Christmas 2010

Christmas this year was full of ups and downs so instead of a blow-by-blow report I think I will just go with some of the lessons learned:

--When 5 boys get THE FLU the week before Christmas, you are forced to pare down the holiday to just the bare minimum.

--With 6 boys and two great families, the bare minimum is still a lot to do.

--Every year we think Paxton will finally be over his stress about being around crowds (50 people at Grandpa's and Grandma's house certainly achieves crowd status) but each Christmas Eve is worse than the year before. Next year I go prepared!

--There will always be surprises from our boys on Christmas Eve. After being stressed all night about just about everything, Paxton walked right up to Santa and sat on his lap for a picture, though he insisted on taking the picture himself.

--The Knight boys will generally be responsible for the slightly inappropriate talent on Christmas. This year Addison told jokes. Next year he will run them by me before. Addison also insisted on being a wise man with skinny jeans and flair.

--My sisters will always pull through and make peanut blossoms so I don't have to feel guilty for not making them for about the 5th year in a row now.

--Don't try to cook fudge without a candy thermometer unless you are going for a soup effect.

--No matter how much I do before, we will always be up until at least 2am on Christmas Eve.

--Since my dream of a clean house on Christmas Eve has never been a reality I think I am just going to make a messy house a tradition.

--We have never had an unhappy child on Christmas morning so maybe I should stop worrying that we will.

--The best presents really are the ones that the boys pick out for each other even though I can get a much better deal.

--The other best presents will be the ones picked up at the last minute. Puppy the talking dog now goes with Paxton everywhere he goes (and follows in the Knight family tradition of creative pet names).

--We will always end up scrambling to clean before family comes over on Christmas. Gramella will hear the vacuum as she walks to the door instead of carols.

--As we open presents, one of the Knight boys will be either sleeping, crying or in time out--sometimes all 3. It is another tradition.

--No matter how much we stress, we all look at each other at the end of the season and say it was another great holiday and we are sorry to see it end.

A Knight on the Town

Our typical family home evening consists of us singing a couple of Rock Band songs chosen by Parker (Ghostbusters and Spaceman are favorites) me trying to give a bit of a lesson, Colin and Carter fighting over who gets to choose the activity (and Carter stomping up the stairs when he doesn't get his way) and Alex muttering under his breath that family home evening is going to destroy our family. We continue to hold it each week, however. Not because we harbor any illusions that the boys are learning anything but we know there are blessings that come from following the counsel of our leaders.

Last night, we decided to try a different approach and take family home evening on the road. We met Nelson at work and then went over to the Trax train for a trip to Temple Square to see the new model of the inside of the temple (it is really cool and worth the trip into town if you haven't seen it). Here are the reactions from each boy--from my view, anyway.

Paxton--He was very nervous on Trax and at first did not want to be there at all. After a bit he relaxed and started to enjoy the ride. The Trax trip home was even better and he liked being on the "train." In the car on our way to ice cream we were stopped by the crossing bars of a real train. The rest of us groaned but Paxton was fascinated. We all cheered when the train passed and we were able to move again but he cried and cried. A good reminder that a train in your path is all about perspective!


Parker--He thought Trax was fantastic and that the next time we go to the beach house in California we should take this train and make sure to bring his cousin Logan with us. The visitors center on Temple Square was great for him, too. He was so excited to see everything and was just buzzing around. At one point he ran over to me because "he found conference!" He took me to a room that displayed talks from President Monsen and then excitedly showed me a "church remote" which was a podium with a touch screen on it :).

Colin--Colin was cooped up at home all day so he took advantage of being let out of the house. His inner wild child was unleashed but fortunately it was tempered a bit by being impressed with the temple model and all the displays. The highlight for him was probably playing Don't Break the Egg on Trax. He and Carter sat on the circle that moves going around corners with their arms wrapped around their bodies and tried not to move. When Colin's "egg" broke, Carter made him keep his hand on his head so his yolk wouldn't come out.

Carter--Carter was also very impressed with the temple model and especially the touch screens that also you to move through different rooms in the temple. He had the most questions and spent a great deal of time trying to see how everything fit together. It was fun to watch. He also tried to keep up with Addison as we walked down the street (see below)

Addison--The displays held less interest for Addison because he was more concerned with finding a missionary referral card to send the missionaries to the home of one his online friends. He and this friend spend a lot of time blowing up things and talking about religion. It is modern missionary work. Walking to and from Trax, Addison jumped on pedestals and leaped over walls and his brothers tried to follow suit. It is amazing that we have not had more trips to the ER in our life.

Alex--Alex was in true family home evening form. He wondered why we would ever take these boys out in public and why we can't control them more. I can't wait until he has kids! He was also very nice to the sister missionaries who offered him advice on preparing for his mission. I know he will be putting their counsel into action today!

Nelson--The visitors center feeds Nelson's inner historic geek (his outer one, too). I am sure he could have spent much more time reading every piece of information but he is a good sport about being done when the boys are. He also got to enjoy a little conversation with the missionaries. Right after Nelson was baptized, he had to talk to every missionary that he saw. The boys would joke that if he saw missionaries on the side of the road, he had to stop the car and jump out to say hi. Well, maybe it wasn't a joke. It was fun for him to enjoy that missionary feeling again.

We ended the night at Arctic Circle for ice cream. Addison said it was by far the worst family home evening we've ever had so I will take his teenage sarcasm to mean it was pretty fun. We might even venture out of the house again at some point. I am sure Alex will be thrilled!

Reactions

When I gave notice to my manager about leaving my job, she said they were really going to miss me and asked if I would consider just taking a leave of absence or working part-time. They were willing to consider any schedule proposal if I was willing to stay. It was very flattering and tempting to take them up on the generous offer.

When we told the boys I was quitting, there was screaming, wailing, gnashing of teeth and cries that this move will destroy our family. According to them, an announcement that we were having another baby would be more welcome than me leaving my job (and that is saying something considering the reaction when I was pregnant with Pax). I felt so loved, needed and wanted.

I am choosing to look at this as further proof that we are doing the right thing :).

New Directions

I quit my job this week.

I still can't believe I did it but as of October 22nd, I will officially be a stay at home mom. Or, I might become a go crazy at home mom--not sure which one will happen (most likely a combination of the two). This is not a direction I ever thought I would take in life. I have felt the guilt of being a working mother many times and have often contemplated giving up my paycheck, but one look at the finances, and I would decide the status quo would do. Life has been okay. First of all, I have a pretty good job. I am able to work full-time from home and be here when the boys get home from school, take Parker to and from pre-K and Pax only goes to daycare 3 days a week. Many moms would love a job that allowed them to work from home and I know how lucky I have been. It was working okay--not perfect--but we are doing okay. Second, my boys are getting older. Why quit now when it only gets easier every day? It would have made more sense 2 years ago when I had a baby, 2-year-old and 4-year-old. Third, I have actually had some free time on occasion. I have been able to read more books in the last six months than I have read in the last six years. Finally, financially we are in better shape than we have been since we were married. We have a lot of security and I am all about security!

BUT, and this is a big but, neither Nelson or I could deny that the spirit was saying it was time to leave my job. This was not just Lisa feeling guilty or the Knights reacting to a crisis (our usual life strategy). It was a clear and constant message that, for whatever purpose, I need to be focused on our family full-time right now. We took a look at our finances and it was clear that me quitting would not work. So, we did the rational thing and I quit anyway. It was a huge leap of faith and I generally like to keep my feet planted firmly on the ground.

It doesn't make sense but here we go! Succeed or fail, we are doing this and not looking back!

A Typical Day

I am terrible about pictures. For a long time we have not had a camera and now that Alex has one, I keep forgetting to use it. I need to get into the habit but until a picture can offer a thousand words, I will just have to do a lot of typing. I thought a look at the typical day (is there such thing?) in the Knight house would be somewhat interesting in a few years.

6:30-6:45am--Addison gets out of the shower and tries to wake me. I either get right up so I can check the email or beg for 5 more minutes.

6:45-7:00am--Carter takes a bath and gets dressed while Addison yells at him that he doesn't have enough time. I grab clothes for Colin and attempt to dress him while he burrows deep under the covers. 80 percent of the time I give up and figure Nelson can take him to school. The other 20 percent I wrestle clothes on him, send him into the bathroom and put him in the car. Today I bribed him with the choice of snack if he would just get up and get on the bus. I offered brownies, donuts and french fries. He chose hamburger helper.

7:00am--7:15am--Carter, Colin and I head out the door and play chase down the bus. We start with one stop and then have three or four more depending on the time. Usually we pull up behind the bus and I give them the "you can make it!!" cheer and watch their cute little bodies run for the bus with their backpacks bobbing up and down. I really don't make them late on purpose just so I can see the cute scene every morning (I promise!)

7:15am--7:45am--Back to the house to get Alex and Addison. There is decidedly less of a flurry in getting them out the door. They grunt at me, grab their backpacks and go. Once in the car, I attempt to engage them in conversation about the day, the information on the radio, their future, etc. They are always happy to talk about any and all of those topics and we get in some great bonding time before they begin their day (hahahahahahaha) I monologue all the way to West to drop off Alex and then head to the bus stop to drop off Addo. 4 down, 2 to go.

7:45am--8:00am--Back at the corral Nelson has been getting himself and the P brothers (and probably Colin) ready for the day. I dash in to grab clothes, make a lunch and then head upstairs. Nelson gets everyone out the door and off for round 3 of the school drop offs.

8:00am--2:30pm--4 boys at school (hopefully making good choices), 2 at daycare, Nelson reviewing tax projects and me making call after call after call. In between calls, I throw in a load of laundry, unload the dishwasher, wipe a bathroom--the stuff in all the good movies.

2:30pm--4pm--Everyone home from school and throwing coats, backpacks and papers all over the house while rummaging around for food. I put a snack on the table, pull out their homework and tell them to get started while I do a call.

4pm--4:15pm--I am talking to a student. Addison starts shooting aliens in his video game. Alex is downloading something to make the computer "better" and the C brothers sneak upstairs to watch t.v.

4:15pm--4:30pm---I come downstairs to find no one doing homework (the snack, however, is completely gone) so I start talking very loudly and get the Cs back to the table. Colin manages to do about three problems in the middle of telling me stories and finding shiny things on the floor before I have to head upstairs again.

4:30pm--4:45pm--Repeat 4pm-4:15pm

4:45pm--5pm--Go pick up Paxton from Jody's. Bring him back home. Throw him on the couch with a peanut butter sandwich and turn on Yo Gabba Gabba. Gently remind the boys to get back to their homework.

5pm--6pm--More calls for me while the boys alternate between trying to "quietly" come in to tell me how someone is hitting, yelling or ruining their game or being eerily silent which means I will come downstairs to one of Carter's creations. It is a toss-up as to what is preferred.

6pm--7pm--The witching hour (I know I am a witch every hour--I set myself up for that one). I am trying to get dinner going while carrying Paxton around and alternating between asking for help and cheering on the homework once again! We get homework wrapped up and dinner in some form and manage to get everyone to the table.

7pm--7:30pm--Nelson comes home and gets to eat with Paxton on his lap because I like the share in the joy of having Paxton constantly be a helper. We try some dinner conversation and sometimes get more than one or two word answers. At some point there is a guaranteed full sentence, though, from every one of them--"can I be excused?"

7:30pm--8:30pm--Parker goes around asking everyone to play Lego Rock Band. He can usually at least get dad to play. The rest of the house is in a hum of evening activity.

8:30pm--I start saying we need to do scriptures and give everyone a 5 minute warning.

9pm--We finally start reading scriptures and have family prayer.

9:30-10pm--Bedtime negotiations. Colin is tired but can't sleep without Carter in the room. Carter feels that he should get to stay up later because he is older and does not have trouble waking in the morning (true). This is usually resolved by Colin and I begging Carter to go in the room with Colin but not going to sleep. Carter finally gives in and storms upstairs.

10pm--10:30pm--Puttering around to get ready for the next day

10:30pm--Say uncle and head to bed. Try to watch a show to decompress but fall asleep within 5 minutes.

11pm--12pm--The A brothers start their homework.

Okay, next time I am just taking a picture.

Where we are now...

We started this blog almost a year ago. I thought Carter was the only one to post but I see I made an effort in April with a promise of more. I guess that never happened. This time I am not going to promise myself more but I do hope for the best. I was going to do a year in review but I can't remember the whole year--which is probably the best reason for blogging on a regular basis! Since this is not only a good way to keep people updated but also for our progeny, the best thing may be to start with where we are now:

Nelson just turned 38 (and is feeling really old--the few gray hairs help) and works for the state history department helping citizens restore old buildings through tax credits. He is also the first counselor in the bishopric and is working diligently to ensure that this is the last church calling with which he will ever be entrusted

I am working as a mentor at Western Governor's University which is great because I can work from home and not so great because I work from home. I spend my days talking into a headset and running down to throw in a load of laundry between calls. I have also become addicted to exclamation points! Why stop at one?!!!

Alex just turned 18 and will graduate (we hope) from West High School in June. From there the world is his oyster and I think right now that will mean school and then a mission. He is a little lost once college football season comes to an end but curling should fill the void soon.

Addison is every bit a teenager right now. He spends his days playing video games, texting his friends and making sarcastic comments to his family. Right on track developmentally I would say. Fortunately, he also gets good grades and serves faithfully as the teacher's quorum president. A little balance is a good thing.

Carter is 9 and still wants to manage the world. He loves cub scouts, taking baths, shows on disney but is happiest with a group of friends or with a list in front of him.

Colin is 5 and making his way through kindergarten. That means too little sleep and too much homework but he is adjusting. Colin is our son who loves to help with anything dad is fixing or mom is cooking.

Parker has had a great year. He used to be a little shy but is really coming into his own as a fun, calm kid. He is also obsessed with the game Rock Band and carries a guitar with him almost everywhere. No one can rock Away in a Manger like he can.

Paxton is 18-months going on 2. He is calm, sweet and easygoing. He is also crazy, loud and unable to be taken in public. He loves Yo Gabba Gabba, his blankie and when the whole family is home with him.

That is the family as 2009 comes to a close.

Our Week

Thanks to Carter we actually have a few posts for this blog but I am ready to get a little more serious about posting. This past week the A brothers and Colin have been on spring break. I wish I could tell you all the fun things that we did but you will have to look at another blog for those stories. I tried taking a day off to do something fun but the best I could get them to agree to was lunch and orthodontist appointment. It was a great lunch and Addison got a top score on his brushing (way to go Addo!) but not the stuff of which blogs are made. Fortunately, it was Aunt Pat to the rescue on Wednesday and Thursday by taking Colin and Parker to the the Children's Museum on Wednesday and Colin for a tour of the Pioneer Museum and Beehive House on Thursday. Friday we did use some coupons and spent some time at Fat Cats. It was fun but the Knight boys are really just homebodies at heart.