Life with the Lindseys: December 2016 & Happy 6th Birthday, Zerin!

Happy December!

Lydia's haircut and style by Melissa

Out playing in some of the first snow of the season... If only we'd known how much was still coming.

These kiddos have the coolest Dad. He's always up for being creative and having fun. Here all five of them are riding on Dad's homemade sled (made of old skis, 4-wheeler times, and wood). Several times throughout the winter neighbor kids came over asking if "Brother Lindsey could pull them on the 4-wheeler."

This was one of Dad's earliest sled creations for his children. December 2003, Hyrum was just barely a year old. We were in Tri-Cities for Christmas break (from Chiropractic school). Dad found an old car seat and skis and made this fancy sled for Hyrum.

I bought this costume in Texas when Hyrum was a year old. He and Bella Strasser would take turns wearing this and a unicorn outfit while pushing each other around in baby doll strollers. It's fun that it lasted all five children.

I love that these two love each other. They're up on the stage singing for our ward Christmas party. Porter is hesitant and Zerin is in his element-- performing in front of people. Zerin is so sweet to always take care of his little brothers.

Lydia and Kate

He and Porter did such a good job being brave and sitting with Santa.

Canning dry beans. I think I filled every empty jar we had this fall/winter. We are abundantly blessed.

This van, oh, this van! This is the van of my childhood. I love the memories that flow when I see pictures of this thing. One of my favorites was spring break my Sophomore year. Karena & I went camping at Tucannon with my dad and brothers. On the way home we were laying down in the very back and the boys were dropping food on us and being their rowdy loud selves. I stood up to tell my dad what was going on and saw/heard him singing "Home on the Range" with one arm out the rolled down window completely oblivious to the chaos happening around him. He's always been a great example to me of choosing peace and patience despite what the circumstances may be. He's also frequently whistling or singing, which brings to mind a quote that's true about him. "I don't sing because I'm happy, I'm happy because I sing." The opportunity to choose happiness is available to all of us.
Another memory, not so favorable, is the time I had to drive this beast to school. Dustin and I were taking turns driving this and a little blue truck. For obvious reasons, neither of us liked putting gas in this thing so it was always running on empty. Before I left on this particular morning Dustin reassured me there was plenty of gas for me to make it to and from school. He was wrong. At lunch time I backed out of the parking spot to take it home and right there, blocking three cars in, it died. Completely bone dry. I don't remember how I got gas (Dustin probably brought me some) but we did get the beast out of the parking lot and people were able to move their cars.
One of my earliest memories (about 7/8 yrs old) of this van was a time my mom took us six kids to Rigby when my dad was off camping and motorcycle riding with friends. What should've been a nine hour trip turned into three days. It broke down right around where I now live and we ended up staying the first night at the Black Canyon Motel, exit 13 (only 10 miles from Fruitland). Something was wrong with the radiator and it kept over-heating. This was long before cell phones came along and I remember sitting on the side of the road for what seemed like forever before someone stopped to help us. We made signs with my mom's lipstick asking for help but people still wouldn't stop. One of the times it broke down my mom had to run across the highway and flag down a state trooper to help us. The second night we only made it to Caldwell and stayed at motel just off the Interstate. I remember one of the days was a Sunday and we spent the afternoon at a Bishops house in Caldwell while our van was being worked on. They had a large yard with a pond. Thankfully, on the third day we arrived in Rigby!

Dance party with Bo

For Christmas this year Grandma and Grandpa DeCoria gave each of the kids money and asked them to use it to serve someone else. We decided to adopt a family with six children, five boys and one girl, all around our kids ages. Dad and the children picked out and wrapped the gifts and then we secretly dropped them off. Definitely a memorable experience and what Christmas is really about. Thanks for the inspiration to serve others, Grandma and Grandpa!

It was only a couple degrees outside; these kids were troopers and slightly frozen when they made it back in.

Twice a month out in Council they offer roller skating. This kiddo did awesome and loves it!

Christmas presents from Alaska (Howard & Gloria) arrived. So excited to open them!

Ephraim loved his present from Howard and Gloria so much he had to sleep with it that night. (And, of course, his babies as well).

Lydia in her new jammies and her super soft blanket

Sporting their new clothes from the Peterson's

This picture breaks my heart, and makes me a little sick. I was sitting by the pellet stove earlier in the day and for some reason he came and put his right hand on the glass part of the ragging stove. His entire palm and parts of his fingers and thumb were severely burned. Unfortunately, we didn't have any burn cream or aloe. The poor kid cried in pain for what seemed like hours until he finally fell asleep on the way to the Weiser hospital. (This was Christmas Eve and the grocery store in Council was closed. I called the EMTs and they didn't have anything for burns. Our only option was the Weiser Hospital). Passing through Cambridge we noticed their grocery store was open so Dad went in and bought some aloe. Since Ephraim was sleeping we decided to turn around and go back to the cabin (Dad disliked the idea of the hospital anyway, but I couldn't take watching my child scream in pain when there was nothing I could do about it). The pain of burns can last for days and I was worried when he woke up he'd start crying again, justifiably. However, I was shocked when we arrived back at the cabin and he awoke without crying. Dad wasn't surprised because he'd given him a blessing not long after the incident occurred and felt peace that he would be okay. I am so grateful for the Priesthood on the earth and the blessing of having a righteous husband to administer to our family during times of need. I truly witnessed a miracle that day and over the course of the next few days as his hand healed much better then expected. God is so good!

When Ephraim burned his hand I figured there wouldn't be any games or celebrating that night, but because of the miracle we were able to stay up and play games with the other children. And, of course, have some bubbly.

Christmas morning! Christmas was on Sunday this year, which is always so nice. I love going to church before opening presents and remembering and feeling the spirit of Christmas.

Lydia and our trooper, Ephraim. I'll never get over how well he did with his burns.

Hyrum & Lydia's gift to Dad

Happy 6th Birthday Super Zerin! Oh, how we love our Zerin!! You are the gentle, kind-hearted, peace maker in our home. It' so much fun to watch you grow. One of my favorite things is to listen to you sing and watch you dance. I also love watching you care for Ephraim and give him numerous hugs and kissed throughout the day. The world is a better place because of you, Zerin! Thanks for being our boy!

It's a family tradition to go to a hot spring (usually Zims) for Zerin's birthday, but since Ephraim had burned his hand so bad I stayed home with him while Dad took the others to Mondo Hot Springs. I couldn't imagine a more adorable little guy to spend the day with 💗

Zerin's favorite game right now is Apples to Apples. For his birthday he wanted to stay up late playing with mom and dad.

Watching the tractor plow our driveway. The snow level quickly became too much for our side by side. We got so much snow our 4-wheel drive truck couldn't even make it up. Dad went home the 27th and 28th to work and took Hyrum and Lydia with him. The three littles and I spent almost two weeks out here.

Dad having fun being pulled behind the side by side. The Andrews came the 29th to spend New Year's with us. We had lots of fun playing in the snow, swimming at hot springs, and playing game. We love having cousins around!