Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

A few thoughts on Christmas...

I just wanted to share a few thoughts that I've had recently about this Christmas. This Christmas and holiday season is the first Christmas that we have been away from our family in California (except for the Christmas we spent in Italy, but that doesn't count because we didn't have any kids then). And I have to admit that I've had mixed emotions about being away from the majority of our family at this time of year. For me the holiday season revolves around family and the traditions that we take part in as a family. I'll certainly miss Christmas Eve dinner with my family and waking up Christmas morning at the Knecht's to a big yummy breakfast. Yet, I'm looking forward to creating our own traditions. I'm looking forward to morphing the fun and wonderful things that I've enjoyed in Christmas' past into Christmas' future.
Another thing that I was definitely concerned about was missing the feeling of being around family. The feeling that you know that your mom-in-law loves you because she put a tooth brush in your stocking, or your mom makes your favorite cinnamon rolls, or your aunt makes your favorite guacamole, or your dad-in-law passes out the presents one by one by pushing them across the carpet. But I have to say that I've felt that feeling even here in Utah, far, far, away. One of the reasons I've felt that feeling is the past couple of days we have received box after box. As of today we have received 12 boxes from our loved ones. I haven't even opened any of them, but just knowing they're here and that each one of those boxes is filled with the love and generosity of special people in our lives. What a blessing to know how much we are loved! I don't want you to think this is all about our family getting presents. It's not. It's knowing that people love us enough to think about us and to take the time and effort to show us that they were thinking of us.
I hope this make sense. Thanks for obliging me and reading my ramblings.
I hope you all know that we reciprocate your feelings. We think about all of our friends and family regularly. I am grateful for all of the great memories and traditions that we have to share. I'm grateful for the Christmas season when all of those great feelings and impressions can be relived and shared with one another. I hope you will enjoy your Christmas knowing that we love and miss all of you.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Penguin FHE

I recently got this random "family" magazine in the mail. And no, it wasn't the Ensign or the Friend, although I do subscribe and I do really like those publications very much. I received a copy of Disney Family Magazine and to my surprise it had a lot of fun craft and food ideas to make with the boys. So for FHE tonight we decided to make a penguin family. You can find the supply list and instructions here.





Ben loved helping me glue the eyes and other parts onto the penguin. Tom loved throwing things down on the floor and eating the foam craft sheets. We had a great time.


Ben named his penguin Percy. Tom named his penguin Melvin.


The whole family.