Christmas Activities

We had one night at a Marriott Hotel that we had to use before the end of the year, so we decided to stay downtown with the kids and take them to see the lights at Temple Square.  We checked in and immediately hit the pool.  Then, ordered room service which the kids found thrilling.  Then, we walked up the street to temple square.  We did a terrible job taking pictures.


But the kids had fun looking at the lights and the temple and the Christus.  We watched the Light the World video and have been trying to do something corresponding to the theme for each day.   Some of the more memorable things included:
Jesus Healed the Sick and So Can You- I got up that morning and decided to make chicken noodle soup and just pray for an opportunity to bring it to someone.  Opportunity arouse when Lily canceled joining us on our traditional visit to the live nativity because they were home sick with a stomach bug.  We dropped off soup on our way up. The kids also wrote a get well soon letter to Barbara Higinbotham who hadn't been feel well lately.  (The Nativity Walk,  by the way, is fantastic it's put on by some ward up in rural American Fork.  They have been doing it for years.  The hand out free hot chocolate for you to sip as you walk along this dirt farm road and see wise men, shepherds, angels, stop at a full inn, and sing songs and read scriptures all along the way until you finally make it to the manager with Mary and Joseph and their baby.)
Jesus Read the Scriptures and So Can You-  The kids spent all day memorizing Isaiah 9:6 and then we posted a cute video of them reciting it in pieces on instagram.
Jesus Fed the Hungry and So Can You-  We went through our canned goods and found 3 bags full of things to donate to the local food pantry.  I made the kids carry each heavy bag from the parking lot into the grocery store where they have a donation box.
Jesus Visited the Lonely and So Can You-  We brought a poinsettia and sang Christmas carols to a single lady in our neighborhood.
Jesus Helped People Walk and So Can You-  We bought a bunch of new socks and attended a sock party for the purpose of donating socks to people in need in the community.
Jesus Showed Humility and So Can You- I spent the day teaching the kids what it means to be humble.  Namely, realizing you can't do everything yourself and that you have to rely on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  I told them all the story of our infertility struggles and how their Dad and I had to be very humble and rely on Heavenly Father to help us bring them into our family.
Jesus Worshipped Through Song and So Can You-  Liv spent the majority of this day at the playing accompanying us in Christmas songs particularly when Uncle Jon dropped by for a visit.
Jesus Calmed the Storm and So Can You-  We read the kids the bible story of when Jesus calmed the storm.  Then, we talked about various emergencies and how we need to be prepared.  We put my phone number and our address to song to help the kids learn those in case of an emergency.  Liv has them down and the boys are still working on it.

I really appreciated this initiative started by the Church this Christmas season.  It really helped us to keep our focus on the Savior.  The kids honestly loved it and eagerly asked every day what the theme was and what we could do to be like the Savior in that way that day.

The boys had their school Christmas program and sang the cutest version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  One verse was entirely in pantomime.  Loved it.  They also sang a Hawaiian Christmas song which I found fitting since we were planning to spend Christmas in Hawaii this year.
Each of the kids made special reindeer food to sprinkle on the front lawn (essentially glitter in a bag).  Then, they all sat on Santa's lap and told them their Christmas wishes: Liv- some Ever After High dolls, Camden- a police car that turns into a robot, and Carter- a big blue truck that turns into a robot. 
The whole family gathered at Steve and Diane's to have a Christmas dinner and the only picture I took from the night, was this cute picture of Camden so content with Grandma's train sitting by the fire.  He sat there forever.

I got to volunteer at the boy's school for there Polar Express Party.  I was asked to bring a game for all the preschool kids to play.  Luckily, Mom had given us a Christmas bingo set last year that had enough game boards for their whole class, so that was easy.  The kids loved playing bingo and could actually grasp the concept of how to play.  I was glad I chose to go that route, most of the other game parents brought ended in chaos and went right over the kids' heads.  The boys loved getting to wear their pajamas to school and seemed to be quite happy to have me there with them.  They both fought over who got to sit on my lap the whole time.

We had Christmas Eve early at our house since we left on the 23rd for Hawaii.  Liv made a luminary at school, so we lit that on the porch and all the kids sprinkled their reindeer food on the front and back lawn.
Then, they left some cookies and a note for Santa and surprisingly went to bed pretty well.  Liv of course woke us up at 4 am and would not go back to bed because she was sooooo excited to play with her Ever After High Dolls.