Christmas Decorating and other adventures

 

I don't know how many trips it took to the store but many to finally get enough lights for our trees. Thanksgiving Breeak we realized that all our lights needed to be replaced. Our 9 foot tree was prelit and needed all the lights replaced or we had to get a new tree. Well, I love this tree it's the right height and width--narrow so we started taking the lights off. Let's just say that is the LAST prelit tree we buy! It took over 4 hours for Tim and I to get them all off and we lost our finger tips in the process. Then we had to get new lights. Well, you can't string regular lights in more than 5 normal strands so we had to find the longer strands. So after a week of living in Christmas chaos I think we can finally put away our boxes. Although I still haven't found the missing sheep... You may notice in the collage we have many trees. In fact each kids' room has it's own tree except Gwen who may get one tiny one soon. Why? Well, we used to have one tree in our living room and all the ornaments fit fine on it for awhile. But my mother in law gives each grandchild an ornament every year, my mom does if she sees one that fits that person that year and we usually make one or two each year. It adds up! So we decided to get the kids their own trees. They love having their own trees and I love listening to them talk about their ornaments. This year they can't put an ornament on their tree unless they earn it by being nice and they can get taken away too for being mean. It's been a rough week but they are getting better! We have one tree up stairs that's kind of fancy but I really just wanted white lights and a star at the top. Tim and the kids didn't go for that so between family and friends who have donated and a few purchases of our own it is decorated. It's too fancy for me but they all like it. I like it because it's tall and bright. When we finished our basement and bought the tall tree for upstairs we moved our other tree down. It's more my style. It's a potpourri of kid made ones and whimsical ornaments I have made or bought. I love the Scandanavian straw ornaments, some are from Ikea and some are from Finland. It's not too fussy which I like! Taran and Timo have a small little tree in honor of the Utah Jazz and BYU which I should have taken a picture of but I am too lazy. Emily hasn't gotten her tree up, too busy having fun with friends. I am torn about these trees. On my mission to Argentina most people didn't have trees and if they did they were very small, more like what my little boys have in their room. It's a different culture here, and I hate for mykids not to get out their ornaments and reminisce about them. That is a small joy of Christmas for them...once they turn 12 they won't care anymore and we can donate them I guess!

This last week we had a Christmas thing almost every night. I went to a live Nativity outside that was amazing! The baby was so beautiful and peaceful. It was a very great start to the Christmas season. Wednesday night Timo had his Concert Singer Christmas Concert and Taran was assigned the Madrigal Feast that night--it's first night. Since this was our only chance to see Timo we took everyone to that Emily went with her young women's group. We got to sit with both Grandparents, it was an amazing concert! We found out that their choir was invited to a special competition, not surprising! Thursday Timo had his first Jr Jazz basketball game which he won. Friday Was Taran's other assigned time at the Madrigal Feast. I ended up with strep throat that day so my sister went with Emily. Tim had bought tickets to BYU's Christmas Choir concert so he took Izak with him and they had a great time and met up with my parents, Keith and Amber and her parents so they went to TGIFridays for a treat! Meanwhile Teresa was having a less desirable experience at the feast (kind of funny but too much to go into here) but Emily enjoyed it immensely! So Saturday night Tim took Timo and Taran to the feast with 2 of Timo's friends (they can count this as a concert report) and they met my parents there. Even though Taran wasn't performing that night my parents wanted to have the experience. My dad called me earlier today and told me how much he enjoyed it (and Tim had said that the timing of singing was a little off). So I think they all had a good time, Taran said that he thought the show we saw last year was better but this still entertained. Emily got invited to see A Christmas Carol at the Hale Center Theater in Orem with Amber and Keith and Amber's family since she is friends with Amber's nieces who were there. They had a great time, of course! I did some online Christmas shopping and watched While You Where Sleeping. And I am feeling much better!

Oh, how I love all this Christmas stuff. We watched the Christmas Devotional tonight and loved the music and messages. This week isn't as fun but Tim and I do get to go to the MOTAB Christmas Concert with Natalie Cole on Saturday!!! Hope you are enjoying the holidays too!!!!