Nativities

I haven't posted in a couple months and one of those months was a really busy month stock-full of pictures so you know you're going to be getting ambushed with a barrage of posts in a short time now. I could just say, "Gina it's February, no one wants to hear all the details of your Christmas as they prep for Valentines," but I like my pictures and want to remember all of this and record it because this is my journal/scrapbook/storage back-up. So just brace yourself and skim through, or not, this is really for me. But to reward your patience I will post some overdue Dr. Emma material when this is all done

Our ward did a cute nativity with the kids for the ward Christmas party. Are those not the cutest lil angels you've ever seen?!

I refused to put time and money into costumes for the boys so I pinned some socks onto a headband and threw a brown sweater around Weston's shoulders. Donkey? And yes, his friend's a ladybug.

andrew was a reindeer because I had some antlers around the house. Yeah, the Steed kids are a little disfunctional.

We did our traditional nativity with the Wixom bunch with the cutest lil shephards. I have a video on YouTube of the production. Forgot how to post those. Try this link

It's Beginning to Feel like Christmas

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care

and nativities up over here and up there

And Weston was dreamily looking at ads

hoping to score with his mom and his dad

But something was missing something we had every year

something that always brought holiday cheer

This year our family's so many miles away

and surely we wouldn't have them Christmas day.

But what to our wondering eyes should we see

But a wreath from Grandma bought from QVC

So we hung it on the door and beamed with great pride

Our house looks so festive and the pine is alive

And Nana sent a dress and each boy got a shirt

So we took some pictures and smiled til it hurt

And Mommy got music with holiday style

Happy to play though it's been quite awhile

Now that is how Christmas should sound and should smell

Thanks to our family, aren't they just swell?

We still will miss Grandma and Nana and Russ

But thank you for sending some Christmas to us!

Signs that Christmas is coming

Six Geese A-laying

I caught these guys exiting the scene of the crime. And all this time I thought my neighbor's lil' dog was leaving those surprises on my driveway.

The old fat guy and his fan mail are here

Emma has been bringing all sorts of cute Christmasy crafts and worksheets home from school. Here in the South we're a lot more open about religion and even though they still call it "winter break" there is no hiding of the word Christmas. But I have a confession: I have Santa issues. I know boycotting the guy would make me some evil, magic-killing, prude of a parent but I just don't like the concept. I mean I don't want to put up this big lie that distracts from the real focus. I don't like the idea of my kids focusing on things they want and forget about whose birthday we're celebrating and serving others. So I try to stress the religious part with my kids and just never confirm or deny the existence of Santa. Is this evil? Does anyone else feel this way? If Santa's a big deal at your house I won't think less of you. I do understand there is something magical in believing in him and the pure joy of kids finding their treasures Christmas morning. So go ahead, talk me in or out of this. Now after that rant, I have to admit this was cute:

Emma's Letter to Santa

She wants a bike and she's "going to trane it." And if that last caption has you thinking I'm pure evil, relax, she's getting her bike and we're not going to take credit for it (even though Jamie spent hours in the basement fixing it yesterday rolling his eyes while telling me, "you get what you pay for." Hey, it looked good and clean how was I to know the bearings were shot?). But we love that girl and she has been a good girl this year. "This has been my good year," she tells me, "I haven't even gone in time out for a long time."

Christmas Artwork

Emma is becoming quite the little arteest! I love her drawings! I'm not biased; I just have the most talented, clever, amazing, brilliant, and otherwise perfect children :o)

So who wouldn't spend hours fixing a bike for such a child and in exchange for such fine art?

Dr. Emma on Decorations

Emma loves decorating! She loves when I pull out new decorations and gets so excited to see our house changed! I've never seen a child more excited to bring in a holiday. Our last home had a fireplace to hang the stockings over but this one doesn't so I couldn't find a place for them. Emma was worried that if we didn't hang the stockings Santa wouldn't leave any gifts for us, so she hung them on the doors. When she saw all the Chrismas decorations up she jumped up and down and squealed, "This is the most beautiful Christmas stuff in the whole wide world!" (it's really quite plain actually, but in the eyes of a 5-year-old girl...)

For family night we set up the Christmas tree and listened to Christmas music. The kids loved helping and every time Weston "poked out" a branch he'd say "I did it! Blow it out mom," as he shoved the branch in my face. I'm not sure why.

Our tree has fabric ornaments (compliments of Mama Steed) and stuffed snowmen and lights of course.

And here's the reason for the stuffed stuff. He can't resist and he loves taking the animals off the couch to snuggle. That white bear on the beanbag is his favorite!

This is the only nativity that the kids can reach. Shayla and Brent gave Emma this plastic nativity years ago and the kids LOVE it! Baby Jesus has been lost and found many times but wasn't found in time for boxing up last year. Hmm, I think there's a good lesson in this missing Jesus. Hopefully we can find Jesus this Christmas!