Saturday was suppose to be a super productive day, but I think Saturday and productive are antonyms and so it was more relaxing and somewhat productive. We got our Christmas cut-out cookies made! This was the first year Lauren was able to join in on the fun. I'm pretty sure last year I did them while she napped.
Messy, messy, messy! There was flour everywhere. She had a great time though. I had an apron on, which I don't wear too often, so Lauren looked at it a little puzzled I explained it was on to keep my clothes clean while we made cookies, so she then prompted "bib, Lauren wear bib." So we got her a 'baby' bib and put it on her. She was so frappin' cute I couldn't stop smiling every time I looked over at my flour covered child. Too bad it didn't do as nice of a job as an apron would have at keeping her clean.
I usually make two batched, so I can give some cookies out as gifts, and this year I did the same. However, Lauren only helped make the first batch and conveniently it was nap time and I had to make the second batch on my own. I have to say, even thought the second batch was neater, faster, and more productive, I had way more fun with the first one!
The relaxing and slow Saturday inspired us to take a Christmas lights tour that evening. After a nice early bath, we got Lauren all dressed in her cozy Santa pajamas and headed out to a neighborhood near by that has two houses on the "Tacky Lights Tour." These house have the lights wired so they coordinate to music, so you tone your radio to the station posted and the light follow the music. Lauren had just as much fun sitting up front in the car as she did watching the lights (we were parked of course, as we watch the lights dazzle us). After sitting through a few songs we strapped her back in the back seat and drove around the rest of the neighborhood and enjoyed all the beautifully decorated houses. We laughed as she asked a few times "out, out?" thinking we'd stop and let her back up front to see the lights, poor thing.
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| All clean and dressed to go take a Christmas lights tour! |
This year has been so much more fun, as we watch Lauren enjoy the Christmas season. Last year she was just too young to understand and partake in the excitement This year she's singing Christmas songs, helping with decorating, making cookies, enjoying decorations, taking about baby Jesus and his birthday, and participating in our advent dinner prayers and candle lighting. She's just so much more aware of everything and it's making the Christmas season just that much more enjoyable!
Today we had a wonderful time at church. She loves being there so much that she said she didn't want to leave. My heart might have bounced out of my chest when I heard that, because like the Grinch's heart, mine grew today. I did not grow up going to church but love everything about church since I came to accept Jesus as my Lord and savior. The people/fellowship, the symbolism, and the fact that it's a special place made especially to meet Jesus and learn about him and God. All of these things make me want to be there more than just on Sunday morning. Our church is very beautiful, but it isn't the building I love. In fact, before we moved, my church back home was a ranch house converted into a church- not the prettiest thing, but that never mattered to me. So to hear Lauren enjoy church so much that she wanted to stay extra today meant so much to me. I'm so grateful as I start seeing signs that she too sees how great church is, how wonderful our God is, and how blessed we are for Jesus. I pray that this love continues to grow and her faith is rooted in God's promises and His love for us. I don't think there is anything I want more for her than that.
We did however end up leaving church and heading home. We got some stuff done around the house. My wonderful husband hung a bunch more stuff up for me, even though it isn't his favorite of tasks. In fact, I believe his exact words at one point today were "...this is why I hate doing this..." and "...there is going to be one day where I've hung up all that will fit on these walls and you won't be able to make me hang things up anymore" but he did it anyway and I'm so grateful. Our room looks so much more like I envisioned it. We took the mirror and two sconces we had hanging upstairs (from when that room was ours) and moved them to our new room and hung up a new picture. Such a cute picture. Decorations on the wall just make a room feel so much more homey and complete.
I also got a small painting job done in the bathroom (needed to paint some molding) and took care of some laundry too. Plus, we watched Brooke today for a few hours while her parents enjoyed a play. So today was pretty productive, and made up for our relaxation yesterday.
What a great weekend! Another week awaits us and I pray that I take each day and moment to remember how blessed we truly are this holiday season. I'll leave you with my favorite Christmas carol. It's my favorite because it reminds us that he's the reason for this season. God's prefect gift to us came to us as a baby. What lucky people we are to have such a giving God.
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