.



Paige's choice was to go ice skating. It was her first time on the ice. We went around once while she held on to the wall and my hand. My back was aching by the first lap from having to pull her and hold her up the whole time. Then we scrounged up one of these walker-type contraptions and she cruised. She still fell down sometimes, but it was nice to not have to hold her hand.



After about 2 hours of skating we handed the walker to another little and girl and went around a couple more times without it. Paige did so well. She was much more confident and we didn't even have to stay near the wall. She did still hold on to my hand, but it wasn't so bad. I was so pleased with the progress she made in just one day.



After skating Paige treated me to dinner and an arcade game. It was nice to know exactly how much money we had to spend and that it wasn't even mine.

It was really fun to go on this date with Paige. It had been years since I'd been ice skating. It was all her choice and I think it was a good one.

Thanks for inviting me to spend your money with you Paige! You are delightful!

Dear Mr. Bathroom Scale

It has been nearly a year since I've cared what you had to say to me. And, unfortunately, I've got lots to show for it.

I suppose its time again to do something about it. But first I need all these Christmas treats to disappear. Don't worry - I'm sure I'll polish off the bag of Hershey's kisses tonight.

Regretfully yours,
Tara

Christmas 2010

Dear Blumers,

First of all, thank you for the delicious cookies and cold milk. I can tell you kids had fun making those cookies with your mom, and you decorated them beautifully! Thank you for sharing with me!

You have been a very busy family since I came to your house last year. Paige is in kindergarten; Ashby goes to preschool; Levi is learning to talk, run, climb and play; Tara is back in school, teaching aerobics, and busy at church; and Brian is working hard at UVU, at home and at church. You have all been very good this year! Thank you for being good friends and neighbors, for being kind and showing a good example, and for trying hard to follow Jesus Christ. I like to bring you presents, but I'm glad you know Jesus gave you the most important gift of all through His atonement.

So keep up the good work, Blumers! Paige, enjoy school, be good in Primary, and obey your Mom and Dad. Ashby, be nice to your brother and sister, have fun as a Sunbeam in Primary, and obey your Mom and Dad. Levi, learn some more words, learn some songs in nursery, and try not to bump your head too much! Tara and Brian, keep loving each other and loving your precious children - they are growing so fast!

Merry Christmas, and I'll be back again next year!

Love, Santa Claus

Christmas budget

At our house "Christmas budget" is pretty much an oxymoron.
Our Christmas presents come out of our grocery budget. This month we are only eating whatever can be made from the cans and boxes out of our pantry.
Am I bad mom if I'd rather spend money on gifts than food?
Its not like we're starving, we'll just need to restock the pantry next month.
I figure, when every penny is always spoken for, you do what you gotta do to have a merry Christmas!

Work Out

I'm going to start my own exercise program/video: "Winter Wonderland Workout."
Get your cardio and muscle toning exercise done in 5 (not-so-easy) steps:

1. shovel your driveway, neighbor's driveway and corresponding sidewalks

2. build a snowman family
3. create snow forts and proceed with a...

4. snowball fight
5. climb large hills while pulling a sled and 3 children.

Guaranteed to get your heart pumping and muscles aching.
Get a good sweat and freeze your bum off too!

Top off your workout with a homemade snow ice cream treat, and repeat at the next snowstorm.

You won't want to miss it! Get your copy today!

Sunday best

I wasn't sure if the kids were supposed to wear their fancy Christmas clothes for church the Sunday before Christmas, or the Sunday after. What did you do?

Well, we decided since it was the Christmas program we would dress up before Christmas.





The part I like best about our Sunday best, is that they are all hand-me-downs! Hurray for free clothes! and Merry Christmas to us!

Rumor is I'll be needing a better antiperspirant

Today I got a new calling. It is a calling that I am sure will require a lot of antiperspirant, especially since I will be holding up my arms and waving them a lot. That's right - I was called at a primary chorister.

This will be a new adventure for sure. I've always admired the primary choristers, because, basically that is a lot of work.

I know a lot of you have had this calling before, so I would love to know what worked and what didn't work.

I'm excited for the new opportunity and I think it will be fun, but I'm definitely in the market for a new antiperspirant.

My Christmas wish for YOU

For Christmas this year, I wish that you all could go back to school as a grown-up.
It is really ever SO much FUN!

What a different experience! I look around the classroom and think, yeah that would have been me...sleeping in class...doing only the bare minimum...asking neighbors if I had missed a quiz the day before.

I'm glad I don't have to worry about dating or late nights or socializing with the cool kids. Its not like I don't have other things to worry about, but diaper rashes, grocery lists and church callings seem so much less life-altering.

I think the absolute worst time to be in college is when you are dating someone seriously - the two just don't go together. Therefore, although it doesn't totally make sense, I feel like maybe people shouldn't start college until after they're married - but then make sure to finish college before they have kids. I've found that it's easier to concentrate and actually learn things when your life is already kind of figured out.

Going back to school means working hard at rearranging priorities - which means you have to make every experience worth it. It actually made me more productive in all areas of my life because I had to try to fit it all in.

The thing I love most about going back to school is that I actually learned something. I wasn't just there because I had to be there. I didn't just memorize things that I thought might be on the test, and I didn't just forget everything the next day. I was in class because I wanted to be there. I want to learn the material and actually really know it. I want to apply things in my life and remember everything. Education is so exciting!

I was scared that I wouldn't be smart enough (because I didn't feel very smart in college the first time). Turns out, if you actually read the chapters and actually do the suggested problems, and actually stay awake in class, and actually participate in the lectures, it doesn't really matter how smart you are - you can't help but learn the material. What a novel idea.

And I don't want any of you to underestimate yourself!

I wish I had known all this stuff the first time round. I wish I had taken better advantage of the opportunities I had. I wish I hadn't wasted so much of my school years. But I am so glad that I get to have this new opportunity now. It is so fun to go back to school and wish that same feeling of success on all of you!

my options

I hate getting dressed every day. Nothing fits me and I feel very unattractive. Some people are bigger and still show self-confidence and I think it is because they have cute clothes and look good in them. I don't have that. Here are my options:

• Lose weight (after Christmas of course)
• Buy bigger clothes
• Get pregnant (so I have an excuse for being fat)
  

Merry Christmas Card

Merry Christmas from the Blumer Family
Here are a few of our favorite things...

Paige (6):

Unwrapping presents and seeing what's inside.

Ashby (3.5):

Going sledding and decorating the tree and the house, and eating the gingerbread house.

Levi (1.5):

Levi loves looking at all the colorful Christmas lights.

Tara says:

My favorite thing about Christmas is all the wonderful music. I love participating in the Stake Choir Christmas Fireside each year. The music at Christmas time fills me with the spirit and excitement for the special day. I also love Christmas morning in cozy pajamas eating omelets and orange juice, and watching smiling children.

Brian says:
I like it when we're in the car as a family and the kids yell out "Christmas Lights!" for every set of lights they see, starting in late November. They get so excited! And I like driving together specifically to find good light displays that we can admire from inside the car.
I love to sing Christmas hymns and carols. The Christmas music program that Tara and I get to sing in every year is a highlight of the season for me. But I love singing many of those same songs in church and at home with our family, especially as an important part of our celebration on Christmas Eve. And caroling to neighbors is always fun, of course.
Family time during Christmas is the best part: Reviewing the Christmas story together on Christmas Eve, complete with makeshift shepherd costumes and reverent singing; and of course the traditions of Christmas morning, breakfast first, then presents - and being sure to do it all together.