Christmas 2011

What a joy has been this Christmas! This year, the boys focused on making gifts for each other, and they weathered spectacularly. Of course, when we initially proposed the idea, they immediately began packaging up things they had already made, like snowflakes and drawings, wrapping and labeling them for giving under the tree. Those gifts were truly delightful to open up this morning. Once we finally caught up with them, however, we helped guide their enthusiasm, and they ended up with these things:

Jacob decorated aprons, Joshua made neck warmers, and Michael made hats. It's more fun to watch these boys give presents than it is to see them open them. I love to see that joy in their faces as they anticipate the great opening of their treasured offerings of time, energy, and love.

We did pajamas, of course. Here they are before bed:

And after waking up this morning:

Michael tried to get the morning rolling at 4 a.m., but we shot him down, mean parents that we are. He figured he wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep, so he might as well try. Needless to say, he did get back to sleep.

For Christmas, this year, we decided to give the boys a bedroom makeover, so they opened up hard hats, Lowe's gift cards,  and some very enthusiastic wall art (Thank you, Jodi!) to get that party started.

We missed having family here, but it's been a lovely, simple, service-oriented holiday season for us, and we can't trade that for anything.

If you are in the area, however, we won't turn you away.

Library Day

The library is an essential part of our homeschool and as such we make a weekly trip to return and checkout new books. One of our goals as parents/teachers was to help our children to become life long learners. The boys showed me this last trip that we are being successful. Michael had a book on hold that he had requested from a different library because our library did not have the book. I was pretty impressed. Then, Joshua asked me to help him find some books that he had looked up using the computer. He was having such a difficult time because the books he wanted were in the adult section. What really impressed me was that he wanted to do some Christmas crafts, so he used the computer to find some books that would help him do so. What more can I ask for?

After we come home from the library the sight is usually the same, everyone is reading. Jacob is so excited to read that it is a challenge to get him all the way up the stairs with his books before he settles in to read. (This week he discovered comic books. I'm not sure that is a good thing. Hmmm. . . )

Yesterday was a special treat because we talked Michael into staying out in the living room with the rest of us to read instead of bunkering down in our room. It was really fun to see them all sitting together reading and I just had to share.

This week was also special because the library got the new edition of the World Book and were going to get rid of the old 2008 edition. I, of course, inquired and landed us a new(er) set of World Books for $20 (because the 5th book was missing). Score!! I don't have pictures of the books but thought the boys were pretty cute and just had to share! Happy reading to everyone over the break!

Christmas is in the Air

We have had a pretty laid back holiday break so far and have slowly found time to put up our tree and decorate it. We did get a fake pre-lit tree this year but filled it with tons of ornaments. The boys are pretty excited that there isn't much room left.

We have been so relaxed that we set up the tree one night and then decorated it the next day. It is great to have plenty of time and not feel pressure to hurry and get things done.

Next, we focused on Christmas candy. We tried a few different things and some turned out better than others. We're not quite done but as I said before we're just taking our time and enjoying the journey. I think we'll be done tonight!

Then, we have to focus on presents. But we'll discuss that later. :)

The Secret Garden

James is doing the college musical this year and selected The Secret Garden. As most of you know there are a couple of children in the musical, so I had been helping James advertise among the home schoolers. Later we wondered if Joshua would enjoy auditioning for the part of Collin. So, we talked to him and in his usual manner he said yes. Since Joshua tends to be a little more excited about things than most people we were very careful to talk to him about auditioning and what it would be like and that it didn't mean that he would get the role. He needed to prepare a song, so we worked with him on one of the songs from the musical, Round Shouldered Man, and he learned it quickly and easily. It always amazes me by how quickly he memorizes things!

Well, the auditions were this week and Joshua went on Monday (the picture above was from the audition). He sang his song and ran through some readings with the other girls who came to audition. He had a great time and was just beaming when he came home. Whether he was going to get the part or not it was a great experience for him and a success in my book.

Well, on Wednesday after the rest of auditions he was offered the role. He is, of course, beyond himself with joy and will play opposite a young lady with whom he is good friends. He has already planned to have her over to play and practice running lines. This will be a new and fun adventure in our lives and one we are looking forward to! So, Congrats Joshua and Good Luck!

Joshua's Baptism

This would have been blogged earlier, but Liz let me get around to it instead of doing it herself. It was definitely kind of her, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to do it. It was lovely, and small and wonderful. We just had a few friends and our home teachers there, and the Bishop even remembered, eventually, after someone called him to remind him. He's a busy man, and we're so glad he helped us get it done on Thanksgiving weekend.

Michael gave an excellent talk that he researched, wrote, and delivered all by himself. It was fun to watch him use his scripture tools to find scriptures that taught about baptism and talk with him about what they said and meant and taught. He then compiled and wrote that thing like a beast. Here it is, for your belated enjoyment:

Baptism is a commandment given to us by our Heavenly Father. If we follow the commandment of baptism we will be able to live with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again.

Jesus sets a good example of baptism. He was baptized even though he was perfect. The reason he did that is because it was a commandment given by Heavenly Father.

Because he did that he received the Holy Ghost. If we get baptized we too will get the Holy Ghost, like Joshua.

When I was baptized, I received the Holy Ghost too. After it was given to me I felt it telling me that what I was doing was the right thing. Since then I have had lots of experiences with the Holy Ghost. There are lots of feelings that can represent the Holy Ghost. My most common representation of the Holy Ghost is a warm feeling in my heart. Sometimes it’s tears.

When I was baptized I promised to do lots of things. I’m just going to name a couple of them. One of them is to take the Sacrament on Sunday. Another one is to keep his commandments.

Baptism is a covenant between each of us and our Heavenly Father. Baptism is not the only commandment, there are lots of others, we have to follow all of those other commandments to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I had the honor of Baptizing Joshua, one I had not had previously, since Michael asked Grandpa to baptize him. It was a wonderful and humbling feeling to baptize my son and feel not only the workings of the Holy Ghost during the ceremony, but also the bond formed between us as a result of our participation together.

We sure missed having family there, but there was a sense of being enveloped and loved by our Ward family that we have hoped to feel for a long time. Our home teachers (YES! we have home teachers for the first time in almost 3 years!) came and our friends made the morning journey, even though we had kept them up late the night before. It was such a blessing for Joshua and for our family as a whole.

It's hard to think that anyone could have been more excited about being baptized that Joshua was. Fire in that one.