Stephenson Family Ties: Christmas

Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.

What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!”

-Dr Seuss

Christmas is most definitely my least favorite holiday.
And I believe I can explain this with a few short words.
unfulfilled expectations
commercialism,
disappointment

No matter how hard I try to change my mindset on Christmas...discontent rears its ugly head.

When ones love language is so NOT 'gift giving' , Christmas becomes a little dreadful and a burden. When ones love language is 'spending quality time" or 'acts of service', then you can see that Christmas hasn't gone well for me, (or my family) for many years.

My dream Christmas, since my family began, is to bag the gifts and go away, board a plane, or pack into cars, and spend the time and money making memories that will last forever. (who remembers what they got for Christmas last year?) To not be buying gifts that will soon be forgotten, or that leave the recipient feeling less than satisfied...or wanting something different, or feeling that's its a lame gift, or that someones elses gift is better...and on and on... Its all nonsense and weighs heavily on my heart when I go to bed after the brouhaha of Christmas.
My simple solution:
Maybe next year will be the year my 'fantasy Christmas' will materialize.
Plane tickets for all instead of socks
Beach house instead of jewelry
Service instead of gift cards
Memories instead of electronics
No regrets or unfulfilled expectation, only joy and great memories.

PS- my kids are GREAT! This is not their problem or their fault. I was born this way. MyBuilder is the bonified spirit of Christmas in our house. I would have thrown up my hands in defeat years ago if it weren't for him. Bless him!!

When we ask for God's blessing, we're not

asking for more of what we could get for

ourselves. We're crying out for the wonderful,

unlimited goodness that only God has the power

to know about or give to us.

from: The Prayer of Jabez

by: Bruce Wilkinson

I know Christmas is about Jesus...I know this well. And my journey to know Him and love Him better is a good one. My concerted efforts to study and learn about His life and Gospel has become a beautiful thing for me.
But what is Christmas without family? Family was a little sparse this year...with it being an 'off' year...But there is nothing "off" about having Clark and Jenna and Gideon here and with celebrating with grands. William and Ben's enthusiasm and wonder are the reason for the season as well.

Im not embarrassed to admit...whenever we go to the DI we find a treasure. This time if was an armful of grandma furry hats!! They made us happy..all those hats and fur collars...that smelled like a grandmas drawer...talcum powder and musty perfume. We think we sport them well, dont you??!

You gotta love Old Main Hill at the University!! And the sunshine on this day was heaven sent!! It felt like it had been months since the sun had shone around here!! A perfect day for sledding!! PERFECT!!!

I love these people!!

I challenged David to a race...he started of strong....but I beat him in the end!! Good times!!!

Im so grateful for my good, good family. They bring me such joy and happiness, and fun times.

And words cant express how very proud I am of of these two kids. Medical school is a challenge I cant possibly comprehend...and to have them both so challenged is remarkable to me. Their being able to relax for a time was such a gift ...for I know not what else I could do for them.... God bless them.

I realize I've forgotten how very simple

a little straight-up love can be:

"I am the leg of you."

from: Driving Mr Albert

by: Michael Paterniti

Christmas morning...bright and early!! But so grateful we could share it with the little boys and Lucie...with some family!!

You will notice that there is one less beautiful face missing from all these pictures...and that would be Mericar!! She was the photographer...and we're grateful...but sad that we didnt make sure she was in some of the pics!!

Hardware Ranch was a lovely little outing too! We bundled up...expecting the worst...and instead we had sunshine, no crowds and lots of elk to see. The 'sleigh' ride was really a wagon ride...but our trusty guide...named Cheeseburger...was a wealth of information about the elk. William and Ben were warm...but the little girl from another family on our 'sleigh' wept the whole time...because her feet were so cold she couldnt feel them or wiggle them as her daddy was always suggesting her to do...poor thing.

Oh how I love this family of mine...

Gray is the sky color here, the dove-breast clouds

louring so upon the hilltops that sometimes you feel

you could just reach up and bury your hands in their softness.

from: Year of Wonders

by: Geraldine Brooks

Introductions are due.
This is Alfredo...a white ringnecked dove.
He's my "band-aide" for the longing I feel for wanting a puppy. A puppy anit happ'in anytime soon....maybe in the spring Im told. And thus I have sweet, handsome Alfredo.
He's a legitimate band-aide, for he is debonair, and peaceful. He wont chew things up. He doesnt eat much, and his morning and evening cooing melts my cold, cold heart.
I've decided that the soft cooing of a dove is a gentle reminder of summertime. I need reminders of summertime, when windows are open and the sounds of morning doves are heard from the eves.
Now I have Alfredo to do this for me every day of the year.
Im told its unusual for a dove to happily perch on a finger. He seems to prefer it...especially when we go to the couch in the front room and bask in the sun together. Im looking forward to getting to know him better...and for him to become accustomed to me too. (this morning he flew away from Lucie and took a short turn around the room and came back to land on my finger!!)
Im being grateful, once again, for My Builders generous and slightly guilty soul, for allowing me to bring another handsome fellow into my life.

P.S.- I case you were wondering...how I came up with the name Alfredo...its because he's creamy white, AND because he came into my life on the evening that we were to meet Clark and Jenna for dinner in Salt Lake. Alfredo was tucked nicely into his take home box from the pet store..and I knew he couldnt be left in the cold, cold car while we enjoyed dinner and conversation with C&J...so I brought him in with us to THE PIE. We discussed names throughout the night...but nothing rang true...until...as we were readying to leave I had everyone make a last ditch effort to come up with a suitable name. We brainstormed at the door..of a pizza joint...Thus Alfredo!!! Perfection!!! ( Probably will be shortened by some to Alf or Alfie.)

MIMI MONDAY IS BACK!!

How much larger your life would be if your self could become smaller

in it; if you could really look at other men (and women) with common

curiosity and pleasure...You would break out of this tiny and tawdry

theatre in which your own little plot is always being played, and you

would find yourself under a freer sky, and in a street full of splendid strangers.

from: Falling to Heaven

quoting: GK Chesterton

Christmas is over.
I think all the Grands got exactly what they wanted from Santa, and from their generous parents and family.
Ahhh...what a blessed and privileged world we live in. And even though we couldnt participate in the gift giving this year..we enjoyed the joy of our Grands.

Lachlan received his grown-up skateboard with grown-up trucks. His wise parents also gave him a helmet to protect his handsome noggin and knee and elbow pads to protect his joints and tender skin. He'll be a pro before the crocus's emerge from the cold ground.

Logan and Liam...(an intriguing case study of opposites)...added to their super-hero collections, as all little boys should do. Plus they'll be sharing their side by side seats in their new, tricked out, child sized motorized dune buggy. There are no dunes to climb but there sure are mountains of snow to give it a go!!

Lucie got a plethora of earrings to adorn her beautiful 8 yr old face. Warm clothes and darling boots were also discovered under the Christmas tree. But what she enjoyed the most was spending time with her daddy- whipping him at video games and making forts from the furniture and sheets. Oh the simple pleasures of life!!

Olive was tickled pink with her Hello Kitty slippers and sparkly pink shoes that would make Dorothy of Kansas jealous. She was also tickled with fur...by Grammy's new puppy and this wondrous tiger hat of her aunts. I LOVE this pic of sweet Olive...just had to share!! There is also a new trampoline in her back yard that gets plenty of Olive time as well. She's a wild one, that princess is...and her eyes tell her story!!

The baby "B" boys got presents too. Toys and puzzles and clothes. But they were happiest pulling the ornaments from the trees and paper from any package within reach. They wont remember this Christmas..but Mimi will.

This was our Christmas for receiving gifts...generous, thoughtful gifts, for which we were/are grateful. Its difficult being on the unfamiliar end of things...but as with all change...it was a lesson of humbleness and gratitude.

Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts.

No matter how we may dread the rush, the long

Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and

given - when Christmas Day comes there is still

the same warm feeling we had as children,

the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes.

Joan Winmill Brown

A VERY quiet CHristmas this year!! We missed the kiddies and the excitement and the mess on the living room floor...but there were some upsides to this special day too.

Christmas day dinner! So glad to have the folks and Clark and Mark with us this year. Dad brought the delicious ham and Ethel brought the tasty Jello salad...and we had a feast!!

Hope Everyone had a Lovely, Peaceful, Memorable Christmas this year!!

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