Polar Express Night

Our favorite Christmas Party of the year is the one we help put on at Camp Brenner for all the inpatient pediatric oncology families. Living in the hospital is such a hardship, especially at the holidays. All the families involved in hosting these events have walked this road themselves. For one night we hope to bring just a little more joy and a Christmas magic to these special families.

We have a fun evening watching the Polar Express movie, doing crafts, decorating cupcakes, and enjoying yummy treats and fun.

These smiles are absolutely priceless!

It is such fun to dress up and act like kids...

The kids were eager little decorators. I think some of them could have a future in this :)

Yummy, yum!!!

It is such a treat to be hanging out at the hospital in our pj's for a fun reason for a change.

The movie brought out some magical joy for these kids.

Topped off with a surprise visit from Mr. and Mrs. Klaus who had gifts for all the patients.

Thank you to all of you who have helped our foundation bring events like this to the hospital. Because of your generosity we are able to host these parties, help out families in need, and this year we provided Christmas gifts for five needy families on the floor.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!! We could never do this without all of you!

Christmas Around the World

This is the second year we have participated in Christmas Around the World with some of our homeschooling friends. Each family chooses a country to present. We then share the Christmas traditions in that country along with a food and a song or craft. This year the kids chose Brazil after Carter's winning soccer team at camp last August.

Each family presents to the group.

We had fun sharing about the geography, culture, language, and traditions in Brazil. Their celebration includes many similar carols, nativity displays, and lighted trees. The customs of their country are an assimilation of German, Portugese, Italian, and French. They have been adapted to fit the unique traits of the area. Their trees are made of lights because evergreens do not grow there. Being south of the equator puts Christmas in the summertime so their festivities include the beach and lots of flowers, fresh fruits and vegetables.

After learning some simple Portugese and listening to a carol, we shared some fried french toast sticks with cinnamon sugar. I was impressed by how adventurous the kids were in their tastings- even Carter. Here he is tasting the sorrel from Jamaica...

We enjoyed our journey around the world to Mexico, Honduras, Germany, Italy, Ethiopia, and Ireland.

We were blessed by another unseasonably warm day and the rain held off long enough just begging the kids to play outside!

We are so blessed to have such a great group of friends!

Night of Dance

Julia is stilling loving dancing with In His Steps. Instead of performances and recitals, the girls minister at places such as nursing homes.

We look forard to this special night every Christmas season.

I love to watch as their little hearts reach up to God and they offer praise and worship in the simplest and most beautiful way.

We are so blessed by the ministry that Tricia and Angie bring to our girls. It is a priceless gift to have such wonderful Christian role models willing to pour into our children through prayer, music, dance, devotions, and praise. Thank you Tricia and Angie!

It was a beautiful night of music and worship. There were smiles brought to many faces and joy in many hearts.

Mother/Daughter Tea Party

Julia's little friend Izzy, wanted to have a tea party with her friends, so her mom, Bethany arranged for an afternoon mother/daughter tea. Here are all the lovely little ladies... Selah, Izzy, Claire, Allison, Lily, and Julia.

The girlsd enjoyed looking at the Christmas books while we waited. They had a pop up book of Julia's current favorite song- The 12 Days of Christmas. They loved it!

Claire and her pretty pink tea cup.

Selah trying her first sip...

Julia showing her friends how to hold the top and pour...

Happy little faces when the dessert plates arrived...

It was a beautiful, sunny (oddly warm) day for December. The girls had fun exploring the garden next door...

We even took mother/daughter pictures! Aren't you proud of all these mamas for being in front of the camera instead of just behind it?

Bethany and Izzy...

Kelley and Selah...

Shana and Allison...

Annmarie, Claire & Lily, Mimi...

Thank you, Izzy! It was such a fun afternoon dining with all these precious princesses.

Julia told me when we were getting dressed (full of enthusiasm), "Mommy, this dress makes me look like a cow!"

Translation: I love the polka dots on this dress! (And the chance to look like an animal. She just told us that tomorrow at church she doesn't want to be Mary, the mother of Jesus, she wants to be a donkey, please?) 

More Advent Adventures

We have continued to enjoy some fun family activities during Advent...

...making a gingerbread village. We decided to take on more than just a house this year. The kids were very excited and helped score all the pieces for the buildings.

We decided to make a little neighborhood with the four houses with the church in the center. The kids were very into recreating the houses pictured on the box. They did a good job copying and we added some ideas of our own like the stain glass windows and the duck pond...

Then they wanted to put a nativity in the church yard...

...we've had lots of sweet times with friends, too. Carter still adores these kiddos and wants to hold them whenever he can. They are smiling all the time now! Won't be long before he can't hold both at once any more.

...enjoying fun treats like candy canes every morning after breakfast.

...our Jesse Tree devotions continue to be a family favorite.

Julia has been doing so well sounding out the words to read the prayer each night. So proud of how encouraged and excited she is about learning these days.  She has come SO far.

...another annual favorite is the Live Nativity at a nearby church.

Julia loved the camel that came up to the car. She was hanging out the window petting it and could not contain her joy when it stuck its head in the car!

Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus...

The Greatest Gift.

...we were excited this year to help shop for families our cancer foundation adopted for Christmas. Julia loves tape and scissors and was happy to put all her skills to use. It means so much to all of us, especially the kids to do something for a family they can relate to so much.

Haitian Nativity

And this was Julia and Mommy's favorite one. I have followed the Livesay family's blog since the earthquake in 2010. They are a full-time missionary family who operate a home and medical center for pregnant girls- truly the least of these in that country. Their words give profound insight into life in a third world country as well as the essence of our Gospel. We have had lemonade stands for their Heartline ministries before and believe so strongly in what they are doing in Haiti.

Living so far from home and in a tropical climate, their Christmas' never felt like the ones they were used to, so they decided to start their own new family tradition. Every year they collaborate to tell the story of Christmas. This particular year was my favorite of all of them. The dad wrote the song and their precious little Hope singing "glowy to God" will stay with you long after the music stops playing. This beautiful piece was made just weeks before the ground violently shook and life was forever changed in Haiti.

And while your thinking, "Wow that Troy Livesay is a talented songwriter!" Yes, he totally is. Here's a song he wrote for his 16 year old daughter while she was complaining about filling out some pre-college paperwork. (Video is at the bottom of the post.) Awesome for so many reasons.

If you want to read some of their past entries, many of the most powerful ones are listed on the left side of their blog page. Profound and powerful reading.

LEGO Nativity

The kids enjoy watching nativity videos and we have been impressed by all the variety and creativity out there. Carter wanted to share one of his favorites. they did a good job with the Biblical accuracy, though Carter wanted to point out that the wisemen did not come until Jesus was a toddler. A fun and creative way to tell the story...