1Brown+1Blonde=2Red: The Magic Of Christmas

There is just something about the Christmas season that makes me feel so happy and joyful inside....maybe it is the giving, the being with family, holiday traditions and all that it stands for-or the MAGIC of it all! I Especially LOVE Christmas now that we have kids that are the age to enjoy it all! Tavin was particularly awed by everything and wanted to be apart of it all.

My most Favorite Memory of this Christmas and Holiday season was watching the movie: "The Christmas Orange" (if you and your family haven't watched this movie yet, I HIGHLY recommend it! It was an excellent movie-well made-and captures the true spirit of giving.) I wasn't sure if Katie and Tavin would sit for this type of movie-considering that it wasn't a cartoon or animated-it was about real people with real life problems-and I was hesitant about the seriousness of it....Tavin tends to get too wrapped up and worried about things. But I was pleasantly surprised as we all cuddled on the couch and they sat enthralled the entire time.

The basic gist of it-a girl who was given away as a baby by her mother-first to a kind older woman who ran an orphanage-where she grew up happy and loved the other children and old lady as if they were her own family. Influenza sets in and many of the children, as well as the old lady die. She is separated from her friends and is placed in an orphanage owned by a bitter and mean old man. She quickly wins the love of the children there and eventually wins the love of the old man-but not until after losing her chance at a Christmas orange-something that she has never before tasted. It was coveted by all the children as a prized gift that they only received at Christmas time....their one and only gift. The children decide to split all their oranges to give her a whole orange as a surprise and gift of love.

Tavin and Katie cheered and ohhhhhhhed at all the right places, and I could tell their little hearts were warmed and touched by the message of this movie. Tavin talked about it the rest of the night-as we ate brownies together and even into the next day. Little did he know that I planned that movie right before telling them the next day that I would like them to gather up the toys they don't play with anymore to give to boys and girls who do not have any toys and would not be getting a Christmas this year-maybe like the boys and girls in the orphanage in the movie. I expected tears and rebellion but was SOOO proud of my three and five year old. There was no tears or tantrums....each carefully debated each toy and by the end of the hour of sorting-all on their own-we had 5 bags of toys to donate. My heart swelled with joy.

I know that something good was imprinted on Tavin's heart by the whole thing-when his Aunt asked him what his favorite part of True Christmas was-Tavin promptly replied-giving my toys away to kids who need them. They are never too young to teach-they get it.

OTHER HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS:

Mom spent an hour and a half making the body of this snow man with sporadic help from Katie and Tavin-they would give a little here and give a little there-then they were off sledding and making snow angels...I think I got my exercise in that day! Making a snowman isn't easy:) Next time mommy will wait for a day when Daddy is home to help. We used a "Snowman Kit" I put together last year-made out of wood pieces and snow apparel from a thrift store.

Beautiful sugar cookies that Aunt Kimberly made with the kids while mom and dad were on a date-Dan's work bought tickets to the Forgotten Carols-another really great activity for Christmas time-I highly recommend this also! Maybe this will become one of our many traditions.Thanks Aunt Kimberly! She said that the kids would put some on the cookie-and A LOT in their mouth-as they decorate....mostly Katie-Kimberly would try not to look-but if she did-Katie would act shy and as if she wasn't doing anything naughty:)

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas in Idaho at Grandma Marlene's house. So many cousins, aunts, uncles-to be loved and adored by-it can be down right tiring:)

A very happy Tavin showing off his new soccer goalie gloves, captain america hat and M&MS from his Aunt Deedra, Uncle Dawson, and Great Grandma Bauman-we were so lucky to have her there to spend time with us.

Livy was taking it all in-excited and happy for it all! A new hair accessory for her to wear! And she wears it well!

What Santa brought for Tavin: A soccer goal, REAL soccer ball, REAL soccer jersey and Wii soccer game. For those who don't know: REAL is the professional MSL soccer team of Salt Lake-and we go watch their games-My sister and her family got us hooked on it:) Tavin is a BIG fan.