Tradition Tradition

We gave out our Christmas Light Awards this year again...Ryan, Lauren, Christian and Kirsten each chose a home to award...and I did too...we gave candy awards out...it is a fun ding dong ditching tradition we do.

We also did a twelve days of Christmas with a nativity set to a family in our ward...it was so fun, and we shared a story with the baby Jesus on Christmas Eve.

Here is the story we shared...

WILL THE CHRIST CHILD COME ?(Author - Gaye Willis)Halfway through December, we were doing the regular evening thingswhen there was a knock at the door. We opened it to find a smallpackage with a beautiful ceramic lamb inside. We looked at the calendar and realized that the 12 days of Christmas were beginning!!We waited excitedly for the next night's surprise and only then, withthe gift of a matching shepherd, did we realized that the lamb was part of a nativity set.Each night we grew more excited to see what piece we would receive.Each was exquisitely beautiful. The kids kept trying to catch thegivers as we slowly built the scene at the manager and began to focus on Christ's birth.On Christmas Eve, all the pieces were in place, but the baby Jesus.My 12 year-old son really wanted to catch our benefactors and beganto devise all kinds of ways to trap them. He ate his dinner in the mini-van watching and waiting, but no one came.Finally we called him in to go through our family's Christmas Evetraditions. But before the kids went to bed we checked the frontstep - no Baby Jesus! We began to worry that my son had scared them off. My husband suggested that maybe they dropped the Jesus andthere wouldn't be anything coming.Somehow, something was missing that Christmas Eve. There was afeeling that things weren't complete. The kids went to bed and I putout Christmas, but before I went to bed I again checked to see if theJesus had come - no, the doorstep was empty.In our family the kids can open their stockings when they want to,but they have to wait to open any presents until Dad wakes up. So one by one they woke up very early and I also woke up to watch them.Even before they opened their stockings, each child checked to see ifperhaps during the night the baby Jesus had come. Missing that pieceof the set seemed to have an odd effect. At least it changed myfocus. I knew there were presents under the tree for me and I wasexcited to watch the children open their gifts, but first on my mindwas the feeling of waiting for the ceramic Christ Child. We had opened just about all of the presents when one of the childrenfound one more for me buried deep beneath the limbs of the tree. Hehanded me a small package from my former visiting teachingcompanion. This sister was somewhat less active in the church. Ihad learned over time they didn't have much for Christmas, so thattheir focus was the children. It sounded like she didn't get many gifts to open, so I had always given her a small package - new dishtowels, the next year's lesson manual-not much, but something for herto open. I was touched when at Church on the day before Christmas,she had given me this small package, saying it was just a token ofher love and appreciation.As I took off the bow, I remembered my friendship with her and wasfilled with gratitude for knowing her and for her kindness and sacrifice in this year giving me a gift. But as the paper fell away,I began to tremble and cry. There in the small brown box was thebaby Jesus. He had come!I realized on that Christmas Day that Christ will come into our lives in ways that we don't expect. The spirit of Christ comes into ourhearts as we serve one another. We had waited and watched for him tocome, expecting the dramatic "knock at the door and scurrying offeet" but he came in a small, simple package that represented service, friendship, gratitude, and love.This experience taught me that the beginning of the true spirit ofChristmas comes as we open our hearts and actively focus on theSavior. But we will most likely find him in the small and simple acts of love, friendship and service that we give to each other.This Christmas I want to feel again the joy of knowing that Christ isin our home. I want to focus on loving and serving. More than thatI want to open my heart to him all year that I may see him again. Don't forget the reason for the Season

The Christmas Shoe

My sister Becca sent me a most wonderful gift...she sent me a shoe for my tree from my nephews. I have a tradition of hanging my babies" shoes on my tree...and I have both Kaden and Trae's shoes...so she added a shoe that her two boys have worn...

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, My wonderful family i cant wait until i get to see yal, see you on christmas!!!

kiki's Pegasus softball tryouts

Softball tryouts are coming!!! On January 9, 2008 kiki will tryout for the Pegasus softball travel team! She is trying out for an older age group!!! She is very excited to tryout and hopes that she makes the team. The softball team is something that she hopes for every year.

Home for Christmas

We are looking forward to Ryan being home for Christmas this year!!! He is on his way as I type...he has a few stops he is going to be making...one in Jacksonville, FLA and then he is off to Colorado Springs and then on to Las Vegas...a transport bringing my son home for Christmas...a great perk I had not considered before:)

We are also planning a visit up North to see Sean, Marci and my girl Eliza! We will also see Branden, Ilia and Kanden and Trae...and some friends to boot.

Thanksgiving

Well everyone, I just wanted to write to tell you just how excited the Scott family is getting to be coming down for Thanksgiving weekend. It will be such fun to see everyone again. Eliza and I will be coming down for the whole week! We are THRILLED! Sean will meet us on Wednesday. Cheery day to all!

A Sunday Visit

We had a wonderful visit this weekend with the Scott and Armour families in Northern UT.

We left right after Ki Ki's volleyball games (she was awesome and played very well) We drove up about 5:00 PM, it had been raining in St George all day but the storm had hit while we were in the gym, I had heard it was wet, but had not considered it a reason to consider changing our plans...

About Cedar we were in what seemed a bit like Hurricane conditions...slipping and sliding all over the road...we called and were given weather reports by both Marcie and Lauren...We continued on and made it later than expected but no worse for wear.

We stayed with Sean, Marcie and Eliza...what a cute apartment they have! We really enjoyed playing with Eliza who is learning to laugh and smiles big now. Eliza is a thinker...she watches everything around her and ponders, she is very alert and curious...and is obviously a girl who gets lots of attention from both Mom and Dad....

We went to church with the Scott Family on Sunday...Marcie taught Sunday school and did an awesome job. I wish we could go to her lessons every week...after church we went over to Spanish Fork and got Kaden and Trae...they came over to Sean and Marcie's for a yummy lunch and games. Branden and Ilia met us there. It was a great time for all. Ilia is expecting her first baby and we got to talk with her about nurseries and names and the sound of a heartbeat...it is exciting to know that the newest member of our family is doing well and will be making an appearance this Spring.

After our lunch of spagetti casserole and mint brownies...(yum, thanks to both of my beautiful girls for a wonderful meal) we walked over to the park and played...it was wonderful to be near the mountains again and reminded us all of our wonderful times in Spanish Fork...Trae and Kaden both ran and jumped and played with Uncle Christian and Aunt Ki Ki, even Aunt Marci gave them a run for their money in a game of tag. Lots of screams and giggles later Sean headed back with the stroller and his brother and sister...the four of us left finished up the tag game and attempted to catch up with Sean and his posse...no luck...they ran ahead and no matter how quick we tried to be they were always at the horizon...they claim they didn't run...but I am not sure that is an acccurate acount of their travels...

Anyway...it was a wonderful visit and I am so grateful for the chance to visit and enjoy my kids...it is hard to have them away from St George, but if it must be I am glad they are near enough for a day trip and are close to each other .

On a side note...Lauren was in Ephriam for her nephew's ordination to the aaronic priesthood. Steve flew out of North Carolina on Tuesday and is now in Kuwait...we are praying for him and fast for his safe return...

I am blessed with a wonderful, talented and loving family.

Love to all...

Momma

Kikis Vollyball!!!

I tried out for the seventh grade volleyball team and surprise, surprise... I MADE IT!!! I'm on the pine view maroon team with my B.F.F Melissa! We have been practicing and practicing and guess what... it paid off! Our coach is always saying the key to winning a game is serving. That is all we practiced for the first two weeks and guess what... we haven't lost a game yet! Most Saturday we play three games. This Saturday we played four. We probably won because we made almost all of our serves.I don't want to brag but...We pretty much cream every one we play!

Little Tots

Eliza says HI to all family members!

Let's Get Going Here!

Hey family members...one and all! Send me your pictures with captions about any new news you've got. Don't be selfish here, we want to hear about what is going on with you. If you'd like access to posting on this blog, just let me know, and I'll send you what information you need. We'll have this blog up and running in no time!! Thanks for your help and support, and enjoy the pictures and news! Love you!