Oh "K" Already: Christmas Trees, Snow and Ugly Sweaters

Our City Christmas Tree!

We love going to the "official lighting"!

After they FINALLY lit the tree. . .

We decided we would try to see Santa this year.

So we stood in line. . .

and waited. . .

and didn't move. . .

and waited some more. . .

She was pretty content all bundled up. . .

but when I look over to see the boys so bored out of their mind they are scraping bark off the trees to pass the time we decide it's not worth it and head out early!

(we tried to pass the time by taking crazy pictures, but nothing was going to make that line move fast enough)

(and speaking of trees we finally got ours decorated)

So here's where I tell a boring story (to everyone but me) I don't want to forget this little memory so here goes. . .

When we go downtown, we always park near the town train depot and then walk a little ways to the streets of our "old" downtown.

As we are walking past the train depot I see a man waiting on the benches with a red sleeping bag next to him.

As we approach he starts motioning to me with his hand and starts to cry a little.

I first thought the man was maybe a little intoxicated, and though my heart went out to him I had children with me and it was dark, so I didn't go over to him,

but I couldn't get him off my mind the entire night.

As we are walking back to our car, I noticed that he had taken his sleeping bag and was curled up inside of it on the other side of the train depot.

We were far enough away that he could not hear us, but I pointed him out to my boys.

Of course my boys asked "What is he doing over there"?

And from there spilled the "We need to be thankful for what we have speech"!

It must have been a pretty powerful speech because my husband leaned over and asked if he should take him some money and my 9 year old was in tears.

We decided to drive around and look at Christmas lights before heading home and part way into our drive I hear Kale crying and telling us to turn the music off. . .

I looked back at him and asked why. . .

He said: "that song. turn it off. It says 'the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful'. Mom I can't stand the thought of that man outside in the frightful weather and we get to go home and sit by our nice warm fire. Mom, we have to talk to the Bishop and find out what we can do to help him.

From that conversation we were able to talk about fast offerings and why we pay them. (It happened to be fast sunday that weekend and Kale actually took money from his "fun money" to pay a fast offering.)

I don't remember everything that we talked about on our way home that night, but I do know that my kids for maybe the first time really realized that they are very blessed, not necessarily with all the material things they want, but blessed to have a family and a home.

After we got home, Kale was still visibly upset by the whole experience.

We sat down and talked as a family what else we can do to help those who need us.

I told Kale that though we couldn't give that man all the physical things that he needed what we could do is pray for him and pray that we can be led to those who need our help.

And that's what we did.

It's not how I envisioned the night ending. I thought my kids would see Santa Clause and they would go to bed thinking of their wish list. . .

Instead, my kids got to see a little glimpse of what Christmas is really about and I can't think of a better way to have ended the night.

On a "colder" note. . .

WE GOT SNOW!

OK so our house only got a little dusted with snow

(still more than I've ever seen here)