It is hard to believe that CHRISTmas is here (and almost gone).
2012 has been a year that has FLOWN by!
I felt so unprepared this year for CHRISTmas. I had BIG plans of this to make and things I
wanted to do with my girls. Not much of
the list got accomplished. I just had to
come to grips with the fact it wasn’t going to get done.
As a family 1st this year we went to cut down our CHRISTmas tree. What a fun event that was. We LOVED it and are looking forward to making that a new tradition.
We then decorated the tree and took pictures with the tree
This CHRISTmas as in ones past I wanted to focus on the TRUE
meaning of CHRISTmas and the reason WHY we celebrate in the 1st
place. It is important to our family that
we give to others that NEED. We were
blessed to be able to give to a few people this year who were in need. I made BLESSING BAGS with my girls to give
out to those on the streets. We made
bags full of hygiene stuff for our full time missionaries in our ward, as well
as our senior missionary couple. We also
made plates of yummy stuff to give to our friends. It was
so fun to spend time in the kitchen with all 4 of my girls --- AND my hubby
baking yummy goodies. Everyone helped.
Everyone made their favorite yummy treat (my hubby’s favorite part was TESTING
the goodies J)
This year as like last, we are REALLY missing our family. I was hoping to be able to spend CHRISTmas
with my parents and brother this year. BUT it didn’t work out that way. So again
it was just our quiet little family.
CHRISTmas eve was spent baking more yummy goodies, delivering them
to friends, spending TIME as a family and enjoying watching the SNOW fall! As is tradition, the girls watched CHRISTmas
movies ALL DAY and colored CHRISTmas pictures.
My hubby read the CHRISTmas story to us by the fireplace, we took traditional new pj pictures.....
and then we had
family prayer, then we put the girls to bed.
YES it was 10pm and that meant a REALLY long night for mama…. Since I
hadn’t even wrapped a single present.
Luckily, my hubby stood watch at the stairs (to make sure the girls
stayed in bed and didn’t PEEK) so I could wrap and prepare for “santa” to
come. Amazingly enough we were in bed by
1am. And our WONDERFUL girls stayed in bed til 7:45am. That is sleeping in for us!
The girls were so excited to see what SANTA
had brought them. Haylee (our oldest)
got a guitar and lots of clothes. Sydney (#2) got a tablet, a nice church jacket,
and an mp3 player. Kelsee (#3) got a new DSi and a BIG Merida doll, along with
an mp3 player. Delaney (our “baby”) got
Little People PRINCESS figures, a baby doll and lots of books! The girls also got
2 PINK BB guns from daddy… which they have already put to the test down in the
basement.
We had a great time opening presents and spending the day together.
Playing with all the new toys and watching CHRISTmas movies. I felt like I
spent the day in the kitchen preparing and cooking our CHRISTmas dinner. We had ham, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls
and homemade apple pies for dessert. It
makes me happy that my family LOVES my cookin’.
I guess I am doing something right.
Well that is our CHRISTmas in a nutshell. I am so grateful for this time of year that
we have to focus on the birth of our Savior.
I am so grateful for HIS sacrifice for each of us. We have truly been blessed to live in such a
time that we may worship as we please. May you all feel the LOVE that our
SAVIOR has for you and feel the blessings that our Father in Heaven has given
you.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!
