Christmas Preparations

The Thursday after Thanksgiving, Travis's office participated in the city's Christmas Parade. 

I found out about it the day before. The same day they started making their float.

It was kind of a sorry, little thing. The float... not the parade. The tissue covered "tooth" on the back kept falling off and getting drug behind us. The parade, was actually crazy big. I never thought the people would end! The boys thought it was a fun time, and Trav got his exercise in, running along the side, handing out toothbrushes. 

I've never seen people SO excited for a toothbrush! 

I got started on my {neighbor treats} early this year! I had my sugar covered heart set on toffee.

I posted this to Instagram, in quite cheery spirits.

Watching Home Alone and making toffee. Then my candy thermometer shattered in the pot.

First batch: out.

Second batch-fourth batch: no good!

The butter kept separating from the sugar and I could not figure out why!!! I read so many cooking tips and was doing everything right! Major frustration. I finally decided to blame it all on my cheapo, old pots. Maybe next year, I can try again with quality cookware.

I did manage to salvage enough to fill my butter/sugar quota for the year and pass some out to a few friends. 

I also decided to devote the 4 hours necessary to making my yummy cardamom bread. 

And then burn it to a crisp.

I was 2 for 2 that week.

And none too happy about it.

We had our Relief Society Christmas party last week.

It was a progressive dinner at 3 different houses in the same neighborhood. We did appetizers and the "Christmas Jar" game at the first "Telestial" house. Dinner and a presentation on the symbols of Christmas at the second "Terrestrial" house. And dessert and my Udall Christmas program at the last "Celestial" house.

It was a lot of work and planning and running around like a chicken with my head cut off for 5 hours the night of... but I think it turned out nice and we got a lot of positive feedback. And Travis was my hero for rushing over the 3 bottles of salad dressing I left at home, right when 60+ women were expecting dinner!

At the last house, Joanne Payne had a really yummy, hot drink that's a nice alternative to the usual hot chocolate. Ready for the recipe?! You'll want to try this, I promise!

2 c. powdered milk

1 c. sugar

1 c. powdered coffee creamer

1/2 Tablespoon cinnamon

Mix together and add 1/3 cup to 1 c. hot water. 

I made a big container for my family to try Christmas Eve!! Yum!

This is our first year ever, to have Christmas lights on the outside of our house! It New York, there were no outlets on the outside of the house, so a long extension cord would have to run to the garage in back, and we weren't interested in a nightly trek across the snow to unplug them. The laziness.

Luckily, this house already had nails across the top, otherwise we might have had to resort to using hot glue! Apparently, that's the New Mexico way when it comes to hanging lights on flat roofs!

We got an unexpected Christmas package from the Shaws, complete with wrapped gifts for all and a homemade card by Gavin. The boys were so excited. We have the best friends!

The boys got to make pine cone "Christmas tree" ornaments at Musical Mondays at the convention center. The lady in charge had her baby the next day, so we won't get to go back til April! Sadness.

We made gingerbread houses for FHE this week.

Collin was so excited for this and we told him it was finally time, he cheered, "Yay!! Ginger head Brouses!!"

Here's the building materials:

The boys literally kept a steady stream of candy going to their mouths. I really thought they'd get sick. 

Turned out to be a fun activity, and here's a great tip for ya.... use a butter box to build around! 

No crashing walls and the boys were able to actually help with the "building" that way. And it was the perfect size to put a whole graham cracker on the two walls, and 1/2 cracker on the other two.

Getting out the Christmas decorations, I realized I didn't have a single nativity! That's pretty sad. So I decided to start out with the Fisher Price Little People one, so the boys could play with it. 

My cousin, Leah, put together the "gift" pictures in the background. There are 12 total, depicting different scenes surrounding the birth of Christ and include scriptures and hymns. We've discussed a couple over several different nights, and have just 3 left. It's been fun to teach Collin about the true meaning of Christmas and try to direct some attention to the Savior instead of just Santa. 

Another sad realization while unpacking the decorations... the boys STILL didn't have stockings! We only had the 2 we bought our first Christmas, from Home Depot! Haha, yes, Home Depot!

So I devoted an afternoon... and then some... to making stockings. Not your usual, pretty Christmas themed kind, but I like them better. :) Poor Weston's "W" fell and bit the dust, so he's anonymous this year.

Another new decoration to add to the list this year.... a new tree!

Our first 6 years of marriage did just fine with a mini tree, but last year, the pre-lit lights weren't working, among other things, so it didn't get to make the trek to New Mexico. 

So far, only one glass ornament has shattered on the tile, and our little gold star is the apple of Weston's eye. Too bad you can't see it in either picture! :(

The college across the main street from us, San Juan, did a "Luminary" night, where they lit candles in paper bags all across the campus. I cannot imagine the time that goes into this! And they are real candles, so explain how this is not a fire hazard?? Regardless, we took a stroll around and grabbed some very bad hot chocolate in the student center.

Then we crossed the street to our church building to see the all nativity displays they had up in various rooms. We ended by watching that new, short video of the birth of Christ in the chapel.
What an amazing video. You could really feel the Spirit. Despite, two incorrigible, wiggly boys, trying to divert our attention.

This Thursday night, Collin's preschool puts on a Christmas play at the high school. He has a short speaking part in it and is pretty darn excited to get to wear his pajamas, which is his costume.

So far, it's been a really nice month, getting ready for Christmas, but then Marcie ruined it by texting me that we needed to get to Arizona because it doesn't feel like Christmas until we get there! :) Just kidding, Marcie. I was just trying to forget about the fact that I'm usually there by now. Now suddenly I feel lonely and miss my Lindbloms! And Evans! :)