A table for 8 please.: First Christmas

We love Christmas around here. Love the food, the smells, the traditions, the excitement, the food!! The celebration of our Saviors birth and the lessons we learn each year.

This year as we celebrated with Israel and Dawit we kept it simple. That was my lesson this year was simplicity. As we read the story of Jesus' birth to the boys I was reminded over and over of how He came into the world quietly and simply. In a barn, laid in a manger, in a bed of hay. Some times being an American can really make it seem like we are supposed to do all the stuff. Buy into all the commercialism, run around like a crazy lady, and becoming obsessed about everything being just so. Just talking about myself here!! This year I have learned to keep it simple and enjoy the simple moments. Just like the simple beautiful way Jesus came to earth.

Erik my 16 year old said to me a few weeks before Christmas, hey mom where is the bowl of nuts you put out every year? I told him I had not gotten to it yet and the next time I was at the grocery store I would get some. Honestly I always put out the bowl of mixed nuts with the nut cracker next to them as more of decoration than anything. So I got the bag of nuts and put it in the normal bowl with the nutcracker next to it and a cute little red bowl next to it to put the shells. I looked at it and thought, nice, a little Better Homes and Garden!! About everyday I would come downstairs or walk by the table and there would be a few of the kids sitting around that cute little collection of nuts and bowls laughing and eating them. After dinner everyone sat longer and talked and laughed while we ate those nuts. The next week I actually had to buy another bag because we were getting low.

A simple bowl of mixed nuts. No elaborate dinner, scheduled events, or crazy expensive gifts. A simple bowl of nuts to gather around and enjoy each other. So thankful for the lessons I have learned this year and so excited to simply enjoy 2012.

Israel and Dawit had a blast this Christmas. We started the morning with chocolate muffins and candles to celebrate Jesus' birthday. They thought that was pretty cool and then down to open some gifts. They opened their first gift and were done. They were content. So we took our time and enjoyed the morning opening and playing. The big kids enjoyed it too. No rush just simply enjoying the time together.