Enjoying the Gifts of the Season

And by gifts, I means actual presents.  

Gift-wrapped boxes, brown-paper-packages-tied-up-with-string gifts.

When I was a kid, I remember  "sorting" the present with my siblings. We would pull all the presents out from under the tree and put them in piles and count them.  So selfish, I know, but there it is.  This year, Hayden was our chief "present counter." At least, he was the one who consistently reminded me  of the tally and expressed concern that his pile wasn't equal with some of the other kids.  I had to keep telling him I wasn't done shopping yet, and I also had presents hiding in my closet that I hadn't wrapped yet.  In the end, everyone got an equal number.  Don't worry!!

I just loved watching this happen:  Nathan discovering the presents under the tree for the first time.  He worked so hard to get over there until finally... EUREKA!  He could touch them! 

The other thing he loved to try to grab were the tree ornaments.  Thank goodness this year, he still hadn't mastered his movements well enough to really do much damage to the tree or any of the ornaments.  But it was so endearing to watch him trying so hard to reach that little nutcracker that was just a little bit too high!

Gingerbread Houses

Dec 21, 2016

Esplin's House

A festive afternoon decorating gingerbread houses with our friends, the Esplins.

(actually graham cracker houses held together with hot glue)

Sugar Cookies

Dec 19, 2017

Sugar Cookies for Family Night

Dec

Knots of Love

Dec 10, 2016
Dallin's Eagle Project

Dallin completed his Eagle Service Project in December.  He organized a blanket tying event for a program a charity call the Heart Gallery of New Mexico, which serves fosters children in the state of New Mexico.  Their blanket program is called Knots of Love.  I think he counted over 80 people who came to help tie blankets that morning for NM's foster children.

The chair of the charity, Candice Gould, came to talk to us about Heart Gallery of New Mexico and what they do for foster children.  She explained that many of these children are taken from their homes (out of a bad situation maybe involving drugs or abuse or other ugly scenarios) usually in the middle of the night.  They are told to get what they can pack in just a few minutes.  It's a scary and traumatic experience for these kids, and the blankets are given to them to offer some comfort as they are pulled from their homes.

Dallin did a great job of organizing it and there was a wonderful turn-out from lots of school and church friends.  I loved seeing how happy Dallin felt as he saw the project completed successfully.  It was a great morning and together we were able to complete 25 blankets to give to foster children.

A Visit to my Utah Siblings

Dec 3-4, 2016

Provo, UT

My brother, Jacob is singing in BYU Men's Choir this year, and asked if I wanted tickets to any of his concerts.  Well of course I did!!  Arthur flew me out to attend his Celebration of Christmas concert and spend a quick weekend with my Utah siblings.  Melanie picked me up from the airport, and we went back to her place while we waited for Emma to come join us for a delightful winter hike.  

Then we picked up Jacob between performances and went to dinner with Jake and Eli (Melanie & Emma's boyfriends) at Guru's, which was delicious.

After that it was the concert, which was thrilling!  I loved when the audience got to sing the Hallelujah chorus with all the BYU choirs and orchestra.  And I really loved after the concert when Men's choir lined the 4th floor balcony and sang two songs that they had recently recorded for their Set Apart album, and were downloadable for free.  It was heavenly, and made me miss all the goodness of BYU!  

Jacob had to get back home after the concert, but Emma and Eli came back to Mel and Jake's place for some card games and pie before heading back. Sunday, I went to church with Emma and Jacob.  We left after Jacob's Sunday School lesson to get back to Mel and Jake's for a yummy brunch, and then I had to head back to the airport to get back home.  

It was a speedy quick, super fun trip, and I LOVED spending time with those siblings of mine.

Decking the Halls

There's so much to love about Christmas, but for sure, one of my favorite parts of Christmas is decking the halls and trimming the tree.  We turn on Christmas music and enjoy the glitter and lights as the various ornaments bring back fun memories of different times of life and adventures and vacations we've taken as a family.  I especially love watching my younger ones enjoy the Christmas season.  I love how the excitement builds for them as through the month, we add presents under the tree.  I love how Bennett hung all of the ornaments at the bottom of the tree in the front room.  And I love catching them lying underneath the tree looking a the lights.  I remember doing that when I was a kid, too!  Such a magical time of year, made more magical through the eyes of children.