Sheppard's Dinner

This Christmas season, I have been trying to hold one or two family Christmas activities each week between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  That has involved me trying to come up with inexpensive outings or activities that all ages can participate in. That can be complicated in a large family with so many age groups. On the whole, I have felt like it has gone well. Everything we have done so far, has been inexpensive and enjoyable. All temper tantrums have been reserved for before the activity making it so we can all enjoy the activity. This past week, I tried something new that will definitely become tradition. We had a Sheppard's Dinner.

We pushed the table against the wall, turned on the fire, put blankets out over the floor, lit some candles, and turned out the lights. I made foods that are common in the Middle East: Pita and Hummus, pomegranates, grape juice, and lamb. We sang, "While Sheppard's Watched Their Flocks". We talked about what life was like during that period in history including why were Sheppard's even watching sheep and what the sheep were for.

The kids were excellent, happy, attentive, and nothing spilled.

Sisters

I love that my kids came in sets. They are such good friends. Ruth and Kate are best friends and do everything together. Rachel and Anya have begun wanting to be together a lot.

Temple Square December 2012

I LOVE Temple Square!! John and I married in the Salt Lake Temple. I love the beautiful flowers in the spring and summer, and the beautiful lights at Christmas time. This Christmas is our fourth Christmas in Utah, and our fourth trip to see the lights at Temple Square. This year, We ordered our favorite chocolate on chocolate donuts from target and brought a huge pitcher of hot cocoa to make our trip to see the lights a little funner for the kids. We ended up leaving a little late (this is becoming a theme). Getting there late ended up working well because the biggest crowds had gone making it easier for our big crowd to move from one place to another.

We loved the beautiful lights, the amazing narrarated nativity, the mild weather, our time together as a family, and the calming Spirit that always exists on Temple Square.

Things to Remember

From the Last two weeks:

1.  Arwen happily resting on me while I sit at the computer and type.
    
2. Joshua and cars-- watching the cars outside our windows-- carrying toy cars everywhere-- sleeping with toy cars.
    
3. Joseph having a complete and very detailed list of what he wants for Christmas. And Joseph riding down the escalator in the mall on his bottom because he was afraid to stand on it.
    
4. Anya listening to The Little Drummer Boy on the radio in the car and interrupting to tell me that the song is about "your bum, Mom". Huh???? "You know, pa rump a bum, bum."
    
5. Rachel coming to me while I am sleeping and telling me she knows that Dad loves me tons and tons because he draws lots of pictures of me.
    
6. Adam doing anything I ask him to do as long as I let him play Skylanders.
    
7. Johnny so sweet all of the time playing with his younger siblings, helping with chores, and never getting annoyed. He is just happy all the day.
    
8. Kate being excited for Christmas because she went shopping with me and cannot wait to see how happy the little kids will be when they get their gifts.
    
9. Ruth telling me that she likes her hair just next to her eye because it helps balance out her face.

Hiding

Okay, so I did this and at about the same age too. But come on. What is it with the hair over the eye. I miss seeing my girl's pretty face.

Please Pray

Today in Connecticut, 20 young children and 6 adults died when a gun man opened fire in their school. Tonight, 40 parents will not be tucking their babies into bed. Tonight, 40 parents are not going to hear little voices saying “I love you.”  26 families are not going to have one more family holiday, one more hug, or one more meal all together. This is an immense tragedy.

One thing I have become certain about in my life is the power of prayer, especially the power that comes when a lot of people pray for the same thing. Tonight and for many, many nights, please pray for these families. Gather your family around you and say a pray for the people who have so tragically and so senselessly lost their loved ones. They need the power from on High. Please, please pray. 

2012 Nativity Re-enactment

We finally have enough children to preform a fairly complete Nativity re-enactment.  Four of our children have memorized Luke 2, so they can  recite the speaking parts from memory on cue. Sunday afternoon the little girls and I assigned a part for everyone.Monday after dinner, the kids preformed for family home evening. Unlike most attempts at family home evening, Monday's went well.

We had a late dinner, because of car trouble. After dinner, Kate became the costume designer and I cleaned the kitchen. When all was cleaned, we took some pictures and preformed the Nativity.

This year Anya was Mary and Joseph was Joseph. Kate was the angel and Ruth was the Heavenly Host. Johnny and Rachel were shepherds with Joshua as the sheep, and Adam was the wiseman and Ruth got a second part as King Herod.