It’s been so fun to do these 12 Days of Christmas posts. It’s gotten me to post about more than just our daily life and think about something Christmasy every single day. But Christmas is obviously more than sparkly sweaters, glittery nails, and Mr. Bean’s nativity. I want to make sure you all know how much I love and appreciate the greatest gift we’ve all been given. The gift of Christ, the Savior to the World. Recently I’ve been relying on His atonement so much in my life, more than the repentance part. I’ve needed His grace to make up the difference in my life when I’m tired and when I feel inadequate as a mother. Life is hard and I’m so grateful for His love to help me each and every day. He sees our efforts and is watching over us with our Heavenly Father. So, this Christmas Day, take time to remember Him and the true meaning of Christmas. I love you all and hope you all have a great day celebrating!
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2015-12-24 23:04:492015-12-25 20:52:3312th Day of Christmas: The Meaning of the Season
This is my ultimate favorite Christmas video. The story is such powerful, Ed Herrman does such a great job narrating (I can’t believe he passed away!), and the music is beautiful. Take time to watch it and share it with others.
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along th’unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
Till, ringing, singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2015-12-22 23:39:552015-12-22 23:47:1710th Day of Christmas: Longfellow's Christmas
I hosted a Christmas craft exchange party this week and was blown away by my crafty friends! Everyone was so shy about having their craft be opened, but each one was as awesome as the next!
So, everyone brought one craft wrapped up, then we played the left/right white elephant game and ended up with someone else’s gift. We went around and opened the gifts and the person who made the craft told how they made it. It was so fun and great to see some old friends and chat with new ones!
Decorated presents (made out of boxes and wrapped with tinsel and garland)
Paper Trees (made from books, folded every thirty pages)
Homemade Purse
Wooden elf block set (decoupaged)
Floral Arrangement
Leather Baby Moccasins
Advent Calendar
Christmas Print
Ornament Magnets
“Jingle All The Way” Shadowbox frame with bells inside
Burlap and Lace Christmas Trees
Wall Decoration-Wooden Star
Christmas Trees (Wooden and painted)
JOY letters (Wooden and painted)
Gold Christmas Tree (Folded magazine, spray painted)
Mason Jar Candles with Snow (Epson Salt as snow)
Wall Decoration-Joy (wreath as the “O”)
Crocheted boot toppers
I really love hosting parties, but especially loved this one because not only was it Christmas themed, but also it was so fun to see what everyone came up with to create! Can’t wait for next year!
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2015-12-04 09:54:342015-12-02 09:55:35One Single Bell
On Monday, I was so lucky to see the amazing Forgotten Carols show with my in-laws. I absolutely loved it. I had no idea that Michael Mclean was actually IN the show, along with his son and his wife! So neat. I was familiar with the music but had never actually seen the play. It really touched me and made me want to focus on the Savior this Christmas season. After all, that’s what it’s all about.
“Yes I did believe them Though I’d not seen a thing
I did not go to Bethlehem Or hear the angels sing
But there was something magic In the air
That made me feel as if I had been there
I knew that as the world moves on through time
There would be more stories just like mine
About the souls who’ve chosen to believe
In something that they never got to see
Do you think you’ll join us Though you’ve not seen a thing?
You were not there in Bethlehem To hear the angels sing
But if you feel the spirit In the air
Then just like me you’d know
That He was here, He was here
The King of kings, And Lord of lords was here”
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2015-12-03 10:00:352015-12-02 09:32:50Let Him In
It’s been one year since our magical trip to Disneyland. TJ and I were watching this a couple days ago and he said, “I’m so jealous of myself one year ago!” Me too, TJ. Me too!
https://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.png00Katiehttps://katiederrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/logo.pngKatie2015-11-28 10:14:562015-11-23 22:19:26One Year Ago
As usual, around a holiday I always like to think of what I was doing in years past.
2014 • We were at Disneyland! Seriously one of the best times of my life!
2013 • Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade with my sister and her family
2012 • Thanksgiving dinner with T.J.’s dad’s side of the family. Eva is such a cutie pie!
2011 • Thanksgiving dinner with T.J.’s aunt and family. I was about to have Eva and was huge so this is the only photo I am going to share.
2010 • Our first Thanksgiving as a married couple! We went down to Enterprise, Utah, and had Thanksgiving with T.J.’s mom’s side of the family. It was the first time I went into the wild to find a Christmas tree. Can you believe there have been seven grandbabies born since this photo? Such young newlyweds!
Every Thanksgiving I also think about the little girl I used to mentor back in Provo, Savannah. She wasn’t in my life very long but she taught me so many lessons on service and Thanksgiving.
Growing up, every single Thanksgiving, my mom would read this poem to us with those old felt pictures. They did it again a couple years ago and put it on video… I just love it and the message is pretty good! Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
On the actual day of Halloween, Eva woke up early and instead of being upset about it (as usual), Eva and I went and got some delicious Halloween donuts because we weren’t going to eat enough sugar over Halloween weekend! Ha! But really, it was so nice to start of Halloween listening to Halloween music in the car and spending some one on one time with that donut loving little girl.
We all got ready and then headed over to Cornbelly’s because we hadn’t used our bounce back tickets yet. It was crowded but the weather was amazing and we still got to do some of the activities there.
We quickly got ready for trick or treating when we got home and first went around our neighborhood. We ran into some friends and Eva got to T-or-T with them!
The fun continued over at TJ’s parents house where we took the cousins around to a couple more houses. They were so hyper, running house to house and just so excited. I’ve never seen anything like it. It was hilarious and really cute.
And above is sweet Finn in his skeleton sleeper. We had a great weekend (and month celebrating), but Sunday night, I couldn’t help but put all of the Halloween decorations away. It was fun I’m ready to move on to Thanksgiving and Christmas!
We had quite the Halloween weekend, actually… Halloween Week.
On Monday, we invited a handful of families over from our neighborhood to carve/paint pumpkins. I think six families came, so it was quite a packed house but so fun to finally get to know some neighbors.
On the Wednesday before Halloween, I took Eva to the Outlets which are like two minutes away for a magic show and trick or treating. The magic show was really entertaining for the kids (kind of dumb, if you ask me, but Eva got a big kick out of it). The trick or treating was a total bust. They ran out of candy in like five minutes. We went home with three or four pieces (and a new cardigan from Banana). Eva didn’t mind too much though, she still had fun looking at everyone’s costumes.
Friday, after I dropped Eva off at school, Finn and I had lunch at TJ’s office and got to see his team all dressed up. We thought they were going to win the contest for the best group costume, but there was another team who were people on a roller coaster and that was pretty awesome. But TJ did win the pumpkin carving contest. He carved a pumpkin of their CEO!
Afterwards, TJ and I went to Eva’s school to see their costume parade and sing-in.
Once school was over, TJ went back to work and Eva and I went over to my father-in-law’s office for another Halloween party. It was three huge floors decked out in amazing decorations and filled with tons of treats! There was even a bouncy house, people making balloon animals, and a cotton candy station. Eva was in heaven!
