The last couple days have a been a whirlwind! I’d like to share some of the highlights:
- The Elder’s Quorum Family Party. Chris is the Elder’s Quorum President, and a Christmas party was in order, so he set a date and we made up a bunch of yummy food (bread, grilled chicken, pomegranate salad, and a pumpkin trifle that was so delicious it got me a marriage proposal). The party was a huge success (or so I heard from several sources; I actually had to stay home with a sick kid). Lots of friends who just relaxed and chatted while the kids ran amok on the other side of the gym.
- A Night on the Town. Chris’s parents came to Vegas so we showed them the sights! We visited the cactus gardens all decorated with Christmas lights (now there’s a job I don’t envy-wrapping cacti with lights!) We toured the chocolate factory and watched the chocolate assembly line (it was fun watching them pour gallons of chocolate into the machine). We enjoyed a Smash Burger and then went to the last bit of our ward Christmas party, just in time to see Santa and help clean up. After that we went to the Bellagio fountains and botanical garden. The holiday display is my absolute favorite of all the Bellagio seasons! Christmas trees, poinsettias, penguins; They even have enormous polar bears made out of carnations (18,000 carnations!).
- Sunday. Chris was sustained to his new calling. 1st councilor in the Bishopric. Wish us luck on our new adventure. Anyone have good tips for keeping four kids reverent during sacrament meeting?
- Spontaneous Library Time. Today the kids and I visited the library and checked out armloads of books. Then we came home and had a pizza party and a read-a-thon. Is there anything better than three snuggly kids and a stack of new books to read? I love hearing my kids laugh at the silly stories! Zach’s favorite today was The Cat in the Hat Comes Back. No surprise there! What little boy doesn’t love pure mess and chaos unleashed through the house?
Good luck with the calling — to you both! When Blake was called as the bishop of our ward a year and a half ago, I wasn’t sure how I’d manage, but I’ve since learned a few tricks. Your kids are older than mine, so you probably already have a Sacrament Meeting routine. If not, work on one now. My boys have done better when they know exactly what I expect from them and what they can expect from me (i.e. no toys until after the sacrament and only one small snack, which they have to wait to eat until after the sacrament is over to eat, etc.) It works better for me to not bring too much stuff to keep them entertained — it gets a little too overwhelming for all of us, so we keep it limited to a minimum. Usually it’s just paper and crayons, their blankets, and maybe some Friend magazines. I’ve also learned that it’s critical who you sit by. I always try to avoid sitting by families with other young children the same ages as my boys. It’s too distracting and quickly becomes way too chaotic and loud. Instead I’ve found it’s a lot easier to sit by people who either don’t have children or whose children are older. Singles, elderly folk, and childless couples are often the best people to sit by because they often like little kids and will help me to keep them quiet. All that said, Sundays are still nutty and I’m usually out in the hall with one of them at least once during the meeting (on that note, make having to go out in the hall NOT FUN so they want to go back to the meeting, and only take the kid who’s in trouble, not everyone else in tow; a party in the foyer does nothing to teach them what kind of behavior is expected of them). But at least we’re surviving. And you will, too. This calling for us has been a great blessing (although it’s not always easy to see that), and I know it will be for you, too.
Thanks Lindsay! I’ve thought about you a lot over the last week and how you take care of your sweet boys at church. I love your suggestions; everything does seem to go smoother with a routine, and less entertaining “stuff” does seem to equal less chaos over all. I think I’ll also rethink who we sit by. Thank you for sharing.