Christmastime

I love Christmas time. I love all the music. I agree with Shelly that all the songs are praise and worship, so beautiful. And this season helps people who often forget about being grateful for our Saviour to remember and rejoice in his birth and life. People are working so hard to figure out how to give to others, their families and those in need. We need to figure out how to push all these great things into the rest of the year. A friend gave us a fake tree and I was so excited. We had a small one - we have always lived in small places - and I love having a bigger one, it helps our house feel so much more Christmasy. The boys loved playing in the box it was stored in and worked hard putting the branches into the tree. We had a family home evening about the meaning of the elements of Christmas decorations - tree, star, nativity sets, etc and then we got out the Little People Nativity and played with that and decorated the Christmas Tree. I wish I could leave it up all year. :)

The boys and I went to a Book Club Christmas party and Santa came to visit. Jacob sat next to Santa - not on his lap, Andrew told me he would be brave and sat right on his lap, but Michael cried while we tried for a picture. :) Hopefully, those pictures will be coming soon - I forgot my camera, so a friend took some for me. It was so fun and all the food made me inspired me to make some Christmas treats. I attempted fudge and it never hardened! I was so sad. But, the kids and I still ate it- with a spoon. I think I need a different pan with a thicker bottom, because my caramels last year never got quite hard enough last year. But when I made them at Lynne's house with her pan they turned out great. SO, I will blame my failures on my pot!

My Grandma bought Andrew a stocking at a dollar store when he was three weeks old. She wanted to make sure he had something for his first Christmas. I wasn't worried, because he wasn't even aware it was Christmas, let alone that he needed a stocking. Well, he still has that same stocking. In my defense, I did back stitch his name on it for him one year. In a similar style, Jacob also received a stocking last minute before his first Christmas. Last year, Michael just borrowed one that was extra. When I pulled out the Christmas decorations this year, I found their stockings. I just couldn't bring myself to hang them up and Michael didn't even have one. So, I finally buckled down, hit the fabric store, did the applique, sewed them up and the boys officially have stockings. Hooray! This is the first year we will be having Christmas in our little house, so maybe that is why it had to be done. I think they turned out cute. I have a thing for initials. :)