All Things Christmas

Christmas is basically here.  As most, we have been running around like chickens with our heads cut off in "celebration."  Oh how we get our priorities all mixed up this time of year. 

One way that I have attempted to realign our family's focus is through reading Ann Voskamps, "The Greatest Gift" (kid edition.)  I have been reading the adult version of The Greatest Gift with a friend.  Let me just say, these books are AMAZING!  It truly pushes you back to the Gift of Christmas linking Christ to the pillars of the Old and New Testament.  The studying of Advent is truly one of the best ways to refocus.  The book suggests doing a Jesse tree and supplies material for the kids to color/ decorate ornaments to hang on the Jesse tree. 

A snapshot of our Jesse tree from a few days ago. 

We just printed the ornaments out through her website and then pasted it on cardstock.

I love looking at this tree as a constant reminder of the sacrifice for me.  We serve such an amazing God.  I think this will become a tradition with our family. 

Onto some of the other Christmas things.  Our church had their children's program last weekend.  It was a Christmas play with speaking part (5 scenes) and really great music.  Hunter had one of the leads and did such a great job.  I was so proud of him with the way he worked to memorize his lines.  Shepherd and Ashton also did a great job singing.  Our church has a ton of kids and it was great to watch them.  They practiced really hard.

The whole group of kids.  Hunter is sitting with the group by the flags.  Shepherd and Ashton are standing behind Joseph (you can barely see Shep)

Close up of Ash and Shep

Close up of Hunter and the other "actors".

Hunter is in 3rd grade choir this year and they had a cute Christmas program as well.


Hunter- the tallest- back left.

Here is a clip.

On the commercial side of Christmas, shopping is done.  Each kid is getting 4 gifts and then they drew names with eachother to buy a gift (with their own money).... trying something new this year. 

I didn't show my Christmas décor because I didn't do a whole lot this year.  I did have a theme though (it actually is courtesy of a friend who made a comment on her blog about why would anyone not get a real tree. haha).  I had been debating as to whether or not I would go fake or real this year anyway.  When I read that I though, well, what is the perk of fake over real?  The my first answer was 1) we already have a fake one so it is free.  The led to my next thought of... I am not going to spend a dime on Christmas decorations this year.  And I am proud to say, for the first year ever- I did not spend anything to decorate my house.  Nada... so thanks for the inspiration Liv. 
Here is the - artificial- tree. Shelves, mantles, and small trees are throughout the house as well... just didn't take pics.

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Perhaps my favorite things this year...  all of our family Christmas cards since we started doing photo cards in 2006.  Back then, there was 1 kid, 1 dog. My what 9 years looks like.

9 years of cards.

 

Have a Merry Christmas.