{Christmas~2009}

Is is just me or does Christmas take so long to get here, and then it seems to be over in a flash? I love the spirit of Christmas, and wish it could last all year!

A few days before Christmas, we loaded the family up to spend the day finishing up our shopping and to visit temple Square, something we try to do every year. I love the Spirit that we feel there, and the reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. I always dread the drive and the long day, but in the end I'm always thankful that we made the effort. After the annual Meadow ward Christmas Eve party/program and candlelight pizza dinner at Gram & Papa's we came home and the kids got to open their Christmas jammies (not that they really needed any more PJ's, but it's a fun tradition for them). Carlie was so funny....her jammies had ballerinas on them and she just had to show us her dancing abilities. She'd do a kick and then pause to look at her leg to find another move, copy it, then pause to find another. What a crack-up she is!

Santa found our house and all the kids were happy! Brock asked for Eyeclops Night Vision goggles, and Santa came through for him. He also surprised him with a Bionic Eye magnifier.

All Kaleb asked for, and wanted more than anything was a Nintendo DS! Well, Santa brought one, but he also wrote a letter and made a deal with Kaleb that in return for the DS he had to work extra, extra hard at being good this year!

Carlie has been asking for a tiger for months....we kept thinking she would change her mind, but she didn't., so a tiger she got (yes, I know it's really a cheetah, but Carlie liked that one best, and to her it's a tiger). It's sudden movements and even it's eyes sort-of give me the creeps, but Miss Carlie is in love!

I am thankful for the Holiday season, for the joy on my children's faces, for the time spent with family and friends, for the generosity and love we've felt..... I am simply thankful, we are truly blessed!

{Taking a Little Break}

Yep, I'm taking a little blog break. I had all sorts of posts planned about our little families traditions, I was excited to share some of the things we do to celebrate, but unfortunately somethings have happened that have really just ruined it for me. I want to be able to enjoy the Christmas season without worrying about being judged or criticized for what I choose to share.

I'll be back, I promise. I just don't know if it will be after Christmas, or maybe even after the New Year! Happy Holiday Wishes to you all!

{Traditions}

I ♥ Christmas! I think it must be a trait I inherited from my Grandma Ainge, she lived for Christmas, she truly loved it. In fact she even passed away on Christmas day in 2005, making sure that Christmas time will always be her time! I was thinking the other day about the many traditions we have in our family at Christmas time, sometimes they change, or we add new ones, some years we skip a few, but traditions are what makes Christmas special for me. So, throughout December I'm going to post about some of my families traditions, and I'd love to hear about some of yours.

First, and as much as I hate to admit it, it's become a tradition for me to procrastinate at about everything......getting up my decorations, shopping, everything! Why, I have no idea? I love Christmas, and I love when everything is decorated and shopping is done and I can enjoy the season, but alas, I put it all off every year. I'm hoping today will be my decorating day, but most likely, I'll put it off again!

Our next tradition, and it's a favorite for our kiddo's, was started last year. Grandma and Grandpa Dearden got the kids these great advent calendars. The boys get Lego's and Carlie got Polly Pocket this year and Barbie last year. Each night they get to open a door to find a surprise. I think this is the only time of year they look forward to bedtime all day! The first Saturday of every December is set aside for the annual Beckstrand Family Christmas Party. We all get together, eat yummy food and enjoy the chaos each others company. It's also (hopefully) becoma traditions for my cousin Brian's family to stay at our house when they come for the party. They have two boys and then a girl just like us, and the kids get along so well. The kids play while we stay up late and laugh! Carlie has been asking every day when "Awie", (Allie) can come back to sleep over!

All the kids 18 and under draw names and exchange gifts. The boys both got Lego's this year (score!), but my camera battery was dead and Carlie got a FurReal Pet Kitty that she hasn't put down since (I had to bribe her to leave it home from Church).

My sweet Uncle Don made each family one of these beautiful Christus statues! He is the same Uncle that made my Nativity that I showed last year here. A few of my pieces had been broken in one of our moves and he replaced them for me this year. What a talented and thoughtful man he is!
We always know what to expect from my sweet Grandma, it's her tradition. We each receive a small bag, with money, socks and a handmade ornament. I knew there was a story behind this, and my mom reminded of how the sock tradition came to be. Grandma's mother had a rental home, every year she saved some of the rental money and at Christmas time bought stockings for the family a tradition which Grandma has carried on. She also makes each of us an ornament, this year they were doves.....our little tree in the basement holds a few of the many she's done over the years. Each family receives a handmade dish cloth (or hot pad) and a scrubber. But the gift I look forward to each year is her homemade caramel nut roll.......HEAVENLY! Each family gets one..... I have to admit the first few years we were married, I didn't share, I ate the entire thing myself. I figured if Derrick never got to taste it, he wouldn't miss it, right? Notice, no picture of the nut roll, yea, it's gone already!

I'd love to hear some of your traditions!

{Thanksgiving Break}

Ahhhh, it's quiet at my house.....well, relatively quiet, since I still have Carlie and Tylie here, but the boys are back to school after a very long week home! Don't get me wrong, it was a nice break, but I was ready for it to end. We spent Thanksgiving this year at my Grandma and Grandpa Beckstrand's house with some of my dad's family. It was yummy as always and fun to visit with family, while the kids ran around just like we used to. Thankfully it was warm enough they could do some of the running outside!We spent the rest of the break doing some cleaning, getting the lights on the house, listening to fighting kids, eating leftovers, getting a Christmas tree and did I mention listening to fighting kids? Derrick and I also snuck away with some friends for a date night to dinner and to see New Moon again! All in all, it was a good break and I'm thankful for it!