Frosty White Christmas

 O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining....and so was the tree except for the few bulbs the Grinch must have stolen before he had a change of heart.

 The girls made it until 6:30 a.m. blessed be... then it was Rockin around the Christmas tree.

 Adrie laid out the vittles.

 Traditional Caramel Sticky Buns for breakfast

 Old school and new age, Brynn had a sweet day playing apps like Temple Run on her visually stunning Kindle Fire until the charge ran out. Did you know that Kindle Fire's don't come with chargers?  Neither did Santa! He can't think of everything! He is sending one in the mail promptly!

 There's more than one way to eat a chocolate orange

 Adrie also went gadgety and got an Android tablet.  This one was a bit harder to navigate but we eventually got her well on her way to watching YouTube videos and playing Angry Birds.

 Cannon looks repentant because he knows he shouldn't have run off crying after opening his present and finding out it was just regular legos without first looking to see that the Ninja Swamp Creature ones were right next to them in the box. He and Adrie were thrilled to go to bed tonight with their DreamLites illuminating their rooms with a happy glow.

Kate also went techy and got an iPod Touch. She didn't need any help. She got right to work downloading her favorite songs. She also got the new bedspread she is laying on. Her room is turning out to be a pretty cool preteen pad for hangin' out. 

I feel like I could write an electronic review with the spectrum of gadgets we got but hands down my favorite is my new iPad 2! Crisp visuals, super easy to figure out (and when I can't Kate's right there to offer tips.) Downloading makes me so happy!! Here's a little Christmas money saving tip... Go with refurbished from the Apple Store and you can get a smashing deal along with a 1-yr warranty. Apple pie in a bag. 

Dad got a cordless drill so he can install shelves and do other exciting honey-do projects. 

We were graced with a white Christmas sure enough and the sun came out all day to give the snow that frosty brilliance. We stayed warm and cozy indoors and played with our new gadgets, watched movies, ate chocolate for dinner and followed the directions to build tiny tedious lego structures. 

For Christmas Eve we did our traditional candlelight dinner with ham, potatoes, and orange rolls. We acted out the Nativity, The  kids opened their presents to each other that they had been waiting an eternity and a day for.  Then we finished the most exciting night of the year with The Grinch Who Stole Christmas before scooting the kids off to bed.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger/because there was no room for them in the inn. 

There were shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. 

 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Merry Christmas 2012!

12 Daze of Christmas

Gonna be packing it in today folks because if you're December has been like mine a lot has happened. At the end of it all I'm just glad the world hasn't exploded and my kids are all alive.

1.  Decorating Gingerbread People Before and After

2.  Adrie had her 2nd grade program. My favorite part was watching them dance the Macarena. I'm not sure what the Macarena has to do with Christmas but it was entertaining!   Brynn sang in her school program and the girls were glad to get their violin recital out of the way early in the month.

3. Visit from Santa at the church party.   Cannon changed his mind at the last minute and asked Santa for legos. He didn't think Santa would be able to give him an iPad afterall. Man, is he smart! The girls are going all gadgety for Christmas and asking for electronics of various sorts.

 4. I played in the orchestra for our community Messiah production. It wouldn't be Christmas without that amazing music.  This was my 10th year! and the first time that my mom was able to be there--in spirit.


5. We got loads of snow! We were hoping school would get cancelled the next day and so we made plans to celebrate: Making salt dough ornaments, baking cookies, and snuggling.  School wasn't cancelled but we couldn't give up our plans. We declared it a snow day and stayed home anyway.

6. Driving to the city to meet up with Brandon and for once I was grateful to get pulled over by Highway Patrol. He informed me that on the mountain pass ahead I would encounter deer, snow drifts, and black ice and if I continued to go my speed I might not get to where I was going.  Sure enough he was right! I slowed waay down and was able to safely maneuver through the ice packed stretch of road. I'm pretty sure he saved our lives!! And that is already making for a merrier christmas. 

 7. Went to the movies, did some city shopping, went out to eat and concluded the day with the beautiful lights at Temple Square. Oh,  I forgot how much I love the city!!

8. At the family party Aunt M fashioned these super cool hats for our gift exchange. We have been wearing hats all day ever since but had to draw the line when it came time for church.

 9. Brandon led the ward choir in our Sunday music program. I got to write it, sing, play the cello, and lead the congregation. I thought it went swimmingly and we're both especially glad that it's over!!

10, 11, 12. Watched Silent Night the docudrama which is about the origins of how the song was written in Germany, 1818.  One by one each of the kids wandered off to put themselves to bed. How great is that?! Finally, after all these years, we've learned the secret to a beautiful bedtime. And that's exactly where I'm going to wander off next. Merry Christmas everyone!!

Serendipity

A few days ago I was driving home from getting groceries when in a moment of spontaneity I pulled into the local thrift store and decided to have a look around. Boy, am I glad I did.

Cannon went straight for the toys. I went straight for the books. He found a blue power ranger to complete his rainbow collection. I found this little book written by my grandma, published in 1947.

 My grandma authored 20+ books, most of which I have. I did not have this one and it is a gem. I just delved into it for the first time of my life and it's turning out to be a delightful narrative summary of the Bible. My grandma had a deep love for the Bible which she passed onto her daughter, my mom. No one could tell a Bible story quite like my mom. I remember many of her rousing renditions at the breakfast table. My grandma and mom had one specific version of Bible stories that they preferred to all others--and that, friends, was my next lucky find:

  This looks like the same version my mom read to me and here it was at the thrift store for me to buy and read to my kids. The inside cover read:  Merry Christmas Boys  Love, Mommy and Daddy, 1948. What a treasure.

  This beautiful book uses classic art and it reads just like my mom and I imagine my grandma would have told these stories--add in some wild gesturing. (My mom could not talk without her hands.)  I too, love the Bible and am so thrilled to pass on that love to my children. (I also can't talk without my hands.)
As if this trip weren't already completely and totally paying off I then glanced over to see another familiar title, this one written by my Uncle!!

Grateful for that little nudge that sent me into the thrift store that day,  I'm looking forward to some cozy book nights of sorts in the literal spirit of family.