Christmas is such a beautiful time of year and we've had some great times getting ready for the main event - Christmas day! What a nice time to reflect on the Savior and why he was born!
To kick things off, we watched the #ASaviorIsBorn videos for FHE and talked about how we could share our testimonies of Jesus Christ. https://www.mormon.org/christmas They were so neat and the kids loved them. I tried to use social media to help others remember as well. This was one of my posts:
Find yourself, and everything else this Christmas.#ASaviorIsBorn
Grandma Di gave the kids a Mini Elf, which became Happy the Service Elf. He left them a letter telling them he wanted them to get into the true spirit of Christmas - by serving as Christ did, since it was all about him. Each morning, he was somewhere different in the house for the kids to find with a service project for us to complete that day. When we completed them, we could tape it and make it into a service chain. Covey kept grabbing him, and if you touch them, their magic goes away. And a few limbs broke off, lol! So the older kids sprinkled him with gold glitter nightly so he could get his magic back. But a few nights before Christmas, he went missing all together. Happy, it was good while it lasted!
We got together with the Smiths to watch the First Presidency Christmas devotional. I especially loved Elder Bednar's talk and never think I will look at Christmas lights the same again. “In every season of our lives, in all of the circumstances we may encounter, and in each challenge we may face, Jesus Christ is the light that dispels fear, provides assurance and direction, and engenders enduring peace and joy...Many Christmas traditions include different kinds of light—lights on trees and homes or candles on tables. May the beautiful lights of every holiday season remind us of Him who is the source of all light.”
Lucy also had her first dance recital. She has been so excited to do ballet with Miss Katie & Miss Mimi! She even finally figured out a cart wheel. She danced to "In My Own Little Chair" from the musical Cinderella and loved it! She is the third from the right in these pictures below. She enjoys being with her friends and playing "freeze dance" at the end of each ballet class. We went and picked out some flowers for her after and she was very excited to get her very own bouquet.
We had a great time at the local light parade! Best part? Martin's Cove missionaries and Daddy! The missionaries had large nativity silhouettes in their handcarts they were pushing and Daddy was with the decked out ambulance promoting the upcoming health fair.
Then we enjoyed a performance of our local Nutcracker with Cal and Emma. They loved seeing their friends perform, who all did a great job! Cal was too cool to yule and didn't want to see Santa this night. I enjoy the Nutcracker, and we always turn on the music and dance at home to it each year!
We worked on home made gifts for one another. I made art or baking aprons for all our kids and the nieces and nephews. They enjoyed them. The kids drew for names this year for the first time. We helped them out but told them they needed to give something that came from the heart and part of their gift had to be home made. Emma worked so hard to make Coverton this cute blue fleece blanket that he loves. She used a new technique to tie the edges. She also used her Mustang buck reward money from school to buy him a little football and she bought him suckers with her own money. She also made him a very sweet card with holly berries on it for him. Cal gave Lucy a Minnie Mouse, since she loves Minnie so much and took so much pride in wrapping it for her. Lucy helped sew Emma a stuffed animal sleeping bag and pillow to go with her kitties. And she got her some . And colored her cute cat pictures. Covey had Cal, and got him a glow in the dark football they can play with together. It was sweet to see them getting so into giving!
Have a very merry Christmas!
Scatter gladness ev'rywhere!
Sing the carols of the Christ child:
Let your neighbors know you care.
The Sunday before Christmas we had an awesome program at church. The choir's music and spoken word helped bring us closer to the Savior. The kids sang "Away in a Manger" and I played "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem" on my flute. So thankful for the Spirit that touched my heart and bore witness to me of Jesus Christ, that he was born, lived, died and was resurrected for us all! The kids also got their new Christmas Sunday outfit, which is a tradition in our family too.
Our ward Christmas party was great! We got to go visit Santa, eat a yummy ham dinner, and we were in the program which was about keeping Christ in Christmas. We were asked to be Mary and Joseph, the sheep (Lucy), an angel (Emma), and a shepard (Cal). Emma and Christine also played "Jingle Bell Boogie" together as a duet and did so great! I was proud. Cov was hanging out with the Smiths as he wouldn't be quiet and still for as long as the program took. It was a nice reminder to not get to busy with everything and just put Christ first during this season and always.
Of course, one of our favorite traditions is going to look around at all the lights in the neighborhood. We all voted, this house is the best here. The kids love jamming out in the back to the song choices.
We were able to do our family tradition of going to a rest home and putting on a Christmas program for the residents. We had our friends the Johnsons go with us. We sang a bunch of songs together and their family did a few things. Emma played a couple piano songs, Cal played Pat-A-Pan on the piano, they sang "The Angels Came to Sing" together, I played my flute too. Jacob (their 3 year old) and Cov danced. Then we took goodies we made and oranges around and talked to the residents. That's always the best part. Most of these people are so sweet and fun and witty, and it's good for the kids to be around "the old Grandma's and Grandpas" (Lucy's words). It was so great and we all felt the Spirit.
We made some fun holiday food. The kids liked these pizzas best! Most of the snacks I made we didn't take pictures of, but Covey enjoyed {squishing} these "Santa Bananas" and really wanted me to take a picture of him with it. And of course, a few fun holiday lunches and notes!
We also made graham cracker gingerbread houses...I had too much going on to make real gingerbread, so that was sad, but whaddya do? I forgot to take pictures before Cov destroyed them! Haha!
This Christmas, our spirits were made bright by Him who Christmas is celebrated for.
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