Learning to walk in the snow with all his gear on. (thanks Mimi!)
Playing with daddy while mom made a snowman which dad and B ended up kicking down. What nice guys!
We've been doing a lot of Christmas baking lately and everytime I put on my apron Beckett thinks he needs his on too. He even pulls over a chair so he can "Help me". Helping here involved beating the gingerbread with the whisk he pulled out of our utensil holder.
I made real homemade ginger bread houses to decorate with the kids I watch after school. I debated on just doing the graham cracker houses but decided that I would just attempt the real thing and I'm glad I did! I even made the special frosting for decorating that is super gross (although Beckett would disagree with that statement) but sticks like glue. Here are the kids decorating:
Here is my mostly finished house, but lets be honest, if it isn't done by now it probably won't get anything else on it.
A few months ago I decided to redo Becketts's bumper pad and this is how it turned out. I was really happy with it since it took a long time to do! I even made a matching crib skirt to go with it. I may do pillows too if I ever get around to it!
And finally here are the cookies I made for the primary kids. I had planned on reading "Jimmie's Christmas Star", my favorite Christmas story, but church was only 1 hour so instead I just handed out the cookies. Bellow is the story if you want to read... always makes me tear up a bit but I love it!
It was the last primary day before Christmas. The classroom had been beautifully decorated. There was a tall pine tree glittering with tinsel and ornaments. At the top of the tree was an angel. On the wall hung a large picture of the three Wise men. And above their heads, the teacher had a shining silver star to guide them on their way.
Miss Lucy Travers stood before her class of small children and told them the story of the babe in the manger. Most of the children knew the story by heart. But Jimmy, the new little boy of perhaps six or seven years of age sat in rapt attention as if he it might be new to him. Seeing the large brown eyes fixed so intently upon her. Miss Lucy said, “Is there something you would like to ask me Jimmy?"
"yes’m please, teacher, what is a manger?"
"Gee ain't you never been to primary before?" Giggled young Charles as a ripple of amusement, ran over the class. Miss Lucy frowned quickly at the offenders and turning to the new little boy said softly. "A manger, Jimmy, is just a place in a barn."
"Oh, and did the little Jesus have to sleep there?" "Yes, he did, and it was too bad, for he should have had the nicest room and the softest bed in all the world."
Jimmy thought a moment, then said seriously, "but you said, the wise man came to wor—wor--worship him." "Yes, they did, guided by a star." "What is wor—wor---worship Miss Lucy?" "To worship means to love." "Then it was all right sleeping in the manger, I mean, if folks loved him." "Perhaps it was" said Miss Lucy.
"Little Jesus had his mother, too. And if babies have their mothers, a barn's all right. It's a heap more better’n a fine house and a soft bed --with nobody-- to love you."
Miss Lucy looked serious, what could the little fellow mean? He was nicely dressed, he looked well fed, but it was easy to see he was not happy. So solemn, he was, for such a little boy. He talked too old for his years, too. She must find out what was the trouble. So, when the class was dismissed, she asked Jimmy to wait. "What to do you want me to wait for teacher?" Asked the boy, "Oh, I just thought we'd have a little talk and get better acquainted. I think we are going to be good friends."
He smiled at her. "I'd like that, Miss Lucy." "Now, sit right here beside me, Jimmy and tell me something of yourself, your Mother, and Daddy." Jimmy's small chin quivered and his beautiful eyes filled with tears. "I haven't got--- any -- mother ---and daddy----I'm an orphan. They got hurted and killed -- -- in an ole car."
Miss Lucy placed an arm about the boy's shoulders and drew him close. "I'm sorry dear, I didn't know. Then whom do you live with?" "I live with my aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Ramey. And my little baby brother lives there too."
"Oh, so you have a baby brother? How nice." " Yes, he is nice. I guess -- maybe he's most as nice as little Jesus was." "What's his name Jimmy?" "BOBBY!"
"What a lovely name for a baby brother. I must come and see him sometime soon, may I?"
"Yes, he'd like you, Miss Lucy, you are such a pretty lady."
"Thank you, dear. How old is your brother?"
"Four months old. And you see. He's too little to miss them like me." Tears were again near the surface, so the teacher said hurriedly, "But your aunt and uncle, they will be your new parents now, won't they, dear?" "We they give us a home and food and clothes to wear, but -- they don't give us -- any -- loving and boys need loving more’n anything.
" Of course, they love you, Jimmy, I'm sure. Your aunt and uncle must be very fond of a fine boy like you and that adorable baby. Only perhaps, they don't show it."
" No’m! They don't want us. They don't like little boys. I heard ‘em say so one night after I was ‘sposed to be asleep."
Here was a problem, a heartbreaking one, thought, Miss Lucy to herself. She determined to see what could be done. So she took Jimmy's address and decided to call as soon as possible. Gathering up her lesson papers and visual aids, she had used in her lesson, and she noticed Jimmy looking longingly at the large Silver Star.
"Miss Lucy, could I -- please, borrow that start?"
"You may have it to keep Jimmy, for your very own. It's lovely, isn't it?"
"Yes’m, Thank you teacher! You see, I need it for Bobby and me."
"What do you mean, Jimmy?"
"Oh, nothin’ much. I just got a sorta idea." "Is something worrying you, Jimmy?"
"Well, nothing I can tell you, teacher."
"Then maybe you can tell God about it."
"How would I do that?" Asked the boy earnestly.
"Well, just pray, you know."
" I don't know any prayers."
Poor little fellow! Evidently his parents, who had loved and been so loved by the child had not given him any religious training. Miss Lucy supposed, and rightly so, that the boy had never attended Primary before. He had never heard, until today, the story of the babe in the manger. He had not been taught to say the little prayers most children know.
Miss Lucy roused herself from her thoughts as Jimmy asked timidly, "How does a little boy pray -- teacher?" "Why, praying -- dear, is just talking to God, as you would talk to me or anybody else." "And would God hear me?" "Yes, dear, if anything is bothering you, just kneel down by yourself and tell God about it." "Thank you! Miss Lucy."
"And now I must let you go home, but remember, you are to come to primary every week. I need you in my class. And Jimmy, don't forget to talk to God about whatever is in your heart."
Mr. and Mrs. Ramey were out at a Christmas party celebrating with their friends and Jimmy was busy carrying out a plan of his own. Lying quietly in bed, He waited for several hours, until he was sure the one maid of the household was sound asleep. Then he arose, dressed himself, and lifting the sleeping baby from his crib, he wrapped him warmly in his coat and blanket. Staggering under the load, he let himself out the side door and placed the precious burden in his little wagon that he had put there for this purpose. The snow was deep, but the moon and a single star shone down upon them and Jimmy was not afraid. He felt happy, happier than he had for a long time. The streets were deserted at this time of early morning, and nobody watched the children go.
"We're going to find a manger for ourselves, Bobby, and somebody to love us. You know, little brother, a manger is just a place in a barn. And there is a barn, a nice one, a few blocks from here. Nobody lives there, and will do like little Jesus did and stay all night." The baby opened his big blue eyes and smiled at Jimmy.
"We're going away from folks that don't want us, Bobby, and God will send some wise men to wor -- wor -- worship us like they did little Jesus. wor -- wor -- worship means love, Bobby."
On and on he trudged, dragging the little wagon through the ever-deepening snow. Soon their tracks were entirely covered, and Jimmy was becoming very tired and cold. However, as the flakes fell faster, the boy quickened his pace, and presently drew the wagon and the sleeping baby into the shelter of the old barn. Taking the star and a tack from his pocket, Jimmy bent over the baby and whispered softly. "Bobby, I've got us a star, and I'm going to hang it outside our manger, and when folks see it, they’ll come and wor-- worship you and may be they’ll love me a little too.
This important task completed, the tired little boy knelt down beside the wagon and began to pray "Dear God, teacher said I was to talk to you if something was bothering me. I don't know much about praying God, but I'll do the best I can. I hope you're listening. We are here in our manger, only it's different from little Jesus, ‘cause he had his mother with him. I'm not much good as a mother to Bobby, but I'm all he's got and maybe I'll learn. We’s just two orphans, ‘cause our mother and daddy are gone off to heaven. Maybe you know ‘em. It's awful lonesome, being orphans, God." The baby stirred in his sleep and Jimmy paused in his prayers to cover him more closely with the blanket, so he failed to see two scared faces peering in at the window. The boy resumed his prayer. "We live with our aunt and uncle, God. They is nice folks, but they don't like little boys. They give us food and clothes and beds to sleep in, but they don't give us any loving."
The three-hour search had been too much for the two at the window, and now, weary and ashamed a sob broke from the throat of the listening woman. The man placed an arm about her and the boy went on:
"My primary teacher said the star brought people to wor—wor—worship the baby in the manger, and I put my star outside, so somebody might come and wor—wor—worship us. …Somebody who wants two orphan boys. Course, I know it's mostly baby's people love, God. And I can get along. But Bobby needs a mother, and God, if someone don't come, do you s’pose You could make me sort of a mother for Bobby?"
The woman could stand no more and is the prayer was finished, Jimmy found himself smothered in the loving, tearful embrace of his aunt. The baby opened his eyes and smiled up at his uncle, who caught and held him close. Bewildered, yet somehow comforted, Jimmy said in a trembling voice, "Auntie, Uncle, what are you doing in our manger?"
"We've come to take you home, Jimmy, to a real home,. with lots of loving," said the man huskily and Auntie, through her tears, added: "Yes, darling, we saw the star, and we've come to worship you both."
Merry Christmas to you all!
