Targhee, Monica, Leilani, and TJ Cole: Christmas Prep

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Christmas Prep

Leilani was my big helper this year with our

Christmas decor.

She actually did a really good job with the tree ornaments and I decided to leave them that way the whole season. It made me smile.

(p.s. If you're thinking to yourself, "Why doesn't Monica ever put clothes on her children?" because every picture of Leilani these days are of her in her PJ's...well, #1 you pick your battles and #2 my daughter has an imagination like no one I've ever known and she becomes what she is wearing. So to her, these are not just pajamas, these are costumes/dress ups and she is actually being the Zebra right now... so there you go.)

There is something sacred about a lit Christmas tree. I could sit in the living room and stare at it for hours. It just brings a reverent feeling to the room.

My mom and dad gave each of their seven daughters this nativity set last Christmas so that while they were on their mission we would still all feel connected because we each would have this displayed in our home. I thought of my mom and dad every time I looked at it. They are such wonderful examples to me and our family of service and sacrifice and I am so grateful they chose to serve the people in South Africa at this time.

My mom has a gazilion nativities and I probably only set up a half gazilion:)

Leilani and I set one out each day. It was so fun to watch her pick each piece and place it in the scene around the baby Jesus. She was not confused at all that it was Christ's birthday we were celebrating.

The Christmas/Reverent Room

Gingerbread houses.

We had a hard time getting anything on the house because a sneaky little elf kept eating the trimmings:) I'm not gonna say who the sneaky little elf was either