preparing for Christmas

I got to teach Sunday School this week and the lesson was on David and Jonathan, how a friend loves at all times and a true friend helps us obey God. Elsie wanted to show all of her Santa Lucia stuff, so we talked about how Lucia was a friend by giving food and helping her friends obey God. And then we talked about Jesus, how God sent his son to be our friend, to show us how to obey God. It was such a good lesson and I felt so grateful for Christmas, for Jesus coming to dwell among us. I am so grateful for the Law that shows us how live out our days on paths of righteousness. And when we fall short, as we all do daily, Jesus in our hearts is our hope of glory. We need this little baby to light up our daily darkness.

The lesson for the 3-6 year olds set my heart in the right place and for that I am so grateful.

My folks were here yesterday and I used the time to lock myself in the laundry room to wrap gifts. I told them they just gave me hours of sleep that I definitely would have lost this weekend, wrapping late into the night. This is the most prepared I've ever been (earliest wrapping for sure) and it feels great.

Also, I have never once regretted buying toys at summer garage sales for Christmas. Every August I wonder, will they still be into this? And every December I think, "you're brilliant. And thrifty." On top of the garage sales, this year I held a Gift Swap at a homeschool meeting. Each mom brought gifts they'd gladly pass along. We put them all on two tables. Then we drew numbers and got to go through the line and pick a new-to-you toy/puzzle/game. I brought six items so I got to go through the line six times. And as a result I had SIX gifts I didn't pay a thing for!

Other things happening this month: Ivar and Rory are staying up each night and reading The Hobbit together. Ivar is so excited about this time with his dad and then I get animated retellings of each chapter the next day. While they are reading, Elsie hangs out with me in my bed. And our time is basically her saying over and over, "I'm so sorry mom, I know you're sleeping but..." and then she tells me important things like how Madi was late to her birthday party at the Mall of America because Madi had a neighbor who needed help, but Chase was there on time and they didn't drive together because Chase came from his work, but Madi had a lot of traffic on the road but she made it for everything and even gave her high heels..."

Elsie's party was back in July.

Most evenings we light our Advent candles for dinner and then turn off all the lights after the meal and sing Christmas carols. Sometimes it is peaceful and calm. Sometimes the whole running around and turning off all the lights is a little rowdy (and a good lesson in how many lights we have on in our house...). Some nights we sing four or five songs. Some nights one is enough. But I love this tradition so much. We have to be clear about who will blow out the candles each night and set expectations accordingly. But that time with my family in the glow of candlelight is magical. I love this season.

a gift idea!

I just saw this book and have meant to blog about it since August. If you have a 4-10 year old on your Christmas list, I cannot recommend this book enough! It is written by Julie Edwards...Julie Andrews Edwards, as in Mary Poppins and Maria VonTrapp. And as darling as Julie seems to be on screen, she seems to be just as darling in her writing.

We read this aloud this summer and could not put it down. The kids noticed I kept leaving at night with the book in hand and realized I was reading ahead. Busted. That was not okay with them. My mom babysat one night and read a chapter with them and said, "I'd like to borrow that book when you guys are done so I know how it ends."

It's a sweet tale of an orphan girl who finds a mysterious abandoned house and begins to clean it and tend the gardens...it's sort of all of our dreams come true. Nothing is too stressful, some parts hold suspense and the whole thing is delightful.

Alright. I feel better knowing that I spread the word on this super sweet book. Here's the link to Amazon to buy it for your kids, grandkids or honestly, yourself. Totally yourself. (Different Cover...I think mine is from the original printing. But it's the same book. :)

...wait. did I already blog about this? There is a lot going on in my life. Sorry if this is a repeat!

a good question and a good answer

Ivar asked me just now, "Mom, why do we have finger nails?"

And I tried to answer about how it is helpful to have a little hard thing to get batteries out of things and for digging in the dirt.  But ultimately I told him, I have no idea.

Elsie buzzed in, "Mom! They're for polish!"

Alden's Baptism

The Sunday of Thanksgiving we woke up and went to Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, the church my parents started as a mission start back in 1981. I was the first baby baptized in this congregation, baptized by my dad. And here we were 36 years later, my dad baptizing my 4th baby. 

My parents and Ivar and Elsie stood up as his sponsors and it was really sweet. The next day I heard Elsie downstairs talking to Alden in the exosaucer. When I came around the corner she said proudly, "Mom, I just taught him the first seven commandments and what they mean." And she had. I had been hearing that but not piecing together that she was fulfilling the vows she had spoken the day before. Her falcetto voice was saying, "you shall not steal. Alden, you do not want to take anything that is not yours. Even if you find it on the ground. If it is not yours, you cannot take it."

I felt really convicted by how serious she was taking this responsibility. And I have since made a list of all the kids that I have stood as a sponsor for (I have 9!) and want to be speaking into their life, like Elsie is speaking into Alden's.

We had lunch and family pictures taken, worshipped in the big sanctuary and then went to Annika's for the afternoon and had taco's for dinner. This was our last day together of a whirlwind, wonderful three days. I would give anything to have my nieces and nephew around to babysit my children! We love them and miss them so much!

Sweatpants Saturday

The Saturday of Thanksgiving I had the clan over to my house and, based on all that we were stuffing into the weekend, titled the day 'Sweatpants Saturday.' I sent word out the week before that we would have brunch, lay low, play board games, work on a puzzle, look at picture albums, snack, have a soup supper and relax. And that's just what we did. Different groups went into town to shop, some waked the road and Rory lit a burn pile. It was a sunny, content day. And as you can see in these pictures, the board games we created were played over and over and over. Here all three were being played at the same time and we adults did nothing to orchestrate this! Rory actually came and got me while I was getting brunch ready and quietly said, "bring your camera. you have got to see what I just walked in to." There could have been no higher compliment given to these three, fun games.

We had egg bake, grapes and muffins. And then my Aunt Louie (my mom's sister) came for a few hours so she could see my brother and the rest of our family. Oh, and Uncle Mark was with us the whole weekend too (my dad's brother). I love that he was able to be with us.

These kids started racing Hex Bugs and barely were seen again. They named each Hex Bug and timed it's performance through the same course while racing against other bugs. Bugs were named: Killer Rose, Deep Ocean, SheKicks, Rookie Green, Orange Blades, Starry Night, Baby Blue and scores for each bug were written down on a sheet of paper. The kids were yelling and cheering for their bug and it was hilarious and rowdy. I have since played with Ivar a few times and this is a super fun game.

So that was Sweatpants Saturday. It was a good thing because the next morning we all got dressed up for church, family pictures, Alden's baptism and then a day at Annika's house. More on that tomorrow...