30 December 2012

Christmas 2012

The Christmas season this year was so wonderful! It was so fun to watch Sabrina and Fiona talk about Santa and presents and the Baby Jesus. They learned a lot of the words to Jingle Bells and were very excited for Santa to bring them treats.

Since Dallin and I both live so close to our parents we were able to spend some time with both of them for the Holiday.

At my parents house on Christmas Eve, the girls got to participate in The Nativity. Fiona was a shepherd (because Sabrina took that costume off) and Sabrina was one of the angels ( I'm still not sure how she managed to wrangled this coveted position in the nativity, it gets fought over every year) and they looked darling, if I may say. Which I can.

On Christmas morning, the first thing the girls wanted to do was take off their pajamas. And since you don't argue logic with two 2-year olds, we let them. Then they ran down stairs to see what Santa left them. The girls were very spoiled this year by both Magas and both Pagas. They got all sorts of toys and books and things to color. They also got lots of new (and much needed) pajamas and a new dress each for church.

Sabrina left, Fiona right- Modeling their new pajamas



We spent Christmas Day with Dallin's family, complete with the traditional breakfast of delicious Swedish pancakes. Yum yum.

We told both families that we are having another baby in July and that we are very excited! It was a wonderful holiday.

I'm a little hesitant to share this next part because it is very near and dear to my heart, and because it is personal, but I also feel the need to somehow express my gratitude for some wonderful holiday miracles that happened to us. This past semester, since I wasn't working and Dallin was only working part-time, it has been very tight for us financially. We weren't quite sure how we were going to make Christmas happen this year. We decided not to get each other anything and only get the girls a small gift each.
Well about a week before Christmas, we received a gift card anonymously in the mail. It was signed by "Santa's helpers" and it allowed us to get a few small things for the girls. Mostly clothes, because they are in desperate need of ones that aren't too small. And we were able to pay a few bills with the rest. Dallin and I felt enormously grateful to whomever gave us this incredibly generous gift. It was much needed and much appreciated.
Then, two days before Christmas, we came home to find a box on our front step. Inside were some beautiful dolls for the girls, a few outfits, some new snow hats and gloves, a bag or delicious oranges and a gift card. I could not stop crying. I don't know how this person (or people) thought of us, but I will be forever grateful to them. We were able to give the girls a wonderful little Christmas because of others' generosity. I still can't even think about it without crying.
I hope that one day, Dallin and I will be able to give back to others the way that others have given to us. I hope that we will be in tune enough with the spirit to know of people who are in need and be able to help them too. We have been so richly blessed this year and will always be grateful for the tender mercies that we see in our lives.
























29 December 2012

Playing in the snow

Fiona and Sabrina got snow gear for Christmas, and since we actually have snow to play in this year, we've been out a few times to play in it. One day, Uncle Ammon even built a snow cave in the backyard for everyone to crawl around in.

Sabrina

Sabrina left, Fiona right

Fiona

Fiona left, Sabrina right



Sabrina

Fiona

Sabrina disappearing into the snow cave.  She was fearless!



To say that the girls loved playing in the snow would be a major understatement! They literally couldn't get enough of it! They would cry when it was time to come inside and they just loved it when we made a little sled run for them.
When it is more than 20 degrees outside, it's our new favorite activity!

18 December 2012

In the dark

The power is out and we are at 59 degrees in the house, so we are sitting by the windows, wearing jackets, reading the same five books over and over again, and eating lots of crackers. And we will probably continue in this way until we have light again.
It's fun. The girls keep telling me how the lights are all broken and the tree is broken and that they need more crackers

09 December 2012

Nativity

In my primary class today, I made Popsicle stick nativity's for the kids to color. I think I enjoyed it much more than they did, but the coloring sure turned out cute!



05 December 2012

The Spirit of Christmas

...That's when the Spirit of Christmas smiled.
"Remember, this all began with a child.
Because it took nothing but love to begin it,
it's really not Christmas if love isn't in it."

Your tree may be large as the room will allow
with a big yellow star on the uppermost bough,
but of one thing I'm certain, I'm sure of one thing.
It is love that makes the angels sing.

-The Spirit of Christmas by Nancy Tillman

03 December 2012

Getting ready for Christmas

I am so excited for Christmas this year because we are teaching the girls about Santa Claus (Me: What does Santa say? Girls: Ho, Ho, Ho!) and Baby Jesus (and "May-ye" and "Jozus"). The girls are at such a fun age where they just soak up everything like little sponges (which isn't always good) and they learn things so quickly! We have been spending a lot of time reading Christmas books, putting teddy bears on the tree, and staring at the Christmas "yights" on the houses in the circle.