Holidays

29 Nov 2012 1 Comment

Skipping Christmas Tree Cutting & Decking our Halls Tradition

It’s been our family tradition to cut our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving and decorate it that same day we took it home from the farm. Sadly, it was a little different this year. We actually spent the Thanksgiving weekend shopping – lots and lots of shopping that we were all exhausted!

I truly believe Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. A time to celebrate the birth of Christ and God’s gift to us. When that becomes so commercialized & overdone it isn’t as special anymore so I honestly rather spend time with family at the farm cutting our tree than shopping. But unfortunately, we had to buy a lot of “pasalubongs” (gifts) for the Philippines.

This week is the week that I’m normally “all done” dragging bins down from the garage shelves and get our Christmas decor on. At this time last year, I would sit with hubs on our couch while sipping a hot cup of coffee and enjoy our Christmas decorations.

I am honestly a little bummed out that we don’t have any Christmas decorations this year but it just doesn’t make sense to put them up since we’ve been so busy preparing for our trip because we’re leaving in 10 days and won’t be back until almost the New Year. Instead of warm and cozy like the picture above, our house is so cluttered – shopping bags, unwrapped gifts and luggage everywhere!

I am happy though. And excited. And thankful that God has given as the means to be able to take our entire family to the Philippines for 3 weeks. Michael’s never been back since his family left when he was only 1 year old. I know that it would be so special for my sister that we’re all going to be there for her wedding day.

And I am honestly looking forward to sit back and relax in Palawan after her wedding!

Bust most importantly, I’m so excited to see friends and family and spend  Christmas with them once again!

 

by Joy in Holidays, Traditions

02 Jan 2012 1 Comment

2011, A Blessed Year

2011 has been a year of trials for our family and with the ups and downs of everyday life, sometimes we fail to realize the good things going on around us. I have been thinking about the previous year and I am finding that our family have too many things to be thankful for. I am amazed at how much God has done.  If there was one word to describe our lives, it would probably be “blessed.”

After one crazy year, it feels pretty good to focus on the good things instead of the list of bad things. Back in May, Jordan fell and had stitches on his lips. But wow, it could have been much much worse. Two months later, I was stuck in the hospital for over 5 weeks due to placenta previa and my scheduled c-section didn’t go as planned. I had to go under at the last minute but Jayden and I are both healthy and he is now a bouncy 5-month old!

It’s hard not to look back on this year and think wow, God was really taking care of us. I know I am blessed beyond measure, and all I really need to do is look around me. To just glance at all the toys scattered around our house. Food crumbs under the table where Jordan’s high chair is. Jayden’s binky on my night stand. My parents’ eye glasses sitting next to the coffee pot. My husband’s socks on the floor in our bedroom (yes, it usually annoys me). All these things are simple yet the most profound  reminder & symbols of a life well lived and well loved.

I’m also glad that I have thousands and thousands of pictures with captured moments to remind me of these blessings. I am hoping and praying that our 2012 will be as great if not better than 2011. 

 

 

by Joy in Holidays, Reflections

30 Dec 2011 No Comments

Our Family Christmas 2011

The Christmas season is a wonderful time of family traditions, togetherness and goodwill, and I know that the spirit of Christmas often gets lost in the rush to buy gifts and go to parties so Michael and I make sure to teach our children about the true meaning of the holiday.

We let them enjoy Santa while they are little and innocent but we also teach them about the birth of Jesus Christ and that he is the true reason for the season.

In our household on Christmas Eve, we made gingerbread house, baked cookies and cooked a lot of holiday food.

Then at night, before the kids went to bed, a plate of cookies and a glass of milk was left for Santa.

These cookies were made by the loving little hands that belong to our cherished 2-year old.

My heart was filled with absolute and pure happiness as I watched my toddler’s eyes sparkle on Christmas morning when he found out that Santa ate the cookies, drank the milk and left a bunch of gifts!

Big J was so excited to find a bunch of trains in his stocking & he even helped little J in checking out what Santa left in his stocking.

After opening all our presents, I made some french toasts made out of cinnamon raisin bread with apple streusel which was a perfect Christmas morning breakfast!

 

by Joy in Celebrations, Holidays, Life in Photos

20 Dec 2011 No Comments

Only Five Days Until Christmas?!! Eeeek!

Our family just got back from our 10-day vacation in Virginia. Before we left, I was honestly dreading the air travel with a baby and a toddler but I’m so glad to report that the boys did so well during all the flights. Michael & I kept telling Jordan that we’re so proud of him for being a good little traveler. I will blog about air travel with baby and toddler after the holidays and will share you travel tips and things that worked for us.

Christmas is fast approaching and with us being away from home for almost 2 weeks, I feel like there’s so much that I needed to do. I’m already in panic mode because we still need to get presents for the boys and for everyone else on our list. I swear, our Christmas to-do list is still a mile long and with so many things on my mind, my brain seem to have stopped working!

 

 

 

by Joy in Holidays

07 Dec 2011 No Comments

Bee, Our Elf on the Shelf

Our Elf on the Shelf made an appearance at our home last weekend right after we watched the Elf on the Shelf movie with the boys. I don’t know why but Jordan named him Bee.

For those who may not be familiar with this new holiday tradition, it begins when the Elf is brought home and introduced to the children.  Each Elf comes with a book, that the parents and children read together to awaken the Elf’s magical powers.  The children then get the very special task of naming the Elf. Each night, when the children are in bed, the Elf uses his magical powers to fly up to the North Pole to give Santa the full report on the children’s behavior, or requests from the children such as what they would like for Christmas.  When the Elf returns from his nightly trip to the North Pole, he finds a spot to sit and wait for the children to awaken the next morning. And so it goes, every night the Elf takes a trip to the North Pole and he finds a different spot to sit  upon return.

I do know the true meaning of Christmas is the birth of Christ, but I also love the enchantment it holds for little children and I will continue to bring both into our home until our boys are old enough for believing in Santa Claus.

Does your family have an Elf on the Shelf?

by Joy in Holidays

28 Nov 2011 2 Comments

Ready for Christmas

It’s our family tradition to drive to the foothills to find and cut our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving and decorate it the same day. Unfortunately this year, it was a little different because of the heavy Seattle rain during the week of Thanksgiving. With Michael being under the weather, and Jayden being so little, we decided not to drive to the mountains and we just picked a fresh-cut tree at the local nursery.

We also ordered Jayden’s stocking early enough so we could hang it with the rest of our stockings.

Jordan woke up excited the next morning because the Christmas tree was setup  while he was asleep.

Last night, I just ordered our 2012 family calendars on Shutterfly. Next is to seal & put stamps on our Christmas cards. I’m happy to say that we’re on track and so ready for our Virginia vacation in 2 weeks! ‘Tis the season indeed!

by Joy in Holidays

08 Nov 2011 1 Comment

Jayden’s First Halloween

I know that this is such a late Halloween post but we had been busy preparing for Jayden’s Baptism right after Halloween. Anyway, Jayden celebrated his first Halloween this year.  We just had him wear the same caterpillar costume that his big brother wore for his first Halloween a couple years ago.  We weren’t able to take that many pictures of little J because he was getting so sleepy but we got one before we went out with his big brother.

We took big J to trick or treat in our neighborhood and he had a lot of fun.  Michael and I mostly just enjoyed the experience of having the boys in their costumes. 

by Joy in Halloween, Holidays