Christmas Eve

Back around Thanksgiving I began thinking about how I wanted to spend Christmas Eve.  It was going to be our first Christmas in our new house, somewhere we really have space that we could "host" some kind of event and have it work out well.  I didn't think I wanted to do a dinner but I decided I did want to have people over.  When I was growing up two traditions I really enjoyed were making and decorating sugar cookies and singing Christmas carols around the piano.  So that is what we did.  We had 2 families come over and had a really enjoyable evening.  We invited one other family but they ended up having family in town so we stuck with the other two and it worked out really well.  I made the cookies and frosting that afternoon and set it all out for when they arrived. They (The Lenox's and Ellsworth's) came over around 6:00 and we decorated our cookies then the kids went to play in our basement (we so love our basement!).  After the kids (poor Jared was so outnumbered there were 6 girls and just him but he had a great time) had played some we came upstairs and read the nativity and sang Christmas hymns. Then we opened it up for regular Christmas carols.  It was just what I hoped it would be. Not too much going on, not too many people but a fun activity and a nice way to have the Christmas spirit. I loved it and feel like it went well and everyone had a great time. I hope to make it a yearly tradition here in Charlottesville.

I meant to take a picture during but was busy helping Lydia decorate and decorating my own cookies. This cutting board was filled with cookies stacked like 4 high.  It was really fun. 

We decorated about 60 cookies. 

Mark was our narrator for Luke 2.

We love hanging out with the Lenox's. 

Christmas Eve.  It was really strange weather.  Totally un Christmas like in my mind.  It was rainy (normal) but like 65 degrees.  It was so humid.  So gross! Oh well.

After our friends left we let Jared and Lydia open up their gifts to each other.  They were super excited to get to open one gift before Christmas. We did it last year too so I am pretty sure it will also be a yearly thing. They were really excited with the gifts they got each other. We read Twas the Night Before Christmas and sent them off to bed.

Then Mark and I filled stockings and got the Christmas Scavenger hunt ready.

 

Scavenger hunt clues. 

Jared's was s big Nerf gun and it was under our bed so no picture.

It was a great day! 

Random Acts of Kindness Christmas style

For awhile now I have struggled with feeling that Jared was more self centered that I hoped a child of mine would be. (He is also very helpful, smart and creative but yeah...) My Mom taught first grade for many many years and spent countless hours with 5 and 6 year olds and has tried to reassure me that his behavior is really normal and he will most likely grow out of it but its hard for me to see him like this.
I have been trying to think of ways to increase my own example of thinking of others more to try to expose him to it more because I have found that role modeling the behaviors you want is an effective way to get those behaviors.  So I began looking for articles on line for suggestions and ideas on what to do.  The idea that came up the most (besides modeling it yourself) was to complete random acts of kindness.  I think it's a great idea and was able to find lots of great suggestions.  I really hope to start making these a regular part of our schedule maybe once a week to start? I want to comply a long list and then have Jared and Lydia weigh in on the ideas they like the most and then we will carry them out.  A friend of mine mentioned how she was trying to teach her children about the true reason for the Christmas season (this one being giving and thinking of others and being more like Christ in general) and so they were going to do the 12 days of Christmas Service instead of the 12 days of Christmas to a family.  I thought this was an awesome idea. I didn't quite get my act together in time to do this but I plan on attempting it next year. Jared and Lydia don't actually know much about the 12 days of Christmas so I may start with a smaller number but I think we can pull of 12 if we plan it ahead enough. This year we were able to do acts of service the week of Christmas so I felt pretty good about that.

Random Acts of Kindness completed:

Popcorn on RedBox: We have never actually got a movie from a Red Box so we had to explain what they were but now they know.

Candy Cane bomb a parking lot:  They both loved this one.

Leave money at the candy machines and rides at the mall:  neither particularly enjoyed this one. Jared is fairly obsessed with money and wants so badly to be rich so this was not fun for him. He got it, that it would make other kids really happy but so wished he could be one of the kids to find the money.  Anytime we walk by vending machines or rides he always looks to see if any change has fallen on the floor. Its kind of disgusting... For whatever reason they love the play place at the mall so we did let them play there which cheered them up some.

Deliver cookies to the fire station on Christmas:  this was their favorite.  We stopped by the station nearest us Christmas afternoon.  There were only two guys there as the others were out with the ambulance.  They were happy to have visitors and let Jared and Lydia explore their trucks which they really enjoyed.  It was nice that happened as it showed them how doing kind things for others really helps them out too.

I hope we can make random acts of kindness a regular part of our lives and that I can be a good example to Jared and Lydia of thinking of others more.

Christmas Town!

About 6 weeks ago a friend posted on Facebook about "Christmas Town" at Bush Gardens down in Williamsburg. I followed the link and saw that Busch Gardens hosts a Christmas Town each December where they transform their amusement park into a beautiful Christmas lights display. They bring in 1500 pine trees and set up over 8 million lights.  Tickets were on sale for 14 dollars instead of the regular 35 so I mentioned  it to Mark and we decided to go down (Williamsburg is 2 hours away) and check it out.  I then mentioned it to my friends Tara and Laura and they decided to go down to.  We all went yesterday and had a crazy busy but fun day.  It was crazy because there were so so many people there, it was super crowded but the lights were amazing and they have several holiday shows that take place and I loved watching them.

Pictures of course do not do it justice it was so pretty and magical. We also had perfect amusement park weather. It was like 63 when we got there when it opened at 2:00 and in the mid 50's when we left at 8:30.  Before going to the park we stopped at a BBQ place to eat.  Mark knew the food in the park would be overpriced and not as good so if he was going to spend money on food it was going to be good. Parking took awhile but once we got to the park it was so fun to see the decorations.  Mark and I are not huge amusement park people so going on all then rides was not our focus. I think it would be really fun if we went alone to an amusement park or went with our kids when they were like 10+.  They really do an awesome amazing job decorating.

Tree with light show.

Jared and Lydia were really happy to go on a few rides and there was actually an ice skating show. I loved ice skating when I was growing up and watched it as often as it was on TV. I have always wanted to see an ice skating show and have now seen one. A small one (I would still love to do Disney on Ice or something like that) but it was great.  It was the favorite thing we did for Mark, Lydia and myself.  That and just all the lights.  Jared loved the high swings ride the most.  Most of the large roller coasters were not open but there was one and Mark took Jared on it.  I was surprised that Jared wanted to go, (I think he was just happy he was tall enough to go), but he did it and while he did not love it he handled it pretty well. Mark said he was too concerned about Jared to enjoy it or really think about it.

Sadly their glider that did not go up and down at all which was a bummer but they looked cute!

Favorite ride. I love it too. 

We rode the sky ride and train which was a great way to see the lights and at the end we watched the lights show on their 50 foot Christmas tree.  Jared and Lydia would have liked to do a few more rides specifically the high swings one but it was getting so late and they were so tired.  Especially Lydia.  Mark carried her out of the park yet when we got to the car she talked non stop for the first 35 minutes of the drive home.  Our drive home was fairly eventful.  Mark was really bot feeling well so we planned on me driving and figured Jared and Lydia would just sleep. Jared fell right to sleep but then woke up right as Lydia fell asleep and within 5 minutes of waking up started throwing up! I was super impressed as he just grabbed his throw up bag (I always keep them in the car ID rive as he sort of gets car sick at random times when you wouldn't expect it) and took care of it.  It was disgusting of course but he did a really good job.  When he woke up he didn't even say anything about feeling sick. I think it was more just from exhaustion.  When we were driving home with Sue after our long flight from VA to UT this summer he did the same thing. Slept right away then about 30 minute later woke up to throw up.  He was fine the rest of the drive and all of today. Lydia was so tired she did not have a very good rest in the car.  She kept waking up crying so I would sing her a few primary songs then she would sleep so more then wake up crying again.  Mark expected to rest on the drive home but was not quite able to. We didn't hear Jared and Lydia this morning until 8:30 which is almost a record for sleeping in for them.

It was weird because as we were driving home we passed by my friend Laura who had left the park about an hour before us.  I was so surprised to come up to them.  They had stopped for dinner and then were headed home.  We caravanned home together which was fun.  We did enjoy our day but it is not something we would do every year. It will not make the yearly tradition list.

Christmas Sunday excitement!

While my Mom was here for Thanksgiving she hooked Jared, Lydia and I up with some new Christmas outfits. We wore them to church on Sunday and enjoyed beautiful Christmas music.

My new favorite picture of Lydia. So sweet.

Mark sang in a men's quartet, with the ward choir, conducted primary music - he just called to be the primary Chorister (grumble grumble... we were teaching a class together something I really enjoy and now they took him away), and then sang as we went caroling that night with friends so he sadly has come down with a bad sore throat.  We hope it gets better before Christmas Eve as we have invited some friends over for sugar cookie decorating and a Christmas nativity sing a long.

The excitement of the day came during Sacrament meeting. We sat down and about 5 minutes into the meeting Jared looks at me and tells me his mouth hurts.  I look in his mouth and there is blood.  I am super confused as to what happened, we were just sitting there and all he had done was take a drink of water from his water bottle and now his mouth was bleeding. I grab tissue and start to dab at it and realize that he has lost a tooth! I have Mark take him to the restroom and sit there confused as to how this happened since I didn't even know he had a loose tooth! They come back a few minutes later and sure enough there is a nice little hole where his tooth was.  It makes him seem so old now.  He was a little sad because we couldn't find the tooth.  I was worried that he swallowed it but a few minutes later I looked under the bench in front of us and saw a bump on the ground.  I figured it was a rock or crumb but then thought maybe its his tooth. I had him crawl under there and it was his tooth. He was super excited.  It kind of creeped me out as all things dentistry related do but he sure was happy.  It is so crazy to me that it happened at church and that it happened at all seeing as how I really didn't know he had a loose tooth.  He had mentioned his mouth hurting during the week and wondered if it could be loose tooth but I thought he pointed to the side of his mouth.  Anyway, he and Lydia actually have dentist appointments this week which Mark is taking them to so it will be fun for him to show the dentist.

He is such a handsome little dude!

We had a great time caroling, it was so much more successful than out attempt last year.  We went with the Player's (Liz (Bjarnson then) and Mark actually caroled with their families together in Turlock every year growing up. Its so crazy that now we both live in Charlottesville and are carrying on that tradition.) and the Papin's who are in our current ward.  Dan Player was our Bishop in the 1st ward last year and Jason Papin is actually our current Bishop funny how that happened.  They all came over to our house for hot chocolate and we assembled plates of goodies then caroled to about 6 families.  Jared and Lydia really enjoyed it.  They both said they want to do it again next year. Jared told us that when he grows up he will come visit with his family and go caroling with us.  It was a great night.

Christmas Lights Award and Bethlehem Village

For FHE last Monday we watched the Church's new Christmas video and then filled out the worksheets they made available online.  It is a beautiful message.

Mark: He was born so I: can live again

Jared: He was born so I: can live with my family

Lydia: He was Born so I: can learn withy family

April: He was born so I: can feel loved always. 

After our lesson we got our hot chocolate and headed out to see Christmas lights and hand out our award. I can't believe Mark and I have been doing this for 7 years now! We let Jared and Lydia pick the house this year and they certainly have different taste than Mark and I.  Here is the house they picked and the house Mark and I would have picked.

2015 winner chosen mostly by Jared. 

Mark and April's choice. 

We went to a neightbohood by Jared's school this year and that was it.  Every year I make Mark drive all over town to find the perfect house and then it gets later and later and I start to get stressed out and every year I vow that next year we will pick just one neighborhood/area and choose a house.  So that is what we did.  No stress at all.  The recipients were quite confused at what we were doing but I hope they enjoy their candy.  In the 2 Christmas' we have done it out here I would say that the people in Colorado were more excited by it.  Maybe people on the East Coast are less open to strangers knocking on their door?  Either way we are going to keep up our tradition. I wonder how Jared and Lydia will feel about it when they are 12+.  Right now they really look forward to it and ask us throughout the month when we will be handing out the award. After we gave it out they asked if we could give awards to more houses! I think it would be better to do it on a Saturday night so we have more time to look at lights because I don't feel like we saw enough. We are going caroling tomorrow in a different part of town and I am excited to see more lights.  

About 40 minutes from our house there is Baptist church in Afton, VA that puts on a "Bethlehem Village" each year.  I heard about it last year but we never made it over there.  This year I wanted to make sure we went to check it out and it was awesome.  They set up a whole village with shops that had people demonstrating how things were done in that time and a live nativity complete with singing angels and a camel.  It was hard to get pictures but trust me it was really well done.  You start in a welcome tent and everyone gets a coin so they can "pay taxes" to the Roman Guards at the entrance,(really so they can keep track of how many people come through, very clever).  Then you sign the census and start exploring the shops.  They have booths set up that look very authentic.  There was a bakery, pottery, blacksmith, weapons, market, (where you can sample the bread you watched them bake and other foods from that area like nuts and dates) a flock of sheep, a weaver and a few more. They have bonfires in different places (it was actually pretty chilly tonight very unlike our Christmas forecast which has us right around 70 degrees, What??) and these cool Lamps that were iron mesh baskets with coal/charcoal in them.  It was really neat to walk around and listen to the volunteers speak.  The live nativity had a narrator (a group of angels) reading from Luke 2 and then they had us all sing a few Christmas carols together.  It was so great.  After the nativity which they do every 30 minutes or so, we stopped by the camel and then could not get Jared to leave it. He said he wanted to take it home with us.  Goofy kid.  It was such a fun night and will for sure become a yearly tradition. I love that there was a free (well organized) activity that was fun, educational and about the true reason we celebrate Christmas.

Got our coins to pay our taxes.  

Jared really wanted to keep it but taxes are taxes...

Jared was pretty excited to see the guards.  Mark was holding Lydia and they joked around with him saying that she must be of royal lineage to be carried in such a way.  

Checking out the chariot laying around. 

Bakery Shop

This camel was a definite highlight. Jared and Lydia loved him so much! 

It was really nice to walk around and talk about the Christmas story in such a realistic setting.  I am so glad this church works so hard to put on this production, they have been doing it for 13 years now!   Its been such a fun month. Its hard to believe that Christmas is this week!