Our Fun CHRISTmas-y Weekend

We had a busy but relaxing weekend. Friday night when we got home, we quickly ate supper, and then got busy decorating for CHRISTmas. We brought the tree up from the basement fluffed it, and then decorated it. We have lots of ornaments - some newer ones we've bought the last several years, many of mine from when I was a kid, and now Kaylen is starting to accumulate. We also try to each get one new ornament each year, so it's fun to remember what we got new last year. We have yet to go out and get our new ones for this year. We then put out the other snowmen and Santa trinkets decorations for the house. We got it all done except for the Nativity set, before finishing off the night with hot apple cider.


Saturday morning I made french toast for breakfast, before heading out to the grocery store to ring the Salvation Army bell for an hour. Our Bible study group signed up for 10-3, and each family took a one-hour time slot. It was cold and very windy today, but the store entrance with the bell had a corner for us to stand in that was very nicely shielded from the wind - and with the sun shining on us. It was a good experience for us - I don't think I ever would have signed up to do that, but I'd glad we did it, and would definitely do it again. Afterwards we went over to our friends' house for soup, snacks, hot cider/cocoa.

We had a pretty lazy Saturday afternoon. Kaylen and I both took a nap, while Jock was on a computer game. Jock had an Optimist club dinner meeting, so Kaylen and I headed to a city CHRISTmas event. It was at the fire station because of the cold weather, and was it crowded! They served hot chocolate, popcorn and cookies, did a count-down to light the CHRISTmas trees outside the city hall, and then ushered people into another room to see Santa and Mrs. Claus, whose elves (looking rather bored) were passing out candy goodie bags. We then determined that popcorn and cookies/candy weren't the best supper, so we stopped by McDonald's on the way home for a cheeseburger and chicken nuggets. (Yes, I forgot my camera, so the pictures are from my phone - and a little fuzzy - sorry!)

Sunday at church, the children ages 3 through 5th grade got to lead the congregation in a Joy to the World sing-a-long. We again forgot our camera, but some friends from our Bible study group said they had a couple pictures they could send to us - watch for those later. The kids did awesome! I'm so used to the small town church that I grew up in that had 10-15 kids, and they were always too shy to sing out. There must have been 75 kids up there (just for the 2nd service!), and they all were singing out (and they were mic'd). Kaylen didn't know all the words to the second and third verses, but the words were up on the screen, and I could see her reading as she was singing along - most of the kids her age and younger were just trying to read the lips of their teachers, but not Kaylen - so cool!

Sunday afternoon we set up our Nativity scene, and read part of the CHRISTmas story from the Bible. Sunday school gave out suggested Bible verses for each day this month, and what their Sunday teachings will be about, so we're also going to try to follow those and do a little bit each day. We want to focus on the real meaning of CHRISTmas, not just the commercialism that is somewhat unavoidable. Kaylen's already well-versed in this, but it doesn't hurt for all of us to hear it again every year... We're also thinking of seeing "The Nativity Story" this year together as a family. Anybody seen it, recommend it (or a different one) for our family?

Our pastor challenged us to say, "Merry CHRISTmas," instead of the standard "Merry Christmas," as a reminder of what we're really celebrating. It's that fear of looking foolish (that Mary and Joseph likely also felt given their circumstances - see Luke 1:26-38 and Matthew 1:18-25), that might hold me back at times, but I'm working on that.

Hope you all are enjoying this CHRISTmas season!