Christmas Eve

 Sometimes I worry my kids don't get it...what Christmas is really about. I want them to know. I NEED them to know. My heart aches sometimes when I know how bad they want things this time of year. But then I remember they are 4 & 6 years old...and most kids that age don't get it yet. I'm not sure I totally got it until I was about 21! Yes I knew what it was about...but didn't really understand the whole spirit of it.

We decided the Monday before Christmas to tackle teaching our children about the Atonement. And the gifts Christ has given us. Again, I was worried they wouldn't get it.

But they did!

And they were so sad for Jesus. And they were so grateful for the gifts he gave us. It was such a spiritual experience (and let me tell you...FHE usually is pretty far from it!) It was a really sweet experience and it was a good reminder for all of us that He really is our gift.

We usually go sledding Christmas Eve and do sugar cookies and hot cocoa, but we had no snow on Christmas eve! So we spent the day playing games and making snacks and decorating some cookies a friend brought us! We started a new tradition of getting a new board game to open too so we have something fun to do all day. This year we got Trouble and Tenzi from G&G Reed.

 For dinner we decided to do a fondue party! Carter really liked it...I think all Mollie ate for dinner was strawberries! We had cheese, marinara, and white chocolate sauce with all sorts of yummy things to dip in them! This may become a favorite tradition!

 After dinner we did the regular Christmas story, Christmas pajamas and Christmas movie.

 At 9PM sharp we all logged onto Skype with my brother in Romania! He comes home in April so we are all getting really excited! Its always so great to chat with my parents and siblings. We laughed, cried, shared testimonies and talked until the wee hours of the morning!

And here is the calm before the storm! Santa came!!
A nerf gun for Carter
A Doll for Mollie
A Swing for Brielle
And a slide for them all for the new (to us) playset we got in the summer!

Santa was especially good to me bringing me a new laptop (a total and complete surprise, but a much needed gift!) And Chad got a 2014 Fiesta Bowl BSU shirt and a giant flag to fly on game day. (Not sure how I feel about that yet!)

 

Every year I sit back and am amazed of how blessed we have been over the year. Although I know my biggest blessings aren't things, I always sit and ponder on the nice christmases we have had and I am so thankful that somehow every year we are able to do this for our family. We are so blessed! In spiritual matters as well as physical. I love my Savior and am so grateful for his gifts to me. I'm grateful for the peace he brings and the realization that I can live with him again. I know he lives! I look forward to the day of his coming again!