Meeting Santa

We were so surprised when Santa came to our ward party.  

This year is so so fun with the magic of Christmas.  My kids are at just the right age.

Noah says it is sad that some people don't believe.

But he assures me that he believes with all of him.  

He raced to the front of the line 

and was the very first kid to see Santa.

I barely got his picture.

He is asking for Legos,

silly bands, and Playmobil.  

He is working really really hard to be good.

And he reminds his sister to be good too.

He figured out the best way for Santa to get into our house

since we don't have a fireplace.  

His mind is much more at ease.

Sofia has a bit less understanding.

But she is getting it down.

She tells everyone that Santa is coming to her house

And that Sanda give her a candy cane.

She wants princesses, silly bands and 

toys, lots and lots of toys. 

Is there a Santa Claus?

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, 

and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. 

Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! 

It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias.

There would be no child-like faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. 

We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. 

The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus!

You might as well not believe in fairies!
Francis P. Church
From the New York Sun, September 21, 1897.

 

I absolutely love this!  

I Believe! Do You?

Busy.... Caroling

My week just got a bit crazier.

Now I have YW gifts to prepare.

A YW lesson for Sunday.

Now I am talking on Sunday.

I have to get my hair colored before Saturday.

I am working on thursday.

I have to get my tooth fixed tomorrow..

Tending my niece on friday.

busy busy busy

I went caroling last night.

With the Young Men and Women in our neighborhood.

It was silly and impromptu.

I will always remember

that while we were singing

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer-

a sweet old lady held onto her husbands arm

and started to cry with joy.

That has never happened when I have caroled before.

That is what Christmas is about.

I am going to remember that for the rest of the week.

Shepherd's Crook

Noah was drawing a candycane.  I asked him if he knew why the candycane was shaped like that.  We went to our Nativity set.  I pulled out the Shepherd's Crook.  We talked about how the Savior is called our Shepherd.  And a shepherd uses his crook to pull in any lost sheep that get lost or run away.  The Savior does not want to lose any of his little lambs.  So he keeps pulling us back to him so that we can be with him forever.  I love how teaching even the simplest things capture kids imaginations and their understanding.  For the next half hour,  Sofia and Noah kept taking turns pulling the sheep and little lambs back to Baby Jesus with the Shepherd crook.  I heard such sweet sayings as "Come back my little lamb", "We don't want to lose you",  "It's better to be closer" and "We love you sheep, say Baa".

Open Hearts

I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, 

as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time;

the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, 

when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely,

and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, 

and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. 

~Charles Dickens

3rd Day

We put all our Christmas decor up on Monday Night.

Now every time Sofia walks up the stairs.

She exclaims "ooohhh"

So beautiful.
She tells random people at the store,
that we have a Christmas tree.

Noah and her will lie underneath the tree

and stare up into the lights. 

She walks to each little thing and examines it closely.

Her favorites being of course the baby 

on each of our nativities.  

Every time we pass a house with lights,
she yells what colors and yells "It's Spark-a lee"

Noah tell us which are the really good ones.

2 days down

Kersten's family has a tradition that on the day after Thanksgiving

They rent a room at the Plaza hotel.

We eat yummy meats. cheese, crackers and eclairs.

Bundle up really warm.

And then walk around Temple Square

to see all the magical twinkling lights.

There are lots of dark pink, orange and blue mixed with green this year.

I was blessed to walk around with Noah.

His hand in mine.

A couple times he put his hands in my coat pockets for warmth.

He showed me which lights were his favorite.

His face lit up as he saw the temple. 

He marveled at the reflection pond where you can see 

the temple's reflection in the water.

With candles floating all around.

He loved blowing air out so you could see his breath.

And he gave me lots of hugs.

Even though we have done this every year of his life.

I think this year will be one he'll remember.

My boy has an amazing spirit and open heart.

Plus,  he saved his grandparents from a giant man-eating squid.

It was living in their bathtub at the hotel.

First Day of Christmas

I am going to do my best to post a little thought or funny thing every day during December. 
Either a fun story etc.  Just to help keep the Christmas spirit alive in my home and heart. 

A Countdown to Christmas and a New Year

Here is todays:

My favorite picture of Allie this year

My niece Allie came to her mother and said
"Mom, it sure is nice for Jesus to share his birthday with all of us.  We all get presents on his birthday.  What should we get him this year?  Can we make him a cake and take turns blowing out the candles?"

So our new plan is to make a cake on his birthday and decide what gifts we will give him this year.  They will be gifts like making good choices, reading our scriptures,  always saying our prayers.  I think we should put them in a box and open them the  next year on Christmas to see if we do them