Christmas in Cali

Like most people :) Christmas has been on our minds a lot lately. 

When it's this time of year and you are married to this guy: http://www.break.com/video/ugc/traever-jolliest-sweater-of-all-237969 there is always Christmas music and candles wafting through the house, which I do love, but this year it's definitely been a little odd with the sounds and smells of Christmas when it feels so warm. The other day I went to get the mail, as I pulled Christmas cards from the mailbox I found a couple of fresh lemons on the curb that had rolled down the street. And over the past few weeks as Traever studied hard for finals the kids and I enjoyed the warm weather- bike rides, Adalai picked flowers, we went on a few strolls in the neighborhood, and a trip to the Safari Park and all the while I tried to wrap my mind around the fact that it is Christmas time. The closest that we have gotten to snow was a gentle rain that resulted in a rainbow right behind our house.  I guess this is what Christmas in California looks like.

Traever hit the books hard this month but still welcomed some study breaks with the kids

One day this was about the only thing we could do to keep Thatch happy and after he had his turn the girls wanted theirs.

I guess it didn't disappoint.  Even now, when the kids see him with his robe they ask to be wrapped in it.

Traever and his study buddy (the nursery doubles as his office).

Praise God for 1 semester down! By His grace Traever made it through finals and he did so so well. Of the 3 grades he's gotten so far all have been A's! (he still has 2 more grades to get) Meantime Thatch learned to crawl. Here's some pics of our man on the move.

He darts for the fridge whenever the door swings open. 

And another favorite thing of his... escaping diaper changes. He's gotten pretty successful at getting out of my grip.

Even with all of the sunshine and rainbows :), our hearts and minds are back in central IL. There is something about being in a warm and cozy home when it's freezing cold outside and more then that there is nothing that can take the place of spending time with the ones you love.

 There are many things that we wish we could have been back for this year:  making Traever's family watch "It's a Wonderful Life" on Thanksgiving night, decorating Christmas cookies with my mom, sister, and nieces, going to Bethany Baptist's "A Community Christmas" program, reuniting the jolly octet: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=206389936199&set=vb.607141199&type=3&theater , and of course all of the gatherings with family and friends to celebrate Christmas.

Even though we weren't home to enjoy those things we've tried our best to continue some of those traditions here.

We still watched "It's a Wonderful Life" and Traever did his best to persuade Adalai that it was the best movie ever and to persuade me to name our next daughter (if we have another) Zuzu.

The girls and I had fun making Christmas cookies and delivering them to our neighbors.

Adalai pulled out her little rolling pin :) to help with the sugar cookies.

Some friends of ours had a Gingerbread man party complete with a giant cardboard gingerbread house that they got to decorate. Fun!

Adalai enjoyed decorating hers...

...while Rem enjoyed eating hers.

 

We've gotten to watch Christmas movies by the light of the Christmas tree :). If you are looking for kid friendly ones to watch we've enjoyed watching Mickey Mouse's Christmas Carol and the old fashioned "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". 

For a few years now I've gotten a big stack of Christmas books from the library for Adalai to read at Christmas time. Last year I did a better job of reading one to her every day in December, but even if we don't get to it she enjoys looking through them.

We were blessed to get to go the Nutcracker this year to see her friend and classmate perform!

And since we left all of our Christmas stuff back in IL (thinking that we would be back for Christmas) we ended up making all of our Christmas decorations. Adalai was second first in command on this front.

The girls have enjoyed making cards to send to their friends and family.

And all of these things would be empty and void if we didn't know the meaning and the true joy of the season. So we've been celebrating Christmas by remembering how it all began. When a limitless God made Himself so so very small to save us. We didn't do anything good to compel His coming... in fact we did something very bad, we rebelled against Him and yet out of His love and goodness He chose to enter our world to come to our rescue. I overheard a mom yesterday at the grocery store sternly threaten her son, "Remember what I've said, if you don't behave then Santa is not coming". I'm so thankful that I can tell my kids that the best gift has come and doesn't depend upon them behaving but upon a faithful loving God. Love this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiSTHmFshRM

Since we left all of our Christmas stuff back in storage in IL we made up our advent activities this year and because I waited too long I decided to just use the Jesus Storybook Bible (a book we had on hand), I found some printables on pinterest and made an ornament for each story we read. Adalai has loved this and it's been such a good reminder to all of us that so many stories of the Bible point to Jesus, our rescuer, our hope.

And Rem has been enjoying the advent calendar that we made this year (based off of the Noel Piper Advent Calendar). A friend of mine suggested the calendar and although it took some effort to pull it together I think it was worth it.

We've had a lot of fun celebrating Joy of the season. We will miss our friends and family back in the midwest but are so thankful for the many many ways that God has blessed us here! We love and pray that you all have a very Merry Christmas!!!