Sweetness

I know it's mid-January, but there's part of me that is still basking in the holidays and I felt the need to post just one last insight from my holiday experience. Last year the holidays were a little somber for me, my Mom had just passed in November, and gratefully we scaled way back on the festivities. There were great moments, but admittedly I was a little numb. I had a lot of sleepless nights and reoccurring images of my mother in her last moments and well, it was just heavy stuff.

Anyways, fast forward to a year later. A much different picture, Harrison is the grand old age of 3 1/2 and well aware of the meaning of Christmas and so excited about everything that comes with that. So, in turn, I'm excited, the preparations were well under way early on and my ability to do these things was in a much better state. And I'd have to say I noticed a sweetness to this season that I haven't in any of my past Christmases. I'm sure that this had to do with my mother's passing and now, this year, my being able to accept this spirit into my Christmas celebrations.

So there is one event in particular that had me soaring in this sweetness, Chris got invited with his board at West Mini to the MoTab (Mormon Tabernacle Choir) Christmas concert with VIP treatment! I have never been to one of these concerts before and I was REALLY excited. My relationship with the MoTab has grown over the years and that relationship relates directly to my mother. She was always a big fan and revered them, I might add. Me, not so much. But, in more recent years, I've started to have an appreciation for them as part of my heritage and a treasure. I started recording their program on TV, "Music and the Spoken Word," a few years ago when Harrison was a baby. We sometimes listen to it on Sundays when getting ready for church.

I will always be grateful for one Sunday program in particular. It was October 2008, I had it on in the background while getting ready and I was drawn in by a song. I sat down on the couch, listened closer and started to cry. These were the words of the song:

HOMEWARD BOUND
Words and Music by Marta Keen

LOVE IS SPOKEN HERE album - The Mormon Tabernacle Choir

In the quiet misty morning, when the moon has gone to bed,
When the sparrows stop their singing and the sky is clear and red,
When the summer's ceased its gleaming, when the corn is past its prime,
When adventure's lost its meaning, I'll be homeward bound in time.

Bind me not to the pasture. Chain me not to the plow.
Set me free to find my calling and I'll return to you somehow.

If you find it's me you're missing, if you're hoping I'll return,
To your thought I'll soon be list'ning; in the road I'll stop and turn.
Then the wind will set me racing as my journey nears its end,
And the path I'll be retracing when I'm homeward bound again.

Bind me not to the pasture. Chain me not to the plow.
Set me free to find my calling and I'll return to you somehow.

In the quiet misty morning when the moon has gone to bed,
When the sparrows stop their singing, I'll be homeward bound again.

I felt so strongly that this song was talking about my mother. I cried and cried that morning and looked up the words to the song later and cried again. She passed away a month later. I often listen to this song and it gives me great comfort that she had been ready to go. Sometimes you just know things are there for you, this was one of those times for me.

So, as I sat in this year's Christmas Concert with the MoTab I once again was wrapped up in the gentle spirit of this choir and the sweet spirit of the season. My mother would have loved to have been there with me and I somehow felt that she was....

Mom's Sugar cookies

One of my favorite holiday activities this year was making sugar cookies with the boys. This sugar cookie recipe goes back to the early 1900s and my Grandma Helen McDonald Livingston, she brought it into the family and it is one of those recipes that you really should have someone coaching you through the finer points. For me, that was my mother and I so excited to start the tradition with my boys. It just felt good to me, the smell, the texture, the old family cookie cutters and most of all vividly remembering of my mother helping me when I got stuck with lumps in the dough or couldn't get the right consistency and her hand mixing the dough with me. I've made and consumed more of these cookies during the holidays than I care to admit, and ask any of my siblings, the taste of them is like going home. Anyways, here are a few shots of the task in action:

Harrison was actually a great little cookie

maker and stayed on task for at least the making

of the dough and a dozen or so cookie cut-outs.

But you can see he was really drawn to the flour

part of the whole deal. At some point I looked up

and saw flour EVERYWHERE and had to just press on

realize this is what making memories is all about.

Even the messy part.

Success!

My little taster.

Carter loved the cookie tasting too.

This is the tin can that mother kept all of the special

cookie cutters, flour sifter, and rolling pin. I will continue

to keep them in it.

So much flour that Carter pretty much was covered

in it just by playing in the kitchen.

The cookie cutters, the ones with the metal handles

are the really old ones, cool huh.

Sadly, I didn't take any pictures of the decorating part, but of course Harrison loved it! He DUMPED sprinkles on the cookies and they did look pretty neat. Should have taken a picture or two, but don't worry many years to come of this recipe, I assure you.

The holidays in pictures

Some of the good times from the holidays--

My dad, if this picture doesn't say "Happy Holidays" I

don't know what does!

Harrison bonding with Riley over the iPhone.

My cute niece and I...

The night before Christmas, note the leg lamp in the window...Chris's pride and joy of Christmas Eve, it only comes out for the one night a year.

Another thing you can kinda see here that Carter has a black eye...I know, poor child. Honest truth, Wrigley the dog ran past Carter on Christmas Eve and whacked him in the eye with his tail! Can you believe it? Or should I ask do you believe it? Too rehearsed? Too much detail? Anyways, just in time for Christmas, so sad.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care and looks

like Santa already visited at this point...just waiting for the morning to come. I'll have you know Harrison slept fine and even slept in until about 9 on Christmas morning. Me on the other hand, I was so excited I didn't sleep well at all!

Harrison and Carter enjoying the big gift from Santa this year.

Harrison asked for a Utah helmet from Santa, but I

have heard from a reliable source that Santa is

actually a Cougar fan. I know shocking right!

Carter showing off his artwork.

Harrison so proud of his first painting. One of

the few times he has been totally up for posing for the camera.

Carter and Dad opening a favorite present for him this year.

Anything "Melmo"(Elmo)is a hit.

And on to Uncle Dane and Aunt Amy's house for more fun!

Wrigley's big gift! Wrigley AKA Carter's black eye offender.

Harrison and Carter's big gift, wow, a train station from Oma. So cool, they LOVED it and now you're probably wondering why Harrison is naked. Well, long story short, he was so busy playing with his train set that when he had to go to the potty he kinda forgot where it was and ran into the laundry room instead. He ran in, not a moment too soon, just in time to make it and well, the laundry room got a nice surprise wet spot on the floor. On the bright side the washing machine was right there ready to wash his very wet Christmas jammies.

I have a video of Harrison and Carter opening their train station and it's really cute. Harrison when he rips off the wrapping paper yells, "Oh my goodness!" All I know is we are so fortunate and I loved the holiday magic through the eyes of my children...