Plots & Schemes

Merry Christmas to all! We had a wonderful Christmas; truly the best in a long time. Our first together since 2008. That was also the year we began 'group gifts'. It was what we called a Wii Christmas. {Ha, you can laugh at the double entendre.} All we got was a Wii and two games. We spent the day together figuring out the Wii and playing all the games. And the kids felt no lack. This year, we did something similar. We got Eliza & Mairyn an iFlip & a super awesome cool tripod. Plus a book called 'Attack of the Killer Video'. Grant & Jacqueline got a basketball hoop & two balls. They also each got a DS game to play on my DS. And that's it. There were prezzies from grandparents, too. Here is the post-present opening bliss:



I seriously think Fisher-Price and Ikea get their instruction booklets from the same company. No other toy company requires yoga, quantum physics and a bit of magic to properly assemble their products. We are still trying to get the 'Grow To Pro Bball hoop' put together.


I must have done something to deserve such a generous Christmas because my wildest dreams came true. I got this:



And this:



Aaaand, this:

Apparently, Spencer thinks I'm da bomb diggity. He's been "collecting" these presents and decided to save it all up for Christmas. The only bummer? Next Christmas is going to be really hard to top! But seriously, if I didn't have work, house & children to tend, I would disappear into my kitchen & office and not surface for a few months. I also have to say that one of these wasn't such a surprise. A few nights ago, Spencer was wrapping the serger. The kids wanted to help wrap Mommy's present and so were in the room with him. I was out in the living room, away from their area when I hear Grant's outside voice declare, "Wow, Mommy got a new sew-er!!" It was then that my suspicions were verified that I was *probably* getting that serger I wanted. I was still excited on Christmas, but I'm one that likes surprises. I can wait. I like the suspense. But I was adequately floored when I discovered those other two large boxes under the tree.

What else did we do today? Nothing. We played with our new toys, ate ham sandwiches and were together. It was a very perfect day. Oh, and the temperature was a perfect, porch-sittin', clear sky enjoying 73F. A light breeze from the ocean and peaceful suburb living. Love to all!

All he wants for Christmas

Are those two front teeth!
But I'm guessing he'll still want the basket ball hoop that is wrapped & waiting under the tree! ;)

Up in flames

My heart aches. I found out last night that a beautiful, historic building in Provo my Provo caught fire and will most likely be demolished. (yes, i refer to provo as 'provo my provo'. it's her pet name) The Provo Tabernacle caught fire and was gutted. It looks unlikely that it can be restored.

In Provo my Provo, the Tabernacle is right in the heart of old town. It wasn't a conscious orbit, but we were always in the vicinity of that building. It sits on a large grassy block of town, with walkways threading through and towering oak trees shading passersby. We had many a peaceful picnic in that building's shadow. Somehow, it was an oasis in the middle of a busy little city. The Tabernacle itself is such a beautiful, unique building. The octagonal towers that flanked each end always reminded me of a princess castle. But we scurried about in it's shadow during most of our time in Provo. Our first apartment together (spencer's & mine) was a little studio apartment just 3 blocks north of that building. Even once we moved across town to the university married apartments, we would go back to old town to spend quality time on the grass & in the shade. We attended many functions at the Tabernacle; church, & musical performances mostly. Spencer worked at the Travelodge across the street, right in the Tabernacle's shadow. Once, when a vocal group performed there, they asked if they could sell their CD's out of the back of their car in the motel parking lot because the Tabernacle didn't have one. Spencer's post at the motel, the front desk, faced the Tabernacle and he said he spent many an hour admiring the architecture of an era long gone.

I guess it's a natural progression of life; things in our past will change, whether by accident or design. It's just sad when it has to happen. When they tore down the building where Spencer & I first met, a little part of me mourned. The building itself wasn't really that spectacular. It was kind of run-down and patchwork at it's best. Like you couldn't get from one end of the building to the other without going outside. A door was forgotten somewhere! (for those of you who know BYU campus, it was the Knight Mangum building. Here's a link to when it was demolished --> So Long) I was crushed when we came back to the States for the summer & went on our semi-regular pilgrimage back to BYU. We drove around the corner, hyping up the kids by reminding them that the next building is where Mommy & Daddy met, and being met by a flat expanse of green grass was like a punch in the stomach. Where the heck did the KMB go?

But anyway, enough rambling & reminiscing; the Provo Tabernacle will be missed, and the view of Old Town Provo my Provo will never be the same. Here are links to news articles about the whole, sad mess.

Fire guts Provo Tabernacle

Historic Provo Tabernacle goes up in flames

And a wonderful, but tragic set of pictures by Eric Torrie cannot be missed.

Fire and Ice



*none of these pics are mine, but found on google images.

YouTube Tuesday: On Wednesday

Exactly.

B.H.M. stands for . . .

Big Huge Mess.

That accurately describes our house. A big. huge. mess. Learning to balance part-time work (that behaves like full time) with a humongo house and four kids is not easy. I didn't think it would be. But to have our household goods arrive, me start work 6 days later, and the end of the semester for kid's school & mine? Not ideal. Ideally, I wanted to start work about 2 months ago. We knew our stuff would be late, so by the time the boxes invaded, I would already be settled at work.

Eliza at the podium in the Embassy for the Secretary's Q&A

But enough bellyaching, I'm loving work! In just 3 weeks we've pulled off a Meet & Greet with Sec. Clinton, the Embassy effort that went into IISS {go to the link!} *side note* The security issues, transportation, venues & lodging for just the U.S. facet of this production was overwhelming! And I just had a pinkie nail in the pie. *side note done*; learning the ropes of my new job, the annual Breakfast with Santa at the Ambassador's, squeezing in a 'Meet the CLO' coffee before the Christmas break and general morale lifting during the holiday season (i.e. door decorating contest, urging participation in community events on base) Go HERE and HERE for exact definitions of my job.

The Breakfast with Santa & CLO coffee haven't happened yet. After this Saturday, we can breath a little bit before the DCM (deputy chief of mission) New Year's open house and the Ambo's farewell in January. Yeah, the Ambassador is on his way out and there is a whole gamut of protocol and parties to fulfill. So you can see how my 'part-time' job has got a little dog complex. It's a chihuahua that thinks it's a doberman.

Also, there are the classroom parties and end of year Christmas programs for the kids. This whole post sounds like my day planner. Oh well, I did manage to get the tree up and decorated. I've been reduced to capturing pictures on my iPhone. *for shame*
And how am I making the most of today, my day off? Am I scrubbing the toilets or doing dishes or unpacking boxes? Nope. I'm sitting down. And my resolve is crumbling; I am looking for household help.

Hidden Squash

I'm a genius. Well, someone else probably thought of this way before me, but I'm still pleased with the success I found.

Step 1: Microwave butternut squash.
Step 2: Mash butternut squash.
Step 3: Mix butternut squash into cream of chicken gravy.
Step 4: Pour gravy over noodles and chicken.

Then sit back and listen to the silence being generated by the four children as they inhale said concoction. Grant & Jacqui did raise an eyebrow when they saw that the "chicken & noodle" dinner was orange. I just told Grant that I made monkey brains for dinner and he was cool. If I had served fauxtatoes for a side dish, it would have been the healthiest dinner in the universe!!

Celebrate Education!

I want to send a *huge* that you out to the King of Bahrain for making today an arbitrary Education holiday. What better way to celebrate education than by canceling school? No, really, I really want to thank whoever pulled this out of their ear at the eleventh hour. We get a text at 9pm informing us that there is no school on Thursday. Great.

You see, this was to be the first week in a month that the kids had school 5 days in one week. Due to Thanksgiving, Eid al-Adha, and Parent Teacher conferences, they haven't had a full week of school since the end of October. And next week, there is some random local holiday on Tuesday. And the next week, on Wednesday, Christmas vacation begins.

Let me preface all this by clarifying that I love my children. I do! But sometimes, we both need 'away time' so we can get the things we done done. The kids need to fill their little brains with knowledge and recess; I need to unpack boxes and start my first week of work.

Oh, did you not know? I started getting paid this week for my CLO services. (community liaison officer; the morale, education & events person for the embassy community) It's only part time, I set my own hours & I love it. I get all the kids off to school, then go into the embassy and am home before they do. I've been volunteering my time this past month because all the necessary papers weren't pushed or stamps stamped.

First event on the agenda? Coordinate a Meet & Greet for the embassy community with Secretary Hillary Clinton. Needless to say, we will all be a lot less busy next week. Today is the 'action' day; get the venue set up, iron out the last minute wrinkles, etc. *sigh* And today is the day the King decided the educators needed a break. Can we have a national "Lydia Does Nothing" day soon? Or "Lydia Takes a Nap All Day"?

Oh, and how is it already the second of December?? I had fun Christmas plans for the blog. Let's just repeat my current mantra, "It's never too late, it's never too late . . . "

YouTube Tuesday: Flash Mob

Ok, so I'm posting this *after* the 2nd of Dec post but dating it before. It's my bloggy & I can do what I want to. . . .

Just saw this video, posted by one of my friends. I wish I had been there!



And here's another example. It just makes me want to get up and dance!! If only "peaceful" public demonstrations weren't so loosely defined here in Bahrain.



And I want that version of the Nutcracker. NOW!