Christmas Tree Part 2

After my desperate plea for prayers yesterday, many assumed that I did not KNOW that you start at the TOP of a tree when putting on lights. I did. I checked the lights before I began and they lit. I plugged the tree in and only the bottom ones lit. LOL

When Mike was done outside he came in with a little "light checker" and figured it out.

Another tradition we have is buying an photo ornament for each child, each year. WELL....Mom buys them an ornament in keeping with their interests or hobbies each year too. Those are so they will have them when they set up house. I some how got mixed up and offered Josiah all his photo ornaments this year. It made me sad. He said I could keep them another year. THEN I REMEMBERED...the photo ornaments are MINE to keep as long as I like. The other ornaments are theirs now. Josiah will take all his ornaments to his apartment as soon as he has time to pick them up.

This year we decorated solely with photo ornaments again. We'll put this years' new ornaments on as well. Arielle and I took the time to note each year that was missing for each person. Surprisingly, we discovered that there were years when NO ONE had anything.....1997 - the year Arielle was 3 months old, 2000 - the year I miscarried on 1 December, 2005 - the year that Stacia was 4 months old...and the year Mike deployed. We are debating if I should "recapture" those years or let the absence of tradition speak. ::snort::

Here are a few shots of the tree. I LOVE to sit in the still and remember all the years these photos represent. It spurs me on to stay engaged with the younger ones.

Bre at 18 and Krista at 4


Arielle at 3 months


Krista 2 - Bre 4, Arielle 3


A special friend sent me this ornament in 2000. She knew I was struggling. She sent this ornament as she knew that Christmas would always remind me of our loss in 2000. It's a simple clear bulb and filled with shimmering tinsel. She said to hang it as I chose, if it would help me, to remember - when all others had forgotten. It helps. I always find a moment, when I'm alone, to hang this ornament. It has come to remind me of the 8 babies we've not held, and of beloved family members who are waiting in heaven...my grams, my Uncle Bill, my Aunt Gin and this year my Aunt Clara...it's fitting it hangs on our "family tree".

We choose to top our tree with a crown of thorns. This is simply a way to remind us that this season is about the gift He brought and about his ultimate Advent in the future.


Each year we let the youngest child, who is capable, top the tree. This is the first year that Stacia had this job.


She was thrilled with herself.


And expected everyone else to be just as thrilled.


©2008 D.R.G.

Advent Countdowns....

We have many different things we do to countdown until Christmas. In the past we've had a countdown candle. Take a candle, make 25 marks on it. Burn a mark each day. This is very visual for young kids. You can do the same with chains etc.

I made this years ago.

This year we added a "real Advent Calendar" to our line up for the first time. I couldn't quite figure out how little pieces of cheap candy would be fun...and we didn't do well with the Lego and Playmobile calendars.

Becki, left a comment that helped me figure this out for my family. Mike and Jamin took over the job of writing daily clues. Those are in the box. They will (hopefully) lead us to the day's gift. This was a bit dangerous as THEY are tricky.

I found little gifts at the store and around home. I really can't say what all I bought or the young ones will know. I put them into ziploc baggies and they are ready for Mike or Jamin to hide each day.


©2008 D.R.G.

Giving Thanks

• Our chapel was VERY cold today. We're having ongoing gas problems and CE turned off the gas until Monday. As I shivered, I was thankful that we usually have heat and that we have a place to worship.
• I am thankful that Josiah joined us for lunch.

• I am thankful that Josiah was able to join us for our first Advent devotional and the topping of the tree.

• I'm thankful we've made so many memories this weekend that I am hard put to keep up with the blog.

• I'm thankful Mike is in America this season.

©2008 D.R.G.

Tell me Quick...

I bought 10 Holiday Crackers on clearance after Christmas last year. "Each cracker contains a snap, ajoke, and a surprise novelty."

Will one of my English friends please tell me the proper day to use these? I'm not sure we'll hit it right, but I'd like to try. It's one of our gifts in the Advent countdown.

Still working to get it all together by tomorrow...but will post photos soon. What fun we are having!

©2008 D.R.G.

Giving Thanks!

I'm thankful that the lights are ALL up outside.

I'm thankful that the tree is up and no longer looks like a hippo. We'll top it tomorrow after our first Advent devotion, wreath, reading, activity, chocolate thingy....

I'm thankful that Arielle and I found all the ornaments we need for this week's exchanges.

I'm thankful that I'm starting to get IDEAS for Saturday's upcoming tea. We like to make a gift for the ladies to take home....I think this year's may be edible. Come to think of it, I made the Kissmas Whisks last year and they were edible too. Maybe I'll do a search for another idea...but that google search thing this time of year is DEADLY. ::snort::

©2008 D.R.G.

Deadbeat Nutcracker Mom

This is a new experience for me! You've no doubt heard the saying that "80% of the work is done by 20% of the people". I've always been in the 20% - always!

However, with this Nutcracker production I am certainly in the 80%. This is probably because this is our first year and I haven't a clue of what the possibilities for help are....and also I knew going into this that I had limited time I could invest this time of the year.

I still feel bad about this. NO ONE has tried to make me feel bad - it's my mommy guilt gene. I feel like I should be doing more. I know that I can't. If I HAD to do a lot with the production we couldn't have let Nolan participate. I USUALLY do a lot more than my "fair share" of the work when my family is involved in "most anything". I simply can't this time. I knew that going in. I try to console myself with the thought, "this is my TURN to be a deadbeat"...but goodness I felt bad seeing all those parents working to haul things to the theater as I picked up Nolan and ran for the barn.

Starting tomorrow, Nolan will be at practice every day through the last performance, which is next Sunday. I WILL be ushering for all 3 shows. I need to find some way to help out more that will allow me to also do all the other things that were on the calendar before Nutcracker....I'm not sure how...maybe I simply need to get used to be a deadbeat mom. ::snort::

©2008 D.R.G.

Deck the Pool!

Doesn't everyone clean out the pool when they put up their Christmas Decorations?

Jared's a champ! He has worked HARD the past two days and has been a huge help to Mike and I. This is a disgusting job, and it was COLD today...44*.

©2008 D.R.G.