Christmas 2013

Christmas Day. What a magical Christmas. Just wonderful!!  On dec 23, Monday, we drove down to Lafayette for Ryan Routsongs baptism. It was a simple, yet special experience. We then spen the night at the Routsongs home to Christmas Eve. The big boys had a slumber party with Ash, Ryan, and Jack in their theater room. Dawson, Kay and I slept in Cassidy's room. Dawson was so sleepy he went right to sleep and slept all night without a stir. An angel baby :). Kaylee and I snuggled and we both slept all night too. I woke in the morning stepped on a sleeping Cooper. He had snuck in in the night and joined us in the room. It just made me smile. I had 3 of my little ones surrounding me and all were peacefully  sleeping. I watched each one and my joy was just overflowing. 

Christmas Eve is the Routsong family traditional celebration. The whole family was there besides Nicks family in Arizona and Grandma Great who was with her sister.  A total of 16 kids, so happy to see each other. After our feast we spent a nice Cristmas testimony meeting, which has become an annual tradition. I had a chance to express my appreciation and love for my Indiana family and for their examples of strength and inspiration to me. Next came presents, one from a cousin and one from grandma to each child. Everyone was smiling when I looked around the room.  The adults then exchanged "our favorite things" in a white elephant form.  It was super enjoyable!

We set out for home and everyone but Dawson slept in the car. Arriving home we ate some pita dinner, wrote up our gifts to Jesus, opened up our Jammie's and watched The Nativity together. We tucked the kids in and let Santa do his magic:)

Christmas morning was completely magical. Everyone was happy! Everyone was smiling, and gracious, and filled with joy. The spirit in our home was one I'll never forget. Pure joy and true happiness being together with the ones we love the very most. The kids all opened their gifts of the same category at the same time till everything under the tree was gone.  They chose to open the Santa sacks last, which was cute. As they got more and more gifts the words that they said were things like, "this is the best day ever!" And "this is the best christmas!"  And that just makes me smile.  All of our efforts to make it that kind of day apparently paid off.  Nate gave me a beautiful silver necklace, and I have him an NIV Bible and a book which holds 4 different bible translations side by side for deeper study. After presents, we ate the breakfast things that they found in their stockings and the kids played with all their new goods all morning and afternoon.

In the late afternoon we met 3 other families at a local assisted living home and we went caroling through the hallways bringing Christmas cheer one last time before the special day was over. The families returned to our house afterward for a Christmas feast. We played christmas charades on the stage, put together a simple nativity scene while reading from Luke 2, and then watched a couple versions of the Nativity to remind us about the true meaning of this day. All of it was magical and memorable. I hope that every Christmas will be as enjoyable as this one:)

Visiting with Santa

While the boys were in school one day, and Nate and had a slow work morning, we took Kaylee and Dawson to the Embassy Theater Festival of Trees.  It is a huge beautiful festival inside such an amazing antique theater that is an heirloom to our city.  There were a few hundred Christmas trees there, all decorated with different themes and creative styles.  The kids enjoyed it!  Santa was there in one area, so we took the Littles to go see him.  He was there with Mrs. Claus.  Both kids were pretty uneasy about the whole idea, but it was fun anyways!  They are such cuties!

Christmas at School

The kids each had classroom Christmas parties and I was able to go spend time with them at their parties.  The parents prepared games and treats and snacks and festive activities for the kids.  Of course it was a blast!  Miss Martzell was Cooper's student teacher for the first half of the school year. She came to the Christmas party for one last visit with her students.  Cooper really enjoyed her!  One of his favorite Christmas party games was when they tied a tissue box around his waist full of jingle bells and he had to dance around until he got them all to fall out.  Fun times!

Cooper's class had been working on learning the entire song, "The 12 Days of Christmas."  Each child (or 2 from each class) was responsible for 1 of the days.  They had the number to hold up high, and they would sing their line when it was their day.  Cooper got Day 1, a partridge in a pear tree.  He knew that entire song by heart by the time school was out for Christmas break.  He sang it loud and clear around the house and he sang it loud when we went caroling too.  

Jaxton's class also had some fun activities.  Jaxton's favorite one involved using a candy cane to stack nuts and bolts.  He has an eye for detail and fine motor skills and loved tackling this contest!  Of course he loved frosting cookies and eating all the sugary sweets too!

 The first graders at Cedarville performed in a Christmas Concert.  Each class prepared several songs and performed them.  Jaxton loves to sing.  He enjoyed himself out there singing and dancing along.  He looked so cute with his spiked hair.  He has been refusing to get it cut!  But when he lets us put gel in it, he looks so handsome.  It was fun watching him with all his little first grade friends!