Showing posts with label Christmas Christmas Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas Christmas Christmas. Show all posts
30 December 2012
Perfect Winter Break
Ah, can I just say how wonderful and needed our winter break from school was?? Stanton took the whole week of Christmas off and we spent it enjoying one another. After our crazy few weeks before Christmas, it was a joy.
We went sledding. (The coats my parents gave the kids and the coats Stanton gave me for Christmas made this so fun - as well as the awesome new sleds that we bought at CAL Ranch).
The kids made up gymnastics routines, Stanton enjoyed his new (and insanely sharp) knife that I gave him. We loved on Henry, read books, and enjoyed our Christmas decorations for a few more days. (That photo on the top right was a Christmas card from the Neighborhood Gents - a group of boys that I thoroughly love - most of them are leaving on missions soon - they're awesome and so funny). Check out Brigham's muscles! Gymnastics is such a great sport.
I finally let the girls sew on my machine. They were the perfect ages to do a first project - blankets for their dolls. I love Lily's intense look on her face. It describes her perfectly.
We went to Temple Square with the Farleys. It was stinking cold, but so fun to be with them. Such great friends.
And we giggled over how adorable our little Henry looked for Church on the last Sunday of the year. :) He is too darling for words. The boys have matching ties.
25 December 2012
Christmas Day!
How perfect is Christmas morning with young children??? Especially young children who don't wake up any earlier than normal on Christmas morning?! The kids came in about 7:15 (so, in the case of Brigham and Cannon, they actually slept in on Christmas morning!) - 7:30 and snuggled with us for a few minutes. We woke up Henry and lined everyone up behind the ol' sheet. Stanton rigged up his best one yet this year.
Shirlene got there just as the kids were looking through their sacks and Dave & Judy came not much later.
The kids went into the living room and looked through the bags that Santa left. They were all so excited for what they received.
Chloe got a skateboard, soccer ball, a stack of Katie Kazoo Switcheroo books, and some science kits from Santa.
Lily received rollerblades (she's only been wishing for them for 2 years!), the Dork Diaries books, doll clothes, a dream light unicorn, and a Bop It game.
Brigham got new Legos, a dog dream light, and a new baseball bat, a book (can't remember what right now), and a toy motorcycle (just a small hot wheels-type motorcycle).
Cannon got a fire truck, a penguin dream light, and a toy Christmas tree (one of his funny requests).
Their stockings were full of socks, underwear, movies, knick knacks, a few treats, and the hit of the day, Flarp. It is putty that makes a tooting noise when you push it down into its container. It was pretty funny and we all enjoyed it for a half hour or so. It wasn't so fun when it got in carpet and on Brigham's brand new jeans and tie. Oh well, it was fun for a time! :)
After they played with their Santa gifts for a while, we opened all the presents from Stanton and I. They got more Legos, clothes, and goodies. I can't remember what exactly, right now, and of course I didn't take a picture of each of the kids with their Christmas all around them. My parents did that every year and I've done it zero years. I've got to clean up my act!
After present opening, the kids played and Shirlene and I made breakfast. We had hot cocoa, crepes, sausage links, and orange wedges. It was delish!
We hung out for a while after that, then said goodbye to Shirlene. We were so lucky to have her join us for our Christmas celebrations. She is awesome. And she looked so dang cute in her robe and slippers!
The rest of the day was spent in lazy, messy bliss. Skateboards and roller blades scooting around the kitchen floor, Legos all over creation, intense games of Bop It, and science experiments.
Flarping.
Just Luke and gang hanging out on the floor.
We got a kick out of this part of the experiment. Chloe used her retainer to complete the loop and light up the light. Now she can say she has a smile that actually lights up a room! Haha!
It was a blissful day. We watched Hercules, ate our turkey dinner, and just enjoyed one another's company.
Shirlene got there just as the kids were looking through their sacks and Dave & Judy came not much later.
Chloe got a skateboard, soccer ball, a stack of Katie Kazoo Switcheroo books, and some science kits from Santa.
Lily received rollerblades (she's only been wishing for them for 2 years!), the Dork Diaries books, doll clothes, a dream light unicorn, and a Bop It game.
Brigham got new Legos, a dog dream light, and a new baseball bat, a book (can't remember what right now), and a toy motorcycle (just a small hot wheels-type motorcycle).
Cannon got a fire truck, a penguin dream light, and a toy Christmas tree (one of his funny requests).
Their stockings were full of socks, underwear, movies, knick knacks, a few treats, and the hit of the day, Flarp. It is putty that makes a tooting noise when you push it down into its container. It was pretty funny and we all enjoyed it for a half hour or so. It wasn't so fun when it got in carpet and on Brigham's brand new jeans and tie. Oh well, it was fun for a time! :)
After they played with their Santa gifts for a while, we opened all the presents from Stanton and I. They got more Legos, clothes, and goodies. I can't remember what exactly, right now, and of course I didn't take a picture of each of the kids with their Christmas all around them. My parents did that every year and I've done it zero years. I've got to clean up my act!
After present opening, the kids played and Shirlene and I made breakfast. We had hot cocoa, crepes, sausage links, and orange wedges. It was delish!
We hung out for a while after that, then said goodbye to Shirlene. We were so lucky to have her join us for our Christmas celebrations. She is awesome. And she looked so dang cute in her robe and slippers!
It was a blissful day. We watched Hercules, ate our turkey dinner, and just enjoyed one another's company.
24 December 2012
Christmas Eve!
As I mentioned before, we woke up in Blackfoot on Christmas Eve. We had a yummy breakfast with Matt & Sara and family, Cindy & DJ and family, and my folks. We all rushed out the door after breakfast to head to our various homes/destinations.
We got home and went to the grocery store to fulfill our hair brained idea for neighbor gifts. It was totally last minute, took forever, we missed a ton of our neighbors, etc, but it was really fun and I think we might have a tradition on our hands. We will certainly plan it out much better in the coming years, but it was a blast.
We made over 100 spring rolls with Thai peanut sauce and took them around to neighbors. We have always wanted to find something that wasn't more sugar (which we totally love, but don't do anything spectacularly unique with at our house) and that would be fun and different. Stanton's sister Julie brought these to our family party and we all devoured them, so we decided to give them a go. They were a lot of fun to make. Once you get everything chopped up and laid out, they go fairly quickly. The kids LOVED delivering them to our friends. There's something so special about giving and the kids caught that spirit doing this.
Those are the rolls on the top left - stacked in the background are many of the plates we delivered.
While Stanton and I made the spring rolls, Chloe was busy making orange rolls for our Christmas dinner. We ate them with ham and they were delicious. She honestly did all the work herself (and let Cannon make snakes from the dough that she then tied in knots). She rolled them, knotted them, placed them in the pan, zested the orange, sprinkled the sugar...everything. I put them in the oven and pulled them out. It was so cool to have her take on such a big project!
Continuing with the food pictures - the top right it our dinner table on Christmas day. I decided to cook a big turkey dinner. Yikes. It was a ton of work for just our little family, but it was fun to have a nice dinner together.
and did the Nativity. Stanton had had enough of my Nativity costume box being pulled out and scattered by Christmas Eve, so we stuck with puppets. I think we had Chloe be Mary. :)
Right as we were finishing the Nativity, our friend Shirlene Shaw came over. She brought fun little gifts for the kids (Nerf guns for the boys and an awesome 20 questions game for the girls - it's incredible and addicting!). She read them 'Twas The Night Before Christmas, which the kids totally loved.
We got home and went to the grocery store to fulfill our hair brained idea for neighbor gifts. It was totally last minute, took forever, we missed a ton of our neighbors, etc, but it was really fun and I think we might have a tradition on our hands. We will certainly plan it out much better in the coming years, but it was a blast.
We made over 100 spring rolls with Thai peanut sauce and took them around to neighbors. We have always wanted to find something that wasn't more sugar (which we totally love, but don't do anything spectacularly unique with at our house) and that would be fun and different. Stanton's sister Julie brought these to our family party and we all devoured them, so we decided to give them a go. They were a lot of fun to make. Once you get everything chopped up and laid out, they go fairly quickly. The kids LOVED delivering them to our friends. There's something so special about giving and the kids caught that spirit doing this.
While Stanton and I made the spring rolls, Chloe was busy making orange rolls for our Christmas dinner. We ate them with ham and they were delicious. She honestly did all the work herself (and let Cannon make snakes from the dough that she then tied in knots). She rolled them, knotted them, placed them in the pan, zested the orange, sprinkled the sugar...everything. I put them in the oven and pulled them out. It was so cool to have her take on such a big project!
Continuing with the food pictures - the top right it our dinner table on Christmas day. I decided to cook a big turkey dinner. Yikes. It was a ton of work for just our little family, but it was fun to have a nice dinner together.
Bottom right - since I completely ruined a batch of caramels and two batches of fudge, I had to take a picture of the beautiful lemon-pistachio wreaths I did have success making. They were awesomely delicious and so pretty.
After our orange roll and ham dinner on Christmas Eve, we opened jammies, had showers, read my favorite Christmas book - Christmas Day in the Morning by Pearl S. Buck
Right as we were finishing the Nativity, our friend Shirlene Shaw came over. She brought fun little gifts for the kids (Nerf guns for the boys and an awesome 20 questions game for the girls - it's incredible and addicting!). She read them 'Twas The Night Before Christmas, which the kids totally loved.
After she read the book, we checked Santa's progress across the globe and then headed to the music room for ------ CAROLING!!!! Have I mentioned that Shirlene is an amazing pianist??? She's the girls' wonderful piano teacher. I have always wanted to sit around the piano and sing carols on Christmas Eve. It was so fun to do it with her! We sang hymns and fun carols and everything in between. That bottom right picture is the boys shouting out "in a one horse open sleigh, HEY!" Oh, how totally fun this was. It was the perfect way to end our Christmas Eve.
The kids got to bed happily and we said goodbye to Shirlene. A perfect night. Casual and fun.
Family Christmas Parties
We had our extended Rose family party in early December. It was great to be together with all of my cousins and especially to have Grandma Rose there. It's amazing what a difference a year will make.
I didn't snap really any pictures except during the Nativity. Lily was Mary (again), Brigham and Cannon were shepherds, Chloe was a wise man, and Henry was baby Jesus.
I had to chuckle/eye roll as the parties went on over the coming weeks, because Lily was Mary in Dave & Judy's nativity, too. It just kept piling on poor Chloe. She said to me, "Mom, it's not that I even want to be Mary...it's just that Lily was Mary last year and she's been her twice this year!" Hahaha. It was a bit much, but hopefully it meant something to Lil.
I pulled the kids out of school on December 20th to head up to Blackfoot for the afternoon. We had to - Matt & Sara were home from China! It was a fast trip, but so worth it.
I didn't take any pictures at our other 2 parties, but they sure were fun. We had Dave and Judy's on the 22nd. We had delicious food, we did the nativity program at Grandma Allen's care center, we shared our milestones for the year, and we had a program. Oh, and we all opened a bajillion presents, too. Emily spoiled me with a cast-iron skillet (yay!) and Stanton received an electric shaver and gravity car (it drives up the wall....cool!). We had Ann & Don and it was fun to shop for them. We got them a waffle iron, some new slippers for Don, some nice church shirts for Ann, a table tennis set, and a few other surprises. The kids loved exchanging gifts with their cousins (one of my favorite memories growing up).
We had my mom and dad's party on the 23rd (Sunday). That was also the date of our choir sacrament meeting program. It turned out beautifully. I'm so thankful for our choir members - they honestly make my calling so great.
We left immediately after Sacrament meeting and drove the motor home up to Blackfoot. My brother and his family just moved back home from China, so it was ALL of us squished in my parents' house. It was crazy, but fun. And can I just say how totally awesome it was to have Matt & Sara home???? I have missed them and their kids SO much. It was the best to all be together. We had clam chowder and breadsticks, we visited, we opened presents (again with the cousin presents - SO fun), my parents gave the kids a neat gift this year - they chose a scripture that reminded them of each of their grandchildren and made a little collage for each of them. They are really special. I know the kids will treasure them. We also did the Nativity (I made sure Lil wasn't Mary again - ha!) and had a program. I actually learned a song this year and sang it in the program. It was a lot of fun. I sang "I Need a Silent Night" by Amy Grant. It perfectly expressed every emotion I felt this holiday season - I felt so rushed this year and hardly had one minute to just sit and soak in the beauty and message of the season. We had parties to attend nearly every night leading up to Christmas, which meant we left our precious little ones home with babysitters. I missed them every single second and wanted to be with them instead. I will make it happen next year. Because I worked so hard to learn the song during the month of December, the kids heard it a million times - they all know the words by heart now, too. I hope it sinks into their souls.
Okay, off that tangent. It was so wonderful to be all together. We stayed the night and just had fun visiting, watching movies, and being together. We got up Christmas Eve morning and headed back to Logan. It was a perfect weekend. Tons of family, music, and fun.
I didn't snap really any pictures except during the Nativity. Lily was Mary (again), Brigham and Cannon were shepherds, Chloe was a wise man, and Henry was baby Jesus.
I had to chuckle/eye roll as the parties went on over the coming weeks, because Lily was Mary in Dave & Judy's nativity, too. It just kept piling on poor Chloe. She said to me, "Mom, it's not that I even want to be Mary...it's just that Lily was Mary last year and she's been her twice this year!" Hahaha. It was a bit much, but hopefully it meant something to Lil.
I pulled the kids out of school on December 20th to head up to Blackfoot for the afternoon. We had to - Matt & Sara were home from China! It was a fast trip, but so worth it.
I didn't take any pictures at our other 2 parties, but they sure were fun. We had Dave and Judy's on the 22nd. We had delicious food, we did the nativity program at Grandma Allen's care center, we shared our milestones for the year, and we had a program. Oh, and we all opened a bajillion presents, too. Emily spoiled me with a cast-iron skillet (yay!) and Stanton received an electric shaver and gravity car (it drives up the wall....cool!). We had Ann & Don and it was fun to shop for them. We got them a waffle iron, some new slippers for Don, some nice church shirts for Ann, a table tennis set, and a few other surprises. The kids loved exchanging gifts with their cousins (one of my favorite memories growing up).
We had my mom and dad's party on the 23rd (Sunday). That was also the date of our choir sacrament meeting program. It turned out beautifully. I'm so thankful for our choir members - they honestly make my calling so great.
We left immediately after Sacrament meeting and drove the motor home up to Blackfoot. My brother and his family just moved back home from China, so it was ALL of us squished in my parents' house. It was crazy, but fun. And can I just say how totally awesome it was to have Matt & Sara home???? I have missed them and their kids SO much. It was the best to all be together. We had clam chowder and breadsticks, we visited, we opened presents (again with the cousin presents - SO fun), my parents gave the kids a neat gift this year - they chose a scripture that reminded them of each of their grandchildren and made a little collage for each of them. They are really special. I know the kids will treasure them. We also did the Nativity (I made sure Lil wasn't Mary again - ha!) and had a program. I actually learned a song this year and sang it in the program. It was a lot of fun. I sang "I Need a Silent Night" by Amy Grant. It perfectly expressed every emotion I felt this holiday season - I felt so rushed this year and hardly had one minute to just sit and soak in the beauty and message of the season. We had parties to attend nearly every night leading up to Christmas, which meant we left our precious little ones home with babysitters. I missed them every single second and wanted to be with them instead. I will make it happen next year. Because I worked so hard to learn the song during the month of December, the kids heard it a million times - they all know the words by heart now, too. I hope it sinks into their souls.
Okay, off that tangent. It was so wonderful to be all together. We stayed the night and just had fun visiting, watching movies, and being together. We got up Christmas Eve morning and headed back to Logan. It was a perfect weekend. Tons of family, music, and fun.
23 December 2012
Various Items - Days Before Christmas
That day, we also had class parties for the kids. We had Brigham's first - the moms were awesome to help and come up with games. We had pictionary, minute to win it games, we made ornaments with their pictures on them, and they decorated sugar cones as Christmas trees. The kids were great (hyper, but great!) and it was fun to get to know the other moms a bit better.
I didn't even go to Lil's class that day, but they had a Polar Express party. She got to wear her jammies to school, which she loved.
In Chloe's class we made origami Santas, decorated Rice Krispie treat ornaments, had a minute to win it game, and learned a Christmas toast from Argentina, along with some of their traditions. The kids wore their jammies to that party, too. They love little things like that!
Stanton had pajama week at his office - he got these Rudolph ones at our office Christmas party. The kids loved them. (We had the ABC Ped Christmas party at the Coppermill this year. It was nice to not have to worry about dinner, but I missed having everyone at our house!).
Oh my, how the laundry suffered during December.
Stanton playing foosball with our friend Angie Francis. This was at the English Learning Center Christmas party - Stanton serves on their board of directors.
Santa visited before midnight this year. I sure appreciated that!
Our Christmas tree at night. It was so pretty this year.
Cannon digging in his Santa bag - too cute! (okay, so these last 3 were all Christmas Eve/Day...that's what happens when I do a mass update!).
Lily put together this outfit at my mom and dad's when we went up to visit. I was surprised at how totally darling she looked as a hipster. :)
Brigham's Christmas letter to Santa: Dear Santa, How do you get around the world at Christmas. I whould like... a toy motorsikl, alsso a book, finnlye to see you. And a picture to go with each part of the letter. So cute!
The girls composed this song one day when they were off school (after Christmas again...whoops). Written in 4 different keys and with perfect timing. Unfortunately, they didn't ever finish it, but it sure gave me hope that maybe some of their piano lessons and practice are sinking in!
As I mentioned before, we had parties and activities on what felt like every night in December. I'm exaggerating, of course, but in the 10 days leading up to Christmas Eve, Stanton and I were gone 8 of those days. It was ridiculous. We had office parties, board parties, dental parties, our formal party with the Lows (which was so fun, but we ended up leaving early so we could finish editing our Christmas movie), a pre-viewing of The Hobbit (a gift from my eye doctor - he rented out the whole theater for his patients and referring doctors), and on and on and on. It was insane. Fun, yes, but insane. The kids were troopers through it all - they had babysitters left and right, different people taking them to and picking them up from gymanstics, etc. They were awesome about it all, but boy did we enjoy our week together after Christmas.
10 December 2012
It's Not Christmas Without....
Santa? Christmas carols? Elf?
Well, yes, all of those. But what I really mean is...PICKLEVILLE!
We made our winter pilgrimage to the university to watch the Christmas show. It was awesome, as always. Henry stayed home with Grandma Judy and loved being the center of attention there.
The kids saw Santa and visited with him - well, all the kids but Chloe. I don't even want to talk about why...it makes me too sad.
It's always so crowded afterward, so I didn't get any pictures of the kids with the cast, but here they are with Santa. Too adorable.
I love our little tradition with Pickleville. It makes the kids excited for acting, the theatre, etc. And it just warms my heart every Christmas. I love it.
Well, yes, all of those. But what I really mean is...PICKLEVILLE!
We made our winter pilgrimage to the university to watch the Christmas show. It was awesome, as always. Henry stayed home with Grandma Judy and loved being the center of attention there.
The kids saw Santa and visited with him - well, all the kids but Chloe. I don't even want to talk about why...it makes me too sad.
It's always so crowded afterward, so I didn't get any pictures of the kids with the cast, but here they are with Santa. Too adorable.
26 December 2011
Simply Having A Wonderful Christmastime, December Daily, Sunday, December 25th
Christmas Day was wonderful. This was the first year the girls woke up early...and in a strange twist of fate, Cannon slept later than he has in a month. you can guess how excited the kids were about that! Brigham ended up going down without us knowing and waking Cannon up. Little stink! It was around 6:30, though, so I really can't complain!
I took this picture with my phone while everyone was waiting for Cannon to wake up. Charlie took over my spot! I haven't taken pictures off my camera yet, so this will be a pictureless post...ugh. The kids were THRILLED with their presents-- even the underwear and socks (they were in NEED of those things!). Santa brought Chloe a craft set - American Girl craft books, supplies, and a box to keep them organized. He also brought her some fun stocking stuffers- hair bands, a miniature AG doll, snowboots, etc. We got her some new dresses, a crayola craft set, a Guess Who game, books, a puzzle, etc. Lily gave her a charm bracelet, Brigham & Cannon got her a soccer ball and pylons. They have been her favorite gift, for sure! Santa brought Lily new roller skates. She hasn't taken them off since! He stuffed her stocking with similar goodies- clip on earrings, chocolate orange, etc. Chloe gave her a "big sis, lil' sis" necklace set. Brig and Cannon gave her a Barbie Rapunzel movie. We gave her new dresses, the same crayola craft kit, Hedbanz, a puzzle, and a ton of other stuff. Her favorite gift has absolutely been the roller skates! Brigham got a Leapster from Santa. He has loved it, but it's a good thing Santa has a contract with Amazon! - its already not working! Grrrrr. He also got a Star Wars Pez dispenser, a couple of new ties, goodies, etc. from Santa. From the girls, he received a dolphin pillow pet. He has wanted one for a year, so he was thrilled! We gave him a very cool Lightsaber, a game, a new church shirt, some books, and a puzzle. And lots more. My brain is tired! His favorite gift was the Leapster. Cannon also got a Leapster from Santa. He isn't as interested in it as Brigham, but I think if we sit down and help him figure it out, he'll find he enjoys it more. He also received ties and a Star Wars Pez dispenser, along with Cars 2, which made his morning. The girls gave him a piggy pillow pet. He loves his stuffed piggies, so this was a hit. We gave him a Cars Aquadoodle, a Lightsaber, the "If You Give a Mouse A..." books with CDs, a Curious George memory game, and a puzzle. He has loved the Lightsaber most of all! I got Stanton some new shorts, black cotton socks (probably his favorite gift and I mean that sincerely), the Lord of the Rings boxed edition with Blu-Rays and digital copies, and a new coat---which didn't fit, of course! The girls got him pens and a Diet Pepsi. The boys gave him aftershave. I gave myself a new calendar and the Harry Potter boxed DVD set. The kids picked out the cutest gifts which were completely age appropriate and so heart warming. Cannon gave me a bag of potpourri. Brigham gave me fake eyelashes :), Lily gave me some press on nail polish strips, and Chloe gave me filter bottle to use when exercising. And Stanton-- he gave me an iPad. Are you even kidding me? It's been really fun and more useful than I ever imagined. We all made a haul and really appreciated all of it. We lounged for a while on Christmas morning, but didn't get to for too long because we had the opportunity to present our choir's Christmas program at the Pioneer Valley Lodge-- a retirement center in our stake. I have to admit, it wasn't the most convenient way to spend our Christmas morning. Pulling the kids away from their treasures at 10:00 to be over there by 10:45 wasn't easy. Pulling ourselves away from the lazy afterglow of it all wasn't easy. But we did it and I'm grateful we did. It was a neat way to serve on this special day. We came home for about 45 minutes and then went to our regular church meeting. The program turned out really beautifully. We hadn't had any real run throughs (unless you count the VERY abbreviated one at Pioneer Valley that morning). I was nervous about the whole thing, but it really couldn't have gone better. The musical numbers were great, the congregation got to sing a few songs, the narrator was perfect, -- it all went well. The spirit was present and it was a really marvelous way to spend Christmas. We came home from church, changed our clothes, and headed over to Dave & Judy's for dinner. We had leftovers from the party on Friday, which were delish. We played and visited and the kids played with their cousins (Don & Ann were up). The kids also opened their gifts from Dave & Judy. Cannon got his remote control airplane, Brigham got the ninja costume he'd been wishing for for months, and the girls got Journey Girl dolls (Toys R Us's darling and much less expensive version of American Girls). They were all SO excited. Chloe and Lily, who really aren't that interested in toys, have really attached to these dolls. It's so sweet to see. They all loved having one last big present to open that evening-- it spread the magic out a little longer. We stayed way too late at Dave & Judy's and then went home and got the kids to bed. we watched more of Band of Brothers, but I could hardly keep my eyes open, so we hit the sack by 10:00. What a wonderful day. We are so blessed to live the life we live, to have the things we have, and the gospel knowledge we do. I often stand all amazed at the great love Jesus offers me. I'm frequently confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me. Christmas is a wonderful time to remember it and express gratitude for it. I love these magical years with such believing-hearted children. They make it so absolutely magical. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I took this picture with my phone while everyone was waiting for Cannon to wake up. Charlie took over my spot! I haven't taken pictures off my camera yet, so this will be a pictureless post...ugh. The kids were THRILLED with their presents-- even the underwear and socks (they were in NEED of those things!). Santa brought Chloe a craft set - American Girl craft books, supplies, and a box to keep them organized. He also brought her some fun stocking stuffers- hair bands, a miniature AG doll, snowboots, etc. We got her some new dresses, a crayola craft set, a Guess Who game, books, a puzzle, etc. Lily gave her a charm bracelet, Brigham & Cannon got her a soccer ball and pylons. They have been her favorite gift, for sure! Santa brought Lily new roller skates. She hasn't taken them off since! He stuffed her stocking with similar goodies- clip on earrings, chocolate orange, etc. Chloe gave her a "big sis, lil' sis" necklace set. Brig and Cannon gave her a Barbie Rapunzel movie. We gave her new dresses, the same crayola craft kit, Hedbanz, a puzzle, and a ton of other stuff. Her favorite gift has absolutely been the roller skates! Brigham got a Leapster from Santa. He has loved it, but it's a good thing Santa has a contract with Amazon! - its already not working! Grrrrr. He also got a Star Wars Pez dispenser, a couple of new ties, goodies, etc. from Santa. From the girls, he received a dolphin pillow pet. He has wanted one for a year, so he was thrilled! We gave him a very cool Lightsaber, a game, a new church shirt, some books, and a puzzle. And lots more. My brain is tired! His favorite gift was the Leapster. Cannon also got a Leapster from Santa. He isn't as interested in it as Brigham, but I think if we sit down and help him figure it out, he'll find he enjoys it more. He also received ties and a Star Wars Pez dispenser, along with Cars 2, which made his morning. The girls gave him a piggy pillow pet. He loves his stuffed piggies, so this was a hit. We gave him a Cars Aquadoodle, a Lightsaber, the "If You Give a Mouse A..." books with CDs, a Curious George memory game, and a puzzle. He has loved the Lightsaber most of all! I got Stanton some new shorts, black cotton socks (probably his favorite gift and I mean that sincerely), the Lord of the Rings boxed edition with Blu-Rays and digital copies, and a new coat---which didn't fit, of course! The girls got him pens and a Diet Pepsi. The boys gave him aftershave. I gave myself a new calendar and the Harry Potter boxed DVD set. The kids picked out the cutest gifts which were completely age appropriate and so heart warming. Cannon gave me a bag of potpourri. Brigham gave me fake eyelashes :), Lily gave me some press on nail polish strips, and Chloe gave me filter bottle to use when exercising. And Stanton-- he gave me an iPad. Are you even kidding me? It's been really fun and more useful than I ever imagined. We all made a haul and really appreciated all of it. We lounged for a while on Christmas morning, but didn't get to for too long because we had the opportunity to present our choir's Christmas program at the Pioneer Valley Lodge-- a retirement center in our stake. I have to admit, it wasn't the most convenient way to spend our Christmas morning. Pulling the kids away from their treasures at 10:00 to be over there by 10:45 wasn't easy. Pulling ourselves away from the lazy afterglow of it all wasn't easy. But we did it and I'm grateful we did. It was a neat way to serve on this special day. We came home for about 45 minutes and then went to our regular church meeting. The program turned out really beautifully. We hadn't had any real run throughs (unless you count the VERY abbreviated one at Pioneer Valley that morning). I was nervous about the whole thing, but it really couldn't have gone better. The musical numbers were great, the congregation got to sing a few songs, the narrator was perfect, -- it all went well. The spirit was present and it was a really marvelous way to spend Christmas. We came home from church, changed our clothes, and headed over to Dave & Judy's for dinner. We had leftovers from the party on Friday, which were delish. We played and visited and the kids played with their cousins (Don & Ann were up). The kids also opened their gifts from Dave & Judy. Cannon got his remote control airplane, Brigham got the ninja costume he'd been wishing for for months, and the girls got Journey Girl dolls (Toys R Us's darling and much less expensive version of American Girls). They were all SO excited. Chloe and Lily, who really aren't that interested in toys, have really attached to these dolls. It's so sweet to see. They all loved having one last big present to open that evening-- it spread the magic out a little longer. We stayed way too late at Dave & Judy's and then went home and got the kids to bed. we watched more of Band of Brothers, but I could hardly keep my eyes open, so we hit the sack by 10:00. What a wonderful day. We are so blessed to live the life we live, to have the things we have, and the gospel knowledge we do. I often stand all amazed at the great love Jesus offers me. I'm frequently confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me. Christmas is a wonderful time to remember it and express gratitude for it. I love these magical years with such believing-hearted children. They make it so absolutely magical. - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
22 December 2011
Gifts for the Christ - Sacrament Meeting Christmas Program 2011
Gifts for the Christ
4th Ward Christmas Program, 25 December 2011
Choir – In the Bleak Midwinter
Narrator:
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb. If I were a wise man, I would do my part. What then can I give him? I will give my heart.
Each person in the Christmas story gave a gift of the heart. We can learn from them and give our own gifts to the Savior.
The angel gave the gift of hope. As Noah of old, he prophesied of Jesus Christ. As the archangel Gabriel, he taught both Joseph and Mary to hope for the Savior who would be theirs to raise on this earth.
We read in Matthew chapter 1:
“... behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.”
And in Luke chapter 1, we hear his message of hope to Mary:
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.” (Luke 1:26-31)
The message of the fullness of Jesus Christ’s Gospel is God’s gift to the world today. When we share our testimony of that Gospel, we give the gift of hope, just as the angel did so long ago.
Whitely Sisters’ number – Gabriel’s Message
Narrator:
Mary and Joseph gave the gift of sacrifice. We often picture them on their way to Bethlehem to pay taxes in the city of Joseph’s forbears. We see the young mother riding the donkey, in the final, uncomfortable weeks of pregnancy. The journey couldn’t have been smooth. She must have ached, her back and legs and ribs feeling every jostle of the donkey’s steps. Dear Joseph must have sorrowed that he couldn’t give his bride more peace and comfort in her “day of tribulation.” It’s not hard to imagine his worry as inn after inn turned them away – and his concern that the baby with whom the God of Heaven had entrusted him would have to be born in a stable. It couldn’t have been easy for Mary to labor with only her inexperienced husband by her side. Nothing they did to bring the Holy One into the world was simple or convenient. They risked reputation, convenience, and safety to fulfill the prophecy of Gabriel and the commandment of God. Away in that manger, with no crib for a bed, they laid the tiny head of the Savior of the World – committed to protect and teach Him; knowing He was their Savior, too.
Congregation – Away in a Manger
Narrator:
As that new family sat quietly tucked away in a stable in Bethlehem, the heavens were alight with joy and rejoicing. The long awaited event had come to pass! The multitudes of heaven (and of whom we may just have been a part) gave the gift of joy. There was no doubt, no dissention, no fear – there was joy!
We can give the gift of joy every day as we let the Savior into our lives and let His light shine through us.
Choir – And the Glory of the Lord
Narrator:
Familiar to the Christmas story are the angels, the shepherds, and the wise men.
The angels brought the gift of the Gospel – Good Tidings of Great Joy!
The shepherds brought the gift of Faith – they didn’t wonder if what the angels told them was true; no, they said,
“Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:15-16)
The wise men brought the gift of temporal help. They bore gifts that were fit for a king, but useful to the family with few earthly means.
We can be angels in the lives of our friends as we share the gift of the Gospel.
Our faith can be unwavering like the shepherds – we can give that gift to the Savior as we trust His hand in our lives.
We have so much to give to so many who are in need. Is there a better way to serve our God than to serve His children?
“And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” (Mosiah 2:17)
And as we give these gifts, our hearts will be full of the joy that obedience to the Gospel brings.
Congregation – Oh, Come, All Ye Faithful
Narrator:
No character in the Christmas story is of greater importance or gave a greater gift than the Christ child Himself. Jesus Christ – the giver of all good gifts – He gave us the gift of hope, the gift of sacrifice, the gift of joy, the gift of the Gospel, the gift of faith, the gift of temporal help, and every other good thing we know. Nephi was given a vision of Christ’s gift in 1 Nephi:
“And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.
And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?
And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.
And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.
And he spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men. And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and unclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things unto me. And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.
And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.
And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world.” (1 Nephi 11:13-17, 31-33)
It is hard to comprehend the condescension of Jesus Christ. It is nearly to impossible to understand with our mortal minds why He would leave the glory that surrounded him in the Heavens to come to earth in the humblest of circumstances, live a life of poverty, be judged of the world, unjustly convicted, cruelly beaten, crucified as a criminal, and buried in a borrowed tomb. Would any of us be so humble, so willing? Only He was perfect – only He would do it. Indeed, only He could do it. He left His courts on high, came to live among us, endured blood from every pore in the Garden of Gethsemane, and death on the cruel cross of Calvary. His condescension is the greatest gift imaginable and the most difficult to comprehend. Like Nephi, we can only say in faith, “I know that he loveth his children, nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.” (1 Nephi 11:17)
Isaiah prophesied of the many gifts the Savior would give:
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
“Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53:10-12)
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)
Choir – Who Is This Baby?
Narrator:
We owe so much to Jesus Christ. We owe more than we can ever repay, but in His infinite goodness, all He requires is our heart. Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught:
“The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. It is a hard doctrine, but it is true. The many other things we give to God, however nice that may be of us, are actually things He has already given us, and He has loaned them to us. But when we begin to submit ourselves by letting our wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him.”
--Ensign, August 2000, Insights From My Life, Neal A. Maxwell
We are not shepherds; we are not wise men; we were not there to partake in the first Christmas night. What can then we give Him? May we give our hearts.
If we know Him...if we have let Him do for us what He lived and died and lives now to do...then we will feel what the Christmas carol proclaims. Joy to the World! The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King! Let every heart prepare Him room and Saints and angels sing!
Choir (& Congregation for Silent Night) – A Christmas Medley (Joy to the World, Angels We Have Heard on High, Silent Night)
10 December 2011
December Daily - Saturday, December 10th
Over the river and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we WENT!
We spent the morning making breadsticks and exercising (not a useful combination). We left the house in total shambles so we could get to Blackfoot by 1:00. We made the drive with no troubles and had our traditional dinner of clam chowder and breadsticks. And veggie tray and treats and soda and candy and fruit, etc. The kids were in heaven dishing cookies on their plates right next to the veggies and then getting to sit by cousins! They were definitely in raptures being with cousins for so long.
After dinner we visited for a long time (including a long and lively discussion about the girl at BYU-I who was refused at the testing center because her "pants were in violation of the honor code." There's slightly more to the story than that, but anyway, it was a lively discussion that was put to rest when we started the program. The girls each played their recital pieces on the piano and sang the duet (Away in a Manger) that they're singing in church tomorrow. They're pretty talented young ladies, may I say? And Chloe's piano pieces for her recital have been very challenging, so I was really proud of her performing them, even though they weren't perfect. She did really well. And they sang very well, too. I'm glad they have a love for music.
The boys sang Rudolph sort of together. It was mostly Brigham who did the singing. He's not as natural with it as the girls, but thankfully he doesn't realize it and just belts it out anyway.
Cindy's kids clogged, played the piano, sang, and made the sound Rudolph's nose makes when it lights up (through a straw of course...duh!).
Lori's kids sang and played the piano and break danced. We're a talented bunch, I'm telling you! Hehe.
After the program, we had the nativity. Cindy and I brought our boxes o' costumes and the kids were adorable. I didn't take any pictures with my phone because I was holding Cannon. He was being a shy shepherd. :)
We sang a few Christmas hymns (I LOVE) and got everyone changed back to their regular clothes.
It was time for the presents!!! The kids had been super excited about those, of course, so it was a lot of fun to open them up. Our four gave to Regan (Pom Pom scarf kit), Luke (marble maze game that Sara ended up choosing because it was going to cost $30 to ship his gift to China!), Morgan (friendship bracelet kit and scented pencils), and Porter (toy story hooded towel and floor puzzle). The cousins who gave to them were Jordyn (gave Chloe a color your own messenger bag), Emma (gave Lily two new barbies), Todd (gave Brigham a 3D toy story glow color tray), and Gavin (gave Cannon a shake and go RC car with Woody). The kids were all thrilled with their gifts!
My mom and dad pulled off another great gift giving year. For our four, they got new cowboy boots. Oh man, the kids were sooooo excited! I took pictures with the big camera, but I'm blogging this from my phone with just the pics I took on there, so those pics will have to wait.
After the kids all received their presents, my mom and dad gave each couple a giant, heavy box. We opened the paper and couldn't believe our eyes. They purchased a Christus Statue (marble) for each couple. It is large and beautiful. I was just stunned to see it. Such a thoughtful, amazing gift. Thank you, Mom and Dad!
It looks like the one on the shelf in the background there. Again, thank you, Mom and Dad!
After presents, we got on the computer and Skyped with Matt & Sara and family in China. They opened their presents from the cousins and sang "I Love to See the Temple" in Chinese. It was so beautiful. I am not a frequent Skyper, so it was really nice to see their faces on the screen.
We visited for another hour or more after and then got the van loaded up and we're on our way home now!
At some point, I'll get the pics off the big camera and add them here, but the home computer is being occupied by a huge project Stanton is working on bringing all of our video from every different camera and tape onto the hard drive. It's taking a long time, but is so worth it. It has been so fun to watch video from the early days of parenthood and marriage.
The kids are watching Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas and Charlie is asleep on my lap. We've got another hour ahead of us on the road and then serious clean up to do at home. It's been a great day.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
We spent the morning making breadsticks and exercising (not a useful combination). We left the house in total shambles so we could get to Blackfoot by 1:00. We made the drive with no troubles and had our traditional dinner of clam chowder and breadsticks. And veggie tray and treats and soda and candy and fruit, etc. The kids were in heaven dishing cookies on their plates right next to the veggies and then getting to sit by cousins! They were definitely in raptures being with cousins for so long.
After dinner we visited for a long time (including a long and lively discussion about the girl at BYU-I who was refused at the testing center because her "pants were in violation of the honor code." There's slightly more to the story than that, but anyway, it was a lively discussion that was put to rest when we started the program. The girls each played their recital pieces on the piano and sang the duet (Away in a Manger) that they're singing in church tomorrow. They're pretty talented young ladies, may I say? And Chloe's piano pieces for her recital have been very challenging, so I was really proud of her performing them, even though they weren't perfect. She did really well. And they sang very well, too. I'm glad they have a love for music.
The boys sang Rudolph sort of together. It was mostly Brigham who did the singing. He's not as natural with it as the girls, but thankfully he doesn't realize it and just belts it out anyway.
Cindy's kids clogged, played the piano, sang, and made the sound Rudolph's nose makes when it lights up (through a straw of course...duh!).
Lori's kids sang and played the piano and break danced. We're a talented bunch, I'm telling you! Hehe.
After the program, we had the nativity. Cindy and I brought our boxes o' costumes and the kids were adorable. I didn't take any pictures with my phone because I was holding Cannon. He was being a shy shepherd. :)
We sang a few Christmas hymns (I LOVE) and got everyone changed back to their regular clothes.
It was time for the presents!!! The kids had been super excited about those, of course, so it was a lot of fun to open them up. Our four gave to Regan (Pom Pom scarf kit), Luke (marble maze game that Sara ended up choosing because it was going to cost $30 to ship his gift to China!), Morgan (friendship bracelet kit and scented pencils), and Porter (toy story hooded towel and floor puzzle). The cousins who gave to them were Jordyn (gave Chloe a color your own messenger bag), Emma (gave Lily two new barbies), Todd (gave Brigham a 3D toy story glow color tray), and Gavin (gave Cannon a shake and go RC car with Woody). The kids were all thrilled with their gifts!
My mom and dad pulled off another great gift giving year. For our four, they got new cowboy boots. Oh man, the kids were sooooo excited! I took pictures with the big camera, but I'm blogging this from my phone with just the pics I took on there, so those pics will have to wait.
After the kids all received their presents, my mom and dad gave each couple a giant, heavy box. We opened the paper and couldn't believe our eyes. They purchased a Christus Statue (marble) for each couple. It is large and beautiful. I was just stunned to see it. Such a thoughtful, amazing gift. Thank you, Mom and Dad!
It looks like the one on the shelf in the background there. Again, thank you, Mom and Dad!
After presents, we got on the computer and Skyped with Matt & Sara and family in China. They opened their presents from the cousins and sang "I Love to See the Temple" in Chinese. It was so beautiful. I am not a frequent Skyper, so it was really nice to see their faces on the screen.
We visited for another hour or more after and then got the van loaded up and we're on our way home now!
At some point, I'll get the pics off the big camera and add them here, but the home computer is being occupied by a huge project Stanton is working on bringing all of our video from every different camera and tape onto the hard drive. It's taking a long time, but is so worth it. It has been so fun to watch video from the early days of parenthood and marriage.
The kids are watching Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas and Charlie is asleep on my lap. We've got another hour ahead of us on the road and then serious clean up to do at home. It's been a great day.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
27 December 2010
....And Christmas Morning!!!
Phew! We're here! After a lightning fast December and feeling pretty unprepared, Christmas morning was magical.
The tree before Stanton and I went to bed last night. Santa had already visited while we were watching a movie! Sneaky guy, we didn't even hear him! He left everything in these big Santa sacks this year, which was really cool! We didn't even have to put up a sheet to hide everything from the early risers. It was super.
Cannon was up by 6:30, Brigham and Lily were up by around 7:00 and Chloe didn't wake up till nearly 8:00! We had everyone wait until Chloe got up and then had a delicious breakfast of eggs, toast, and fruit. The kids were pretty much NOT interested in breakfast, but they get really grumpy on empty stomachs, so we made sure they ate a few bites. You can see in the pics below that Brig's excitement got the best of him and he shoved a few too many bites into his mouth at the end. He he. While they ate, Stanton brought the Santa bags out into the living room.
The kids loved seeing the bags and loved finding the unwrapped surprises inside!
From Santa, Chloe received an Easy Bake Oven, a Sock Monkey, a Jessie Doll, and a little tiny FurReal dog.
Lily received a Karaoke machine with CDs, a FurReal puppy, a Tangled Dress-up, and Tangled figurines.
Brigham received a Dinosaur robot, Joker's Cave for his Imaginext Batman toys, and some Super Hero guys.
Cannon received a Racetrack toy that spins the cars around and spits them out and some Super Hero guys.
All four of them also received ...... It's a Pillow! It's a Pet! It's a Pillow Pet! They were thrilled beyond words and guess what? After all my balking at what a stupid thing they are, I kinda sorta love 'em. They aren't loud, they don't make a mess, and the kids use them even when they're sleeping. Hello, Awesome! I'm glad Santa didn't listen to my dissenting opinion. Chloe got the ladybug, Lily got the unicorn, Brigham got the puppy, and Cannon got the penguin.
After the kids played with their gifts from Santa for a while, we opened our other presents. More toys, clothes, etc. The kids were thrilled with every single thing. We heard lots and lots of "This is the best Christmas EVER!!!" and "Thank You SO Much, I LOVE It!!" and "I Didn't Even Know I Wanted That!!!!." It was truly magical. I love how easily pleased these little ones are. They are special little people.
We spent the entire day being lazy, taking naps, playing, and watching a movie. It flew by and was just plain magic. I am grateful we're in these prime years right now and am trying to soak it all in.
Cannon couldn't wait after his shower to get back to his racetrack. Brig's Batman stuff has been on our kitchen table for a couple of days now. Cannon got into Lily's new makeup...I think he's going for the Joker look? PJs from Great Grandma and Grandpa Rose. Stanton helping Chloe bake with her Easy Bake Oven (they had to take a quick trip to Walgreen's, as Santa forgot the 100 watt lightbulb for the oven, duh!). The kids have LOVED the karaoke machine so much. It's already provided hours of entertainment.
Magical Christmas. MAGICAL. In fact, I'm tearing up while I type this. Pure Magic and I have my beautiful husband and children to thank for it. We are blessed.
Cannon was up by 6:30, Brigham and Lily were up by around 7:00 and Chloe didn't wake up till nearly 8:00! We had everyone wait until Chloe got up and then had a delicious breakfast of eggs, toast, and fruit. The kids were pretty much NOT interested in breakfast, but they get really grumpy on empty stomachs, so we made sure they ate a few bites. You can see in the pics below that Brig's excitement got the best of him and he shoved a few too many bites into his mouth at the end. He he. While they ate, Stanton brought the Santa bags out into the living room.
From Santa, Chloe received an Easy Bake Oven, a Sock Monkey, a Jessie Doll, and a little tiny FurReal dog.
Lily received a Karaoke machine with CDs, a FurReal puppy, a Tangled Dress-up, and Tangled figurines.
Brigham received a Dinosaur robot, Joker's Cave for his Imaginext Batman toys, and some Super Hero guys.
Cannon received a Racetrack toy that spins the cars around and spits them out and some Super Hero guys.
All four of them also received ...... It's a Pillow! It's a Pet! It's a Pillow Pet! They were thrilled beyond words and guess what? After all my balking at what a stupid thing they are, I kinda sorta love 'em. They aren't loud, they don't make a mess, and the kids use them even when they're sleeping. Hello, Awesome! I'm glad Santa didn't listen to my dissenting opinion. Chloe got the ladybug, Lily got the unicorn, Brigham got the puppy, and Cannon got the penguin.
After the kids played with their gifts from Santa for a while, we opened our other presents. More toys, clothes, etc. The kids were thrilled with every single thing. We heard lots and lots of "This is the best Christmas EVER!!!" and "Thank You SO Much, I LOVE It!!" and "I Didn't Even Know I Wanted That!!!!." It was truly magical. I love how easily pleased these little ones are. They are special little people.
We spent the entire day being lazy, taking naps, playing, and watching a movie. It flew by and was just plain magic. I am grateful we're in these prime years right now and am trying to soak it all in.
Magical Christmas. MAGICAL. In fact, I'm tearing up while I type this. Pure Magic and I have my beautiful husband and children to thank for it. We are blessed.
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