WHOA! Where'd the week go?

So, I owe a post OR FOUR-ish. I can't believe it's been a week since I wrote last! Really, there's been a lot going on, which, I suppose, is WHY I haven't been writing too much. Considering it's been a week since my last post, let me quote the immortal words of my friend Terry and I'll "BACK THAT TRAIN UP!"

YESTERDAY:
Yesterday was our typical Sunday morning routine. We got up late, hadn't done all the Saturday-special-day-to-get-ready-for-Sunday stuff, and ended up at church a little late. We had fast and testimony meeting, which I usually enjoy, but in December we do testimonies through music which ROCKS. I mean, as much as church hymns and Christmas carols can rock in a chapel (Mormon chapel that is, not Southern Baptist chapel). Afterwards I headed to my sister's ward's Relief Society meeting since Erin was teaching and I wanted to hear what she had to teach a tad bit more than the Visiting Teaching Meeting we were having in our own ward's Relief Society. Plus, Erin always sweats teaching and she shouldn't. She did a great job, kept it real, had a good balance of teaching strategies, etc. She talked about resolutions and goals, which got me thinking about the month, etc. and I figured I better get my act together. I kept thinking during the lesson to give ourselves credit for what we DO accomplish and not spend time beating up on ourselves for what we DON'T accomplish. In light of that thought, I'll share what I did do this past week, but probably won't remember all the stuff I didn't get to or divulge all the breakdowns and screaming fits (I mean, there's A LOT more of that to write about and I already know this will be excedingly long with just the good stuff.)

After church I came back to our building for tithing settlement where we waited for an hour to get in to the bishop. That's a little like hell with so many little kids who are hungry, whiney, and tired of being at church. Anyway, nobody can say we kept him off his schedule since we were in and out and in our car in about 8 minutes. Once the kids ate and were ALL napping (including Tyler) I decked our halls. I really busted out a lot of decorating and picked up quite a lot of our crap that had been dumped amidst the Christmas bins and tubs of decorations. By the time everyone got up we put our tree up and headed over to Tyler's folks' house. I'm singing in their ward on Dec. 16th (I think that means I am missing our ward's program), so we practiced and hung out. When we got home I fired up the gas fireplace and we read our Christmas story and watched the Christmas devotional. I went to bed with visions of more decorating I wanted to finish and all my lists of to-do stuff. I love the holidays.

SATURDAY:
The best part of Saturday was having the soccer game cancelled Saturday morning since the fields were too wet. Tyler pulled in my Christmas bins and I started unpacking all the stuff. Tyler began to put in a ceiling fan for the boys's room that we'v had for pert-near a year. We were being all industrious and stuff when BAM! I hear Tyler jump off the ladder and hollar. Uh, yeah, apparantly he crossed some wires and we had a mild explosion. We then started calling around for some electrical PROFESSIONAL help. I don't know why we even ever try that stuff on our own. We are not handy. Anyway, I had to stop mid-mess and went shopping with my sister and mom to pick out outfits for our kids from Grandma Garrard. Stacy was supposed to come with us, but Zoee got sick, which was a bummer. Our shopping trip was successful, but this is typical of our shopping experiences: I had my four outfits picked out in about 20 minutes and Erin's took the last 50 minutes of our stay at Kohl's. The kids should all be thrilled with what they get, and I think my mom felt good having it checked off her to-do list. After I picked up Caylee from a birthday party we gals all headed to Cafe Rio. Yes, it was my 2nd time this week, which is pretty much my average of preference. Once home Tyler and I headed out with our friends Derrick and Sherry to the UNLV game, eating at Macayo's first. Well, having just eaten Cafe Rio I wasn't all that hungry and casually mentioned that I had just had Cafe Rio. Tyler was really funny about it. I guess we miscommunicated (shocker!) and he thought our excursion that afternoon was a strict shopping trip from 1-3. He didn't realize I was going to take such liberties as eating (even though I reminded him I AM with child and had only eaten a fritter that morning for breakfast.) He kept bringing it up that while he was slaving away with the kids, putting up Christmas lights, I was playing with my mom and sister. Waa. He wasn't really mad, but of course Derrick kept bringing it up to get a new rise out of him. Thanks Derrick.

FRIDAY:
It rained all day. I was determined to be productive despite the pajama and lounge-y weather. I HAD to visit teach (hello, end of the month) and HAD to get the toy room put back together since pulling apart piles and closets and files that had long been tucked into different nooks and crannies. I got that done, finally, and ended up making (yes, actually baking!) some pumpkin muffins and making (yes, hand-crafting) 20 ornaments for one of the annual Christmas parties I LOVE going to. My mom called last minute to find out if we wanted to go to dinner with her and my dad and fam. Uh, psh-aw, yeah. The rain had cancelled Tyler's campout (yea for me!) and we all went to Outback for some dinner. It was great fun and really nice to have some adult convo. Special shoutout to our babysitter, MaryAnn, who had all nine of our kids. The ornament party of Angela's NEVER disappoints and my crappy ornament will be the toss-away one of the year. I laughed so hard that night my cheeks hurt. I love that!

THURSDAY:
Okay, totally fun today since I found out I won my friend Chris' blog contest. Whoever says commenting on someone's blog isn't worth it should see the cool Christmas journaling class I won! I am a Chris fan, so anything she loves is gonna be awesome, and it's been cool just to start thinking about Christmas and what it means to me, what I want to gt out of it, etc. I started making a dent in the hole that is my office/closet/scrap area, but now the toy room has been quarantined. I babysat my friend's little girl this morning, since she's a good PTA mom and I am not. I gladly pay my fee every year and am willing to bring cookies to different functions (I say that even though I spaced the bringing a cake for the cake walk at the harvest festival a couple months ago.) So, I guess I am supporting the program (even if it's at someone else's school.)

WEDNESDAY, TUESDAY, and MONDAY:
I can't remember too much outstanding. I went to my old ward's book club tonight, too. I was so tired, but really ready to hang out with some cool women, so I honed in on their festivities. They shared Christmas stories and I thought about all the cool books I have sitting in the garage. I have GOT to get my holiday stuff out to decorate. Monday night we got together at Nate and Stacy's for Bachelor, even though it was over. We had a good time and I finally know what I am getting for my brother Mike. I'm excited for all the giving portion of Christmas. Before that Nate and Stac came over and had dinner with us and Jill and Ben. I can't believe Jill lives so close and we don't eat together more often!!

LAST WEEK:
Yeah, since I never posted these pics, I thought I'd throw them out for your post-Thanksgiving enjoyment. We went up to Price, Utah to stay with Tyler's cousin and family. Really, they're some of my favorite people. After we finally got our car from Ford (it was done more than 3 hours after they said it would be done) we hit the road, but didn't get to Price until midnight. Thanksgiving day the kids just played outside and we hung out and cooked and snacked all day until Thanksgiving dinner.

This is Simon with Brevin. They were showing me how cold it was because their little hands were bright red. I was always hollaring for my kids to get their coats and socks and shoes on and the Krum kids acted like it wasn't 35 outside. Brrrr! Our blood is so thin.

Here's the super mom, Abby, and Eliza who are making place cards. The dads took the kids on a couple hikes/walks to keep them busy and to work up an appetite. It's nice cuz all our kids are close enough in age to play together really well. The kids watched lots of movies and we drank our fair share of hot chocolate.

The famous kiddy table.

The famous eat the pie right off the plate picture.

Friday we just hung out. Tyler took the kids on another walk/hike while I napped with Brock. I know, the sacrifices I make. We looked through the local Wal-Mart, but didn't buy anything Christmas-y. This is the first year in a long time I didn't hit up the Black Friday parties.

Saturday we headed up to the mountains to cut down a real live Christmas tree for John and Abby. I will say this. We are city folk and our tree is fake and pre-lit, JUST MY STYLE! As we were hiking up the mountain, I had Caylee and Brevin. The surroundings were beautiful and I was trying to convince them of that, but Caylee was howling and crying things like, "I am only grateful for my friends and family, not this outdoors . . . I just don't understand why they can't get they're Christmas tree in their garage like everyone else." Too funny. Here's a couple pics:

Brrr.

The reservoir was frozen enough to walk on it. I am freezing my large boo-tay off and Tyler's wearing flip flops on ice. I stayed in the car and watched a movie. Again. City people!

Coming down the mountain we stopped to look at the creek. Well, Tyler looked, I was watching the movie. He loves that kind of stuff. As we were driving home Sunday he asked if I could ever live in a town like Price. I enthusiastically said, "No. Way." He shakes his head and answered, "Cuz, I totally could. It would kill you, huh?" Pretty much buck-o!

Hot cocoa and cinnamon rolls. Yummy!

It was a great trip, though, and my kids keep talking about being in Price, Utah.

FINALLY! I know, seriously, how long is this post? We celebrate Thanksgiving with the Barlow-side the Sunday before Thanksgiving and it was, as always, YUM-MY. Jared and Mindie hosted and Grandma Dodie always passes out ornaments and (this year, for surprise) we got homemade Christmas pillowcases. SUCH a fun tradition.

Brevin, Brock, Hayden, and Conner

Kenzie, Owen, Lizzie, and Caylee

Really, we had a great holiday and I am looking forward to all this hustle and bustle this next few weeks. I have TONS to do as I haven't done much, but I am looking forward to every minute of it. Until later when I have an hour or more to blog.