Happy Christmas Eve

Happy Christmas Eve.

Sunday, December 21, was the Winter Solstice. Our choir director reminded us that on the darkest day of the year, it is important for us to think about Christ's light and share that. It was a beautiful Christmas program at church.

After church we managed to get a couple family pictures of everyone looking pleasantly at the camera.

We also got pictures of Jeremy and me together. It was a great way to emphasize Short Girl Appreciation Day.

It was also Humbug Day but I was so happy because of church. There was only some grumbling later. It happens. 

The kids took a couple days to build our balloon Christmas tree. Sunday, Jeremy decorated it and we had a little tree lighting. We got Jeremy's parents to join with us on a Zoom meeting then we got to chat with them for a while.

Monday, December 22, I got out for a morning walk at the park with the lights. I listened to some Piano Guys Christmas music (great for feeling the Spirit) and felt such strong gratitude for my Savior. After the shortest day of the year, feeling his light meant so much to me. I was crying so much while walking around the park, I don't know how helpful that was for my breathing while I was trying to exercise. Ha Ha.

In the Come Follow Me manual and on Instagram, Elder Soares shared some thoughts about Jesus Christ being our light, our life, and our hope at Christmastime. It went right along with my thoughts that morning. I do feel so much gratitude for my Savior when I've been thinking of some stressful things.

At home that day, Jet and I enjoyed a Discovery Kit from the Provo Library. This time, we read books and did activities (puzzle and fishing game) about Ocean Life.  

That night we went to another Interactive Movie at the Provo Library- The Nightmare Before Christmas. We went to one before when we watched The Princess Bride and unfortunately last Christmas, we missed the one for The Muppets Christmas Carol because too many of us were sick. 

We loved this one. We got to sing along with the songs, cheer and clap, etc. It was great for Jet because he loves that movie so he knows the songs and enjoyed doing the activities.

 

Tuesday, December 23, I got out for my morning walk again. The light of the sunrise was gorgeous. It was National Roots Day so I sent a text to my in-laws telling them we're grateful to all be part of the same family tree. 

That night, Jeremy, Nichole, Jet, and I went for a drive looking at Christmas lights and decorations. We've been so busy this was the only night we could do it. It was nice and we even drove up to see the Christmas Star on the mountain in Pleasant Grove. 

I am grateful for celebrating Jesus Christ's birth this season. My life is so much better because of Him. He is my light, my life, and my hope.

Merry Christmas! 

My Children, the Hams

The day (well, evening really) the kids and I went hiking Big Springs was Silly Sayings Day, October 13.

Now you see us.

 

Now you don't.

 

You do realize already that all my children are hams, right? Jet learned that early on. Doing things to make us get a kick out of them. He was doing that before he was even a year old. Yep, he fits in nicely with this family. 

Anyway, the kids must have an influence on me somehow. While we were out hiking, at one point Jr. picked up Jet quickly and his shoe went flying off. I saw it and immediately said, "Oh no. His foot..." Now I'm not sure if I completely finished that sentence out loud but everyone interpreted it the same way so for the rest of the trip, we were jokingly saying, "Oh no. His foot fell off." They also thought it was funny when I pointed out that it was Silly Sayings Day.

More silliness:

This picture. Lucky "fell" on the ground and Jr. went skipping down the trail. I caught this picture at just the right point because even though he was skipping, it totally looks like he was about to stomp on his brother. He didn't.

 

Another saying I said several times during our hiking trip: "Short people rule." Jet, by virtue of being a toddler, is short. I, by virtue of genetics, am short. Jr. is not. So when Jet insisted on holding Jr.'s hand while hiking, Jr. had to bend his knees a lot. 

Then while going under some branches, Jr. practically had to limbo his way under. Heh Heh. Others did not have to go so low.

 

As soon as we reached the meadow, the boys immediately started playing Hide and Seek. At one point, Jr. Jr. was looking on the complete opposite side as Jr. and Lucky were hiding. Nichole and I both knew this so while Jr. Jr. couldn't find his brothers, Nichole called out, "Marco," to which we heard in unison the called response, "Polo," from Jr. and Lucky so Jr. Jr. knew he was looking in the wrong area. It took him enough time to find them once he was on the right side but that was so great that it worked so well. Nicely done, Nichole. 

Now this one isn't silly but Lucky spotted a ladybug and was able to get a picture of it. Way to go, Lucky.

I'm Short

December 21 is Short Girl Appreciation Day. There are pros and cons to being short. One pro is zipping in and out of crowds, ducking under arms, etc. One con is trying to reach things on the top shelf while shopping.

Winter Solstice Among Other Things

December 21 was the Winter Solstice, the first day of Winter. When Jr. was going to make pancakes the day before, the smoke detector went off (not from his cooking, from bacon grease and water in the skillet). I told the kids to open windows but to make sure to close them before sundown since the next day was the solstice (it's been tradition this year on the solstices and equinoxes). We ate fluffernutter sandwiches again.

 

The 21st was also Short Girl Appreciation Day. I got a picture with my teenagers who were not standing on their toes nor was I slouching. Throughout the day, Jr. gave me hugs and told me that he appreciated me (not just because I was short, but because I do so much).

Also on the calendar for that day was Yule. Jr. wanted to listen to music. I told him he could only listen to music if it was with a Yule log fire like The Piano Guys or Josh Groban. Jr. found a YouTube video of Link standing by a fire. He put it on the TV then put Breath of the Wild music on the computer. Bwah ha ha ha. Clever boy.

 

The kids took turns doing online crossword puzzles for National Crossword Puzzle Day also on the 21st.

 

For Family Home Evening lesson, we read the nativity story in Luke 2 as we drove to West Mountain. As we drove along we saw sheep. We were like the wise men traveling to see the Christmas star. That day Jupiter and Saturn were the closest to each other in alignment with Earth that they have been in 800 years. Nice and bright... and around Christmas time. That's why it is known as the Christmas star. We drove to the other side of West Mountain with just the hill behind us with no house lights and farmland across the lake at the place we stopped so not a lot of lights there either. There were some other people with vehicles in the same area but it was a big area so no one was too close to each other. 

It was fun to see the planets. Looking closely with the camera, we could sort of see Saturn's rings and some of the moons of those planets. Jet loved seeing the sky with the half moon and stars.

 #LightTheWorld suggested getting as many family members together for a virtual hangout that day. I didn't suggest doing a video call like we did for Thanksgiving but while we were out looking at the Christmas star, my sisters, Mom, and I were all texting about it. Both of my sisters were also out looking at the planets and unfortunately my mom had rain. It was still fun to chat together and see pictures of my sister's view.

Everybody say, "Christmas Star!"

Since I finished reading A Christmas Carol on Saturday, we watched The Muppet Christmas Carol when we got home from seeing the Christmas star since December 21 is National Humbug Day. Every time Scrooge was going to say, "Humbug," in the movie, Nichole would say, "Happy National," before he said it then would say, "Day," after he said it. Heh Heh Heh.

 

It was also National Flashlight Day. We definitely used flashlights while we were out at the lake in the dark.