FYI Friday: Things I'm Loving Right Now--Christmas style

It's been a smidge since I've done a Things I'm Loving Right Now post and there's no better time than the present. . .if you read further, you'll see what I did there. . .and while I'm at it, I think this will be a Christmas version . . .Enjoy!

1. Sometimes, getting Christmas decorations as a Christmas present is tough. I mean, you get really excited about it, but then have to put it away for an entire year. Tough life, ya know? So this year, I splurged and bought our newest Christmas decoration before Christmas, so we could enjoy it during this year! You might want to go ahead and do the same. Or, at least put it on your list---especially if you love nativity scenes. Best part about this nativity scene? It's from Lisa Leonard Designs! I absolutely love her, her designs, her jewelry and her story! My very favorite necklace is one she designed with all of my littles and Hubby's names right there on it!

Check her nativity scene out here, but also shop around! Her "tied to my heart" ornament is beautiful along with her others and there's surely something you can find for your mom, sister, friend, etc!
You'd think I was being compensated. I'm not. Promise. Just sharing the good! :)

2. Ann Voskamp has done it again! Her Unwrapping the Greatest Gift family Advent devotional is wonderful! Our family is really enjoying her words that speak Truth and the beautiful illustrations inside. It's written for all of us to enjoy and captivates our littles too! Definitely not too late to start--it's the meaning of Christmas that's all that matters!

3. Every single Christmas, I buy new Christmas music. It's something that brings joy to the season! This year, I'm so excited to have supported Shaun Groves in his Christmas EP. He's been the voice and leader of Compassion bloggers and he's been inspiring me for years! In fact, it was his trip to Ecuador with Ann Voskamp, that connected me to her! And from that trip, our family made a new friend, Fernando!

It also helps that Shaun is a Baylor grad (Sic Em Bears)! My boys think that is the best part of the EP! This CD has been on repeat for a week now, with its beautiful, original songs and those we know and love too! I absolutely love it! Check it out on iTunes--Shaun Groves--Christmas Vol. 1!

4. I ordered Jess Connolly's Advent devotional last year and we all really liked it! Her prints are beautiful and we hung each card up after we finished the devotion for the day. I've had more comments about these prints, so I thought I'd share! You can find them at Naptime Diaries, which is her online shop. She has fantastic Bible Study/journals/devotionals for different seasons and I've enjoyed all that I've ordered from her. Not to mention the prints hanging in our boys' bathroom as well as our own! Love her stuff!

5. Okay, so you can't really buy these, but they certainly fall under the Things I'm Loving (Forever) Christmas version. . .

Hope you are having a merry start to your Christmas season!

Happy Friday and Sic Em Bears!

(Hoping we get an early Christmas present with a big "W" this weekend!)

FYI Friday--5 favorite Christmas books

A tradition in our family every Christmas season, is to get our boys a new Christmas book! It started before we had kiddos, actually! We all love books so much, and it's such fun on the day when Read a new Christmas book appears in our Advent calendar! So, for FYI Friday, I thought I'd share several of our favorites in no particular order!

1. This is the Stable by Cynthia Cotten -- We love this book! It tells the story of Jesus' birth and has a rhythm that makes the words flow. The book paints a clear and simple picture of that special night long ago! A favorite that we enjoy reading together! A must have in your Christmas book collection!

2. You Are My Miracle by Maryann K. Cusimano -- If you've read You Are My I Love You, then you know how sweet this book is too! I love the illustrations in both books and the word choices she makes just jump out in pictures! Such a sweet book about Christmas traditions, the ones we love sharing with our boys!

3. Song of the Stars by Sally Lloyd-Jones-- This is our new book for this Christmas season! The boys immediately loved it, as it was told by animals! A precious viewpoint, as God's animals were telling of the amazing event of Jesus' birth that was happening. So glad we added this to our list!

4. Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore --A Christmas classic! There are all different kinds of copies of this rhyming story, but I particularly (along with the boys) like this one because of  Mary Engelbreit's colorful and detailed pictures. There is so much to look at while listening to the fun rhymes!

5. The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg -- This book hasn't been in our collection long. It's a more detailed story and not for toddlers attention spans. However, now Luke and Charlie can both appreciate it! I love it because it tells a story of the background of the candy cane, the real meaning behind Christmas and God's love for us. A perfect way to enjoy a Christmas season night---eating candy canes and reading of the story of Jesus!

Anyone want to share your favorite Christmas books?

a heart matter

Our morning started as an unexpected winter wonderland! Beautiful, pouring white flakes were falling from the sky, and I of course was giddy! The cold wasn't freezing my heart. Yet. Skip through my day, a day spent with my Dad and sister, out shopping and having fun with family! However, once home with my littles, I was trying to soak them up, but they were full of cooped up energy and just boy energy. We had dinner and entertainment plans fall through, and I was weary after a long day and hubby being gone for a couple of nights already, trying to figure out what was next. After dinner, the cooped up, boy energy came to a head and littles were hurt, discipline insued. I felt like melting, but actually my heart frosty.

But then.

We sat down on the couch, boo-boo's healed, grace and forgiveness given and talked about our Advent message today. Give a gift to a child in need. We opened our Samaritan's Purse catalog and I began to read Franklin Graham's message about the true meaning of Christmas. I talked through some of the items in the catalog, reading their descriptions. Feed a hungry baby for a week, "for He satisfies the thristy and fills the hungry with good things" --Psalm 107:9, provide a blanket for a hurting child to snuggle with, supply a soccer ball for some children and lead them to an opportunity to hear about Christ, give a life-saving mosquito net, milk, food, a lovie, etc. I asked my littles to choose one thing each they would like to give to someone in need.

And then.

I could see the warmth in the eyes. I could hear compassion in his voice. "But Mommy, I can't just choose one!" My oldest little explaining to me that he really wanted to give food to a hungry baby and he also wanted people to be protected from the mosquitos bringing malaria. He wanted to give them milk to make their bones strong and a warm blanket to cuddle with. And sweet Chuckles, so sports minded, wanting to give a soccer ball for kiddos to play with and a Jesus Loves me Lamb for someone to snuggle and hear the song.

And then.

That's when my frosty heart warmed again. If there is anything that Chad and I want for our children, the most important thing, is for them to know and love the Lord. And they are young. But to see and hear their hearts tonight, made this heart warm. Thank you, Lord, for these little warming moments!

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these. . .you did for Me."

--Matthew 15:40b

FYI Friday--faith

Today, while we were having lunch, little Charlie asked, "Mommy, what does Rudolph (as in the red-nosed reindeer) mean?" I didn't know.  He then asked me what the Grinch means. Then Frosty. And he was about to ask me another meaning, before I jumped in and explained that names usually do have meanings, and that parents think long and hard about naming their children and giving them special names. Charlie then asked me, "What does Miles mean?" I told Charlie (and I know we've told Luke and Charlie this before) that Miles means Heart of Compassion and went on to explain why we named him that. He seemed appeased, something else came up and we moved on.
And later I was reading and was reminded of Isaiah 9:6 and how the prophet tells us of the names that Jesus will be and is called and all of the names that have been given to our Lord. What a wonderful way to teach our boys more about the Lord! For a while now, we've been having family devotions at dinner (when we are all home). The boys love it! We all love it! Chad has been leading us as we've been following through the Bible, along the path that Chad is studying at Downline. Every night the boys ask for devotion time, which also includes praying, praising and hymn singing. However, now that Advent has begun, we've put our current path through the Bible on hold and are doing some Advent devotionals and talking about the birth of baby Jesus. I'm jumping in on some of those and think that one of our devotionals is going to be about names. Our boys names. Maybe even why Chad and I were named. And ultimately, the amazing names Isaiah spoke of before Jesus was even born!  I may be wrong, but I think every parent spends time picking out special names for their children. It's with you for life. And Jesus' many names were with Him for life and continue to spread across our world!

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. . .and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."  --Isaiah 9:6