Enjoying down time before Christmas

My husband and children are now off work/school for Christmas. We are enjoying the laid back life. This morning my husband and I awoke to the sound of peace and quiet. We didn't get out of bed to nearly 8 AM. The children slept for a little while still after we awoke. Later in the AM I dabbled with a recipe called "Sweet Tortilla Snowflakes". I wasn't sure how good they would be, I was glad I could make them one at a time to find out. They were interesting, very messy though because of the powdered sugar. Basically you cut the tortilla like snowflakes, we had a lot of fun with this. You then bake them at 350 for 5 minutes on a slightly greased cookie sheet. Once they are done you place chocolate chips random all over and melt them for about a minute in the oven. Then you spread the chocolate and let them cool in the refrigerator for 5 minutes. Next you sprinkle with confectioners sugar. This led to a snowflake making party with paper. My children and I went to town making snowflakes. See the picture above to see what fun we had. My son who is only 5 did so awesome! You'd be surprised as to which ones he did. My daughter made the most beautiful one. She and I differ when it comes to the thought we put into things. She just cut away and came up with some truly beautiful snowflakes. I was trying to figure out how to make points, try to hard.... We had so much fun making snowflakes. We are so enjoying this time together. All the stresses of life has melted away and we are just enjoying hanging out not having any agenda to follow.

Yesterday we went to see the movie, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. It was actually a special showing put on by our Realtor at the movie theater. For the admission they were collecting canned food to benefit a cause and each of us brought non-perishable items to donate. We are trying to incorporate giving not just receiving this time of year as often as possible. I don't want my children to get caught up in only thinking of what they will gain and receive but what they can give and what a beautiful feeling they can get from giving to others. The movie was really cute. The meaning I got out of it was to not stop being a kid at heart because then we loose the core of who we are and what we're meant to be and do. It was a really sweet movie with Dustin Hoffman and Jason Bateman. Enjoy the season and take time out to relax and be at peace. Thank you so much Jesus for the gift of your life and love that you've given to us. All the Glory to you!

Jesus = The Reason for the Season

One of my favorite times of the year is Winter. My favorite Holiday is Christmas. So often though most of us fall into the trap of being consumed and preoccupied with finding just that right gift for someone, that can sometimes over shadow the real meaning of Christmas if we allow it. The stores are completely crazy this time of year. Side note, I have vowed to never buy toys and ship them! I'm marking it on my calender for next November DO NOT SHIP TOYS! It cost me just as much to send a package this year as the contents themselves! Next time I'll buy through Toysrus.com and get free shipping. I think about a Christmas Carol and wonder what the scrooges of our day must think of this time of year? There are those on the Christmas "list" we feel we must buy for and each year there are some on that list that the task gets more difficult to accomplish for whatever reason. I question why we do this to ourselves? I know also though that God puts into ALL of us something that can't help but love this time of year somehow, believers and non believers alike. So that's why we buy those presents! For some of us, like myself, I want to find what they might like or need. Yes, sometimes that may be a gift card depending on the circumstances. I know my daughter this year ONLY wants clothes, she's beyond toys now. Or at least that's what she thinks. A gift card for her is perfect from those that don't know her taste. At this age she wouldn't find any fault in that. I'm thinking do you want to wake up Christmas morning to an envelope? I personally don't think she's ready for that. From her Dad and I though, we will have some gifts under the tree for her. I know her taste and I've picked up a couple of things I know she'll like. Then we will treat her to some after Christmas sales for some clothes she can pick out herself, that's half the fun at this age. All the while though we can't forget the single reason we celebrate this time we call "Christmas" it has no other reason for this season. We celebrate a Savior that loved us more than we can comprehend, imagine or do ourselves. He chose to come and be born a birth not of the King he is but rather in a humble way. He lived a humble life and died a death so that we could have life! With that in mind I reflect on this song:

Newsboys - In Wonder Lyrics
(Previously I'd posted a video made of this song to the right. Search for it on the side bar, it's the first video bar you'll come to if you'd like to hear it)

So much wonder
Carved in your coral seas
So much wonder
Shaded by ancient trees
I consider all your hands have made
Every new born eyes, every new sunrise
No power can tame your presence
No light can match your radiance

Let all creation sing in wonder
Every sea, every creature, every star
You opened up my eyes to wonder
What a vision what a wonder what you are

Such a wonder
Ordering time and tide
Such a wonder
Bridging the great divide
I consider all that you had, all you gave
all that you endured
From this rebel world
What a wondrous cross you chose to bear
What a wonder you would even care

Chorus

Let all creation sing in wonder
Every sea, every creature, every star
You opened up my eyes to wonder
What a vision what a wonder what you are


Let every rock cry out
Let every knee bow down
You opened up my heart to wonder
What a love what a wonder you are

No power can tame your presence
No light can match your radiance
Such a wonder
Such a wonder

Chorus

Let all creation sing in wonder
Every sea, every creature, every star
You opened up my eyes to wonder
What a vision what a wonder what you are

Let all creation sing in wonder
Every sea, every creature, every star
You opened up my eyes to wonder
What a vision what a wonder what you are

Let every rock cry out ohhhh
Let every knee bow down
You opened up my heart to wonder
What love what a wonder you are

Getting Ready for Christmas

Since my last post, I can't believe it was in November we're into December! Where does the time go? My son's party was very cute. I'll have to post a couple of pictures from the party. The kids had a good time and just like the planning of a Wedding, it's over. Ever get that feeling? So my little boy is now 5. As soon as Thanksgiving past I could then start to think about Christmas. I love the Charlie Brown Christmas that comes on TV every year. This year it first came on in November and caught me off guard. I missed it :( then I missed it again. I'm sure it will be on again before Christmas. It is one of those favorites from childhood that I have to watch with my family. I love that they have the true meaning of Christmas, Christ in the story. You'd think we'd just buy it on DVD but then that would take the fun out of waiting for it, it would always be available. On the flip side I do like How the Grinch Stole Christmas too. As a little girl I watched the cartoon version, I'm not as fond of it as I am the movie version now. I also like the old black and whites of a Christmas Carol. This year it is my goal to watch "It's A Wonderful Life" in it's entirety, can you believe I never have?

We love to have a real Christmas tree. When we lived in Florida we'd make the pilgrimage out to the "Christmas tree farm". Yes they actually grow Christmas trees in central Florida. We'd get a group of friends together and meet for breakfast at the Cracker Barrell, a treat in itself :) I LOVE that place. We'd be given a saw and be sent on our way in search of that perfect tree. We did that for about 4 or 5 years I'm guessing before we moved. Now we choose to just go to a tree lot. This year it was Home Depot. We picked out our tree on Sunday late afternoon. It still sits undecorated in our living room because we have to have just the right moment to decorate as a family. There are so many fun things to do as a family at Christmas time. I want to take my daughter to see the Nutcracker again this year. We did that last year for the first time. I choose not to take my son yet, maybe in a couple of years he'll enjoy it more. For now it's Mother/daughter time. Then there is the light parades on land and on water. There is a great light display in Prescott Valley, AZ that we enjoy going to. It's a drive through type and it's really pretty. We try to make a day of it. I'm sure we'll do that at some point in time this month. My Christmas preparations are now under way and I am totally enjoying my favorite Holiday time of the year :) Blessings to you and yours. Take time out to enjoy the season