Balloon Trees and Choir Parties

I said we're balloon artists.

Our children built our balloon Christmas tree. The next morning, Jr. Jr. walked out to the living room and commented, "It smells like Christmas." I laughed and replied, "Because of the balloon Christmas tree?" "Yeah. The latex. It smells like Christmas."

We had a last ward choir practice the night before our Christmas Eve program then had a choir shindig afterward (families invited). Our choir director introduced us to some of his family traditions- games, treats, etc. It was nice and fun. Choir is my happy place.

 

December 23 was Radish Night so Jeremy cut up lettuce and radishes for salad because I was so busy. My hero.

 

Then the next morning we had a beautiful Christmas Eve musical program then family time at home.

We had our big Christmas Eve dinner. 

Jet decided at one point during dinner he was done eating and it was time to stand on Mommy's chair, lean on her head so it was hard for her to eat, and say over and over, "Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas." My child is so adorable. I love him. I love him so much. Everybody got a kick out of it and had fun. I love my family.

We took a video of ourselves saying what we each were up to in 2023, bore our testimonies for our last Countdown to Christmas scripture study, then the kids opened up pajamas to wear to bed (which I mentioned on my blog on Christmas Day).

Look at what a cute thing our Primary Presidency did for the kids and leaders. They put together a Nativity Snack Mix with different treats representing different parts of the Nativity. So sweet (and savory).

Merry Christmas from the Telfords

Our balloon Christmas tree was built completely by our children.

The kids got pajamas to wear last night and enjoyed them. Jet recognized his right away.

Jr. sewed a stocking in sewing class and let Jet use it for his stocking this year.

Today was fun and it was nice to spend such a good time with our family. I love them all so much.

Christmas Day 2022

So let's talk about Christmas Day.

First of all, we got the star on the tree.

While I was working on Christmas Eve dinner, Jr. and Nichole made breakfast sandwiches to put in the fridge so that Christmas morning, we'd have something quick to eat before church. Thanks, kids.

Christmas morning we got to come out to see what Santa brought and what was in our stockings. 

I carried Jet out still asleep but after a while he woke to see what Santa brought him then had fun opening the wrapped presents in his stocking- dino cars! He was excited with each car and started roaring (as he does) but as soon as Jeremy handed him a new wrapped present, he immediately handed back the dino car so he could unwrap the next one.

Then we didn't open any presents from around the tree but got dressed, ate our quick breakfast, and went to church where there was a beautiful musical program with special words from the bishop. Lucky got to sing with the Primary and I was able to sing with the choir.

It was what I needed and wanted that morning. I'll be honest that Christmas Eve was rough. I had a nice breakdown. Well, it wasn't so nice. There has definitely been some stress lately. But Christmas Day was just right.

 

At home we were able to Zoom with Jeremy's parents while opening presents (later that day, I called my parents and had a nice chat with them and two of my brothers).

One thing we found out about Jet is that he really likes unwrapping presents whether they belong to him or not. The kids helped bring out some presents Christmas Eve and one present had to be rewrapped. Then during our main present opening Christmas afternoon, we took turns opening presents and Jet was practically launching himself at the presents to try to tear the paper off them. In some ways that determined what present would be opened next when it was the recipient's turn. Three year olds are fast, man.

Nichole was sweet and made this for Jet for Christmas:

 

Christmas Day was nice.

Now we're dealing with the aftermath.

Christmas Eve 2022

We made it to Christmas Eve.

Nichole built our balloon tree frame yesterday and the boys helped her put branches (balloon dogs) on it. Today the kids and Jeremy got some balloon ornaments on it while I slept through The Muppet Christmas Carol. We'll get a star up later (I say as it's bedtime on Christmas Eve).

We also had Christmas Eve dinner and a little Christmas Eve program where we filmed ourselves saying what we'd been up to this year and what we were looking forward to next year. Then we turned off the camera for our last Countdown to Christmas scripture and testimony sharing.

The kids opened pajamas from Grandma and Grandpa and put them on. Jet was so excited for his dinosaur jammies. Roar. 

Then he was excited about grabbing his big brother's pajama bottoms and putting them on his head then grabbing his other pajama top and putting it on his legs. It's like the Sandra Boynton book, "Blue Hat, Green Hat," where the turkey keeps putting clothing items on the wrong places. 

So I had the kids stand in front of the tree and say, "Oops." 

Then they smiled and I got that picture. Way to go, kids.

And Merry Christmas to you.

Bonus: I made Parker House Rolls to go with Christmas Eve dinner. The dough was supposed to raise until doubled but it filled a lot of the bowl already when it started so when it finished...

Jr. said they're called Parker House Rolls because they're the size of Parker's house.

"Twas the Night Before Christmas"

"Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house..." people were helping make Christmas Eve dinner, including Duck a l'Orange from Jr.'s French cooking book.

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care..." at least by the fake fire and beautiful music by The Piano Guys.

"The children were nestled all snug in their beds..." or wearing their new pajamas from Grandma and Grandpa and getting their picture taken in front of the balloon Christmas tree they built.

 

"Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night."

Annual Polar Express Party

Besides the 21st of December being Short Girl Appreciation Day, it was also Humbug Day. The kids watched The Muppet's Christmas Carol, which has become the tradition to watch that day. It was also the Winter Solstice. Yay. It is now officially Winter. Great time to start building a balloon Christmas tree. The kids are building it mostly by themselves this year. Way to go, kids.

 

Today, December 22, however, we did some different things. Lucky and I took some bonding time eating "queasy puffs" and playing Mario Kart in the morning before everyone else got up. We'd been meaning to do that but last time we had a chance, we didn't have "queasy puffs," so we got to do it today.

 

In the evening, we had our annual Polar Express party. Jeremy read the book (with his own embellishments) and made faces. 

I wanted to get a nice picture of him and right as I snapped the picture, he stuck his tongue out. The camera caught the nice look, though. Bwah ha ha ha. 

Then we watched the movie and had hot chocolate with peppermint ice cream in it. Yumm.

I only slept through part of the movie this year.

We love traditions.

Loony Adventures

Jeremy recently was able to see a new bird- a yellow-billed loon.
 

Actually there were two. 

Nichole and I wanted to see them so he took us to the place where he saw them. We didn't see them. We saw other birds but no yellow-billed loons. Just these loons.

Yesterday we decided to try again. We went to the same place and Jeremy was able to spot one of the loons on the choppy water of the reservoir. Nichole and I got a quick look because it kept diving under the water. Oh well. Jeremy and I watched a bald eagle fly over the water. That was fun.

We stopped at another spot and saw some other birds that may have been a different kind of loon. We couldn't get a good look. And there were these loons.

Jr. Jr. requested another muffin night like we did the end of October. So for dinner we had oatmeal muffins again, Christmas banana muffins, orange craisin muffins, and calzone muffins. There was some dough left over from the calzone muffins so Jr. Jr. and I made some braided rolls. It was fun to do muffin night again.

While we were eating, Lucky asked me to tell stories from my childhood. That went right along with #LightTheWorld for that day. Jeremy and the kids started making our balloon Christmas tree that day as well.

To Light the World today we delivered brownies to my sister. Lucky knocked on the door, ran back to the van, and when my sister answered the door, we sang, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." One of her kids then came to the door so we resang, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Then her husband came to the door so we resang, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Then more of her kids came to the door so we resang, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Then my sister came out to her lawn while we stayed at the van and we got to chat for a bit. That was nice.

When we got home, Jeremy and the kids decorated the tree with balloon ornaments and a couple of the kids contributed lightweight ornaments of their own.

For dinner we had a salad bar since it is Radish Night on December 23. It is also National Roots Day which goes right along with radishes.

Lucky read a story to Jet and we continued getting ready for Christmas Day. 

We of course have been keeping up with the real reason for the season with our advent countdown to Christmas scripture study. We have been trying to do service for each other in our family as well as for others. #LightTheWorld for today is about sharing gratitude for gifts God has given. I will say that I am very grateful for #GiveThanks around Thanksgiving. It did help me to get in the right frame of mind for the Christmas season. Even though there have been some frustrating times this December, I've had a better time than some years. I'm grateful we read all of A Christmas Carol this year. I'm grateful we've still been able to do lots of things as a family. I'm grateful we've had some neat experiences in nature. I love nature and I believe Heavenly Father has given me a gift to appreciate the beauty of nature. I am grateful that unlike most years, we haven't really gotten sick this December so far and I think we're close enough to Christmas that it's safe to say we won't be miserable on Christmas. There really are so many things for which to be grateful, the best being the Savior, Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas, everyone. And of course in the words of Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol, "God bless us, everyone." He has and I recognize that.