A Christmas to Remember

Every year during the Christmas season, a song, sometimes one that I've heard many, many times, will stick with me and seem to fit the current season.  This year's song was A Christmas to Remember, sung by Amy Grant.  Here's a little excerpt:

I know it's true
Time doesn't stand still
Many things can change
But we know some things never will
The memories we share
The songs we always sing
The mystery of life
The hopefulness this season brings
And I have a dream or two
Maybe they will come true

Setting our hopes on a big snow tonight
We'll wake up to a world of white
It's gonna be a Christmas to remember
Light up the fire, play some Nat King Cole
Always sentimental and don't you know that
It's gonna be a Christmas to remember

Here are a few reasons why I just couldn't get that song out of my head:
Christmas at our house, which was celebrated on the 12th of December, began as every Christmas should,

with a warm fire and the burning of the yule log (aka last year's Christmas tree).

Joe read the Christmas story from Luke 2 while we all attentively listened. 

Okay, the kids weren't that attentive, and I felt like sleeping or throwing up or at least like laying down, which kept me from being attentive, too.  It definitely wasn't the most reverent reading of the Christmas story I've ever witnessed.  It's tough when you're little and it's also tough when you're big and life doesn't stop for you to have the stomach flu.

After the Christmas story, I went back to lying on the couch and Joe took pictures of the kids in front of the tree.

I have no idea why Xandra is wearing those lovely strawberry glasses, but she wore them the whole evening.  I think I remember her mentioning something about them helping her see better.

The presents in these pictures were literally under the tree less than three (maybe two) hours from wrapping to opening.  I really regretted my decision not to wrap them earlier in the week when I had to hoist myself from my sickbed to wrap them during naptime.  

First up was jammies for everyone.

Next, Xandra and Theia opened up warm, big blankets I made for them from fleece and flannel.

In the weeks before Christmas, Aliyah had taken quite an affection for Theia's bear, AMP (Aletheia Miriam Pull).  This did not set well with Theia.  At some point I had purchased an extra AMP just in case we lost the one Theia loves so much.  Instead of holding on to it for Theia, we decided to give it to Aliyah for Christmas, so she could have a bear of her own.

Thus, on Christmas 2010, CAP (Aliyah Charis Pull) was born.  For several days, Aliyah still preferred AMP, but in the time since, she's gotten pretty attached to CAP.

Another highlight for Xandra was a game called Polly Porcupine.  A fun game with a die and removable porcupine quills.  My friend Christa found this game a few years ago and gave it to us.  Xandra's finally old enough to play and enjoy the game.  We've played it many times since Christmas and even Aliyah and Theia, with assistance, can join in the fun.  

After the kids opened presents we sent them off to bed with their new flashlights.  The flashlights were a gift from Joe and excited the girls more than any other thing.  They told us that now they would be ready to go caroling next year because they could use their flashlights to see the music.  They were up a LONG time playing in the dark together. 

While they played in the dark with their favorite 99 cent gift, we enjoyed another Christmas tradition:  exchanging gifts between Joe and I once the kids are in bed.

Stomach bugs aside, it was a sweet, memorable evening as a family.  A Christmas to remember.