Christmas 2009

Our Christmas was very busy, but enjoyable. We began the season with a new tradition taken from Germany. Don and I made an adventskranz, which is a wreath with 4 candles in it. This became the centerpiece of our table. Every Sunday before Christmas we would light a new candle. We enjoyed the centerpiece and this new tradition. By the fourth Sunday all the candles were lit and it was so pretty. The candles represent the light of Christ and as I contemplated this idea of more light coming into our home the closer we got to Christmas I was really touched. The more we think about the Savior the more we feel his love and light in our life and the brighter that light becomes. I really fell in love with our adventskranz. I will miss it during the rest of the year, but look forward to pulling it out after Thanksgiving. It doesn't look like a traditional German one, but we like it and here is a picture of our adventskranz:


On December 3rd Morgan was in a 1st grade presentation of "The Nutcracker". She was one of the narrators and did a great job. The whole presentation was very cute. We really enjoyed it. I was very proud of Morgan because she said all her lines clearly and loud. I could understand every word.
Our ward Christmas brunch on the 12th was really fun. The primary did a presentation of the nativity. Sierra was a narrator, Caden a shepherd, and Morgan was the lead angel that spoke to the shepherds (she was very excited about this). All of them did a very good job. The whole presentation was well done. Yeah for Primary!
On the 19th Sierra had her Christmas piano recital. I took video, but no pictures. Sorry. Sierra played 3 Christmas Carols: Stars Were Gleaming, Happy Holidays, and Joy to the World. She did them perfectly. We were very proud of her. She is excelling with this talent and expanding others. On the 20th she sang a duet with John Gonzales in Sacrament Meeting. They sang "What Child is This?" and did it beautifully. We were so proud of her! She truly sang like an angel.

On the 21st we went out to look at Christmas light displays and to do some caroling. The kids were very helpful with the baking this year. Everyone helped me make at least one different candy or cookie. It was really fun to have them in the kitchen to help me. They really enjoyed making the goody plates and delivering them to our friends along with the carols.

On the 23rd we had a Christmas dinner with Grandma and Grandpa. Thelma really outdid herself again. Dinner was fabulous! She wouldn't let me do anything for the dinner so the kids and I cleaned up. Then we shared gifts. We gave them a scrapbook of our camping trip to Bishop. I think they were really pleased. And the kids sure did make out! They were very excited about all their gifts.

Christmas day was filled with excitement, fun, and lots of laughter. Surprisingly the kids did not wake up until 7:00 am! They made their beds and came into our room to watch TV while they waited for Mom and Dad to get up and ready. Here they are waiting to go see if Santa came:
Sorry these pictures are blurry. Don't know what happened.

Yay! Santa came!

Here's the kids in front of their loot.

Our little chefs.

Ironman!

Our little magician.
Dress up clothes were the hit this year.

Jen was very busy this month. I decided to make a gift for each of the kids for Christmas. The boys each got a pair of pajama pants.

And the majority of the time was spent making dresses for the girls.

Here are the girls in their fancy satin dresses. I was so glad they fit and the girls liked them. My friend Stacy makes beautiful bead necklaces and I asked her if she would make the girls a necklace that would go with their dresses. You can't see them real well in the picture, but the girls are wearing them. They really like them.

The aftermath!

We spent Christmas evening at Nana and Papa's house. There were 26 people there. A little crowded, but fun. The Wittenbergs were here from Louisiana and Joy and Harry Klein came from San Diego. Katy had invited a friend and his wife. It was fun to see everyone although at times it was a bit chaotic. I didn't take a ton of pictures but I did take some.

Jaren and Becca finishing dinner preparations.

Getting the table ready.

Paul, Harry, and David enjoying doing nothing.

Connor taking a nap while Don studies something, probably German. It was a bit shocking to Don and I that we actually got to take a nap before going to the Vlk's home. I think it is the first Christmas that this has ever happened. The kids were playing well and we slept for an hour or so.

The gift exchange was pretty busy and chaotic. Sierra, Morgan, and I made a scrapbook for Nana and Papa which they thought was really cool.

The kids all had a blast opening their gifts.

Sierra made all the gifts for her cousins. Journals for Shyla and Amy, a bingo game for Olivia, and Sacrament quiet books for Aaron and Lonnie. Sierra was such a big help in preparing for Christmas. I would never have finished if it wasn't for her. I am so grateful for her and her willingness to help me.

And a little bonus gift for the nieces: Stacy Poulsen bead necklaces. They seemed to be a big hit with the girls.

Christmas was really fun, but seemed to come and go so quickly. I was very happy at the end of the day. It was fun to be with family. I especially enjoyed the time I had with Don and the children. How very grateful I am for them. I am also very grateful for the birth of the Savior and the opportunity that Christmas brings to reflect on his life. I was very sad when it was time to take down all the Christmas decorations and put them away. I truly felt like that Michael McLean song, "I Cry the Day that I Take the Tree Down". My goal for this year is to try to think of things to give as gifts throughout the year so that hopefully I will be done or almost done with Christmas preparations long before Christmas. Maybe then I can enjoy the holiday with the children a little more.