a favorite christmas tradition...

I have so many favorites, but that's my sentimentality coming into play. Here are a few examples of how this momma goes cuckoo-crazy on the Christmas traditions...

I love to pick out our LIVE tree from the same local tree farmer here in town. My favorite trees are tall and round with short needles. The girls each have their idea of a good tree. So, now that they're older, I have to bite my tongue when allowing them to pick the tree. I do give hints and oohs and ahhs are appropriately doled out to the trees of my choosing during the picking process...I can't help it. How can one be completely silent when choosing

THE tree?

The "my how these girls have grown this year" Christmas card picture. This year's was done on an extremely chilly blustery day. Sorry girls, no coats, or hats, or mitts. Momma needs to see those cutesy gingerbread shirts she slaved over to get finished in time for Christmas card pictures. Nobody was frost-bitten and I did leave the van running for good measure...

On Christmas Eve, right before bed, the girls open one gift. It is always a new set of pajamas. Even though they know it's coming, they still love the surprise of what the jammies will look like. Obviously, Calla was a tad excited!

The girls wake up to their stockings on their bedposts. They open them right as they wake up for the morning, bedhead and all...

The Christmas story first. Before any presents are unwrapped from under the tree, we read Luke 2. This year Calla read for us.

And perhaps my favorite tradition is one that was not even set up by me. But as you can see, I am a sucker for tradition. My father-in-law loves listening to his grandkids sing. Several years ago, he started asking each grandchild what Christmas song they would like to sing. All of the adults join in and we sing one song for each grandchild. I love to see what each one will choose. Amelia chose "Jingle Bells" this year. She's my budding theologian. Calla chose "We Three Kings." I was surprised to see most of the kids knew the words. I wondered if I even knew all of the words to the first verse.

So, I love Christmas and all of it's traditions. I even left out a few. A new ornament for each child each year. Hot breakfast after all the gifts are opened. I think I've stopped introducing new traditions - for now. I so enjoy Christmas...

"a peanut butter christmas"

Because our service was cancelled for the week of our adult cantata, we put it on the following week instead. We were without our 12 college extension students, but I felt it was completed very well. It seemed we were all in the right key anyway...Best of all, the message of the gospel was clearly presented and people were blessed. So, the "Merry Christma" ties are put away and stored until next year's cantata. ( yes, it is spelled incorrectly...that' s how we got the ties at such a clearance price...)

For several years we have had a simple children's Christmas program at our church. The kiddos sing a few songs and we are done. Last year, after not being able to have a Christmas program at all, we had two wonderful ladies volunteer to take on the program for 2010. The effort was extremely evident. The songs and readings were practiced for months so that even our 3 Veldman 4-year olds knew the songs by heart.

The reader's theater was "A Peanut Butter Christmas." Calla had a part and did a tremendous job. She had to be a little sassy and had no problem stretching her acting skills in that direction. :) It was a busy couple weeks preparing for the two programs, but the outcome was tremendous. We will probably have enough energy to start it all over again 9 months from now...

christmas is the time...

friday, huh?

So this week has come to an end.

Calla is out of school for two full weeks. Woop! We love having our Calla-girl home.

The preparations for our children's program are finalized. Well, the church responsibilities are done. Our practice and Sunday School party are finished. This lazy mom still has some sewing and twirling and tulle-ing to do so that my little ladies are dressed to the nines by program time.

Our adult cantata was cancelled last week due to crazy snowstorms. We will attempt to put it on this Sunday instead. After I teach Sunday School. Without a dozen college extension students who have now made their way home for Christmas break. Without a practice in over a week. But God is sovereign and will be glorified if we are performing for the right reasons.

I have finally taken care of a long-standing issue with my knee. After 5 doctor appointments in a week and a half, I am scheduled for surgery on Wednesday of next week to have a ganglion cyst removed. I will gingerly walk to each Christmas activity and spend a bit more time on the couch next weekend.

So, this weekend will bring just as much activity and responsibility as the past few weeks have held. But I will take time in the busy-ness to "Be still, and know I am God." After all, that is what we're busy for...

a word fitly spoken...or not...

So, I often have things that I think about saying and quickly realize that it might not be the right company to express my thoughts to. Case in point...

As I treacherously tiptoed across a labyrinth like parking lot that was so mucky and slushy that the once-gleaming-white-but-now-nasty-brown snow seeped through my leather shoes and soaked my toes, I thought, "Slushy parking lots are depressing and totally squelch the Christmas spirit."

Luckily, I thought that this sentiment was better suited for a friend-to-friend conversation rather than the clerk who was possibly responsible for making sure the parking lot was cleared. No need to squelch two people's Christmas spirits...

oh baby, it's coooold outside...

Our computer weather reader tells me it's -13 degrees outside. Our van thermometer read a balmy -4 degrees.

I had bundled up kiddos with warm fleece blankets wrapped around their legs trekking through the snow and ice -packed streets while our van chug, chug, chugged to try and warm up.

I have to admit that these bitter cold days have a tendency to make me very discontent.

Oh for a garage to warm up our car.

Oh, for a van that didn't creek and groan in the cold.

Oh, for a van that didn't have trouble switching gears once the weather turns under 45 degrees.

Oh, for tires that weren't so bald that I feel like I am ice skating rather than driving.

But I can only be discontent so long. I have a hard time feeling sorry for myself. How could I possibly be discontent when I have been given such a life! I am so blessed.

I have a van.

It gets warm in the 5 minute ride to school.

My kids all have numerous coats and hats and gloves to choose from.

If our clothes aren't warm enough, we have closets full of other choices.

We have a warm house to exit to our awaiting warming chariot - just a 15 step jaunt in this amazingly cold weather.

No walking to school for us.

No bus waiting to take my kids to school. I get to be home and be their driver.

We can afford to replace our bald tires.

And 10 minutes later, we can come home. 10 minutes.

So, I'll take a lesson. Satan would love to steal my joy today. But God would love to reveal to me a gigantic list of blessings...

busy little bees...

Where does a week of time go?

It is so easy to fret away a few days. Sewing. Errands hither and yon. Fundraisers. Kids. ER trip. The flu. A child with the flu. More sewing. More errands.

Yep. That about sums up my last few days. And I'm tired. But the house is quiet and I may do some sewing, interrupted only by Mr. Bocelli's melodious voice...

Let's go pick out our tree!

Running through the rows.

Calla and Daddy measuring to see if the tree will fit in our corner.

My girls with their pick of the year.

Oh, the sacrifices we mommas make when allowing our children to do the tree picking!

My tree prerequisites...

tall - check

full - no check

round - no check

long-ish needles - no check

Amelia's pride and smile knowing she got to pick her tree - o.k., that deserves a big check mark!

The stockings are hung...

The girls' stockings are hung on our make-shift mantle.

My gorgeous nativity is making an appearance for its first Christmas. My wonderful Momma bought me the set for my birthday and I have patiently waited two months

to put it out for display.

This is a fantastic Santa ceramic my talented Grandma painted years ago.

It is among my favorite decorations.

This lovely angel tree had a place in my Mother's home while I was growing up. It reminds me of her and my childhood Christmases whenever I set it out.

I thoroughly enjoy pulling out my Christmas decorations each year. I have somewhat thinned out the excess adornments and narrowed it down to the beautiful and the nostalgic. Each one brings me joy as I set it on a shelf. I love Christmas decorations because I love Christmas and all it brings with it...

December is in full swing...

We walked out of the house today to see snowflakes. Sticking to the ground and the van.

Oi vay!

Here it comes...

( I will admit, in a very low whisper, that the first few snowflakes are quite beautiful.)

I marveled at the precious little flakes that stuck to my windshield.

They really are a marvelous creation.

The girls sang the word "snoooooooow" all the way to school.

I am thankful that our first real snowflags have waited until December to make their appearance. And now I find myself dreaming of a White Christmas...