Getting the TREE!

I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR!

There is so much faith, magic and love in the air.

A desire to do more, be more and give more.

A time to be with our families and ENJOY them and the love they bring into our lives.

Each year we go and find the "perfect" tree and it seems that each year the price of that perfect tree goes up up up....to the point I think that maybe we just suck it up and get a fake one and pay it off in a year.

But where is the fun in that?

All of the decorations are up and the gifts bought and wrapped under the tree. I hate to wrap presents only to have them unwrapped the next day. I like to look at them and yes I actually like to wrap them and have them look nice.

I am so excited this year. I have made some goals and some new traditions that I hope to bring our family together and let us celebrate the true meaning of Christmas... Christ.

I have set a goal to read the Doctrine and Covenants before the 25th to personally have the Spirit more in my life at this time of year. I chose the Doctrine and Covenants because just recently a girl in my ward/neighbor has just denounced the church and no longer believes in the Book of Mormon and does not think Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God. It has been a hard hit to me and such a huge eye opener. Just a few months ago she bore her testimony about the Book Of Mormon and I remember thinking "Wow! She is strong!". Her husband has been reading Anti-mormon literature and has introduced her to it. Once you go searching is when Satan steps in. Anyone is suseptable to the advocate and anyone can fall at anytime. No mater who your parents are or how you were raised or who your friends are. We are all at risk if we are not actively engaged in strengthening our testimonies. Our testimonies can not stand still. Either we are moving forward and progressing or we are moving backwards (ever so slowly sometimes that we don't even realize we are). We can't be ignorant to think that Satan is not just sitting by watching us waiting for us to let him in just a tiny bit and if we do he will charge in and take over. I can't stop thinking about this girl and I am saddened that she has lost her way. I hope that one day she finds her way back. The day I heard the news I made the choice to move forward and I'm starting by reading my scriptures (especially about Joseph Smith BECAUSE he is a true Prophet of God).

We had Family Home Evening the other night and I am so happy because it actually went really well. The girls listened as we talked about the symbols of Christmas and I think they learned something.

It was a good night and today was a good day as well.

We made some Christmas crafts, I pushed the kids around in the street in the yellow bus that Grandpa gave us. We played soccer, basketball and jumped on the trampoline.

It was awesome because it wasn't too freezing to go outside today.

I missed the backyard...it sure had been awhile.