Christmas vacation has begun!!!

Let's give a big shout out loud and say "It's Christmas Time!!!!"

 

Today, Christmas vacation began as soon as the parties were finished up at school!!!  I helped with the kindergarten party and I think their little hands and smiles are so cute as they make a craft and eat some yummy snacks!!!  Austin even got to join the fun!

 

We made the cupcakes yesterday afternoon and now today we sang happy birthday twice!!!  Once to Miss. Peterson (her birthday is tomorrow) and again for baby Jesus!  Because that is really why we are celebrating Christmas!  Because of His birth!

This little hat I have worn for three out of our four children!  Every time I get so many compliments and it really adds fun and humor into the holiday!!!  Plus, if the kid is adorable, of course everyone will say, "Oh, how cute!"  :)))  And by the way, he likes popcorn!

 Ashlyn and I prepared a craft for the class to do today!  She loved this and the kids did a great job making a nativity scene!

He wanted to play with the glue and paper and help himself to whatever caught his eye but we managed to keep things under control!

Then we served snack!  Such fun foods and so pretty!

Um, then he discovered the headphones.  "No, they are not ours and no you may not ruin these!"

Ashlyn brought us home a card the other day and insisted that we open it right then and there.  So, Mike and I did!  It was wrapped up nicely and inside was a homemade card from her! 

Matthew's class went caroling for some older folks this morning.  Hadassah's school had their festivities yesterday!  We hope others were blessed!

Yesterday, Ashlyn did a prerun on the craft we did in her class.  She loved this!

The house is cleaned.  Fresh greens are laid here and there!  We are ready for Christmas!

Matthew played another game of basketball but this time the other team was better!  Good job at playing hard boys and making an effort to get more baskets!!! 

This is my Bible verse for the day!  I have a phone app that gives me a verse and devotional every day and I loved the promise and verse today!!!  Another great reminder of why we celebrate Christmas!

And lookie here!!!  I finally got my very own copy of this magazine!  I've asked at stores.  I've stopped at a few stores.  Everyone said they were sold out!  So, I ordered this online the other day and I am thrilled that it arrived right at Christmas vacation!!!  I can't wait to dig into this magazine!!!!  It was so cute when we got the mail today!  Ashlyn always opens all our Christmas mail!  She loves getting mail and cards for herself and so opening up tons of cards is great fun for her!  I told her she may open up my package today and see what's inside!  When she pulled out the magazine she said, "Oh look!  This looks like the fixer upper people!"  :)))

I guess you know now that we watch the show "Fixer Upper!"  :)

I made one last grocery stop this afternoon and grabbed a few more seafood foods for our meal tomorrow night!  Our family is going to enjoy some good food together and we are excited about our upcoming weekend and days ahead!!!

PS. I am so glad to have that nasty stomach bug out of our house and done with!!!

Stay warm!  Happy holidays!!!

Only four more days till Christmas!



 

With it being Christmas time, I ordered a devotional book called "The heart of Christmas", by Hank Hanegraaff.  This book is meant to be read each day, for twenty five days, leading up to Christmas day!  This little book brings the reason for some of the traditions we do each year.  Like the Christmas tree.  And Santa Claus.  One of these days I'm going to look up more traditions and find out where they were started!  It also gives some scripture to read and a carol at the end of each day.  It has been interesting to actually read the words to many of the familiar Christmas songs we sing each year.  I find myself humming them as I read.  I'm realizing that too many times I just sing these same songs without really knowing what I'm saying. 

 

The devotional for this morning talked about "advent" meaning "coming".  He gave examples of how Joshua was the leader for the Children of Israel to go into the Promise Land.  Jesus in our Savior for our "promised land" ... heaven!  The scripture took me to when the angel appeared to Joseph and told him that it's OK to take Mary as his wife and to not be afraid.  I sat there and thought that maybe if Joseph would not have thought about making a divorce against Mary, the angel may have never appeared to him.  Now, I know God knows all things but I had to think of how it may have been.  God saw that Joseph was struggling with the idea of Mary just mysteriously becoming pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  He must've have doubts.  Really, who wouldn't?  This is the first time this was ever heard of.  Why was it happening to him?  To them?  How was he to believe Mary even though she was such a sweet girl and has always been honest and humble?  How could he believe such a story?  And then in walks God into his life through a dream.  God sends an angel!  Gabriel came and talked to Joseph and told him that this really was a true story!  Mary was really still a virgin and yet pregnant with the Son of God.  He was not to be afraid!  He was to name this baby boy Jesus!

 

Do you think Joseph sat up and thought long before being able to move?  Or do you think it was so real that he jumped up and ran to Mary's house and told her that it's going to be OK.  She believed it would be OK but hearing those words come from Joseph was so comforting!  God was with them!  He believed her!  He believed the angel!  Did he have answers for all the towns people that still thought they were crazy folks?  Did he just believe and not have any more questions?  Probably not, but he did know that because of God, this was all possible!  It was enough for him!  He trusted in God and took Mary as his wife!

 

Christmas day is coming!  Take time to read and reread about the birth of Jesus!  Let your mind wonder and put yourself in their shoes.  How it must have been.  Think of the excitement of a new baby.  Of seeing and hearing angels.  Of knowing that this was the plan for redemption!

 

And because I love pictures, here are more of our darling children!  :)

 

Bring peace.  Bring joy.  Bring song into your homes today!

Christmas with the Lapps and Dienners!

We woke up Saturday morning with icy roads and the weather outside brought the feeling of Christmas!!!  It was a fun way to start the day knowing that we did have a Christmas gathering today!  My day started out earlier than I really wanted it too though.  Austin woke up crying at 5 AM and Mike got up and put him in bed with us.  A minute later Austin was sounding like he was going to throw up.  I jumped up and took him quickly into the bathroom.  Him and I went out to the couch and tried to rest through many attempts of him trying to throw up.  He only actually brought something up once and by 10 AM, he seemed to be feeling better! So, we packed up our things and headed to Mike's parents. 

 

When we arrived, mom had the table set up so nice!  Her candles were burning and the food was ready to eat!  When Steve's got there, poor Celine and Sophia were not feeling well.  And, Javon had the runs.  After lunch, I suddenly had to lay down from a stomach ache.  I prayed and hoped it wasn't what the others had!  It only lasted for about an hour and my stomach felt a lot better but I took special care of what I ate the rest of the day. 

 

We started to play games.  RISK was an old game and that got replayed.  We will also and forever be playing Settlers.  :)  We also played Now You Have It, Now You Don't with the adults.  Steve's didn't stay for the evening.  Their kids were still not feeling the best.  Then, Hunter started to throw up.  Twice.  It seemed to go from person to person! 

 

We sat and chatted till 10 PM!  The was fun.  The food was excellent!  I just wish everyone would have felt much better!!!

 

Mom's red winter berries looked so pretty with the icy on them.  And Austin ate lots of pretzels to help keep his stomach from being hungry and hurting.

 

Time to open presents.

His dream gift ... a bat and ball, plus a tool set.

Mommy Lapp made a thick blanket for Ashlyn and Sophia!  So cute!

Matthew was given a sleeping bag.

Hadassah got a thick blanket for her bed.

Then on Sunday we gathered with the Dienner Family!

We play lots of games!!!  We missed Daudy D. not being there!!!  It was so neat to have pillows made out of his shirts and all the children got on!  Daudy will forever live in our hearts!

Look who came to visit me!!!  This is the first time ever that I got to watch Blue Birds from my kitchen window!!!  I love it!  They are feasting on the blue bird worms and fresh suit I made for them!!!  They are so pretty!

Add a cardinal to the birds and it's magic!!!!  I love this!

 

We are excited about Christmas only being five days away!!!  We are busy finishing up gifts and buying food for the next week!  The Christmas music is still playing non stop!!!  One thing I do wish happens yet!  We have been hit with the stomach bug and I hope that will be out of our house by this weekend!!!

 

Stay warm!  Stay healthy!  Eat your veggies!!!  :)

 

And here is some Christmas photos to bring on some cheer and gladness!!!  :)

 

Merry Christmas!