December 2008

December has gone by so fast! It didn't help that I had finals, birthday parties, Ward Christmas party and other things filling my schedule. I hate that I feel like the month was rushed and I did not really get to enjoy the feelings of Christmas. We tried to focus on the Savior with a couple of Family Home Evening lessons, and nativity plays with another family. We talked about our gifts to the Savior.

mom: Hunter what gift could you give Jesus this year?

Hunter: (without a moments pause) Faith

mom: Wow, Hunter good answer.

Megan: (thinking his answer was not really what he should say) my gift is to be nice to my sweet mommy

mom: that is sweet Megan. (She was sure her answer was the best)

I was just so amazed that he is really paying attention to his Sunday school lessons and wants to have faith. Without faith there is no hope and I am glad he is learning to hope.

So I took only three pictures this year on Christmas morning. I feel like I am behind the camera and the camcorder every year and I watch the excitement through a small LCD screen. I wanted the whole picture this year so there is not much to show anyone. However my memories are vivid and I think I may continue to watch with unobstructed views.

This is Christmas morning. We had Belgian waffles, with our new Waffle maker. It is the kind you flip over, like at hotels. It makes yummy waffles and the kids love to help flip it. We of course had our traditional Orange Julius, which Hunter would not tasted but the rest of us made mustaches with.

When things were all said and done, a small pile of wrapping paper was covering the floor and there were very happy children. Jerry of course wanted to through each paper away as it was unwrapped, to keep things neat and tidy, but I would not have it. It needs to be messy and fun, I am sure his OCD was kicking in but I won.

So Hunter opened his stocking and found an IPod shuffle. He smiled and said, "yeah". I was slightly disappointed with his lack of enthusiasm. I thought it was his best gift. So in this picture he opens up the $5 pack of army men that I bought at Walgreen's. This is the expression I thought the Shuffle would get. Oh well, Megan likes music, she can listen to it.








Hunter and Megan found these jingle antlers that made me crazy in the car. Thankfully Megan lost hers the first day. We did the Twelve Days of Christmas to a sweet family. Every day for the 12 days before Christmas you secretly leave them a small gift. The kids loved dropping off the gift and then bolting through the backyard, through the trees and over a hill to get to the car; almost always in the dark. Sweet Megan was so cute trying to run through that dark back yard and so proud when she made it. Hunter would open the door and yell. Run Megan! Not too sure how secret that makes it but I think they still don't know it was us and the kids just loved sharing with another family this year. My suggestion to anyone who wants to try it is to find all 12 gifts at once so when the day is almost over and the kids say, "are we doing the mission tonight" and you forgot to get something, it won't be as stressful.

This picture is out of order but I can't figure this blog thing out today. Megan happy with everything Pony or makeup.

This family picture is missing me because I was looking scary and bloated from some strong steroid medicine that I was on. I swear I gained 5 pounds in two days! I was evil mean to everyone and Jerry handed me some Viacadin and said, "please just go to sleep". Of course I yelled at him as I climbed the stairs and then fell fast to sleep. I stopped those meds that next day, I can take the pain over the evil mommy.

I hope everyone had a nice holiday. I know we enjoyed having the Elders with us for Christmas dinner and watching them get so excited to call their families. I am getting a much needed foreshadowing of what being the mother of a missionary might be like. I am grateful the the Savior and that we can still celebrate His birth each year. Every year the world tries to push Christ out of Christmas, "Happy Holidays", like it is just another day off. I hope that we can keep Him in our hearts all year long, as I know we are in His thoughts every day. Merry Christmas!