Choose the Light

#LightTheWorld has been a joyful part of our Christmas season. At first, I was worried that trying to accomplish the things on the calendar would just be one more thing to do, or one more thing to feel guilty about not doing. (Talk about having a bummer of an attitude!) 

So, in an effort to add this very inspired initiative to our lives, I decided that I would purposefully try and approach it in a different way than I normally would, and I have kept our "lighting" simple. And I mean really simple.  

I believe it was President Uchtdorf who mentioned we should, "Scatter our Crumbs." With that concept in mind, I have made an attempt to do very small and simple things to help fill the world with more light. At the very least, my life has been filled with more light from my efforts, and for that I am grateful! One day I was simply nice and friendly to a cashier who looked a little intimidating. Another day I donated to The Boy Scouts of America. (I feel weird sharing things I have done, but they told us to share our efforts!) For more on how to #LightTheWorld click: HERE.

This month has been full of activities and music. The older kids are involved in choirs and band, and this is the busy season for them. They have been in and out of the house and rushing off to the next performance. I look forward to their actual school concerts that will take place in the next few weeks. I love celebrating the season with music, and their concerts really bring in the Christmas spirit. 

I have felt really happy lately. My heart is beginning to feel greater peace, and hope. I think for a time, I was actually a bit angry with Heavenly Father. I didn't know I was, but looking back, I think maybe that would be the appropriate emotion to describe how I felt. I will write in more detail about those feelings in the future, when I have a bit more time to think, and write. 

There are supposedly different stages of grief -- with anger being one of them -- but, of course, I do not think I am normal, or that I should follow some pattern that everyone else does. So, I thought I would get to skip over the anger stage, because I am not a very angry person, but nope. I am not above the grieving process. Dang it. The only way I know that I was feeling anger, is because now I am not. It is interesting how we have to know bad to know good. 

Yesterday at church, I had a moment when I was sitting in the Relief Society room, and I was looking around at all the different women. My heart felt so much love for them, and I also felt a bit of sorrow as I wondered what each and every woman has as a trial in their life, because I know that they all have troubles and challenges. I just wish I had the power to scoop all those ladies up and heal them, and help them to be happy. I do not have that power. 

But there is One who does, and that is Jesus. He is everything. And I love Him. I am so grateful for His power in my life. While I may have directed some of my angry feelings towards God, I never directed anger towards Jesus. I will have to ponder on that for a while. I do not have a full understanding of why I felt the way I did. But just thinking about how much I love and need my Savior makes me cry. 

I do love to celebrate Christmas, and I love that the whole world joins in for a season to recognize the Light of the Savior. For our family, we celebrate Jesus all year long. Everyday is a celebration of Christ. I am so grateful to have His Light in my life always! 

So, now to the pictures... in very random order. 

We are avid Studio C fans here. It is watched at least once a day. 

 I went into Sammi's choir room for a parent meeting, and I saw her pictures and quote on the wall.

Daniel needed 4 sweet potatoes for his Barbershop quartet performance. We had to take a trip to the store late at night to get them. Sometimes my kids need the weirdest things.

 This is true! I have the sign by our front door.

 I woke-up one Saturday morning to the sound of a lightsaber fight. They ended up fighting a little too hard, because both lightsabers broke. The Force was too strong, I guess.

A very nice person left this candle on my doorstep to light my day. It was a very nice treat! I love it when things are left on our doorstep. It makes my day. The candle smells SO good!

 It snowed just a little! It is gone now though.

We had Stake Conference. It was really good. They talked a lot about light, and also how we should focus on Jesus more in our talks, lessons, and testimonies at church. I agree!

 We went out for a night drive to look at Christmas lights, and it started snowing right as we left the driveway! It was a little Christmas magic. It was such a fun drive!

There are so many houses with lights out this year, maybe because there is no snow, we feel a need to have more light to fight the dark!

The kids like to stick their heads out the window and freeze their faces off. Don't ask me? I dunno, I just drive. Apparently, it is a total thrill.

I am still reading The Book of Mormon at different times throughout the day. I told my Sunday School class that for me it is easier to "snack consistently" on the scriptures throughout the day, rather than sitting down for a long time to feast on the scriptures all at once. I do end up feasting and spiritually full... I just spread out my spiritual nourishment over the entire day, rather than all in one shot. It just works nicely for me that way. I open the scriptures, and often, especially when I am waiting in the car for kiddos. It has made a world of difference for me!

It was our wedding anniversary on December 4th. I decided last minute to do something special as a family. I took everyone to Winter GardenAGlow. It was so beautiful, and such a fun night. We enjoyed each others company, and the hot chocolate and popcorn.

 Love these kids!

I love being a mother. And I love people who offer to take a picture of all of us together, so I can be part of the family too.

 I love the fire pits along the way to get warm.

 So many lights!

 This was my rainbow for the day. :)

Sammi was not quite in the mood to go out and get cold, but she warmed up physically and emotionally and had fun.

 Henry was so excited about everything. It was pure magic for him.

 Cheese!

 I love this boy, and I think he loves me too. :)

 William wanted a picture with me. He was super excited about doing something so fun.

The kettle corn was yummy, and yes, I indulged. I am still taking it easy with sugar, but I have allowed for some during the Christmas season.

They had the Polar Express train. It was awesome!

 More cheese!

 I have been running, and I must say, not having snow on the ground has been great for that!

There is just a bit of snow on the foothills. The sky does not look like this now, we are currently having an inversion.

Sammi went and sang with her choir at St. Luke's, where Charles died. It was really hard for her to go and face that place. It is so full of memory, and feelings. But she did it, and even though she cried a lot of the time, she said it was worth it to face her own grief, to help other people smile. And that is the lesson there for all of us, right? She was also comforted by friends and even hospital staff who saw her crying, and so she gave others the opportunity to serve her with love. She said they even got to sing about Jesus. She did this on the "Honor your father and mother" day of #LightTheWorld. I love my Sammi.

 Just chilling on the couch watching a show.

 I got this email from William's teacher, it made my day, and made me cry. It came to me on the "Suffer the little children to come to me" day of #LightTheWorld.

And the very next day, I got this email from one of Daniel's teachers... and my heart was very full. They were having a discussion that had to do with death, and Daniel doesn't back down on those conversations, he apparently faces them head-on.

 This is how Henry looked while taking Sammi to school in the freezing morning. Brrrrrr!

We went to the Ward Christmas party. It was amazing, with a Polar Express theme. So much went into creating the magical experience for everyone. The Larsen family and many others helped to make it such a special night. The Polar Express is a big deal in our family, so my kiddos were super excited, especially about the real train! Check out Henry's face! The Russels, a very talented couple in our ward made it.

 Daniel was just as excited about it as the little ones were.

 They even had tickets, and the Bishop was the conductor who punched the holes.

 What a great man.

 All the kids were told to wear their Christmas pajamas.

 Daniel was one of the hot chocolate waiters.

 The Bishopric were the main characters.

 Sammi played the piano as background music.

 I love this...

 There was a dancing 9 foot elf.

 I think Daniel might have a future as a waiter.

At the end of the ward party, they asked if anyone wanted the train, and I said, "Pick me! Pick me!" We got to bring the train home to display in our front yard! Woo-Hoo! Or I should say, "Choo-Choo!" The kids almost peed their pants with excitement.

 It is pretty fantastic.

 Grandpa sent us a package with one of our favorite Christmas treats. Yum!

We went for a walk around a neighborhood to look at lights. There are some really great displays out there. 

 We just love going on drives as a family, with music, and singing.

 This is one of my new favorite quotes...

Choose the light way, and be happy. We must always choose the light!