december happenings
Last year, too late to actually use it, I finished making this super cute advent calendar.
Each of the squares is actually a little pocket so you can put a card saying what fun Christmasy thing we should do that day. But it turns out that's just kind of hard! You never know what's going to come up, and sometimes things will have to get pushed around, so I'm really not sure it's the best way to do a Christmas advent. So truthfully, we haven't even used this this year!
BUT we have been doing Christmasy things, and here's a few:
Dec. 1 - We watched The Holiday and I tried putting some ribbon in our tree. I didn't like it though haha
Dec. 3 - We went to a holiday symphony concert. The whole reason we wanted to go is because the symphony's feature piece was the score of The Snowman. The Snowman is Russ's favorite childhood Christmas movie, and it is a half-hour movie which, aside from the brief introduction, has no speaking, just music. (It's on YouTube if you want to check it out.) The symphony played the music while the movie played on a screen, and it was awesome :) Also, Russ's cousins happened to be in the symphony, so that was a fun surprise! Afterward, we went to Village Inn for one of my favorite holiday treats: candy cane pie! Such a shame that it's only around in December.
Dec. 4 - Although we did most of our Christmas decorating the day after Thanksgiving, the tree didn't get ornaments until December 4th because of the ribbon issue. But we got it right eventually :) Also, I was trying to do fancy things with the tree lights, but on my phone, I couldn't do much haha :) (not that I'd have a clue what to do with a real camera either . . . )
Dec. 6 - Every year on the first Sunday of December, the LDS church broadcasts what is called the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional. It is a broadcast filled with uplifting Christmas messages and Christmas music. Unfortunately, this year I was a bit distracted during the broadcast, but I do remember hearing about how Christ is the Light of the World, and what would life be without light?
Dec. 10 - Russ's work party called for cocktail attire, so I spent the day before making a new skirt when I couldn't find what I wanted at the mall. There was delicious dinner and dessert, followed by a few gifts from the company (an Amazon gift card and a company jacket) and a few presentations from the top dogs. I had fun socializing with Russ's coworkers, but I felt like I was going to die after dessert because it pushed me over the edge of full-ness haha :)
Dec. 11 - I planned a date for us to make ugly Christmas sweaters, but Russ wasn't a superfan of the idea. I ended up making one while we watched a Christmas movie together.
Dec. 12 - Russ's cousin Mary recently moved back to Utah. She and Russ were buddies growing up, and Russ's family even lived with her family for a little while. That's why I wanted to have a Trent & Rick Holmes cousin party--to get all those kids back together again! :) It was a small party, but we had fun talking, eating treats, and playing Poor Man's Cranium. My favorite was when Lance was doing charades for "Zander" (his son): He pointed to himself, and then did like a shrinking motion, as if to say "my mini-me!" It was great :) Coming in a close second was my charade of "anchor." I first tried making an anchor shape with both my arms, but when that failed, I rowed a boat. People finally got it, but I was dying laughing the whole time. I might think I'm funnier than anyone else thinks I am hahaha :)
Dec. 13 - Russ and I participated in ward choir this Christmas season, so we actually kind of had to go to this Stake Choirside. Each ward contributed a song or two, and a few people did solos or duets. I'm really glad I "had" to go because it turned out to be one of my favorite things we've done this Christmas season! The music was beautiful, and I came home feeling peace and happiness and the love of Jesus Christ, which are the things that Christmas is all about.
Dec. 15 - I made a Christmas craft with my sister-in-law Mackenzi. We made ornaments out of lightbulbs! :) We each made a snowman and a penguin for ourselves, and I made a penguin for my visiting teaching companion and visiting teachees.
Dec. 16 - We got our Christmas cards! I haven't mailed out Christmas cards or a Christmas newsletter the whole time we've been married (this is our 4th Christmas together), and I wasn't even planning to do it this year, until I read Elise's post about her cute cards and proceeded to spend 3 hours on the website finding the perfect card. I also really enjoyed writing our newsletter, which I will post on here in a day or two, after our cards should have reached people :)
Dec. 17 - As I was spending some time online trying to find what Christmas traditions Russ and I might want to adopt, I kept seeing "The Nutcracker." I vaguely remember seeing the nutcracker when I was in elementary school, but that's the last/only? time. I told Russ I wanted to try it out, so he obliged. I enjoyed seeing dancing again :) I'm not sure whether or not we'll do it every year, but I don't regret doing it this year :)
Dec. 18 - Our ward Christmas party was definitely the most elaborate I've ever been to. There was a baked potato bar (and salad and rolls) for dinner, a hot cocoa bar for dessert, and a whole nativity program complete with detailed costumes. The program was nice, but a bit difficult to hear/understand, so my favorite part was socializing with our friends (the Holts and the Andrews).
Dec. 19 - Russ and I delivered Christmas treats to a few friends and neighbors. I made a bunch of my family's favorite Christmas treats a day or two earlier, and we put on our Christmas sweaters to deliver them. I didn't plan well at all though, because there were nuts in ALL THREE of the desserts I made! Luckily, everyone we delivered to said they did not have nut allergies haha :)
Dec. 20 - As I said before, Russ and I participated in ward choir this Christmas season. That means that we got to sing several songs for our ward Christmas program yesterday. I really enjoyed being part of the choir. Our director is hilarious and fun, the music was beautiful, and I got to know the people I sit by a little bit better. Participating definitely made me feel more a part of the ward.
Annnnd on pretty much any day that's not listed (as well as a few that are), we've watched Christmas movies. For some reason, we've strayed from our usual Christmas DVDs and have been going for the cheesy Netflix options. Some are definitely better than others. I think my Netflix fave so far is The 12 Dates of Christmas :)
So far, it's been a good Christmas month, and hopefully it will only get better! Today is Christmas Eve for my family, and then we'll celebrate again on Saturday with Russ's family! Definitely a full week, but full of fun and love :)
Each of the squares is actually a little pocket so you can put a card saying what fun Christmasy thing we should do that day. But it turns out that's just kind of hard! You never know what's going to come up, and sometimes things will have to get pushed around, so I'm really not sure it's the best way to do a Christmas advent. So truthfully, we haven't even used this this year!
BUT we have been doing Christmasy things, and here's a few:
Dec. 1 - We watched The Holiday and I tried putting some ribbon in our tree. I didn't like it though haha
Dec. 3 - We went to a holiday symphony concert. The whole reason we wanted to go is because the symphony's feature piece was the score of The Snowman. The Snowman is Russ's favorite childhood Christmas movie, and it is a half-hour movie which, aside from the brief introduction, has no speaking, just music. (It's on YouTube if you want to check it out.) The symphony played the music while the movie played on a screen, and it was awesome :) Also, Russ's cousins happened to be in the symphony, so that was a fun surprise! Afterward, we went to Village Inn for one of my favorite holiday treats: candy cane pie! Such a shame that it's only around in December.
Dec. 4 - Although we did most of our Christmas decorating the day after Thanksgiving, the tree didn't get ornaments until December 4th because of the ribbon issue. But we got it right eventually :) Also, I was trying to do fancy things with the tree lights, but on my phone, I couldn't do much haha :) (not that I'd have a clue what to do with a real camera either . . . )
Dec. 6 - Every year on the first Sunday of December, the LDS church broadcasts what is called the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional. It is a broadcast filled with uplifting Christmas messages and Christmas music. Unfortunately, this year I was a bit distracted during the broadcast, but I do remember hearing about how Christ is the Light of the World, and what would life be without light?
Dec. 10 - Russ's work party called for cocktail attire, so I spent the day before making a new skirt when I couldn't find what I wanted at the mall. There was delicious dinner and dessert, followed by a few gifts from the company (an Amazon gift card and a company jacket) and a few presentations from the top dogs. I had fun socializing with Russ's coworkers, but I felt like I was going to die after dessert because it pushed me over the edge of full-ness haha :)
Dec. 11 - I planned a date for us to make ugly Christmas sweaters, but Russ wasn't a superfan of the idea. I ended up making one while we watched a Christmas movie together.
Dec. 12 - Russ's cousin Mary recently moved back to Utah. She and Russ were buddies growing up, and Russ's family even lived with her family for a little while. That's why I wanted to have a Trent & Rick Holmes cousin party--to get all those kids back together again! :) It was a small party, but we had fun talking, eating treats, and playing Poor Man's Cranium. My favorite was when Lance was doing charades for "Zander" (his son): He pointed to himself, and then did like a shrinking motion, as if to say "my mini-me!" It was great :) Coming in a close second was my charade of "anchor." I first tried making an anchor shape with both my arms, but when that failed, I rowed a boat. People finally got it, but I was dying laughing the whole time. I might think I'm funnier than anyone else thinks I am hahaha :)
 |
| Phil, Mary, Russ, me, Lacey, Mackenzi, & Lance (we were sad to miss out on Phil's wife, Jenna) |
Dec. 15 - I made a Christmas craft with my sister-in-law Mackenzi. We made ornaments out of lightbulbs! :) We each made a snowman and a penguin for ourselves, and I made a penguin for my visiting teaching companion and visiting teachees.
Dec. 16 - We got our Christmas cards! I haven't mailed out Christmas cards or a Christmas newsletter the whole time we've been married (this is our 4th Christmas together), and I wasn't even planning to do it this year, until I read Elise's post about her cute cards and proceeded to spend 3 hours on the website finding the perfect card. I also really enjoyed writing our newsletter, which I will post on here in a day or two, after our cards should have reached people :)
Dec. 17 - As I was spending some time online trying to find what Christmas traditions Russ and I might want to adopt, I kept seeing "The Nutcracker." I vaguely remember seeing the nutcracker when I was in elementary school, but that's the last/only? time. I told Russ I wanted to try it out, so he obliged. I enjoyed seeing dancing again :) I'm not sure whether or not we'll do it every year, but I don't regret doing it this year :)
 |
| we bought this nutcracker a few years ago and named him Fritz :) |
Dec. 19 - Russ and I delivered Christmas treats to a few friends and neighbors. I made a bunch of my family's favorite Christmas treats a day or two earlier, and we put on our Christmas sweaters to deliver them. I didn't plan well at all though, because there were nuts in ALL THREE of the desserts I made! Luckily, everyone we delivered to said they did not have nut allergies haha :)
Dec. 20 - As I said before, Russ and I participated in ward choir this Christmas season. That means that we got to sing several songs for our ward Christmas program yesterday. I really enjoyed being part of the choir. Our director is hilarious and fun, the music was beautiful, and I got to know the people I sit by a little bit better. Participating definitely made me feel more a part of the ward.
Annnnd on pretty much any day that's not listed (as well as a few that are), we've watched Christmas movies. For some reason, we've strayed from our usual Christmas DVDs and have been going for the cheesy Netflix options. Some are definitely better than others. I think my Netflix fave so far is The 12 Dates of Christmas :)
So far, it's been a good Christmas month, and hopefully it will only get better! Today is Christmas Eve for my family, and then we'll celebrate again on Saturday with Russ's family! Definitely a full week, but full of fun and love :)
**ashleynicole
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