December 25th: Christmas Day!

Growing up, my siblings and I would often have a sleepover on Christmas eve and then wake up at 4 AM to open presents.  I can't believe my parents put up with it!  Admittedly, I was up several times in the night wishing it were already time to wake up.  The curse of not sleeping...

Lizzie loves doll strollers.  At nursery and anytime we go to someone's house, she goes straight for the stroller.  When she saw the stroller under the tree, she said, "Oh.  A stroller?  Is dat for me?"

Samara wanted Stompeez for Christmas last year, but they were all out online and at the north pole.  This year stores were selling them so we made sure to snatch a pair back in November.

Lizzie enjoyed opening her presents but the stockings were her favorite.  She ate half her goodies within an hour.  Do you love how she shoves her sister out of the way to get to her stocking?  I didn't even notice until I watched the video.  She is serious about her snacks.

Lizzie loves Signing Time DVDs.  She calls them "baby.com DVDs".  She exclaimed, as she opened it, "It's a new baby.com.  A new one!  Can I watch it?" 

 Samara made Ben a spiderman magnet in art class.  Both girls get so excited whenever they see anything spiderman.  I have a feeling many of Ben's gifts through the years will be spiderman/super hero related.

We planned on getting a trampoline this spring but found a great deal on one decided we'd get it for Christmas.  The trampoline will be nice to have in the basement for the winter especially once the baby comes and we don't get out as much.

I love the magic of happy kids on Christmas morning!

After a visit from Grandma and Uncle Kenny, it was off to Ben's brother's in the afternoon for sledding and a delicious dinner. 

I had to chuckle when I saw the video because everyone came home complaining of sore tailbones caused by the "big jump", which doesn't look so big on film.  :)

My SIL is an awesome cook and we throughly enjoyed dinner.  As my niece was saying the blessing on the food, Samara leaned over and whispered, "and say thank you for the delicious turkey.  I love turkey!".  Christmas was a wonderful and full day.  I literally fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas wherever and however you celebrated!

December 24th: Magic Dust

'Twas the night before Christmas, excitement ran through our house.

Santa's milk and cookies were set (secretly out for my spouse).

We had food for the reindeers, they wouldn't need to steal,

And when the first star appeared, we enjoyed a festive Slavic meal.

Later that night, Santa's extra cookies, we did eat.  Making the girls wait to open their Christmas eve presents was no easy feat!

The Magic Dust

Since this summer, Samara has been asking for magic pony dust that turns her my little ponies into real ponies.  Luckily, our neighbor has real ponies and was gracious to let me borrow one for a few hours.  While Ben and the girls were out delivering goodies to neighbors, a package containing the 'magic' dust was delivered.  

Samara sprinkled the magic dust, which she expected "to be more sparkly and not just look like cut up paper."  She said the magic words and we waited five minutes, per the instructions.  Five minutes later, we went outside in search of the pony.

The girls were so surprised to find the dust was not phony!  Their reactions were adorable.  After a few minutes, Samara said, "maybe our neighbor brought the pony over.  No, she's out of town.  The dust must really work!  But I did think the real one would look more like Princess Celestia." (see picture above of play pony)

I had horses growing up but it has been a while since I've actually handled them.  I did not expect the little pony to move SO fast or be so strong as I walked him over.  It was quite the sight.  I felt like Santa, with my jolly round belly bouncing as I tried to keep up with the pony, not slip in the snow, and balance the hay bucket.  I giggled as I thought how funny I must look.   I expected to go the back way and was so worried my family would see me on their way back from delivering goodies.  Ben actually did see me coming up their street onto ours and was able to turn before the girls noticed me.  Phew!

After feeding the pony a carrot and fielding questions about the dust, we read/acted out the nativity (each having multiple parts) and then it was off to bed for the babies.

While sweet dreams danced in their heads, stockings were filled, gifts set out, and the pony returned.

Today marks a year since we "moved" into our house.  Needless to say, this Christmas Eve was a tad bit more relaxing than last year.

On the walk home, my heart was full of gratitude for all of our many blessings and the miracle of a babe born so long ago in a stable, perhaps not unlike the one to which I'd just returned the pony.  I am so grateful for Christ's birth, life and mission, all of which make it possible for me right my wrongs and be with my little family forever.

December 23rd: Christmas Card

We LOVE getting cards in the mail so I don't know why I've never made it a priority to send one out.  

I did get one made yesterday after Jeanne snapped a few pictures of us...just in the knick of time.

  A digital one is a start and maybe next year a printed card will actually make it in the mail!  

December 22nd: Lights

Christmas lights are magical.

We went to the Spanish Fork festival of lights and the girls loved it.

They jabbered away the whole time pointing out each new display and what they liked about it.

My favorite was the ski jumper.

A last minute need to mail letters to Santa prompted a stop at the Riverwoods. 

Their stocking wishes: gum for Elizabeth and a lollipop for Samara.  

I think we can handle that.

They do a great job with lights there and have free carriage rides.

Lizzie loves Christmas lights.  We went a second time to see the Riverwoods lights.  That evening, as soon as Ben got home from work she said, "Tank ooh for coming home dada so we can go see da lights.  Can we go see them as soon as we are done eating?"

December 21st: Tree, Ornaments, and the Peanuts Gang

The Tree

We got a permit and cut down our tree.  It was fun to start up the tradition again.  The trees aren't perfect like farm-grown ones but we love them.

All the men, who did the tree dragging, looked just like this when they'd come up the hill.

My belly got me out of any real work. 

The kids all had a great time playing in the snow. 

 We stayed overnight in the area with some friends.  Love these two ladies (and thanks for the pictures)!  But we are missing sweet Malia, whose son got sick on the way to cut down the tree in the morning.

 This picture cracks me up.  Whose tree is bigger and who is more proud?!

The Ornaments  

If there were a fire in my house and I could only grab two things (besides the kids of course) I'd get my photo book and Christmas ornaments.  Since I came home from Russia right before Christmas, I had ornaments like the left and middle plus some Santa ones made to bring home as souvenirs.  Thankfully, I kept a few.  The right ornament is also from Russia.

We've tried to pick up an ornament from every place we've been, which sometimes ends up being a key chain.   Here are a few that cooperated for pictures.

The Peanuts Gang

I've always had an affinity for Charlie Brown and the peanuts characters.  I've received fun peanuts gifts from siblings and friends over the years.  I loved taking them and all our decorations out this year especially since they've been in storage for a while.

December 20th: Advent Calendars

In case you were wondering....Yes, I do love everything Christmas!  Advent calendars are no exception.  Since I physically can't/don't ever sleep past 5 AM, this seemed like a good year to record thoughts about the season and blog hop for ideas.  Hopefully, I'll be sleeping peacefully in subsequent years.  

At the beginning of the month, I saw advent calendars and ideas popping up on blogs everywhere.  I wanted to make/buy almost every single one I saw.  

Left is my family advent and on the right is Ben's.  They have a similar layout and I'd love to make one a year when I learn to sew and have lots of time!  This one reminds me a little of the one my family had growing up so maybe the tutorial will help.  Both Ben and I have such fond memories of ours.  We usually had the chocolate calendars too.  I always thought popping those little doors open to see which chocolate awaited me was magical.

This mini-tree advent is the first one I determined to make but when I realized all the stuff I'd have to find/buy for it, I scratched it off the list for this year.  The blogger has another post with more neat ideas.

These bags are adorable.  It would be fun to put a little treat and/or scripture in each one.  Because let's face it, the chocolate, in the grocery store ones, I loved as a kid really isn't that tasty.

These miniatures stockings are the cutest thing ever.  When I was moving to the tropics and getting rid of sweaters galore, my cousin suggested that I keep them to use for sewing projects.  So these are on Jeanne's my list to make next year.  Since I kept sweaters in storage, per her suggestion, she is totally obligated to do help me with them.  Plus she has way more skills in that department than I do.

Just when I thought I'd seen every advent idea out there, my friend, Sarah, sent me a link to printable calendars.  So adorable!  I bought the PDF for these vintage matchboxes.  I cut them out but have yet to assemble them.  I'm already set with a host of ideas for next year and hope I can resist all the new ideas that will inevitably be out there to tempt me. 

In the end, the decision fatigue got to me.  We opted for simply moving the magnet every day and paper chains.   Plus, I'm sure we've eaten at least one "advent" treat everyday.

December 19th: Russian Christmas

 Today marks 12 years since I returned home from serving a mission in Russia.  Where does time go?! My time in Russia was a wonderful experience and I'm so grateful for it.  I spent one Christmas there and I'll never forget it.  I thought I'd be homesick but in fact felt the opposite.  I was so happy to be there and wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else.

This is my second companion, Irina who is from the Ukraine.  Despite my pretty basic Russian (I'd only been in the country 2 months), we instantly bonded and became the best of friends.  She and I were able to finish our missions together in the same city, where we'd first been companions.  The service project we did that year was definitely a highlight of my time in Russia.  

The service project was at home for children whose parents were alive but were alcoholics and could not care for them.  Parents could visit but they lived full-time and were cared for at the home.  I  felt for the first time the true meaning of giving.  These sweet kids were so grateful for the gifts we'd brought for them.  They were delightful and adorable.  Despite their less than ideal circumstances, they were happy.  That day was a huge realization for me that my life was one of ease and that I had much to give.

I got this darling advent frame on black friday.  I didn't end up getting it until mid-month and hadn't planned enough ahead of time to do the "25 days of service" this year.  But I plan/hope to in future years.  I love the excitement of Christmas traditions and gifts but I think the best way to honor Christ's birth and life is by doing meaningful service.

I would LOVE to know what your families do for service?  What has worked and been the most meaningful?  Please do share!

Today would be my sweet Grandmother Olive's 114th Birthday.  We got together at my mom's and my uncle shared some stories about her.  We ate her favorite treat, rice pudding.  She was a remarkable woman.  When she died she weighed only 80 lbs.  She was bedridden and her arthritis was so bad that sneezing could break another bone.  Yet she never complained.  My mom cared for her at home for as long as possible but when she needed more medical attention, grandma was moved to a rest home.  She called my cousin Jeanne and I "twins" and was always pleasant, cheerful, and so sweet when we'd visit.  Even though I was young, her happy demeanor left an impression on me.  My grandpa died when my mom was just 14 and my uncle was 10.  Despite only having an 8th grade education, grandma managed to provide a wonderful life for them.  Both my mom and uncle earned masters degrees and worked in education.  

Happy Birthday sweet grandma!