Merry Christmas

We can rest easy- Christmas is over. It was a wonderful month in preparation, but I tend to not stress the whole month long so we save all of the excitement for the week before- shopping, baking, normal life, and everything else we try to fit into that week. This year was quiet- my sisters all went to their inlaws, so our family and Michelle's family went to my parents to celebrate Christmas day. And Dan's family came in town on the 26th. So we had Christmas to do by ourselves, start some traditions of our own and enjoy the quiet and warmth of our own home.

We had a talk in church a couple weeks before Christmas, where the bishopric member shared a talk by a prophet of our church along with some of his insights. I really enjoyed some of his thoughts-
"The Christmas season is wonderful in many ways. It is a season of charitable acts of kindness and brotherly love. It is a season of being more reflective about our own lives and about the many blessings that are ours. It is a season of forgiving and being forgiven. It is a season to enjoy the music and lights, parties and presents. But the glitter of the season should never dim our sight and prevent us from truly seeing the Prince of Peace in His majesty." President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

And then the speaker said that we cannot just sit by the side and wait for the world to teach our children about Christ and the true meaning of Christmas, we had to plan for it. After this I thought a lot about what our two year old could gain out of the Christmas Season. The goal: Jack knows "Jesus," but we wanted to teach him about "Baby Jesus."

To protect our Nativity, we saved it for Christmas Eve. Dan read the story as Jack and I put out the stable, the manger, and all of the people and animals. It was short, but as we neared the end Jack would just move Baby Jesus around the nativity scene, by all of the different people. It was very sweet. Christmas morning he went right to the stable, pointed and said "baby Jesus."


Then we watched a Mickey Christmas Movie, we attempted a couple of pictures by the tree...

And off to bed...Christmas Morning we video taped Jack opening his presents (hence the no pictures) and he was SO MUCH FUN! He told us everything: "I want" "open" "Wow!" "Oh My!"

Later in the day we headed to Grandma & Papa Wilson's
Jack got an awesome musical instrument set (Dan thanked my mom... sarcasm)
But the kids loved it! (I promise Jack has all his teeth- I think this picture looks funny because the flash reflected off of his throat, making him look toothless. Ha ha)

We celebrated with Dan's family on the 26th in Chicago and then opened gifts with Grandma & Papa Boston on the 27th.

Jack sitting on his new bench wearing Packers mittens from Great Grandma & Papa, eating mini marshmallows and playing cars. Does it get any better?
And the big excitement- A TRICYCLE!!!