Holiday Spirit

Being in our callings (with the youth) and close to family (aka nieces and nephews) we have the great privilege of getting to do all the WONDERFUL holiday things that otherwise two “working” twenty-some aged scrooges like ourselves might not get to. Here is what we’ve been up to:

The youth did a gingerbread decorating contest and yours truly made all the frosting (yikes)! The priests constructed the buildings the week before and then the youth got together and decorated them (with the intent on delivering them, but it was just too cold). It was fun to see how creative they got- from making man eating buildings to a mathematically proportioned red structure. It is always interesting to see the creative genius of today’s youth + candy!












We went down to Denver and go to go to a live Nativity with Mylie, Wyatt and Andrew (and Mat and Andi). It was great to see the kids faces light up as we watched the program and to watch them entranced. It was really spiritual and awe inspiring for me also.

The Young Women learned how to make pies (pumpkin, 2 kinds of apple and cheese cake/fruit) and then took them to people in the ward. It was fun to be able to teach them how to make pies and to be with them as they cooked and learnt a new skill (one I am still learning myself). At the end we got to sample the pies- it was really fun and festive.













We had a youth fireside at our house with music and simple Christmas stories. It was wonderful to have the spirit of Christmas in our home. It was great to be surrounded by friends and family while singing songs about the Saviors birth and about people giving and serving. It was a very wonderful experience and I felt the spirit so strongly.

We got to go down to Denver and watch Andrew in his holiday concert. It was so much fun to sit and hear holiday music sung by Andrew’s Elementary School Choir. It was fun to be with family and to support Andrew in his talent. He did a great job and we were so proud of him!

Melinda and Jacob came over to make sugar cookies. One day they cut them out with Grandma’s help and the next day I got to help them decorate. Their ideas of decorating were each different. Melinda wanted to fit as much candy on the cookie as possible. Jacob wanted to distract me so that he could eat the candy. And Alex just wanted to eat the cookies. It was fun being able to decorate with them.













There were so many more experiences and more to come (we get to go ice skating with the youth this week- yay). I am glad that I have been able to experience the simple side of the holidays with family and friends and share the holiday spirit with those I’ve met.