November 29, 2015

Christmas Countdown 2015

As always, we are excited to have a countdown to our favorite holiday of the year! If you want to follow along, here is our schedule (adapt as needed for your family):

Day One, Tuesday 12.1.15
Song:  Silent Night (#204)
Scripture: Luke 1:11-17
Reading/Video:  Elder Holland “Christmas Within You” https://www.lds.org/liahona/2012/12/christmas-within-you?lang=eng
Activity: Print Christmas coloring pages and color

Day Two, Wednesday, 12.2.15
Song:  Stars were Gleaming (Children’s #37)
Scripture: Malachi 3:1
Activity:  Make snowflakes and hang around the house

Day Three, Thursday, 12.3.15
Song:  Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful (#202)
Scripture: Isaiah 9:6-7
Reading/Video:  “A Different Kind of Christmas Tree” https://www.lds.org/bc/content/ldsorg/topics/christmas/resources/adifferentkind-eng.pdf
Activity:  Hallie to buy a present for Flor

Day Four, Friday, 12.5.15
Song:  Picture a Christmas (Children’s #50)
Scripture: Luke 1:26-33
Reading/Video:  David Archuleta and Motab’s “Silent Night” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNep23JerIk
Activity:  Go to Library and check out Christmas books

Day Five, Saturday, 12.6.15
Song: Who is the Child (Children’s #46)
Scripture: Matthew 1:18-19
Reading/Video:  Matt and Mandy “A Wonderful Christmas” https://www.lds.org/children/videos-music/matt-mandy?lang=eng#a-wonderful-christmas
Activity: BYU Game/Temple Square

Day Six, Sunday, 12.6.15
Song:  The Nativity Song (Children’s #52)
Scripture: Isaiah 7:14
Reading/Video:  “Thoughtful Gifts” https://www.lds.org/liahona/2011/12/thoughtful-gifts?lang=eng
Activity: Watch the First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional

Day Seven, Monday, 12.7.15
Song:  Mary’s Lullaby (Children’s #44)
Scripture: Matthew 1: 20-25
Activity:  Write letters to Santa

Day Eight, Tuesday 12.8.15
Song:  Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (#209)
Scripture: Luke 1:39-56
Reading/Video:  The King’s Singers and MOTAB “Angels from the Realms of Glory”
Activity: Mishell to buy a present for Jace

Day Nine, Wednesday, 12.9.15
Song:  Samuel Tells of the Baby Jesus (Children’s #36)
Scripture: Luke 2:1-7
Reading/Video:  Christmas Orange Story
Activity: Ogden lights

Day Ten, Thursday, 12.10.15
Song:  Away in a Manger (#206)
Scripture: Luke 2:8-14
 Reading/Video: Natalie Cole and the Motab’s “Hark the Herald Angels Sing!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSE7s3NCr6c
Activity: Flor to buy a present for Mishell

Day Eleven, Friday,  12.11.15
Song:  Joy to the World (#201)
Scripture: Luke 2:15-20
Reading/Video: The King’s Singers and MOTAB “O, Holy Night” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU2TlwcH3h4
Activity:  Ward Party

Day Twelve, Saturday  12.12.15
Song: Angels We have Heard on High (#203)
Scripture: Exodus 13:2
Reading/Video:  Alfie Boe and the MOTAB’s “Bring him Home” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI4jb-Aca9M
Activity: Gingerbread Houses

Day Thirteen, Sunday, 12.13.15
Song:  Once Within a Lowly Stable (Children’s #41)
Scripture: Luke 2:21-24
Reading/Video:  President Monson “The Best Christmas Ever” https://www.lds.org/liahona/2008/12/the-best-christmas-ever?lang=eng
Activity: Stake Nativities

Day Fourteen, Monday, 12.14.15
Song:  Have a Very Merry Christmas (Children’s #51)
Scripture: Matthew 2:1-5
Reading/Video:  David Archuleta and the MOTAB’s “Joy to the World” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4CSJvzGai4
Activity:  Make toast and hot chocolate and listen to Christmas music

Day Fifteen, Tuesday, 12.15.15
Song: The Shepherd’s Carol (Children’s #40)
Scripture: Luke 2:25-35
Activity: Jace out to buy a gift for Hallie

Day Sixteen, Wednesday,  12.16.15
Song:  Little Jesus (Children’s #39)
Scripture: Luke 2:36-38
Reading/Video: Brian Stokes Mitchell and MOTAB’s Sleigh Ride https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w2UZAKTOVI
Activity: Watch Santa’s reindeer online

Day Seventeen, Thursday,  12.17.15
Song:  Away in a Manger (Children’s #42)
Scripture: Hosea 11:1
Reading/Video:  A Savior is Born video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_TEOyhy7Bg
Activity:  Mom and Dad to Forgotten Carols, Kids watch a Christmas movie

Day Eighteen, Friday, 12.18.15
Song:  Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains (#212)
Scripture: Matthew 2:13-15
Reading/Video:  Motab’s Carol of the Bells https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-W2Bkz_Rno
Activity: Read all our Christmas books

Day Nineteen, Saturday, 12.19.15
Song:  I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (#214)
Scripture: Matthew 25:40
Reading/Video:  An Angel Foretells Jesus’ Birth to Mary https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/an-angel-foretells-christs-birth-to-mary?lang=eng
Activity:  Visit Santa

Day Twenty, Sunday 12.20.15
Song:  The First Noel (#213)
Scripture: Matthew 2:16-18
Activity:  Neighbor Gifts

Day Twenty One, Monday, 12.21.15
Song:  When Joseph Went to Bethlehem (Children’s #38)
Scripture: Micah 5:2
Activity: Watch a Christmas movie and have hot chocolate

Day Twenty Two, Tuesday, 12.22.15
Song:  Christmas Bells (Children’s #54)
Scripture: Matthew 2:19-23
Activity:  Thanksgiving Point lights/Sleigh Ride

Day Twenty Three, Wednesday, 12.23.15
Song:  With Wondering Awe (#210)
Scripture: Luke 2:39-40
Reading/Video:  Why We Need a Savior video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly7c9scxB9I
Activity:  Make sugar cookies for Santa

Day Twenty Four, Thursday, 12.24.15
Song:  O Little Town of Bethlehem (#208)
Reading/Video:  Glad Tidings of Great Joy Video: The Birth of Jesus Christ https://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/glad-tidings-of-great-joy-the-birth-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng
Scripture/Activity: Act out the Nativity


 Merry Christmas!!

November 19, 2015

Family Pictures 2015

We interrupt this long break on the blog to bring you our family photos this year! I do love a good fall family photo session and since we had a new addition this year, it was at the top of our list to get our pictures taken when we got home. I enlisted the amazing Terra Cooper to take our pictures this year. I met Terra through the adoption community and I have always loved her photography. Since we moved, we are now neighbors-ish, so this was the year!

She did such a fabulous job...I love how the pictures turned out! Here are a few of our favorites.