Picture a Christmas

Early in the morning of December 11^th, 2008 as the radio alarm clock turned on to highlights of local happenings, my husband and I learned of a fund raiser being held to benefit the local food pantry. A live nativity was to be staged, at a barn in Nibley, not far from our home. We decided to take our boys that night as it would only be presented for a couple of days.

That evening after having dinner we encouraged the boys to get their coats and shoes on so we could go for a drive. They of course were clamoring for details about where we were going. My husband told them that we were going to “see something to help us remember why we celebrate Christmas.” This started conjectures about presents, Santa and what was on their lists. We bundled them into the van and drove through the dark streets lit mostly by Christmas lights decorating the houses we drove past and the brilliant full moon with carols playing on the van’s radio while we sang along.

“When we have the spirit of Christmas, we remember Him whose birth we commemorate at this season of the year. We contemplate that first Christmas day, foretold by the prophets of old. You, with me, recall the words from Isaiah: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah7:14)—meaning “God with us.”

Then came that night of nights when the shepherds were abiding in the fields and the angel of the Lord appeared to them, announcing the birth of the Savior.”

---Thomas S. Monson, “The Best Christmas Ever,” Liahona, Dec 2008, 2–6

Finally as we turned onto a small country lane we could see luminaries making a path from the road leading to a barn. Brilliant moonlight bathed the countryside and the house lights on the hill were just small points of light in the distance. As we parked and unloaded from the van the wonderment and curiosity emanating from the boys became palpable. They were full of questions and guesses about where we were and what we were doing. We took a moment to explain that we were going to see what it might have been like so long ago that night in Bethlehem when Jesus was born in a stable.

Picture a stable in Judea.
Picture a sacred, silent night.
And can you hear
The angels near
And see the star so bright?

Following the pathway of luminaries we could hear beautiful music as we approached and a shepherd stood at the door to the barn holding a small lantern and welcoming us to come and see the Christ child. Once inside the boys’ attention was grabbed by the pens with sheep, small donkeys, and goats. We reminded them that Jesus was not born in a warm home or a hospital and that there were animals in the stable just like this. Walking further into the barn we could see a beautiful star shining through the window. Lying beneath it was a small baby wrapped in swaddling clothes in a hay filled manger. His mother anxiously caring for him wrapped him more snugly in a blanket. Her husband carefully watching over and caring for both of them wrapped the mother’s shawl around her shoulders when it slipped to the stable floor and he so carefully lifted the baby from the manger and lovingly placed the babe in her arms. Nearby shepherds looked on, their faces filled with awe and wonder.

Picture the kind and gentle Joseph.
Picture the mother, Mary, fair.
And can you see
So reverently
The shepherds kneeling there?

When Timothy, at almost two, saw the baby Jesus lying in the manger he raised his arm and pointed. I told him quietly that it was “baby Jesus”. Then my sweet little boy who struggles to communicate and signs only a few words and speaks even less said, “Jesus” and his face lit up as he repeated over and over again “Jesus”. We stayed for quite awhile, listening to the music and the words from the scriptures tell of the events on that sacred night so long ago. When we tried to leave Timothy got quite upset and kept reaching for “Jesus”. I didn’t want the night to end in tears or screaming (although I knew that with his sensory processing issues it might regardless of what we did) so I took him up to Mary and asked if it would be possible for him to kiss the baby Jesus goodbye. With her permission he leaned down and ever so gently kissed the babe on the forehead and then he waved as we walked out the doors.

Picture the little baby Jesus.
Think of his life and words so dear.
Sing praise to him;
Remember him,
As you picture Christmas this year.

---- “Picture a Christmas” by Patricia Kelsey Graham

“Later, Wise Men journeyed from the East to Jerusalem, “Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. …

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

“And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”(Mathew 2:2, 10-11) –Thomas S. Monson, “The Best Christmas Ever,” Liahona, Dec 2008, 2–6

Outside the barn was corralled a camel which gave us an opportunity to remind the boys that wise men had traveled to Bethlehem following the star which foretold the birth of the King of the Jews. That night, walking away from that barn, I could sense that my boys were thinking of all they had seen. After they had went to bed that night I heard Ben and Sam quietly talking to one another about what it was like when Jesus was born. In the following days Benjamin often asked when we could go back to see Jesus in the barn. It seems quite fitting to me that the boys learned the song “Picture a Christmas” in Primary to perform in Sacrament meeting. I could tell that the song had new meaning for them as they sang from the stand on Sunday. For this year I know that they have a memory of what this season is about and whose birth we are celebrating.

I know that as the years pass by we will continue to strive to help our boys ‘Picture the true meaning of Christmas.’ I pray they will grow knowing and remembering, as President Thomas S. Monson said, “Times change; years speed by; but Christmas continues sacred. In this marvelous dispensation of the fulness of times, our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved.” . . . “If we are to have the very best Christmas ever, we must listen for the sound of sandaled feet. We must reach out for the Carpenter’s hand. With every step we take in His footsteps, we abandon a doubt and gain a truth. . . . My prayer is that at this Christmas season and all the Christmastimes to come, we may follow in His footsteps. Then each Christmas will be the best Christmas ever.” (Liahona, Dec 2008, 2–6)

Quote--One Step at a Time

"To become a winner in the race for eternal life requires effort—constant work, striving, and enduring well with God’s help. But the key is that we must take it just one step at a time." - Marvin J. Ashton, “If Thou Endure It Well”, Ensign (CR), November 1984, p.20

Today is a Birthday!

Today my little engineer is 6. He woke up this morning with the following ideas that he shared with us all.

!. On his birthday he is the boss of the house.
2. He should have hot cereal for breakfast. Malto not yucko kind.
3. His birthday is almost like Christmas except Christmas does not have cake.

Memory Lane

This is your official invitation to take a stroll down Memory Lane with me.

"Always remember to slow down in life;
live, breathe, and learn;
take a look around you whenever you have time
and never forget everything and every person
that has the least place within your heart."
~ Author Unknown

I've seen this one on Mom of 5 Gents blog, and it sounded like fun. Here are the directions:

1. As a comment on this post, leave one memory that you and I had together. (At the bottom of this message, click "reader remarks".) It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next re-post these instructiosn on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments (or send via email). Just let me know which you prefer.

Quote

Motherhood is the greatest potential influence either for good
or ill in human life. The mother's image is the first that stamps
itself on the unwritten page of the young child's mind. It is her
caress that first awakens a sense of security, her kiss, the first
realization of affection; her sympathy and tenderness, the first
assurance that there is love in the world." ~ David O. McKay

Quote

"It does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop."

Confucius

Big 5 Tag

What were you doing five years ago?
1-giving my notice to my real world job of working full time as an educational interpreter for the deaf
2- Trying to figure out how to be a happy mom to 2 under 2.
3- buying a double jogging stroller
4- settling into our first real live house, making it become a home (still a work in progress I'm afraid)
5- finishing up my degree in educational interpreting


What are five things to do on your list for today?
1- sleep
2-sleep
3-sleep
4-sleep
5-sleep

What are five snacks you enjoy?
1- cream puffs
2-apples with a little salt
3- pears with honey drizzled on top
4- almonds
5-string cheese

What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?
1- Pay off all our debts
2- Fill up accounts for colleges and missions
3-buy a hybrid
4-put our home up for sale and move to a friendlier neighborhood
5-make charitable donations to organizations such as the CFSC

What are five of your bad habits?
1- Getting sucked into a book to the exclusion of all else
2- Saying "yes" when I should say "no" (but I'm getting better)
3- Spending too much time on the computer
4- according to my dh my only bad habit is that I just put the pans away in the cupboard and don't take the time to re-stack them properly
5- putting off until later what I don't want to do now

What are five jobs you have had?
1- Mom -- best job ever!
2- Educational Interpreter for the deaf
3- nanny
4-associate for department store
5- factory worker (cheese, canned beans, etc.)

What five people do you want to tag?
1- Melinda
2- Jane
3- Brekke
4- Lara
5- Tracy

Thanks Constance for motivating me to do more than sleep today.

Have you ever tasted a Pawdohwahp?

My little comedian has been telling stories and here is his latest.


Once upon a time there was a Pawdowahp. It lived in a pond. It felt the boughter (rhymes with daughter). A boughter is a kind of machine that lives on earth and it is kind of fuzzy. The boughter digged up the Pawdowahp with its big claws. Everyone heard it go, CRUNCH! Then the boughter flipped over and dropped the Pawdowahp. Then came a big Giant through the forest to the pond and it picked up the Pawdowahp and ate it. Soon the Giant said, "aaaaargh" and threw up the Pawdowahp into the deep pond water. The Giant cried and ran to find its mommy. He never ate another Pawdowahp. He always told his friends to Hang-dwop if they saw a Pawdowahp.

The End

Quote

“The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less”(Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11). Anna Quindlen

Today's Quote

Worry is interest paid on trouble before it comes due.

William Ralph Inge

A Foolin' Dinner

April Fools started off with shouts of joy and lots of bad jokes. As soon as my husband and I explained what day it was and that it was a day for jokes and nice tricks, my comedian was in seventh heaven. The boys even helped me pull a pretty good trick on their dad.

I haven't been feeling very good and both of the older boys had school this morning so when I got home from dropping them off I called my husband and told him that the baby was taking a nap and I was going to lay down and sleep too, so could he please call me at 11:00 to wake me up so I could pick up the boys on time. I promptly fell asleep and was zoned out to the world. I opened my eyes to see 11:20 blaring at me in bright red lights from the alarm clock (Mr. Engineer is supposed to be picked up at 11:20 and Comedian at 11:30 and his school is about 15 minutes away from the first one--confusing I know). So I jumped out of bed, woke the baby who was also still enjoying his quiet snooze and raced to pick up the boys. I was a little late but not too bad. We got back home around noon and I asked the boys if they wanted to help me play a joke on their dad. So I called dh on the cell phone with the speakers on and told him that I had just woke up and could he help me pick up the boys. (I made sure I sounded nice and groggy) He apologized half a dozen times and first told me he'd pick up one boy and then changed his mind that he would pick up the other one. I help up my fingers for the boys and when I got to 3 they yelled, "APRIL FOOLS!" I think my husband was relieved and a tiny bit miffed that I'd gotten him so good. It was pretty good fun though.

Well it was my night to cook for the dinner coop I belong to and it just happened to be April Fools day too. So I was looking around for something to do for this auspicious occasion and came across this yummy recipe for Fauxberry Pie from Family Fun. It received some mixed reviews. *smile* My Engineer gave the frosting a "thumbs down" until we told him that they were just pink potatoes. My comedian asked enthusiastically to "have pie every night". DJ Thunder was quite impressed and went quite wild taking pictures and exclaiming "how real" it looks and how surprisingly "good it tastes".






Both of the families I swapped with enjoyed the meal although a 10 year old was not even going to try the "chocolate" part because he "hates chocolate". Even being told that it tasted like BBQ beef would entice him to take even one bite because he was sure that his family was just trying to pull one over on him.

I hope you also had an awesome April Fools day. Sometimes it is nice to relax and just have fun pulling pranks and teasing each other.

Help! The Sunbeams are attacking!!!!!!!!

Well at least one of them is. *weak grin* I am teaching a Sunbeam class that has 13 children in it. I truly do love them all; and I'm not just saying that to try and convince myself. There is one small one however who truly tries my patience each and every Sunday that he comes to class. He seems determined to (1) show that he disapproves of all of this "reverent" nonsense, (2) make sure that we all know we are "stupid", (3) spitting is a valid form of defense, and (4) it almost seems like he is trying to prove to himself that I and the other children don't like him so he will behave in a way that makes it difficult to like him. Now is it truly likely that this little 3 year old has thought all of this out and is making these choices deliberately? Well no! I'm not sure that that knowledge helps me deal with the situation any better.

I guess the truth is that this little boy's behavior intimidates me. I would not put up with the way he is behaving from any of the other children or my own, but I'm fairly certain that any form of direct discipline would result in a scene that would result in at the very least blood being drawn. (Most likely mine....however some of the other children unfortunately may get hurt as well)

So I need to actively find ways to love him in spite of his behavior. If I can only win this little boy over I think he and I could be great friends. So I need to begin by working on myself......

Where oh where will that lead me?

As if Sunbeams were not enough of a trial today....my little Engineer took the spray bottle and the scissors to Mr. Comedian's hair while the family was supposed to be having a Sunday nap.

So much for a restful Sabbath.

Which Came First?

Well the "egg" has been quite the topic at our house over the past week. Today we colored pictures of decorated Easter eggs to decorate our windows with, and dyed a dozen eggs. I wasn't so thrilled with the mess but their comments certainly kept me chuckling.

Here are some of the "egg" comments from my little Engineer and Comedian:

"Does the baby egg grow up to be a big egg?"

"I don't want to eat the egg but I want to keep it safe in my hands and watch it grow." (carrying around the yolk of a hard boiled egg)

"Look my egg has three eggs, a hard egg, a soft squishy egg, and a cute little baby yellow egg."

"If I put my egg in the blue (dye) will it grow up to be a blue mommy egg?

I think a trip to a farm needs to be in our near future....although I'm a little nervous, my 5 year old wouldn't eat the Thanksgiving turkey because it had bones and a body. Although he eats chicken just fine as long as it comes frozen and boneless. With Easter coming up I'd better not tell him that mutton is really lamb.

I've made arrangements with a friend who raises chickens and sells the eggs to bring the boys by to "help" one day while she is gathering eggs. I think it should be pretty funny to see what their reactions are.

Renewing my spirit

Today was a great day. Already I'm showing that I'm a person of extremes *smile*. There were 8 sunbeams at church today and I hope they had fun I know I did. I was really taken off guard by the intensity of their interest when I showed them the picture of Samuel the Lamanite standing on the city wall. Note to self, 3 year olds think bows and arrows are really cool.

My little Engineer had a pretty good day too, although I think he struggles with my adventures in cooking. He really likes everything to be familiar. I hope that as he grows older he will be able to use his experiences with new and changing things to better adapt to the changing world he will grow into.

I had a great moment with Mr. Comedian. During Sacrament meeting I pulled out the cards showing the different presidents of the church and was showing them to him and whispering the names to him. When we began he only knew one and by the time the Sacrament had been passed he recognized 3.

Monster Baby is so much fun! I love the moments when he is just happy to be in the same room with us doing his own thing. Tonight he was playing with at truck, pushing it across the floor and making motor sounds. When he tired of that he just moved onto another area of the room. Mostly I think he likes to know that others are around and doesn't like being in a room by himself.

Well it is time for me to head to bed. I am so not ready for daylight savings time. At least I have a week to get ready for it. Good night!

Jumping off a cliff?

Well there is not much point in having a blog if I don't actually start writing in it. So I guess I'll write.

Today has been a rough day. Baby Monster kept me up most of the night and when he finally did go to sleep I couldn't so thus the grumpy mommy was born. My little Engineer and comedian have been on their best behavior, doing sweet little things to help mommy feel better.

I guess if it really comes down to it...the week has been rough. DJThunder has been working at his real job and then he had appointments 2 nights last week so he wasn't home until after bedtime. Then he decided that maybe he needs a new and different real job and filled out applications and stuff. I don't do change well and I guess I just don't understand the need for a different job. It worries me.

So I wonder what kind of mother am I that I really just don't want to interact with baby monster. I'm really worn out and don't know when I'll get the opportunity to recharge.

The Winter of the Ducks

We have been treated to the most unusual experience this summer. It all began when Miss Ky and Master J came over to help the Comedian decorate and play in the snow-forts after school. They had been outside for quite awhile decorating and imagining that they were pioneers and hunting bears and all the wonderful things that you imagine when you are 5 or so.

When suddenly I heard the cry of "Ducks! Ducks!" so I stopped dusting the Living Room and went outside to see a huge flock of ducks (30 or so) that were landing just down the street from our house. So I went inside to see what bread ends I might have and the three of them had a ball feeding the ducks over the snowbank. One duck was incredibly brave and spied the large piece of bread that Miss Ky was holding while throwing small bits with her other hand and so it climbed right up the snow bank and bit the whole piece, startling her a bit before I could chase it off.

When the bread ran out I brought the kids inside but called another neighbor with young girls to see if her girls might want to come out and feed the ducks. While I was on the phone with her the entire flock suddenly took flight and headed South.


Now this on its own might be quite the memory to hold tight to but a week or so later NT and the Comedian had the pleasure of feeding a smaller flock in the road on the other side of our house.