Lasts. . . .

Do you ever get a feeling that it’s going to be the last time for something?  Sometimes that “last” is welcome and known, like the last high school football game to watch the marching band perform their half time show.  But the worst kind of “last”s are the ones you don’t want to be a last and you don’t know for sure that it is one.  (Maybe it’s a blessing that you don’t know for sure!)
I had that feeling when I had my last child.  I think the Holy Ghost nudged me to enjoy every moment, every “last” first event.  And I did!
I had the feeling of a “last” this time for Christmas, that there would never be one like it again.  There would no longer be just the five of us following our favorite Christmas traditions.  The previous two Christmases (however you spell that) left us incomplete, with Jennifer and David on missions, but that was okay because they were where they were supposed to be.
So I was determined to enjoy THIS Christmas with my family complete.
I’m not sure if we even decorated the tree (the danger of blogging about it 9 months after the fact).

But we did send off a Christmas card (even if we didn’t manage to get a family photo.)

The kids, for years, spent the night together in the same room, but David refused to this year   He even got up first.

Let us not forget the entire reason we gather to celebrate. . .

Now I don’t know for certain that it was truly a “last” but the prompting was there and I took the time to enjoy every minute of it.

Less Than Two Weeks to Go!

I looked at my calendar today and gasped! Christmas is less than two weeks away. What have I done to prepare?

Not much.

I bought, wrapped, packaged and sent two boxes to two missionaries. I admit, one of them was not done until today. (Hope it makes it there in time!)

Paul, however, is on the ball. He put up the lights before Thanksgiving. And he completed the job with no help this year (since most of his helpers aren't around at the moment.)

Doesn't it look nice?

(and wintry weather is on the way.)

I decided that I should probably do something to liven up the house. So I pulled out the Christmas decor . . .but for some reason, I just don't feel like putting most of it out. The theme this year seems to be simplify.

Here are most of most decorations:

Notice the cool handwriting. . . not mine, but the painting is!

We need to have Santa and some reindeer.

Allie insisted on having a Christmas Countdown. (I have three of them, but this was the one she wanted over all the others!) Allie got to put 12 on all in one day! She was a bit annoyed to find the velcro off one of the ornaments, but that is easily fixed . . . just not today.

A couple of plaques for the walls.
But the more important part of Christmas is the spiritual side that is sadly overlooked by many.

Anyone who knows me very well, knows that I love nativities. I have a collection of them but not enough room to put them all out.

I wish I had room for all of them. It's so hard to choose! These are the lucky ones this year.
So it looks like we are almost ready for Christmas in our house!

Fooled ya!

We bought an artifical tree last year and it's still in the garage. But this is the spot where it will go (when we get around to it.)

And there is still some buying and lots of wrapping to be done.

And the Christmas cards.

And the Christmas baking.