It was the most wonderful time of the year!!! December is jam packed with fun. So much fun that it almost isn't fun, if you catch my drift. We definitely love the Christmas festivities and traditions, more so than any other time of the year, but sometimes it is hard to enjoy it with the chaos and craziness and stress of life. Looking back at our pictures of these events in December, we definitely had some fun. A few highlights were:
Going to see Santa at Scheels-and riding the Ferris Wheel afterwords. The older kids had "better offers" so they didn't join in. We had to pass along a message to the man in red as to what they have requested for gift suggestions. Harrison was worried we would forget to tell Santa, but we followed through!
Holiday music and arts were covered with Grant's choir concert-
His school choir is SO good!! Mr Noyes is an incredible teacher and Grant has loved singing in junior high, which definitely makes this momma heart happy.
Piano recital by the best piano students in town..
I got to go to the MoTab choir concert (amazing as always!!!) And rounding out our Christmas cultural experience were a couple of dance recitals...
tap for Katelee
And the Wizard of Oz ballet for Brenna. She was obviously one of the munchkins...
We still tried to find time to do our annual nights out- caroling with neighbors...Harrison wore this beard from my Halloween gnome costume. The residents at the Rehab I'm sure got a good kick out of it.
Visiting downtown for the lights, dinner at City Creek,
(ok, this was actually the week after-Grant convinced Dave to stick his business card in a bowl to win free pizzas, and he tried to tell Grant there was no way. Look who won free pizzas and went back for a second Pizza Studio dinner!)
the Road Home donation,
the Grand America ginger bread house
Dave wanted to try out Luminaria this year. Unfortunately, Harrison got sick and he and I stayed home, but it looked like it was a lot of fun!
They all said it was pretty cool. Maybe next year we will all go.
While the entire month seems to go by in a blur, it can be tough for a little kid who has to be on his toes because someone knows if he is naughty or nice.
Harrison got another visit from Santa-prob because it was necessary, but this time at preschool.
We had to keep reminding him about being on the good list. It's interesting that Santa has that effect on children. I kept trying to emphasize Jesus and it would always be important to be good because Jesus always knows our hearts and what we are doing. Harrison maybe mumbled under his breath (I don't care about Jesus) Of course, I gave him a look of surprise and was taken back. I asked him what he said and he looked me in the eye and told me, " You didn't hear anything." I think he changed his ways and repented over the week because when we were taking the sacrament he drank his little water cup and then said to me, "Can you taste His blood, oh I can." I think it's really sinking in! Ha!
After all the programs and plays and parties and gatherings were done, ready or not, Christmas Eve was here. We were a little sad because Blake and Suzanne and Grace and Caitlyn are moving up to Idaho, so we realized it's our last Christmas Eve altogether. We still had a great time with the nativity, dinner and games. Grant's dreams came true when he opened his onesie. He asked for one, but started laughing when he noticed his was lime green and had a little tail. Good thing Emmalee got one too, they could look amazing together.
Christmas morning had all of it's magic of every year past. Harrison's whole existence right now is centered on football, so the mini helmets his siblings each gave him (from the Dollar Store coin machines) were a huge hit. He got a bike he does not want and will refuse to ride I'm sure for a long time and football guys that are amazing to him.
Katelee's highlights were a ukulele, a foot spa and some vans. Grant loved his poster of a snowboarder and an air soft gun and Brenna was happy with some Barbies, doll accessories and headphones.
Perhaps the gift that received the most attention was an amazing little cross Harry bought me. He explained to me it's all about Jesus-Christmas and the cross. It really must have been on his mind this month. When he was acting out a different time, I asked him if he should act like that. And his random response was, "No, I have a book about Jesus." I started to chuckle and he said, "I really do-it tells us all the things we should do."
While Jesus was really on Harrison's brain, I guess it is a matter of moving it from the book or brain to the heart and to the way of life. It really is that way for all of us. We often feel like we know what is true, what is right, what is moral. When placed in the situations of life that challenge those beliefs, we all will have to see if we have what it takes to keep Jesus in our mind and in our hearts and remember what 'the book' tells us to do. We have to remember that and DO IT. Hopefully this year is a year of not only knowing, but doing.
