MERRY CHRISTMAS

This year we started a new tradition of making a gingerbread house. I found a great recipe online for the gingerbread and cement frosting and was pleased with how they turned out. We had so much fun making it together. Each side was different and Maya got to put whatever she wanted on them. She was in candy heaven and enjoyed several samples before decorating, but we were actually quite surprised that she didn't just eat the candy the whole time. She was very intent on covering the entire house with candy and kept adding pieces where she thought it looked sparse. It was fun to watch her and enjoy our new tradition together. Mason didn't get to help decorate, but he did get to eat some gingerbread sticks I made for him to chew on. That was nice too because it kept him occupied and happy while we worked on the house.

We thought about not putting up a Christmas tree this year because we were afraid that Mason would tear it apart, but then decided to try it on the table. It actually worked really well. We put some ticky-tack on the bottom of each leg and stuck it to the table so Mason couldn't pull it off, and he is just short enough that he couldn't reach any of the decorations.

We acted out the Nativity story this year on Christmas Eve with our friends the Prices. They came over for dinner and then we did our little play. It was really fun. Maya was Mary, of course, and was totally into it. She was so serious--it was very sweet. Brett was the donkey and later the sheep. I was a shepherd. Since then Maya has re-enacted it nearly every day. She assigns parts to Brett and I and tells us what to do. It is fun that she is so excited about it and we are grateful that the story of Christ's birth has made such an impression on her. What better memory of Christmas could she have? We have been truly blessed to know the gospel of Jesus Christ and are grateful for the opportunity we have to celebrate his birth and life.

Maya and PJ. After our Nativity pageant we at our gingerbread house. It was the gift that the wise man (Jay Price) brought to baby Jesus and after wards Mary(Maya) and Joseph( PJ) ate it. PJ and Maya are great friends. Maya and PJ are in the nursery together at church and love playing together. Maya will remain in nursery for one more year because she doesn't turn 3 by January 1st and PJ will go to Primary (he turned 3 this summer). Last Sunday Maya came home and told me, "I miss PJ. He wasn't in Nursery because he went to Primary class. But Lydia was in there and I told her that she was little because I am bigger than she is and she said she was big, but she is little." :) (Lydia is another friend who is about 8 months younger than Maya).

Christmas morning. We had a great, relaxed Christmas morning. Maya had fun opening presents and trying out her new things and Mason had fun tearing up wrapping paper. It is so nice to have a simple Christmas and just enjoy being together. Some of the favorite gifts from Santa were 3 My little ponies, a unicorn that grows in water, a jump rope and "Marshmellow Ladies" (marshmellow maties--a knock off of lucky charms).

Mason is growning up quickly. He now has 8 teeth and is starting to walk. He'll take a few steps on his own and spends most of the day walking around the furniture. Some of his favorite things to do right now are drool, smile, say "da, da, da, ma, ma, ma", try to get into the refrigerator any time it is opened, knock down block towers and wrestle. He is full of energy and a very happy kid.