Christmas is Coming!

 

Last Saturday we got out all the Christmas decorations, got lights on the house and picked up a great tree... my favorite tree ever!  I'm not in love with the decorations on the tree this year, but the kids really wanted to help put the ornaments on.

 A wreath I made a few years ago... and my nativity. :)

We also had our Ward Christmas Bunch.  The Primary helped with the Nativity production and Lily sang the 2nd verse of "If I Had Been in Bethlehem" all by herself.  She sounded beautiful. :)

Here is Lily and her friend Lacy waiting to see Santa.

All my kiddos on Santa's lap.

Then last night we were able to go to a wonderful performance of the Nativity.  It felt very real and for the first half of the performance I could not hold back the tears.  I was a cry baby for sure.  I just can't explain how real it felt to watch Mary and Joseph accept the stable, have the Son of God there, lay him in the hay that the sheep were eating, then see the shepherds and Wise Men come from afar to worship him.  I'm so glad we got to experience that with Lily and Isaac.  It was a cold night so I'm grateful we didn't have to bring Caleb.

The kids had fun seeing the live animals before the production.   Isaac feeding the donkey.

 Isaac feeding the goats.

 Rapunzel... I mean, Lily, feeding the donkey.

After the performance they welcomed the children to come up and see the baby.  Here is my quick picture of the kids going over to meet "baby Jesus".  Lily said to us afterwards, "I felt the Holy Spirit," and Isaac said, "me too."  That was all I needed this Christmas!