The Creche

One thing that I miss about living in Bangor is the annual Creche exhibit hosted by the Bangor ward. With over 1000 nativities on display, its the event of the season! People flocked from all over to see the various scenes. Last years theme was culture and they had nativities from all over the world from many backgrounds. It was amazing! Although I'm disapointed I couldn't be there this year for the Creche, I still have my very own to enjoy. My father built the backdrop and each year for Christmas my grandmother has been adding to the set. I love the Willow tree figurines. Apparently, Juliette does too. She can't keep her hands off them. She always moving around the sheep and wisemen. The other day she asked where the foolish man was. Children say the most precious things. I'm thinking about buying Juliette a children's nativity set, one that she can play with and set up alongside mine, but I haven't come across one that I really like. I would like it to be wooden, just because I really don't like plastic. I've looked around, but I guess I'll wait until they go on clearance after Christmas.

First (real) Snow

Tonight we're getting our second snow storm, but this time the snow has accumulated enough to make a snowman! I have to admit I'm not a huge fan of the cold weather and I really don't like (walking in) snow, but I have to say what a beautiful sight it is! And it really brings out the Christmas spirit! This evening Juliette and I went outside after the snow had let up to explore a bit. She had a lot of fun using me as snowball target practice. Yikes!

Church Party

Last night our church held its annual Christmas party. I have never seen so many people packed into the cultural hall, not even our weekly service hosts this many church goers! The party was a blast! Soups and sandwhiches were the entree with delicious bread by Panara. People gathered together to sing Christmas music, children decorated sugar cookies, we ate soup out of bread bowls, and even had a special guest appearance by St. Nick himself! (I hear he's now taking lessons) Anyway, I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed getting together with my church family, I am thankful to have them. I am thankful for the church, our church leaders, and I am thankful for this time of year and for Jesus Christ and his antoning sacrifice. Merry Christmas!

Sugar and Spice

Every year since Juliette was born we have constructed, designed, and decorated our very own gingerbread house. Aside from opening all her presents on Christmas morning, this has got to be her favorite activity (mine too) of the season, along with her advent calendar and decorating sugar cookies. We always have such a blast doing it! This year we decided to use the candy that came with the gingerbread house kit, previous years we have gone out and bought our own-because brand name chocolate and candy taste better right? True, but we never actually EAT the candy we put on the house or the gingerbread either! So whats the sense in wasting candy when we can just fill our candy bowl instead! So here is a picture of the latest gingerbread house!

(You'll also notice from the picture, that we buy the kits from the store. We have never made our own gingerbread from scratch, that would be too much work)

Christmas in New Hampshire

It seems as though the time is just flying by! Fall has come and gone and here we are only 12 days away from Christmas. Dan is 1/3 of the way through law school and hes finishing out his first semester with a punch! His words were: "I'm going to kick my finals butt!" Juliette has officially entered the "I'm four going on sixteen" stage. And boy was I suprised the first time I asked her to do something and I didn't get the usual "yes mommy", instead her reply was something more like "No, not today mommy, I don't think so, I'm going to do (this) instead." Who knew four year olds could be so bossy, controlling, and independent! I bet you couldn't even tell by this picture!

Don't you wish you could be a kid again?