What have we been up to?

We went caroling and it was wonderful! we didn't get much time to go to too many places, but it was enjoyable singing with my family! i love being to harmonize at times and just sing out loud. Megan, Anne, Mom and I took turns singing the alto parts and the melody. my mom knows a couple of the songs on the alto part and does a good job with Anne or someone else. Anne, Megan and I can do whatever part we want, so we would make sure someone was singing the melody and take turns! it was fun.

Craig even can sing a little of Jingle bells! (hey and ha ha ha) :)

Then, we got done a little early and we headed over to the Ross gathering at Curtis and Heather's. On the way, Craig got to listen to his little mp3 player with Trevor's big headphones. He ended up taking a nap with them on. silly boy!

For Christmas, aunt nene gave Craig a pillow, and he loves to sleep with nene! that and read his books and listen to music to fall asleep. however, we've had to stop letting him listen to the music. he would fall asleep to it, but then wake up in the night and not be able to fall back asleep on his own.

Anne made her first wedding cake!! it turned out wonderful! it was so fun watching her and talking to her about what she was doing in order to make it. I am so proud of her!

Craig also got popcorn from grandma and grandpa Ross and was relaxing watching the movie, with his feet on his new pillow and eating a little snack. there are some cute pics from just driving in the car with him and his sunglasses on.

then, Christmas eve,when he fell asleep with the headphones on. this week, he found some pacifiers and really wanted them, so we ended up cutting the tip off, because he kept digging in the trash. what a cutie!

he was jumping on the trampoline with aunt Heidi and was playing by my old rose bushes in my parents garden plants and got his glove stuck on the prickery rose.

Christmas

*sorry this turned out to be really long, but i would like to document my feelings for journal purposes.

Christmas has always been my favorite season! I love the music, and the specialty of the reason that we are actually celebrating. also, my birthday is on Christmas day. so that is always fun to get older.

My family has always gone Christmas caroling and I love it! for my birthday celebration in high school, my dad would take a couple of friends and i and we would just go caroling to people we knew. then my entire family (that could) would go on Christmas eve. I love it! i love singing and especially being able to harmonize with everyone. Christmas songs are my favorite. I could listen to them all year long. They just are so very special to me.

So i am very excited to be done with school for 2 weeks and to really be able to think about this special season. Our ward had a dinner on the 13th and i loved it because at the end, we all sang a couple of the songs and i was able to do parts on some of them and it just really got me excited and anticipating caroling. then, our ward choir (led by a very talented and wonderful woman) sang two precious songs. one i had sung years before (Alleluia) and knew the tricky alto part. but the oh come oh come Emmanuel, i had never heard and enjoyed learning it. one part in it, that repeats, says REJOICE and i just love that message. this really is a time to rejoice and celebrate. Christ was born in such a humble place and I am very grateful to be able to celebrate his life.

growing up, we never really thought about santa and that he existed. we drew names and did a secret santa for one of our siblings. some years, we had to make the gift and other years, we bought. but the gifts have never been a big deal. i love that! birthday presents and celebrating my birthday hasn't been too important for me. I enjoy feeling people's love and having them express that, but i don't feel the need to get lots of 'things'.

So now that i am married to a wonderful man, we are trying to combine our traditions and things that we do. I heard my friend, Marcie say, that santa would give one gift and then the rest were from parents and family. i like that. it still allows us to do santa a little, but not focusing on everything santa and more on Christ.

Sneaky Craig

Craig loves candy! we usually get him some tic tacs for church to help encourage better behavior. He found a pack we had at home and ate the entire thing!! he was so silly. then, he tried sitting in an infant car seat. Then, we got a little Charlie Brown tree, from my parents ranch. we put it on top of our portable dishwasher. the only decorations this little tree could handle is some candy canes. But Craig has stolen all the bottom ones. Trevor also put up our stockings and Craig thought it was funny to squeeze Santa's nose! we had to use the dishwasher, so our tree moved too. i thought it was funny.

My dad brought back some goats, and we've practiced what animals say. So anytime he sees the goat, he "Maaaa"s. well, we saw a Christmas decorations of a reindeer lit up and Craig "maa"ed. it was so funny! it wasn't even a good one. just the frame of it in white lights.

Christmas

I found some great Christmas gift advice on someone's blog and i like it! she even got her advice from someone else, so I'm glad they are passing it on! I always have a very hard time thinking of good gifts for Trevor. It goes like this:



Something to wear,

something to read,

something you want,

something you need.


Christmas was never very big about the presents in my family. WE usually drew names and got a present for a sibling under a certain amount of $. I hope over the years i will get better at remembering hints from Trevor and making note of it.

I know some people will think this is horrible, but I LOVE Christmas music! i love listening to it. the other day, i was very grumpy and I came home and asked Trevor to please put on some Christmas music. He asked why and i told him that i was grumpy and needed to be in a better mood. I've been listening to the music in the car and at home and i love it.