Brandon and Jennifer: The Christmas Tree

I do the honors of shaping the Christmas tree and putting the lights on it.

Kalyssa and Abbee kept me company and worked on their Christmas pin-pokes. We sang to my Christmas CD by the Judds (Oh yeah!).

I woke up William so they could all decorate the tree together. He was really excited that a Christmas tree was in our house! LOL... he's been noticing everything that resembles Christmas lately. The holidays will be fun for him this year.

Baylee and the other kids hung up their own ornaments first. Its fun to open the boxes and when they see the stuff they made over the years... I love to hear, "Oh, I remember that!"

I promised Kalyssa she could put the star on top.

Willie hung up his stocking.

Abbee hung up her stocking and the twin's.

The tree is done! Wonderful job!

It doesn't take these four long to get all the ornaments on the tree.

My absolute favorite thing about the holidays is seeing all 8 stockings in my living room! It warms my soul. :)

Uh, Oh! The twins woke up and walked right up to the tree...

Emmy is touching all the dangling "toys"...

Paisley is too...

Emmy's first ornament she pulled off the tree. She's proud to show me.

"Hey! No. No."

LOL... they both turn to look at me.

Emmy is running around the house with the left over bulbs. We only have shatter-proof ones this year... a must!

Paisley finally got an ornament off and brought it to me in the girl's bedroom where we're decorating their little Christmas tree.

Baylee is putting the beads on...

Will wanted to put the star on top of our other tree, but it wasn't his turn, so he got to on this tree.

Brandon got me a digital picture frame a few years ago. Its been stored away. I got it out and put 99 pictures of Christmas and holiday parties over the last 4 years on it. I LOVE IT!!!

All the fun pictures change every 5 seconds and its hypnotizing... you can't help but watch it. :)

Yeahy! I got all my Christmas decor out... It's officially Christmas time at my house!

Nov 25, 2012

My Favorite Ensign Quotes

"I have found that implementing these five patterns-going to a private place to pray, kneeling, praying vocally, expressing gratitude, and praying for others-has helped me to pause and ponder on what I say in my prayers and has made the experience more meaningful. The Book of Mormon teaches other patterns of prayer as well, including being consistent and giving sufficient time to prayer and meditation. The Savior's prayers in the Book of Mormon include all of these five patterns."

-Patterns of Prayer in the Book of Mormon, October Ensign 2012

My thoughts: I want to make my own prayers more meaningful lately. As I read these patterns I could see what my prayers lacked. When I was pregnant it was very uncomfortable to kneel and pray, so I got in the habit of not kneeling. As President Thomas S. Monson stated, "Kneel to pray." I will follow his counsel and kneel to pray. I know praying vocally will help also.