Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! I am so thankful for our Savior whose birth we celebrate this day!!

Love,

The McElderry Family

Josh, Lara, Orlando, Ivan and Ammon

Christmas in Columbus

The Sunday before Christmas we explored some of the things to do around here during Christmas time. It was a nice Sunday afternoon. I love that there is still one time of the year when it is politically correct to mention Jesus!

If you put in too much butter...

Your cookies might try and slide off the pan!

And when you add more flour, they may stick in the bowl, but eventually....

It IS possible to get them just right! Thanks Mary for having us over!

relax, Lara.

Time to try and relax and enjoy the holidays. Ivan is doing fine with random knee pain episodes. I'm determined to try and video the next one-that way I can show a physician. Then again, I'm hoping he won't have a next one.

Bone scan won't be until the 7th because of holidays. That is okay. Patience.

We'll go forward with plans and look forward to getting some answers later.

First, dinners need planned, clothes folded, kids loved, trips taken, marriages made, and a new niece to meet. In short, I need to get out of my funk and have some fun!

Merry Christmas, and thanks for all of your comments. I'm thankful for you!

ps. I'm eating sugar. It IS the week of Christmas ya know!!

A Low-Key Christmas

It is a week before Christmas, and everything is just fine. My sewing machine is broken so no stress there of trying to make cute anythings. I'm not eating sugar so no stress as to making treats, I just buy them if I need to. The presents were bought on line so no stress there. The kids are big enough not to be tearing down the tree or eating ornaments, so no stress there. I'm in charge of bringing marshmallows for Orlando's party-very low stress.

Hmmm.

no calling right now cause I'm in a new ward.

no family around to have the privilege of dealing with. AND both sides agreed this year to not do gifts due to other expenses (like weddings and travel).

Hmmm.

Not doing cards for the world this year, only our older friends who don't keep in touch in other ways-so like 10 instead of our usual 75!

I'm not really sure this feels like Christmas.

I need to wrap some gifts and make a dinner on Christmas Eve.

We've done some crafts and we're counting down the days. We've sung Christmas songs and talked about the meaning of Christmas. I've also been e-mailing Santa (wink, wink).

So, I think this may end up being the best Christmas ever!!

Christmas=Food

A healthy Christmas Tree I threw together to enjoy with friends on Christmas Eve. We were thankful to have a fun night even though it wasn't with family.



The Sunday before Christmas we made Christmas pancakes. Snowmen are not pictured, neither are the Santas, but boy o boy, did my boys love this!









Making sugar cookies with friends. Me and 2 friends have 8 sons all 6 and under. The boys each got frosting and enjoyed mixing the colors like paint.



These were new! Peanut butter balls with cranberries and oats, yummy!



We gave these away and they packaged up so cute!


Our Christmas day spread: We enjoyed, fruit, cinnamon rolls, veggies, bread, meat, cheese, etc. That night I asked if anyone wanted me to fix dinner. Lando said, "Mom, it's Christmas, we just eat and eat and eat whenever we want!!"





Don't you just love all the great food Christmas brings?

The Stories Behind my Nativities

I wanted to share some Nativities with you.  I love nativities.  I would have one from each and every country and state if I could.  I love the endless varieties that they come in.  But most of all, they represent one of the most profound stories ever told.  And one that I believe.  Our Savior was born on this earth!!!  

Sorry, the pictures don't do justice.  This one was made by my great great grandma.  (only part is shown here)Laudie Lorraine Bachelor.  She did ceramics and was pretty good at it as you can see.  This is the first year I've had this one to display.  My mom gave it to me when we moved to Ohio.  She was pretty attatched to it, but wanted me to take it as an heirloom.  I love it!!  Always have.  I can remember postioning all of the statues just right, walking by and changing them again.  I just can't say how much this classic white Nativity means to me.
This Nativity was given to me when I was a Spanish teacher.  I taught Elementary Spanish (which is good 'cause that is as good as yo hablo.)  Anyway, it was a gift from my secret-santa that year.  It is from Mexico.  Isn't it cool?  I especially love the red lips on the cow.  

This one probably never will make it to heirloom stage.  Each year I seem to throw more and more pieces out as they break.  Josh and I made it with friends our first year in Little Rock.  I like it because we made it and well, that is enough reason.  

This nativity was cut out by my mom-in-law, Kathryn.  She had it for years and never painted it, so she finally just gave it to me.  I loved it!  Seth (my brother) was living with us at the time, so we painted it together.  He did Joseph's robe in that bold plaid.  I didn't have the nerve, but he could see it.  It looks fabulous. 

Finally, this last one is from Brazil.  Oh, I love Brazil!  Just can't get over that place.  Anyway, this was a gift given to me on my mission.  It is so simple in this little gord, but I adore it.  

I'm glad I wrote this out.  In my opinion the "write" perspective on Christmas decorations should be: 1. something you have from family 2. Something from friends/experiences or 3. If that isn't an option make it so.  I was thinking of buying a cheap Nativity and just letting the boys paint the shepherds wise-men, animals, etc.  Then I could put their names on the bottom and they could be responsible each year for deciding where that shepherd, sheep, etc stands.  

As much as I appreciate and enjoy the Martha Stewart or Better Homes and Gardens Ideas and beauty-it just isn't Christmas if it doesn't have a story behind it.  After all, the story behind Christmas is the very BEST story of all!!