.: Downsizing Christmas

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Downsizing Christmas

We've traded in our regular stockings for the mini versions this year! Chelsie thinks they're cute! It really is all about perspective, isn't it? We all want to give our children everything they want, but at the same time we realize that isn't what's best for them anyway. Use this holiday season as an opportunity to teach your family about the joy of the season. Spend time with them, help them create, help them serve, show them how much you love them. Remind them how much their Savior loves them. If you approach a less expensive Christmas with a positive attitude that tone will carry through to your children. I know that what I'm about to say next isn't anything new to you, but maybe just a gentle reminder to leave the stress behind and enjoy.

Spend time with them: Read Christmas stories, play games, sing carols, be silly!

Create with them: Bake cookies, make gingerbread houses, make ornaments or garland, sew aprons and knit scarves, make videos, scrapbook.

Help them serve: Bake for others, help neighbors and friends, teach them to look for opportunities to serve or brighten another's day.

Show them how much you love them: Compliment them, hug them, kiss them, listen to them.

Remind them: Read the scriptures with them, pray with them, teach them, strengthen them.

This year a few of our friends have decided to get together and share a home cooked dinner with each other rather than exchange gifts. Time really is the best gift, isn't it? There are very few tangible gifts that I actually remember when I received, but I won't forget memories created in the simplicity of the season.

So maybe downsizing Christmas is actually Supersizing Christmas!

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Quotable Quips and Laughable Life

I decided that I wanted to add a small section with little things that my kids have said or done over the years that I never want to forget and I think are worth sharing. Unfortunately I was much better at writing these things down a bit late in the game....Chelsie steals the show here a bit. If only I could remember all those things I thought I'd never forget. I hope you take my challenge to write down all those things you hope to pass on one day.

When Chelsie was about 2 she had been jumping on my brand new couch, so I promptly told her to stop jumping on the nice furniture. Her response was very logical. "Then where's the mean furniture?"

While camping in the Sequoias, the entrance sign read, "1 bear incident this week...." Kelly mispronounced it as 1 bear accident....later in the bathroom, Chelsie noticed wet spots on the floor, and announced, "This must be where the bear had the accident."

We had a family home evening on choosing the right, and we thought Chelsie understood but when we asked her she said, "Yes, don't choose the left!"

When Kelly was in the 5th grade, she needed to use the classroom phone to call me. She dialed 9 to get an outside line, then she had to dial 1 because I have a long distance cell phone number, but she accidently hit the 1 twice. When the 911 dispatcher answered she was scared and just hung up. 5 minutes later the front office called the classroom stating that 3 sheriffs had arrived ready to take action and were wanting to know who called and why. Now it was by sheer coincidence that this was a morning that there was a prison breakout, so officers were on high alert. Kelly was embarrassed then, but can laugh about it now!

When Wes was about 4, he used to tell everyone that he was going to marry his friend Elizabeth, and that they were going to have 16 kids, and maybe a car.

When Chelsie was 3 1/2 we told her she needed to learn to spell her name. She responded, "I already know....A L I Z A."
(That was her best friend who taught her)

I was talking with my girls about the weather, and Kelly said, that stupid beaver was wrong, spring is not around the corner. Chelsie then chimed in, it's not a beaver, it's a warthog. Clearly I have failed them.