Dashing Through December

Just like always, December was wonderful and exhausting.  Even though it was a crazy time, I think we did our best to make happy memories, have fun, and focus on what really matters.  Those two ladies of ours sure made things more exciting and entertaining.  The loved every minute of Christmas fun, especially early mornings spent watching a movie in their Christmas chairs from Joni and Paul by the light of the Christmas tree.  Truth is they could still be enjoying those twinkling lights as we have yet to take down our tree.  Feeling pretty awesome about that one!

A few must-have moments of Christmas came courtesy of our local mall.  While we weren't willing to fork over the $20 for a picture with Santa, we did allow ourselves to take advantage of Santa's mailbox that could be found at center court.  The girls eagerly wrote out their wish lists and were more than a little excited to place their sealed envelopes in the big man's box.  The mall also provided us a great opportunity for service and learning about giving to others.  Growing up one of my favorite Christmas traditions was always picking a child from the Salvation Army angel tree in the mall.  I was so happy to see one here, and both girls were able to pick a little girl close to their age for whom we could provide a little service.  With their help we chose a toy and outfit for each girl and gave them to the good hands that would be delivering them.  Eliza was rather clueless, but Stella seemed to grasp the idea that someone else might just have a merrier Christmas thanks to our service.  However, she was a bit disappointed that she couldn't meet her new friend or learn her name.

Stella's preschool did it's part to spread a little holiday cheer by visiting the retirement home for a special Christmas performance.  A few musical numbers and one dance solo by Stella later, and I think they accomplished what they had set out to do.  The sweet old ladies were beyond happy to have some visitors, and Stella had a blast.  And I think Stella's first Popsicle Christmas ornament is certainly worth mentioning.  We still aren't completely sure what she was doing when this picture was taken, but she assured me that "I'm not smiling very good."  We love her anyway.

The girls were able to spend a fun day with dad decorating the gingerbread house and visiting Chick-fil-a.  Much to their surprise Santa was waiting with candy canes and miniature stuffed cows when they walked in the front doors.  Everyone's favorite restaurant sent them on their way with beautiful framed photos of two little girls sitting on a mediocre Santa's lap.  Well done, Chick-fil-a.

We enjoyed a spectacular display of lights, another Santa encounter, and a camel (?) when we ventured out to Hansen, Idaho and the Rock Creek General Store.  Small town, Idaho provides all the entertainment one person could ever need, and we sort of like it here.

And yes, a little elf named Addie did visit our house.  I just have to laugh about all the controversy that seems to come out of simple Christmas traditions.  If you don't want to do the elf, great!  If you want to do the elf for 5 months out of the year, great!  You don't want your kid to believe in Santa?  No problem  Just don't get so stressed out about it all, folks!  As for the Palmer family we believe in Santa, and we do the elf thing.  Personally, I don't want to do the elf all month long.  It just wouldn't work for us.  So we do a week.  Addie shows up 7 days before Christmas, and departs with grace and dignity on Christmas Eve.  The girls ate it up this year, and it was so much fun.  I certainly don't want my girls to only behave because an elf is watching or because they think Santa won't bring them presents if they don't.  But I think you can find a nice balance between Christmas magic, and teaching your children about good behavior.  If one month (or in our case, one week) of using a magical character to influence a little extra sweetness from your kiddos completely ruins them for the rest of the year, well that's another problem all together.

Our sweet Addie brought a little noted each night she visited, and the girls loved to find her new hiding spot and read her report when they woke up in the morning.  This year we found her (him?  Still not really sure) in the bathtub, setting up the nativity, driving around with Barbie, and hiding in a stocking.   Every note reminded them that above all, Christmas is about our Savior and we need to make good choices so that we can make Him happy.  

Besides all the fun documented in photos, we also counted down to Christmas with our Christmas book advent, had a family movie night,  attended work Christmas parties, helped throw work Christmas luncheons, sang in ward Christmas symposiums, and enjoyed playing with our Little People and Playmobile nativity sets all day, every day.  These sweet sisters made the Christmas season as magical as it could be, and I feel so lucky to get to share such a special time of year with the people I love the most.  We are so blessed in so many ways, but above all else we are blessed to have each other.