"Tis the Season"

You can feel it in the air. You can see it everywhere. Christmas is on it's way! We have been extremely busy with baking, shopping, wrapping, delivering gifts to neighbors and friends, writing Christmas cards, and among all this 'business' trying to stay focused on the true meaning of Christmas: The birth of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

At the beginning of the Christmas Season Ty and Mara were so excited to get out all the Christmas decorations and start making our house look festive. For Family Home Evening we got out one and only one decoration: The Nativity Set! (Later that week we got out the rest!)

Nate and I were given this cute nativity set for first Christmas together.

I love that it is plastic and that my children can play with it and I don't have to worry about it breaking! Many times throughout the day I find Ty, Mara, and Caleb acting out the Nativity scene with these figurines.

They love to hold baby Jesus in their hands and Caleb will even rock side to side while holding him!

The only problem we've encountered is Caleb loves to carry baby Jesus around and several times he has been lost in the house somewhere. We've really had to 'search for Jesus' and put him back in the stable!

Ever wonder what 12 dozen cookies and 20 loaves of bread looks like? Well I actually did all of the above on a single day! It was pretty crazy but very yummy! I went to a cookie exchange with friends and we each brought 12 dozen cookies. I did different kinds and assortments, but you could bring all the same or whatever you felt like. Then we each took home twelve different plates of goodies. When I got home I made 20+ plates of cookies for neighbors and friends and we went out delivering some Christmas cheer as well as tasty treats!

I made two different kinds of bread--both delicious I might add: Pumpkin and Spiced Applesauce!

Last weekend we went with our friends to the dinosaur museum to see Santa. This picture was actually in the Sun Advocate last week (The Local Newspaper!!) Here we are standing in line with our friends The Brackens waiting for Santa, Genevieve is the one sitting on Santa's lap!

Ty was a brave little boy and sat on Santa's lap and told him what he wanted: A omnidroid, an astro suit, and a raptor costume!

I can't quite tell what Ty is thinking in this picture! I don't think he's quite fond of the old jolly fellow!

Ty was a little nervous if you can't tell, but at least he set a good example for his two younger siblings!

Mara refused to sit on Santa's lap and we though Caleb would at least try so he could get a candy cane! But as you can see he screamed and would not let St. Nick even get close!

He was sure a happy boy after he got his candy cane though! After our encounter with Santa we played at the museum and had a fun afternoon with our friends.

Ty and Mara woke up Sunday morning to find a surprise on their beds! They each had a red present waiting to be opened. When they opened their gift they found something Christmasy to wear on Christmas Sunday!

Caleb already had this festive cute Christmas sweater so he didn't get to open a gift--no worries he didn't even know and he didn't feel bad!

Mara got a beautiful new Christmas dress! So pretty, but she takes after her Aunt Chelsie and does NOT like new clothes! She threw her dress on the ground and refused to wear it!! I forced her in the dress and told her if she didn't wear it she would have to go to church in her underwear! But she put the dress on and I didn't hear another word about the new dress!

And Ty boy! Wow--doesn't he look sharp! What a handsome 6 year old boy!

Now that right there is all I need for Christmas!

For Family Home Evening tonight we had a really special story about serving others and preparing ourselves for celebrating Christmas and Jesus' birth. Then we watched a short clip called The Nativity to remind us of the special reason for the season! May we not find ourselves too busy to remember the true meaning of Christmas and do something special to feel the Christmas Spirit!