Sunday, April 19, 2015

Christmas Eve 2014


If you know me, then you know that Christmas Eve at my house is a "don't mess with" event.  This is an evening filled with tradition and family and the true meaning of Christmas.  I love it and I put effort into making it special.  Well this year, we had visitors.  I normally keep it just our immediate family, but as the sign up sheet for the missionaries kept passing by with Christmas Eve being empty, my heart softened and I realized I wanted to have them.  Just like I hoped and prayed for someone to make the holiday special for my missionary, I needed to do it for these boys. (Elder Petty and Elder Hansen)  So I bought them pjs and invited them to join our traditions.  And I'm so glad I did!!









The Forgotten Carols 2014

I say it every time, FAVORITE thing to do.  We took all the big kids out to dinner and to go see the show.  Neither of my girls had seen it before.  It was a really enjoyable night  and as always, I LOVED to performance.  It's interesting how every time I go, something different touches me.  This year, when the sang Three Kings Found the Lord, I felt like my heart was going to explode!  As the music got louder and more intense with the lyrics

 "'Lord help us find the way
We need to find the way
Lord help us find the way back home'
Three kings found the Lord
And so can we"

I just was so filled with hope and love and joy, it was crazy cool.
Whitley loved it as well, so much as to be a crying mess by the end.  Scroll down for the beautiful story of the ornament.






Glade bought me this ornament during intermission because he knew I loved the show so much and he loves me!  I didn't know of course.  Whitley really wanted this ornament as well, but we were trying to leave and the line was long, so she decided not to wait for it.  She was sad.  Her Daddy saw what was going on and did something awesome.  Fast forward to Christmas morning, I begin to open a small package from under the tree that reads "to my sweetheart".  I smile at Glade and he looks confused.  He acts like he has no idea what's in it.  So I open it and there's the beautiful ornament!  He shakes his head and mumbles something about a stinker.  So here's the story: Glade gave that ornament to Whitley the night of the show, seeing how sad she was not to get one.  She took it, but later felt bad knowing he bought it for me, so she wrapped it, and snuck it under our tree one night while she was here.  Now pan over to Grandma Greens house about a week before Christmas.  Gram, knowing how badly Whitley had wanted one, had searched diligently for another ornament to buy.  The only trick is that you can ONLY buy them at the show.  So she and I tried to make Whitley a similar ornament from a cut out from the program.  Neither of knowing Glade had given her the real one.  So what's a mom to do?  Here I sit holding a beautiful ornament that I LOVE, that my sweet husband bought for me and my just as sweet daughter sacrificed for me to have.  BUT, I also know my darling daughter no longer has the ornament she longed for.   So, I wrapped it back up and took it to family Christmas to give it back to her.  She was sure surprised to open it!  I'll get another one, next year.  But for now, it's hers and my heart is so full at all the events that transpired around this beautiful and inspired show, The Forgotten Carols.

Gingerbread houses 2014

As per tradition, we did gingerbread houses  with the kids.  Chelsey and her family weren't able to make it this year.  We invited the Contessa girls over to help as well.  You can't tell, but Gram Green was there being my other hands too.