merry christmas merry christmas

We had an absolutely amazing Christmas!

I hope you did too!

Ashton thought Santa gave her a clock.
She was perplexed...

until she noticed the ribbon tied to her stocking.

what could it be?

Tatum has been dying for a pink guitar.

She can't wait to start lessons

She's eager to play, play, play.

Kennedy got a Kindle Fire.

She is thrilled!

She's quite the little reader. 

Montana got her heart's desire...

an iPhone.

She is one happy almost-teenager!

Rainbows, Rainbows, Rainbows, Rainbows.

I made each of the girls a present.

They may not be perfect but they're from my heart

and the girls love them.

twas the night before christmas

oh christmas tree--oh our clean house

I accomplished so much today. I had the energy of a nesting mother-to-be. It was amazing!

I scoured all three bathrooms

dusted the baseboards

dusted the blinds & windowsills

dusted the furniture

vacuumed and swept behind the washer & dryer

vacuumed, swept, and mopped the floors

threw away all sorts of junk that inevitably accumulates in a household of six

cleaned the mirrors & windows

and swept the porch.

Dust shaved & bathed Cooper

leaving behind mountains of dark brown, Chocolate lab hair.

yuck!

I have been begging Dust for weeks to find a new home for Cooper.

My dog days are over.

Unfortunately I'm the minority

everyone else seems to like that hairy guy.

All the girls had to do was clean their rooms (make their bed, fold & put away any/all clothes, organize their stuff, and vacuum their floors--other than Ashton). Once they finished they HAD to stay either upstairs or outside. They were not allowed on the main floor. I cleaned for over six hours so they were banished (and pretty outraged) for quite a while.

I showered & got ready (well, I put on leggings, a running jacket, tennis shoes, and threw my hair into a headband & bun)

I grocery shopped--along with hundreds of others. The check-out lines were a joke.

I made Mom's chicken noodle soup (with homemade noodles) for dinner.

yum!

Then we snuggled up and watched "Joy to the World" and "Deck the Halls".

The girls are "nestled all snug in their beds"

...well they're supposed to be.

And I am working on my talk

I'm speaking on Sunday

and, well, I'm blogging too.

Dust is thrilled because "Gold Rush" is about to start.

It's quite possibly the most boring show I've seen since 7th grade Science! 

Now all we have to do in the morning is wash our bedding.

It's one of my favorite Christmas Eve traditions...

clean sheets

new jammies

And then tomorrow night we'll snuggle into bed

and eagerly await the arrival of Santy Clause!

my aching back

Today was a wrapping day.

I wrapped

and wrapped

and wrapped presents.

While I wrapped

I watched/listened to four

yes four

movies.

I locked myself in my room

sat on my tile floor

and wrapped the day away.

Not a comfy wrapping spot!

My back, my bum, and my neck are all sore.

The good news is those presents look really pretty under my tree!

the help

I watched "The Help" with Tana, Kenne, and Tater tonight. Even though the language is pretty stinky I felt the need for them to see this movie, to know this part of America's history. We laughed and we cried. The girls' hearts broke as they realized the hatred shown to some, just because of the color of their skin. They were disgusted. Rightfully so.
I remember being surprised at various times during my childhood upon realizing not every child had a life like mine: parents who loved and cared for one another and for their children; a clean home in which to live; delicious and nutritious food to eat; clean clothes to wear; days free of worry, fear, and ridicule. Tonight was one of those times for my girls. They were surprised, even shocked, to realize that people are so cruelly treated.
"The Help" made the girls more aware of some very real, very tragic issues. Issues such as domestic violence, racism, hatred, segregation, etc.
I can't help but think of the Savior's words from Matthew 25:40, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
Oh how I hope I leave a legacy of love rather than a legacy of impatience, intolerance, or hate. "...I never have yet felt a tinge of regret for being just a little too kind."

christmas with jess

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate?
To me egg nog tastes like curdled milk that has been blended (the chunks are gone but the taste is the same). I love a good hot chocolate--Stephen's is my absolute favorite. I also enjoy a good hot cider. But because we live in sunny Florida the weather is rarely cold enough during the Christmas season to warrant drinking either. Therefore they remind me more of skiing than Christmastime.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just put them under the tree?
I was just talking to Tatum about this today. Santa doesn't wrap the gifts he brings to our house (nor did he wrap the gifts he brought to the Baums or the Rogers). They aren't under the tree either. Filled stockings and presents from Santa are set out on the couches and coffee table. It's fantastic walking toward the tree and seeing evidence of Santa's visit spread across the couches and table.

3. Colored lights or white lights?
White. White. White.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Yes and I love it! It's always a treat meeting Dust under our mistletoe. hubba hubba.
Ashton had a friend over last week and they kissed under the mistletoe a couple times. (I felt the need to offer a brief explanation to the other mom. I didn't want her thinking there was any hanky panky going on at our house.)

5. When do you put up your decorations?
Typically I put up our Christmas decorations a day or two after Thanksgiving. This year I just couldn't do it though. Thanksgiving was so early. Our decorations finally made their debut the Tuesday following Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite Christmas dish?
My mom's cold veggie pizza; it's in the shape of a Christmas tree. It is delightful! The crust is made from crescent roll dough. The sauce is cream cheese and dill (probably sour cream and mayo too). The decorations are diced red, yellow, orange, and green peppers.

7. Favorite Christmas memory as a child?
I don't know. Every Christmas has been absolutely amazing.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don't remember how, I just remember I was 8. I was so disappointed. I was too young to appreciate all that my parents did. It just seemed the magic of Christmas was gone--over. The magic was back the following year, thankfully, and it's gotten stronger over the years. I believe now more than ever!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yes. Pajamas. It's a Rogers & Baum tradition. A tradition I love!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
White lights, red beaded garland, raffia garland, an assortment of ornaments, a star on top. Our tree carries ornaments from my childhood, ornaments the girls have made, ornaments I've collected since we were married, ornaments I've given the girls and Dust, and ornaments from friends and family. Our tree has a lot of sentimental value and I love it!

11. Snow: love it or dread it?
I love snow! It is synonymous with the Christmases of my childhood. We live in Florida, however, and therefore Christmas is sandy white, not snowy white. 

12. Can you ice skate?
Yes but my skills in my mind are far better than my actual physical skills. It's definitely better to see me ice skate in my mind than it is in your eyes.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
As much as I love receiving gifts (and I LOVE receiving gifts!) it's better watching my girls receive gifts. That's my favorite.

14. What's the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Family. 

15. What is your favorite Christmas dessert?
I have three: Sue Groesbeck's caramels, Dina Driggs' toffee, and Sister Sorenson's butter cookies. Unfortunately they're all delivered to my parents' house so unless we're in Utah I don't get any. Maybe next year...

16. What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
I love it all. Reading Christmas books all month, singing Christmas carols, reading scriptures of Christ's birth, listening to Christmas music, Christmas shopping, decorating, baking, eating, nativities, wrapping gifts, giving gifts, opening gifts, family dinners, Christmas movies, watching others' excitement and anticipation. It's the most wonderful time of the year!

17. What tops your tree?
A star. I love what the star represents.

18. Which do you prefer? Giving or receiving?
I love receiving. But as awesome as it is to receive, giving is a thousand times better.

19. Candy canes: yuck or yum?
I don't ever eat candy canes. But I LOVE candy cane/peppermint ice cream, candy cane kisses, and all things made with candy canes.

20. Favorite Christmas show?
Yikes! I don't know if I can select just one, there are so many great ones. Elf. The Santa Clause 1, 2, & 3. Home Alone. The Family Stone. Christmas Vacation. The Holiday.

21. Saddest Christmas song?
"Have yourself a merry little Christmas" by Judy Garland breaks my heart. If you have to "muddle through" it has to be bad, right? We have a lot of military families in our Stake. Many of whom end up being separated at Christmas due to deployments. I'm sure thankful for our military. A friend's hubby is in Afghanistan right now; he'll be gone for Christmas. "Someday soon we all will be together, if the fates allow. Until then we'll have to muddle through somehow. So have yourself a merry little Christmas now."

22. What is your favorite Christmas song?
"The most wonderful time of the year" by Andy Williams.

23. Do you use an advent calendar?
Yes. Carolyn gave us one and we love it! The girls take turns putting an ornament on the tree each day.

24. Do you go to church on Christmas?
If Christmas is on a Sunday then yes; we don't have church unless it's on a Sunday. Tana and I are actually speaking this Christmas.

25. What were your Christmas morning rules as a kid?
We had to wait for everyone to wake up, Mom & Dad would go first because they were the holders of the camera/video camera, then it was youngest to oldest. The loot from Santa was attacked first then it was on to the wrapped presents under the tree. These were opened in reverse baby order, one at a time.
The rules are the same in our house.

a christmas wish

Bug woke me up at 3am. Usually she just slips into bed with us but for some reason she felt the need to chat. (I think it goes without saying that I did not feel the need to chat.) I tucked Bug in between Dust and me because I really hate being the monkey in the middle. Within minutes I realized there was 0.01% chance of me falling asleep with her beside me so I carried her up to her bed. After reclaiming my post in my bed and after nearly 20 minutes of lying in bed absolutely wide awake I got out of bed, went up to Bug's bookshelves, grabbed a book, came downstairs, got a flashlight out of the closet, and settled into bed with my book and my flashlight.
My book of choice...

My darling dad wrote this book.

He gave it to us last year with instructions to read it aloud as a family on Christmas Eve.

That night as I read the preface I sobbed like a baby.

My dad's an amazing man and I have placed him on a pretty unreachable pedestal.

His sentimentality begets sentimentality, i.e., emotion.

Last night I felt like a child

reading by flashlight

in bed

in the wee hours of the morning.

I finished the book at 4:30am

turned off the flashlight

placed the book on my nightstand

and was fast asleep in seconds.

I guess all I needed was a bedtime story...

...by my dad.

fa la la la la

We are so thankful for our teachers, coaches, and support staff at DES & DMS!

As a little token of our affection and thanks

we present the Rogers' gifts of 2011...

...delivered by the cutest girls in town.

the hot new fashion sensation

I love infomercials.

I seriously love watching them!

I have to admit, there's a new favorite in town.

drum roll please

PajamaJeans

"Looks like denim...but feels like PJs!"

ha ha! 

"PajamaJeans are so amazingly comfortable you'll want to sleep in them!"

ha ha ha!

"Just because you're busy doesn't mean you can't look sharp!"

"Put your best self out there and wear PajamaJeans!"

"Perfect for travel, exercise, shopping and more!"

I'm laughing at this product

but I'm curious...

Would I like a pair of PajamaJeans???

pitter pat

Today while I was checking out at Walmart I heard the cry of a brand new baby. You know the cry? The tiny, breathy cry that is too sweet to be anything but adorable? Awww how I miss that cry! I'm not saying I want another baby, because I don't. But I sure miss the days when my girls looked like this:

Do you want to know something crazy? I could be a grandma within the next decade.

Wild, right?!?

My sweet little babies will have babies of their own and I will love them all!

a rogers christmas tradition

I love reading Christmas books to my family. We have a basket full of Christmas books and each December night we choose a book or two to read together before bed. We all curl up on either the couch or my bed and enjoy Christmas tales--"The Nutcracker", "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", "The Crippled Lamb". My absolute favorite is "The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey" by Susan Wojciechowski.
Despite the fact that I've read this story many, many times each year as I read I choke up, I tear up, and I cry.
As I put myself in Jonathan Toomey's shoes I wonder how I would act if I lost my husband and baby, just three days apart. I picture myself curling up on my bed, crying myself into oblivion, letting my mom take care of me for the rest of my life.

Each year as I cry and stumble over the tear-blurred words my girls stare at me with caring yet confused eyes. I suppose they are wondering what I'm thinking, wondering what is causing this reaction in their mom who rarely cries.

I cherish moments like this. I try to take mental photographs of us all together, enjoying our Christmas stories. Ashton on my lap. Kenne's hand tucked into mine, her legs draped across Dust's. Tana and Tater at the foot of the bed. These are the moments my heart sings, "This is the season beloved of the year. Sing a rhyme; Christmastime soon will be here. Tell the true story of Jesus' birth, when as a baby, he came to the earth."

better late than never

Yesterday afternoon I was sitting in bed, watching "Elf", trying my darndest to warm up after nearly freezing to death at the Christmas parade. (It was 46 and a bit breezy. I thought I'd die, pathetic I know.)
Mom called and I thought to myself, "Yay! Mom's calling to chat."
I answered the phone and heard a very impatient "Jess, I need your family picture for my Christmas card!"
I realized Mom wasn't calling for chitter chatter. She had demands.
I called Kate last night and asked, "Did Mom call and yell at you today?" She burst out laughing and said, "Yes!"  ha ha! We love you, Mom!
This morning we were able to quickly throw ourselves together and snap a few pictures before heading out to church.

It was our Primary program today. The kids all did such a great job! In one of Ashton's parts she was saying she knows the scriptures are true. She was listing the scriptures, "the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Girl of Great Price." (Instead of Pearl of Great Price.) It was so cute!

oh, hush thee, my baby...

...a story I'll tell, how little Lord Jesus on earth came to dwell; how in a far country, way over the sea, was born a wee baby, my dear one, like thee. Lullaby baby, lullaby dear. Sleep, little baby; have nothing to fear. Lullaby baby, lullaby dear. Jesus will care for his little one here.
This is one of my favorite lullabies. I sang it to my babies all the time; I still sing it to them. It seems especially appropriate at Christmastime.

A holiday tradition that I absolutely treasure is our live nativity. I look so forward to seeing images such as this:

It seems so fitting to have Christmas on a Sunday this year. My girls think church is going to interfere with our Christmas morning; I think they'll change their minds. I'm looking forward to going to church, partaking of the sacrament, singing Christmas hymns, and feeling the whisperings of the still small voice.
I love the Christmas story. Most beautiful of all is the book of Luke. I love reading it and hearing in my mind the voice of my sweet great grandmother. She was always the narrator for our nativity in Utah. Oh how I loved listening to her soft, shaky voice as she read Luke's account of our Savior's birth.

This picture is so fuzzy but I love it anyway.

My girls love for me to sing to them at night, well, besides Tana. She doesn't want me to sing to her, but she always leaves her door open until I'm done singing to the other three. Despite being "too old" I think she still wants to be sung to sleep. I don't have a beautiful voice but my girls still find comfort in my lullabies. Oh how I love that!

"Lullaby, lullaby, my little one. Lullaby, my child so dear. Thy precious life has just begun; thy mother holds thee near. While Joseph watches through the night, a star reflects thy radiant light. Lullaby, lullaby, my little one. Lullaby, my child so dear. Thy gentle head shall wear a crown, for thy Father is the King. Thy tender hands, so tiny now, have blessings great to bring. Let all creation join my song, for peace and love this night are born. Lullaby, lullaby, my little one. Lullaby, my child so dear."

can you hear me now?

I am in love with my family! Other than Dust, my siblings & parents are my best friends in the world. It breaks my heart that we live so, SO, SOOO far apart...

I'm in Florida, Katie's in St. John's Canada (that green island on the very eastern end of Canada), Donny's in Minnesota, Ellery's in California, and of course Mom & Dad are in Utah. As far as North America goes, we've pretty much got it covered.
We're so thankful to have the Millers here with us. I can't imagine what we would do without them. The kids are so close and it makes me smile. In Sacrament Meeting they sit together: Tana & Stetson, Kenne & Carson, Tater & Brody, with Ashton hopping between them all. Ron & D'Ann bounce between Florida and Utah, Chris and Kesley are both in Utah, and Corbin's in Colorado.
Thank heaven for phones! I talk to my family a lot and I am seriously thankful for Alexander Graham Bell and his amazing invention. I don't have the first clue about how telephones work but I'm sure thankful they do!

zoom zoom

Today I've spent a lot of my time in my car. Tana had a doctor appointment in Panama City at 8:30 to have her stitches removed. Yay! We left the house at 7:15. I dropped her at school at 10. I zipped home to shower and get ready. I headed to Kim Stanford's house to make a cute Christmas craft/card holder (thank you, Pinterest!). I left Kim's and met Dust for lunch at Jim n' Nicks. After lunch I drove with Dust in Ron's Porsche out to the condo to pick up some paperwork. We left the condo and dropped the Porsche at Freddy's hangar. I drove Dust back to the condo to pick up his Jeep. I raced home to beat the elementary school bus. As soon as Tatum & Ashton walked in we loaded into the car and headed out to the Post Office, the library, the YMCA to grab Tana from swim practice, and to Michael's to buy some Christmas ribbon. Back to the house we came. In 30 minutes I'll head out to pick Kennedy up from swim practice and hopefully, hopefully, drive home and stay home for the remainder of the day!
I'm always amazed at how tired I get driving around; I don't expend any energy but I'm totally beat. I haven't worked out yet and at this point I seriously doubt I will. I hate that!

Tonight I will snuggle up with my honey and girlies, read a Christmas book or two, revel in the love that surrounds me when I'm with my family, and give thanks for the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

I love this time of year!

I love the opportunity it provides us to truly focus on the Spirit of Christmas...

The Spirit of Christ.

boat parade

We went down to the harbor tonight for the annual boat parade. The light-covered boats were fun to see. It's a neat way to ring in the Christmas season. Ashton & Tatum serenaded us (and everyone within earshot). ha ha! Their favorite song is "If I die young" by The Band Perry. They sing it all the time and they know every word. We sang, talked, laughed.
I LOVE this stage of life; we have so much fun together!! I heart these people!!