A Christmas to Remember

"When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart."

Luke 2:15-19

I absolutely love the part about Mary treasuring those things and pondering them in her heart. To ponder means to consider deeply and thoroughly; to meditate; to weigh carefully in the mind; reflect; and even estimate the worth of. Mary took the time. She was still and quiet. She treasured those first moments and pondered the destiny of this baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes. She hid them in heart. Reflected and rejoiced.

I felt a bit like Mary this holiday season. I pondered so many moments, wanting not one to be taken for granted.

I pondered reading the story of baby Jesus to Max.

I pondered baking Christmas cookies with Sam. Twice.

I pondered decorating the house, inside and out, for the holiday season.

I pondered Max taking every ornament he could reach off the tree until the bottom half was bare.

I pondered the packages that arrived on our doorstep with Maximus' name on the front, just a reminder of how many people truly love and adore the little man.

I pondered our Christmas Eve in, Max tucked in bed, and Sam and I putting together the toys.

I pondered our Christmas morning and Max excited to open his gifts. And the breakfast Sam made that will hopefully be a family tradition.

I pondered our relaxed Christmas get-togethers with all the grandpas and grandmas and aunts and uncles and cousins.

I pondered how different Christmas was only a few short years ago.

I pondered how a gift like Max, a beautiful, blue-eyed, baby boy could change our world. Forever.

I think I got a small glimpse this Christmas into what it meant for Mary to "treasure all those things and ponder them in her heart." She was overwhelmed. Thankful. Grateful. Filled-up. Satisfied. And deeply moved by the goodness of God.

And so am I.

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Some of my favorite Christmas moments

Max models some of the clothes he received from our friends in NY.

Lookin' good my man!

Sam sportin' his "Cousin Eddie" [from Christmas Vacation] outfit.

Christmas morning Max played with his toolbench forever. and ever. and ever.

[and was completely oblivious to the BIG WHITE SHEET behind him that had his new Jeep Power Wheels underneath!]

Another favorite gift, his dog he calls "Abby"

[after my parents dog that is named Abby].

Finally...

Checking out his new ride.

Standing on his new ride.

One of the gifts from Grandma Tonya and birthdaddy, Colton.

I love wooden toys and so does Max!

Max, so proud of his new [and noisy!] fire truck.

Thanks Uncle Josh, we owe you.

Why Is It So?

Today, Max and I had the pleasure of hanging out with two of my nieces, Abigail and Lauren, and my nephew, Gabriel. I won't bore you with all the details of my SIL's dislocated shoulder [yep, that's right. Kristen fell, dislocated her shoulder, and is now doing all functions with only her left arm]. I thought it would be a nice and welcomed relief to have some of her kiddos hang with us today.

Since I strive to win the "Aunt of the Year" award, I pulled out all the stops. Art projects. Board Games [you play a mean Hullabaloo, Gabe!]. Baking. Snacks. Treats. Cartoons. A delicious pot roast dinner.I think you get my point. One would think I would have this award in the bag.

One. Would. Think.

That is, until, Uncle Sam walked in the door. How easily the children forgot the Rolos I offered them spontaneously. You know, a "just because" treat. Or, the two cartoons I let them watch back-to-back. Or, allowing them to take every single stuffed animal out of hibernation and tuck them in Max's crib. Every. Single. Last. One. And, oh by the way, I found all three children in the crib [at the same time] with these said animals.

Again, one would think I have this award in the bag.

So, why is it so that children just love their daddies and uncles?

I give you

Exhibit A: The Ball Pit War

and

Exhibit B: Ride the Bull

You will know exactly why Uncle Sam won the coveted award today.

Sam,

you are one incredible husband, amazing father and fun-loving uncle.

You deserve the title.

Congrats.

Let It Snow

I feel that I am being reminded, more than ever, of how fast our little boy is growing up. Last year, around the holidays, he was just learning to crawl and was quite content to lay or sit in one spot. He barely noticed the big green tree in our family room. And he certainly didn't touch any of our Christmas decorations. This year, well lets just say, he is fully aware of all the holiday cheer sprinkled throughout our house!

We had our first snow day this weekend. I couldn't resist showing you then and now pictures. What a vast difference a year can make.

THEN:

NOW:

Enjoy the holiday week ahead! May it be Merry and Bright as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Feliz Navidad

To get into the Christmas spirit, Max and I participated in a holiday party at a local art studio. It was an hour packed with music, crafts, snacks, and of course, Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

The attentive student

Max did not enjoy his meet n greet with

Santa Claus

Craft time

Music man

And for your listening enjoyment. Max on the bongos to the tune of Feliz Navidad. Enjoy!

Mama's New Shoes

A girl's best friend: shoes.

Or is it diamonds?

Well, just to be safe. A girl's best friend is shoes and diamonds.

Today I will be talking about one of my best friends: shoes. Doesn't every girl love a new pair of shoes. Well, I received a box from Piperlime.com [ahhhhhhhh] this afternoon and couldn't wait to rip it open.

**On a sidenote, isn't this so funny? I mean, I already knew what was in the box. I ordered it. Myself. Just the other day. But, when the glorious box shows up on the doorstep [thank you UPS man, I heart you], I get that giddy feeling all over again. Please tell me you can relate.**

OK, back to the story at hand. My little sidekick, Max, is also excited to see what is in the box. O little man, it is shoes, sweet shoes. I know my love of shoes has definitely rubbed off on Max. I am certain I have shared that with you before. So, much to my delight, Max squealed with excitement when I opened the box and pulled out a brand.new.pair.of.tennis.shoes.

Now, I only buy a new pair of tennis shoes once every other year. So, I labor over the purchase since I know I will be wearing them for a longtime to come. These shoes? They did not disappoint. [Mizuno's...in case you are wondering.]

And can I mention that these shoes were worth every penny. Every. Penny. And I haven't even worn them yet.

Why, you ask?

They kept Mister Max's attention for 45 minutes. Yep, that's right. Forty-five minutes. Just in case you didn't catch that. He played and tried on my new shoes for 45 minutes [I am pretty sure that calculates to like 3.5 years in dog years]. He was.Totally. Completely. Captivated. And who could blame him?

Here is a short clip of him concentrating to put them on and tie them up.

And one photo of him successfully getting both new shoes on at the same time! Well done Max. You made mommy proud!