A Quick Backtrack

Quickly, before I continue with the Christmas festivities, I give you some highlights of our Thanksgiving week.
Here is Isabelle's 3rd grade class play, "The Ugly Turkey," about a different-looking turkey who taught all the other turkeys that you judge a turkey by her character and not by her appearance. Notice that Isabelle is a head taller than most of her classmates. Do you think the other turkeys will be judgemental to the tall turkey?

On Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, we road-tripped to Idaho Falls for a feast hosted by Sky & Heidi--my brother & his wife--whom we just blend into "Skeidi." [Mike remained home to work. I allowed his mom to have custody for Thanksgiving.]

The above photo is the baby pestering Max on our 4-hour drive. It was hilarious! He spent a half hour stretching his foot wa-a-a-a-y over, as far as he could reach, to tap on Max's leg. Max didn't even notice the antics, immersed as he was in making a BB gun from a pen (don't ask). I happened to glance back and saw this little blue jammie foot stretched out so it could bother Max. We spent the next half hour laughing at the baby-pestering.

We arrived safe & sound Wednesday evening, and by 10pm that night it was clear that I had a very sick baby. A screaming, in-pain, inconsolable baby. I walked the floor with him that night from 1-5am. Every night thereafter, for the entire holiday, was spent in a similar manner.

It was a delirious Thanksgiving.

Thank GOODNESS for a mom & dad who helped out when it became too much--like when Baby woke up for the morning at 7am, after being up crying ALL NIGHT. My mom & dad took over so I could squeeze in a few hours of survival sleep.

Or like when, another morning, he decided to get up from 4am-7am after--yes--crying off and on from 1-3am. On that morning, I just started to cry along with him. My dad got up at 4am that day and played with Jack, allowing me to zonk for a few hours.

Thanksgiving recap: The food and company were great. The rest of it was nightmarish.

The baby did sleep quite well each night from 9pm-midnight. Foolishly, I spent that time socializing and playing games. Then I'd fall into bed, only to be awakened an hour later by a screaming baby in pain. (He ended up having two ear infections, the poor brave sweetie.)

I had big plans to document the fun and the food. Didn't happen. A sick, non-sleeping baby by night and a hyper, mischievous baby by day meant no photos. None. I did take a second to snap a photo of their amazing bar stools, which came with their new house.

And on the way home, we saw this beauty. A bubblegum-pink truck. We stared. We laughed. Don't you think my minivan would look great in this color?

(please tell me you caught the tongue-in-cheek tone there.)

A Christ-Centered Christmas, Day 6

Activity: With your family, act out the nativity story. Or you could do it with neighbors for Family Night, or with extended family members. Even if it's just your own little family, you can add props and act the essential parts. Kids will have fun gathering the wardrobe and props! Older children can be the "playwrite," with stage cues, etc.

Quote: “In each of us there is at Christmastime something of our childhood. We all revel in the fun of Christmas—of giving and receiving tinseled presents, of singing favorite carols, of feasting on goodies we never miss at other seasons, of gathering together as family and friends, all having a wonderful time. But there is something else, something better, and that is to sit together as families and read again the fascinating story of the birth of Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem of Judea.” Gordon B. Hinckley, New Era, Dec 2007, 2–5

A Christ-Centered Christmas, Day 5

Activity: Together as a family, write your testimony of the Savior on a 8x10 paper. Each member could write a few lines giving their testimony in a different crayon color; frame it and hang it prominently for the next few weeks--or year round!

Quote & Scripture: “My testimony coincides with the testimony of the beloved Apostle John: íf ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them’ (John 13:17). May we search for the doctrines and commandments of the great plan of happiness; and when we learn them, may we embrace them willingly. By doing so we will find lasting joy, happiness, and peace.”

~ M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, May 1995, 22

*Note: I am not having success with the Blogger auto-scheduled posts; sorry Day 5 is so late!

A Christ-Centered Christmas, Day 4

"Hand in Hand," by Greg Olsen

"The spirit of giving gifts has been present in the mind of each Christian as he or she commemorates the Christmas season. Our Heavenly Father gave to us His Son, Jesus Christ. That precious Son gave to us His life, the Atonement, and victory over the grave.

"What will you and I give for Christmas this year? Let us in our lives give to our Lord and Savior the gift of gratitude by living His teachings and following in His footsteps. It was said of Him that He 'went about doing good.' As we do likewise, the Christmas spirit will be ours."

~ Thomas S. Monson, "What Is Christmas?" Ensign, Dec. 1998, 5

Activity: Deliver a treat to a neighbor, someone who could really use a goodie to bring cheer.

Scripture: Matthew 25:40

A Christ-Centered Christmas, Day 3

Activity: Draw/Color a picture of the night of nights when the shepherds were abiding in the fields and the angel of the Lord appeared to them.

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20

A Christ-Centered Christmas, Day 2

This video is a bit long, but SO powerful!
Watch until the end...it's worth it, I promise.

"There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus the Christ. It is the time to love the Lord our God with all our heart—and our neighbors as ourselves. It is well to remember that he who gives money gives much, he who gives time gives more, but he who gives of himself gives all. Let this be a description of our Christmas gifts."
~ Thomas S. Monson, “The Gifts of Christmas,” Ensign, Dec 2003, 2–5.

Activity:
Give the gift of yourself: Write a Christmas card to your grandparents or somebody who is elderly and would love to find a bit of joy in the mailbox.

Scripture: 2 Nephi 26:3

A Christ-Centered Christmas, Day 1

"For Unto Us a Child Is Born," by Simon Dewey

Jesu, joy of man's desiring,
Holy Wisdom, Love most bright;
Drawn by Thee, our souls, aspiring,
Soar to uncreated light.
Word of God, our flesh that fashion'd,
With the fire of life impassion'd,
Striving still to truth unknown,
Soaring, dying, round Thy throne.

Through the way where hope is guiding,
Hark, what peaceful music rings!
Where the flock, in Thee confiding,
Drink of joy from deathless springs.
Theirs is beauty's fairest pleasure;
Theirs is wisdom's holiest treasure.
Thou dost ever lead Thine own
In the love of joys unknown.

~ Johann Sebastian Bach

Activity: Set out your nativity set. If you don't have one, get out some art supplies and have your children draw a nativity scene; my daughter Isabelle did this a few years ago on her own and it was the cutest thing ever--a precious keepsake. I'm going to have all three of them do one this year.

Scripture: Isaiah 7: 14

Another quick, homespun activity: Make a paper chain with your children to count down the days 'til Christmas.

***What do you do in your home to incorporate
the Savior in your holiday decorations?