Christmas Funnies

Christmas morning was wonderful.  The boys were excited and that wonderful Christmas magic was in the air.  The kids were very pleased with their presents, but they didn't have too long to enjoy them before we had to get ready for 9:00 church.  Ty found it especially painful to part with a train/crane/dump truck set that he got, and all during church he asked if we could go home.  Unfortunately for Ty, as soon as church was over we went to visit grandparents.  We went first to see Grandpa Dastrup and then to Grandma and Gramps Groneman.  Ty enjoyed himself at both places, but still asked if we could please go home from time to time.  Finally, after being at Gronemans for several hours, Ty went over to Auntie Buffalo and Grandma and said, "Thanks for coming!  The end!"  We finally gave him what he wanted and he played happily with his new toys until bedtime.

At the Groneman Christmas party we all had a good time making gingerbread houses.  Brigham, Benjamin, and I spent a couple of hours making a Nativity out of ours.  It's been on display on our counter ever since the party.  The day after Christmas Jacob was walking by it and suddenly devoured the manger and it's candy occupant.  Then he continued on his way.  He hasn't touched it since, so it continues to be on display on our counter-- the Nativity minus the babe in the manger.


I love these funny boys!

Good Times

December is a wonderful time of the year for so many reasons.  Here are pictures of just a few.



Benjamin's cousins gave him this BYU santa hat for Christmas, and of course he loves it!



Ty was very happy to see his cousin Sarah at the Dastrup Christmas Party and torment... er... spend some time with her.

Although reluctant to take a starring role in the Nativity, Benjamin overcame his stagefright and did an excellent job portraying Joseph with co-star Sarah, playing Mary.  The whole production was casted and directed by Anna.

Jacob's joy knew no bounds when he got what Ty refers to as the "penguin playground" from Grandma and Grandpa Dastrup.  While Brigham swears that he might never forgive them (it gets very high marks on the "obnoxious toy music" scale), I am thrilled to bits to see Jacob playing with something other than electronics!

We went to Temple Sqare as a family to see the lights.  As always, Jacob refused to wear a hat or gloves.  Of course he got cold before very long and wanted to go home, but we had a nice time while it lasted.

A freshly toothless boy-- blood and all.  Benjamin lost his other front tooth just in time to make the song All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth his theme song for the season.

I am glad that this season isn't over yet and that there are many great memories yet to be made!

Random Humor

I love how our kids make me laugh.  Here is an example from each child within the last week or so.

The first story needs a little background to make sense.  Due to Jacob's passion for opening presents, we have not been able to put them within his reach ever since he became mobile several years ago.  A little over a week ago we went to the kids' cousin's house to celebrate her birthday dinner.  Once back in the car, Benjamin said, "Did you SEE that?  They put their Christmas presents under their tree!  That is just crazy!"

Last Sunday we sat behind a lady with very purple hair (someone visiting our church, I think), a fact that Ty announced to the entire ward when he shouted, "Look!  Purple hair!"

Yesterday I made cookies to take around to the neighbors.  Jacob was chillin' with me and his woogie in the kitchen, and he showed no interest whatsoever in all the cookies on plates on the counter.  Feeling secure in the power of the woogie, I stepped out the back door for 30 seconds to shake out my pastry cloth, and when I came back in, I found Jacob with two cookies shoved in his mouth chewing as fast as he could!  Apparently he'd been biding his time and waiting for an opportunity to make his move.  That kid is way too clever for my own good!

AMA-- the Silent Killer

Advanced Maternal Age (AMA).  It sounds like a terrible disease, don't you think?  Well, I'm only two weeks away from joining the unfortunate ranks of those suffering from it.  How do I know this?  Not because I'm married to a doctor (he's far to smart to be the one to give me such a diagnosis).  I know  because of a conversation I overheard three years ago.  I was pregnant with Ty at the time, and I was sitting in the lobby of the Maternal/Fetal imaging department at UNM hospital waiting for an ultrasound.  As I was waiting, I overheard the receptionist answer a call and insist that YES, so-and-so ABSOLUTELY needed to get a genetic screening because she was 34, and they always screened women of Advanced Maternal Age.  I was horrified.  There I was at age thirty-- forced into the realization that I was only four years away from Advanced Maternal Age!  Only four years left to entertain any delusions that I might have about being young! Turning thirty was bad enough, but ever since that fateful day, 34 has been a birthday that I've been dreading!

Ty is Definitely Two

The other day I was going for a run and decided to take Ty with me even though Brigham was home-- just to get him out of the house and let him enjoy all of the passing vehicles.  Being December, of course it was cold out, but Ty REFUSED to put on his coat.  I told him he could choose between wearing a coat and staying home with Daddy, but he still refused to put on his coat, so I left without him-- his little heart-broken cries ringing in my ears.  According to Brigham, about 10 minutes later Ty came to him carrying his shoes and a jacket (he couldn't reach his coat) saying, "Help!  Find Mommy peas (please)?  Go find Mommy peas?  Help!"  The kid may be in the throes of the terrible twos, but he can still make my heart melt!

"Beauty and the Beast" Review

For the two readers who still read this blog from time to time, I just have to warn you about this post.  This is not what I typically write about.  Most likely you've come here expecting to get a laugh out of my funny kids, but this is not that post.  And since this blog is mostly just a journal of sorts that I write for myself to keep my mommy memories alive, Jacob's play is something that I can't leave out.  So if you've come for a laugh, I apologize.  Stop reading and try again in a month or so when I finally get around to posting again.

This week Jacob's school put on "Beauty and the Beast", and it was honestly one of the most profoundly touching experiences that I have ever had!  The tears started even before the curtain opened as the director/school music teacher talked about the significance of the play's meaning as it relates to all of those beautiful kids-- kids who are often misjudged because of their outward appearance.  I was so touched when she said, "All of the staff members here are here because they can see your children for who they really are."  Then the curtain opened-- and the floodgates did too.  In came the different characters-- each with his or her own personal staff buddy to direct them where to go, what to do, and prompt lines for those who could talk.  Belle couldn't talk and had her lines programmed into a talker that would speak them for her when she pushed the button.  Other cast members had buddies to speak their lines for them and show the emotions that they could not express for themselves.  I was so moved by the tenderness that the staff members showed for their different charges.  The kids themselves were wonderful and often hilarious.  I loved how the Beast added "my friend" to almost all of his lines, creating classics such as, "Go to the dungeon FOREVER, my friend!"  And there was the sweetest scene where Belle was expressing her grief at losing her father, and these four darling angels came onstage to comfort her as she sang of her sorrows.  These sweet angels hugged Belle and kissed her gently.  I was overwhelmed by the beauty and power of the spirits of the children-- all of them.  That may not make sense, but it would had you been there.

Our own little Jacob played a chicken leg-- a dancing drumstick during the song "Be Our Guest."  The second day that I saw it we were on the second row, and it was so fun to see his little face light up when he saw us.  I really do think that he may be the best chicken leg ever!

I have seen many plays in my time-- including some Broadway productions-- but this play was far more powerful, beautiful, and meaningful than any I have ever seen-- no exaggeration.  I am proud that Jacob was a part of it!

Hunt for the Lost October

October was a month full of good times-- good times that I was too busy and/or lazy to write about.  Good times that even now are slowly slipping from my memory and will be completely gone about 2 years from now.  In a feeble attempt to preserve something of the month in the annals of history, I now present you with a brief picture montage entitled "October-- The Forgotten Month."

The fruits of our labors in the garden.  Ty referred to it as our "pumpkin patch."
 

 

Aunt Cambrie came to Utah for a visit, and the boys had lots of fun playing with their cousins!

 We took Benjamin to a BYU football game with Grandpa Dastrup.  My fledgling fanhood was seriously strained when I saw the ticket prices!

 Jacob strutted his stuff during his school's Halloween parade.

We took a quick trip to Zion National Park over UEA weekend.  Grandma and Grandpa Dastrup joined us along with cousins Anna, Michael, and Sarah, and it was a PARTY.  Ty was a serious hiker!  There were many tears when it was time to go home.

 Halloween-- Benjamin the army dude, Jacob the Thomas train, and Ty the dog who hated his ears.  This year Jacob realized that the bags everyone was hauling around had candy in them, and after that he did not hesitate to help himself to the nearest bag whenever the candy in his mouth was running low.

 We said goodbye to the new TV that Ty took out with a well-aimed projectile sippy cup.

Hopefully this abbreviated post will help help trigger some of those lost neural pathways when I'm reading this ten years from now!

Benjamin's Big Day

On September 24, 2011, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints gained a new member.  Benjamin Dastrup (previously known as "Bubby Diddit" and "Smidge"), age eight, was baptized in a sweet meeting held at noon in the chapel on 1000 East in Sandy, UT.  Despite various sabotage attempts by Benjamin's little brothers, Ty Dastrup, age 2 (caught running around the meeting on several occasions and directly addressing the speakers in the middle of their talks), and Jacob Dastrup, age 6 (caught playing some rockin' music on Grandpa's iPhone during the closing prayer), the Spirit was still present and Benjamin reported feeling "very, very happy."  Benjamin's family would like to thank all those who attended Benjamin's baptism and confirmation and helped to make a very special day.

Testosterone Overload

Yesterday Benjamin got his first taste of ballet.  I was watching a clip someone posted on Facebook of some Chinese ballet group performing Swan Lake.  It was quite amazing actually.  While I was watching it, Benjamin walked into the room and started watching over my shoulder.  After only a few seconds he said, "Whoa.  That is creepy."  I protested indignantly that it was NOT creepy, and after another second he asked, "What are they DOING?"  This boy can watch HOURS of men charging down a field after a funny-shaped ball and crashing into each other without blinking an eye or questioning what on earth they are DOING, yet he gets weirded out by a few seconds of ballet!  There is obviously an excess of testosterone in this house.

Great to Be Eight!

Eight years ago today Benjamin came into our lives and changed them forever!  I had no idea what I was doing back then, and I still feel that way fairly regularly even now, but he has always been sweet, kind, and forgiving as he has taught us how to be parents.  I couldn't ask for a better kid-- especially for a first one.  We love our Benjamin!

With his birthday falling on Sunday this year, Benjamin has really had an entire birthday weekend.  On Friday he took donuts to his class to celebrate.  On Saturday we started out with a family trip to IHOP for breakfast, and then we had a Dastrup family birthday party.  Benjamin made BYU shirts with his cousins, played an intense family football game, opened presents, watched the first BYU football game of the season (on our old TV thanks to Ty breaking Brigham's new 60 inch plasma with a projectile sippy cup -- watch out Jake Heaps, he's got his eye on your position!), and then did cake.  After our guests left, Benjamin and his dad stayed up late watching football and sports highlights.  It was a great day for a sports-loving lad like Benjamin.

Benjamin is growing up-- he chose a chocolate eclair cake over a themed birthday cake for the first time!  I did not protest!

 Today is Benjamin's actual birthday, and the Gronemans came over to celebrate with us.  We had the dinner of his choice (chicken pasta salad with Tuscan bread), and he spent time with Gramps putting together the Legos that he got from his cousins the day before.  He opened presents yet again and was very excited to get a real camera from Gramps and Grandma.  It was another good day.

After three days of party, you may think it's over, but oh no!  The party will continue in just 3 weeks when Benjamin gets baptized!  He is very excited about it.  (People who have children who are baptized are old.  That's been a standing rule that I may need to reconsider now.)

How fun to have so much family around to party with!

Manly Secrets

Tonight during dinner Brigham kept asking Benjamin about a certain girl-- someone I'd never heard of.  When I asked about her, Brigham said, "That's just between us-- right, Benjamin?" and winked.  I asked Benjamin if she is in his class at school, and he said she was.  There was more winking from Brigham.  I could see that I wasn't going to get any answers if I wasn't direct, so I finally asked, "Is she the cutest girl in your class?"  Benjamin answered in a very mater-of-fact, almost bored tone, "Yeah.  Dad is really into that sort of thing."

Back to School Night

Tonight was back to school night at Benjamin's new school.  My overwhelming impression of the school was, "Wow.  It's HOT!"  Believe it or not, Benjamin's school doesn't have air conditioning!  (Except the computer lab which has a window unit-- possibly sending subliminal messages to the children to embrace modern technology??)  Last I checked it was 2011.  So why doesn't his school have AC?  Spoiled Americans should NOT have to live like this!  It's outrageous!  What his class does have is this really big box fan that gets nice 'n loud if you turn it up enough to make a slight breeze.  I wouldn't say that it creates the best of learning atmospheres.

When I wasn't fantasizing about climbing into freezers or jumping into glacial lakes, I learned that Benjamin's teacher is going to skip 3rd grade math entirely and just teach the 4th grade curriculum.  She seems very sharp and on top of things, and frankly, a little intimidating.  She looks incredibly fit and tan (especially for a woman probably in her 50's) and has pictures of people (herself possibly?) doing martial arts all over one wall in the classroom.  I won't be surprised if I end up having nightmares about not getting my homework done for weeks! 

Despite the heat and the fact that he hasa teacher who could beat the tar out of all of us without breaking a sweat, I think Benjamin is in good hands at Peruvian Park and that he'll do well-- if he can keep up with all of the Asian kids in his class!

August Review

Ugh. It's official: I am bored of blogging. But it was my New Year's resolution, so I must press on! One blog a month is pathetic at best, I know. I'm going to TRY to do better in September. It seems that some improvements have been made to blogger since I blogged last, so maybe this will be easier now and I'll feel more inspired to blog more. We'll see...

We had some good times this month. First of all, at the beginning of the month, our good friends from Baltimore, the McBrides and the Harknesses, came for a visit while both were on vacation here in Utah.

It was so fun to catch up with these great friends and to see these kiddos who spent their babyhood together get reacquainted.

Next came a camping trip to the mountain property with Gramps and Grandma Groneman!  Grandma and Grandpa Dastrup were sweet enough to watch Jacob (our non-camper) so that Benjamin, Ty and I could stay the night (Daddy had to work).

We had so much fun!  Ty dug in the dirt with tractors that Gramps brought and rode down the hill on his toy ATV.  Benjamin practiced his archery and made "mountain buddies" out of rocks and googly eyes.  We all helped Gramps divert a stream and make stairs down to our "beach" by the stream, roasted hot dogs, and ate lots of s'mores!

Cousin Emmy came up for a little while, and she and Ty had a great time playing together.  Ty was really excited about sleeping in the trailer and kept asking to go to bed.  He went down happily, and although he was too excited to sleep for awhile, he was happy to stay in his bed in the trailer!

For me, the next exciting thing was Education Week.  Between my wonderful mother and mother-in-law offering their babysitting services, I was able to go for most of the week, and it was fabulous!  I went to a lot of parenting classes, and now I am busily trying to be a better mom!  What a great opportunity to refuel my mind and spirit and recharge after a LONG summer!  THANK YOU to both Moms!

August 22nd was the light at the end of my tunnel that finally arrived:  the first day of school!  I am ashamed to admit that I was quite giddy the night before-- it really did feel like Christmas Eve!  I know a lot of moms who were sad to send their kids back to school, but they definitely don't have the same situation that we do.  After being home all summer with 3 kids who can't really play together, and being stuck in our house for a good part of it because I can't take Ty and Jacob (who run-- or sprint, in Ty's case--in opposite directions) most places without help from another adult, and since Brigham works or sleeps most days of the week, it was a very long summer!  So anyway, school finally started last Monday!

Benjamin started 3rd grade at a new school where the gifted program is located.  Of course he was nervous about going to another new school (his 4th in 4 years, poor kid), but so far he has made a couple of friends and seems to be doing pretty well.

Jacob also started at a new school-- one exclusively for kids with disabilities.  His teacher is wonderful, and it sounds like he is having a good time there and learning some new things, too!

Of course the biggest event of the month was Jacob's sixth birthday last Friday.  He had school, but that evening we had a birthday party with both sets of grandparents.  He received all kinds of wonderful John Deere presents and a Mario blanket, too.  He was one happy boy.

Since Mario Kart is Jacob's new passion, I made him a Mario Kart cake and then we played Mario Kart for him.  He was thrilled to pieces!

We are so grateful to have this sweet boy in our family and for all the love and joy that he brings to us!

Fun on the Fourth

Our Independence Day this year started out with Benjamin's first official race: the Sandy Classic 5k. I had prepared myself mentally this time to be left in the dust by my boys like I was at Benjamin's Fun Run, and I was even looking forward to it. Unfortunately, it wasn't Benjamin's day. He'd been limping around the house for about a week after hurting his foot at the splash park, but I really thought he'd be better for the race. Be it his foot injury or staying up super-late at the Stadium of Fire with his Dastrup grandparents and cousins, we could tell from the very beginning that something wasn't right. Brigham and I had to coax him along almost the whole race. But he still took 6th place in his age division, so he was happy about the race even if it wasn't his best.

After the race we went down to Provo for the parade. Grandpa and Grandma Dastrup were heroes once again-- putting out chairs on the parade route super-early before coming up to watch us run the 5k. (I don't know where they get their energy!) Jacob did much better this year with it than he did last year, and to my surprise, Ty was the one asking to leave after an hour or so. We may not have seen the whole parade, but we saw the BYU float (making Benjamin happy), some tractors (making Jacob and Ty happy), and several city royalty floats (making Brigham happy), so it was a good time.

After visiting my Grandpa Haslem for awhile, we then went to a Dastrup gathering at Brigham's Uncle Neal's house, which is a dream come true for kids. They ran around with their cousins playing basketball, jumping on the tramp, chasing the dogs, and watering the plants with water from the cooler (Ty).

That evening we had a family movie night and then decided to save our fireworks for the 24th since Ty was exhausted and Benjamin had seen a great fireworks show at the Stadium of Fire.

It was a great day and so nice that Brigham had it off this year!

June Summary

Having been overcome by a combination of busyness and laziness, I failed to post anything in June, and for that I am ashamed. So here is my sorry attempt to keep the month of June from fading into the obscurity of our memories.

The annual Dastrup Family Reunion was this month, and it was great to reconnect with so many of our East Coast relatives. The best part was seeing all of the kids running around together like a pack of wolves. So much of my childhood revolved around my cousins that it makes me happy to see our kids bonding with theirs.

After the Family Olympics-- Benjamin was quite the competitor and won many races!

Ty's first Creamie. He was a BIG fan.

Benjamin and his cousin Caleb-- I love how they fell asleep facing each other!

We decided to take advantage of the abnormally cool weather and go to the zoo. Jacob wasn't a big zoo fan in ABQ, so I was a little nervous about how he'd do, but I didn't need to be-- he loved it! Especially the elephants-- he watched them for a long time. They have a "Zoorasic" theme going on right now, with dinosaur models that move, roar, and even squirt water, and they scared the pants off of Ty! Our fearless little boy would come running to me, saying, "Scary, scary!" and insist on being carried whenever we came across a dinosaur. It was actually quite helpful in keeping him corralled!

Brigham ran the Wasatch Back Relay again this year-- this time with friends from high school including Jake Martin, his brother Sam, Jess Brereton, and Todd Allen. They had a good time-- except when Brigham ran hard reached an exchange station and found no one from his team there. The other van was at the wrong exchange station!

Jacob getting comfortable with his computer from Gramps and Grandma Groneman. This is before he urinated on the monitor.

My sister Cambrie was visiting in the middle of her move, and we had lots of good times together, including a carnival in Pleasant Grove. Jacob liked watching the rides, but did NOT want to go on them. Benjamin had a good time, and Ty was in heaven. It was hard to keep him from running onto rides without a ticket!

Pudding painting-- a hit with both little boys!

On June 30, my handsome husband turned 32. He started the day with a round of golf with his parents and brother, Sam. Then most of the rest of his family came over for grilled pizza and his birthday cheesecake. We all went to see Cars 2 together, and it was definitely the best movie experience we've had as a family in a long time. Jacob was bouncing up and down on the seat and clapping madly, so I think that he liked it. Ty liked it too, although by the end of the movie he got a little restless and started running around the theater. That evening, Brigham and I left the party at our house and went out for dinner and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at Hale Center Theater. It was a good day, and I'm happy that it looks like Brigham is only a year younger than I am once again.

I know that I've left out a lot of fun and wonderful June events, but hopefully I'll do better in July. (I wouldn't bet on it, though.) Blogger has been acting up for me and keeps shutting down in the middle of my post. If any of my computer nerd relatives have tips for me, I'd be happy to hear them!