Kason's First Christmas

We have had an extra special week this Christmas week.  Kason really surprised us this week with learning a new word and opening gifts.  We were both happily surprised at how well he opened gifts on Christmas morning.  He would slowly grip a piece of the paper and rip it off slowly.  Of course, he was then too preoccupied with the paper to continue opening, so we would help him by taking it out of his hands. But he was a great sport, and we were happy to let him take his time opening his gifts. It was definitely one of the highlights of our Christmas.  Kason also has continued to say “Mama” repeatedly this week. He says it more and more often.  We have figured out that he associates this word with wanting something, including sleep or food.  We think he might also really know what he’s saying because he does actually look around for his mom when he says it! His mom might just be a little flattered!  He also does this cute little head turn to Grandpa Lindley all the time.  We think it is his way of saying, “Grandpa, let’s play!”

This week also marked my 2 year anniversary at the Post Register.  I am so grateful for that job.  I am able to work with people I really enjoy being around.  It is a great atmosphere at work.  My co-workers also love Kason.  He is one spoiled baby in the office.  They joke that he will be able to do my job better than me before long.  They are so nice to let me bring him in although I know he is not always very quiet.  I’m also so grateful for its flexibility.  I am able to log in to my computer from home and work from home, but I also have flexible hours at work, so I can go in at odd times of the day—whatever fits my schedule.  I really love my job and hope to be able to stay there for a long time!

We have had a very special Christmas this year spent around our family.  We spent Christmas Eve and early Christmas morning with Grandma & Grandpa Piquet.  We had Beef Stew for dinner and worked on a puzzle that evening and all throughout Christmas day.  Kolt and I both really enjoyed doing the puzzle so much that we have done another one at home since.  We watched the Ultimate Gift, one of Kolt’s favorites.  On Christmas Eve, we also had a visit from Santa Clause (Grandpa Piquet, who does many Santa visits throughout the holidays).  It was fun to have Kason sit on Santa’s lap, and I think Santa enjoyed holding both of his grandbabies.  Kason was a great sport, and I think he have recognized Santa’s voice and also like Santa’s beard!

Kason spent all night Christmas Eve awake! He must’ve been listening for reindeer on the roof! So on Christmas morning, we woke up and opened gifts with the Piquet’s.  We enjoyed watching others open the gifts we picked out for them. We also feel very blessed to have Santa stop by and leave lots of things for us also! Some of the highlights on Christmas morning were Kolt’s new hand gun, Susan’s new wardrobe, and Kason’s new baby recliner! I was excited to surprise Kolt with a frame of the ties he exchanged with his mission companions.  After opening gifts, we then ran back to Lindley’s to Skype with Tyler.  It was so neat to have Tyler meet Kason for the first time over Skype.  Kason gave Tyler a great smile! All of the cousins enjoyed talking to Tyler as well.  Kolt was excited that he could understand much of Tyler’s Italian as well.  He looked very happy and healthy over Skype.  What a blessing it is to talk to our missionaries and “see” that they are doing well! We are so glad he is serving the people of Italy at this time and know he is doing what the Lord would have him do!

After our call with Elder Lindley, we went back to Piquet’s to let Kason open his gifts, since he slept through the first round! Great-Grandpa and Grandma Piquet came to visit also! We had a great day resting and working on the puzzle and also having prime rib for lunch! In the evening we came back to Grandma & Grandpa Lindley’s house.  Some of the highlights were our new TV and Kason’s village mat and quiet book.  Grandma Lindley designed the village mat with some of our favorite family places including both grandparents’ houses and Great-Grandpa Piquet’s harness shop.  She also made a great quiet book that is going to be a lifesaver for church!  All throughout the day, Kolt and I couldn’t stop thinking about how blessed we are to have such great family and feel very fortunate to be a part of them.  We had a yummy dinner with the Lindley’s and Natalie’s family and then ended the evening by watching Ephraim’s Rescue.  It was a great end to our Christmas Day!

Thursday evening we had the Lindley Gift Exchange.  We had ribs for dinner and then exchanged gifts afterwards.  I always enjoy being with my siblings and feel like we grow closer each and every time we get together.  We have great visits, and the cousins sure enjoy playing with each other. 

 

Friday afternoon we went began our trip to Utah.  We started by driving down to Logan and eating dinner at Winger’s.  Winger’s is my favorite restaurant and the one in Idaho Falls closed down! We had a great dinner, and I made a point to eat more than I wanted because I missed it! Kolt and I had a great visit during the drive and during dinner.  We really enjoy talking, and I feel like we learn more about each other all the time.  After dinner, we went to Chris Ransom’s sister’s wedding reception.  We enjoyed seeing the Ransom family and talking with Chris.  Kason was a great sport for most of the reception, but got pretty ready for bed around the end.  Chris is one of Kolt’s best friends, so we love any chance we have to come to Logan and see him.  After the reception, we stayed at Grandma Lindley’s home in Logan.  We watched the BYU game and visited until late.  I sure love my Grandma and am very glad that we get to see her as much as we do.  I look up to her in many ways and am always uplifted by her positive outlook on life.  I find myself wanting to get her advice on my aspects of my life, so it is good to visit her and learn from her example and her Spirit.

On Saturday we attended the Lindley Christmas Party at Scott & Teresa’s home.  We had lunch and then did a gift exchange.  I enjoyed visiting with my cousins, including some who I don’t see very often. Kason has a few second cousins who are close in age. He wanted so badly to be able to crawl around with Blake and Jack who are just a few months older than him.  It is amazing how quickly the family has grown and there is now quite a few young kids and babies in the family.  Families are a great blessing!

After the party, we drove down to Temple Square to meet Candace & Justin Ross.  We walked around Temple Square with my parents before they arrived.  Kason stayed warm in the bundle of blankets and fell asleep as we walked.  It was Kolt and Kason’s first time seeing the lights at Temple Square.  We were both amazed at how many lights they put on a single tree down there.  It is amazing and very beautiful! We walked over to City Creek Mall afterwards for a few minutes until Candace and Justin arrived.  They took us back to our car and then we drove over to Iggy’s for dinner.  I’m not sure even what I ate or who the waitress was because Candace and I just talked and talked.  We sure miss them and loved catching up and remembering memories from WWCC.  It was great to have Kason meet Candace too for the first time.  I am kicking myself for forgetting to take pictures, but of course, we had too much talking to do!

After dinner, we drove down to Springville to go to Magelby’s for dessert.  One of Kolt’s mission companions, Dylan Parkinson, was working that night, so we hit dessert later in the evening, so he would have time to visit.  Kolt loved catching up with Dylan and finding out what happened in the field after he left.  It is fun for me to visit the companions and listen to how life was in the field.  While we were there, Dylan told Kolt that a member family from his mission moved to Provo 15 days ago.  He sent an extra dessert home with us, so we could take it to this family.  We were a little worried showing up at their house at 10 PM, but Kolt assured me they would be glad to see us.  I was amazed at their kindness and generosity.  They were excited to see us to say the least.  They were so sweet and giving and can’t wait to see us again.  They seem to be adjusting well and are busy with school and work.  Kason absolutely loved them and smiled the whole time.  He loved playing with their sweet kids.  You could feel the Spirit so strong in this family’s home.  I felt a little silly not being able to understand the Spanish; however, I understood most of what Kolt said in Spanish, but couldn’t understand their Spanish.  We are excited to visit them again!

We stayed the evening at Corey and Janis’ home in Orem and then headed down to Elberta, Utah with my mom for my cousin, Sarah Hiatt’s mission farewell.  She did a great job speaking and will be a great missionary in Canada.  We enjoyed catching up with the Hiatt family; Kolt hadn’t met many of my Hiatt cousins yet, so it was good to visit and have brunch at their home.  

We are so grateful for wonderful friends and family.  We feel very blessed to be a part of such great families and to have such neat friends.  They bless our lives continually.  We are excited to start the new year. Happy 2014!