Counting Blessings: All Wrapped Up in Red

Counting Blessings:  My Missionary Daughter, Leftovers, and A Second Set of Hands 

Blessing #1:  My Missionary Daughter

Our ward did a different kind of Ward Christmas Party this year.  It was a "Breakfast" (if you call sweet rolls, muffins, oranges and juice/hot cocoa breakfast) but the program was all planned around missionary work.  They had emailed all the missionaries currently serving from our ward and the missionaries shared a short Christmas message to the ward.  While that missionary's message was being shared, they had pictures of them for everyone to see.  It was neat to hear Jessica's Christmas message to the ward. :)  It definitely made the Ward Party nice for me!!

Blessing #2:  Lovin' Leftovers

Aren't leftovers great?!  Especially when you have a busy day and no time to cook!  I was certainly lovin' our leftovers tonight...taco soup, and salad!!  Yummy and warm and already made!! :)

Blessing #3:  A Second Set of Hands

I was soooo thankful to have Scott's helping hands this evening as he and I were up to our necks in red wrapping paper!

Tomorrow is our combined FHE with all our kids, so it's the day that Scott and I distribute our "Frankincense" (or meaningful) gift to our kids.  A few years ago I came across a book by Betty Van Orden called The Twelve Days of Christmas - Ideas for a More Meaningful Holiday Season and I totally fell in love with her idea!  Basically, you pick a theme for your 12 days and then you put together 12 gifts for each of the twelve days before Christmas all centered around the theme, of course.  Since the gifts all have a special meaning tied into them, it was the perfect "Meaningful" gift that I could give my kids.

So I start planning and making lists months ahead of December but I usually end up getting most of the gifts in December because I watch for the good sales.  And the worst part is I usually end up wrapping all the gifts the day before we give them out...I definitely don't recommend that!  Scott was such a lifesaver this year though, once we got home from all our morning and afternoon activities (a ward Christmas party and ushering at the Heritage) and got our tummies filled with food, we started wrapping!!  We were only up until 11:00 pm!  (In the past I've been up until 1 am!!)  And it was so much more enjoyable having him there instead of wrapping all by myself!

The Frankincense color is red, so all the presents are wrapped in red.  I love how the baskets look all filled up with the gifts!  I'm so excited to give them to the kids!  FYI...the 12 days starts Friday, December 13!  Hopefully my kids won't be too curious and start them early!!  (I'm allowing an exception for Stephanie though, she's having her baby on Friday...what a way to start their 12 days before Christmas!!)