Last of the December Loves

It has been a great December.

I LOVED...

• Megan and Ellie's 'Cooking Show' of how to make a bowl of cereal and a peanut butter sandwich (it was 10:00 at night, I refused to let them 'cook'). Complete with their new aprons, plenty of make-up and the camcorder recording them. I especially loved watching the recordings and hearing Ellie say at the end of each segment, "Let's go show Mom and" and Megan interrupting her sentence with, "ELLIE!" (The tone screams, 'Ellie, this is a professional cooking show. Don't say that when it is recording.')

• The disputes over the stupid our dear Elf, Jingle, because he didn't disappear back to the North Pole on Christmas Eve like he was supposed to.  Three days post Christmas, when Ellie was distressed that Jingle still lingered in the same spot, we surmised that his extended stay was to monitor the post-Christmas behavior of the children.  He finally made his return to the North Pole.  I can't wait until Casey and Cindy's children get older and they can be gifted a smiliar gift of,  The Elf on The Shelf.

• The nine 'knife holders' Luke made the day after Christmas with his received gift of leather and a leather punch.

• The expression on Mike's parents faces, when they opened up our Christmas gift to them.

• Family time together the week between Christmas and New Years.  
• Children's excitement and exploration of new things.
• Taking down the Christmas tree the day after Christmas. (Or two days after, because I didn't want to spend Sunday doing it.)
• Husband having a procedure done on Monday that reduced his constant 7-8 pain level (on a scale of 1-10)  for the last seventeen years to a 3-4.  Perfect timing for a week off from work. 
• Dinner out with friends despite the 4,371 phones from home.
• Family party with a million cousins running rampant and a spirited game of 'Spoons.'
• Late nights, late breakfasts and a warm home.

It has been a great December.

A Wordless Christmas

Joshua:

"I wish it could be Christmas everyday."

The Eve

In keeping with tradition, we all enjoyed our Formal Christmas Eve dinner.  I commented to Mike during dinner, that it made me smile that nobody complains (okay one nine year old boy who shall remain nameless does) that I require encourage everyone to come dressed in their very best dress.  It adds to the spirit of the holiday and evening.
I.
LOVE.
IT.

(Whose kid is that, that did not dress appropriately for The Formal Christmas Eve Dinner?!?)

This year we finally broke away from my dad, Cindy or Luke always winning and we all cheered when Kristin won the five dollar bill, courtesy of the quarter found in her chocolate trifle serving.

I introduced a last minute game that my friend suggested while running with her Christmas Eve morning.  It required an early morning trip to the store, a lot of wrapping paper, some drying of tears and a few stern lectures after.  It is probably not high on the 'become a tradition list' . . .

All in all though,
What a great evening!
Did I mention, I LOVE it?

I think one of my favorites of the year.

A Christmas Lesson

Ellie was reading a Nativity book to Joshua ...

Joshua: "Ellie, how come there are no horses in that book?"
Ellie: "Because they only had shepherds and camels and stuff like that."
Joshua: "Ellie is that really true?"
Ellie: "Yes."

I love being surrounded by little children at Christmas.
It is magical, sincere and simple.

Merry Christmas!

More December Loves

I love first grade programs.
Actually, the first two I attended did not stir the same excitement and anticipation in me as this one did. Ellie has been singing the songs constantly for the two weeks preceding the program. A couple of days before the program Ellie heard me singing the song that had become stuck in my head for hours... "Christmas cookies and holiday cheer..." She looked at me with a shocked look on her face and questioned, "How do you know that?!?" "Hummm" I replied, I've heard you singing it constantly for days and days!" 

Ellie was dressed, complete with her coat and back pack on thirty minutes before the departure time.  (Man I wish we could have a First Grade Christmas Program every day if it always elicited that much obedience and co-operation in the mornings from Ellie!)

I love this year's Christmas tree with a western theme.  Even if it is already half dead and Christmas is still a few days away...

I love an evening spent at Temple Square (even though we forgot the camera) seeing the beautiful lights and displays.

I love Christmas music playing in my kitchen daily.  My favorite? And Mike's LEAST favorite? 'Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton's Once Upon A Christmas'

I love more dinner parties.

(Keith & Brandi (and Elizabeth) Wieland, Tiffany and Mike)

I love that when I asked Megan if she wanted us to all squoosh around the dining room table when the Wielands came, or do a separate kid table she said, "As long as you set the kid table pretty too."

(Luke, Lauren, Joshua, Drew, Kathryn)

I love singing Christmas songs around the piano.  (Of all our dinner guests/December visitors, I knew that the Wielands would be the only ones to not scoff at the idea of singing carols around the piano.)  We all had a great, enthusiastic time.  (Except for one nine year old boy...)

I love the Nativity story told by a three year old, "Jesus was born in a barn with horses and other animals.  Then after he was a baby Jesus he was big Jesus."

Happy, Happy December!

A Memory For Monday (With Ornaments)

This year, I broke from our traditionally decorated Christmas tree... Colored lights, and ornaments that the kids have picked out each year, and some traditional and sentimental ones from mine and Mike's childhood.  Instead, this year, I asked each person in the family permission to do a 'western themed tree' instead.   We all love it.  The children each have trees in their bedrooms, adorned with their own sentimental ornaments.

Everyone wins...
Almost!

Though I love my tree this year, there are a couple of decorations that I miss having displayed.  None of the kids chose them for their bedroom trees, and they didn't really fit the western tree.

They are treasured ornaments and memories.  And so instead, they will be remembered as today's Memory for Monday. 

In December 1982, my friend Lynsey Dyki had a 'Fancy Dress' birthday party (English for costume party). I went as a Christmas tree. At some point over the years, the photo was turned into a tree ornament, and hangs faithfully on our tree each year.

And no matter how classy one's Christmas tree decor is, who can resist hanging this ornament with a photo of Mike in it from 1982?!  (It is now intermingled with the western decorations...)

Merry Christmas!

From Our Home to Yours

(I couldn't get this to scan in straight! The card itself was not crooked!!)

Our 10th annual State of Our Union Christmas letter:

Merry, Merry Christmas.

From Our Home to Yours