Christmas memories!

Christmas is less than a week away and before we know it the madness will be gone. Don't get me wrong; I love everything about Christmas. I love the happy lights, the shiny presents, the anticipation factor, and the heart warming scents of the season.

As this is my sons second Christmas, we are getting closer to the times of his exciting, life long, Christmas memories in-the-making. I can remember the endless Christmas Eve nights watching the clock; time never goes as slow as it did on childhood Christmas Eves. We waited all day Christmas Eve to be able to open our traditional "one present before Christmas." That one present always made us more anxious to open the rest. My dad use to take away all of our alarm clocks so we couldn't set them for 2 am. Hee hee. Somehow Gavin always found a way to get up in the wee hours of the morning. He was always the first to riffle through the wondrous gifts Santa had left us in the living room. I remember him tip-toeing into my room and whispering, "London.... London...." as I stirred he would jump as if I were blowing our cover in a bank robber, "SSSSHHHHH! LONDON!!! Santa came. Come see!" We would tip-toe into the living room and adjust the Christmas candy that Skyler and Liberty received appropriately. Somehow Santa always left us more than he left Skyler and Liberty. After going through everything we would eventually go get our younger siblings. After about the 20th time one of us went in to our parents room to tell them one of the glorious items Santa left us, Mom and Dad would get up and let us open our gifts under the tree (one at a time, always youngest to oldest). Then Mom would make cherry crapes (Aunt Courtney's recipe). We spent most of the day in our PJ's and usually went out to Grandma Messerly's house for more presents and Christmas dinner.

Our Christmas's are a lot different now. Everyone is older and we've all kind of moved past the old traditions, but I can't help but miss them. We are all going to be back together this Christmas Eve at Gavin's home for a family Christmas party. I'm getting that excited feel all over again; I can't wait to watch my son and little niece rip into their gifts. It is time for us to make traditions for our own family. I can't wait to see the look on Kelson's face when he can see and feel the magic of Christmas. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas.

Kelson was helping me wrap presents this morning.

He got a little tangled up.

He was not happy when I took the ribbon away.

Family Pictures!

We FINALLY got family pictures today! Here they are!

Christmas is Coming!

Snow in Saint George and Bertha!

It snowed in Saint George last night. Justin and I couldn't help but build a Snow Girl (at 10:30pm might I add). We named her "Bertha." Bertha was a little messy, covered in leaves, but she was packed, strong, and firm. :)

She sported a pink, American Eagle, hoody and a vintage broomstick.

With her stone eyes and carrot nose she was so perfect we decided that she needed a snow kitty of her own. This our friend Bertha!

Starting our own holliday cheer!

I made some Corn Flake Wreath treats for our neighbors. They were a big hit and helped to get me in the Christmas mood.

These are our stockings...

Merry Chistmas and Happy New Years to Everyone!

Love,

London, Justin, and Kelson

Kelson's Cataract Surgery Update

Getting Kelson's eye surgery has been quite the journey but we finally succeeded.

Sunday, Novemer 30th, 2008 we headed back up north, after Justin got off work, for another attempt at Kelson's cataract surgery. We got to my Grandma Brown's house in Ogden at about 10 and headed straight to bed. Bright and early Monday morning we headed back down to the Moran Eye Center in Salt Lake City. We checked in at 6:30 am. Our poor boy couldn't have a bottle or anything to eat but he was such a champ. While we were waiting to get him checked out (to see if he could even get the surgery) he was rampaging the lobby; tearing magazines off side tables, jumping on and off of the chairs, and running up and down the halls as mommy and daddy fought to keep up. He had way more energy than anyone else there that early in the morning. Eventually the Doctor cleared him for surgery.. THANK HEAVENS! I was so worried that he might have another ear infection because he had had a cough the week before.

They took us back into his surgery recovery room. We changed him into the littlest hospital gown I've ever seen. The doctors and surgeons came in to explain what would be happening. Around 8 am they finally took him back. We got to walk him back to the room but couldn't go in. The hardest thing was to let him go with the doctors. I was shaking while we walked away from him and Justin had some "tough man" tears down his cheeks.

We waited.... waited.... and waited until about 10am. The surgeon finally came out to the lobby and told us we could go back and get him. When we walked back into the recovery room there were doctors everywhere and a nurse trying to hold him and give him oxygen. He was so scared, lost and confused he just screamed and screamed. The doctors were talking to us but I just wanted my baby. I held him close and tried feeding him a bottle of apple juice. It took a while for him to come out of it but he finally calmed down.

We got out of there at 11am and went back to grandma's. After a short nap he was just right back to normal. He was so happy and busy. I was amazed at how fast he got over it. Now we just have to give him eyedrops every 4 hours and an ointment at bedtime in his eye. He has a little patch to keep over his eye for a week so he doesn't scratch at it too. He was so brave and is such a big boy.

Later that night he was getting restless so we decided to go back to Salt Lake City and go to the Clark Planetarium. We walked around and played with the display's for a while. We also went to the Hansen Dome and watched a Christmas movie. Kelson loved it!

Overall, it was a successful trip but we are happy to be home now.

CLARK PLANETARIUM