Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Monday, December 29, 2008

Christmas 2008


This year Christmas ended up being a pretty quiet time in our home.  Due to the weather, Providence's Candlelight Service was canceled.  That was a bummer for our family.  Jesica and Justin were supposed to play their instruments, and several members of the family were in the choirs.  Next year we'll try it again!

Mom and Sara
Mom and most of her girls watching a movie in bed!

On Christmas Eve we went to Ming's for Chinese food. This is usually our New Year's Eve tradition, but hope to start a new one of those this year.  After Ming's we came home, started a nice fire, and opened gifts.  Daniel and I had bought our own gifts last month.  Daniel bought Ruger 10/22 rifle.  My Kitchen Aid mixer broke, so I bought myself a new Bosch.  The children had lots of fun opening their gifts.  Justin also received a rifle and Jesica got the camera she's been wanting.  Ashly has been wanting to learn how to decorate cakes, so she received some tools to do just that.  Josiah and Mathias had a "Camo" Christmas.  Camo outfit, PJ's, communicator watches, and rifles.  Cara and Sara both received new dolls from Vision Forum.  Cara also received a toiletry bag so keep all her hair stuff in order!

Our 7 Blessings

On Christmas Day we loaded up the van and headed north.  After a 3 hour drive, we arrived at Mark (Daniel's brother) and Kristi's home.  
There we opened more gifts and ate a wonderful meal.  The children then sat and watched Wall-e with some of the adults, while the rest of us sat around, ate dessert, and enjoyed a glass of wine.  Then it was back into the van for the 3 hour ride home.

All the Ryken grandkids

The day after Christmas, my parents came down.  Their arrival was a bit delayed due to the ice, but they made it in time for dinner.  After dinner we opened a few more gifts and then sat down and played games. Sara was having a really good day and even let Grandma and Grandpa hold her!  

Soon it was time for soup and dessert!  There's nothing like a good eclair and sherbet to round out the holiday season!  Dad and Mom spent the night and after a breakfast of cinnamon rolls and scrambled eggs, got on the road.  It's so nice having family spend the night.  It gives us more time to spend together without having to watch the clock.

We took so many pictures during the holiday. Instead of showing each one here, I uploaded them to a photo album.  

Christmas 2008

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

“The Festival of 9 Lessons and Carols”

On Christmas Eve we usually attend a candle light service. This year we decided to do things a bit different. We stayed home and went through "The Festival of 9 Lessons and Carols" as a family. The Children that are able to read took turns reading the scripture. Daniel then closed in prayer.

To make it more memorable for the younger children (those who can't read yet), we did some substituting on the carols, and sang the ones the children knew the first verse of by memory.

"The Festival of 9 Lessons and Carols"

First Lesson: Genesis 3:1-15
The Fall of Man, and the First Promise of the Gospel
Hymn - "Hark the Herald Angels Sing"

Second Lesson: Genesis 22:15-18
God's Promises Concerning the Seed of Abraham
Hymn - "Of the Father's Love Begotten"

Third Lesson: Isaiah 7:10-14; 9:2, 6-7
Christ's Birth and Kingdom are Foretold
Hymn - "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"

Fourth Lesson: Micah 5:2-5
The Glory of Little Bethlehem
Hymn - O Little Town of Bethlehem"

Fifth Lesson: Luke 1:26-38, 46-56
The Angel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary
Hymn - "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent"

Sixth Lesson: Matt 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-7
The Birth of Jesus
Hymn - "What Child Is This?"

Seventh Lesson: Luke 2:8-16
The Shepherds Told the Joyous News
Hymn - "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks"

Eighth Lesson: Matthew 2:1-11
The Wise Men Are Led by the Star to Jesus
Hymn – "Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates!"

Ninth Lesson: John 1:1-14
The Great Mystery of the Incarnation
Hymn - "O Come All Ye Faithful"