On the Fifth Day of Christmas my good friends gave to me...
A Christmas centered little movie!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
On the Fourth day of Christmas my good friends gave to me...
A warm, fuzzy, feel good story!
This was shared by President Thomas S. Monson in the Liahona, 1998:
A Gift of Christmas
In the early 1930s, Margaret Kisilevich and her sister Nellie gave a Christmas gift to their neighbors, the Kozicki family, which was remembered by them all their lives and which has become an inspiration to their families.
Home to Margaret back then was Two Hills, Alberta, Canada—a farming community populated largely by Ukrainian and Polish immigrants who generally had large families and were very poor. It was the time of the Great Depression.
Margaret’s family consisted of her mother and father and their 15 children. Margaret’s mother was industrious and her father was enterprising—and with all those children, they had a built-in labor force. Consequently, their home was always warm, and despite their humble circumstances, they were never hungry. In the summer they grew an enormous garden, made sauerkraut, cottage cheese, sour cream, and dill pickles for barter. They also raised chickens, pigs, and beef cattle. They had very little cash, but these goods could be exchanged for other commodities they could not produce themselves.
Margaret’s mother had friends with whom she had emigrated from the old country. These friends owned a general store, and the store became a depot for folks in the area to donate or trade surplus hand-me-down clothing, shoes, etc. Many of these used items were passed along to Margaret’s family.
Alberta winters were cold, long, and hard, and one particularly cold and difficult winter, Margaret and her sister Nellie noticed the poverty of their neighbors, the Kozicki family, whose farm was a few miles away. When the Kozicki father would take his children to school on his homemade sleigh, he would always go into the school to warm himself by the potbelly stove before returning home. The family’s footwear consisted of rags and gunny sacks cut into strips and wrapped about the legs and feet, stuffed with straw, and bound with twine.
Margaret and Nellie decided to invite the Kozicki family, by way of the children, for Christmas dinner. They also decided not to tell anyone in their family of the invitation.
Christmas morning dawned, and everyone in Margaret’s family was busy with the preparations for the midday feast. The huge pork roast had been put in the oven the night before. The cabbage rolls, doughnuts, prune buns, and special burnt sugar punch had been prepared earlier. The menu would be rounded out with sauerkraut, dill pickles, and vegetables. Margaret and Nellie were in charge of getting the fresh vegetables ready, and their mother kept asking them why they were peeling so many potatoes, carrots, and beets. But they just kept peeling.
Their father was the first to notice a team of horses and a sleigh packed with 13 people coming down their lane. He, being a horse lover, could recognize a team from a long distance. He asked his wife, “Why are the Kozickis coming here?” Her response to him was, “I don’t know.”
They arrived, and Margaret’s father helped Mr. Kozicki stable the horses. Mrs. Kozicki embraced Margaret’s mother and thanked her for inviting them for Christmas. Then they all piled into the house, and the festivities began.
The adults ate first, and then the plates and cutlery were washed, and the children ate in shifts. It was a glorious feast, made better by the sharing of it. After everyone had eaten, they sang Christmas carols together, and then the adults settled down for another chat.
Charity in Action
Margaret and Nellie took the children into the bedroom and pulled from under the beds several boxes filled with hand-me-downs they had been given by their mother’s merchant friends. It was heavenly chaos, with an instant fashion show and everyone picking whatever clothes and footwear they wanted. They made such a racket that Margaret’s father came in to see what all the noise was about. When he saw their happiness and the joy of the Kozicki children with their “new” clothes, he smiled and said, “Carry on.”
Early in the afternoon, before it got too cold and dark with the setting sun, Margaret’s family bid farewell to their friends, who left well fed, well clothed, and well shod.
Margaret and Nellie never told anyone about their invitation to the Kozickis, and the secret remained until Margaret Kisilevich Wright’s 77th Christmas, in 1998, when she shared it with her family for the first time. She said it was her very best Christmas ever.
If we are to have the very best Christmas ever, we must listen for the sound of sandaled feet. We must reach out for the Carpenter’s hand. With every step we take in His footsteps, we abandon a doubt and gain a truth.
A warm, fuzzy, feel good story!
This was shared by President Thomas S. Monson in the Liahona, 1998:
A Gift of Christmas
In the early 1930s, Margaret Kisilevich and her sister Nellie gave a Christmas gift to their neighbors, the Kozicki family, which was remembered by them all their lives and which has become an inspiration to their families.
Home to Margaret back then was Two Hills, Alberta, Canada—a farming community populated largely by Ukrainian and Polish immigrants who generally had large families and were very poor. It was the time of the Great Depression.
Margaret’s family consisted of her mother and father and their 15 children. Margaret’s mother was industrious and her father was enterprising—and with all those children, they had a built-in labor force. Consequently, their home was always warm, and despite their humble circumstances, they were never hungry. In the summer they grew an enormous garden, made sauerkraut, cottage cheese, sour cream, and dill pickles for barter. They also raised chickens, pigs, and beef cattle. They had very little cash, but these goods could be exchanged for other commodities they could not produce themselves.
Margaret’s mother had friends with whom she had emigrated from the old country. These friends owned a general store, and the store became a depot for folks in the area to donate or trade surplus hand-me-down clothing, shoes, etc. Many of these used items were passed along to Margaret’s family.
Alberta winters were cold, long, and hard, and one particularly cold and difficult winter, Margaret and her sister Nellie noticed the poverty of their neighbors, the Kozicki family, whose farm was a few miles away. When the Kozicki father would take his children to school on his homemade sleigh, he would always go into the school to warm himself by the potbelly stove before returning home. The family’s footwear consisted of rags and gunny sacks cut into strips and wrapped about the legs and feet, stuffed with straw, and bound with twine.
Margaret and Nellie decided to invite the Kozicki family, by way of the children, for Christmas dinner. They also decided not to tell anyone in their family of the invitation.
Christmas morning dawned, and everyone in Margaret’s family was busy with the preparations for the midday feast. The huge pork roast had been put in the oven the night before. The cabbage rolls, doughnuts, prune buns, and special burnt sugar punch had been prepared earlier. The menu would be rounded out with sauerkraut, dill pickles, and vegetables. Margaret and Nellie were in charge of getting the fresh vegetables ready, and their mother kept asking them why they were peeling so many potatoes, carrots, and beets. But they just kept peeling.
Their father was the first to notice a team of horses and a sleigh packed with 13 people coming down their lane. He, being a horse lover, could recognize a team from a long distance. He asked his wife, “Why are the Kozickis coming here?” Her response to him was, “I don’t know.”
They arrived, and Margaret’s father helped Mr. Kozicki stable the horses. Mrs. Kozicki embraced Margaret’s mother and thanked her for inviting them for Christmas. Then they all piled into the house, and the festivities began.
The adults ate first, and then the plates and cutlery were washed, and the children ate in shifts. It was a glorious feast, made better by the sharing of it. After everyone had eaten, they sang Christmas carols together, and then the adults settled down for another chat.
Charity in Action
Margaret and Nellie took the children into the bedroom and pulled from under the beds several boxes filled with hand-me-downs they had been given by their mother’s merchant friends. It was heavenly chaos, with an instant fashion show and everyone picking whatever clothes and footwear they wanted. They made such a racket that Margaret’s father came in to see what all the noise was about. When he saw their happiness and the joy of the Kozicki children with their “new” clothes, he smiled and said, “Carry on.”
Early in the afternoon, before it got too cold and dark with the setting sun, Margaret’s family bid farewell to their friends, who left well fed, well clothed, and well shod.
Margaret and Nellie never told anyone about their invitation to the Kozickis, and the secret remained until Margaret Kisilevich Wright’s 77th Christmas, in 1998, when she shared it with her family for the first time. She said it was her very best Christmas ever.
If we are to have the very best Christmas ever, we must listen for the sound of sandaled feet. We must reach out for the Carpenter’s hand. With every step we take in His footsteps, we abandon a doubt and gain a truth.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
On the Third Day of Christmas...
On the third day of Christmas my good friends gave to me...
An assortment of Christmas funnies!
For the Kids:
What do you get if Santa goes down the chimney when a fire is lit?
Crisp Cringle!
How does Good King Wenceslas like his pizza?
Deep pan, crisp and even!
What is green and white and red all over?
A sunburnt elf!
What do you get if you eat Christmas decorations?
Tinsel-itus!
What is green, covered in tinself and goes ribbit-ribbit?
Mistle-toad!
For the Older Crowd
Just to see what would happen, at Christmas time their father loaded the pessimist's room with every imaginable toy and game. The optimist's room he loaded with horse manure.
That night the father passed by the pessimist's room and found him sitting amid his new gifts crying bitterly.
"Why are you crying?" the father asked.
"Because my friends will be jealous, I'll have to read all these instructions before I can do anything with this stuff, I'll constantly need batteries, and my toys will eventually get broken." answered the pessimist twin.
Passing the optimist twin's room, the father found him dancing for joy in the pile of manure. "What are you so happy about?" he asked.
To which his optimist twin replied, "There's got to be a pony in here somewhere!"
Hopefully you smiled at least once! Have a good third day!
An assortment of Christmas funnies!
For the Kids:
What do you get if Santa goes down the chimney when a fire is lit?
Crisp Cringle!
How does Good King Wenceslas like his pizza?
Deep pan, crisp and even!
What is green and white and red all over?
A sunburnt elf!
What do you get if you eat Christmas decorations?
Tinsel-itus!
What is green, covered in tinself and goes ribbit-ribbit?
Mistle-toad!
For the Older Crowd
A family had twin boys whose only resemblance to each other was their looks. If one felt it was too hot, the other thought it was too cold. If one said the TV was too loud, the other claimed the volume needed to be turned up. Opposite in every way, one was an eternal optimist, the other a doom and gloom pessimist.
Just to see what would happen, at Christmas time their father loaded the pessimist's room with every imaginable toy and game. The optimist's room he loaded with horse manure.
That night the father passed by the pessimist's room and found him sitting amid his new gifts crying bitterly.
"Why are you crying?" the father asked.
"Because my friends will be jealous, I'll have to read all these instructions before I can do anything with this stuff, I'll constantly need batteries, and my toys will eventually get broken." answered the pessimist twin.
Passing the optimist twin's room, the father found him dancing for joy in the pile of manure. "What are you so happy about?" he asked.
To which his optimist twin replied, "There's got to be a pony in here somewhere!"
Hopefully you smiled at least once! Have a good third day!
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
On the Second Day of Christmas...
On the Second Day of Christmas my good friends gave to me...
A Scripture Advent just for me!
We have been trying to tailor our family scripture reading to focus on the Savior and his birth for December. Here's a simple reading plan in case anyone else wanted to do a sort of 12 Days of Christmas in the Scriptures for themselves or, even better, with their family.
December 14: The prophet Isaiah foretold and testified of the Savior's divine mission and birth. Read Isaiah 7:14-15; 9:6-7; and 53.
December 15: Nephi saw the Savior's birth and ministry before and after the Crucifixion. Read 1 Ne. 11:9-33; 12:4-8.
December 16: King Benjamin testified of the Savior. Read Mosiah 3:1-12, 20-21.
December 17: Samuel the Lamanite testified the Savior would come to earth. Read Helaman 14.
December 18: Joseph Smith testified of the Savior. Read D&C 76:19-24, 40-42.
December 19: Alma testified of the Savior and the power of His Atonement. Read Alma 7:7-13.
December 20: Remember Mary and Elisabeth's experiences before the Savior's birth. Read Luke 1.
December 21: Think about Joseph's experience. Read Matt. 1:18-25.
December 22: Read about the Wisemen who would find Christ. Matt. 2.
December 23: Read and ponder "The Living Christ: the Testimony of the Apostles". If you don't have a copy, you can find it on http://www.lds.org/. Take a minute to write your testimony of the Savior in your journal.
December 24: The people were afraid Samuel the Lamanite's prophecy would not come true and they would all be killed. Nephi prayed in their behalf and received a comforting answer. Find out what it was and what happened next. Read 3 Ne. 1:9-22
December 25: Take time to ponder the most well known account of the Savior's birth. Read Luke 2. Read the First Presidency Message in the December Ensign. Ponder how you will keep Christ in you heart all year long.
A Scripture Advent just for me!
We have been trying to tailor our family scripture reading to focus on the Savior and his birth for December. Here's a simple reading plan in case anyone else wanted to do a sort of 12 Days of Christmas in the Scriptures for themselves or, even better, with their family.
December 14: The prophet Isaiah foretold and testified of the Savior's divine mission and birth. Read Isaiah 7:14-15; 9:6-7; and 53.
December 15: Nephi saw the Savior's birth and ministry before and after the Crucifixion. Read 1 Ne. 11:9-33; 12:4-8.
December 16: King Benjamin testified of the Savior. Read Mosiah 3:1-12, 20-21.
December 17: Samuel the Lamanite testified the Savior would come to earth. Read Helaman 14.
December 18: Joseph Smith testified of the Savior. Read D&C 76:19-24, 40-42.
December 19: Alma testified of the Savior and the power of His Atonement. Read Alma 7:7-13.
December 20: Remember Mary and Elisabeth's experiences before the Savior's birth. Read Luke 1.
December 21: Think about Joseph's experience. Read Matt. 1:18-25.
December 22: Read about the Wisemen who would find Christ. Matt. 2.
December 23: Read and ponder "The Living Christ: the Testimony of the Apostles". If you don't have a copy, you can find it on http://www.lds.org/. Take a minute to write your testimony of the Savior in your journal.
December 24: The people were afraid Samuel the Lamanite's prophecy would not come true and they would all be killed. Nephi prayed in their behalf and received a comforting answer. Find out what it was and what happened next. Read 3 Ne. 1:9-22
December 25: Take time to ponder the most well known account of the Savior's birth. Read Luke 2. Read the First Presidency Message in the December Ensign. Ponder how you will keep Christ in you heart all year long.
Monday, December 13, 2010
On the First Day of Christmas....
On the First Day of Christmas my good friends gave to me...
A Home Evening for my Family!
If you're like us, it's Monday and you have just realized it is Family Home Evening night. Well, here's a simple lesson you can throw together to celebrate the reason for the season.
Making our Way to Christ
Preparation: Choose a snack (recipes below) and make it. Read through lesson so you know what to do. Cut out stars from yellow paper.
Materials: Nativity with wisemen and baby Jesus, or pictures
Large paper stars, at least one for each member of the family (here's a link to a template:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/stringofstars/Startemplate.shtml
Scriptures
Lesson:
Opening Song: Christmas song of your choice from hymnbook/Children's songbook
Opening Prayer: by invitation
Read: the account of the Wisemen travelling to see the baby Jesus in Matthew 2:1-12, or tell it in your own words. Be sure to emphasize how they followed the star.
Ask: How did the Wisemen know where to find the baby Jesus?
Application: Place the figures/pictures of the Wisemen and the Baby Jesus a good distance apart in the room. Give each member of the family a cut out star. Ask them to draw or write something that will bring them closer to the Savior (reading scriptures, praying, being kinds, etc. Kids will always think of something). When they are done, draw attention to the Wisemen and Baby Jesus apart in the room. Ask each person to come forward and explain what they have written, then place their star on the floor between the wisemen and Jesus. As each star is placed on the ground, move the Wisemen on top of it. The Wisemen should make their way to the Savior. Explain that by doing each of these things we will come closer to the Savior.
Closing Song: With Wondering Awe, Hymns #210 If you don't know this one well here's the link to hear it: http://lds.org/churchmusic/detailmusicPlayer/index.html?searchlanguage=1&searchcollection=1&searchseqstart=210&searchsubseqstart=&searchseqend=210&searchsubseqend=ZZZ or
Or, sing "We Three Kings" if you know it better
Closing Prayer: by invitation
Treat: Here's a few easy ideas. Do what you have on hand:
- if you've already been baking for Christmas, pull something out. Enjoy Christmas a little early.
- if you read this before you have to be out, stop at the store and grab a package of sugar cookie dough. Cut into stars and bake according to directions.
- if you have time, make the following:
Stir and Drop Sugar Cookies (super easy and fast)
2 eggs
2/3 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (I just use a little lemon juice)
3/4 cup white sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2.Stir oil into beaten eggs. Add lemon rind and vanilla. Blend in sugar until mixture thickens.
3.Sift flour, baking powder and salt; stir into wet mixture.
4.Drop by teaspoons about 2 inches apart on UNGREASED cookie sheet.
5.Dip the bottom of a glass in oil then in sugar. Flatten each cookie by gently pressing with bottom of glass. Dip in sugar before stamping each cookie.
6.Bake in preheated oven until the edges are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove immediately from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack.
Now, rest easy knowing that you managed to have FHE even during the Christmas rush. Merry Christmas!
A Home Evening for my Family!
If you're like us, it's Monday and you have just realized it is Family Home Evening night. Well, here's a simple lesson you can throw together to celebrate the reason for the season.
Making our Way to Christ
Preparation: Choose a snack (recipes below) and make it. Read through lesson so you know what to do. Cut out stars from yellow paper.
Materials: Nativity with wisemen and baby Jesus, or pictures
Large paper stars, at least one for each member of the family (here's a link to a template:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/stringofstars/Startemplate.shtml
Scriptures
Lesson:
Opening Song: Christmas song of your choice from hymnbook/Children's songbook
Opening Prayer: by invitation
Read: the account of the Wisemen travelling to see the baby Jesus in Matthew 2:1-12, or tell it in your own words. Be sure to emphasize how they followed the star.
Ask: How did the Wisemen know where to find the baby Jesus?
Application: Place the figures/pictures of the Wisemen and the Baby Jesus a good distance apart in the room. Give each member of the family a cut out star. Ask them to draw or write something that will bring them closer to the Savior (reading scriptures, praying, being kinds, etc. Kids will always think of something). When they are done, draw attention to the Wisemen and Baby Jesus apart in the room. Ask each person to come forward and explain what they have written, then place their star on the floor between the wisemen and Jesus. As each star is placed on the ground, move the Wisemen on top of it. The Wisemen should make their way to the Savior. Explain that by doing each of these things we will come closer to the Savior.
Closing Song: With Wondering Awe, Hymns #210 If you don't know this one well here's the link to hear it: http://lds.org/churchmusic/detailmusicPlayer/index.html?searchlanguage=1&searchcollection=1&searchseqstart=210&searchsubseqstart=&searchseqend=210&searchsubseqend=ZZZ or
Or, sing "We Three Kings" if you know it better
Closing Prayer: by invitation
Treat: Here's a few easy ideas. Do what you have on hand:
- if you've already been baking for Christmas, pull something out. Enjoy Christmas a little early.
- if you read this before you have to be out, stop at the store and grab a package of sugar cookie dough. Cut into stars and bake according to directions.
- if you have time, make the following:
Stir and Drop Sugar Cookies (super easy and fast)
2 eggs
2/3 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (I just use a little lemon juice)
3/4 cup white sugar
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2.Stir oil into beaten eggs. Add lemon rind and vanilla. Blend in sugar until mixture thickens.
3.Sift flour, baking powder and salt; stir into wet mixture.
4.Drop by teaspoons about 2 inches apart on UNGREASED cookie sheet.
5.Dip the bottom of a glass in oil then in sugar. Flatten each cookie by gently pressing with bottom of glass. Dip in sugar before stamping each cookie.
6.Bake in preheated oven until the edges are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove immediately from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack.
Now, rest easy knowing that you managed to have FHE even during the Christmas rush. Merry Christmas!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Seven on Sunday
Here's the list of positives for the past week or so...
1. Found a christmas tree by the recycle in perfect condition. Now to make some ornaments...
2. Madi and Clay both learned their parts for the Christmas program.
3. My Rice Chex came in. Many thanks to Dan's coworker from the States. Now we have nuts and bolts!
4. I read a book this week. It's been a long time.
5. Dan and the boys went crabfishing for the first time since August and brought back 5 keepers. Looks like crab's back on the menu, just in time for Christmas dinner.
6. Dan's classmate, who is also from Lethbridge, came to visit last week and gave us the opportunity to go out - alone - no kids...That is the first 2 hours we have spent together without our darling children in almost 18 months. Still, we talked about them the whole time even when we made a point to try not to.
7. Only 5 more mornings to drag children out of bed, mumble through scriptures, force feed breakfast and threaten them into the car, and all in time to be on time to school. Christmas vacation, here we come!
Tomorrow also marks the first day of the 12 days of Christmas. Watch for something posted every day til Christmas....
1. Found a christmas tree by the recycle in perfect condition. Now to make some ornaments...
2. Madi and Clay both learned their parts for the Christmas program.
3. My Rice Chex came in. Many thanks to Dan's coworker from the States. Now we have nuts and bolts!
4. I read a book this week. It's been a long time.
5. Dan and the boys went crabfishing for the first time since August and brought back 5 keepers. Looks like crab's back on the menu, just in time for Christmas dinner.
6. Dan's classmate, who is also from Lethbridge, came to visit last week and gave us the opportunity to go out - alone - no kids...That is the first 2 hours we have spent together without our darling children in almost 18 months. Still, we talked about them the whole time even when we made a point to try not to.
7. Only 5 more mornings to drag children out of bed, mumble through scriptures, force feed breakfast and threaten them into the car, and all in time to be on time to school. Christmas vacation, here we come!
Tomorrow also marks the first day of the 12 days of Christmas. Watch for something posted every day til Christmas....
Friday, December 10, 2010
Friday Night Fun
Dan, Malcolm, Spencer and I headed down to Barnet Marine Park to watch the Carol Ships go by. They light a great big bonfire and ships come by all decked out with Christmas light, as is obvious from the above picture. We missed them last year, so it was fun to see them tonight. Beautiful, warm weather too for enjoying a night down by the water. Madi and Clay had their Friday night swim and show, but they told us it was better than looking at some lights on a bunch of boats. I don't know, we had a great time and it helped put me in the Christmas frame of mind!
One of the ships had a loudspeaker and the captain called out "Merry Christmas!" in a big, deep voice. Spencer turned to me and asked, "Was that Santa Clause?" Sure it was!
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