Papa Johns

Today I realized how pervasive advertising is and how it can even reach seemingly sheltered little kids. My realization came after Ashton said something funny. The kids were playing with the play-doh set we received for Christmas and one of the tools looks like a pepper mill, but shoots out little confetti looking pieces. Matthew put white play-doh in it and said, "I am making Parmesean cheese to go on my spaghetti." Katie said, "I need some Parmesean." And then Ashton started screaming, "Papa Johns! Papa Johns! I need some Papa Johns!" Matthew and Katie kept trying to tell him it was Parmesean, but he kept insisting that he was making "Papa Johns." He even called the Parmesean cheese in our fridge "Papa Johns."

At first, I kept giggling anytime he talked about "Papa Johns." Then, I wondered... how does he even know about Papa Johns? We live at least an hour away from a Papa Johns and haven't been since we lived in Wymount seven years ago... long before Ashton was born. We don't get TV channels. Matthew said he thinks Ashton saw the commercials at my mom's house. But still, that's not a lot of TV time. Whenever I go grocery shopping I am amazed at my kids' knowledge about different uses and "benefits" of products. (Again, we don't have TV so they only watch it at my mom's... only a couple of times/week.) So, the advertisers are definitely doing something right. It makes me think... and hope I am instilling values in my little ones at least as effectively as the advertising companies.

A Barbie by Any Other Name...

This morning Jeremy had to help Katie pop the seat back into the Barbie car Kellie gave her for Christmas. Matthew had apparently accidentally knocked it out. The car is fine, but Jeremy overheard this conversation between Matthew and Katie.

K: You broke my Barbie car so you have to play Barbies with me now.
M: (Looking very put out... like he was going to have to stick his hand in the toilet or something) Uh... I don't want to play Barbies. I don't like Barbies there aren't any boys.
K: (not missing a beat) Yes there are! There's that boy Barbie.
M: Ken
K: Yeah that's it.
M: Okay... but can I PLEASE call him an action figure?

The Best Christmas EVER!

Matthew and Katie have officially declared this to be the "best Christmas ever!" It truly has been wonderful... so great that I'm not ready to see it go. The Cragun family has a tradition of reading the "Forgotten Carols" by Michael McClean each year and one of the carols is "I Cry the Day I Take the Tree Down." Well, I think that is how everyone in our house will feel this year.


Our Christmas started early with the Cox Christmas party on the 20th. There were 20 HYPER kids at Grandma and Grandpas... all very ready for festivities. The adults enjoyed a "White Christmas" by spending the morning in the temple while the kids played with their cousins. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate about the true reason behind Christmas... our Saviour Jesus Christ and doing something for someone that they can't do for themselves. Later, we had a Christmas dinner and gift exchange. The kids were thrilled with the gifts their cousins gave them. Matthew ended up with a Fantastic Four movie in Grandma's white elephant exchange. He watched that movie once a day until Christmas.



Something very significant... that was the last day of binkies!! Jeremy told Ash and Will, "the binkies are going bye-bye boys" and they did! Today is the first day, Will has taken a nap since then, but he has be going to bed without one all week. Finally!!


The next day we received a wonderful surprise when two of Santa's helpers dropped off two garbage sacks full of gifts on our porch. They wouldn't tell us where they came from. It made Christmas so special this year... to have someone think of our kids and want to share.


The kids and I had a great time while they didn't have school. We made home-made wrapping paper, read Christmas stories and the kids loved helping Ashton with his pirate treasure kid kit. Jer had raised funds from local businesses to get all of the kids at Head Start a fun kid kit for Christmas. (Usborne matched the donations 50% and I threw in my commission to stretch the funds he raised.) During our reading the kids and I learned about the origins of many Christmas symbols and traditions and how Christmas was celebrated around the world. The kids were especially interested in the hearing once again, the story of Baby Jesus; as well as the story of St. Nicholas.

Jer and I stayed up late one night to make Pan de Jamon. A traditional Venezuelan Christmas bread. A friend gave us the recipe (and some bread) our first Christmas together and we've made it and shared with friends and family ever year since.On Christmas Eve I woke up with a stomach bug. Will and I have actually been battling this stomach bug off and on for a month. Just when I think I am better he will get sick again, and then a day or two later I will. But, it was still a great day!

We enjoyed our traditional Cragun brunch with sausage, bacon, and most importantly Ebelskiever and rice pudding... a Christmas tradition passed down by our Danish great-grandmother.

Then we had the Cragun family Christmas program. I will try and upload some videos later, but Katie recited her Alaska poem, Matthew sang a song and Will and Ashton were Will and Ashton.

Then, we ate an early supper with the Parrishes, Frames, Smiths, and the missionaries. This our 20th year of enjoying a Christmas Eve dinner with those families. Jenny (in the picture below) and I were in third grade when the tradition started. After dinner "Jenny the Elf" told the kids wonderful stories about the NORTH POLE and the kids enjoyed a game of Don't Eat Pete. It is Katie's turn in the picture.

Then, we went to Manti to celebrate Christmas Eve with the Coxes. After a delicious dinner, the kids acted out the Nativity. I did record it, but I'm not sure what file it is. I'll see if Jer can figure it out. The recording will be kind of interesting... 10 minutes of organized chaos designed to remind kids about the true meaning of Christmas. No matter how crazy it seems to us adults, it's getting through to them right?

Then next morning we woke the kids up at 7 am (after Jer and I had stayed up until 3 am finishing Christmas blankets for them) to open some presents at my moms. Steve had just gotten off work and needed to go to sleep. We had a great time. Will and Ashton were especially thrilled with their gifts... farm sets.

The video below shows our kids running downstairs to see their presents. (I thought this was the nativity when I added it. The same chaos prevailed.)

We spent Christmas playing the Wii we got our kids, napping and watching them enjoy their gifts. The next afternoon (when Jer was done with morning chores) we went to visit my Grandma Cragun. The kids enjoyed listening to her stories about when Grandpa was little. Then we went to my Grandpa and Grandma Heslops for the Heslop party. We all had a great time with our cousins and the kids got even more presents which they loved!!

It was a wonderful Christmas... we made amazing memories, enjoyed great time with our family, had time to reflect on the birth, life, and atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ, shared meaningful gifts... does it get any better than that!?!

Jesus is my Favorite

Something cute Ashton said today... His teacher at church gave him some candy as a Christmas present and he offered to share some with Stacie. Stacie said, "Thanks, Ash you are such a good boy." Ashton replied, "I always try to be good... for Jesus." Then, he said very seriously, "Jesus is my favorite."

Hopefully He will always be Ashton's favorite.

Where has the last month gone?

Between the Holiday Gift Boutique, Jeremy starting an evening job, a typical fall (read: BUSY) Usborne schedule, and regular holiday and school activities we have hardly had a moment to breathe let alone blog. So... read on for a disjointed and incomplete (but hopefully informative) history of the last few weeks.

Side note... As I looked back on what I chose to document I realized what is really important. Not the things that are pressing and occupying our minds... like that the boutique sales were up $1000+ this year (yeah) or that we got up at 4:30 am again to go Christmas shopping or that my Usborne business has been flourishing in this bad economy and I even just promoted out two supervisors (YEAH... again!) or even that Jer is very sleep deprived because he is working 60+ hours every week and doesn't get home until after 1 pm three nights awake (although I am grateful for his sacrifices).

Anyway... the things I chose to really focus on are pretty much everyday things and traditions that will hopefully live on in our kids memories. And if they don't at least we've got the written record here... right?

So... hopefully I'll post again soon, but if I don't manage to post before Christmas... Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Grandparents Day

Jumping back to November...

The day before Thanksgiving is the annual Grandparents Day. Kathryn Jan had both of her grandmothers go with her to school where she and her classmates performed several musical numbers. When Katie's class was over she and Grandma Cox went to McDonalds for a special lunch and Grandma Cragun joined Matthew and Grandpa Cragun. Later, the kids perfomed a song or two for Mom and Dad.

Party, Party, Party

Tis the season... of peace, goodwill, and parties. Last week we had our ward party on Tuesday and on Saturday we had both the Head Start party (which Jeremy was in charge of) and an Usborne Christmas party/training (which I was presenting at). It was a crazy day!

The kids had the opportunity to sit on Santa's lap TWICE in one week and were consistent in what they asked for:

Matthew: a sy kit and electronics (Santa know what kind of electronic games he would like best)

Kathryn: a wiggle car

Ashton: a monster with arms coming out of its back and head (what!?!?!)

William: CANDY!!

Light up the Lights!

Last night was the Elementary School Christmas Program and the theme was "Light up the Lights." The kids all did a great job... especially the kindergartners and first-graders. :) The grand finale was especially... well... grand!

Grandma and Grandpa Cox, Grandma Cragun, and Steve all came to watch the program.

We celebrated afterward with Hot Fudge sundaes... yummy!

The kids looked beautiful in their new Christmas outfits. Thanks Grandma!

WOW...Our Poet

Early in December, I picked Katie up from school and she was wearing a gold medal. We were thrilled to learn that Katie won the Literature Reflections contest at her school in the K-2 group. The theme was "WOW" and she wrote a poem about Alaska. She was ecstatic too but was surprised that her poem (which she didn't think was that great) won, but her picture (which she thought was wonderful) did not win.

Some fun quotes from that day:

• "I was just so happy when the principal called my name and said I won." - Katie


• "I just knew that poem would win!" -Grandma Cragun (when we read it to her before she turned it in, my mom predicted that would be the winning poem)


• "The teachers and kids around me gave me dirty looks and told me to 'shhh'. We were supposed to hold our applause until the end, but I stood up and started cheering. I couldn't help it. I was just so happy for her!" - Matthew, when asked what he thought when they called Katie's name at the Reflections award assembly.

That night, Katie was thrilled to ride in a horse-drawn carriage on the Ephraim City Council float with Grandpa Cragun. (The boys rode on the Holiday Gift Boutique... which won honorable mention BTW.) She also had her picture in the newspaper. Here is her award winning poem.

Alaska

We sailed on a ship for seven days.
We stayed in a cabin for seven days.
It was a long ways!
When we got there we walked all day.

We saw a bear. It had black hair.
We saw it over the river there.
We saw a person building totem poles.
The stories of the totem poles
I liked them well.

The whales we saw on the boat ride
And the sea lions we also saw there
Made me feel cool inside.
Alaska makes me feel WOW!!

Decorating the Tree

Our kids enjoyed decorating the tree... they also loved decorating themselves.

Great Sale!!

Is it so tacky to promote my business on my family blog? I promise the only reason I am posting this is because I just previewed the sale items and they are some of mine, my customers, and my kids favorites and they STEEPLY discounted for the holidays. I truly want my friends and family to get the best deal possible!!

Go to this website to preview the Usborne Black Friday Sale Items and see for yourself why I had to share!! http://www.ubah.com/ecommerce/BlackFriday.asp?sid=H2748

Anyway the sale starts at 11 pm on Thanksgiving and goes until 8 pm Monday night. I highly recommend the Dinosaur Excavation kid kit, Volcanoes kid kit, See Inside Your Body, Knights and Armor, Trucks Stencil Book, That's Not My Snowman... I guess I'll stop... I really do love them all. If you need help/recommendations you can call me or email me.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Christmas Shopping!!

Good Boy/Bad Boy

The other day Will was watching me make dinner (and it was something he approved of... spaghetti and rolls) and just as I was finishing up he started jumping up and down and said, "Good job Mommy! You a good boy, mama! You a good boy! Good job!"

Yesterday, Will ate almost an entire package of gum so I secretly hid the last pieces last night. Well, this morning when he saw the empty package he looked at me and shouted, "You ate my gum. You a bad boy mama! Bad boy!" Then, he we walked into the bathroom to take a bath muttering the whole time, "Mommy a bad boy! Mommy a bad boy!"

I KNOW it is inappropriate to label a child "good boy/bad boy" even when they do something terribly naughty... but I can't help but think I've messed up and done that a couple of times... He heard it somewhere... right? At any rate, it is true, that I am sometimes "good" and sometimes "bad"... and so is he!

So Many People to Thank!!

Hilary Clinton wrote a book called, "It take a Village to Raise a Child." Well, today it definitely took a family to take care of me and my children. For some CRAZY reason I scheduled three Usborne events in one day, but it's November... the craziness that only comes once a year... and there are a lot of people that want to buy books and get them for free right now. $$Yeah!$$ I am home now. I survived it and am pleased with the results. So I MUST thank the people who made it possible:

Kathy: For dropping off table cloths at my house at 6:30 am this morning (all of mine were with some of my books at a boutique in Spring City); and watching my kids all day after being in hours of Scout meetings.
Dana: My kids told me they played at your house for awhile.... I haven't sorted it all out yet. :)
Stacie: For helping me set up at another boutique. We didn't know what we were getting into, but ended up having to carry a HEAVY table and four boxes of books up two flights of stairs. Yikes!! Also for helping me decorate it, including using her fabric to cover overturned boxes (since all my book racks were also in Spring City), and taking it down. That booth turned out DARN CUTE!! Especially since we threw it together with Kathy and Stacie's stuff. I took a picture with my phone. I'll see if Jer can help me load it later.
Mom, Levi, and Kiersten: For watching my kids while Kathy was in her early morning Scout meeting and helping me carry that heavy table and the four boxes of books DOWN the stairs after the boutique was over.
Bobbi and Andrea: For providing racks, tables, and/or time at a booth.
And MOST of all JEREMY: For helping me restock in Spring City last night; for getting the kids ready and taken care of this morning; for feeding them dinner; then driving to Spring City to take down and pack up my booth (no small task... 6 boxes, three tables, three racks, etc.) after a long day on the farm; and for doing it all without a word of complaint because he knows that it is important to me and our family. Also, for not complaining that next week (when we should be celebrating our anniversary) I have two home shows and a two-day booth at the Utah Chocolate Show. I lucked out when I married him!!

I feel so blessed. Thank you all!!

Our Little Detailer

Yesterday, I was moving some seats in our van around and noticed that we had accumulated a lot of books, toys, candy/McDonalds wrappers, paper and crayons, etc. in there. So, I said to Katie, "Why don't you clean out the van?" The rest of the conversation follows...

K: No.

J: Yes.

K: I have an idea. Why don't we have a contest and whoever holds their breath the longest wins. If I hold my breath the longest I don't have to clean out the van. If you hold your breath the longest I do have to clean out the van.

J: Okay.

I won and to my great surprise after Katie asked for a rematch, and I turned her down, she went outside and started working on the van. About 30 minutes later I was even more surprised to hear vacuum sounds coming from the garage. Our next door neighbor is a car detailer (he does a GREAT job, by the way) and my kids have seen him in his driveway cleaning peoples' cars. I guess that is how she knew what to do... because when I investigated she had the junk cleaned out, the mats out and already vacuumed, and was folding the seats flat to vacuum the whole floor. I was so impressed I had to take a picture to document it the moment. Our van was AMAZINGLY clean when she was finished.

Just when I think I'm expecting too much of a 5 year old... she proves me wrong.

Things I've Done

This idea came for Curt and Colleen Hall's blog. The things in bold are things I've already done. The things in italics I will do within the next six months. Things in blue I will never do. :)

To participate just copy and paste in your own blog, and mark all of the things you have done. Happy discoveries!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped... I am terrified of heights!!
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice ... going to Italy in April!!
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person... again, I'm going to Italy in April!!

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant... what a great idea!
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person... I'm so excited to go to Italy in April
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies... but I've bought plenty :)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check...oops!
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem... one of the highlights of my life!
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life... I've had to perform the heimlich 3 times on my children.
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby... definitely THE highlight of my life.
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit... we are in a class action now... something with our insurance company.
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

William Henrie Joseph Cox

Happy Birthday Willy!!

We celebrated Will's 2nd Birthday by going to the Halloween Carnival at the Elementary School. Later that afternoon, Stacie and both of his Grandma's presented him with presents perfect for a little William, he told me he needed to go pee and poop in the potty (AND HE DID!!), we watched the BYU game, and Katie and I got REALLY sick.

But this post is about WILLIAM...

Will is pure delight. He makes us laugh so much! He is also very sweet. Whenever anyone is upset he runs up to them and says, "I sorry!" and gives them a hug. In fact, when Matthew and I wer throwing up yesterday (sorry for the gross detail), Will would come up to us and pat our heads and say, "Sorry, Momma" or "Sorry, Matthew" and try to comfort us. Of course, when Matthew threw up on my bedroom floor he ran around the room giggling and squealing, "EWW!! Gross!"

The other morning Will woke up and started hollering, "Daddy come get me out! Daaadyyy! I want out..." So when Jeremy went and got him out of his crib he looked at him seriously and said, "Finally, Daddy! Finally!" Every morning (without fail) he asks Jer, "Goin to the farm dad? I go with you to the farm? I ride back hoe and feed cows?"

Ashton has been a big influence on Will and so he also loves books,vehicles, digging and riding his bike. He loves to push around cars, trucks, and especially diggers. He loves to be read to (especially books involving things with wheels and farms). We had to get some Usborne bath books because Will kept taking books into the bath tub with him. The other day he was reading a farm book and pointed to some animals and said, "Animalths... "(he has an adorable lisp). Then he looked at me very serously he says, "I scared of animalths." Now whenever we ask him what he is afraid of he says, "I scared of animalths." And he IS.

Will is a junk food junkie! This morning he spilled syrup all over the kitchen trying to drink it from the bottle and just a few minutes ago he said to me, "I need candy in my mouth, please." He is currently eating smarties.

I asked the kids their favorite thing about Willy. Ashton said, "He listens to me." (Read: "I can boss him around.") Matthew said, "He always likes to play with me." Will does LOVE to play with his siblings. His favorite time of day is when we go pick Katie up from school. But, Kathryn summed it up best when she said, "I don't know... is is so cute. I love everything about him!"

Happy 2nd Birthday William. WE LOVE YOU!!

Halloween

Halloween, one of Matthew's favorite days of the year, was a success this year. For the first time in several years, no one was sick, hurt or on oxygen.

Matthew said he was sick of being a superhero and decided to be a wizard this year. Of course, before Halloween was over he asked if he could be Iron Man next year.

Kathryn chose a "little devil" costume. There has definitely been a time or two this week when I thought that was a pretty accurate outfit. Of course, there have also been times when I thought an angel costume would be more appropriate. :-)

A month or so ago, Ashton declared that he was going to be a troll for Halloween and even went so far as to ask my mom to make him a costume. Then when we went costume shopping, he picked out a really cute vampire costume. On the way home from the store he said, "Mom, let's take this vampire costume back. I'm going to be a troll and Grandma's making me a troll costume." Over the next couple of weeks, we tried to talk him into being a vampire, but it didn't work and my mom ended making him this cute troll costume a day or two before Halloween. Thanks Grandma!

Will was a dinosaur. After I got him dressed in his costume I held him up to the mirror to see what he thought. He got wide eyes turned to me and said, "I scare me!!"

We enjoyed watching the kids march down Main Street in the Halloween parade and had a lot of fun at the Chili and breadstick cook-off/ trunk or treating at the church.

I think I have about two creative ideas per year and one of my alloted creative inspirations happened while the kids and I were getting ready to decorate the trunk for trunk or treating. Jeremy had a great idea of having Katie make ghosts out of tissues and we could hang those from the open hood of our van. But while we were taking stuff out of the trunk (still there after a booth last week) I saw some Navy blue plastic table clothes, remembered a black cat Katie had made in kindergarten and the inspiration flowed. I think the end result (below) was pretty darn cute (especially for me.)

Dental Work

Matthew had his first root canal when he was 4 years old. We pretty much felt like the worst parents ever... especially because neither of us had a cavity until we were grown up and only have had a couple of cavities EVER.

So, a couple of weeks ago I had occassion to look in his mouth and was horrified. One of his teeth looked like it was totally decaying and it also looked like it was spreading to the next one. So, I made a dentist appointment. He had those visible cavities, plus 1 or 2 more. He had a pulp treatment yesterday in hopes of avoiding a second root canal. He did really well, considering, and hardly complained. Of course, the vanilla shake I bought him from the Malt Shop helped.

It turns out Matthew has some condition caused by genes, medications at 6 mo. of age and/or a fever at 6 mo. of age. (The dentist, Wes Thompson, said it was most likely a couple of those interacting). Anyway, his teeth are super soft and so they are VERY prone to cavities and decay. In two weeks he will get sealants to protect his teeth.

Knowing about his "condition" eased my guilt SO much. I can now look at the "pirate tooth" (crown) he got at 4 yrs. old and know that I am NOT the worst mother ever. Poor Matthew though. He is such trooper!

On the Farm

Last Sunday, while we were doing chores we realized we hadn't posted pictures of the kids "helping" on the farm. So I took the camera to take pictures while we were there on Monday. Unfortunately, it was a getting close to sunset and I don't know how to manually use the flash on the new camera. Oh... well. Good enough. :)

The kids shortly after we arrived.

Ashton is crying because one of the kitties climbed up his back and scratched him pretty good.

Jer and Will. Will is willing to put up with those annoying ear muffs if it means a tractor ride.

Matthew pushing up hay. When Jer came by with the feeder a few minutes later, Matthew said, "I already pushed up and now Daddy is feeding them. Those girls are getting spoiled today."

Jer, Ash and Will in the green tractor feeding a bale. Life doesn't get much better than this for the little boys (and Jer).

Matthew using his imagination at his favorite spot... the tire pile.

Katie feeds the cats quite generously. She loves the kittens, dogs, and cows. She frequently tells people that she is "an animal lover" and wants to be a vet when she grows up.

Ashton pushing up hay.