Christmas Traditions

I love this time of year.

All the little things that make up our family's Christmas traditions are added up together until my cup overflows with the love of it all.
It's that moment when you stop and look at a stack of boxes on the counter and get all tingly inside because it signals what is ahead if I so chose to over-look the business of it all and focus on the meaning of why we celebrate Christmas.
Christ's birth.

How in the world did these 3 boxes remind me of Christmas?
They have nothing inside of them that speak of the 3 wise men. They were honestly filled with a couple of books, some sow suits and something else that I can't even remember. But somehow, the gifts, still yet to be wrapped in Christmas finery, standing next to my little cupcake stand filled with votive candles and glittery balls whispered "it's coming" into my ear and that little thrill of anticipation I get coursed through me.
It's time for the gifts to be added together and build up to the culmination of remembering Christ's Birth.
It's the good stuff.
The stuff that says life is Holy if you chose to see:
Behold:
Baking cookies with my children:

Good Lookin' and I had made up dough enough to made 14 dozen cookies one afternoon while the baby took an incredibly rare afternoon nap all at the same time. It was our sweet afternoon together.

Two days later, we rolled it all out and spent an entire day cutting, slicing, re-rolling and baking all 14 dozen cookies.

Almost-tween hands next to rapidly disappearing baby pudge.
My babies are rapidly growing up before my eyes.

Sweet happy spirals of Christmas cheer.

Never mind that a certain pre-schooler thought it just as fun to throw sprinkles in the air and watch the "color rain!"

Behold:
Gifts of Good Cheer

Behold:
Ice skating together as a family

This is a new tradition that we started a year ago thanks to the college student that lived with us for a time.
Some of us were not so enthusiastic about the feeling of heavy skates on our feet:

Others of us sobbed for the first 30 minutes terrified that we were going to fall.
(Not Luke) He knew he would fall and that is part of skating and part of life.
It's the getting back up and on your feet and skating on that matters.

Watching and pouting from the side-lines is not nearly as fun as gliding on ice.
He figured out it truly was fun about 10 minutes before closing time. ; )

Some of us have waited so long that it doesn't matter that the old skates don't fit and that our legs threaten to fail us. We are determined to enjoy the day because, by golly, we've waited a whole year for this!

And although we aren't fabulous, we can certainly pick back up where we left off the year before.

And then there are those of us who are there to make a new friend wherever we go because life is just that much sweeter when you have someone to share the fun with and to encourage...even if you may never see them again.

It's that eureka moment when you realize that even if you do fall and the ice is hard, you can always get up again, and glide on with the aid of a helping hand and it is all about being together and cheering on another on and that is fun!

Watch out mom. We are all standing on our own!

Behold:
They are all happily chewing on their Christmas bones that the kids begged to give them early.

Behold:
Gazing into the valley at the milk cows below.

"DOWN THERE is where you miwk comes fwrom!" I overheard Nater Mater tell his little friend.
"Uh-huh" was the (I already knew that) smug reply.
They are so certain of their little worlds. ; )

What are your Pre-Christmas Traditions that warm your heart?

Christmas Season and Christmas Programs

The Season of Christmas has begun.

It began about 3 weeks ago at our house with the first of 3 Christmas Programs of our kids that we attended this year.

Every year for the last 15 or so years the 2nd grade music teacher has led 300+ kids in a delightfully cute, funny, tear-inducing (for the those proud parents), crazy program at the local University.

I remember watching as a college student and loving those cute little nose picking, crotch-shrugging, loud-sing, laughing (some pouting), wiggly little 2nd graders sing their sweet little hearts out to an adoring college crowd. We college students love it. It made us long for home and little kids, and family and all things not dorm-life-or cafeteria food-like. It made me remember that sweet childhood that was so long ago and yet just yesterday.

Then last year Precious Jewel hit 2nd grade and she was one of those cute little kids singing her sweet and nervous little heart out to the college crowd.

This year, it was Mr. Smiles turn.

He had been chosen for a quartet singing Silent Night and was ecstatic. Precious Jewel had the same part last year and he was excited to follow in her footsteps.

Have you ever seen 300 little 2nd graders all crammed onto one stage?

CRAZY and so dang cute!

His music teacher is BRAVE!

They all sang for the 10:30am Chapel Service and then we went again that night to watch them all sing again for the families.

Nater Mater was NOT duly impressed. He found it much more entertaining to crawl under the pews and grab the unsuspecting victims ankles in front of him much to my horror and embarrassment.

Mr. Smiles has a sweet bell-like voice that rang out when singing Silent Night and he took his part very seriously.

So seriously, that before the morning's performance when they had all the kids practicing BEFORE chapel and no one was there, he nearly dissolved into tears.

When Luke was able to catch him on his way to a bathroom break before all the college students started flooding the chapel, he asked him why he had such a long face and was refusing to smile when his music teacher kept asking them all to smile.

He, near tears and angry, replied that everyone had missed it all and he'd sung to a bunch of empty seats. They'd been working for months and no one saw him!!

We assured him that what he's just done was dress rehearsal and that the REAL program would start in just a matter of minutes.

Shining eyes and smile returned!!

Some of us didn't make it all the way through two performances that day.

Two weeks later: We had our little church program that a mom helps direct every year.

Every year, there are more and more kids and I have to say toddlers are stinkin' adorable.

The 3 tots in front happily sang along and performed all the hand actions during practice that morning before people arrived. Later, not so much.

Mr. Smiles and his little friend, who is also in 2nd grade, sang their Silent Night solo in front of the whole church...giggles and all.

I had to say that I got choked up. Good Lookin' happily participated this year.

He Happily Participated for the first time at the age of 5 1/2. Every year before that has usually been preceded by a Fit. Refusal. Tears. Stomping of Feet and general holiday angst. No cute singing and I've learned it's best not to push the issue and he sits on the front row with me while I've helped encourage the others.

This year though, he wanted to be by the side of his sweet little friend whom he has declared he will marry when he grows up. Sigh a happy mother's heart...not because he performed, but because he was so cute and I finally got a picture.

"Rock baby Jesus SWEETLY" they were all instructed. Hehe

Now during the actual performance for the parents, Nater Mater and his little friend thought it would be more fun to entertain the crowd than perform for them. Jumping on and off and eventually log-style rolling down the steps was much more fun than rocking baby Jesus softly. Ahhh, once again, boys have a way of keeping a prideful mother humble.

That night: Christmas Program Number 3

Precious Jewel has joined a Children's Choir this fall instead of another year of AWANA.

The girl likes to sing and we thought it best to get stuck in her mind some of these powerfully-packed and Message-filled songs instead of Lady Gaga or Miley Cyres that she often hears via friends. Many of the songs are filled with Scripture and while there is nothing wrong with many many secular songs, at this stage in her life we want to help fill her mind with ones that will speak to her heart. We're in a heart battle with her right now and she may not realize it, but these catchy tunes she has practiced week in and week out are far more fruit-producing and heart-softening than any talk we could have with her about music, books or movies that her friends and her giggle about.
She also was chosen for a solo for a beautiful song I'd never heard before.

And once again, another program attendee has bit the sleepy dust.

Merry Christmas everyone!!