Christmas 2013

Christmas was filled with trains, little boy joy over planes, and moments shared between the boys with their nani, papa, aunties, cousins, great aunts and uncle, and friends.

some of my favorite moments spent were

watching the boys with the trains. they would run over, look for papa, and stand peering over as papa set up his trains and ran it along the track.

playing at the park. little boy giggles and watching my parents try and slide down the slide. :)

Christmas morning through their eyes.

The music played during Christmas eve mass. The sound of the saxophone-it made me cry.

Family laughter gathered around the dinner and homemade pasta.

 

It was a week full of memories made and treasured. We got home late last night and the boys played happily all day with their new Christmas toys. It feels good to settle in our home once again, but I'm already missing family and wishing both our families weren't so far away. I'm looking forward to a week home relaxing with Dave and the boys as we prepare and spend time together before our baby boy arrives in just a few weeks.

 

Hope you had a beautiful Christmas and enjoy your New Year's celebrations.

 

Christmas in pictures....and a Christmas video at the end.

 

Papa's Trains

 

 

 Baking Day Italian Christmas Cookies

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Eve Party

 

Christmas Morning

 

 Daily Adventures to the park

couple of phone pics

 

and now we wait... 

 36 weeks

 a little video from our week.

Christmas favorites

a few of my favorite moments as we lead up to Christmas....

1. reading this beautiful advent devotional every day.

 The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp (to read more about it click on one of those links...one takes you to amazon where you'll find a summary of it, and the other her blog.) I checked it out from the library. But this is one I will be getting to have for every Christmas. It is truly a special book and has really helped bring in the focus of what Christmas is all about! I wish I could explain what a truly beautiful book it is, but you'll just have to trust me on it :) Or go out and read it yourself to see what I mean!

 

2. 34 week baby bump.

Savoring these last few weeks with baby in my belly before he makes his appearance in January!

3. Taking the boys to see the Nutcracker with my mom and sister for the very first time. It was a treat and the boys loved it! I think this is one tradition we will continue doing each year.

They were excited about the wooden Nutcracker dolls (Lucas was trying hard to open that box it seems!)

4. Every year my bible study does a Happy Birthday Jesus party for the kids. The girls who organize it do an amazing job! The kids do a little nativity play and have pizza and cupcakes and sing to baby jesus. Happy Birthday Jesus song found here. I get teary eyed every time! Such a sweet song especially to hear the kids singing it. The little ones also get to listen to the nativity story that goes along with a flannel board. Lucas was all excited to point out baby Jesus and Mary and Joseph. The sweet part happened when we got home. Since our Streets of Bethlehem night and Jesus birthday party there's been a lot of pretend play revolving around The Nativity Story.

here is one such moment...

Caleb "I'm Mary. I have baby Jesus in my belly, Lucas you can be Joseph, I have to ride the donkey. Joseph walks next to the donkey"

Lucas then runs over and grabs baby Jesus from the nativity set we have (thanks uncle craig and aunt mary!)

Then Caleb puts on his little head garb (see pic above) and tells me "I'm making the manger for baby Jesus to lay down in"

And then my heart just melted.

 

5. The Christmas singing.

Lucas is singing Jingle Bells here. Both boys know so many different Christmas songs. (Lucas' favorites being Jingle Bells and Frosty the Snowmen) It cracks me up every time. Have you heard the friendly beasts song? I hadn't before but we had the book and CD song found here and Caleb just loved the two songs found in the story. He ended up memorizing most of the words since he wanted us to play it a lot! I tried hard to capture that on video but it didn't happen :) Anyway those are a couple Christmas song favorites for the boys this year. I love listening to their sweet voices as they sing.

We are ready now to hunker down for some family time.

 Wishing you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Love, us.

the feeling of christmas

pictures from our weekend.

we went tree picking. visited the Streets of Bethlehem  and put ornaments on our tree. We listened to Christmas music and bundled up to look at Christmas lights. We made memories. We started new traditions and carried on old ones. We were cozy inside much of the time and bundled up outside for new adventures too.

 

tree picking

savoring their sweetness. 

and soaking up their innocence

 

 

 

 

 I'm so grateful for our family.

 

 

 

 

 Streets of Bethlehem  (the story of Jesus' birth. An live outdoor reenactment)

 

 in the market place (making clay pots and mixing spices)

tree decorating

There are so many moments to be treasured with the boys during this time of year. I love reading Christmas stories with them. Guiding them in understanding what Advent is and why we really celebrate Christmas. Sharing in old traditions and creating new ones... Hearing Caleb sing "Happy Birthday Jesus" melts my heart and this morning at church Lucas looked up at me with big blue eyes and pointed to baby Jesus in his book and said "jesus" then pointed to his heart and said "heart" Their innocence and joy is so tender. Family walks to look at Christmas lights before bedtime is another favorite activity. I love this time of year and hope the peace of the season blesses each person, everyday.