It's looking like Christmas!

I think even more than THE day I enjoy all the activities leading up to THE day.  I enjoy the old traditions surrounding the season, the music, the bringing out of familiar Christmas decorations.

 For years we have helped decorate our church for Christmas the first Saturday of December.  Now the grandchildren are helping and it is so much more fun with them.

 My favorite Christmas decoration hands down is the Fisher Price Natitivity set.  We've added pieces over the  years and it has held up well.  The kids play and play and play with it.

 We don't get a white Christmas here very often.  Face it, we don't get snow very often period.  We did get a bit of a dusting a week ago and a little 3 year old insisted on a snowman.  This was the result.  He's about 6 inches tall.  She also insisted on a carrot nose.  We packed the head so tight that the head flew off when we tried to insert the nose.  Ahh well, she was happy.

 So we don't get much snow.  That doesn't mean we don't have snowball fights.  Indoors.  A friend in my IBK group on ravelry sent me a dozen knit snowballs as part of an ornament swap.  They have been a hit since.  Just a day ago they divided into teams, boys vs girls and had a war.  I'm not sure who won but considering how much fun they had, all won.

 Zoo lights is part of the holiday tradition.  The lights!  The zoo characters for hugging.  Elephant ears for eating.  The night we went this year was cool but clear, as in no rain!  Perfect!

 One of the ladies in our church uses tea time as her ministry.  Usually there is one around Christmas time and one in the spring near Mother's Day.  We haven't gone to the last few because we had other commitments but we made it to this one.  The little girls seem to enjoy it more than we do.  But then all they have to do is smile or bat their eyes and the waiters are swooping in to give to their every whim.  They enjoy the dress up part of it too.

 Church, church family, are a huge part of the Christmas season for us.  My grandchildren enjoy their moment in the spot light lighting the Advent candles.  This year the brothers did it together.  Half way up the aisle one of the candles went out which meant going back for a relight.  The other went ahead and lit his candle and then patiently waited for his brother to light the 3rd candle together.

 I've tried to get some knitting done inbetween scrapbooking and passing the treasurer's job for the Guild on to the next one and running children to and from school and fixing meals.  Hats are great projects for busy people or any knitter really.  Super cute results with pretty instant gratification.  Both the hats I've finished were slouchy ones and I want to do some more.  They look so cute on the kids.   (details on ravelry)

 Just a week before Christmas and we finally got our treel.  It's a pretty one and it was fun to decorate.

Now to get the needles clicking.  Another holiday tradition?  Last minute sewing and knitting projects!  But come January it's all about finishing projects.  Nothing new in January but back to the old.

The 2 Days of Christmas

We celebrate Christmas twice each year.  Usually with our children and grandchildren on Christmas Eve and extended family on Christmas Day so that our children and grandchildren can go to the "other side". 

 All of my siblings were at my Mom and Dad's for Christmas Day.  Photo op!  It was a fun photo op.  Lots of laughing and eyes closed and pointing.  And fun.

 We did get to see one of our little grandmunchkins on Christmas Day.  She and Daddy came by my parent's to visit.  She availed herself of all Grandma's toys straight off and had a great time.

Our family Christmas celebration had to be delayed for several days due to our son's work schedule.  Which meant there was time to go back to an old tradition, making Swedish Bread for Christmas.  Learning to make bread is a good skill for children to learn, right?  Only if you're willing to have a kitchen covered in flour and do a load of flour covered laundry.  And have a lot of fun in the process.

 Ahhh, bread making instills such a good homey feeling. 

 And the results!  Fantastic smells and flavors and eye candy.  Not to mention a wonderful addtion to our Christmas feast.  It was worth the work and clean up and I had forgotten  how much fun it was to make bread.  In the new year I'm going to give healthy whole wheat bread another try.  I think Swedish bread is back on the Christmas menu.  My son in law asked for it this year and I'm glad he reminded me.

 Bring on the family!  It turned out it was worth the wait.  Both sets of parents could come and, except for 2 grandchildren, the whole family was in attendance. 

 I love the fact the littles are so willing to help.  They help set the table, make the gravy, unset the table, do the dishes.

 We have a few Christmas traditions:  Prime rib for dinner, the reading of the Christmas story in a fictional format, to name a few.  Our daughter traditionally reads the story.  We geared it this year to the youngest and it was the story of the candy cane, hence the candy canes in the little hands and mouths.

Then it was time for the gifts.  My Christmas shopping was the easiest I've ever done.  One phone call and a few emails and I was done!  This year I gave my dream to the family.  A family trip to Disneyland and Sea World.  It didn't really sink in since it wasn't something tangible but in a few months I'll get to see the excitement.  Until then, I'll be the one excited.  And the adults of the family.  As soon as it was given, out came the cell phones and the googling of Disneyland and what is there to see and do.

In the meantime, there were plenty of other tangibles for them to enjoy. 

 A Duck hat for a Duck fan.

 Princess dolls for the little princesses.

Both sets of great grandparents were there.  Photo op! 

 Have you ever got 8 kids together in a photo, looking the same direction, with smiles, or at least acceptable expressions?   Me either.  These are the better of the bunch because there was no best.

 And when it was all said and done, gifts were opened and enjoyed, and the last of the football game was still playing, there was entertainment value in a plain old fort built from blankets and the dining room table.  Next year, they get a box. 

Happy New Year!  I don't make resolutions per se but there are some changes I'd like to make.  First is lose a bit of weight.  I've already started that and didn't weight for the new year.  I made, what I hope, is the last yarn purchase for awhile.  And pattern purchase.  I'd like to focus on knitting up some of my yarn stash with patterns I already have and have been gifted this year.  I stashed down the fabric to pretty much nothing in 2012 and I'd like to at least make a dent in the yarn.
I don't know what this year holds, but I know Who holds it.  I'd like to focus on a closer walk with Him this year.  It's been a long time coming as these last few years I've floundered in the deep waters by myself.  Walking closer with Him will make my perspective right, even during the hard times.
Here's to a year with the right perspective, His, be there good times or bad.

On Overload....

Which is so typical of this time of year.  But when it's over, there is a tendency to miss the crazy busy fun that this season brings.  I must admit to being a little down the last few years during the holidays.  Despite trying to shake it, it's there, ready to grab on and settle in for a visit.  So, keep busy.  No problem.

 I don't understand why I'm down when I get to see this grin most days.  He is always ready with a smile.  Even amidst the hunger cries.  So, taking his attitude of smiling through it all, here is a whirlwind tour of the last week.  Yes, week, as in 7 days.  Jam packed! 

 The Advent candles are lit each Sunday.  Last Sunday was the turn for the little Princess.  Her brothers looked on because they were going to do it a week later.  Just a quick note about the dress she is wearing.  I made it for my daughter 15 years ago.  For her first Christmas here.  We brought her home in October, so 3 months later was her first Christmas in America.  She lit the Advent candles in this dress.  A few years ago our granddaughter wore the dress to light the candles, and now this is the second year Miss R has worn it to light the Advent candles. 

 This Sunday took 3 candlelighters as it is the last Sunday before Christmas.

 In honor of his first Christmas, Mr. C sported a Santa hat.  A hat that I started last night and finished this morning.  Details on my rav page.

 All dressed in their Christmas finery this morning.  She may not brag about her beautiful knitting but I will.  My daughter knit all of the "men" vests for Christmas and the beautiful red sweater on her little girl.  She even had to rip out her husband's vest to shorten it.  Rip knitting, pick up stitches, re knit the ribbing.  Amazing.  All while holding a full time job and more importantly, being a full time wife and mom.

 This last week was also my birthday.  We all gathered together for pizza.  The adults went off to see "The Hobbit" while a babysitter came in for the little ones.  After the movie it was cookies and ice cream.  The cookies were made and then served by my daughter and granddaughter. 

 This week was also our granddaughter's first band concert. And after the band played, quite well I might add, there was a festive sing along. 

 We arrived a bit early but the 2 year old had no problem occupying herself.  The custodians might have wished we hadn't been quite so early when they started the school clean up.  She had the belief in leaving no window un licked.

 And then, just to make sure the week was properly crazy, we had a Nonny and Graypa party.  We cut out snowflakes.

 We had Santa pancakes for breakfast.

 And then all hands on the counter for Christmas cookie baking.

And then we watched Miracle on 34th Street.  Or rather, they watched it and I cleaned.  Crazy busy.  We are postponing Christmas for our family until next week.  Our son has to work on our traditional day to celebrate, Christmas Eve.  That leaves Christmas Day for them to have a family day and possibly visit the other side of their family.  I am a little saddened that we have to wait a whole 5 days and Christmas feels like it will be an after thought since they've already celebrated.  But it will be a little more relaxed and most important, we will have most of the family together.
Have a very Merry Christmas.  We shall, just a bit later.

It's beginning to....

....be the slightly crazy season.  We haven't hit full blown crazy yet.  Give it a week.  I totally missed blogging about Thanksgiving.  It was a good one.  Almost the whole family joined us to partake of turkey and trimmings and football the Saturday after Thanksgiving. 

There was help in the kitchen.  Yep, 2 five year olds with knives that only threatened my limbs and eyes a few times.

 There were games with the grandmunchins.  You might notice the glaring difference in color around the table.  Lots of green and one lone orange.  That would be because the day we celebrated Thanksgiving was coincidentally the day of the Civil War.  The Oregon Civil War.  Ducks vs Beavers.  We have lots of Duck fans in our family and one lone Beaver fan.  (The Ducks won handily.)

 There was gingerbread cookie decorating.  I usually have gingerbread houses to decorate.  We changed it up this year so they each got to do their own.

 Um, there was some tasting going on too.

 And that brings us up to the Christmas season.  The first Saturday of December is the traditional decorating of the church.  Lots of help make it go quickly.  We nabbed a few grandmunchkins to help with the promise of breakfast out before the decorating.  The local Grange was having a pancake breakfast.  One of our granddaughters is a pancake fan and add hot chocolate and she was one happy girl and more than willing to help.

 Even little blue eyes helped.  In his sweet way.  He brought smiles to all he was around.

 First up is setting up the tree.  It's a fake tree and there was a class in fluffing branches 101. 

 They learned quickly.

 Then out came the ladder.  Oh my, it was THE place to be for the kids!  I must have 20 pictures of kids on ladders but I'll spare you.

 There was a lot of muscle helping out.

 I love the way the adults in our church family come alongside the littles and urge them to help and accept their help.  They train them, love them, encourage them, and church family is truly family.

 My mother in law started the tradition of decorating the church years ago.  She made it a family event.  Back in the day it was done with fresh greenery and took all day.  She provided treats and lunch for her family.  Due to allergies the fresh greenery is no longer used and the same decorations go up each year.  It is much faster and still beautiful.  She still provides treats though-hot apple cider and donut holes.

 The first Sunday of Advent.  And the church tree is decorated on that Sunday by the children.

 And the ladder saw a lot of action again.

 My husband has been part of our church's worship team for years.  He truly loves it.  While he and the team led worship, the children decorated.

 Speaking of Advent.  I joined the Advent swap in the Itty Bitty group again this year.  My swap partner is a young woman in Canada and the young woman that had my name is also from Canada.  I will do a blog post about it later since we are just beginning.  The idea is to send 24 small remembrances for your partner to open each day of Advent and one bigger gift to open on Christmas.  There were requirements for 12 of the gifts-something red, something green, a hand knit hat, etc.  I received my boxes several weeks before December and I hid them away so I would not be tempted.

 This was from the second day-a beautiful hand knit ornament.

 But whatever craziness the season brings, it all centers around the reason for the season.  A cliche to be sure but a true cliche nonetheless.  No matter what happens or doesn't happen, I am choosing to remember that Jesus is the reason we have Christmas.  I saw the last of one of my favorite Christmas movies last night, "The Christmas Box".  And Mrs. Parkin asked Richard what the first gift of Christmas was.  He finally figured it out-a child.  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son...."

Now, because there are no children here today, I am going to knit, have a cup of tea, watch a Christmas movie, and enjoy the quiet.  Because it's about to ramp up as we threw in painting our kitchen into the busiest time of year!