Easter Weekend

The sunshine over Easter weekend was warm and glorious – just what my soul needed!

The other day when I finally got around to downloading the pictures from our camera {yes, life has been a bit hectic and intense lately}, it made me happy to go through them because for nearly three full weeks following that weekend, we have been getting consistently drenched with Spring rainstorms!

I have known since January that Easter was going to come early this year (March 31st), but it still seemed like it snuck up on me.  I didn’t get any pictures snapped on Easter morning when we were all dressed up (I needed to be at Church early for choir practice), but I did get quite a few from our family egg hunt.

Trying to get all four kids to look happy and at the camera at the same time is not an easy feat!

Last Easter Ari wasn’t much into the egg hunt thing (probably because he wasn’t even one and he didn’t even know how to walk at the time), but it was absolutely delightful to watch him get into the action this year.

Once he discovered there were chocolate spoils hidden in his eggs, there was no stopping him!  {Thankfully each egg only had one M&M in it so if he ate them all at once, it wasn’t a big deal.}

All the kids seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves. I am definitely grateful we have a backyard to have so much fun in.

I adore the carefree and happy feelings this picture evokes!
Life is good!

After our egg hunt, Keri surprised us with a sweet, little Easter gift – some Spring magnets that now live on our fridge!

Her thoughtfulness and generosity continually inspire me to be a better person!

On Easter morning, the kids woke up to pictures of Christ hung up all over our home and a little Easter gift.

I cherish the Easter season and all it represents!

Keeping Christmas

“Home for the holidays.”

Last year was a first for our family – staying put in Western Washington to celebrate Christmas with just the six of us.  This year, we chose to do the same thing.  It’s a bittersweet decision because we miss seeing all of our extended family and spending this special time of year together with them.  But then on the other hand, it is enjoyable to be in our own home and starting our own family traditions during this blessed season.

We spent the afternoon and evening of Christmas Eve together with my “sister from other parents” and her husband and two daughters.  We cooked, played games, laughed, ate chocolate, chatted, enjoyed a delicious meal, exchanged gifts and read the Nativity.  It was a simple and delightful time.

When we got home later in the evening, we opened our Christmas Eve package from Grandma and Grandpa.  The kids loved their holiday Beanie Babies (Ari enjoyed his the next morning, he fell asleep on the car ride home).  Randy appreciated the socks he got and I like the new kitchen towels and other items I received.

Before going to bed, Eli helped us get a plate ready for Santa.  He wanted to give him 4 cookies since he is four years old.  He was also insistent that we give something to Santa’s reindeer.  He looked around the kitchen for some ideas.  I suggested some carrots or a banana.  After thinking for a minute, he matter-of-factly stated he wanted to leave a tomato for the reindeers.  I love that kid (and tomatoes!).  This is one of my new favorite pictures.

Keri surprised us with a hand crafted ornament she created from a sewing kit she had in her room. She knows how much I love nativities, so she sewed us our very own Baby Jesus ornament.  Eli also has a fascination with Baby Jesus.  Nearly all month long he went around singing the song “Baby in a Manger” which he was learning in Primary at Church.  [Brief side note - Eli also thought that Baby Jesus really came to our Ward Christmas party.  He really wanted to see him in the manger while Keri was playing Mary.]

Once the kids were all settled and asleep, and after I spent some time on the phone with some siblings, we got the house ready for Christmas morning.  The holiday shopping is nearly always done by Halloween or Thanksgiving, but the wrapping is what is hard for me to stay on top of.  It is challenging to do it in secret when your kids get older and stay up later.  Thankfully we were able to get it done before Christmas Eve this year … just barely.

Here are the kids on Christmas morning.  They were all up by about 8:00, though Ari had been up for awhile.  [I forgot to get a picture of all of us together next to the tree.  Hopefully I'll remember to do that next year.]

Before opening gifts, the kids first open their stockings.

We take turns opening presents, from youngest to oldest. I am surprised at how much Ari was into opening things!  Our other kids could care less when they were this age about unwrapping things.  Ari really enjoys throwing and kicking balls. He was thrilled with the gifts he got.

Eli has been very into super heroes and Star Wars lately.

Keri adores owls and really liked the new owl jewelry she received.

Cory has been obsessed with Pokemon for the last few months. Needless to say he was beyond ecstatic with the gifts he got.  After opening a few of his gifts, all Pokemon related, he emphatically exclaimed with his arms thrown out, “I am going to explode with happiness!”  He then said, “I am glad this is not just a dream.”  He let us know, “It’s like my wish came true.  I pretty much got all the Pokemon in the world.”  It was fun to see him so excited!

After all the presents were opened, Keri stealthily put one more under the tree.  A gift for me.  I was very impressed with how secretive she kept this process from me.  She and Randy dubbed it Operation Blackberry (because they met up to go shopping next to some blackberry bushes).  She even wrapped it without me knowing about it. I love what she picked out for me. It is so sweet and tender and so appropriate since angels have been on my mind a lot this season. It proudly sits on our fireplace mantle.

One of the best Christmas miracles of the day was how well the kids got along – little to no bickering!  That was one of the best presents ever.

Another funny quote came from Eli.  He got some new Cars 2 underwear he has been coveting.  When people ask how Christmas was, he likes to tell them, “I love my underwear.”  [In fact he may or may not have unzipped his blanket sleeper when the missionaries stopped by later that day and showed them his new present .]

The kids enjoyed putting together Cory’s new bookshelf with their Dad.  I really like how the books are now up off the floor. His room looks much nicer. [Eli is sporting his new Christmas Spiderman costume.  He loves it, though he still desperately wants a Darth Vader costume.]

I think Eli sums it up best.  At the end of opening our gifts he asserted, “That was a good Merry Christmas.”

[Note to self - Next year make sure you have at least *one* picture taken with you in it.  Sheesh?!  I guess I will throw a picture of me into the previous post just to document I was here this Christmas season .]

Some Of the Hustle and Bustle

Before writing our 2012 Christmas post, I thought I would do a brief picture recap of a few of the things we did before the big day.

We received a couple of unexpected packages in the mail and some gifts from local neighbors and friends. THANK YOU!!

Keri had two separate choir holiday concerts.  I am thoroughly impressed with how well this middle school choir sounds. Her choir teacher is stellar!

Eli had a preschool holiday concert.  I asked him afterward why he kept inserting random words into the songs, and he said because he likes to be funny! [He is also currently going through an I only-want-to-wear-shorts-or-rolled-up-pants stage. Such is life and the battles we choose to choose .]

Randy and I went to his work holiday party.  [Note to self - Next year take a picture of *both* of us.]

Keri played Mary at our Ward Christmas Party.

Keri made potpourri (lemons, oranges, cloves, cranberries and cinnamon sticks) at an activity and we delivered some of it to our neighbors.  It made our house smell heavenly when we simmered it!

We made our annual gingerbread house. A tradition in our family for the past 8 years!

Christmas Ponderings – Of Gifts and Angels

There definitely has been an inordinate amount of hustle and bustle this holiday season. 

However, when I do find myself with a rare, quiet moment I like to pause and reflect on the reason why we truly celebrate Christmas – to commemorate the birth of our Lord and Savior.

My heart and mind like to ponder on what it would have been like to have been present when baby Jesus was born.  What would it have been like to share this sacred moment with Mary, to ponder with her the things she kept in her heart?  (See Luke 2:19)

Christmas is the season of gift giving, and I am grateful for the ultimate gift my Redeemer has given me.  The Atonement.

“All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” ~ Preach My Gospel

My heart is full of gratitude for all of the gifts Christ continually bestows upon me, including His gifts of trial and adversity which help shape, build and strengthen my character.  (Though if I were to be completely honest, sometimes I wish those trying gifts would pass by more quickly.)

I am grateful to Him for the tender mercies He sees fit to bless and gift me with.  Often times it is through His tender mercies that I get better acquainted with the earthly angels He has sent me to aid me in all aspects of my life.

“When we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us, and in my case, one of them consented to marry me. Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind. …

“I testify of angels, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face. ‘[N]or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man [or woman or child] upon the face thereof to be saved.’ On occasions, global or personal, we may feel we are distanced from God, shut out from heaven, lost, alone in dark and dreary places. Often enough that distress can be of our own making, but even then the Father of us all is watching and assisting. And always there are those angels who come and go all around us, seen and unseen, known and unknown, mortal and immortal.” ~ Jeffrey R. Holland

He has definitely sent many Christmas angels to help me this season and throughout the past year.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours. I hope your holiday season is healthy, safe and bright! And I hope you find some quiet time to reflect on what this season truly means to you.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Through The Eyes of a 4 Year Old

I unintentionally hit the “pause” button on the holiday season for a couple of weeks when I got sick.  A bad case of bronchitis with a sinus infection on top of it is never fun, especially when you get a fever for 6 days straight. I rarely get fevers and this one just knocked me out.  I even got to spend some time in urgent care getting a breathing treatment because my inhaler wasn’t doing its job.

Needless to say I was more than excited to get back to the gym and my regular workout schedule this week.  And thankfully … as I knock on some major wood here … we are all healthy again.  But even though I was sick for two weeks straight, at least I felt well enough once my fever broke to haul out the Christmas decor so we could deck our house with the holiday spirit.

I can never get enough of the Christmas season, especially all the simple things.  Gazing at the twinkling and mesmerizing lights.  Listening to the joyful and soulful music. Pondering the many depictions of the nativity.  Watching festive shows as a family – White Christmas, The Polar Express, A Christmas Carol, Elf, Frosty the Snowman, and A Charlie Brown Christmas to name a few.  Reading Christmas stories in the evening by the tree lights.  Counting down with our chocolate advent calendar.

I also adore seeing Christmas through the eyes of a four year old.  They truly make the season magical.  Here are a few incidents I want to make sure I remember from our Mr. Eli this year.

{Eli images courtesy of Jenn Ireland Photography}

The morning after we put up our Christmas tree, Eli hurriedly ran to the living room with an excited look on his face.  He was sorely disappointed when he got there; his face instantly fell.  He thought presents were going to greet him once the tree was in place.

I’ll randomly hear Eli throughout the day mutter, “Sorry Santa.”  Apparently he is trying to make sure he doesn’t get on the naughty list.

Eli likes to move a lot of the kid friendly Christmas decorations to his room to decorate his own space – our Little People nativity set, a musical stuffed Santa that was a gift many years ago from Great Grandma, a wooden reindeer which has removable antlers and other little items.

The other day while Eli was eating breakfast, he casually and thoughtfully glanced up at me and said, “Mommy, what do you want for Christmas?”

Eli also wants to make sure he gives Baby Jesus a gift.  One day it was going to be a book.  Another day it was going to be a Star Wars themed present.

I seriously love this kid to pieces.

Thanksgiving 2012 Wrap-up

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.”

I don’t even know how many times I have sung those words in my head this Thanksgiving weekend, but before I fully embrace the Christmas season, I want to properly wrap up our month of gratitude.

These past 48 hours have been a bit of a doozy.  Clogged storm drains creating pools of water that almost flooded our garage (who knew our 100 foot hose would become such a resourceful tool!), a new oil leak in one of our cars that needs to be dealt with pronto and then little ones who aren’t completely healthy.  The four kids have all had coughs for the last couple of weeks, nothing too serious and nothing out of the normal.  However, Ari took a turn for the worse on Friday late in the evening.  By the time Saturday rolled around I decided it was best to run him to our local Urgent Care.

“Our poor little Ari. 3 hours later we leave Urgent Care – 1 breathing treatment, 1 chest x-ray, 1 steroid drink, 1 cocktail of Tylenol/Motrin, a fever of 102, an accelerated heart rate, fast breathing, low oxygen levels and an ear infection. Now to pick up his prescriptions. I hope he (and the other 3 kids!) all get healthy soon. I am so grateful for competent doctors, modern medicine and health insurance.” – My Facebook status from Saturday

The doctors weren’t 100% sure what was ailing him.  At first they thought it was pneumonia, but after looking at the chest x-ray, they think he might have asthma or a virus similar to croup.  Basically they think his immune system got run down.

Thankfully Ari is perking up a bit.  His breathing is still a bit quicker than normal, but at least he is playing with his toys today as opposed to just laying his head down on the floor.  I, on the other hand, think I have finally succumbed to all the sick germs that have been floating around this month.

But despite all the craziness, I still have much to be grateful for.  As cliche as it sounds, my life is richly blessed.

This round of gratitude is brought to you by pictures most recently captured by our camera.

I am grateful that my husband (and I!) have a sound understanding of science and math to help our kids with their homework.

I am grateful Cory likes to write in his journal.  (Don’t get the wrong impression, though, this doesn’t happen super often.)

I am grateful for Eli’s silliness and his contagious laugh.  Eli loves to be read to and this holiday season, this “Thank You,Thanksgiving” book  has been his favorite.  He adores the delightful and funny illustrations.  He has loved this book so much he memorized it and reads it to us.

I am grateful for my sister and her generosity.  She sent me some homemade toffee to enjoy this week!

I am grateful for picture books that illustrate our real life. It reads, “I am grateful for hot chocolate on a cold, rainy day.”

I am grateful my kids love to play with boxes.

I am grateful for the things my kids are thankful for.  Cory made this at school. He is thankful for his family, his Pokemon cards, his friends and his toys.

I am grateful we kept track of some of the things we were thankful for this month and some of the service we rendered.

I am grateful for fun games to play.  We played Hedbanz and Telestrations.  (The Telestrations game is hilarious! I highly recommend it if you are looking for a new and exciting game to add to your collection!)

I am grateful for dear, dear friends and for their family adopting us as part of their own, especially on holidays.

Thanksgiving 2012 has definitely been a memorable one! Now to march forward with the magic the Christmas season brings!

Halloween Festivities of 2012

Halloween – the holiday that keeps on giving.

We had 6 different Halloween celebrations this year.  And on top of that, the husband was pulling some crazy long days [working until midnight or later and getting up at the crack of dawn to continue] in order to meet an October 31st deadline.  Needless to say when the calendar flipped to November 1st I was quite relieved.  I adore the month of gratitude and giving, especially when it is mixed with  vibrant autumn colors and cool, crisp air – the perfect weather for sipping hot cocoa.

But back to October for a little bit longer.  At the beginning of the month I made Eli a batman cape at a Relief Society activity I attended. Ever since then he has worn it every day (even though he has never seen a Batman show in his life).  As Halloween approached we unexpectedly found a zip up batman coat for under $10 at Costco and hence his costume was born.  Eli decided to add some black mittens and his rain boots to complete his ensemble.

Cory originally wanted to be a zoologist for Halloween this year, but as the day approached, he went back to his tried and true firefighter outfit.  I think it is what he is most comfortable in.  (He must take after me – I have never been a huge fan of dressing up.  Something about drawing attention to myself.) For the last five years this is what he has been for Halloween.  That’s OK though, it’s right up my alley – nice and simple.

Together Keri and I brainstormed things that she likes and enjoys.  She loves everything about gymnastics so she decided to be a gymnast this year.

 

The above two pictures were taken at the Trunk or Treat party put on by the youth of our ward (aka church congregation).  [Randy decided to stay home with Ari since it was raining; this also allowed him to rest a bit since he had been pulling so many late nights.]

When we first set out to go trick-or-treating, it was still a bit rainy like it usually is in Western Washington. However, after about 20 minutes, the clouds rolled on through and it was a perfectly mild night for Halloween – it has definitely been a while since I didn’t shiver while taking the kids out.  The night wasn’t quite as magical as last year [Eli's boots ended up really bothering his feet so we had a grumpy 4 year old for most of the evening], but it was still enjoyable.

When Halloween finally rolled around, Eli decided he wanted to be a fire fighter just like his older brother.  It’s a good thing we have two very similar rain coats.

I must admit I am a little embarrassed by the amount of candy my kids managed to haul in this season. I should try and find a local dentist who will pay them for their sugar loot … at least for the most part they don’t gorge themselves on it. It helps that I keep it out of sight and out of mind – though I really need to stop munching on it myself .

Feeling the Love In February

Life has been more busy than usual this past week – kids home from school for mid-winter break, school projects up the yin yang to work on, Randy getting sick and ending up in the urgent care – but I would be remiss if I didn’t take a moment to remember our Valentine month.  After all, years down the road, I will be glad I wrote down these memories.

We started off the month of February by making some yummy peanut butter cookies with heart shaped chocolates on them.

The night before Valentine’s Day Randy surprised me with flowers.  He knows it is hard to surprise me so he caught me off guard by giving them to me early.  They brightened up my kitchen for over a week!

The kids woke up to a little Valentine love which was waiting for them on the breakfast counter.  (Years ago I gave them a stuffed animal for a couple of different holidays, and now it has become tradition.  They adore their stuffed animals so it is a win-win for all involved.)

Ari in red celebrating his first Valentine’s Day … though this picture was taken a few days after the holiday.  What do you expect when you are on your fourth child ?!?

Here is the card Keri gave Randy and I for Valentine’s Day.

I love how she also remembers to give of herself on holidays and doesn’t always expect things.  The thing that touched me the most about her card was when she wrote:

“I’ll love you always and forever, no matter what you do
or where you are.”

That had a significant impact on me because I had some rough mothering days in February.  I have not been on my game, especially when it comes to patience.  Being exhausted and in constant pain brings out the grumps and crankiness in me – I have been rather sleep deprived for several weeks now [Ari used to sleep much better at night, but lately he has been up at least every 4 hours, probably due to teething and having yet another cold and horrible cough] and my back has been bothering me for nearly a month [but yes, I am seeking help from a good chiropractor - it is just hard to heal when you have a giant baby to carry around].

After one really long afternoon, in the middle of my witching hours, I lost it and got rather mad and irritated at all the kids and let them know it in my loud yelly voice.  Later while I was apologizing to Keri for getting so upset, I told her not to grow up and become like me – bitter and cantankerous are the words I think I used.  So the fact that she told me she would love me “no matter what” pulled on my heart strings.

I am grateful that our children can be so forgiving towards us parents.  After all, I think parenting is one of the hardest challenges a person can endure … well worth it, though, and very rewarding, but still incredibly difficult.

And my sweet Cory also shined through this month for me.

Last Thursday he and I were negotiating about what pants would be appropriate for him to wear on his play date (his old holey jeans, his warm outside wind and water resistant pants, his brand new jeans, etc.).  After some frustration on both our parts, I left his room deciding it really didn’t matter.  A few minutes later, though, he came and found me.

With humility evident in his eyes and a meek and contrite spirit, he softly said,  “I want to make you happy.”  He was dressed in the pants he thought *I* wanted him to wear.  Talk about a melt your heart moment.  It definitely makes me rethink some of the things we battle over.

This parenting thing is definitely a hard gig, especially when you feel clueless and helpless at times and don’t know how to best help or reach your child.

It is also most definitely a humbling experience.

But I am grateful I have the chance to raise these four precious children of mine with the love of my life and with the guidance and expertise of the Lord.

Remembering Our 2011 Christmas Season

The year of 2011 has definitely brought some monumental change to our life – a new baby, a new job, a new home and a new city to live in … just to name a few things.  This year also brought another new tradition to our life, spending the holiday season in our own place here in Western Washington as opposed to traveling to Los Angeles to spend it with family.

All in all, I think the 2011 Christmas Season was a success!

** We cut out lots of paper snowflakes.  (Coffee filters do make awesome ones!)

** We decorated our annual gingerbread house.

** We watched lots of holiday movies.

** We saw a myriad of Christmas lights on houses in our area and at a nearby botanical garden.

** We made sugar cone Christmas trees.  It was beyond hilarious to watch Eli with his.  I had him sit at the table so I could take a picture of him and his finished tree … he wanted nothing to do with posing for a picture.  Instead he did what any normal 3 year old little boy would do.  He ignored the camera and proceeded to eat his frosted tree with no hands .

** We read scriptures and sang songs from our advent binder, though this was only successful maybe 50% of the time.  (Tired and whiny boys of all ages makes this a bit difficult to enjoy at times.)

** We baked and decorated sugar cookies and delivered them to our neighbors.

** We read Christmas books.

** We went to Keri’s holiday choir concert which was wonderful to listen to. I was quite impressed with their performance.  I was also completely mesmerized by the school’s marimba club which performed as well.  It was delightful and fascinating to listen to the harmonies they produced.  WOW!

** We attempted to act out the nativity while reading Luke 2.  Our costumes were a bit thrown together, but they worked.

** We had a festive Christmas Eve dinner with just our family and then opened the box which family from California sent.

** We had a magical Christmas morning.  Eli even slept in until 8 which surprised us all!  [Note to self: One of my goals in the New Year will be to figure out the timer function on our camera so we can take a picture with all of us in it at once.]

Here is Christmas Eve Night after Santa paid a visit.

And here are the pictures from Christmas morning:

I think one of the few things we would have changed is the plethora of germs which invaded our home.  We could have done without the flu, the colds, the GI bugs, the sinus infections and the UTI that plagued us.

Here’s hoping for a healthy, safe and happy 2012!

Merry Christmas 2011

I love the lead up to Christmas and the anticipation it fills us with …. even though this year it seems like we have been celebrating with too many germs and colds in our home. (Good grief, poor little Ari hasn’t been feeling well most of the month and just yesterday Keri woke up with a stomach bug.)

I especially love to see the giddy excitement and the sparkle of delight in the eyes of little ones as December 25th fast approaches.

There is something magical and sacred once the December calendar hits the 20′s.  Sometimes I think I enjoy those last five days more than the actual holiday itself.

I suppose that is what it means to bask in the warmth of the Christmas season.

Now the key is just to remember to keep that spirit with me all year long.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

And even though I posted this video several years back, I want to share it again. It is one of the many traditions we have in our family, to watch this short clip during the month of December.  The lyrics are powerful and tender, and the images themselves fill your heart with an unspeakable warmth and spirit.

Merry Christmas!

Mary, The Mother Of Jesus

This is perhaps, one of my all time favorite Christmas scriptures:

“But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” ~ Luke 2:19

It speaks to me.

It pulls at my heartstrings.

It is especially poignant for me this Christmas season as I cradle my own babe in my arms, and since this is undoubtedly our last little one, it is that much more special.

Without fail, this verse always evokes the most tender emotions in me.  It makes me want to be a better person, in particular a better mother.  A mother who is more patient and nurturing, one who is less reactive and explosive.

This scripture also makes me want to be a better wife, a better sister, a better daughter and a better friend.  It fills me with a fulness of joy.  It fills me with charity, which is indeed the pure love of Christ.  “The Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit.” ~ President Thomas S. Monson

And because this is one of my favorite scriptures, it probably helps explain my deep adoration for all things dealing with the Nativity.

I can’t get enough of the perfect emotion and pure love and affection that these artists capture in their masterpieces.

“The spirit of Christmas is something I hope all of us would have within our hearts and within our lives, not only at this particular season, but throughout the years.” ~ President Thomas S. Monson

Some More Favorite Christmas Books For Children

Like I have mentioned before, we love to read Christmas books in our house throughout the entire month of December.  It is one of our family traditions.  We have quite a few of our own, and then we also check out a handful from the public library each season.

A few years ago I wrote a post sharing some of our favorite Christmas books.  [Go ahead, click on the link to see which ones they are .]

Now I want to add eight more to that list.

“The Tale of Three Trees” by Angela Elwell Hunt is perhaps one of our new favorites.   “Once upon a mountaintop, three trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. Each of their dreams come true in the most unexpected of ways.”

This book has gorgeous illustrations and is beautifully written.  My kids like to read this story over and over again (as do I!), and it is one I want to make sure we read every year.  The message it shares is priceless.

The next three titles all talk about the humble and lowly night Baby Jesus was born in a stable:  “The Christmas Baby” by Marion Dane Bauer, “Listen to the Silent Night” by Dandi Daley Mackall and “One Starry Night” by Lauren Thompson.  Although the text in the each of the stories is simple, the spirit they evoke is warm and inviting.   The pictures are bright and captivating.

If you have young toddlers who have a hard time sitting still or who like more interactive books, then they might enjoy “See and Say! Christmas Story” by Victoria Tebbs and “The First Night” by B. G. Hennessy.  Both these books recount the story of the birth of our Savior in a simple and wondrous way with words that little ones might like to repeat.  Once again the illustrations are vivid and appealing.

“The Scrawny Little Tree” by Ed Mehler is a classic that was originally published in 1973.  ”On a snowy winter night, a young boy gets his dearest holiday wish: a Christmas tree all his own.  And when his love for the tree combines with the magic of the holiday season, a strange and wonderful things happens.”   It is a heartwarming story that involves love and compassion.  This book is told in rhyme and it has beautiful retro illustrations.

One last book I want to share is “Pippin the Christmas Pig” by Jean Little.  This story helps teach kids in a fun and unintimidating way one of the true meanings of Christmas.   “Pippin the pig shows the boasting barn animals that giving of yourself is the best Christmas gift of all.”  The watercolor and pencil illustrations are quite pleasant to look it.

What are some of your favorite Christmas books for kids?  Please share because I am always looking for more timeless holiday reads to add to our collection.