Goodness gracious! You know it has been a long break from blogging when I couldn't even remember what to type in to get to my blog! I can hardly believe how long it has been since I've sat down and typed out the thoughts and memories in my mind....oh, how I've missed it. I've been running a million miles an hour and finding a million excuses (one of which has been my recent obsession to Grey's Anatomy...but more on that in another post), and all the while I've been dying to just sit and write...and remember...and ponder. The tree is up, the lights filling my house in the quiet of bedtime slumber...and I know that this has been put off for too long.
I love Christmastime. I love the sweet joy that fills the air. I love the general attitude of charity and selflessness that exists at Christmastime. I love that I take time to reflect on what matters most. I love that is comes just after Thanksgiving, which in our home is a BIG deal. I love looking at my "Blessing Branch" and swelling with pride at the things we've found to be grateful for over the past month. I love my mindset at Christmastime - it's where I wish it was all year long. Most of all...I love the peace I feel at Christmas time. I think I've narrowed down my favoritism of Christmas to that single, simple word...PEACE. For some reason, I am filled with peace during this holiday. Of course, it's no wonder...my home is sparkling (literally) in lights and gold and tinsel and sacred hymns singing of family togetherness, the Savior and of joy fill the air from sun up to sun down. Our evenings are filled with gift wrapping and Christmas stories by the fire and then the kids bustle off to bed in their matching PJ's. It just feels magical. During Christmastime, Cole and I snuggle by the fire more nights than we ever do in the whole year. We all, even the kids, start our mornings off with Hot Cocoa or Cider and sip lazily in our robes before hurrying about to get ready for the day. When chores and school work are done, I even break the cardinal rule of no TV on school nights and we all end up sitting and watching a Christmas movie - most of which end up inspiring and with a great moral. I just love Christmas. Despite the chaos that surrounds us, Christ really does enter our home during Christmastime and we manage to focus on all that is good in life right now. I feel such a sweet peace...and it feels amazing!
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| I was having some issues getting my camera settings to work right...but they are still super cute, so I posted them anyway. We always have a special devotional to kick off the Christmas season. At the end, the kids all open their first gift of the season, which are matching PJ's from Cole and I. This year our devotional was on gifts that we can give that don't cost money. They included the gift of listening, the gift of time, the gift of prayer, the gift of service, the gift of patience, the gift of forgiveness and several others. A sweet spirit filled the room as I saw my kids begin to understand (again) that they didn't need to worry about buying things, but that they could give gifts in other ways. It was a beautiful night and I am grateful for the impact it had on my Christmas season and how it helped me focus on what is really the most important. |
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| Oh how I love these little buggers! And I can't believe how much more I seem to love them when they are all cute and snugly in matching pajamas!;) |
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| Last night Kaitlin had her very first Riverside Choir performance. They sang at the tree lighting ceremony for Washington City. I could not believe how many people were there, but it was so much fun to watch. The park was set up with barrels around the perimeter that had fire in them. They served hot chocolate and donuts all night and Santa was even there. I was so impressed. Kaitlin's choir did great too. It was a little hard to see her, but I went around back and was able to catch a glimpse of her "up-do" bobbing around...which was good enough for me! They sounded incredible. |
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| Afterwards, grandma and grandpa took us to Dairy Queen to have a little FHE and celebrate Kaitlin's first performance. |
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| Love this girl and how excited she was to be in choir. She's definitely a keeper!:) |
