Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Sometimes you've gotta go where everybody knows your name . . . and your nickname, and your fifth grade crush, high school heartbreak, your pet peeves, darkest fears, favorite foods, strengths and weaknesses, and everything in between.

In thinking about it, we've seen each other through a lot. Births and deaths, love and heartbreak, marriage and divorce, wealth and meagerness, school, careers, and major decisions. It's nice to know that there are people who have been with you through it all.

Anyone reading this blog already knows how I feel about these gals, but let me just say again for the record. I love them! It was good to be all together again over the holidays (minus one, we missed you Sage!)

Thank You Santa

Christmases with 2 year olds are by far the most rewarding. There was electric excitement in the air on Christmas Eve. The kids were literally bouncing off the walls as we tracked Santa's journey on the computer and laid out his cookies and milk.

Fisher absolutely loved the seemingly unexplained showering of presents (primarily thanks to my parents who spoil him rotten.) It was full of cars, tractors, trains, and tools. He was in absolute heaven.

The girls had a crafty Christmas and are now well-equipped with every art and craft supply under the sun.
After three rounds of opening presents were finally completed, my mom found Fisher squatting next to a figure of Santa saying, "Thank you Santa for the presents." Thank you Santa, indeed. (And yes, those are red long johns, complete with functioning "trap-door" bottom.)

Christmas in Review

Christmas is an exciting and exhausting time for us, thanks to the blessing of living so close to friends and family. Here is just a recap of all the fun times we've had.

Christmas Family Home Evening with Grandma and Grandpa Ross (Grandma made each grandkid a pair of cozy PJ pants!)
Sleepovers, Knitting, and Playing with Grandma and Grandpa Fisher

13 kids armed with knives, frosting and sprinkles for a sugar cookie decorating fest!

A day full of fun at Trafalga, complete with pizza, arcade games, and mini golf (Thanks Gary!)

Sleepover with cousins & Wii Tournaments (sorry Hansens for the rearview shot!)

Fisher's first experience at the movie theatre, joined by all the cousins - he loved it!

Christmas Eve Dinner with the Fishers, Papa Ace and Edna

Piling into the back of a pickup to check out the Spanish Fork Festival of Lights

Friends Reunion with Hillary's Friends

Mini-family reunion with the Morrisons at cousin Tanner's missionary farewell

Shopping, eating, cleaning, eating, playing, eating, eating, eating!

A goose egg, likely to rival any other in human history: you can always count on Fisher!

A rare and infectious viral rash: you can always count on Quincy!

Sledding and playing in the total blizzard we've had

Whew! It's chaotic and crazy, but we know how blessed we are, and we wouldn't want it any other way. Now, we just get to gear up for the New Year's Festivities!

Our Christmas Letter

This year has been one of growth and learning for all of us in the Ross family. Dan learned both the potential (and limits) of his body in two more triathlons and the Wasatch Back Relay. Hillary is trying to learn the art of multi-tasking and balance while being the mother of four busy kids.

Taylor is learning to be more aggressive in soccer and basketball, and learned the importance of being baptized in November. Loryn is learning A LOT in kindergarten, and she is honing her skills as a social butterfly. Fisher is learning his letters and numbers, but would rather specialize in the subject of trucks, tractors, trains, and planes. Quincy is slowly learning to walk, but has already mastered the art of melting our hearts. At fourteen months old, she is itsy bitsy and completely delightful.

More than anything else, we have experienced the sincere kindness of friends and genuine love of family. We are deeply grateful for you as we realize that these relationships are the true treasure in our lives. We have seen small miracles and witnessed the hand of God in our lives. And at this holiday season, we are especially grateful for His love and the gift of His Son.

Merry Christmas from Dan, Hillary, Taylor, Loryn, Fisher, and Quincy.

Lucky Me

I love this group of people that we have always affectionately called the "Fisher Five." We've expanded a little now, but the more has definitely been the merrier.

The holidays are always an opportunity to reflect on our blessings, and the luckiest of us usually list family near the top. I am so grateful to have had a family that has consistently and constantly loved me, supported me, and encouraged me. Very few could say the same, so I count myself among the most blessed.

Reindeer Bags

Stuffing reindeer bags for the students in my mom's school class is a time-honored tradition for our family. From the time I was old enough to have memories, I remember helping my mom divi out candy and toys into these bags she gives her students for Christmas. In fact, she even went into labor with me while performing this sacred rite thirty-one years ago!

Now, my little girls look forward to helping Grandma stuff the reindeer bags every year. Monday was the night, and the girls had a blast.

Big Daddy Pope

Growing up (and still), Natalie Pope was one of my best friends. And her dad was the one that took us to Southern Utah each Spring Break and Lake Powell every summer. He is the fun/crazy dad that built a human slingshot in his backyard (YouTube, Jay Leno, NitroCircus) and a cannon that shoots bowling balls.

But he's also a great humanitarian. He was featured in the Deseret News yesterday for all his efforts. As of January, he is retiring from his CEO position and moving to Kenya to be closer to the microcredit bank he started there. He's totally amazing and his work is absolutely worth looking into. Check it out at the links below:

http://www.yehu.org (a microcredit bank primarily for poor female entreprenuers)
http://www.basabody.com
http://www.coastcoconutfarms.co.ke

Truly Pathetic

I don't know about you, but there are few more helpless feelings than being the mother of a sick child. Poor Quincy has barely moved or eaten for a week. And I've done every trick in the book. Blankies, treats, baths, medicine, doctors visits, and lots of cuddling. But nothing seems to work.

If there is an upside to prolonged sickness, though, it's the snuggling. It's the only time they ever sit still long enough to give them loves. And in Quincy's case, it's also the only time she'll sit still long enough to put a headband on. Unfortunately, I couldn't really capitalize on the moment because she looks absolutely miserable. Maybe she could be the poster child for some children's hospital?

True to the title of this post, I must have also looked TRULY PATHETIC today as I trudged my two little ones through the snowy and bitter cold parking lots of doctors offices and hospitals. Sometimes I just have to laugh at the sight I must be. I had to park in the nether regions of the hospital and drag Fisher through slush and ice as I held Quincy. He, of course, slipped and started crying. Once I registered with the hospital for labwork, I then had to take the kids back to the car, buckle them in, and go to a different section of the hospital to have the labwork done. There, I waited like a leper in the specially marked "influenza" waiting room. THEN, some nurse suited up from head to toe stuck a six inch tube down each of Quincy's nostrils to "de-goop." This, of course, traumatized Fisher as much as it did Quincy.

All in all, a day to go down in the record books. Both for snowfall and total treachery.

Happy Holidays

Big Boy Haircut

As evidenced by this picture taken last month, I like to keep Fisher's hair long to showcase his long, curly golden locks. (that by a cruel twist of fate were given to him rather than any of my girls!)

But after a severely botched attempt to cut his hair myself this week, I took him to the local SuperCuts to have it repaired. Ultimately, we walked away with his hair shorter than it has ever been and sporting a fashionable new "big boy" haircut.

'Tis the Season

I am currently making a slideshow DVD for my in-laws for Christmas. Ssshhh! I am photoshopping, compiling, and editing hundreds of pictures of the entire Ross clan. I am fairly certain that I am going blind from looking at the computer screen, I've ignored my children for embarrassingly long stretches, and I'm ashamed to admit the things I yell at the computer when I lose pictures. 'Tis the season to be jolly. Fa la la la la la la la la.

Everywhere Little Girls

We spent Thanksgiving with my mom's family in Sandy. On that side of the family there are a lot of girls, and quite a few aren't even pictured. Aren't they beautiful? On the Fisher side of the family, there are more girls than boys too. And now, I have more girls than boys.

I've gotta say I love the many, many girls in my life. In fact, the song from Annie comes to mind. Little girls, little girls, everywhere little girls . . . Jenny, Sarah, Tiff, Em, and Megs, can you still hear Miss Hannigan singing from the Laynie's old school record player?

Thanksgiving Weekend

Five pounds later, a fun-filled Thanksgiving week draws to a close. From weddings to funerals, football in the backyard and on the big screen, and three fabulous turkey dinners, Thanksgiving is over and Christmas has begun.

The Gift of Today

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I attended a funeral of a 40-year old man whose death was sudden and unexpected. Though I didn't know him (I am friends with his sister), I was touched by the experience. Perhaps it was because it was the season of Thanksgiving, but I was particularly aware of my gratitude for the many blessings in my life. I couldn't shake the thought that each day is a gift. Tomorrow is never guaranteed to us.

I'm sure like all of us, I have often had the mentality of "just getting through the day" instead of actually "spending" the day. I chided myself because I may have had a few too many of those days this year than I should have. What if the day we are so eager just to "get through" is our last? It's a fatalist thought, but one that I will definitely benefit from.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! How thankful I am for all of you. (I can say that because I know who is reading this blog). And I love each and every one of you.