Psst...Did you know?

We're having a baby this summer! I'm due in August. We are all so excited! We found out on Christmas morning. A sweet Christmas secret for Travis and I to share as the boys discovered what Santa brought them. I loved that.

We didn't tell the boys until a couple of weeks later. They are so cute about it. Justin is so excited for another baby in our family. Tyler had told me all through December that I had a baby in my tummy. I just laughed and asked him if he knew something I didn't know. That made finding out that I really was pregnant so special. Now Tyler tells me he wants me to have two babies. Oh boy! We shall see about that one...just wishful thinking, I hope.

Merry Christmas Letter 2009

Ho! Ho! Ho!

We want to wish everyone a “Holly Jolly Christmas”! Hop on and join us for a “Sleigh Ride” through our favorite Christmas songs all mixed up with a quick update on our family.

Kayelynn has been busy trying to “Deck the Halls” with Christmas cheer. On the first Saturday of December, she sent Travis “Up On The Housetop” to hang Christmas lights because, after all, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”. Then, early the next morning, Intel sent Travis “Far, Far Away On Judea’s Plains” to Japan for a pre-holiday business trip. We missed him, but as you can tell from this letter, we busied ourselves listening to “My Favorite Things”…you know, Christmas music.

Justin (7 years old) is in 2nd grade this year and loves school. When he devours a chapter book in an hour or two, I exclaim “What Child Is This?” and go find another book for him to read. Our “Little Drummer Boy”, Tyler (4 years old), loves preschool and “Mary, Did You Know?”, Mom gets to be one of his teachers. Ty loves to play “Away in a Manger” with the little nativity sets Kayelynn collects.

The boys quote Alvin and the Chipmunks at least 50 times a day saying, “We can hardly stand the wait, please Christmas don’t be late!” and beg “Don’t Save It All For Christmas Day”. But the image of them hushed with the lights dimmed and all the various nativity figurines crowded around one lighted manger to look at Baby Jesus will be “Somewhere In My Memory” forever.

“Here We Come A Caroling” to give our best wishes for a “Wonderful Christmastime” and “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” Hope it’s remarkable!

With love, Travis, Kayelynn, Justin and Tyler Guptill

The Story of Merry Christmas Eve!

I was just tagged with, 'This Picture Has A Story'.

Rules:
*Open your first photo folder
*Scroll down to the 10th picture in your file
(if you don't have a 10 pictures go to the next folder that does)
*Post that photo and tell your story behind the photo.
*Tag 5 friends to do the same



Well this just worked out perfectly for Christmas Eve! This picture just happens to be from Christmas Eve 2006. We spent Christmas that year with Grandma and Grandpa Davis in Utah. This picture is of Justin (4 1/2 yrs. old) with his cousin, Elana (2 years old). The kids just helped us act out the nativity story with the Little People characters. This is part of our yearly Christmas Eve program. Like tonight, after a special dinner (of pizza, tonight!) we gather together and sing songs and the kids act out the story of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Then, we open one present from under the tree before racing to bed before Santa comes!

This Christmas Eve is the second one in a row we have spent in Oregon with just our little family. It has been fun to continue some old traditions and to start some new ones of our own. For example, tonight Justin invented a new tradition of tossing baby carrots onto our front lawn for the reindeer to eat! Santa's going to love that one!

I think it would be fun to hear next from Lisa, Kari, JaNae, Kirstin B. and Liz.

Merry Christmas!

Joy

It feels like we're coming in for the home stretch. Christmas is coming soon...thank goodness. I don't think we can wait much longer! It's much too exciting for our two munchkins. And I have to admit that I'm really into the whole Christmas spirit this year. I just enjoy all the parties, Christmas cards from friends and family, singing Christmas carols, presents under the tree and all the reminders of the birth of Jesus Christ. I'm just happy. I still have a few things to finish on my list, but the big stuff is done and I'm just looking forward to spending time with my family.

I taught the Relief Society lesson on Sunday. It was a special Christmas program called "12 Silent Nights" based on the "12 Days of Christmas Closer to Christ" packets we handed out to the sisters after the lesson. I asked several sisters to share their talents/thoughts as part of the lesson. I felt the Spirit so strongly as I prepared and shared my lesson. I loved it. If you are interested in a copy of the packets or lesson, let me know and I'll email it to you. My sister, Tawnya, is the RS president in her ward and thought she might use the idea as their theme for 2010 as "12 Months Closer to Christ". I thought that was a great idea.

Last week we had our RS Christmas Progressive Dinner. Yes, I have been a busy planner for the past few weeks for my calling. :) That's why I haven't been blogging...between my church and getting ready for Christmas I have had no extra time to think. Anyway, for the dinner, we moved between three different homes for the different dinner courses. At the first house, we had Olive Garden salad and some bread sticks. After we ate, I played my guitar for a Christmas caroling sing-a-long. Lots of sisters participated, so that made it fun. At the Enrichment leader's home, we had the main course of chicken and twice-baked potatoes along with a reading of a special Christmas story. Then, at the last home we ate dessert of pies, cake and a hot chocolate bar. We visited and worked on a service quilt. The night was so much fun and I received many requests for us to plan it again next year.

Last week, the boys both had Christmas parties with their school buddies. I got to go along with Tyler to his preschool party. Tori's mom planned such a fun time for the kids. They even acted out the nativity with costumes. Ty was Joseph. He did a great job.






On Friday morning, we went over to the elementary school to watch Justin perform with the whole school in a Christmas music concert. They did a great job and it was fun to watch Justin having a great time. On Saturday afternoon, Travis and Justin went to go play laser tag for the first time at a birthday party for one of Justin's friends. Then I got to go to a girls-only Christmas party. It was so much fun to catch up with some good friends and to meet some new ones.

We are getting ready to move the boys into the same bedroom and to sleep in a bunk bed. They are so excited! I don't know why I'm doing this right before Christmas...but, alas, we are. I think they'll have a great time as roommates!

Travis' parents are coming out to Oregon for Christmas this year! We are so excited to see them soon! It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here!

The best of the best

This year I had an epiphany about Christmas music...a light went on in my head...we can borrow cd's from the library...I don't have to buy and then regret my bad choice in a new holiday cd. It is obvious to me now that a cute cd cover picture doesn't guarantee good music. And, as a bonus, I have been the proud "borrower" of nearly 15 Christmas cds this season. I love that we can reserve items at our library online and they call when they're ready to be picked up.

Here is my "Best of the best" or "You really should check these cd's out this year" list:

The best album for kids running around the house:
1. Los Lonely Boys - Christmas Spirit
2. BNL's "BN for the Holidays"(If you know what I'm saying...gotta be incognito here...He he!)
3. Jump 5 - All the Joy in the World

The best EVER "All I Want for Christmas":
1. The Andrew's Sisters Christmas - (Hilarious! Who can top a duet with Danny Kaye? We're still laughing! I was sad to return this cd to the library today.)

The best all around Christmas album:
1. Amy Grant's Holiday Collection (We all know that all of her Christmas albums are amazing, but this is a collection of the best of the best. My fav - Breath of Heaven.)

I just have to mention these since I actually own them and can't remember when I did NOT listen to them for Christmas:
1. Looney Tunes Christmas
2. Osmond Family Christmas
3. Rockapella Christmas
4. Primarily for Christmas

Really good, but not jazzy enough for me this year:
1. Faith Hill - Joy to the World

Best kids Christmas album:
1. Alvin and the Chipmunks

Nearly put me to sleep while doing the dishes tonight:
1. Christmas with Julie Andrews - (Mom, Don't worry, I still love her...in The Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music.)

Best new surprise favorite this year or "I can't believe I like this so much":
1. Los Lonely Boys - Christmas Spirit(I'm really groovin' on this one. I don't know what possessed me to reserve this cd, but I'm glad I did! I like every single song. I was getting my dance on in the kitchen.)

I'm impatiently waiting for the Christmas albums by David Archuleta and Sugarland...among many others waiting in the wings of my requests list at the library.

I'd love to hear your favorites...we still have weeks until Christmas. (Much to my delight and to my boys' dismay!) And if you consider in my holiday buffer zone, that means we'll be listening to Christmas music around here until at least the end of January. That's at least six more weeks of Christmas! It just doesn't get better than that.

So Crafty

Today at the bus stop waiting for Justin to arrive, I was chatting with two other moms on our street. You know, the usual...How was your weekend? etc., etc. I explained that I was helping to coordinate a Super Saturday craft day for the ladies at our church. So, I had spent most of the day on Saturday running errands to buy craft supplies and then finishing my project samples to show at church on Sunday.

One of the mom's asks, "So, are you crafty?" I hesitated. I mean, do YOU think I'm crafty? My sister, Heidi, is crafty. I'm trying to allow my craftiness to flow freely. Haha! "Well..." That was all I could say. But then I admitted that I don't have to actually be that "crafty person" when I can just look online and copy other crafter's awesome ideas. Actually it was just a great excuse to figure out how to do the projects I have had my eye on for a while now. Plus, vinyl letting is just fun stuff. My kind of crafting.

Our enrichment committee came up with 14 projects all together. I think it will be tough to decide between them. Here are some pictures of the projects I will be teaching:



Kari, you get credit for these ornaments...your monogrammed ones inspired me. :)



Here's a fun one for a teacher or visiting teaching gift:



This one I love. My cousin, Dixon Leavitt, is the artist and we will be applying vinyl lettering with the title.



You know, this is liberating for me. I think I actually CAN be crafty. So crafty. I never thought I could before. Funny. I'm already coming up with ideas for things I might tackle just for the fun of it. But not until Super Saturday has come and gone. I think I have my work cut out for me...