12 Days of Christmas Part 2

There is no partner writing for this post since I got all the text for it off of Facebook.

I love beginning the new year intentionally focusing on the Savior. To me, doing these traditions brings hope that even though we struggle and fail and make our pitiful efforts to be like Him, at least we are trying!

12 Days of Christmas, Day 7: One of the roles that I enjoy the most as a mother is that I have taken on being the family historian. Keeping a record is important to me because I have learned that the way an event is recorded can become more important than the event itself from a historical point of view. 

I feel like an equal partner with Kent as he gives them a father's blessing because he is speaking the words in the moment and I am writing them down to be read and remembered with them in times of need.
We had had a ruckus night. And just a weird day. I almost thought we wouldn't be able to pull this tradition off. But as Kent began to bless each of our children a peace came over us that was tangible. It was a sweet experience. As I was putting Caleb to bed he asked if I could read one of his new BoB Books with him and I said ok. He read the whole thing with me only prompting him three or four times. When he finished he looked up at me, his eyes shining with excitement, and said "Mom! Dad blessed me to be able to learn to read and love books this year and it is definitely working!!" I agreed and gave him a big hug. His faith is so pure! God loves each of us. He is just waiting to bless us!

This morning for the 12 days of Christmas we went to the temple as a family! I can't wait until we can all go inside! smile emoticon 
Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple after he had been circumcised and given a name at 8 days old, that is why we go on the 8th day. 
I know the temple is the House of the Lord.

Jenna got snow in her boots when she climbed over the plowed snow hill so she was done, but everyone else had a great time.

Today for the 12 days of Christmas we had to do one and a half pages. The half page taught us about Christ fasting and the power we gain when we fast, and the whole page was about Christ being obedient and getting baptized even though he didn't need to. Natalie bore her testimony today at church about following His example, and also fasted for Macin without me reminding her too (our extended family member is still missing and she says she is not giving up on him!!). It struck me that my children are much stronger and more valiant than I give them credit for. They teach me everyday! Happy Sabbath to you!

Messiah sing-along for the 12 days of Christmas today as we put away decorations smile emoticon 

WE LOVE CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!!

Happy Twelfth Night! We had a King's Feast to commemorate the Wise Men, complete with wassail and epiphany rolls! 

I think it is significant to note that the first recorded miracle we have from Jesus' life is him helping his mother who was the hostess of a feast. Gathering with family and friends for special occasions was important to Him too!! 

In keeping with tradition I hid a dry bean in four of the rolls. Curtis Anderson please thank your parents for their recipe and tell them that the rolls aren't as good when I make them as I remember them being when you guys would bring us some for Epiphany Day!

In keeping with tradition I hid a dry bean in four of the rolls. Curtis Anderson please thank your parents for their recipe and tell them that the rolls aren't as good when I make them as I remember them being when you guys would bring us some for Epiphany Day!smile emoticon

The kids helped throughout the process (especially Natalie!) but this is the only picture I got- right after the first pan of rolls came out of the oven and while we were making the peppermint brownies.

The only night of the year I drink sometime other than water at a meal!

Jenna prepared a place setting for her baby as well.

Natalie found a bean! Kent was questioning whether or not I had tricked them all and hadn't put any beans in at all!

Caleb's makeshift crown lol!

Seth finding a bean (after my screening of like 6 rolls lol)

Last day of Christmas decor that we left up for the feast!

Happy Epiphany Day!! Three gifts for each of us and now Christmas is officially over!

Until next Christmastime, God bless us, every one!

Notice how it is March?

Yeah. The blog posting had fallen off the band wagon... BUT, we are back and better than ever! You see, I was feeling like we needed a change. Catching up and restarting the family blog was overwhelming and so I just kept putting it off, and even debated giving it up! But it is SO important to me! So I just kept waiting, like the inspiration of what to do was on the tip of my tongue... and then BOOM! It came like a wave over my heart as I listened to a talk by Elder Bednar encouraging the youth to become involved in Family History because of all the blessings it will bring. Hallelujah! I had my answer! The kids and Kent can help me! =o] So from now on this will be a family affair. No longer will our family's history be from only my perspective! They will take turns writing the posts with me. I told the kids about it and they were SO EXCITED!!! For example, Natalie at my elbow right now, and wants to say:
I really can't wait to post everything! It's so exciting because then it will be from my perspective and my siblings! Now it is from everybody!

SO buckle up people; it's a whole new world!! =o]

12 Days of Christmas Part 1

I am so grateful for this tradition. I know it might be over the top for some people, but I am so grateful that my husband and children will go along with it. Each experience is precious to me!

On Christmas night we all gathered in Kent and I's room by the fireplace to do our MacKay Family Christmas Program. It is so fun now that the kids are learning the words to the songs more and more, and can help with the reading.  

I read the first page from our book and then we all went to bed. It had been a wonderful day!

The next day was Boxing Day and we worked hard! Here is my post from fb:

Happy Boxing Day! We celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas from December 25th to January 6th by having a special activity each day leading up to Epiphany Day. The day after Christmas we organize and clean and get some things together to donate that we don't need anymore. Everyone worked so hard! My husband has definitely figured out how to score big points with his wife!! I am so grateful he goes along with my somewhat-crazy traditions and also for the organization bug that bites him every once and a while! Thanks Kent for being so great today!!

I posted about our Christ-centered traditions throughout Christmas and especially these days because of a discussion I had with my friend Carly who is a ward missionary right now. She challenged me to post daily about how the gospel is making a difference in my life. I'm not sure I can do it every single day this year, but on these days it was easier.  

Anyway, Kent and Natalie rearranged Natalie's room so that she could move her school desk up into this corner. 

Here is her new bookshelf. She LOVES it! And she felt so grown up getting to help Kent put it together.

Then Kent and Caleb reorganized the cold storage room and the athletic/storage room. They did a great job! It makes me so happy to get some more space to fill down there. =o]

And here is what I was doing all day! I went through each room with each person and we de-cluttered the house to make room for our new presents, and then we put the new presents away. It was beautiful!! Again from fb:

Our bags for DI! This is a perfect activity for the day after Christmas because everyone is in a giving mood! smile emoticon 

Thank you King Wenceslas for your example at the Feast of Stephen all those centuries ago! Even if it turns out to only be a legend, I still think you and your song are cool!

From fb:

Today for the 12 Days of Christmas we studied about Jesus instituting the sacrament. My favorite part of the discussion was discovering just how blessed we are to get to participate in the sacrament each week when BILLIONS of Heavenly Father's children have never experienced that ordinance. I believe with all my heart that we are given this blessing because we need the protection and strength it can provide if we utilize it! Happy Sabbath to you!!

Today for the 3rd day of Christmas we studied about the interactions of Jesus Christ with the people who lived in America. We also continued our tradition for this day of marking a copy of the Book of Mormon to give to a close friend who didn't have one already. We each chose one story and a color to highlight with, and then I wrote in the margins and underlined with a pen. I hope the friends we gave this gift to can feel our love for them. I hope they can gain peace and strength as we have as a family from this remarkable book. I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ! I am so grateful for my family! I am so grateful for Christmastime!

It took me basically all day to get this done. Mostly because I was interrupted like every minute. But I'm so glad I persevered because it was a great experience to go and give the book to our friends the Lizano family.  

I also gave another copy of the Book of Mormon to my friend Jenn this Christmas. It took me months to read and mark for her though, because I read the whole thing and marked all the references to women in it. I wrote my testimony in the back of the copy- it took 27 pages. I hope she will read it. 

From fb:

Today for the 12 Days of Christmas we wrote our thank you cards. Aka we did art projects that happen to say thank you on them. Someday they will express gratitude specifically about the gifts they received, but for now this will do!

I love the tradition of making gingerbread houses! We made them each year growing up and had the best time creating delectable winter wonders! But now I love this tradition because it reminds me of how much we need the Savior. I mean, look as these houses! Our best efforts are futile. Our houses are ridiculously fragile and flawed! But He would never laugh at us or make us feel ashamed when we have tried our best. He will help us transform our little cardboard shacks into celestial mansions if will just let Him in when He comes knocking on our door. He loves each of us so much!

Today for the 12 Days of Christmas we learned about Jesus being intentional. This is one of the most important words in my testimony of His Gospel. During the day I took the time with each kid to read over their blessings from the past year, and the goals they set last New Year's Eve. Then tonight we set goals individually and as a family for the coming year and honestly, I couldn't be more excited to see what we make of it! After some celebrating and putting the kids to bed Kent and I read our patriarchal blessings together. This is one of my most cherished traditions. I can't think of a better way to start the new year intentionally. Bring it on 2016!!

I made Chex Mix for Kent and he got to watch some football games. He was in heaven!

We played this hilarious game Caleb gave Kent for Christmas. We love pancakes and games so it is the perfect match!

Seth even scored a goal!!

Rockin' out in our ghetto basement! We love riding scooters around down there now that there is snow outside so oh well!

Kent surprised us with some extra New Year's Eve fun- poppers! 

Coming up with new goals was so awesome! It was hard for me to let go of my goal "make our home like the temple" from last year because I feel like we still need improvement, but we can always circle back around to it next year! And I LOVE how often our family goals have come up since this night! It is a built in motivator! 

We are going to potty-train Seth. We are going to learn to not yell or die trying! We are going to remember to close the door when using the toilet, not splash around wildly when using the bathtub, and not smear toothpaste and the like on the sink/counter/mirror!! The next one is self explanatory and has been brought up multiple times every day by everyone from Kent to Jenna! I taught Family Home Evening about the Sabbath this past Monday and I have to say it was quite possibly the most calm FHE we have ever had. Everyone participated and was engaged the whole time! Granted, the lesson lasted less than 10 minutes, but progress is progress people! Seth saying the sweetest prayer I have ever heard ALL BY HIMSELF for the first time is probably what set the tone for the meeting. The first Sabbath of the year, especially being a fast Sunday, was a meaningful one for me. I hope the trend continues. And the last goal stems from the trap I am scared of falling into of doing everything for the kids because I don't have a baby to take care of. I don't know if this makes sense to you, but I catch myself doing things because it is just faster and easier for me to do them sometimes instead of making everyone do their own part. But we want to kids to do what they can, and learn to do what they can't! It is more than fine to get help after we have tried our best, and it is also more than fine to need help because we don't even know where to start! What is not okay is having a house elf: me. I am not a servant and I am working myself out of a job this year so help me!

The last phrase is our family motto this year. It comes from a show the kids used to watch a long time ago called the Wonder Pets. Jenna and Seth hadn't seen it but they knew the ditty because we sing it all the time. We showed them an episode so they would understand it better. LOVE IT!

Then I took everyone upstairs to get on pajamas while Kent set up another surprise- popping streamers!! 

Such good times! The kids went to bed without even complaining about not getting to stay up late, In fact, Kent and I didn't stay up until midnight either, though we got woken up by all the fireworks. We live in the fireworks state!!

It has been such a full year. So much goodness! So many blessings!! I am looking forward to the awesome memories we will make in 2016!!!