Testimony (FHE), our Grateful Christmas, and other Moving Musings

Lesson:  On Testimony (from Elder Bednar's talk "More Diligent and Concerned at Home").  

We talked about the testimonies we feel in our heart, how we share them, and how they are unique.

Activity:  Hide and Seek (chosen by the twins)

Treats:  Popcorn

This year we are having a "Grateful Christmas."  The goal is to remember all the gifts that we've been given already, the blessings that have been piled upon our heads and the ones the continually flow in and out of our lives and our home.  The media does a really great job of saying "look, here's something you don't have" or "everybody wants and is getting one of these this season."  We're going against that grain this year.  We've started our "Christmas Blessings" chain which will serve as our Christmas tree garland this year.  It's a whole ten inches long already, but I have a feeling we'll get to ten feet before Christmas Day can stop us.

Asking the kids about their blessings is more than entertaining.  Whenever I ask A, she says "my healthy body!"  When I ask E he says "name them one by one."  (In honor of my Grandma Grace I sang that song over and over in November--"Count Your Many Blessings" was her favorite hymn.)  They're all still a little young for a really creative brainstorm of ideas, but I like that they have such strong associations with the concept of "gratitude".

And finally moving.  (I told you that we're moving to Virginia, right?)  It seems like every other thought I have these days is related to moving.  When you add in all of the other things I have to be thinking about (ex. dirty dishes, baskets of laundry, getting our house ready for rent, "Mom, I have to use the potty", etc.) I have only about one in twenty thoughts to expend on Christmas preparations.  

Today I remembered to bring out our Christmas House, an already beloved Christmas decoration gifted to us by our Washington Grandma K.  What's your favorite Christmas countdown tradition?

 (Photo by A who wants in on the photography action though she is only two.)