Christmas - "Things"

This year was a here and gone before you know it Christmas Season for our family. I put a real focus on doing all those "Christmasy" things to show my growing boys how much fun Christmas Time can be. We made gingerbread houses, went to the Fantasy Lights display, we baked cookies for the neighbors, we took turns opening the advent calendar doors each day and we saw Santa. We put lights on our house and on all the bushes, sprayed the windows with fake snow and hung garland galore. We played in the snow on Christmas Eve day and attended seven holiday parties. And yet, the day after Christmas I sit thinking that I don't feel like we gave Christmas this year. We made a lot of great family memories doing things but somehow I got so wrapped up in doing "Christmasy activities" that I sort of overlooked the root word in Christmas, Christ. I wish I had helped them donate toys they don't use or help someone clean their house that couldn't do it themselves. I wish I had read them the story of the first Christmas more, instead of the Grinch who stole it a hundred times. The tree and the lights will come down on Monday and we're officially done.

Don't get me wrong, we had a great Christmas. I'm just feeling a little chastised while taking personal inventory of what I contributed to the Spirit of Christmas this year. I have checked in on your blogs to read heart warming stories of strangers who helped and friends who cared. My cousin Sara wrote about a stranger who helped her when her car wouldn't start at a gas station. A friend of mine was blessed to receive a card with cash sent directly from "The North Pole". I, myself was standing in line at Fred Meyers while Adam and the boys were waiting in the car to purchase 1 little item. At the register I realized that I had left my debit card in the ATM machine just minutes before I went inside the store. I was frantic thinking about my debit card just hanging out of that machine and in a hurry started to scribble a check for $3.14. The woman behind me in line noticed my situation and insisted that I don't write a check for "a mere three dollars, that's less than a latte!". She gently pushed me aside and swiped her own debit card to cover my purchase. I couldn't help myself, my eyes started to sting and my voice pitch rose. I quickly thanked her and hustled out the door before the tears started. It was just a "mere three dollars" but how she stepped outside of her own little bubble to notice my dilemma and help out was a beautiful act of charity in my eyes. Our family's Christmas blessings didn't end at that grocery store. My dad put 4 much needed tires and a new alignment on my old beater of a car, he asked for nothing in return. Other family members took note of Adam being home more often due to lack of work and guessed we could use some help with gifts for our boys, they were right. Christmas Eve was the funnest surprise of all! We came home after a nice dinner with Adam's family to find on our doorstep a load of wrapped gifts for our entire family, the tags said, "From Secret Santa". We don't have any idea who left all those incredibly generous gifts but Adam and I are sure it was the real Santa Clause. Again came the tears welling up in my eyes and I felt so guilty that we hadn't done more giving of ourselves this year.

So this Christmas I have been both humbled and lifted. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to our Secret Santa and everyone who helped make our Christmas so memorable.

I hope you all had a beautiful Christmas!

You will notice this post is void of one very important element... pictures! Oh yes, we forgot to take pictures Christmas Eve and Morning. Proof positive that we got caught away in the moment. DOH!

Midnight Premiere of New Moon!

Adam took my own "Team Swinger" motto and had it made into a shirt for an Anniversary present... I love you Adam!!!

Mom, Mary, Corrie, Me

This is a late post, but none the less an important milestone in every Twilight Lover's heart!

New Moon, the sequel to Stephenie Meyers Twilight had much better acting and special effects. It stayed close to the original plot with only a couple "roll your eyes, oh my gosh" scenes. One of which, was the brief scene in which Alice envisions Edward and Bella running (Baywatch-slow motion style) through the forest hand in sparkling hand.

We had a fun dinner before hand at Applebee's across from the movie theater. Not ironically, most of the restaurant was filled with giddy grown women dressed in red and black anxiously chattering about New Moon.

At about 9:30 pm we headed towards the line that was quickly growing. We only stood in line for about 30 minutes until my mom met her new BFF Mary :o) Mary and my mom have very similar life stories to share and hold the same musical interest. Cousin Corrie saw her Aunt Rhonda there as well... small Twilight world!

At 11:30 they let us into the theater for seating and the rush was on for the best seat. It was like WalMart as the doors open for Black Friday Shopping. But we survived and with awesome seats I might add!

It didn't take long before Corrie got the guts to stand up in front of the entire theater packed with 200+ women (and about 3 men... smart guys!) and razz the crowd up... was she a HS cheerleader???? I'll have to ask. Anyway, she started out with "WHO HERE IS TEAM EDWARD?" ROOOOOOAAAR went the crowd! Corrie yells back, "AND WHO IS TEAM JACOB????" RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARR screamed the crowd. "GIVE ME A SHOUT IF YOUR UNDER 18!" peep squeaked the crowd. "LET ME HERE IT IF YOUR MARRIED AND GROWN" and so the theater erupted, we could have been heard for miles. It was awesome!! Atta girl Corrie for making the night uber memorable with your antics, I love ya!

Finally got home at about 3 a.m. and my night out was over. Got up at 7:00 the next day to get Nick to school on time. I love my life!

Gingerbread Houses at Nana's House

This year we made our gingerbread house at Nana Bashawn's house. Cousin Kepler and Aunt Becky helped too. The boys had a blast!

Nick and Jake were so careful this year, each candy carefully placed on the house in the exact right spot. It's these pictures and memories I know I will cherish in 20 years. My boys bring me pure joy and remind me of the true Christ-like love this Christmas Season.

I love the close-up nicks little hand, he still has a little baby chub around his Knuckles :o)