The Live Nativity with the Maughans

Early in December we took the kids up to a Live Nativity in Alpine with our fun neighbors, the Maughans!  We do a lot of stuff with them in case you hadn't noticed. :)

I originally heard about this event in Ward Council, and when I did I knew immediately that I wanted our family to see it.  A great way to start out a Christ-centered Christmas.

It was amazing!  Apparently a family in Alpine began organizing and putting on this Nativity each year to honor their mother who had passed away.  She loved Christmas and wanted to continue sharing her love with others.

You basically drive up to Alpine.  Meet at a Stake Center where you climb into the back of a horse trailer with 30 of your closest friends.  Riding on bales of hay they take you up to the property where you exit, and head to the starting point.  At the starting point a man from Bethlehem greets you and explains what you will see.  You continue on passing camels, horses, donkeys, and even Roman soldiers on horseback telling you to go pay your taxes to Caesar!  None of which I pictures of because as we arrived it started to rain.  Yeah, wasn't going to get my fancy camera out in that. :)  

As you continue down the path, you come to an old barn.  Inside you learned about gifts from them:

Oohed, ahhed, and petted them:

There were also merchants in the "City of Bethlehem" that explained, and allowed you to sample their wares.

After you left the "main part of the city" you follow candle lights down a path which passed two woman singing praises to the Lord.  After which you entered into the stable where you saw this:

The Spirit was so strong.  No one spoke.  We just felt.  An experience we won't soon forget.

As you leave this sacred place, there are kind people sharing hot chocolate with all the guests and raising money for children in third world countries with Cleft Pallets.  True Angels in my opinion.

It was truly amazing, and what a wonderful way to not only honor a great mother, but the Savior whom she obviously loved.

After this humbling, lovely, and wet experience we headed out to finish the night off with warm donuts. :)

Touched hearts, full tummies, and smiles all around.  What a great way to set the tone for the season.

Starting a Christmas Books Tradition

I love to read.  It is probably one of my favorite things to do is find a good book and delve into it.  I didn't love it as much growing up in school because I had to read what others wanted me to read, not particularly what I would have picked to read.  But now, I can read whatever I am interested in and thus began my love of reading. :)

Books take me places I have never been.  They teach me about people that I come to admire even though have never met.  They open my eyes to different points of view.  They enlighten my mind when I read truth.  Writing is an expressive art form, and I glean so much from others expressions of themselves.  They enrich my life immensely.

I want this love of reading to reach my children.  I want them to love books, and not miss out on the joy of reading in their youth like I did.

This Christmas we started a new tradition.  One of which was shared with me by a couple of my dear neighbors and friends and also by my favorite blogger Shawni Eyre-Pothier.  All wise, dedicated mothers who mentor me in many ways. They each read a Christmas book to their children every night in December leading up to Christmas.  

So in an attempt to bring a greater Christmas spirit into our home along with the joy of books, I got on Amazon and started buying Christmas books!  Before long, thanks to Amazon and kind friends letting me borrow a few, we had a mini-collection of Christmas books started. :)

Each night we would pick a book from the basket and read it together.  Sometimes on the couch, sometimes by the fire, and sometimes at random times during the day.  

I think something truly magical happened.   The true meaning of Christmas seeped into our home with each story.

Here are just a couple of our favorites.

And as an added bonus...I think it also supported the love of reading principle we are trying to create.  YAY! :)  

Here's to Christmas, a growing library of books, and a legacy of learning through books.

Before I close this post, I have to also share a book that I read myself this Christmas.  I found it on the shelf in our office.  I can't even remember when I got this book, and I have to admit I had never read it.  But I found it, put it in the book basket, and pulled it out last week to read it not even realizing how much it would touch me.

It is basically the true story of the author, Richard Paul Evans, and his young family when they moved in with a widow during Christmas time.  I have to admit, I assumed this would just be a nice story about the true meaning of Christmas.

I finished the book last night, and what I found was that my heart was touched so deeply I went to sleep with tears on my pillow.  I don't want to spoil the story for any who may want to read it, but I do want to record for my own memory the 2 main lessons I learned from this book:

1.  Hold your children close because you don't know how long you will have with them.

2.  The first gift of Christmas was not gold, frankincense, or myrrh.  It was a gift of love from our Father in Heaven who loved his children so much that the was willing to give his beloved Son.  For our benefit.

I went to bed last night with my heart full realizing that all month long I was trying to teach my children the true meaning of Christmas while somewhat missing it myself by being wrapped up in all the hustle and bustle.  I didn't even realize I was wrapped up in it!  

To me this book was a gift.  A gift from my Heavenly Father to me for Christmas.  I am truly grateful for this gift, because it reminds me of my greatest gift, my Savior.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours, and may the true spirit of Christmas be in all our hearts and homes.

With Love,

 the Lightens

Learning Something New and Piano Recital

So I did something I have wanted to do for a long time!  We purchased a piano and Morgan and I started piano lessons!!!

Growing up I took piano for a little while.  I would half-heartedly practice on our old lime green piano with my mom hounding me to play the right notes instead of "inventing" my own songs. :)  

It didn't take long for me to quit piano.  Since becoming an adult I began to greatly regret that decision.

So in college I took a piano class.  I would practice in the dorms, but then not having a piano at home to play I quickly lost the information I had learned again.

Over the years I have told Trev I want to get a piano and give it another go.  It wasn't until this year that we got serious about it. Why you may ask?  Because Morgan was old enough to start too!  Isn't it funny how your kids make you want to be better? :)

I started scouring KSL classifieds, and after a few months, and a couple trips to piano stores we found a great deal on a used piano. I originally planned to buy an old, crappy looking one and refinish it.  Then I found a nice looking one for $500, great condition, and decided to leave it as is.  I LOVE it!

Shortly after that I enrolled Morgan in my friends' piano lessons.  We went to her first lesson and I was hooked.  I called my friend a few days later and said I wanted in to. :)  I could even wait until my first practice, so I started playing from Morgan's beginner book!

I have been LOVING IT!  I enjoy playing and practicing.  I am realizing it will help me in so many ones - one way in particular I am seeing is that it gives me practice in having lots of things going on at once and having to stay focused to know what to do next.  I struggle with this.  I think piano will help me stay focused amidst chaos. :)

So without further adue - here are the pictures from our very first recital!  Morgan played Jolly Old St. Nicholas and Away in a Manger.  Then I played When Christmas Comes to Town (The Polar Express) and Morgan sang.  Nerve-wracking but oh so fun, and exhilarating.

Here is the pre-performance reassurances and pep talks. :)

My cute cousin Jordan, return missionary brother Kyle, and his adorable family friend Mallory all came to support us. :)

Gotta love those cheesy-smiles.  Trev was the photographer of the night and did a great job!  Especially capturing the little moments.

Morgan worried about having made a couple mistakes in her first song.  Me telling her how wonderful it was and that no one noticed. :)

Me asking Morgan and the audience if I could start over as my song was spiraling downward rather quickly...after laughs all around we began again. :)  Take 2 was splendid! :)

Me and Morgan with our fun teacher Erica Farmer.  Love her!  She makes it fun for Morgan and encourages me to push myself...and even helps me to not feel to dorky for being the ONLY adult student. ;)

I love learning something new and there is nothing better that learning something you love alongside your daughter.  So grateful we can experience this together. :)

Returning with Honor

Two years ago we sent my little brother Kyle, off on his LDS church mission to Tempe, Arizona.

On his mission he would learn, love, work, serve, and share the gospel with the people there.  

We thought of and prayed for him constantly.  My heart would swell just thinking of the work he was engaged in and how it would not only change his life, but others lives as well.

I remember how much I LOVED to hear Jake pray for him.  He would pray for him ALL the time. I loved the example my brother was setting for my son.

Well, the time has flown by, and 2 weeks ago he returned with honor.  Trev and I met my family up at the airport to welcome him home.

Here we all are, family and friends waiting for the arrival of our missionary...

Only problem was that we were waiting in the WRONG TERMINAL!  Ahhh...yeah, we missed him. :)

Once we realized we were in the wrong place, we all booked it over to the next building where he had been waiting for about 20 minutes!!  Surrounded by 4 other missionaries returning and being swallowed up in the arms of their families!  SAD!!

My little sister Jessica was the first to see him.  She yelled, "KYLE WE ARE SO SORRY!"  He replied, "WHERE WERE YOU?" :)  Poor guy. :(

Kind of humorous though honestly. :)

After that little snaffoo...it was excitement, love, and hugs all around!

Maybe a little too much love...:)

Now where is that poster again???

OH yes, there we go!

After the airport reunion, we headed to Chili's for some lunch and my other little brother (both of which are bigger than me now) and his girlfriend Caitlin, met up with us.  The had just driven in from Aspen, Colorado where they live...not bad huh??

We are sure proud of our missionary and happy he is home.  Not for long however, in 2 more weeks he heads up to BYU-I for school!  

Love you little brother. :)