Merry Christmas

This is my favorite picture. G and Amos were waiting so patiently for a bite from Parker.
Their good behavior was not rewarded!

The kids Christmas morning

This was the best Christmas I've had in many years. There are many reasons why, and I will try to share without exposing too much.

First of all we decided to do a Nativity secret santa for two families. We made up tags to go with each piece of the nativity and beginning on December 13th, left one piece each night. The girls had so much fun with this project, both putting them together and ding-dong-ditchin' every night! We had a little drama the first night....I'm sure one recipient saw the girls as her garage door opened just as they were running past her garage and she was heading to take her garbage out. Oh well! Then, We had a lot of drama the last night! We were saving the baby Jesus for the last night and we lost one! We frantically searched both my car and Savannah's with no luck. After which we went to a couple of stores looking for another nativity set (no luck with that on December 23rd). When we got home we found the last package had mysteriously made it's way into a shopping bag that had been in the car. What a huge relief that was.

When I asked our Bishop why there was not a giving tree out this year he said he was just asking people to help the families that needed it. I said that we would help. He told us to do whatever it was that we could do for a certain family. I just want to share what a wonderful experience that was. I have been on the receiving end of several secret santa experiences when we were struggling. I know how much it meant to us, and to think that someone else could feel that same way, and to know that I was able to do that...Now that was the best feeling of all.

I told the girls that they were not going to get much for Christmas this year because we had chosen to give in other ways. I think because they had been a part of the process, and because they remembered being given to, they were all for it. I know it touched them deeply to do these things.

The culminating event is not one that I can share much detail about at this time. It was a spontaneous decision and two families came together quickly and did an amazing service. I was very proud of all of our children, for most of them contributed! I think they all felt the spirit of that (even though 3 people involved got to experience the best part!)

For me Christmas is usually a difficult time. Lots of work to do. Expectations=disappointment. My children leave to go with their dad. And as they've gotten older it's lost a bit of the magic. But this year some things spontaneously changed and aligned in a way that took a lot of the stress away and brought the joy back for me.

Instead of spending Christmas eve (my birthday) doing Christmas at my house with my mom, we went to my dad's house. Everyone from my family that lives in town was there, even my brother and my nephew! It was fun, relaxing and we were home by 9pm. Christmas morning my mom came over and it did not feel rushed at all. We had plenty of time together before the kids left. Then Mario's boys came over and just hung out for awhile, which was so nice. Later in the afternoon my dad, step mom, and brother came over for dinner, which consisted mostly of left overs, except for the turkey breast I'd had in the crock pot all day. Again, it was relaxing and fun and my kids were back by that time. It may have been the first Christmas day in my entire life that I stayed home and did not leave my house.

Keeping Christmas as simple as I could and giving to others outside of my family brought the magic of Christmas into my life. I believe these will be our new traditions.