I know this article/post may seem "radical" to some friends, to others it might just be the words you've been looking to piece together this time of year. A perspective on Jesus vs. Santa.
The Christmas Conundrum
Stand out quotes:
*For a five-year-old, how can Jesus compete with Santa? Our children
don't have spiritual perspective; when faced with the choice of
allegience, they have a baby in a manger, or they can get a jolly,
twinkling, flying character who will bring them presents. This is going
to be an easy choice for them.
*Ditto for all of us. When there are commercials that say, "Hey? You know
how to avoid the terrible Disappointed Face when you give your loved
one her gift? Buy her a Toyota!"...we have seriously derailed, folks.
*Four years ago, we started this gift-giving policy for each kid: Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read. That's it.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Santa Train
Did you know that Chicago has an official Santa Train? Now, this isn't your ordinary train. It is completely decked out with garland, green and red lights, santa fabric chairs, festive music, snow on the windows, elves, and of course Santa! For a moment, when all the kids were running to catch a glimpse of Santa, I felt like we were on the Polar Express. What a sweet moment.
However, while all the kids and parents are enjoying the warmth inside the train cars, Santa has to sit outside on a flat bed while the train moves. Talk about cold! But he seemed to be the jolly ol' santa that didn't have a care in the world except to make little kids happy. And hey, if he rides all night on a sleigh, surely he can ride a few hours outside on a train. :)
However, while all the kids and parents are enjoying the warmth inside the train cars, Santa has to sit outside on a flat bed while the train moves. Talk about cold! But he seemed to be the jolly ol' santa that didn't have a care in the world except to make little kids happy. And hey, if he rides all night on a sleigh, surely he can ride a few hours outside on a train. :)
Christmas Cookies
I had a lot of fun making cookies this year. Timothy even enjoyed helping me mix batters and cut out sugar cookie stars. I made my grandmother's ginger snap recipe, candy cane cookies, vanilla bean sugar cookies (thanks mom for the real vanilla beans), and my favorite marshmallow wreath cookies.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
journal weeks 13 through 16
wk.13: Boo! I'm getting sick. I'm still feeling tired...and am wondering how I'm going to make it pregnant, tired, and sick. Many have gone before me, right? Some days I feel like a little bulge has appeared and then disappears. :)
*Baby/Food comparison: Little peach, if we had a really, really good ultrasound, we could tell your gender now. (I feel like you are a boy, but I keep having dreams of pink and little girls. Daddy doesn't feel one way or the other.)
wk.14: A 'bulge' is definitely apparent, even my husband notices. Wondering if the tiredness is ever going away.
*Little one, hope you enjoy all the Thanksgiving food this week! Your big brother just started giving you a kiss via my belly.
wk.15: I am having CRAZY dreams. Last night I had two bad dreams and one really beautiful one. Bad: one where one by one friends were being killed off until there were only three of us left. second where I thought a cuban leader was going to break into a vacation home we were staying at and either rob or kill us. I try to wake up before the end of that one. The really great one was feeling the baby move. I'm so excited to that to happen in real life. :) No one really says I look pregnant, but I feel it. I feel it in the way I walk, the way my belly feels, the way I eat clementines and peanut butter.
wk.16: I thought I started feeling the baby last week, but this week it is definitely apparent that I feel this little baby. :) What a sweet little reminder as I lay in bed at night or talk with a friend that the baby is moving around. We're excited for our 20wk ultrasound (just after the first of the year) to find out the gender of the baby.
*Little avocado, I feel like you are already so sweet. Just your gentle reminders that you are there are treasures to your mommy. Amazing that you are already getting toenails. I know, weird, but very special.
*Baby/Food comparison: Little peach, if we had a really, really good ultrasound, we could tell your gender now. (I feel like you are a boy, but I keep having dreams of pink and little girls. Daddy doesn't feel one way or the other.)
wk.14: A 'bulge' is definitely apparent, even my husband notices. Wondering if the tiredness is ever going away.
*Little one, hope you enjoy all the Thanksgiving food this week! Your big brother just started giving you a kiss via my belly.
wk.15: I am having CRAZY dreams. Last night I had two bad dreams and one really beautiful one. Bad: one where one by one friends were being killed off until there were only three of us left. second where I thought a cuban leader was going to break into a vacation home we were staying at and either rob or kill us. I try to wake up before the end of that one. The really great one was feeling the baby move. I'm so excited to that to happen in real life. :) No one really says I look pregnant, but I feel it. I feel it in the way I walk, the way my belly feels, the way I eat clementines and peanut butter.
wk.16: I thought I started feeling the baby last week, but this week it is definitely apparent that I feel this little baby. :) What a sweet little reminder as I lay in bed at night or talk with a friend that the baby is moving around. We're excited for our 20wk ultrasound (just after the first of the year) to find out the gender of the baby.
*Little avocado, I feel like you are already so sweet. Just your gentle reminders that you are there are treasures to your mommy. Amazing that you are already getting toenails. I know, weird, but very special.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Enjoying the season
We sure have been enjoying the season. It came a little earlier than usually with an early Christmas celebration with my family at Thanksgiving. But we've loved having the lights and tree up. They're one of the first lights to go on in the morning and one of the last to go off in the evenings.
One sweet gift received last year was The Advent Book. If you are looking for a great way to keep the focus on Christ during this season, this has been such a blessing in our family. http://www.adventbook.com/ Timothy has been loving opening the 'lift a flap' doors, and I imagine that as the years pass on this will continue to be a treasure to our family as it was to mine growing up.
And countdown calendars are never disappointing. The boys have been enjoying the Andes Mints from each day.
I've enjoyed assembling the daunting candy cane cookies and my grandmother's ginger snaps - quite a hit in our house and at the parties!
Happy Holidays friends!
One sweet gift received last year was The Advent Book. If you are looking for a great way to keep the focus on Christ during this season, this has been such a blessing in our family. http://www.adventbook.com/ Timothy has been loving opening the 'lift a flap' doors, and I imagine that as the years pass on this will continue to be a treasure to our family as it was to mine growing up.
And countdown calendars are never disappointing. The boys have been enjoying the Andes Mints from each day.
I've enjoyed assembling the daunting candy cane cookies and my grandmother's ginger snaps - quite a hit in our house and at the parties!
Happy Holidays friends!
Saturday, December 3, 2011
I finally made the jump...
And got bangs. I've been tempted to get them many times before, and I thought better now than never? And I can always pull them back if I hate them. I just don't know what I think except: I look so different.
Not to lie...I kinda like the before better right now.
Before:
After:
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