Let the Season Begin!

And she's off...Finally. I'm talking about myself. I've been a little slow getting into the festive season. But it finally feels like Christmas time, thanks to decorations placed throughout the home and their empty boxes back out in the garage, hot chocolate with whipping cream sprinkled with nutmeg, Christmas potpourri simmering on the stove, It's a Wonderful Life playing in the background, and me, crafting some homemade Christmas tree ornaments.

The First Gift of Christmas

On Christmas Eve, after all the traditional happenings, it was time to settle the children down so the elves could get to work. Not an easy task. We had to read a few Christmas books: The Polar Express {we believe in this household & we do hear the ringing} and The Night Before Christmas. After reading that story I can never resist going to the front door and opening it to yell in my loudest & jolliest voice into the dark cold outside, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" This is the most embarrassing thing a parent can do in front of their older children. I don't care. I still do it. And they actually follow me, hanging back a few feet, to see if I'm really going to do it.

This time Andrew yelled out the door too. So fun..:)

Then comes the great pleasure of tucking Andrew into bed for a long winter's night. I knelt next to his bed for 10 minutes or so just listening to him talk about all his Christmas wishes. The first wish he explained in detailed was how he knew Santa would bring him a John Deer tractor to ride on in the back yard. This is the thing he asked Santa for when he saw him at his preschool Christmas Party. I couldn't help the smile and happy heart as I listened...

A very good friend of mine had called me a few weeks ago to get the okay on a special surprise for Andrew from her 10 year old son. He was given a front loader as a gift one year and has out grown it and wanted to pass it on to a fellow tractor lover. We all know Andrew's dream to be a "Working Dad." Plans were made and the time was set for the special delivery. How wonderful to be on this end of the giving. It felt so good to know that Andrew would be the receiver of such a thoughtful & perfect gift, especially since we could not possible give him that amazing wish this year.

So the bell rang and we rushed Andrew to the front door to answer it. He had already been asleep for ten minutes. He couldn't believe his eyes. He was so confused but so happy. He rode it into the house and road it around in the living room {still no furniture} and he gave Peter a few rides. Then I read the note to him.

And with a beaming smile he said, "Mom, I'm so happy right now." I'll always remember how that felt. Amazing. He'll be hearing the ringing of Santa's bells for a long time. We all will. Thank you dear friends.:)

It's over already...

So many pictures and moments to choose from

but here are a few of the highlights of our

Christmas Celebration.

Never wake up a sleeping baby...

Not even on Christmas morning to open presents.

Hurry! Give him some chocolate. And he ate chocolate all day long.

That ought to be real good for the liver.

I used to get really upset and uptight seeing my children eating candy before breakfast on Christmas Morning. I guess I'm over that. Life is too short...:)


Ahhh, Christmas Eve at Grandma & Grandpa Hallen's home.

Delicious ham dinner and gifts as place cards.

The Nativity produced & directed by Addie & Madi.

Sydney happily accepted the role of Mary and of course Andrew was Joseph.

Uncle Gary played the role of the donkey.

We've had fights in past years of who gets to play this role.


Who can resist taking a picture of baby legs???

Cute, sweet Kendall.

The Christmas Pinata from Aunt Kaye.

She makes them every year for us.

Grandpa filled it with the good candy this year.

Christmas Eve.

The first gift of Christmas went to a very deserving person this year...
More details on this major highlight.

Thank you Santa angel!

"Mom. I'm so happy right now." -Andrew

Addie is now a proud owner of a Webkinz Zoo.

Meagan patiently waiting to open a gifts.

It's tough being the oldest.

Happy children.

Happy Peter.

What a blessing!

He's hardly cried these past few days.

That is definitely a Christmas Highlight!

A few of my favorite things...

I love Christmas. I love the color red. Thank you, Ma Kempton, for that. This is a little something that Addie made {for somebody for Christmas} with my much loved, button collection. I love it. She sewed on the buttons. Andrew painted the frame that came from a garage sale [of course]. Addie if you read this...I want one just like it.

I love this Santa that Andrew made at preschool. He looks so cheerful displayed in our family room. I love how you can curl construction paper with a pencil. I have to get this down about Andrew's thoughts regarding Santa Claus. He's been thinking hard about him these past few weeks. Andrew thinks that Santa lives by Heavenly Father. Sweet. And the other day I noticed a pile of coins under Andrew's Christmas tree in his room. Is he trying to bribe Santa??? Nope, he just wants to help him out with the cost of his presents

What consideration!

I can't wait for Andrew to open up his present that I just finished making for him tonight. He has been asking for a new quilt for his bed. The one he has on his bed is old. John & I received it from Aunt Gloria 18 yrs ago. It's dark blue on one side and matches his room. But it has a couple of rips. Andrew's really upset about this. So I went to the day after Thanksgiving sale to buy some flannel for his new quilt. I had to act pretty pathetic to get it. Long story. I also bought material for another little boy who needed a blanket, a friend adopted a family for CHRISTmas, and we signed up to help with that one thing. So poor Andrew had to hear all about this other little boy needing a blanket. John tells me of the night time dialogue from Andrew as he's tucking him to bed. "Dad, why doesn't mom just make me a blanket? I know she has the stuff to make it." So John put an extra blanket on him last night. Tonight, I tucked him into bed. "Mom, do you think they make blankets with construction trucks on it? Cause, I would really like that for a blanket. You have some on your ironing board." I told him that material was for a little boy who needed a blanket. He told me that he liked little blankets. Oh, I'm braking his heart making him wait until Christmas morning. I put another blanket on him. I can't wait to see him open that present. That's what Christmas is all about for me...I love it.

Candy can Christmas tree ornament.

I made this for a ornament exchange last week.

I wanted to keep this too.

It's made out of ribbon tied on to a real candy cane.

Only three more things to do and finish before Christmas eve. Yikes.

The panic is beginning...

Festivities

Let the Christmas festivities begin...

{A photo essay}

Hallen's feeling the joy of Winter and the hustle & bustle of our Christmas prep.

It all started with the gift of snow in Mentone.

Andrew & Addie couldn't resist playing for an hour in their P.J.'s out in the blizzard.

I think they were able to make five snow balls before the snow turned back to rain.

Look at that snow line. [minus the telephone lines]

View from our backyard.

The kids are counting this as their first gift.

Why is there always fighting???

The coveted kitchen step stool.

Please, Santa, bring us another stool...

Dad, taking a break...a 2 hour computer game break.

Ughhhh...

Meagan found this cute little beanie from little brother,

Andrew's, drawer and has worn it all week.

I can't believe it fits her.

She must not have the big Hallen head.

Meagan playing her greatest hits.

Peter playing the piano with the wooden horse.

Addie was busy for the past two days making a gift for her teacher.

Chocolate thumbprints for the Cookie Exchange.

Very yum. Very chocolaty...

Last, but not least,

making & packaging up John's handouts for his office people.
[The only clean spot in the kitchen]

Tomorrow's photo essay:

Me, mom, cleaning the festivities mess...

So glad Meagan is off from school. Oh, I love having children.

Patiently waiting for Christmas...

I am not even close to being ready for Christmas morning. The weird thing is...the panic hasn't hit me yet. And I don't think it will. I keep thinking that I should be more in a hurry to get things done. Finish gifts that need to be made. Bake the bread that we're going to pass out to our neighbors and friends. Oh, this is a big one; buy the stocking stuffers. Crafts to make with my children. But the Christmas cards are mailed and with only one mistake on them. I had to keep myself business those first few days in the hospital while Peter was sleeping.

I guess the reason for the lack of panic and stress...Christmas has already come to our home this year. We've been receivers of the First gift of Christmas but never a Christmas Miracle. WOw. I think this is how Christmas is supposed to be celebrated; without want of something to make us "happy" but realizing that we have all we need and that we are already happy. What else could I wish for this year??? I have so much. Family. Friends. Home. {now to help the children understand this...there lies the stress and panic}

Oh, the warmth that the Christmas Season brings.

Precious Christmas Gifts

There was a Christmas surprise waiting for Peter when he got home from the hospital today. Tadpoles. Not just any common tadpoles. This was a well thought out plan with the help of a few kind hearted teachers and schoolmates. It all started with a school assignment for Addie in November. Her class was learning how to write persuasive essays and she had to write one. She choose to persuade us to get a pet. I think we should get a pet frog for Peter. Her reasons were good ones. One touched my heart, especially. A pet frog would make Peter happy then mom could make dinner without him crying... I read this at Addie's teacher parent conference. I didn't realize that before but she's right. Peter crys a lot during dinner prep hours. I guess he's tired, not feeling well, having to share mommy with brother and sisters, and I can't hold him as much. Mrs. Cherry {love that name for a teacher} made an offer. Another teacher had tadpoles in her class for a science project and they needed a home. So with the approval of the students, and a banning on a strict Hallen no indoor pet rule, we accepted the sweet offer. Peter is going to have frogs for Christmas.

Andrew introduced Peter to his new pals. Not too cuddly now but in a few weeks or so it's going to be real fun. Meagan's already named them Alec and Alice. Hmmm. Where did those names come from??? She's so obsessed with Twilight. We're going to have to come up with new names.

Peter loves them. He laughs when they wiggle around and when they kiss the glass. He is very entertained. A big thank you to Mrs. Cherry, Mrs. Taylor, & Mrs. Moffet's class. Soo Sweet. Very much appreciated.

And the other precious Christmas gift was given to us on Tuesday evening. The surgeon told us the results of the pathology from Peter's surgery. The margins are clear. That was the news we were hoping and praying for. This means that there's only a 5% chance of it reoccurring.

The surgery went well. It took about 3 1/2 hours. Peter did amazingly well during it. He lost less blood than they anticipated for this type of surgery. The surgeons had to remove the whole right side of the liver and gull bladder. An amazing fact about the liver. It will grow back in about a week a or two. Incredible. The incision scar is really big. It looks a like a Mercedes Benz emblem. He did very well during the recovery. He finally knew when not to fight. We spent the next four days and nights in the ICU with wonderful nurses and doctors. I have so much respect and love for them. Great people. I will always remember their kindness, love, professionalism, and care. They got us through some difficult nights.

We were told that we could be there for up to two weeks. What a blessing that Peter did so well and we could come home early. We knew Heavenly Father would answer our prayers. We just didn't know it would be this great. John was driving to L.A. every day and then sleeping at home and then going to work for a few hours and then back again. Long hours. The Papa's have been taking care of house and home. I've heard from the older sisters that Andrew was a handful. Grandma & grandpa have earned their wings {again}. We are all exhausted.

And we are so grateful...Welcome Christmas season. The season of miracles.

More experiences to share coming soon.

Calling all Readers...

The Nutcraker Ballet and The Messiah Sing along. A sure tell sign that the holiday season has arrived. Andrew's off to the Nutcraker with the Papa's. Doesn't he look excited? Wish I was going too. But we're off on a different adventure. Peter's surgery. I'm actually grateful that it's happening so close to Christmas because of all the festive spirit during this time of year. Peace. Hope. Love. Miracle celebrated. JOY..

I have our Christmas cards ready. I'm taking them to the hospital so I can address the envolopes. If I don't have your address please leave it on the comments. {Lindsey, Natalie, yes you, and you too...}

We're off...We'll be home for Christmas..)