Sunday Before Christmas

One of the best parts of Christmas is giving the kids their new Sunday dress clothes. This year I hung the girl's dresses along with their new Christmas earrings on the back of the stools in the kitchen so they would see them as soon as they came down the stairs in the morning. Katie and Becky have been excited to finally take their studs out and put in a fresh pair of earrings. I told them they had to wait until Christmas Eve. I got Zack a new button down shirt with a sweater vest to wear. Becky was the first one to come down the stairs. She stood there and just looked at the box that contained her Christmas earrings. It was so cute. She wouldn't touch...I don't know if it was having anticipated this moment for so long so wanted to savor it...she just stood there.

Eventually all the kids came down stairs and saw their treats. The girls got their new earrings in and showed their daddy how "beautiful" they looked. After eating breakfast, the kids get their new clothes on I get to play photographer. I had them pose and try to get some cute shots of them. The kids have gotten good at this. I have been taking these kind of pictures since Zack and Belle were our only children. Back then it was somewhat a wrestling match and a battle of wills. BUT now I can have them sit down and they turn on their smiles and we even have a little bit of a good time. The funnest one was of the twins kissing Zack on the cheeks. We also take a few goofy ones to break up all the posed shots.

I thought it would be cool to just let the kids sit on the floor together and let them talk for a while and I would take a picture of them interacting, instead of just the usual posed shot. I love the relationships that have developed between my children. Sure, they bicker sometimes, but really they get a long so well. I do think they are not just brother and sisters, but actually friends and I love that.

Of course I had to get one of just "the girls". Zack played photographer for this one. I can't believe how grown up my girls are getting. They are beautiful in every way.

Here are some individuals of my angels. They are truly the best part of Christmas!!

Steve's Latest Snow Sculpture

My husband has so many talents and things that he is good at, one of the neatest talents he has is being able to create AWESOME snow sculptures. He has been doing them since he was a boy in Rhode Island. He talks about making snow forts in the woods with his brother Scott. When we were dating was when I was first exposed to it. We drove up to Cuyamaca and he suggested we make a snow sculpture. I had never even made a snowman, so when he said we would be recreating the Iwo Jima Monument I was shocked. But to be honest it had turned out pretty darn good. But it wasn't until we moved to Maine that his talent became fully known. He would produce some pretty awesome creations in our front yard, which was also a main road for coming or leaving town, and many people would stop and look. One Christmas he had done a nice relief of the Nativity and people stopped in front of our house on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and got out of their cars and took photos of the sculpture as they stood next to it. We were actually contacted by the local newspaper and had an article written about his talent. He has continued his work here in Utah. Our neighbors have come to expect something neat in our yard within hours of a good snow storm. This is just some of the things that he has created in the past:

• Sea Serpent
• Snoopy on His Doghouse
• Darth Vader Mask
• Large Teddy Bear
• Castle
• Nutcracker
• A Trojan Rabbit (only Monty Python Holy Grail fans would understand)

We got another layer of snow last night, so this afternoon Steve headed outside and began his creation of Santa Claus which I have been asked for in the last few weeks. I even put on my coat and gloved and lent a hand to the sculpture. I think the "Jolly Old Elf" turned out pretty darn good. What do you think?

Sitting on Santa's Knee

Tuesday night we were invited tour friend's home. They were so lucky to have Santa come for a visit. It was AMAZING the little facts he knew about each child. Each one of my kids sat on his lap and welcomed the opportunity to rattle off their list of wants and needs. After all the kids were done with their visit, they proceeded to play with their friends and enjoyed a cinnamon roll and a cup of hot cocoa. I even took the opportunity to sit on Santa's lap. I hope all of you have had the chance to see Santa this year.

Our Sled Run

Monday Steve and the kids went into the backyard to make huge hill out of the snow that was left from this weekend's storm. After 30 minutes or so, I peaked out and found they had built their hill up against the deck and were climbing onto the deck furniture with their sleds. They had made a sled run. They were out there for 4 hours sledding. I even took a few runs down the trail and then relinquished my saucer when I landed on tail bone a little harder than I had expected.

Steve managed a couple of runs too, but mostly spent the afternoon lengthening the trail and repairing any gouges. He also spent sometime helping kids onto their sleds and giving them a hand getting started.

The kids had a blast. Zack's friend Jake came over and joined in the fun. And later, Belle's friend Madi came over and took a few trips down the trail. I made hot cocoa for the kids and kept it coming while they continued to enjoy the snow.

I don't know if the kids realize how lucky they are to have Dad that can create such an adventure in their own backyard.

School Choir

Tonight was Zack and Belle School Choir performance. They have been waking up at 6:30 am on Wednesdays and attending choir practice at 7:30 am. Some mornings it took a little more prodding to get Belle out of bed, but for the most part they willingly went to their practices. I remember on of the first times they came home from practice in September and told me they were getting to sing Christmas Songs. Definitely the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Some of the songs that the kids sang included:

• Frosty the Snowman
  


• The Gift of Love
  


• Christmas Song in My Heart
  


• Christmas Is
  


• Christmas Is Upon Us
  

I loved watching these performances, but definitely will not miss getting the kids up early and driving them to the rehearsals. The video below is the end of their final song. The image is so small you probably cant make out the kids, but FYI Zack is in the middle row 3rd from the end...next to the boy in the red shirt and Belle is in the front row down on the other end. Enjoy the end of their cute little program.

Christmas Cards

I felt a little ambitious this year about what I wanted to do for my Christmas cards. Other years I have purchased a couple of boxes and typed up a page long family letter. Last year I had my kids draw holiday pictures and then made a kind of tri-fold brochure card. Most of the work was just done on the computer and then just taken to Kinkos to be printed.

This year I saw a kit that Becky Higgins had made and fell in love with the cards. I ordered the kits the 1st day they became available. I must not have been the only one that thought they rocked because those kits sold out. I spent a day assembling the 80 cards I had bought. Then wrote up a short note that fit perfectly inside the card. I added the yearly family photo we had taken last weekend. Now they are stacked on a chair in my livingroom ready to go to the post office and make their way to our friends and family. I love working on these projects, but sometimes after working on something for so long, it is a little sad to see them leave. Hope all of you that get one love your card as I much as I do!!

My List of Things to do For Christmas

Everyone in my house is still sleeping. The kids had an all nighter in the family room, so their sleeping bags are spread out everywhere and I can't turn on the light. So I decide to sit in our living room and work on my next post. It is snowing here in South Jordan this morning. The sun hasn't come up yet, but the reflection of the street lights on the snow is making it quite bright. I love this time of the year. I fell in love with snow and winter when we lived in Maine. For some reason when it snows it makes the cold more tolerable. It is so beautiful outside after a snow too. Everything has the layer of snow on it...the tree, bushes, lawn...our home transforms into this winter wonderland.

So I decided that as I sat here this morning, watching my "wonderland" taking shape that I would come up with a list of the things I want to do this season. As I have said in other posts, I am a Christmas-aholic. I wait all year for November 1st... that is when it starts for me...the songs, the movies, the baking, the gift buying. But then before I know it the calendars are replaced with the proceeding year and I am having to box up Christmas all over again and wait 10 more months to live it all over again. So to keep myself from having regrets of things I didn't do, here is my list:

Turn into the baking tornado, and make all my holiday goodies

See the lights on Temple Square

Go sledding with Steve and the kids

Read some of the holiday stories that we have collected

Watch all my favorite holiday movies: It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas, Christmas in Connecticut, Frosty, Rudolph, Christmas Vacation

Play the Christmas music whenever someone is not watching TV.

Take the kids to go and see Enchanted

Make Gingerbread or Granham cracker houses with the kids

Go to the Duve's annual Christmas Party

Go out on a holiday date with Steve

Go to the Christmas Around the World Festival in Riverton

Take a nice Family Picture

Make some Christmas crafts wiith the kids

Sleep in front of the Christmas Tree

Drive around and look at the lights

Finish my Christmas Cards and get them mailed

Attend a Christmas play or show

Read Luke from the Bible to the kids

I am sure there is more, but at the moment I can't think of anything else. I keep losing my focus because I am drawn to the snow falling outside. So I guess I will end this post there and watch as my winter wonderland continues to develop outside.

Before you leave to check someone else's blog or shop on the interent. Leave a comment and tell me what you want to do this Christmas or a traditon that means a lot too you.

~~Nik

O' Christmas Tree...

It is officially Christmas in our house. The tree is up and decorated.

We all gather in the living room while carols played on the radio. Steve unpacked the ornaments as I played photographer. We let the kids put up most of the ornaments, but Steve and I save the ornaments we have given to each other or ones that are from trips that we took together for us to put on the tree.

This year I gave Steve a Kermit the Frog ornament. It was during this year that we introduced the kids to old Muppets Show episodes and they developed a new love. And Steve and I talked about being kids and watching those episodes on TV. Steve gave me and ornament that was a wreath made of bowling pins, to represent my new found love of bowling.

After everyone was done hanging their ornament I stood back and admired our tree. I love all the memories that come rushing back as I look at the different ornaments on the tree. . . Places we have been, memories of the children in their different stages, gifts from friends.

So what are your traditions for your tree?
Or significant ornaments that are hung?
What makes your tree special?

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

We celebrated Thanksgiving at my parent's house. We woke up bright and early and drove the 2 1/2 hours to Ferron. Mom already had the turkey in the oven when we arrived and set out an appetizer platter for us to snack on as we awaited he feast. I made my corn souffle and an apple pie to do my part. Before we knew it, the turkey was out of the oven and it was time to eat.

Steve offered the prayer and we loaded the plates up with the food. Then we all had to say what we were thankful for, but could not say something that someone else had said. I like that a lot. I have spent the last few days thinking of some of the things that I am thankful for.

We had such a great time. We enjoyed eating the meal, but the conversation, jokes, and laughing was the best.

Even after eating all the pie at the Horton's the night before the kids were anxious to dig into the pie...what was scary is they wanted it right after dinner. The thought of eating anything after that HUGE meal made me a little queasy. We did eventually have the pie, but not until our meal had pretty well been digested.

Once the kitchen was cleaned up and the leftovers put away, we helped grandma and papa decorate their tree. It was nice to see the old ornaments from when I was child being put on the tree by my children. I could tell them the stories behind each one. I got to put the candy canes on he tree, these are the same candy canes that we have had for at least 20 years. My Grandma Sansevero loved having the candy canes on the tree and these are the same ones we had before she passed away 19 years ago. That meant a lot to me.