2013 Advent Update!

Counting down until Christmas is fun, builds anticipation, and is a tradition.
On my Facebook yesterday(Dec. 13th), I got the idea to count down to Christmas with pictures from our past Christmas celebrations. Family Christmas memories can be special, especially when coupled with traditions-old and new. I knew about an advent calendar-the ones you open a door each day and get a chocolate out, but there is another part of the advent that I had forgotten about and was reminded of several years ago. It is something you do on Sunday. It's December 14th today-Saturday. You can prepare today to begin this tradition tomorrow!!! Read on this blog to see what I posted in 2010-it will give you all you need to know. Tomorrow, you will light 3 candles, as it will be the 3rd Sunday in December-that is alright-just get started!

Advent-Preparation for Christmas

The Season of Christmas-2009:The Advent
Prepare for Christmas 2010!

A friend I know from church, Christine Hansen, gave a lesson in Relief Society one Sunday at the beginning of December, and she mentioned how Christmas was celebrated when she served an LDS mission in Germany. One tradition she loved, and has celebrated with her family since her mission, is the Advent.

I wanted to know more, and searched and found this:
From the web site- http://www.german-way.com/christmasAdv.html

The Advent tradition is a religious celebration in preparation for the arrival (or “advent”) of the Christ Child (das Christkind) on his “official” birthday, the 25th day of December. The Advent season and its celebration have changed over the years from a more serious, somber character (including giving up things, as for Lent) to one of a more joyous nature — including such treats as chocolate-filled Advent calendars. The four weeks leading up to Christmas Eve are a happy time—at least for those not too caught up in the increasingly hectic and commercial aspects of this time of the year.

A typical German Adventkranz, or Advent wreath.

Today in German-speaking Europe many families set up an Advent wreath, or Adventskranz on the first Advent Sunday (the fourth before Christmas) to start off the Advent season. The picture on the left shows a typical evergreen Advent wreath with its four candles, one for each week of Advent. Traditional families gather around the wreath on each Advent Sunday to light the next candle and sing Christmas carols. This was even more important in the past, when the Christmas tree was usually reserved for a special unveiling only on Christmas Eve. Until then, the Advent wreath provided the evergreen look and aroma in the house.

Der Adventskranz, the Advent wreath, is one of the most widespread Christmas customs in German-speaking Europe. Advent is the four-week period leading up to Christmas. For Catholics and Protestants the Advent season begins on the first Sunday after November 26. On each of the four Advent Sundays leading up to Christmas, a new candle (die Kerze) is added to the Advent wreath. Advent wreaths come in many versions (pine, wood, plastic, metal, etc.), but they are always round and feature four (sometimes five) Advent candles. In some families each Advent Sunday is devoted to lighting a new candle, singing some carols, and reading verses from the Bible. Although the Advent wreath is a very Christian tradition, its origins go back to pagan, pre-Christian times.

Here is the little poem:

Advent, advent ein Lichtlein brennt,
erst eins, dann zwei, dann drei, dann vier.
Dann steht das Christkind vor der Tür.

Advent, advent a light shines bright,
first one, then two, the three, then four.
Then stands the Christchild in front of the door.

Fröhliche Weihnachten!

The Hansen's invited us and several others over to their house on the 2nd Sunday in December to celebrate the Advent with them. We had a lot of fun singing carols, and afterward eating yummy treats. Christine's home was so beautifully and warmly decorated-it was so cozy and felt so inviting on a snowy, cold December evening! Here are pictures of her home:

The Hansen's inviting front door....




Ken Hansen explaining the advent before lighting the candle for that week(as each week passes, you light a candle for the current week, and relight the candles for the previous week/s). Each week adds more light-symbolic of the time nearing the Savior's birth-which brought all light, truth and knowledge to the earth.







A thought of one Christian from another church, about taking time for the Advent in preparation for Christmas from http://www.appleseeds.org/Christmas-quotes.htm

Old-fashioned, Spiritual Christmas?. . . . . . . . . . John R. Brokhoff, Preaching the Parables—Cycle C. p. 28.

"What has happened to the old-fashioned, spiritual Christmas? The cause is our disregard of Advent. The church set aside this four-week pre-Christmas season as a time of spiritual preparation for Christ’s coming. It is a time of quiet anticipation. If Christ is going to come again into our hearts, there must be repentance. Without repentance, our hearts will be so full of worldly things that there will be ‘no room in the inn’ for Christ to be born again.…We have the joy not of celebration, which is the joy of Christmas, but the joy of anticipation."

Picture of Christmas past...

Christine serving up yummy treats for all!









Made by Christine-so cute!!!




I love these little carolers-




Lots of great Christmas books...
I love all the small details!



This is the Advent candle holder I have-
it doesn't show the wreath I had around
the bottom of it.


I have 3 larger Christmas trees-these two-my Canadian tree(top) and my Texas tree(bottom)
I leave up year round.

Basement-Canadian themed...

Our living room...
The main tree...
Melissa, Amy and Hillary on Christmas Eve-2009

I love the Christmas season, and I want to prepare early this year
to celebrate the light our Savior, Jesus Christ, brought and brings to the earth.
Prepare early, so you can relax, and don't forget to celebrate the
Advent this year-starting on November 27th-4 Sundays before Christmas Eve!

Family+Food+Fun=HEAVEN!!!

Thanksgiving 2009

This year we decided to get together as many as we could for Thanksgiving.
This included my parents-Duane and Lynette-fresh off their mission
in Baltimore, MD and my youngest brother-Scott-all in
from Connecticut; my sister Jen (Eagle Mt, Utah), and her son Jack;
my sister Kathleen, her husband, Rick (Highland, Utah), and 4 of
their 5 children-Rachel(recently returned from a mission in Taiwan),
Mandy, Taylor, and Naomi. Their daughter Kristy, is serving in the
Washington Everett Mission(she is just younger that Rachel);
my sister Janice, her husband Dallin, (Gilbert, AZ)
and their 6 children-Christopher (returned from Boston, MA mission-Spanish speaking), Patrick ( recently returned from Orlando, FL mission-Spanish speaking),Jackson, Kellen, BrookLyn, and Maddie; my sister Cheri and her husband Jose'(Mesa, AZ), and their 4 children-Josh, Kelsey, Lucas and Madeline; Dan and I (I am the oldest of 9 in my family) and
our married son, Jordan, his wife Amber (Mesa, AZ)(due in April with grandbaby #2-it's a boy!)with our cuter than cute 1st grandbaby, Camryn, and Jordan's friend Ellis,
and our daughters-Melissa, Amy and Hillary.

This is my sister Janice's cabin in Northern Arizona,
where we have gathered on many occasions.
It has 7 bedrooms and lots of room to spread out
and have fun, as you will see...

We are always so excited to see each other!
Kellen gives Auntie Kathleen a hug, and Jackson gives Kelsey a hug as Maddie waits for her turn-they are so enthusiastic in their greetings:)


Josh and Jackson; Kellen and Taylor


Kellen and Rachel


Dad is making his delicious rhubarb pie-yum!

Kellen greeting Grandma Harmon, Jen, Scott and Grandpa Harmon.

Amy and Kelsey



4 of THE LAW MEN! They built the cabin together-
L-R Jackson, Patrick, Dallin, and Christopher-missing-Kellen.


Happy to see each other! Hillary, Amy and Mandy


My brother Scott shows my sister Jen some of his
beautiful macrame jewelry


Brother and sister-Taylor and Rachel


It was Hillary's birthday on November 23rd,
and we gave her a guitar. She loved it!

Jordan works with Hillary on fingering, as Scott
looks on...


Thanksgiving Dinner


The peeling brigade

Everyone has a job to do.


Time to eat! Girls first...


The guys-waiting for the girls to get their food before
they do...


Patrick, BrookLyn, and Melissa

Camryn and dolly.......Camryn isn't sure she knows her daddy!

Zip Line




Cute little sleepy bug
We all loved being with Camryn!



CHEESE!


Where's your nose?!


Playing around...Rachel and Taylor

Jackson/Josh and Maddie/Madeline show off their
skills!

Jack and Kellen acting out!

Let's Dance

Jordan


Jack had a great time dancing!


Lucas and Josh


Melissa and Jackson-handstands



Limbo/Jump over the stick

We usually will do the Limbo, and, when done,
jump over the stick! Here goes Amy...


Melissa

Jordan

Melissa


From past years...

Jordan and Jackson getting ready to jump...


Jackson


Sometimes it gets knocked down...


Patrick makes it over!






Service Project
We do something for the cabin,
or pick up trash on hikes. This year
we cut wood for the cabin from fallen
trees in the nearby forest.
Jose' cutting up the wood.

Dan carrying wood to the trailer-

Cousins taking a break

Camryn and Madeline

Carrying the wood to the trailer

Fathers and daughters!

Amber-due in April 2010, and a squirmy Camryn.

Camryn gets a lift from Grandpa Dan!


The Virginia Reel
When we get together, we often dance this dance. This
chilly night did not stay chilly for long!
We put on the dance music from one our favorite films-
"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", and I called
the dance. We always have so much fun-everyone can do this!

Kelsey and Naomi sashay down the middle...


Partners get ready to swing-
Jordan's friend, Ellis and Amy getting into it...


As you dance down the line, it's also a pinching line
so you have to watch out!
Patrick and Madeline(who is getting a pinch from Maddie)


Taylor and Hillary...


Jack watching Jackson pinch Lucas, who is dancing
with Maddie.


Jordan, Amber and Camryn


Christopher and BrookLyn


Jen and her son Jack


My brother Scott, and sister Kathleen trying
to stay ahead of the pinchers!


Jordan, Amber, and Camryn go under the bridge
made by Rachel and Jackson.


Kelsey, Maddie, Patrick, Madeline under Amy's
bridge.


Taylor and Hillary go under JAmryn's (our nickname
for Jordan, Amber and Camryn) bridge.


My sister Janice and hubby Dallin's turn to make
the bridge


We were well warmed up by the time we were through-what a
fun workout! There is something about dancing-old and young-
that just takes you back to a simpler time.

Sharing Talents

Naomi (blue shirt) wanted to "sing" a song, but did not want to
do it by herself. She had made up some actions to
David Archeletta's song "Touch My Hand".
Melissa, Hillary and Mandy said they would do it
with her, and they were quick to pick up on her actions.



A few more cousins jumped in...


Then a few more-the big finish! It was so fun to
watch :)


Madeline played her violin...


Melissa and Camryn dance, and then Camryn danced with Jordan-
it was so cute, she would just run around and around his legs while
he danced.


Mandy-Irish step dancing, and Josh doing his own steps...


Jackson joins Mandy in a most amazing
show of steps...see the video below-it will crack you up!


"Flying Feet" Mandy and Jackson :-)


Everyone gets in on the action!

We all had a great time, and made some fun memories.

Four Generations:
Camryn-
whose dad is Jordan,
whose mom is me-Suzanne,
whose mom is Lynette.



Melissa took each families pictures-she set up ours,
and had Mandy snap the pictures for us.
Family picture-November 2009