Christmas TIME 3

Jeremiah has been in on the act this week...building snowmen with Jadee and the 2 feet of snow we got last week, shoveling with Davis and making sure Jeron wears a helmet to sled. Today he pulled the kids around the culdesac with the 50. Jeron and Jadee LOVED it. Davis...not so much (that is why there is no picture of him).

This picture was taken before the helmet lecture. Our friends, the Fisks, spent a week in the hospital after brain surgery with their 5 year-old after a sledding accident. Jacob's accident was just a couple of days before this picture, at a time when we weren't sure how extensive the damage was. He and his family experienced a true miracle when he went home just a week after his brain surgery. He has some work to do to recover fully, but he's going to do it. I am all about having fun and taking calculated risks, but I am also about using the advances in protective technology we've been blessed with in this generation. So, put a helmet on your kids!

Christmas TIME 2

Jeremiah took the kids all by himself on Saturday to get a tree at Costco. It's my year to have a full tree (as opposed to the skinny, sparse kind we get in the mountains). He refused to take a camera with him, so I took the first picture of the kids with the tree and their Santa hats.

I bought the kids little snowglobe ornaments last year for $0.99 each at the Macy's after Christmas sale. I wrapped them up and they each got to open a present representing the TIME we would spend together decorating the tree.

I don't know why decorating the tree is never what I imagine it in my head to be. I tell myself it is because my children are so young. It's mostly a free-for-all with ornaments yanked from the box and thrown on the tree quicker than you can say "Merry Christmas". Little or no thought is given to where the ornaments came from or what they mean. I work really hard each year to give the kids ornaments that represent something about them or something they did that year. They don't care. Davis just wants all of the train ornaments that belong to Jeron; Jeron wants to make sure that everyone knows he has the most because he's "been alive the longest"; and Jadee just wants to put the most on. Davis spent the entire decorating time crying, yelling or throwing a fit. It was fun. Maybe in a year or two it will be more like I imagine it. Maybe someday they will care that the ornaments mean something. But for today, I'll try to remember that it's not about me. And that's okay...for now.

Christmas TIME

I've decided that I am going to give my children the gift of time during this Christmas Season. I have come up with some simple gifts that represent or contribute to fun activities that we can do together to help us celebrate the season. They are so excited that they get to open presents...even if it's only one at time every day or two!

Today Jadee got to open a little present full of lots of construction paper and glue sticks...we made count-down chains! Jadee did it like she is a pro...even kept up the AB pattern. It's all in the tongue...

Davis started out strong and then lost interest. He then flew his small chain around the living room and eventually tore every link apart.

Jeron has "done this since Kindergarten" so he is a seasoned chain-maker. He wanted his to be a train for his picture...you can even see his mouth making train noises!

The finished product...

Come back soon for some more Christmas TIME fun!