Christmas!

Christmas! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Harrison sang in the Primary choir!

Christmas 2011

Carter and Harrison loved making a gingerbread house.

Christmas is such a wonderful time. I adore that this season celebrates Heavenly Father's ultimate gift to the world- Jesus Christ. Our family focused on having a Christ-centered Christmas by doing scripture readings, a Jesse tree, and attending Church meetings and performances. We minimalized gift giving, and we returned the magic of Christmas to where it should be- on faith, family, and friends.

Kurt and Harrison catch a movie while Carter takes a nap.

Harrison and Carter exchanged their gifts- and enchanged a brotherly hug!

Carter opens his gifts from Grandma and Grandpa Lyle!

 Harrison was thrilled to open Grandpa and Grandma Lyle's gifts!

Carter was thrilled to get a 50 States activity book! He loves getting new things for homeschool! Thanks Grandpa and Grandma Lyle!

Does Harrison love Grandpa and Grandma Lyle's gift? YES!

Carter was thrilled to get Legos from Mom and Dad!

They loved their gifts from Santa!

Harrison loves Toy Story! Thanks Grandpa and Grandma Lyle!

Kurt, Abi, and Harrison put together Legos!

 Carter, Sean, and Harrison- Christmas Day 2011

Sean and Carter put together Legos!

 The boys love Legos! Can you tell???

Life is full of sweet surpises

Everyday's a gift

The sun comes up and I can feel it lift my spirit

Fills me up with laughter, fills me up with song

I look into the eyes of love and know that I belong

Bless us all, who gather here

The loving family I hold dear

No place on earth, compares with home

And every path will bring me back from where I roam

Bless us all, that as we live

We always comfort and forgive

We have so much, that we can share

With those in need we see around us everywhere

Let us always love eachother

Lead us to the light

Let us hear the voice of reason, singing in the night

Let us run from anger and catch us when we fall

Teach us in our dreams and please, yes please

Bless us one and all

Bless us all with playful years

With noisy games and joyful tears

We reach for you and we stand tall

And in our prayers and dreams

We ask you bless us all

We reach for you and we stand tall

And in our prayers and dreams we ask you

Bless us all.

-Song from Muppet Christmas Carol

Santa Train!

Recently I have been seeing my parents a little bit. One of the things they requested was to take the kids to the Santa Train. Uncle Brian, Sean, Carter, Harrison, and Grandpa Russ all rode the Santa Train together while Kurt and I had a date! The little guys adored seeing Santa (again!) and they are always thrilled to ride trains!!! After the Santa Train event, Grandpa and Grandma took everyone to lunch at McDonalds and let the kids run around like crazy in the Playland! The kids love being together and it was a good chance for all of us adults to catch up. Big thanks to Uncle Brian for snapping all of the photos of the kids =)

 The boys are so excited to ride the train!

 Cartermania enjoys looking out the windows. 

 I never noticed before this picture, Carter has the exact same smile as Grandpa Russ.

 I love this picture. It captures Harrison's personality so well! 

 Harrison shows off his ticket.

I love Sean's little face! So kissable!

 Harrison and Grandpa are actually looking at Santa. I love how lit-up my father's eyes are in this picture. Christmas with children really does bring back the magic.

 The boys ride the train, eat candy canes, and have a blast!

 The boys pose with Santa! They loved the Santa Train!

Kurt took me on such a nice date- we had a wonderful time! We continued our date after the boys went to bed- we watched a movie and made fudge together!

Christmas Pageant!

This year was the first year my boys were in a Christmas Pageant! Carter was a shepherd and Harrison was a little donkey! The pageant was during the last week of my classes, but that did not stop me from making their costumes! I had such a blast! I loved having an excuse to pull out my sewing machine and being able to make their costumes was truly a dream come true! No... really... it was. I always envisioned what it would be like to be a mother, and whenever a chance to do one of these maternal rites of passage arrives I get a thrill! I did not have the time to do anything very elaborate- but they were adorable nonetheless!

Very proud of their costumes. Harrison shows us his donkey tail, lol!

 This is the entire Primary! 

 Carter with Santa.

 Harrison with Santa.

Sean with Santa.

Sleepover!

On Friday night we were so thrilled because we got to have Sean sleep over! We miss Sean so much, and it was such a great time!

The kids had a blast playing with their Star Wars toys! Our boys let Sean choose the character he wanted to be first, and I was so proud of them! Sean was Obi Wan, Carter was Darth Vader, and Harrison was R2.

As soon as Kurt was home from work we took the boys to dinner. It was adorable when the owner of the restaurant ran over to him, called him by name, and hugged him. I guess we picked a place he would like! He didn't request to go there, but apparently he is a regular! LOL!

When dinner was finished we went home for our homeschool lesson. We did core work during the day, but our main lesson needed night-time! Our lesson was about Christmas tree-toppers. Specifically, we discussed angels and stars. To discuss the reason behind Christmas tree stars we took the boys outside, rested on blankets, and talked about the three wise men who followed a star. It was such a peaceful moment, and the boys loved hearing us talk about the star. We explained that most of the stars in our sky now, looked down upon the baby Jesus during his birth and life on Earth. The kids LOVED that image, and felt so special to be under so many of the same stars that were gazed upon by our Savior!

After our lesson we took the boys inside to watch Christmas movies. They got to eat popcorn! Popcorn is a special treat, since we don't normally eat grains- so the boys were thrilled! After the movies were over, the boys were all tucked into bed, their room decorated with their own Christmas tree and Christmas lights. They all got kisses and hugs, and we expressed our love for them.

In the morning Kurt made Sean's favorite breakfast: bacon and eggs! Sean is a bacon freak- he ate four pieces! Our boys were very upset when Sean had to leave, but his Dad missed him and needed him back, lol. With sad hearts the boys said their goodbyes, and promptly asked me when they would get to see Sean again. With any luck, it will be soon =)

We miss that little punkin so much!

December 1st!!!

I have been SO excited for December to start! Traditional Advent started this past Sunday, and our Jesse Tree started on Tuesday, but most of the Christmas countdowns and other Advent calendars start today! I was so thrilled because we finally finished our wonderful "Birds" homeschool unit, and I decided that all this month's lessons will be Christmas themed!

This is our Jesse tree, so far. It is a small, inexpensive, fiber-optic tree that we plan on reusing every year. The ornaments were print-outs included in our Jesse Tree devotional book. I printed the ornaments in color, and Kurt and I cut them out and mounted them on red paper. We thought it looked pretty cute with sparkling ribbons to hold the ornaments in place on the tree.

This is our Jesse Tree devotional book. I printed the free ebook, put the pages in sheet protectors, and stored them in this binder. Kurt picked out the green colored binder, I love that he helped me with this project, and it felt like our own little mini-date! Carter is pictured in the background, being a little goof-ball! Our Advent wreath is pictured at the right.

 My parents bought this countdown Advent calendar for the boys. Each window opens to reveal a small treat. Every single window that opens prompts the mechanical Santa and elf to dance, with lights that illuminate the dancing scene. Each of the twenty-four doors not only makes the Santa and elf dance, but each one plays its own Christmas song! Twenty-four different songs!

Sadly, Harrison is not feeling well at all today. While Harrison rested, Carter had some special morning time alone and enjoyed a cup of hot cocoa. The boys are allowed to have candy-canes occasionally, and Carter asked if he could put his inside the cocoa. His sweet little face is so adorable!

 I am using a ToddlerBites ebook as the foundation of our homeschool studies. The ToddlerBites book is the "Reasons for the Season" and explains a lot of the reasons that we have certain decorations or traditions- ranging from why we hang Christmas lights to why we make gingerbread men. Every day, the book starts with a theme, gives the week's biblical family memory verse, contains a discussion starter, has a discussion plan, includes an activity idea, prayer, and has a "further activity" to enrich the lesson more! I printed the book, put the pages in clear sheet protectors, and am using a binder to keep it all together. I love this ebook! It was offered on the ToddlerBites site, free of charge, and contains so much information! The discussions are full of historical information about the different "reasons" at elementary-school age-appropriate levels. The activities are cute, inexpensive, and fun! I am supplementing the daily "reasons" with additional print-outs, crafts, and fun activities. I love this month!

The "Reasons for the Season" page and just a few of the additional print-outs for today. Today was the reason behind Christmas trees! It was a nice history of the early Christmas trees! I can't wait to finish today's craft with Carter, I have been putting it off, hoping Harrison will feel well enough to join us. Let's hope!

With all of these activities and plans for the kids, I have found that I have been forgetting to take care of myself. Wouldn't ya guess that today I found yet another Advent calendar? Only this time, it is a calendar for me! The calendar is free, and was created here. The goal? To get twenty-four people to sign up to follow this Advent challenge for better health. I am so excited! What a wonderful way to remind myself to be healthy! Between finals (ick!), my birthday (AHHH!), and Christmas- there is a lot going on this month! One of the first things that falls through the cracks, for me, is taking care of myself- so this is the perfect reminder!!! If you would like to follow along, just print this calendar, and tell Amy you are accepting the challenge!

Happy December 1st! I hope this is the best holiday season yet!

Advent

Advent is a beautiful way to prepare our spirits for Christmas. Growing up I adored Advent, and looked forward to it eagerly. At one point, either in Catechism or in private school, I made my own little Advent candle holder - a simple small block of wood with four small holes. I hand dipped candles for my small Advent, and I humbly offered it as a part of our Christmas decor. I do not know what happened to my small Advent candle holder, but the memories that surround it live within me.

Remembering Christmases past, Kurt and I both fondly recall Advent candles being a part of our childhood. Kurt does not recall owning an Advent wreath, but loved the idea of bringing one into our home.

The first Sunday of Advent represents Hope. This week, as our youngest child has lit our purple Advent candle, we reflect upon hope.

Pictured here, is our own Advent wreath. In the background is our Jesse Tree, naked- as the tree devotionals did not begin until later in the evening.

I am so excited for this Christmas! I am so thankful that I get to homeschool our boys, and we can literally spend every moment of this season celebrating Christ and learning about the Gospel. I am so thankful for the hundreds of ideas that other parents have shared about teaching core subjects while learning more about the birth of our Savior! Carter and Harrison are excited to learn more about Jesus, and they are also excited about Santa- and in our homeschool that is okay.

May the peace and love that can come from the warm light of the Advent fill our homes!

(We are using the Jesse Tree book from this site)
(Yes, we are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and we celebrate Advent! For information about LDS celebrations of Advent you can look here!)

"The true meaning of Christmas"

I often lecture my children on "the true meaning of Christmas." There are literally hundreds of books, movies, and songs dedicated to "the true meaning of Christmas." As a Christian I frequently reflect on "the true meaning of Christmas." But somehow, I still seem to occasionally forget it...

We started the day with breakfast, and then the boys wrote letters to Santa! I understand some people do not tell their children about Santa, but we do. We feel there is room for Santa in our traditions, and we welcome him every year.

Today is Cyber Monday. Online shopping, hooray! I adore online shopping- I am not a fan of crazy crowds, and I would rather sip coconut milk cocoa and shop in my pjs any day. As I was shopping (unsuccessfully...) for my children's Christmas gifts, I saw a few Lego Advent calendars I had wanted for the boys, but forgotten to buy before today. Realizing that December 1st is just around the corner, I hastily started clicking site after site, searching for one Lego City Advent Calendar and one Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar. There were many sites offering one item or the other item, but I wanted them shipped together. I was frustrated. I finally found a site that carried both, but by the time I was ready to "check out"  I had spent a whole hour shopping for these things. I was happy, I finally found both calendars! Wouldn't the boys be excited!? They would get a new Lego toy every single day until Christmas!!! Hooray! These new Lego Advents, in addition to the singing, dancing, candy-filled Advent calendar from my parents... the candle advent I wanted to use... and the Jesse Tree.... woah... wait...

As I stopped and thought about my plans for Christmas, I realized I was sabotaging my own beautifully thought-out traditions with meaningless "stuff." I had envisioned sitting at the dinner table, and slowly lighting our beautiful candle advent. I had pictured daily family scripture study, combined with the loving crafting of our own Jesse Tree ornaments to symbolize all we had learned. My mind had seen the children accepting their small candies thankfully, watching the tiny figures on the mechanical advent dance while singing a different song every day. Yes, I saw all of that, and it was all good and appropriate. Why then, did I feel the need to add more? I am not new to parenting, I know exactly what would happen if they were to get new Lego toys in addition to all of these things... how can a small Jesse Tree compete with a Santa Yoda minifigure? In mindless haste I had forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. I had wasted precious time, and had almost thrown away money, on "stuff."

Problem. I had already told the boys they were getting Lego Advents... the last thing I wanted to do was disappoint them. I felt horrible to go back on something I had already promised them, and I hoped they would take the loss without screaming too much. I braced myself for the worst, and called them into my room. I told them that I thought the Lego Advent calendars were not a good idea, and I apologized for the change of plans. What they did next was the most amazing part... they smiled, said, "Okay!" and ran back to their room to resume playing with their toys. Wow! They get it!

I temporarily forgot the meaning of Christmas, but my children did not. I love that! 

I am so thankful that we have such an awe-inspiring and loving Savior who died for our sins- it is truly a good thing that I am offered forgiveness, because I seem to need it often. I am thankful that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love me, and are willing to offer their love at all times, despite my many faults. I am so thankful for the scriptures, and for their daily reminders of who I really am, and who I can be. And today, I am even more thankful than ever for my children- who truly do make me a better person!

Christmas!

Merry Christmas! Our Christmas was really wonderful. Christmas Eve was spent with Brian, Sean, and our little family. It was great! Brian had the day off work, so we all hung out, and we got ready for Grandma and Grandpa Smith to stay the night! Grandma made a yummy lasagna (gluten free! YAY!) dinner, bread, and dessert! After we were full, and the dishes were done, we all piled into Grandpa's SUV and we drove around looking at Christmas lights! SO PRETTY! Kurt stayed home, he was feeling better, but didn't want to overdo it. We were thrilled to see him up and around!

Kurt and I woke up really early, and we saw that Santa had visited! (We went back to bed, it was too early!) I was the first one up on Christmas morning. Kurt and I were up at 7am. The sun was coming up, it was one of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen. The colors were fantastic! I woke up Brian, and then my parents. We all gazed at the sunrise, and then started the day. The kids woke up and were THRILLED to see the presents under the tree, and LOVED that Grandma and Grandpa were here already! Sleepovers are the BEST!!!!!!

We opened Christmas Crackers and then started with a few small gifts. We then enjoyed cinnamon rolls- Harrison and I shared a gluten free one! MMMmmm! We moved on to bigger gifts, and when it came time to open the gifts that Santa brought the kids were thrilled beyond expression. We started with the youngest child first, and Harrison was SOOOO happy to get his Buzz Lightyear with Utility Belt ("Sir-Dah-Hoes" Buzz, instead of "Servos Buzz"). Sean went next, and literally shouted for joy when he saw that he didn't just get Ironman Hands (like he asked for), but he got an Ironman helmet and chest thingie (sorry, I don't really know Ironman very well) too!!! Carter was last.... he was so amazing to watch. He was literally buzzing with anticipation. When he opened the first gift, it was Polar Express posable figures. He didn't really understand that they were a part of a set, but was happy to get them nonetheless. When he opened his next gift, a Polar Express diorama, he went NUTS. He started jumping up and down, screaming, "POLAR EXPRESS!!!!!" His excitement flooded the room, and a few of us were teary eyed at how excited little Carter was just for a cardboard cutout! I wont lie... pretty sure that we could have just put that up over one of his existing train sets, and he seemed like he would have been thrilled. He opened his next gift, and it was train tracks. He looked a little confused, and then hopeful, when he realized he had one more gift to open, and the tracks that he just opened didn't fit any of his current trains. Then, he opened his last gift. He went CRAZY. He was jumping all around and telling all of us to look at his Polar Express Train! He wanted to hold it. He wanted to see it. He wanted to just gaze! HE WAS SO EXCITED! It was great!

All the kids enjoyed their gifts, while I made a breakfast casserole. Grandpa Russ and Kurt helped Carter set up his Lionel Polar Express Train. Grandma Joyce and Brian helped Sean put together his awesome Lego set (a gift from Brian to Sean). We had breakfast, and Brian had to go to work. We all watched Grease, a new Blu-Ray movie that Brian and I got for our mom, and snacked on homemade goodies. The kids played with their toys all day. A few games were played (Toy Story Memory, a gift from Grandma and Grandpa Lyle to Harrison, and R2D2 Star Wars Trouble, last year's gift from Carter to Kurt). What fun!!!

We finished the evening with a ham and cherry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato casserole, mixed veggies, and baked beans. Everyone enjoyed the meal, and we had great conversation.

There never was such a Christmas =) We pray that other families had as wondrous a day as we did. May the joy of the Savior, and the love and atoning sacrifice He gave to all, bring all of us peace =)

Our tree, late at night after Santa came!

Christmas morning!

Kids are ready for gifts!


Harrison needs a bit of help from Daddy, they are opening Harrison's gift from Santa!



Harrison tries REALLY hard to unwrap his gift!



Dang. Not in focus. Oh well, Harrison is so excited to get his Buzz Lightyear with Servos!

Sean's turn to open his gift from Santa!

He is so excited!

IRONMAN HANDS!!! AND... MORE?! He is so happy!!!!

Carter's turn!

He is SO happy!!!!

This is the only pic I captured of his face- I couldnt take pics fast enough! He was SO THRILLED!

Carter shows us all the glitter on his feet! LOL! Looks like Santa likes glittery ribbons!

Grandma and Brian help Sean put together his new Legos!

Daddy and Carter put together tracks!

Grandpa helps unpack Carter's new train!

Grandpa, Kurt, Harrison, and Carter love putting the train together! (Maybe it reminds the older men of being kids, and playing with their own Lionel trains?)

This is where Carter was. All day. LOL!

Lionel Polar Express train! Carter LOVES it!

Harrison is excited. Daddy gave him a REAL Anti-Gravity Servos belt, he matches his new Buzz!!!!

Sean, is IRONMAN! Seeing him in this little outfit makes me giggle, he is so cute! LOL