Chicago Airport

I had no pictures to capture this lovely event but it can't go undocumented. You think I would learn by now that traveling by myself with 2 or more small children is not a good idea. I guess I'm a slow learner because I keep doing it but I sure have some fun stories. The plan was to fly to Chicago, have a 1 hour lay over, and fly to Salt Lake by 10:30 PM. Well....it was all of 2 degrees in Chicago and snowing so there were some delays. We were an hour late leaving Cleveland but the airport people said it was okay because the next flight was late too and just in case I didn't make that one, they had me on another back up flight.

The plane ride was surprisingly well. We had the usual battle of Braden kicking the seat in front of him about 95 times and dirty looks from the people in front of us. I have learned to get over that...it is an hour and a half of your life, you'll live! We land in Chicago and I feel relieved...now I just have to get to my next gate and we'll be fine.

We sat on the runway waiting for a gate to open up...and waited...and waited...and there goes the first flight...more waiting...lots of wiggling and screaming from 2 restless boys...waiting...still no gate open...some sweating and panicking - they have turned the cabin air off because we have "arrived" in Chicago...waiting...waiting...no standing up with your screaming children - we will be moving any minute...more dirty looks from people in front of us...waiting...waiting...back up flight is now boarding...waiting...still no gate.

Finally after an HOUR of sitting on the runway, a gate opens up. I run through the airport in high heeled boots carrying Bennett and pushing Braden in the stroller. Don't forget about the 5 carry on bags that I have, too. I run across the airport to a different terminal....the flight is gone and that was the last one out tonight. After getting shuffled around and being sent from airline to airline and back again, I realized I was stuck. They don't do anything for you if it is related to weather. SO here I am with 2 very tired boys in a strange city with no idea what to do. I pulled it together long enough to get a hotel (which I had to pay for), find a shuttle to take us there, and rebook our flight for the next day. Then I remembered that I was so smart to pack our coats in our luggage which was on its way to Salt Lake. So it had now dropped to -6 degrees and we had no coats. I bundled Bennett in the tiny blanked I had and gave Braden my sweater and we headed for the hotel.

It all turned out to be okay. The hotel people were nice and gave us toothbrushes and things to get us through the night and we were able to get on the plane the next morning but that was not the funnest day of my life. Braden called Grandma Judy & Grandpa Mike from the hotel and said, "Grandma, we didn't land on Utah." He was sad but the most stressful thing to him was that he had to sleep in his shirt and underwear because we had no jammies for him to wear. He cried about that but not about being in a strange, freezing city stuck in a hotel without coats. Go figure!

We arrived in Salt Lake at 11:00 the next morning and headed straight for Target to buy a clean outfit to change into because our luggage was still missing. It was delivered late that night. It could have been worse...they could have lost our luggage in the process!!!

Rude Awakening

Don't you love it when your 4-year-old drags his 1-year-old brother out of his crib? Don't you especially love it when it is 1:30 in the morning and they both come running in your room saying, "we're done sleeping...get up!".

I DO!!!!!!

A Little Christmas Cheer

What happens when you try to take Christmas card pictures of 3 kids by yourself?

a) Oldest child is mad and crying because the tie on her dress isn't around her waist and it is "weird and itchy"

b) Middle child is crying because he feels like he is going to "frow-up"

c) Youngest child is crying because he doesn't like the idea of mommy being 3 feet in front of him and not holding him

d) All of the above

Yep....the answer is D - all of the above.

And this is the result of the dreadful photo shoot:


I hope this brings you some Holiday cheer even if it didn't bring me any!

The Nativity At Kirtland

We enjoyed a few days together as a family after Christmas. In the past5 or 6 years Dane has had to work the day after Christmas. Finally he got the day off! We had lots of fun together. We went and saw a movie: Bedtime Stories. We went to the mall. We also went to Kirtland to see the Nativity display they had there.

The kids had so much fun dressing up like Wise Men and Mary and Joseph.

Bennett liked playing with the Nativity play set.
They had Nativity scenes from all around the world that we got to look at while the kids played.

Hailee and Braden taking it seriously, obviously.

Christmas Day

The day finally came!! Hailee swore it would never get here. I remember feeling that way...so excited that you could just jump out of your skin! She was so much fun this year. She is getting more curious about how the whole Santa thing works and continually asked detailed questions on the logistics and specifics. Sometimes I really don't know the answers. She is a little too smart for me! Hailee got what she wanted...a Fur Real robotic dog named Biscuit.
She also loved the digital camera!!

Braden got a Leapster and has already mastered the games.

He also got some roller blades which he is working on every day...and has the bruised knees to prove it!
Bennett loved all of his toys. It wasn't until we were playing that day when we realized all of his toys required batteries. We will be buying stock in Duracell because we added up the amount of batteries used to power our Christmas morning. The grand total was........40! A little ridiculous!

Here is his letter magnets. He is already singing the ABC song thanks to this toy!
He also loved his car track.
And his Elmo guitar. It doesn't look like he's having a good time but it's his "dance face". He gets serious and intense when he is dancing.
Hailee enjoying our yummy cinnamon rolls!
Braden will just pass on all food until he conquers the game, thanks.
Bennett will just go ahead and eat an entire bag of Animal Crackers. He is very particular about the brand of Animal Crackers...these are the only ones he'll eat and he LOVES them. We think he takes after his Grandpa Mike!
Up a little too late?

Christmas Eve Traditions

We have adopted the Sanford tradition of driving around on Christmas Eve and looking at the lights. This year we went down to the Blossom Light Festival. It is 2 miles of lights you drive through.

We opened up one present each - Christmas Pajamas, changed into our jammies and drove around. We usually find some poor gas station to hit up and get egg nog and chocolate milk and Diet Coke for me. Don't be jealous of my nostrils, double chin, and no make up...sexy!
We get home and put out cookies for Santa and celery and carrots for the Reindeer. Hailee left Santa a note just to be sure he knew what we wanted:
Dear Santa Clase,
Daddy, Mommy, and us, have been very good this year. Daddy wants a J.P.S. for his car. But, he thinks it's to expensive. Mommy wishes for us to be happy. Braden wants a car. Bennett would like anything!!! I would like Biscuit from Target. Well these are for you exept for the celery and carrots. Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!! (you can take the note if you want)
Love,
Hailee, Braden, and, Bennett
Another tradition from the Sanfords is doing a stocking dance. Every person gets a turn to hang up their stocking on the fire place but you have to do a dance to get it there.
By the way...I realize Bennett isn't in any of these pictures. He fell asleep on the way home and well, that's just what happens when you are a baby. Sorry Bennett.
The famous Christmas Stocking Dance:

Christmas Eve Day

Christmas Eve has always been one of my favorite days. In years past it has consisted of me going shopping with my dad and a big family party with all the Morgans. These last few years we have been away from home so my favorite traditions have not taken place for me. I woke up a little sad that I would not be partaking in those activities I had grown up with. But I was excited with the anticipation of Christmas Day with my kids.

We have had to start some of our own traditions since we are away from family. Christmas Eve day we have started making ornaments for Santa. We pull out all the crafts and glue and glitter and make a huge mess.

We make cinnamon rolls to have on Christmas Day and lots of other treats. We have Christmas music playing all day long.

I think this year will be forever in my mind. It was one of those moments you wish you could wrap in a box and remember forever. I was at the table with my beautiful babies making ornaments. The smell of homemade cinnamon rolls was in the air and the music was playing. They were all so excited and happy about their ornaments. At that very moment in time there is no where I else I would have rather been.

You have to take those tiny moments as you get them. They are fleeting moments. Pretty soon someone drops the box of crayons all over, someone gets "poked-ed with a fuzzy stick" (pipe cleaner), and glue gets in eyelashes. But I will treasure that little moment forever.


We also got to finish our Advent Calendars. This was so much fun for the kids. And when they asked, "How many days until Christmas?" about a hundred times a day, I could just tell them to count the closed doors.