Tis The Season!

This time of year is amazing, as I have outlined in other blog posts. We are really focusing on Christ and serving others. It is so much fun to do this as a family.

Lady Hiva has baked bread every night for the last week so we could give warm bread to our neighbors. It was amazing bread. It leaves our home smelling like fresh bread--a smell that reminds us of the streets of Europe and of Ginger's kitchen. We kept one loaf of the first batch and ate it with Lady Hiva's homemade Strawberry/cherry jam and apricot butter (all made with fresh fruit ingredients)...yes, she is quite the whiz in the kitchen. It is delicious. The rest of the week we gave away all of the loaves she made. Last night as we went to sleep Lady and I commented on the still fresh scent of bread and the fact that although we did not eat any of it, we were full of love because we served others. She is an amazing example to me of someone that gives an serves always. She is home kneading bread to give to others (on top of all the other things she does each day with a 4 year old and a toddler in the house) instead of the myriad of things that she could be doing for herself.  A walking example of the type of person I strive to be each day. ...So that smell of fresh bread was more than a delicious smell, it is an outward testament of love. Love for Lady, love for others, love for the Season...it is the scent of joy, peace and love.

As we deliver these loaves, Lucky Dragon loves to be the one that says "Merry Christmas." He gets so into it that he almost yells it--scaring a few people. One time he was distracted by something and simply handed them the bread and said, "here." hahaha

Koala Bear dressed up and ready to go deliver bread...she call her a pink seal in this outfit

As it is also, at least in Utah, the season for COLD (which none of us in our house appreciates very much) we are preparing. One of the things that we did that has made a HUGE difference is insulating the garage door. A garage door pre-insulated is expensive and the pre-made/pre-cut pieces are also not cheap. So we purchased 4 large Styrofoam insulation and cut it into rectangles. The final product is that our garage is regulated easily. It becomes misleading when I leave for work, the garage is warmer so when I don't wear a coat and get out at work I am shocked! haha!

The other day Lady Hiva and Lucky Dragon made a and decorated sugar cookie family. I came down and they showed me all of our family. Lady told me that Lucky Dragon would only allow her to put "a little hair" on the cookie representing me. I, jokingly, said, "Why? I have hair." He looked up seriously at my head and said, with an incredulous-that-you-would-even-say-that-dad laugh, "No you don't!"