Goodbye Thanksgiving Hello Christmas

Well the wonderful time of Thanksgiving has come to an end.  Our family traveled to Texas (with a side trip to Oklahoma for my hubby who has never been to that state just so he can say he now has...he is so funny!) to spend time with my dad's side of the family.

It was a ton of fun and a ton of food.  Every time you turned around someone else was whipping out another goody.  I took my shifts at cleaning and cooking and relaxing while others had theirs.  There were roughly 56 there with well over half of those being under the age of 18.

My eldest making homemade salsa with her cousin (yes they are using CLEAN hands)

So much fun for my kids and especially wonderful for me to know that my kids are getting to know my family, during  their childhood, even though we live so far apart.  My kids talk about going to visit their cousin-friends (that's how they say it, all one word) and I know they will treasure these connections and memories for the rest of their lives like I treasure my time spent on the farm running and playing with my cousins as a child.  My family may be a 10 hour drive away but they are always in my memories and my heart.  So to sum up Thanksgiving, I know it was a wonderful holiday for us (minus the horrendous drive home, and that is a horror story all on its own), I hope you and your family and loved ones enjoyed celebrating the holiday and giving thanks for your many blessings.  God has truly blessed us!

Now to move on to Christmas, I am tickled pink (and at least half the time stressing out) about all the upcoming frivolity!!! The next four weeks are going to be outrageously busy, but I have made a commitment with my family that starting December 1st we will read at least one scripture a day from the story of Christs birth, as found in Luke and then Mathew where the Wise Men's journey is told.  Culminating with Christmas Eve when we will start back at the beginning and read the story in its entirety.  I have enjoyed reading the story every year, but this year I want to really get my children involved in realizing the importance of the season.  That its not about getting.  Getting gifts, getting to go to parties, getting, getting, getting seems to be the commercial view and sadly much of societies view of this holiday.  Rather I want my children to learn the emphasis of giving. Giving gifts, giving time, and most importantly giving of themselves as Christ gave Himself to us so that we should have an example of how we should live and ultimately dying for our sins.  So along with this commitment in my family I am committing to you my readers to post the scripture we read each day as well as share a way myself and/or my children gave of ourselves.  Some days it may be simple and hopefully there will be days with some grandness involved in our giving to really impact them.  I hope that I am able to recognize each of them daily and point out a way that they have given.  That is my goal.  I will also be posting numerous Christmas crafts and recipes as well as my usual around the house every day of the year crafts. So here we go lets start the season right by giving of ourselves!

Merry Christmas Everyone lets go give!
Have a great day and God Bless!