Would you like a nurse-maids elbow for Christmas?!

Well, as soon as I find the charger to my camera, I'll be able to post some pictures we took at Christmas... In the meantime, I'll post a bit. We had a really nice Christmas despite moving just a few weeks ago. We always spend the Sunday before Christmas at my Dad's house with family, which was a great time for all the cousins to play together tearing his house up :) We ate delicious foods and talked about our experiences with gift giving. We decided a few years ago to stop exchanging gifts as adults, and to donate the money we would have spent on each other, to various charitable causes. Seriously, what could we possibly need?! Then, when we get together at my Dad's house, we talk about what we did, and how we felt. The best part about it, is that now that my Kids are getting older, they can participate with us and feel what it feels like to give to those that are in need. Anyhow, it's my favorite part of the Holidays.

Christmas Eve, my sister April and her husband Peter stopped by, which was perfect timing. Lukas (our 3 yr old) was throwing a tantrum and when I went to take him upstairs for bed I pulled his arm one way, he pulled another and I gave him a nurse-maids elbow... Seriously. I didn't realize it at first until he wouldn't lift his arm to put his jammies on. So, we went downstairs where Doctor Hull (Uncle Pete) twisted and turned it, until it was all better. Certainly was good timing don't you think, and saved us a trip to Pete's E.R. YAHOO, after a bit of ice on the elbow, the incident was forgotten (not by me, of course) It's always a party when you have little ones.

Christmas morning our kids actually slept in a bit, which was nice!! So at 8 AM we had a feast of a breakfast, then opened up gifts. Plenty of toys for everyone thanks to SANTA.

For Christmas, my Mom and Cal came to spend a couple days, and my brother Mark and his friend came for dinner. We had a good time playing games and eating (of course). I am sad to see Christmas go, but will be happy to get back into our normal (but crazy) routine of life. The season gave us much time to reflect on what's truly most important to us as a family; good health, a warm bed, family, friends, memories, the Savior and each other. What a blessing. Wishing you all a wonderful, prosperous and growth-filled new year.

Christmas thoughts

I am so glad that Christmas is in the air and I'll be sad when it's over. The other day I was chatting with a gal at the store (yes, you know me, I always talk to people I don't know) and she was talking about the Holidays. She said "you know, there is so much to do this time of year, presents to buy, food to bake, etc, etc, so much build-up, so much hype and then you get to the big day and it's such a let-down" I was so sad to hear her comments. I think I just sat there stunned at first, but after I left her, it gave me something to really ponder.
How do we get to that place where we completely forget the entire purpose of celebrating the birth of the Savior? when she said it was a let-down I thought "really, the fact that the Christ came to earth was a let-down?" Who cares about presents, although they are fun to give and receive, and who cares about baking, although it's tasty, and who cares about the lights and the shopping and, and, and... if we forget the very purpose for which we do all these "things" then what's the point? So I just hope that if anything, listening to her comments made me really think about the gift this time of year gives us, the gift of time to think about what we have, because of what he gave us. The gift to look on others who are less fortunate with compassion as he would, the gift to help and serve those all around us, the gift to express our love more freely, the gift to slow down and listen to beautiful music that fills our hearts with joy and memories of our own childhood, the gift of thinking about what our lives would be like without Christ and being grateful for what they are and can be because of him.
I am so grateful for the gal in the grocery store, because she really got me thinking about how I can better enjoy this time of year for what it really is, and pass that on to my children.

We are here!!

Okay, we finally made it! Well we've been moved for 3 weeks now but just FINALLY got Internet today... Wow, it was interesting not being connected for so long. The good news is that our new service is much faster, and wireless. So we are still unpacking (who knew it could take this long...) between starting the kids in a new school right in the middle of Christmas programs and parties, meeting new friends daily etc, it's been an adventure. We are loving our new place, the neighborhood, the school is AMAZING and we love our new ward. There are things we miss of course, but we feel so blessed with our new surroundings :)

We do have new numbers etc so if you need them, email me at our new email ramber2@att.net
and we can catch up. Hope everyone has a wonderful time these last days before Christmas. What a wonderful time it is.