Part II: A Pinterest Christmas

This year our family needed to scale down the gifts a bit.  The Byrd parents have had opposing opinions on gift giving for 15 years.  Hard Working Dad wants the flock to experience opening more smaller gifts.  Very Involved Mom believes it's okay for the flock to have 1 big gift and maybe a couple more.  We needed compromise...Pinterest saves the marriage day again!  

Here's the poem that was found:

THE FOUR GIFT RULE

FOR GIFT-GIVING TO OUR KIDS

1 THING THEY WANT

1 THING THEY NEED

1 THING THEY WEAR

1 THING THEY READ

We sprang it to the flock the last Monday (Family Home Evening) in November.

They all took it well.  It was more of a challenge for the parents than it was for the children.

Very Involved Mom admits that Hard Working Dad did a fantastic job!  

We also wanted to purchase a new television.  Our old one was well... OLD.  The sound was horrible and it required us to have cable (budget draining and wasted hours-favorite shows being on Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, ESPN, Fox News).  

We let the flock know that cable was going, but we did not tell them about the new tv.

Again, thinking about our funds for Christmas giving, the parents decided not to give each other any gifts.  This was another difficult decision.  About a week before Christmas, Very Involved Mom suggested we give instead a list of 12 dates to each other and place them in our stockings.  So in total 24 dates for the year... about 2 per month... that's about 20 more legitimate days than last year!  The date idea had been floating around the Pinterest World here, here,  and here.  

Christmas day arrived.  We read the Story of the Birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ from the scriptures and then opened the gifts under the tree.  What joy it was to see the children figuring out their "Want, Need, Wear and Read"  items!  They also loved all of the gifts from extended family members as well.  Then we went to our stockings.  The parents opened up their "Dates for the Year" papers and started busting our laughing!  Here's why and what they wrote:

January (same)

Dad-Crocker Art Museum-Norman Rockwell Exhibit

Mom-Norman Rockell exhibit at the Crocker Art Gallery

February

Dad-Plan vacations at the library

Mom-Go see Les Miserables at the movies

March (same)

Dad-See a concert/performance

Mom-Free Concert at a Local University

(next 3 months same/similar)

April 

Dad-Movie Night

Mom-2nd Saturday Art Walk

May

Dad-Walk around Old Sacramento

Mom-"Chick Flick" Movie at Home

June

Dad-2nd Saturday Gallery tours

Mom-"Guy" Movie at Home

July (same)

Dad-Dinner at Ella

Mom-Dinner and Temple Date

August

Dad-(had a typo)

Mom-Lunch at Gatsby Diner & Cribbage in the Park

September

Dad-Deseret Book & Dessert

Mom-Walk 2 miles on the American River Trail

October

Dad-Gift Ideas at the Mall

Mom-Cook a Fancy Dinner at Home Together

November

Dad-Netflix night

Mom-Walk Around at an Antique Shop

December

Dad-Drop Off Cookies

Mom-Shopping Date

If you look closely, we have about 6-7 of the same or similar dates!  

We've been dating for nearly 22 years and our minds have almost become one.  

We're looking forward to our year of Christmas Planned Dates.

(As an added bonus, Sister #6 gave us a family pass to the Crocker Art Museum.  

So our first date will be with the entire family!  Too Funny!!) 

A Pinterest Christmas

 So I (Very Involved Mom) have been enjoying the Pinterest World these past few months.  During the perusal of this site, I've come upon many Christmas traditions that I'd like to try this year for my Byrd Flock.  For the past 20 years, Hard Working Dad and I have collected various books and videos that seem to be ignored throughout the season.  By placing them in a prominent location and making it look pretty, we've attracted the children's attention and brought anticipation and mystery to each day in December. We have been pleasantly surprised by their reactions.  It's been a joy to watch!

 Here are the links that inspired the "Christmas Advent Basket": 

Idea #1

and 

Idea #2

The photos below show the items that were opened on each day.

 

 

 "The Nativity: A Glorious Pop-up Book" by Francesca Crespi 

(we've owned this book since about 1995)  

This is the one book every child and adult must read every December!  We adore this book!

"Christmas Memories" fabric book

 Various Printed stories that have been collected by Aunties, Teachers in Church, Homemaking Activities.  One of my favorites is "Red Mittens" by Mary Moody.

(I cry just about every time I read it or it's read to me.)

The Salt Lake Temple Card read, 

"Watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional @ 5:00 PM".

The Red Box was opened on Christmas Eve with a card that read, 

"Helaman 14:1-8".

(We always read the New Testament's Birth of Jesus Story on Christmas morning 

before opening any gifts.)

 These are the other books and movies (also "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" movie) we watched during the month of December.

(One of the days was attending the Ward's "Night in Bethlehem" Activity)

Here are a couple of our other Advent Calendars:

 At the beginning of the month, all the hanging ornaments begin on the stars around the tree.

As the month continues, each ornament is placed on the Christmas tree.

Auntie #1 made this years ago and we put it up every year. 

Our Thankful Tree was made in the month of November as a Family Home Evening Activity.  We liked it so much that we've kept it up.  It's helpful to remember our blessings year round. 

We try to make some type of home gifts to give to our home teaching and visiting teaching families.  Last year, we made THIS and THESE.  

This year we made THESE and THESE.

We've had a fun Christmas and hope that you've had a great one too!

Merry Christmas!

Instead of Christmas Cards again this year, we created this video.

We all had a great time in the prepping and the filming.

Enjoy!

Bless All the Dear Children

One of my favorite Christmas Songs is Away in a Manger.  

The third verse always touches my heart, but it's been in my head all day yesterday.  

It's been an emotionally sad time.

"Be near me, Lord Jesus; I ask Thee to stay Close by me forever and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care And fit us for heaven to live with Thee there."

My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have lost loved ones.

Answers to Fasting

Found these scriptures upon finishing my fast this past Sunday.  

It gave great comfort to me during this time.

2 Corinthians
Chapter 4

6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

 13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

 14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

 15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

October Fun

 Family Reunion in Santa Cruz!

 Son #3 Creations (he probably made about 15 different clay creatures)

 Son #3 giving his dad the Arrow of Light pin

(Another Boy Scout!!!)

 Son #1 with Cousin and friends at a youth dance

We Trunked and Treated!

Our trunk is an Angry Byrds bean bag box hit!

(Son #1 "Psy, Gangnam Style"; Son #2 "Jujitsu Student"; Son #3 "Jack in a box; Daughter "Belle")

Happy Autumn!!!

Nostalgia

Just in case anyone wanted to know....


Here are books that I loved to read when I was in elementary school....

Dorrie the Little Witch Series by Patricia Coombs

My elementary school library had many of the 20  Dorrie the Little Witch Books.  I would say they were probably my very favorite choice in the 2nd grade.  I loved reading about this little witch whose "hat is always on crooked and her stockings never match."  I believe all of these books are now out of print. I was able to grab a copy at a warehouse library sale quite a few years ago.  I've seen copies at my local public library as well.







Books by Steven Kellogg




I was first introduced to Steven Kellogg at my elementary school.  He was  a guest author and he read to us "The Island of the Skog".  After his presentation, I was given an autographed copy of this book. I still have it today!  My other favorite Steven Kellogg books "back in the day" would have to be the Pinkerton Series and "Much Bigger than Mike".



On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder





This is one of my treasured books... it is the very first book that I purchased with my own saved money.  I bought the book through a Scholastic Book order in the 5th grade.  It was a BIG deal for me.  I enjoyed watching "The Little House on the Prairie" tv series and decided I'd like to read one of the original books.  This was the first book in the series that I read and it took 10 + years to actually read another from the series.  However, once I started reading after so many years, I couldn't stop reading until I found out all about Laura and her family and then onto meeting Manly!  I now own every copy that she's written. 

~Very Involved Mom's childhood reading selections.

Grateful to Have Ever Known Her

Never afraid of doing the hard and dirty jobs (Worldwide Service Day)

I have a white bag of delicious yellow plums (mostly gone) sitting on my dining room table from her tree she gave me about a week ago.

Even though she wasn't a fan of them, she knew we'd appreciate a big bag.

We swapped time with kids to get breaks from the craziness of our days.

She took my boys more because her backyard is AMAZING!

We shared carpool for Cub Scouts, Jujitsu, Twilight Camp and this year, we were looking forward to taking our boys to Woodland for Shakespeare Class.

When I've been ill for the past few months, she made homemade bread and jam.

She was an amazing cook.

She just accepted a calling to be my C's primary teacher.  

She and I were just discussing two Sundays ago how the lessons for 4-5 year olds can be a bit over their heads at times.  Simple concept for us... "letting your light so shine"  to be a good example.  But what would happen by "putting our light under a box (bushel)"?  Well the obvious answer for a 5 year old was... "the bush would catch on fire."  We had a good laugh over many of their other ideas.

When my father passed away a few years ago, she was one of the first to come over and drop off a plate of cookies and a note.

She always included me even at times when I felt a little bit of the outsider.

I'd attend play groups when I could and she was my access for a few years to know where the park would be for any given Friday that I could make.

After years of invitations from many to join a Ladies' Book Club that would meet at 8:30 PM after the kids were in bed, I finally attended my first at her home where they were discussing the book, "The Count of Monte Cristo." I've been a diligent member ever since that night in Novemeber 2005.  And I just started reading "The Count" earlier this month.  

I've enjoyed all our quick visits and the longer ones. So many of the challenges she was facing with her boys, I was facing too and it was wonderful to hear each others' concerns and have feedback.  

I've learned so much from her example as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend and simply a child of God.

I have so many fond memories of this incredibly selfless woman.

I will miss you so much, my friend!

 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, 

and your joy no man taketh from you. 

- John 16:22

End of the School Year

  Visit to the Folsom Powerhouse to finish up our science unit on Electrical Connections.

 

 Collecting rocks in the Secret Ravine for our Rocks and Minerals science unit.

Preschool Graduation... on to Kindergarten!!

Whirlwind Trip to Utah

It appears that we always seem to have these whirlwind trips to Utah! As a family, we missed out on any summer vacation last year due to Son #1 and Daughter having pneumonia. We made a quick decision to celebrate one nephew/cousin's Eagle Court of Honor and another nephew/cousin's Baptism. We had wanted to head out the weekend before the big events. We had grand hopes of getting into General Conference in Salt Lake City, couldn't get tickets, and so continued onto visiting Hard Working Dad's family.

We got to do a lot of fun things (hiking, fishing, Edge of the Cedars Museum, Prehistoric Museum in Price, play in a thin layer of snow, visit Temple Square and the new City Creek Center, hang out with family) with Spicy Zack Chicken in tow!

Enjoy the video of Spicy Zack Chicken with the Byrd Family!

February Events

Happy Birthday, Princess C!
(Very involved mom's first attempt at making a doll cake. Grandma A's doll cakes were amazing! And this brought back lots of memories.)

Hard working Dad and Son #2 hiked 13 miles near Folsom Lake.

&

Son #1 hiked Feather Falls.

Kata Contest





These videos are of Son #2 and Son #3 competing . They came in Second Place and Third Place respectively in their specific age/level divisions. The first video shows more of Son #3 doing his combative sequence during the competition. The second video shows Son #2 during his combative sequence during his weekly class. They've progressed so well!

New Recipes 14, 15, 16, 17 & 18!!!!

No-Bake Rice Krispies Peanut Butter Granola Bars (Lower-Fat)

Son #1 said that these granola bars were the BEST he'd ever had!
Definitely a recipe we plan to do again.

The only changes that we made to the recipe:
More Rice Krispies
used honey
1/4 cup peanut butter & 1/4 cup butter
chopped peanuts


Although, the ENTIRE flock enjoyed these Granola Bars, Mom and Dad especially like these next nuggets of yumminess.

Chocolate No-Bake Energy Bites

(sorry no pictures)
Instead of the sesame seeds, we used popped Amaranth.

Millet Hot Breakfast Delight

In my efforts to include more fiber in my diet, I've been excited about trying new grains. With Whole Foods, Elliott's Natural Foods & the Local Food Co-op not very far away from us, this goal has been getting easier with their Bulk Foods Sections.


I've also wanted this year of 2012 to make a new salad every month.

Here are the links to my first 2 salads of the year:

Mango Quinoa Salad
LOVED THIS SALAD!!
We made this salad for a family party at our home in honor of Grandma & Grandpa B coming home from their LDS Mission to Kenya, Africa.
The party and salad were a success!

Bean Breakfast Salad
We have a massive amount of Great Northern Beans!
This recipe was a uniquely delicious way of adding those beans to our menu for a few days.
(I had to alter this recipe a bit. No Raspberries, but more Strawberries. Used Whole Rye instead of Spelt. Total Omega Swirl was a whopping $26.99, so I bought Flax Oil and added the zest & juice of an orange.)


Lastly, for Christmas Son #2 and I made donuts.
Nothing healthy about these gems!
BUT OH SO SCRUMPTIOUS!

18 New Recipes TRIED!
GOAL COMPLETE!!!!
(10 new salads in the near future)

40th Year Goals... 5 Full Months to Go!

I still have another five months until I turn 41, so there is still time to complete my 40 goals.

Here are a few of the goals I've accomplished so far in these past 12 months:

2 Days at Education Week (Went to 4!)

3 Movies at the Theater

7 Outings with the Children

8 Book Club Books to Read

15 Declutter Bags
(Donate or Throw Away)

16 Book Club Meetings
(I belong to 2 book clubs.)

17 Hours of Practicing Piano/Organ/Guitar

19 May 2011: Annual Physical

22 Blog Posts

33 Birthday Wishes on Facebook

36 Vegetables Produced from our Garden
(Thanks to our 6 tomato plants, 2 strawberry plants and our thriving basil plants.)

40th Birthday Dinner at Sizzler
(Thanks Mom for taking me out with the kids!)


I'm excited to work on the rest of my goals!

~Very Involved Mom

Byrd Sayings

As he was preparing to condition for a hike about a week ago, Son #2 says,
"It looks cold outside. Why don't they make jackets for your legs?"
(He was wearing shorts.)

Dad replies, "They have. They're called 'pants'."


******************************

Today in church, Son #3 was talking about the choice of not fasting on Fast Sunday and then it's consequences. He explained how it can be both "metaphorically" and "literally" difficult.
Then shared his reasoning.

*******************************


Happy New Year Everyone!