Various pages of Christmas

The next few pictures are from our Christmas activities this year. We have done so much this year and it has been very wonderful. We did some new things and some traditional things. I don't have pictures of everything we did, but here are a few I hope you will enjoy.

Our school did it's annual Christmas program early this year. It was a nice way to kick off the holiday season. They centered it around the Advent celebration with each class doing one of the candles. Some the kids were dressed in costume to represent the Nativity.

Taylor didn't have to wear a costume. He said a part with his class and by himself. He was very nervous but didn't miss a word. We were very proud!

Jorden was "Joseph" this year

"Joseph and Mary"
Jacob was such a cutie dressed up like a shepherd. He kept itching his "turban" and I was very worried about how cockeyed it would be by the time he went up on the platform, but Christy saved the day by fixing it once again. No he is not wearing lipstick or his typical "Kool Aid mustache", this time it is actually chapped lips.

Jonathan sang "Mary Did You Know?" at the school program. Did a fantastic job! Sorry the pictures is blurry.

Jorden took this picture of Jeff and I at my parent's house. He is not quite tall enough so we tried looking over his head but that didn't work too well either. Oh well, it turned out okay I guess.

Church play last Sunday- Jorden with Caitlan and Joseph

This was made at my parents house last Sunday. I love to dress my boys alike. I don't know how much longer I will get by with that, but I will continue to do it as long as I can. Here they are acting pretty silly-at least some of them are. But I love this picture! Aren't they handsome?

Making sugar cookies together! Great family tradition...

Our family celebrates Advent during the Christmas season. Each Sunday night we light a candle (four small and one large in all), adding one each week counting down till Christmas. This year we had a devotional book that we could read out of every night the month of December that had all different kinds of stories and songs to go along with Advent. There were some nights when we got home too late to do it but we tried to do it most nights. These next few pictures are from our final night of lighting candles. This was done on Christmas Eve. It is so beautiful! My favorite part of the celebration! The boys have the Nativity Play Mobil set that they can use to "re-tell" the story each week. This year Jacob had that honor.

This was taken before the final candle was lit.

Jorden lights the final candle.

We open our stocking gifts on Christmas Eve.

The boys saved their money that they earned and went shopping for us at the Santa Shop that our school "Concerned Parents" sponsors. This is Jacob and Taylor watching Jeff open a gift from Jacob. It is very exciting for them to use their own money to buy gifts.

As mentioned before, Jacob loves Lego's. He got the Lego City set this year and as soon as all the gifts were unwrapped he started putting it together. It turned out perfect and he is having a lot of fun playing with the finished product. He wants other sets that go with this particular one for his birthday which is coming up in February. Maybe I can find some good deals in the after Christmas sales!!

Jorden really wanted this game put out by Adventures in Odyssey called "Answer That"! He was quite happy to see it when he unwrapped this present.

Taylor is pretty excited about his remote controlled car!

The Messner Family-2008

Hope you all had a blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Love the Messner Family