Our Family Picture/Christmas Card

I hope you all had the Merriest Christmas! I never thought I would be so cliché as to grow up and start saying phrases such as

“I can’t believe Christmas is already over”
“Is it really already the end of December!?”
“It goes by so fast!”
”Its over in the blink of an eye!”

…yet it seems these days that these phrases are all that comes out of my mouth! Sheesh. Seriously though… (cliché coming….) WHERE does the time go?! Well this Christmas season I can say that the time did not disappear into meaningless day to day activities while we waited for the big Christmas day to come. We had a wonderful December. And I think I can attribute that mostly to my advent calendar. It was such a Festive, Christ centered, exciting, sugary, way to start every day this month and I’m so glad I finally buckled down and made it. I did a huge post about it because I really felt that it was going to be the clincher for me to feel like I didn’t miss out on a month that seems to be stuck on fast forward. I didn’t get to do nearly as much as I had planned due to sickness and you know, life happening…

…but it feels so good to look back on a certain time like this, and say to myself, I’m happy with how I spent my time.

p.s.I've decided to try and make this a tradition, to take a family picture in this green chair on Thanksgiving day. Here is last years. When I posted that, my friend Megan jokingly said that she dared us to take that same picture in 20 years...well...yeah! Great idea! 

Today

This is what playing in the leaves in the backyard, after church, in December, in Texas looks like 

In Austin, Texas……

We get to enjoy these beautiful autumn colors extra extra long. 

Play outside year round.

Fall and winter clothes are completely acceptable because its just cold enough to need them but just warm enough to not be Eskimo-level bundled.

Instead of bundling up to go play in the snow in December, we plop into our rainboots and raincoats and go puddle-jump in the warm, pouring rain.

Last year Atlas was in love with the movie White Christmas. This year we introduced him to Holiday Inn. He calls it the other White Christmas. And if you’re wondering if he loves it as well, I’ll just tell you that he is currently working on a special dance number inspired by Fred Astair in Holiday Inn, if all goes well and nobody gets hurt, there should soon be a video here of the performance….

I’ve sworn to raise a well rounded boy. You know, the kind that would never be narrow-minded enough to say “I only listen to _______ kind of music” and would certainly never utter a phrase such as “Musicals are boring” (GASP). So far so good. BUT, that doesn’t mean I don’t allow him to be the little boy he is. FOR EXAMPLE….

Tonight at Sleepy Music Time, he was laying in bed, snuggled up under his covers, and I was sitting on his bed playing the guitar, as usual. Now, I swoon and die every time he softly sings along with me, and tonight, while singing Silent Night.  it would have been a lovely time to chime in. Very peaceful, very classic and touching. But what was he doing? He was shooting me with a gun he fashioned out of his hands. And people, this was not your average finger-and-thumb gun, it was some strange twisted-fingers-double-hands-arm-trigger gun. And there were sound effects. But I just kept on singin. Boys will be boys. And I love all that he is. Fred Astair dancing and Momma-shootin boy and all. 
            OUTTAKES

Lets end this post with a creepy-smiled-I’m-watching-you picture of me. I post it because Atlas took it, like, a real actual portrait style and framed picture! What?! I need to get this kid his own camera. 

Inspired

Inspirational quotes keep me motivated and full of energy to accomplish something great! I have sticky notes, ugly ripped up pieces of paper, whatever I could find at the moment stuck all over the walls in my house with a short note scribbled on it, something I found highly inspiring in that moment and to make sure I didn’t forget about it or put it off to make it cute, I just throw it on whatever I can find a put it on whatever wall is closest. Most days I don’t stop and read more than one (except the ones at the kitchen sink, those ones get a lot of attention), but whenever I feel inclined to pause, look at a random piece of paper on my wall, and read it, it is always just what I needed to hear that day and gives me a little boost and something meaningful to think about, thinking about how I might apply it to my life. Led by the spirit, of course. There are probably thousands of wonderful, uplifting quotes by this inspirational man, but here are just a few that are my favorites.

Happy Birthday LalalaLindseyann!!

You have ALWAYS been my role model, favorite playmate, and best friend.My heart is content when we close our eyes, and just strum, always in sync with eachother.

^^best friend necklaces^^

^^I really shouldn’t be ok with myself in this picture…but I love it because its me and my favorite….^^
^^Scary Movie^^At this time, Lindsey, I would like to formally thank you for all of the times you “allowed” me to sleep on the floor next to your bed because I was scared in my room, and for all of those times you (grudgingly) accompanied me to the bathroom in the middle of the night to protect me from monsters. You’re a real good sis.

She is one of two girls (my momma being the other, of course) on this planet that always, always, understands me and I never need to feel judged. Only her can I have a pointless, hilarious, deep conversation for hours on gchat. I have no doubt that we chose to be sisters in our life before Earth, we knew we couldn't live without eachother constantly there, or at least, I begged and begged her to be my sister and she agreed ;). Love you sis. My heart breaks every day we are apart! But I bet you had a wonderful birthday with your incredible family and the wonderful life you have created for yourself. You continue to inspire me and be my big, role model sister/best friend!

p.s.Atlas of course sang you his yearly happy birthday to aunt lindsey song (although, this one had a lot of airplanes and rocket ships in it, I think the birthday theme may have been slightly lost….), but I have been fighting trying to get it on the computer! I don’t know why it won’t work…anyways, consider yourself loved on your birthday by Atlas too! Oh an Urban was totally was part of the song too, she was naked, I thought you would like some jiggling in your birthday video….)

Christ, Making Memories, And Yummy Fun

I am far from crafty, but it seems that every once in a while I succeed with something that I’ve been dying to do for years. This is one of those times, and I am so thrilled with how my advent calendar turned out!
Being something I’ve put so much thought into, and since I had such a difficult time balancing fun, Christ centered, and age appropriateness, I am going to share exactly what I did so that anyone else out there might have an easier time if they are anything like me in their expectations for an advent calendar, and like me, are having a hard time finding something just like it on the internet (proud much here???). Bonus for you if you live in the Austin area…I’ve already hunted down all of the fun local stuff! Let me know if you know of something you think we’d enjoy that I don’t have listed here!

Primary function: Introduce my children to the true Spirit of Christmas, to plant a desire in them to center their hearts on Christ & Charity….

Which in my opinion is already so strong and innate in a child, it is their natural disposition towards life as long as we, ruined adults, don’t spoil it.

Therefore, I will strive to encourage this disposition of charity and Christ-like love, to nurture it to grow strong, as one might nurture a seed, it might still grow even if one neglects it, but to ensure it grows, and to ensure it grows strong, it needs love and specialized attention. 

The Calendar:

After sorting through probably hundreds of ideas throughout the web, I decided to do my own thing, something that:
A. Wouldn’t stress me out
B. Would be more than just candy
C. Would be only as expensive as the candy and the activities themselves cost
D. Would be a good mix of Christ centered Charity and simple, Christmas kiddo fun
How I made it is very simple (it must be if I did it):

• A large frame (I spotted this one beside a dumpster the day before)
• Bakers twine (or any kind of string/yarn)
• Clothes pins
• Candy
• Fabric scraps - fold a big piece of fabric in half and cut out 24 little boxes (which will of course be 48 pieces of fabric since you had it folded in half) of varying sizes to look kind of random, sewed them on three sides extremely roughly (I did back stitch to ensure they withstand the ripping of candy out of them), then flip them right-side out so that the seam is on the inside. The tops aren't closed off, just pinned shut with the clothes pin. 

If you don’t like mine or have these materials already on hand, here are a few that I almost made which are equally cheap/easy looking: here, here, here, here.
I also found some adorable, cheap, medium sized envelopes at hobby lobby for just $3 for a pack of 12, which is what I almost did.
And here is just some more good inspiration.

The Scriptures:

I don’t know where exactly I received this scripture list, I just know that I walked out of Church holding this piece of paper that was titled “Scripture Advent”, on the same Sunday that I was going to finally sit down and make this Advent calendar I’d been daydreaming about during Church, and it just happened to include both scripture from the Bible and the Book of Mormon just as I’d dreamed, and it just happened to be all printed out so all I had to do was cut it up…so meant to be!
Never a better way to get a child to sit still than candy. So it works out kind of perfect to read the scripture while they eat their exciting new treat. 
December 1:  Isaiah 7:14
December 2:  2 Nephi 26:3
December 3:  Matthew 15:30
December 4:  2 Nephi 2:9
December 5:  3 Nephi 11:1-11
December 6:  Mark 16:5
December 7:  Moroni 7:28
December 8:  Luke 23:33-34
December 9:  1 Nephi 19:9
December 10:  2 Nephi 9:21
December 11:  Matthew 14:17-21
December 12:  3 Nephi 11:15
December 13:  John 13:34
December 14:  Matthew 20:30-34
December 15:  2 Nephi 2:26
December 16:  Matthew 4:23
December 17:  Luke 2:46-47
December 18:  Matthew 3:16
December 19:  2 Nephi 2:6
December 20:  Luke 2:8-11
December 21:  Matthew 1:21-23
December 22:  Helaman 14:2-4
December 23:  Helaman 14:5-8
December 24:  Luke 2:12-16

The Activities:

Many of these are specific to the area we live, but take a little time and do some Google searching to see what special memory making activities you can find in your area!
This list took a lot of thought on my part specifically for my kids and their ages right now. Many of them the toddler probably won’t be participating in as much, but will be valuable for my preschooler. 
It is a mix of fun outings, simple crafts, and charitable activities.
There are more than 24 here, so I have the option to skip on any that I don’t feel really fits into our schedule.
NOTE that I did not put these activities in the calendar baggies. I don’t want to feel like there is anything that I HAVE to do that I don’t WANT to do on a certain day, that would certainly add stress! So the kids THINK there are activities in every one, but really I just decide the night before which one I want to do tomorrow, and then sneak it in before I go to bed. Keep it as stress free as possible. Nobody is going to have a heartfelt, beautiful, best-childhood-memory moment if the day was just so busy that they didn’t have time to eat dinner or get rest of have down time to enjoy life.

Make it natural. Make your December full, but not busy.

• Get a Christmas Tree (cut our own at Elgin tree farm)
• Play in the Snow at the National Geographic snow event (Free-- Dec. 6, 3-6pm – 5206 Balcones Dr, Austin)
• Learn about and celebrate St.Nicholas Day (Dec. 6th – maybe get this book, do the wooden shoe thing with golden candy?? Watch Veggietales – St.Nicholas: A story of Joyful Giving?? Make Santa beards for ourselves out of cotton balls & wear with string around ears?? Make Santa hats out of paper?? Or a Santa Mask?? More ideas)
• Go on a hayride around the luminary festival (Wells Branch. Dec. 13th & 14th – pix with Santa & free hot chocolate)
• Go to Bethlehem (Free, 108 S. Vanderveer, Burnet, TX -- Dec. 6,7,8,13,14,15 6-9pm- arrive early not on Sat.)
• Go to a local Symphony Orchestra Christmas Concert (Free, Dec. 13th & 14th, 7:30pm -- Here for directions )
• Go to local Handbells concert (Free, Dec. 12th-16th, different times and locations, check here)
• Make & decorate cookies for Santa Claus (Dec. 23rd)
• Go ice skating in Fredericksburg
• Go ice skating on Whole Foods roof downtown
• Go for a horse drawn carriage ride at the Domain (Fri. & Sat. until Christmas, starting at 5:30. Make it a night & go to an early dinner at Maggiano’s)
• Go walk down 37th Street (directions)
• Go see the Zilker Trail of Lights (Dec. 8th-22nd. Pre-purchase shuttle tix at HEB for $3/per adult - shuttle locations)
• Get in PJs, bring hot chocolate, and drive through Rock’N’Lights (Old Settlers Park in Round Rock, 6-10pm)
• Go sing carols at a nursing home and bring homemade ornaments or small gift. Or do a Christmas storytime. (still working on this one, I am hoping to get a group of friends with small children together to do this with us)
• Donate some old toys to Operation Blue Santa
• Make chocolate dipped pretzels, wrap and keep in car to give away to homeless at stop lights
• Make wreaths and donate to Battered Women’s shelter
• Make & give treats & cards to neighbors
• Write a letter to Santa
• Make popcorn chain
• Make handprint tree (this)
• Make footprint reindeer (this)
• Make paper snowflakes (make extras for nursing home…if they turn out nice – Love this & this)
• Make salt dough ornaments (1/2 c. salt, 1/2 c. flour, 1/4 c. water – knead, make ornament, poke hole in top, bake @ 200 for 3 hours – make extras for nursing home)
• Make a snow-globe (hot glue, jar, fake snow, water)
• Make gingerbread houses
• Turn the fridge into a snowman (like this)
• Make a backdrop like on White Christmas (this, obviously)

*****Other festivities that I don’t think need to be on the Advent calendar to happen include*******

• Watch the Christmas Devotional on Dec. 8th 7pm CST (if you are only going to do ONE Christ centered thing as a family…do this one!)
• Preparing and performing a talent for the family on Christmas Eve. or Christmas Day
• Telling the nativity story in front of our fireplace fire on Christmas eve. (Felt board printable)
• Opening PJs and a new Christmas book on Christmas eve.
• Help kids make homemade gifts for the kids to give from themselves to their little friends
• Christmas storytimes at Barnes & Noble (Wednesdays @ 11am – Arboretum)
• Polar Express storytime at Barnes & Noble (Dec. 6th @ 7pm, wear pjs)
• See the lights at a super decked out home nearby (2207 Klattenhoff Dr., Austin, TX 78728)
• Christmas storytimes at our library (Wells Branch @10:30 & 11:15 on Mon & Fri)
• Movies to watch:
  -A Charlie Brown Christmas
  -It’s a wonderful life
  -White Christmas
  -A Chipmunk Christmas
  -Veggietales – St.Nicholas: A story of Joyful Giving
  -Elf
  -Chuck Jones’ original How the Grinch Stole Christmas
  -The Grinch
  -Miracle on 34th Street

*****Yet more festivities- these ones aren't on my priority list, but maybe someone reading this would be interested*******

• More Christmas Musical Performances - the more expensive ones (this Nutcracker Ballet Fri. & Sat. $15-$50, this Messiah Dec. 7th $20/ea, this Dec. 13th $20/ea, this Dec. 14th $25/ea)
• Lady Bird Johnson Luminations Holiday Light Event (free with 2 cans of food, dec. 14th & 15th, 6-9pm - frosty the snowman, caroling, crafts)
• Snow at the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave (Free, 12700 hill country blvd, bee cave, 78738 dec 7th & 21st. 12-4pm)
• Choral Concert at the capitol (free, Dec. 7th 12pm 1100 congress st. - choir info here)
• Its a Wonderful Life live radio show ($25 Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun till dec. 22nd.-- more info) 
• Go to Follow The Star (walk/drive through/live nativity type of performance where you walk through 10 critical scenes from Christ's life -- cedar park - Dec. 5,6,7 from 6:30-9:30 free, bring nonperishable food items. Good Shepherd Lutheran, 700 W. Whitestone Blvd., Cedar Park, TX 78613)

Last year again. The Christmas Card picture that never made it onto a Christmas card. Ay. And yes, I’m starting to realize that Mike and I are always kissing in our family pictures while our kids are looking not at the camera. What can I say, we do what’s natural.

Edit: added a few more Austin events I came across!