Day 7: Christmas Movie Marathon

Today we watched a lot of Christmas movies.  Actually the kids got burned out and it turned out to only be about half a day.  I did get a lot of clean done downstairs though.  For being essentially a PJ day it turned out to be pretty productive.

Day 1: Temple Square

We have an advent calendar hanging on our wall.  This year it is stuffed with one activity a day that we can do together. So we started our count down to Christmas on the first of December which was a trip to Temple Square. We stopped at in Salt Lake on our drive home from Davis county.  We got there just as they turned the lights on. The life sized nativity is always nice to see. It's just so real. We walked around the visitor center and up to the Christus. The grounds were very crowded so we didn't stay very long but it was very nice.

 

 

 

 

There is a statue at temple square that depicts a family pulling a handcart across the plains. The sculptor who created this statue based the image on a pioneer man named John Rowe Moyle.  John Moyle is the great-great-grandfather of Dennis' mother. He is the man who lost his leg and made a very innovative moving ankle.  He walked on this artificial foot over 20 miles to the Salt Lake temple sight to work the stone on the temple.  He is the one who carved the words "Holiness to the Lord" above the doors. His dedications is very motivational.

Day #6: Make a Craft

This was  a super easy recipe for dough ornaments that I found.

1/2 cup corn starch
1 cup soda
3/4 cup water

That's it.  You cook it on the stove for about 5 minutes on med low heat until it turns to a mashed potato consistency.  After we let it cool with a wet rag over the top of it we rolled out the dough to 1/4 inch thick (this is very important!) The girls had fun cutting out the shapes and helping me put them on a cookie sheet to put in the oven @175 degrees. We had to bake them in the oven for 1 hour turning once halfway through.  They are pretty fragile right now. I broke one just threading the ribbon through and Afton broke a couple doing the same. I think they will harden up a little more as they dry up. I also think I'm going to have to treat them with some kind of glosst finish, but they sure look pretty on the tree. They are supposed to last a long time.

Day #5: Pistachio

Well, we did it.  We adopted an elf this year.  His name is Pistachio and he is watching our family to see if we are naughty or nice so he can report to Santa.  He must have liked the name we picked out for him because we put him up on the shelf in our living room so he could have a good view and when we woke up in the morning he had moved to another shelf. (You have to name him for the magic to begin, so says the book.) Perhaps that view was more preferable.  We'll have to see how this little guy adapts to living with us during the Holidays.  We're excited to have him and we're all going to be extra nice.

Day #4: Stringing Popcorn

We thought it would be fun this year to string popcorn to decorate the tree. We sat and watched Toy Story 2 while Afton and I started it going and Isaac helped finish it.  Of course the others helped finished off the leftover popcorn - don't want anything to go to waste.  The effect on the tree is very homey.  It feels Christmasy!

Day #3 - Hot Cocoa

What could be better than hot cocoa at home with my family.  The children like to add candy canes to theirs, as well as marshmallows and the canned whipped cream.  It was the perfect reward after taking our turn cleaning the church.  We also played line tag in the gym after we were done.  Wonderful night!

Day #2: Presidency Devoational

Today we listened to the First Presidency Devotional.  It brought such a good feeling into our home. It feels  like Christmas now.  I loved what President Uchdorf said about being a good receiver   It gave me the desire to truly see the whole gift.  Not just what is wrapped or given, but the time, effort and love that it took to give. It also made me want to put more effort into the gifts that I give this season.  I want them to mean something and to come from my heart. To be a true reflection of the love that I feel.