The House is Not Decorated Until the Nativity Set is Up

I can't believe Christmas is almost here. It has been a very different Christmas Season for us, this year. Different because we have been alone for the most part. We do see Jon, Bonnie and Ella often, but everyone else lives in the Boise area. Which is why we are traveling to Boise for Christmas. We are so excited to have the whole family together for the holiday. We will be having our traditional Family Home Evening on Christmas Eve at Angie's house. Jim will be telling the Christmas Story from Luke, with a few "Dad" things thrown in. Of course Mom has bought matching pajamas for everyone to wear.

Christmast Day will be at Aaron and Kelly's. It sounds like Kelly is putting together a wonderful dinner. It should be total chaos with all 13 of us, which includes the two grandbabies! I am so excited! Malia is three and Ella is almost two; perfect ages for the whole Santa Claus thing. I will be sure to take lots of pictures.

One of the best parts of the Holiday Season is being able to attend Tip Tap Toes dance recital in Idaho. Every year Kami holds a recital in December and every year it is adorable! This year I got to help by being the narrator, but of course, the highlight of the whole event was watching Malia in her two dance numbers. Prejudice grandma or not, she was not only the cutest dancer out there...she was the best dancer too. A chip off the old block, Kami. It seems like only yesterday it was you! What fun for Nena!

Alas, all is not fun. I am feeling guilty for not sending out Christmas cards this year. I just haven't had the time. I know, I know...other people are just as busy as I am, but I truly feel like I lost a week of the Christmas Season by being in Chicago for a week. (Never again!) But, I will send out cards after the first of the year, and I am good with that, so I hope others are too.

Tomorrow is our Company Christmas Luncheon/Party. I hope everything goes well. After that, I still have some shopping to do, a ton of presents to wrap, visiting teaching to do, gifts to deliver, etc. Then we pack and it is off to Idaho. We come back on Saturday and Sunday we leave for California for a week. It should be fun, but everything is so hectic!

Plus, I have been given some new responsibilities at work that I am still not comfortable with. It all adds to the stress but I am determined to enjoy the holiday. Today, (Sunday) I got up early just so I could snuggle by the Christmas tree and read Christmas stories out of the book I bought. It is my personal tradition to buy a Christmas book of stories every year, and then read them throughout the month of December. I got a late start but I am still committed to making time to read a couple every day until Christmas. They truly do make the season "spiritual" for me.

And today was my favorite Sunday of the whole year! The Sunday before Christmas! Our Sacrament Meeting was wonderful! We have so many wonderfully talented people in our ward that it is unbelieveable! Violins, flutes, piano and organ duets, a really, really good choir and some wonderful speakers all made for a fabulous program! It was truly a blessing to be there. People who do not get the spiritual side of Christmas truly miss out. I am so grateful for the blessings that are mine through the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends!! Speaking of family...here are all my girls and my boys! I am so blessed!!!