Days of December

Before our Christmas is forgotten, I figure I best catch up...

In an effort to make something memorable (in a good way) of this Christmas season, I took an idea from a friend and devised a list of activities that we called our "Days of December" and each day looked forward to a holiday craft or celebration of some sort.  The first few days got off to a fairly good start - we made Christmas cards for Uncles Michael and Matt serving missions in Brazil, drank homemade peppermint hot cocoa while watching the First Presidency Christmas devotional, read Christmas stories, made stained-glass cookies, painted ornaments etc etc.

Then, of course, I threw in "Christmas in Germany" and "Christmas in Mexico" (and seven other countries) in behalf of my little xenophile Abby who has a fascination with all things foreign - and to come up with other holiday activity ideas.  Let's just say that after cooking Rhot Kohl and Brats and German pasta salad and Stollen from scratch all day in my effort to really get in the German Christmas spirit of things (since that spirit is first and foremost found in food, right?) and all of it being left largely untouched on the plates of my sweet "engel," the other countries' celebrations didn't end up being much to shout about.  

Christmas in India was celebrated with frozen Chicken Tikka Masala tv dinners while we made paper lanterns, for Mexico night we made gift bows out of magazines (?) without even chips and salsa, I plain skipped Christmas in Ireland & Ukraine and still get asked when the girls get to dress up like Santa Lucia from Sweden. Italy night was even reduced to pre-packaged gnocchi with pre-made pesto, though I did make sure to have a pandoro.   Better attempts next year.

And, while my dreams of a pleasant Christmas Eve complete with a glorious feast didn't quite end up as envisioned, we were just excited to finally have Daddy home to celebrate with us on Christmas.  Our first (and last) Christmas day spent together as the Adam Ashley family foursome was filled with dressing up, playing games, listening to karaoke concerts by both Abby and Ellie (well, Ellie when Abby didn't sneakily unplug Ellie's microphone), talking to Uncles Matt and Michael in Brazil and just good relaxation.  

 

Good times...

We look forward to what 2011 has in store!

QFTD

Abby acquired a small ceramic jewelry box while at church in VA last Christmas that has the figures of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus on top.  It is her most prized possession on and off during the year, but especially now at Christmas. After singing a song about baby Jesus to me (while holding her box), she said: "Mom, Jesus is our Savior.  He is the bestestest ever."  Later she made a hilly cave structure with her quilt.  "This is Jesus' tune where He was died."

Abby: "Ellie, do you know what subpar means?  It means 'ridiculous' and I think you are subpar."

Ellie: "Credit cards are not suckers."

Ellie, play talking to herself:  "I am so lucky to eat breakfast."

I'd had a particularly hard day and then had a very Abby-action-packed afternoon "date."  Later, Abby said the blessing on the food at dinner: "...bless that we can be a family forever (she leans over and rubs my shoulder) and that we can be happy -(interjected) 'I love you Mom' - please bless the food..."

I tried a scripture recap of our reading from the night before.  "Last night we talked about King B..." Abby: "Benjamin!"  "Good.  And where did he speak to all of his people before he died?"  A: "Venice!"

Me: "Should we have soup for dinner?"  Abby: "I think mac n' cheese, rather."

Adam asked Ellie to join us for family prayer.  Ellie: "That's a very good question.  I do not rescind." 

Abby twirled her scarf in a creative fashion, singing: "Thiiiis is what Americans know how to dooooo."

I called Abby to dinner.  Abby, whining: "Awwwww Mom!  But I just started reading the fifteenth page of my second magazine!"

While in the middle of putting together a 100 piece puzzle, Abby said to me: "We just have to keep keeping on.  That's what my other mother used to say.  Before she died.  A long long time ago."