Ten for Tuesday

Today's Ten for Tuesday is a Christmas theme. Here are ten things my kids see at Christmas time in our house.




1. I am baking like crazy! I made pumpkin / chocolate chip bread yesterday to share with the families we home teach and visit teach. Today I'm making crepes and several loaves of whole-wheat bread.



2. Each year, as one of our Family Home Evening activites, we cut out snowflakes to hang on windows. You can make your own virtual snowflake here: http://snowflakes.barkleyus.com/ (This site even shows you how to fold the paper so you can make real ones if you'd like.)



3. The Polar Express train circling under the tree. Ty received this train last year as a gift from Grandpa Craig. When Ty gets to be the engineer, the smile on his face is priceless!



4. Thanks to Monique for sharing the "Teach the Children" FHE. This is a lesson we will do every year from now on! The ornaments on the tree represent one of the symbols of the real meaning of Christmas.



5. I have piles of boxes building up in my room. I don't have very much time to go out and shop these days so I did most of my shopping online.



6. Our new Gingerbread house. We are years away from making the perfect gingerbread house, but we sure had fun (and a little frustration) this year. The gingerbread house is a kit from Trader Joe's. The kids are counting down to when they can eat it on New Year's Eve.



7. I love Nativity sets. We have five right now. I made this one at my very first Relief Society "Super Saturday" craft event and I'm amazed it is still with us after 12 years!



8. On the top of our tree sits my sterling silver star. I was given this by my Mom and Dad the year that I danced in the Boston Ballet's Nutcracker. I played a 'party boy' because I was small enough to fit in the costume. I still remember the tag on the gift that said, "To: The Star of the Show!"



9. I absolutely love when the stockings have been hung. These special stockings were hand made and personalized by my Aunt Lou Jean. Mine was made when I was a baby and it is the stocking I grew up with. Andrew received his stocking as a wedding gift and the kids were given theirs after they were born. I love how the stockings remind us of our loving family in addition to the impending arrival of Santa.



10. I love children's Christmas stories. This is a photo of some of the Christmas books we own. The music box in the center was another gift I received when I danced in the Nutcracker.

We hope you and your family have a very safe, wonderful and enjoyable Christmas!!