12 Days of Christmas

Thank you, Andrea, for this idea.

Well, things have been crazy this semester. I am almost finished. Only 1 more test and 1 more final and then I will have my associate's degree. I'm sure my kids will be thrilled that I won't be so stressed anymore. Plus, I am taking a semester off from school, so that helps, too.

This end of the semester comes at a good time. It has felt for the last four years that things are always stressful around Christmas, mostly because either Mike or I have been in school. This year, we get to just enjoy the time we have with our kids and do some things we have been wanting to for a while. We are trying to make this Christmas fun and spiritual. There are things in both areas that we want to do with the kids. So, thanks to my sister-in-law Andrea Bastings, I came up with something to do for the 12 days of Christmas. Here is our "schedule".

14th - Start making Christmas cookies (will freeze them until we're ready for them) and a little bit of elf shopping.
15th - Color ornaments (Jessica and I bought these cute little nativity cutouts at Hobby Lobby last month).
16th - Ride the water taxi on the canal to look at lights. (free for anyone in this area from Thursday to Sunday all through the month of December) followed by hot chocolate.
17th - Sign/send Christmas cards while watching Polar Express.
18th - Watch 1st Presidency Christmas Devotional, Mr. Krueger's Christmas and Luke 2.
19th - Read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and Santa Kid (the kids are to wear their favorite Christmas socks to school)
20th - School Christmas parties (kids are to wear Santa hats to school).
21st - Last day of school - watch Elf (kids wear antlers to school).
22nd - Make/decorate Christmas cookies
23rd - Make Gingerbread tree's - (got this really cute idea from Andrea) Instead of decorating gingerbread houses, use waffle cones (with the point at the end). Decorate them with green icing, turn upside down, and decorate with candy. When you're done it will look like a candy Christmas tree.
24th - Morning: Jessica's birthday, open presents, have cake. Evening - Drive around town and look at lights, deliver cookies and continue our family tradition of having the kids open one present - their pj's. Read scriptural Christmas story from Luke 2.
25th - CHRISTMAS! Church in the morning, then come home and open presents and enjoy time together as a family.

Along with all of this, we will continue our tradition of our scripture reading with the kids as follows. This starts on the first day of December. We've been so busy this year that we will be doing 2 a day, but normally we start on December 1. (you can do this while burning a candle, the kids really like that part).

1. Ensign First Presidency Message

http://lds.org/liahona/2010/12/can-we-see-the-christ?lang=eng

2. Read "Christ" from the Bible Dictionary

http://lds.org/scriptures/bd/christ?lang=eng&letter=c

3. 2 Nephi 17:14

http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/17?lang=eng

4. Share a family Christmas memory

5. Luke 1:31-33

6. 2 Nephi 19:6

http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/19?lang=eng

7. Matthew 1:23-25

8. Mosiah 3:8

http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/3?lang=eng

9. Read a Christmas short story

10. Moses 5:57

http://lds.org/scriptures/pgp/moses/5?lang=eng

11. D&C 76:40-42

http://lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/76?lang=eng

12. 1 Nephi 10:4-6

http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/10?lang=eng

13. 2 Nephi 26:3

http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/26?lang=eng

14. Isaiah 7:14

15. Share a family Christmas memory

16. 1 Nephi 11:18-21

http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/11?lang=eng

17. 3 Nephi 1:17-21

http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/17?lang=eng

18. Helaman 14:1-8

http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/hel/14?lang=eng

19. Alma 7:10-12

http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/7?lang=eng

20. Isaiah 9:6

21. Mosiah 7:27

http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/7?lang=eng

22. Share a family Christmas memory

23. Matthew 2:1-2

24. Luke 2:1-20

Again, thanks Andrea for inspiring me to start this tradition with my kids. I'm really looking forward to this new way of spending time with our family. I hope as the years go by, that we may be able to make it even more spiritual than it is as we focus on the true meaning of Christmas.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Meagan's 12th Birthday - Part 2

Here are some pictures I took, mostly of the food, which Meagan and Jessica helped make.

Meagan and a couple of her guests.

Her first grown up purseWhat she wore to school on Monday

What she is really in to right now.

Another thing she is in to right now (making pillows. She also got some filling with this)

Little crypts for the utensils

Ghosts on a stick, made by me and their friend, ErinSpiderweb dip made by JessicaGraveyards made by Meagan and JessicaWorm sandwiches made by MikeMummy pizza made by me and ErinBefore dry iceAfter dry iceDifferent flavorFirst cake (chocolate pumpkin flavor)Second cake (yellow cake with chocolate frosting inside)Meagan's favorite thing of the night (as far as the food was concerned. And I don't mean the veggies)Other angle
It's still hard to believe that my baby girl is 12 years old. Happy birthday, Meagan! We love you!

Meagan's 12th Birthday - Part 1

Here is a video of one of the games played at her party. This was by far, I think, the most fun.

Ist grade Mother's Day program

Here is one video from Derek's program. I missed the very beginning, but got the rest.

Zoo Trips

Okay, here are the two zoo trips from last school year:

Meagan's fifth grade science day at the zoo
It was mostly about the science, but we did get to look at some animals. Here are a few of our favorites:

1st grade field trip with Derek
If you look closely, one of the flamingos is actually standing on both legs. Also, I love the way the baby giraffe has to stand to eat.
Derek's favorite. We were lucky the baby elephant was out.
My favorite. Not only was the lion out, but we also got to hear him roar, a very rare occurrence.

Time to catch up

Well, it has now been six months since my last post. I guess I'm somewhat of a slacker. I admire those moms (and dads) who are able to keep up with their blogs, keep their house clean all the time, always have dinner on by 5 pm, make their kids unbelievably nutritious yet delicious homemade school lunches, have their kids in bed at 8 o'clock sharp every night and still have time to read their favorite book. Sorry, that's just not me. I try as hard as I may to have my kids in bed before 10, I stay up way too late to have some me time, my house is somewhat clean most of the time, and as you can see, I don't have time to blog as much as I would like. Maybe someday I'll be that mom, just not today. So for now, here are a few pics of some things that happened this year:

OKC Memorial with my sister, Elena and her daughter, Marina on the 4th of July. What better way to spend the 4th than with family?

Redhawks game with Derek's baseball team (the Cyclones).

(even in the shade it was over 90 degrees)

Woolaroc with Brian and Angie.The buffalo was right outside my window as we passed it by. I could've reached out and touched it.

Splash pad with their cousins in Bartlesville. A very nice way to cool off from the hot, hot summer.

Caney Zoo As you can see, it was another hot day, one of many this summer of 100+ days.


First Day of School

There are still more pictures to share ~ 2 field trips to the zoo, dance recital videos and a mother's day program at school ~but those will have to wait until another day.

Celebrating Easter

I actually got this idea from a friend of mine. In fact, I'm posting it word for word of what she said in her blog, as I think it is so fitting to what we are trying to accomplish with our family (plus, she says it so eloquently, which is something I usually have a difficult time doing). Here is what Amy had to say (with a few pictures that I added):

"Every year, I look for a good way to celebrate Easter. I also try to find a balance between the Easter Bunny and the real reason we celebrate. The interesting thing is, we start celebrating and remembering Christmas almost as soon as the leaves start to turn red and gold, but Easter is sometimes an after thought of things thrown together a day or two before.

This year I wanted a way to tell the story of Christ’s final days. I want us to remember His life, death and resurrection. I want Easter to be as memorable and important to my family as Christmas. I want to have a reflective and gentle spirit in my home during the days leading up to Easter.

In his Christmas message in 2000, President Gordon B. Hinckley made it clear that Easter really is the more important of the two holidays: “There would be no Christmas if there had not been Easter. The baby Jesus of Bethlehem would be but another baby without the redeeming Christ of Gethsemane and Calvary, and the triumphant fact of the Resurrection.”

It is with that quote in mind that I came up with my newest Easter tradition.

Spending a Week with Jesus.

Here is a chronology of the the final days of our Savior’s life. As a family, we will follow His final days by holding a small devotional (scripture reading, song singing, etc) each day. Our first day will be this Saturday.

Friday or Saturday: The anointing described by John (John 12:1–11)
Palm Sunday: Triumphal Entry; cleansing of the temple (Matthew 21:1–17; Mark: 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–46; John 12:12–19)Monday: Cursing of the fig tree; cleansing of the temple in Mark;
teaching in the temple (Matthew 21:18–22:14; Mark 11:12–19; Luke
19:47–20:18; John 12:20–36)Tuesday: Lessons from the fig tree; more teachings in the
Olivet Discourse (Matthew 22:15–25:46; Mark 11:20–13:37; Luke
20:19–21:38; John 12:37–50)
Wednesday: Plot to kill Jesus; the anointing described by Mark and
Matthew; Judas agrees to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:1–16; Mark 14:1–11;
Luke 22:1–6)
Thursday: The Last Supper; Gethsemane; betrayal and arrest; Jesus
before the Jewish authorities (Matthew 26:17–26:75; Mark 14:12–72; Luke
22:7–71; John 13:1–18:27) (I couldn't decide which picture to use for this one, so I chose both).Good Friday: Jesus in the hands of the Romans; the Crucifixion; the
burial (Matthew 27:1–61; Mark 15:1–47; Luke 23:1–56; John 18:28–19:42)
Saturday: Jesus in the Spirit World (Matthew 27:62–66; 3 Nephi 9–10; 1 Peter 3:18–4:6; D&C 138
Easter Sunday: The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1–15; Mark 16:1–14; Luke 24:1–49; John 20:1–23"

This year, instead of doing an egg hunt the day before Easter, we are taking the kids to the community Easter Egg Hunt this Saturday, which I think they will really enjoy. Plus, the Easter Bunny will still bring their baskets to them the Saturday (day before) Easter.

I just want them to understand the importance of Easter and how much the Atonement means in their lives. (By the way, I was asked yesterday to speak on Easter Sunday on the Atonement). I'm really looking forward to this week and hoping that with this, my kids will learn the importance of getting along and helping to bring a better spirit into our home.

Derek's First EVER Baseball Game

We had Derek's first ever baseball game yesterday evening. He's never held a bat, never thrown a baseball, not to where it was supposed to be caught by someone else, and never worn a baseball glove. His first practice was Monday night. He did really well at catching the ball and throwing it. He told me after his practice that he really liked it. Looks like we found a sport he enjoys (we've tried soccer, but his heart was never in it). His first time to ever hold or swing a bat was at his game. Our team name is the Cyclones. The team they played yesterday is a tournament team. (It's preseason, so no official games yet). This team has a lot more experience than ours. In fact, we have a few (including Derek) who are first years. The team we will be playing on Saturday is more like ours. This other team did a really good job at letting our boys get on base when they hit the ball, as you will see in the video. Sorry for it shaking. Part of it was that Nathan was on my lap for the first part, it was super windy (as you can hear on the video) and I was laughing so hard I couldn't hold it still. Anyways, enjoy the video.