Christmas traditions - #2

Years and years ago I got these advent calendars for Christmas. They were pretty simple and cute, and the kids really enjoyed advancing them each day. They would get up in the morning and try and be the first one to check off the current day, marching ever forward towards Christmas day. I made this wall hanging one at a Homemaking meeting.



















My friend Ginger made this darling nativity advent calendar one year for us when we were first married. It's been our favorite calendar of all. It was always fun to see the nativity scene being built each month. I would usually get in a panic when the wise men started arriving, because that meant that Christmas day was very close (and usually I had MILES to go before I would be ready for Christmas day.) I've copied the pattern and would be happy to share. I've helped many people make one of their own. I made one for Lauren and Ellie last year and I intend to make one for each of our kids and their families eventually. It helps keep the focus on the reason we celebrate Christmas. This picture shows the completed calendar - as if it were Christmas day - with the baby Jesus arriving last!



















As I recall, Lee make this cute Christmas tree count down for us one year. It's so simple, yet fun to do. Now that our kids are gone, I just get up in the morning and advance each one myself. I think Rick may even take a turn now and then. I think advent calendars are fun and a great way to count down until Christmas. I noticed that Tanner had one in his bedroom made out of a paper chain. The school days were one color and the weekend and holiday were another. Even big boys like Tanner like to keep track of where we are in the month!

Happy 1st birthday little Ellie

Someone very sweet has her 1st birthday today....HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLIE. Grandma and Grandpa love you very much and we look forward to seeing you in a few weeks. She is a blonde haired, blue eyed beauty who is a joy to be around. And she is walking all over the place and really enjoying life.

Christmas traditions - #1

Every year for as long as I can remember since I've been married to Rick, we've attended an annual production of Handel's Messiah. We usually attend a performance at the beginning of the Christmas season and it really helps us get in the Christmas spirit and remember the reason for the season.

We've attended the production at the LDS tabernacle on Temple Square, at Abravanel Hall and at the Provo tabernacle. This year we saw the production with Dave and Courtney at Abravanel Hall on Sunday night, performed by the Utah Symphony. Wow. It is always so moving and brings tears to our eyes. We have a CD copy of the performance and we love to listen to it throughout the Christmas season.

In case you many not be aware, all the the words for Handel's Messiah come from scripture. Here is the text for the entire production if you want to treat yourself and read through it.

In many parts of the world, it is the accepted practice for the audience to stand for the Hallelujah Chorus. Tradition has it that King George II rose to his feet at this point. As the first notes of the triumphant Hallelujah Chorus rang out, the king rose. Royal protocol has always demanded that whenever the monarch stands, so does everyone in the monarch's presence. Thus, the entire audience stood too, initiating a tradition that has lasted more than two centuries.

If you want to learn more about how Handel came to write the production, read here.

"What did happen is that upon Handel's reading of God's word he was overcome in his spirit by its power and began to write "MESSIAH" in his study beginning, August 22nd, 1741. Several sources close to him [2] record that Handel was so caught up in God's Spirit during the three weeks that it took him to write "MESSIAH", that he actually locked himself within his study, refusing food [3] and writing music amid periods of crying and moaning in that same Spirit. Handel's servant testified:
"He was praying, or he was weeping, or he was staring into eternity" -late summer, 1741
Another servant's testimony is that at the end of this three week period Handel burst out of his study with tears in his eyes and the MESSIAH script in his hand declaring, that he had a great vision, and had seen God seated upon His throne;
"I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God Himself seated on His throne, with his Company of Angels."

Happy November 30th birthday Courtney!

Happy 23rd birthday Courtney! We love you and we're so happy you are our new daughter. It was a great day when you married Dave and joined our family. We look forward to many happy occassions in the future. We appreciate your kind and gentle ways and we always enjoy spending time with you. Thank you for taking such good care of our son and for being such a great daughter-in-law.

Here are a few tidbits about Courtney:

• she is the youngest of six children and the fifth daughter.
• she was born and raised in SLC and had many happy experiences growing up there where she could walk to her elementary, junior and high schools
• she plays the piano beautifully and she also played the trumpet in the band in junior high
• she has a very nice alto singing voice
  
• she loves to vacation at Lake Powell and has enjoyed many family vacations there on their family house boat
• she played volleyball and tennis in high school and she loves to water ski
• she loves her family very much - her parents are currently serving in South Africa.
• Courtney spent a semester in Hawaii attending BYU-Hawaii and loved that experience
• she graduated with a degree in audiology and speech-language pathology from BYU and she is currently a grad student at the U of U
  
• her hobbies include reading, sewing, watching movies and attending sporting events
• she met Dave at Liberty Square in their student ward and they had a great time getting to know each other
• she is beautiful and she has the greatest dimples
  
• she is friendly and kind to people and she has many friends
• she graduated from seminary and is a person of faith. I've observed her reading her scriptures and writing in her journal faithfully
  
• she is fun to be around and she is very helpful and always asks me if she can help (mothers LOVE this question!)
• she is a wonderful wife and partner for our son and we love her very much.

Thanksgiving dinner anyone?

And a good time was had by all....
It was wonderful to have Mom with us...
Count your many blessings...
Many thanks to our wonderful hosts - Gary and Nancy!