adventing

Christmas is here with a vengeance and I love it.

this year we have opted to do things simply.

we are taking advantage of this year of change and making it our theme.

our focus is on investing ourselves in Christmas, not the other way around.

and to shake things up we have added a new tradition. last year I spent the bulk of my December making paper chains to add some festive to our rather blank walls. all year I have lamented that I sunk so much effort into something that by nature just wouldn't last. this year I put my efforts into this. and I rather like it. this is our new advent calendar.

last year I read my sister in laws plan to make December focused and fun. I have shamelessly implemented this great tradition for our own. and dragged my sister along with me.

each morning we gather at the advent and read the planned activity for the day.

so far it is a huge hit. we have counted down the days until Christmas with much gusto. the girls like it so much they have been known to read several days in advance. regardless they still look forward to it. we have gone elaborate - leaving school early to attend the Festival of Tress for a dance performance. but mostly simple; looking for ways to serve others, making our gifts for family and friends, watching a new Christmas flick together. to add to our holiday we are doing our best to make what we can to fill our stockings and gift boxes. another new to us tradition.

and now we are up to our elbows in Christmas making. can't wait to share!

happy advent-ing!

a little Russian

I am blaming the lack of nice weather for all my shortcomings lately. why not? it can't complain or feel bad, right? regardless, my lack of regular posts is really the result of less than motivating indoor activity. TV watching and cleaning are not the stuff of blogs,at least not my blog. and I feel like that is all I am doing most days, that and trying to get out of my sweats before noon on a school day!

during this time of hiatus and winter we had the opportunity to host some Olympians. Special ones at that. this year was the second annual World Wide Winter Games - or the international Special Olympics.

and these are the two Russian girls who came to live with us for a week to acclimate to our western weather. Ksesia (cue-sha) and Irina are on the Russian snowshoe team. and they don't know any English. that made for lots of pantomime practice and some good laughs, besides the blank stares.

we did our best to show them a good time during their visit and we saw a lot of this during the course of a week. two practices a day and trying to squeeze in the sights and some fun. lots of busy busy fun.

but the highlights were had. they saw two temples, the Olympic ski jumps in Park City, had their own private dance party, and saw a Jazz game in beautiful Downtown SLC where they also visited the planetarium and our fine Gateway Center.

and they were well entertained by this good looking fellow and his "red sports machine". very well entertained, and what more can a Russian snow shoer ask for? it was an experience for all of us. we are very proficient in our use of babel fish on yahoo, and they went away with a few more American words as well. now that they have gone I am more and more anxious to travel somewhere. but not to Russia right away, I hear it's cold there this time of year.

recapping Christmas 2008

in the past six years or so I have been less and less prepared where Christmas is concerned. last year was a particularly bad year for me - way too much running around and needing to get too much done, when all it should be is a celebration of the Greatest Gift mankind will ever receive. more and more I feel sad I haven't been organized to be more focused.

this time 'round I set the bar lower and still didn't rise to the occasion - but I think that is really why we have New Year Resolutions, because so much can fall through the cracks around Christmas. I have been longing for a simple fulfilling Christmas for a long while, and this year almost hit the mark. plenty of gifts, and promises of more that lay unfinished at the sewing table. but, I feel happy to look forward to those during these quiet afternoons while the littlest angel learns to nap again.

when it comes down to it, I look forward and am grateful for those second chances. to try anew to make the holiday what I want it to be for my lovelies. and I have all year now to begin to make it so. a refreshing thought but not a new one - we are all given a second chance, or third or twentieth each day of our lives. and Heaven knows I need it not just at Christmas.

some high lights of our Holiday include, playing hookie from sewing to run errands with that good looking fellow I live with. an "adult" memory maker for her, in lieu of that requested lap top. wonderful Christmas musical performances. family pictures and Christmas Cards, well wishes from friends and loved ones.

roller skates for the budding ice princess, to practice balance and control.
live nativities - public and private. family dinners, Grandparents attention and love. new treats to bake and traditions to add. trying our hand at luminaries for the neighborhood.

dollies and strollers galore.
craft boxes, crochet books, games, cousins, the promise of MORE cousins. at the insistence of our daughters watching Mr. Kruegars Christmas on Christmas Eve along with a realistic enactment of the Reason we celebrate the season.

skiing on Christmas Eve with friends. breakfast with the entire family in our home Christmas Morning was my favorite; look for this tradition to last a long time, I hope!

a Nutcracker performance for the older dainties in new Christmas dresses - notice the little one realizing she isn't invited... a few more Christmas' to wait. memories of snow and goodness and a reprieve from the daily pressures that cloud our existence. it has been a nice pause in the regular.

and lots and lots and LOTS of decorating and celebrating inspiration. time to make a plan so next year I can implement the myriad of ideas swimming in the back of my mind. this year it was paper chains, a fun activity during a movie or two. or three. and if I can make and keep a plan (oh, brother.) lots of fun projects to accomplish before next years festivities begin - stockings that will hold a CD, a tree skirt that's complete, and an advent to keep our celebration focused. here is to keeping Christmas in our hearts all year long.

December in a blur

this month has not been all I had originally hoped. This has not been my kind of Christmas, or maybe it has been and that is what has been so distressing. The month began with many resolutions and determinations to make this Christmas THE Christmas to pattern year after year. And then we had sadness rather than joy. We lost a dear sweet Grandmother to pancreatic cancer. Okay, a great reason to truly reflect on the season at hand and the reason for the celebration. Which for that week I did. After much preparation for her funeral, which needed to be perfect - and was, my Christmas prep flew out the chimney. So I allowed stress and frustration to replace joy and sweetness.

rather than enjoy and ponder this holiday I have been rushing and panicking. NOT my favorite thing to do. I had a long list of activities and lessons to share with our daughters to help them find the true spirit of Christmas, not just the santa spirit. out the door. I forgot to water our Beautiful Christmas Tree, dry and dead. We participated in a valuable service project, except they didn't participate I did it and they tagged along. Too much last minute shopping. Christmas cards will now be New Years cards. I could go on and on and on, but I think you have the picture of my Christmas. And I say MY Christmas because our girls were oblivious, except for the many threats that Santa ain't a stopping by, to the difference in our holiday. They got too many gifts and had a fabulous time with family. They had a great Christmas.

my apologies, I mean no offense, I do love Christmas and all its true and absolute meanings. But today, the day after Christmas all I feel like doing is having a good long cry. but why? is it because I forgot the reason for the season? no. is it because I lost a family member? not completely. is it because I feel like I failed as a mother, steward, example and teacher? bingo.

I feel like I failed in teaching our daughters the reason we celebrate. it was a mad rush of "what do you want for Xmas little girl?" and not enough "why do we celebrate CHRISTmas little girl?" not enough serving our fellow man and sharing the love that I know our Father in Heaven shares so willingly with us. I failed to LOVE like I should and want to. I failed to share traditions that show that LOVE. I forgot to focus on the LOVE that was given so freely for us when Christ was born to Mary in a lowly place. I forgot to impart the knowledge that with out the death of Christ His birth would be meaningless.

BUT, I also realize that because of HIS gift, I get a second chance. Christmas is not the only opportunity I have to share, teach, serve, LOVE. I can do that all day everyday. and I want to. So after a little cry, and maybe a nap, I will pick up the pieces of our dry and dead Christmas and while I do that I am going to do my best to plant the seeds that will grow into fond memories of Christmas's to come. and even better, strong testimonies of Truth and Light.

So HAPPY Day AFTER CHRISTMAS everyone - may all your days be filled with the wonder and light that IS our

SAVIOR and REDEEMER, JESUS CHRIST.

Snow Days

Well spring has arrived as only spring can in Utah. In honor of the changing of the seasons and the reason we live here, this is a homage to the snow. (Yes, I said the reason we live here is snow - ask my snow crazy hubby all about it.)

This winter brought many firsts to our family. just to name two we had the first ski days and our first official igloo. I have been so surprised and relieved to see how much Ella and Grace have loved playing in the snow. It could be a serious love for hot chocolate but we will take it however we get it. These two are naturals on skis, much to their fathers pride. As for the igloo the only thing Grace asked for this Christmas was snow making tools. So watch out old man winter - these two ain't afraid of anything you've got!