Walking In A Winter Wonderland

There is nothing so peaceful as freshly fallen snow.

All sound becomes hushed and reverent.

The crisp cool air dies down.

Allowing a moment for time to stand still.

Since December has started I have found that I have had less and less time to post anything on my blog.  And I am going through withdrawals.  So I have decided to post a wintry or Christmas picture every day this week.  I hope that I will  be able to come back to this wonderful community when the hustle and bustle of the Holiday's is over. 

Christmas Tradition: Australia, I Need Some Help!!!!

Hello everyone out there in bloggy land.  This is a totally random post but I need some help.
You see every year for Christmas Eve my family picks a country or culture that we use as a theme for the evening.
We find out what their Christmas Traditions are and then we learn a little bit about their culture and history.  This year my oldest daughter decided that we needed to spotlight Australia.  So if any of you wonderful and lovely folks that reside way down under happen to find this little blog post (I know there are a few of you) would you please, please let me know what some of your Christmas Traditions are?  I would like to be able to play some games that are commonly played, and I would like to know what Australians like to eat.
Thank you to anyone that can help!  Until then I think that Google is going to become my best friend!

Wordless Wednesday: A Nativity Just Isn't A Nativity Without Naked Women

Ruby Tuesday: Tackling Mishap

Yes we are huge BYU fans here at my house so I couldn't resist posting this and getting in that jab at U of U.

But somethimes I think this is how my life is.  I try to tackle a problem head on and end up trashing myself.

Sunday Sentiments: The Nativities

I thought since this was such a sentimental time of year I would change Sunday Funnies to a kinder more gentle post.  (Plus nothing really funny happened this week, hopefully something will happen for next Sunday)

In the shadow of the Creche lies a newborn babe, swaddled in tightly wound clothes of the purest white.  A mother's angelic face looks down on her heavenly child as a strong supportive hand rests on her shoulder, it's owner letting her know that he will do all in his power to provide and protect.

Several years ago my mother-in-law started attending an event every December where a group of families would gather together and bring with them a nativity that they owned. 
There was always something new and different at each one of these wonderful evenings and my mother-in-law seemed to really enjoy attending this as a way to start off the holiday season.

A few years ago they stopped hosting this event and it has, like many traditions, gone by the wayside.  But my MIL seemed to have a new interest as she started shopping around the holiday season.  She started picking up nativities and started a collection of her very own.  Instead of going and seeing what new pieces someone else has discovered, she started picking up new and wonderful sets of her own each Christmas.

It has been so fun to watch as her collection has grown in size and number.  Her nativities are of all shapes and sizes, made of several different mediums such as wood, ceramic, porcelain, and glass.  They are beautiful and each one is unique.

I love to watch as the grandkids discover the new nativity that she has picked up.  Every time we visit and a new nativity has been added the grandkids stare and absorb all the details of the newest set, and then they have to look at all the other sets, and then they want to touch them and explore them in any way that they can.

I think that this has been a wonderful thing for me and my kids to see how much my MIL loves the setting of Christ's birth, and how she has placed it as the focal point of her Christmas.  If only all of us could let Christ be the most prolific part of our own holidays I think that all the hustle and bustle of the season would settle into a still and quiet night on which we could celebrate our Savior and all that He has done for us because He loves us.  I think that if we used that day for worshipping and a renewing of our promises to be faithful to Him, that the world would see peace and prosperity instead of war and recession.

But I also know that this is easier said than done.

Thank you for your inspiration and your example Grandma!


Sunday Funnies is a weekly theme here at Cake Crumbs. If you would like to play along just think back through your week and find the funniest thing that happened to you and jot it down. You can leave your story in the comments box if you would like. Or if you decide to do a post on your own site just mention it in your comment and I'll be sure to come check it out!

Sepia Scenes: Pioneers, Pickles and Pies!

Every year for Thanksgiving we go to my husband's Mom and Dad's to enjoy a wonderful dinner with all the family.  My kids love to see their cousins and I really enjoy visiting with all the adults. 

Every year my daughter's also insist on dressing up as pioneers, since it was in honor of the pioneers and Indians that we have this great feast.  I only got a picture of my oldest, K, with her bonnet on, IZ wouldn't leave hers on long enough for a decent picture and we don't have a bonnet that fits EM anymore.  So she wore a BYU beanie.  It worked.

EM's favorite part of dinner was pie, more specifically, the whipped cream.  I think the kids ate half a pie with an entire bowl of whipped cream.

It was great!

*******As pointed out by my lovely mother, and then by my loving husband, yes I screwed up, I live in Utah and we have pioneers here.  Yes I do know that it was Indians and PILGRIMS that were really in attendance at the first Thanksgiving.  Thank you for looking past my blond moment.*******

Wordless Wednesday: Simple Pleasures!

Join in the fun at Wordless Wednesday HQ!