Christmas Eve Tradition

Growing up we always opened our gifts on Christmas Eve. My parents tell me it was so they could sleep in on Christmas Day, as a parent, I understand. So, to keep my tradition in our family our kids get to open the gifts from my parents on Christmas Eve. It is so fun, first the box comes in the mail, and then the count down until they can open them.




I think Ellyn liked the bubble wrap the best. She put it on the floor and kept walking on it. It is always the little things. When they were little it was the boxes they liked the best.

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow!!!

I woke up at 3am this morning to a raging headache, wasn't too sure why. But now I know. We are having a great snow storm. I love the snow. Especially before Christmas. It is just so pretty. Not like in February when it has started to melt and the parking lots are flooded with dirty snow puddles. There is so much talk around the town about how people hate driving in the snow. Now, I learned to drive in the winter, in the snow. So, it is no big deal to me. Also, many thanks goes to my dad who gave me great tips. "Slow down, leave plenty of room, tap your breaks to test the road, tap your breaks so the people behind you can see your lights," and the most important "Watch out for the crazies out there, I trust myself, it is the other people who I don't trust."

Today, we will hang out at home. The kids will play while mom crashes on the couch with a heating pad on her head. And then most likely we will venture out this afternoon to finish up some Christmas shopping.

Saturday Grace

In October 2007 we began a ministry called "Saturday Grace."

On the third Saturday of every month we open the doors to our church (Grace Bible Church) and give out free food and clothing to any one in need. It has been an amazing journey over this past year. On our first Saturday we had one person show up, this weekend we served 59 families and almost 300 people.

We advertise on the Christian radio station KEYY, hang up some signs and pass out bulletin inserts to our church. Mostly people find out about us through word of mouth and the work of God. We receive our food from the Utah Food Bank and clothing from donations. It has been great to see our church and community step up to help.

This ministry has become a labor of love, sometimes it just seems like labor. A friend of mine whose family came to help out said she wanted to thank me for all that I have done with Saturday Grace. I said it wasn't me, it was God. She then replied, that He does use the willing and obedient. I have to admit that I haven't always been willing. But for those of you who have ever been in a ministry you will understand when I say, there was no way I could not not do this. It has been very hard, but very worth it. I think the best part is seeing our own church body step up and take ownership of this. I can not do this alone and now that our church has stepped up we are seeing it take off. Just 3 months ago we had about 15 families now look where God has brought us.

Last year we were featured in an article in the Daily Herald, the writer asked me and several others who were involved with Saturday Grace if we were concerned about running out of supplies (food and clothing) and without knowing we all said the same thing: "As long as God wants us here, he will provide the stuff." Last week I sent out an email to our church telling them of some of our needs, coats, gloves, hats, blankets and the like, and I am please to say they once again stepped up.

I don't know how long I will be doing Saturday Grace or where God will take us, but I do know it will be a fun ride.

Our happy helpers. Justin Jeffs decided that this was something that his family needed to help with. And boy am I glad he listened to the small quiet voice, because his family was much needed and truly a blessing to me and Saturday Grace.

We officially opened at 10, although we had people at the church at 9:30. I told them we were not ready yet but they could wait inside. At 10:02 we had 30 families signed it to receive food and clothing.

This is my dear friend Ashley. And finally a picture of me at Saturday Grace. I am always the one behind the camera.

This was our line of people waiting to receive food. With as busy as we were, we only had 9 families that didn't get food this week. We have an idea for raising food for our food bank that we will promote after the first of the year. It is going to be a very easy and simple way for our families to get involved with helping other families.

The Boot

Another tradition we have is one that started at the Snyder's house. I don't know when or how it started, but it now one of our traditions.

"The Boot" holds the coveted peanut clusters. Whenever we were at the Snyder's for Christmas there were always treats in the boot. And last year Steve's mom gave him his very own boot. Now it sits in his spot where he puts on and takes off his shoes, on the stairs. And it magically gets filled with peanut clusters.

Mom's reading time

I did it! I finished a book. I love to read, but as a busy mom, it doesn't happen much. Well, the reading does, but the finishing doesn't. A few weeks ago my mom mentioned a book by an author that we both loved, Francine Rivers, and she wasn't sure she was going to read it. Just from the title "The Last Sin Eater" she wasn't too sure about it. I felt the same way, but I love her other books, and knew we couldn't go wrong. I was at our library, which for a small town is great, and found her book. So, I grabbed it, read it, finished it and LOVED IT!!

As a mom I don't feel that I accomplish much. The dishes are never really done, the laundry is never really caught up, and let's not talk about the kids rooms. So to close a book. And to know that I accomplished something, is huge.

I love finishing a book.
Closing it.
Turning it over.
Remembering characters.
Feeling the book.
Loving it.

Traditions!

Christmas time is full of traditions, and the Snyder family is no different. One of many is the Cannon Christmas Party. Steve's mom's side of the family Christmas party is always full of good food, treats and games. This year it was held at Grandma Cannon's. (You will see in the first picture she is sitting by herself at a card table. she hosts the party and has no place to sit.) We played Christmas Memory Game, where the prizes were yummy candy. And then a take on the Hersey Bar game. I don't know if this is a real game or just a Cannon game. Let me see if I can explain: You start with dice, in a circle you roll them and pass them as you try to get doubles, when you do you start to put on a hat, scarf and gloves, once you have them on, with the help of a fork and knife you try to open the candy bar. If someone rolls a double you must take off your gear and give it to them and they get to try to eat. It is a fun game. This year instead of a candy bar we had a present. And inside the present was candy.

This is just the beginning of our family traditions.

Grandma Snyder, Grandma Cannon and Papa. Jocelyn and Steph.

Papa, Steve and Michelle. The "other"table.

Do you know what "funeral potatoes" are? I bet if you don't live in Utah you don't know. My sister in law had to explain what they are, au gratin potatoes. But for some reason they are always served at funerals. I am not too sure why, maybe it is tradition. Growing up I didn't like au gratin potatoes (sorry mom), but Steve's mom makes some great "funeral potatoes"

Jim and Grandma Canon. Andy, Steve and Ellyn.

Christmas memory.

Here is the Christmas version of the Hersey Bar Game:

Looking good honey.

Snow Days

Now it feels like Christmas. We may have a white Christmas after all. This is our second winter in Spanish Fork, and last year we had a ton of snow. I am not sure if it is always like that, but with this last storm Orem had a little snow, we had 5 inches. I loved it!! I am hoping for a winter like last year.

Festival of Trees
Picking out a Tree
Decorating our new Tree


For our last Family Fun Day we had a day full of Trees! We started out at the Festival of Trees. I have never been and wasn't too sure if the kids would enjoy it. This may be a new tradition for us, it was so much fun.

The Festival of Trees supports Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. For those of you who don't know, that is where Ellyn had here surgery when she was just 8 weeks old. She was born with a benign tumor in her nose that was connected to her brain. She had to have brain surgery. Her surgery was a success! She checked in on a Monday and went home on Wednesday. The staff there was amazing. The nurses are great at taking care of the kids, but I think they are even better at taking care of the parents. So, any time I can support Primary, I can.

There were great decorated Trees and wreathes. Fun things for the kids to do, like making crafts and standing in a huge bubble. There was great food and gift shops. We did do some of our Christmas shopping (shhhh! don't tell my "sisters".)





Can you see that this is a golf tree?



Our next adventure was to pick out a Tree! Each year we trade off getting a flocked (white) tree and a green tree. According to Andy we will not have a white Christmas this year. Here is why, last year we had a white tree and had a white Christmas, so this year we have a green tree we will have a green Christmas. (on a side note, as I write this, it is snowing and we have 4 inches here in Spanish Fork.)

I didn't get a picture of the tree we picked out, because, well after a while they all start to look the same. But you will see the kids freezing. I mean really! What kind of mom lets their kids out in winter like that? I think they did leave the house with their coats, so they must be in the van. Do I get points for getting them out the door with coats?



Andy is not too thrilled with sharing his seat with the tree.


Ellyn decorating the tree. I think she lives in her PJ's now. It is a fight to get her to change just so we can go to the store.

This year was Ellyn's turn to put the andgel on the Tree. She did have a little help from daddy.

Happy Birthday Baby!

Today is Steve's b'day. Ask him how old he is. We have had several conversations about his age, and I still don't know if he knows how old he is. But, I guess that is ok, because he knows our age difference and then he can figure it out. Maybe.

Love ya sweetie!

Day after Thanksgiving Fun

Can you see what time it it? Yes that is 7:44 am, day after Thanksgiving. Now, I am not one for Black Friday shopping, even when I was a kid we never went out. If we did it was after lunch when all the crazies were home. But this year I was one of the crazies out there. I was not about to be at the stores at 5am, nothing is that much on sale to get me out of my nice warm bed that early, but we did get to Sears around 8.

I wasn't looking for anything specific, like gifts for the kids, they are mostly done. But I was looking for some clothes. And boy, did I find some great deals. We hit Sears and then JC Pennys. It wasn't as busy as I thought it would be, but it was still kind of crazy. And then it got even crazier. I lost Andy!! Or he lost me, not sure which. All I knew was he was gone. On a normal day I would have just looked for him, but not that day. There were way to many people around. I found a lady and asked her "Do you work here?" "Yes, can I help you find something?" Oh yes you can. We had an employee send out Andy's description (by the way on most days I can never remember what my kids are wearing, that has changed) and in just a minute here he comes with an employee. He later told me that once he realized that he was lost he went right to a register, stood in line like he was going to buy something. Then just went right up to the lady and told her he needed some help finding his mom. What a good kid!! This just goes to prove that some of what I say he listens to.

Oh, and the interesting part of this story is this: I told my mom what had happened and she went on to tell me when I was a little younger than Andy she and I were shopping in none other than JC Penny's and she lost me. Or I lost her, I went up to the counter and had her paged. My dad always told me I would be "blessed" with children like I was. Well, dad here is another example that you were right.

All in all it was a fun day. It really got me in the Christmas mood. Almost wanted to make me go home and get Christmas out. Almost. I think I need a nap first.