Lights of Love

Last night our neighborhood hosted the first ever Lights of Love Luminaria to combat local childhood hunger.  Together we raised over $3,300 for NO KID HUNGRY COLORADO. That gives children in Colorado up to 23,000 nutritious meals! The event was sponsored by a local realtor who paid for all the Luminaria supplies.  The money raised was cash donations from those who participated.  As we saw on our walk to check out the lights, many families used the opportunity to host holiday gatherings.  MeeMee, neighbor Arnold's and the Lineberry's joined us for festive drinks and lots of yummy treats.  I hope the event catches on and that lots more families join in the coming years.  I spent a lot of time throughout the evening thinking about how blessed we are to never be hungry.  At this time of year more than any other, our pantries and fridges are overflowing with delicious traditions that we all eat too many of.  I love that this event benefits kids very locally and that 100% of the donations go straight to the cause.

Here's a movie of the set-up and lights.....

Luminaria

A luminaria or farolito is a small paper lantern which is of significance in New Mexico and in southwest United States at Christmas time, especially on Christmas Eve.

When I was a kid and would spend some of my Christmases in Arizona, the ENTIRE town would be filled with luminarias on Christmas Eve.  I so vividly remember the anticipation as we sat through Christmas Eve mass knowing the whole town would be aglow on our journey home.  It made the world feel so small on a night already filled with so much love.  If it doesn't catch on in the next few years here, I might have to take my boys south for the Holidays one year so they can experience the magic. 

the imperfection of magic

The holidays can be filled with so.much.magic.  If you get lost in the sparkle and the love and the music and the excitement, the anticipation of Christmas can be joyfully overwhelming!

The holidays can also be and often are busy and stressful and frantic.  I love this time of year so much that I work hard to get things done early so I can really soak in the light.  No matter how I try there are always stressful moments and mounting feelings that I'll never get it all done.  With a little person (and a big one,) I sometimes feel caught in a fleeting circle of trying to have the holiday decor DONE.  Many things in life are never done, they just are.  We humans are perfect examples, and this year the magic overtaking Ben has been the perfect reminder to let the little things go.

Ben absolutely glows in the excitement of the season this year.  He is stopped in his tracks by the tree every time he passes it and loves to talk about the ornaments and the lights.  He notices the garland and the decor in his room and grins from ear to ear about all of it.  He's also excited for gifts for the first time ever and has asked more than once to open them early.  Receiving gifts is an important life skill on many levels, as is the gratitude we feel for them.  I'm absolutely thrilled he finally "gets" what gifts are about-on any level. I think that leads to understanding the excitement others feel when we give to them, and the joy of giving is born.

As we sat basking in the post-tree decorating glow, I looked up and saw one of the command hooks for the stocking showing from under the carefully placed pine bough.  I started to hop up and fix it and saw........

and I sat back down, took a deep breath, and soaked in the magic that was happening.  And I've never gone back to fix that bough.  I let.it.go. and am so thankful to a little four year old for the reminder to do that more often. 

So, I wish you all what I am calling the imperfection of magic.  The beauty and sparkle and love of the holidays can overcome so much if you let it.  Take some time to take it in this season and let's all carry some of that "letting it go," into the new year!

Here's a link to our family decorating the tree.  Click here.  And yes, I've had the talk with Ryan that he's had with me many times to turn the phone around. ;)

2nd Annual Cousin Christmas Cookie Day

This year Nana and Papa were able to join us for cousin Christmas cookie decorating.  We made an earlier day of it than last year and got to spend some time playing Anki drive and checking out Ian and Luke's new outdoor playset. 

As I have really tried to cut out artificial colorings from our family's diet, I broke down and bought the natural food coloring at Whole Foods that was $13 at a $5 discount!!  Well, it turns out you can have vibrant color or your health, but maybe not both............

I had expected the red would be ok as lots of things with natural red coloring look beautiful and make me wonder why we have to load food with that chemical crap.  Both Ryan and another friend joked that the green looked like guacamole.  Although I only had one cookie, I can attest that they tasted delicious and Ryan has his cream cheese frosting down to a not-too-sweet science.

I joked with the kids that the reindeer came to help.

Ben and Ian lasted slightly longer in their decorating chairs than last year and we headed home in the late afternoon to decorate the noble fir we had gotten earlier in the week.

A rare juice box AND cookies-whoa!

Ben was sneaking the goodies in whenever he could.

Ryan's piece de resistance

Sweet Luke was excited to wake up to cookies.

we finished the afternoon with some hot chocolate:)

School Pics

Sadly we missed the first picture day this year due to sickness.  I was worried about having to take them on re-take day with no opportunity for make-ups.  Well, my worry was unfounded and now that most people have received their pics, here they are...............

Things have come a long way since Lifetouch took my school pics and now you can choose several backgrounds even within the same photo package.  Each sheet of photos can have a unique look and although we didn't, you can take advantage of modern post-editing techniques to take out every flaw and mis-placed hair.  Where was that tool when I was in junior high???  Not sure how these people get Ben to sit so charmingly still each year but kudos to the professionals.