Happy Birthday Justin

Happy Birthday Justin. Exactly twenty seven years ago today was one of happiest days of my life and without a doubt the best Christmas season ever. Having a baby boy that was born one week before Christmas made everything sweeter that year. I will NEVER forget the sweet feelings I had for this little baby. I so related with Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the love I felt for this dear little infant. He was the sweetest and best baby I had. He was seldom sick, always smiling and a very content child. The fact that he lived through Tyler's love is a miracle in and of itself. There were many moments where Tyler tried to sit in his little infant seat, with him still in it, or tried to crawl into the swing with Justin in it (yes he knocked them both over) and on and on. When you are the third boy and your oldest brother is 3 1/2 you get a lot of left over's and hand me downs but Justin NEVER complained about any of that. He was a very sweet little boy. I still feel bad about the year we bought everyone matching coats without thinking that Justin would be wearing the very same style and color of coat for the next four years! Again no complaints.

Justin is such a cute dad. He is the perfect dad for a little girl. PROTECTIVE doesn't seem like a strong enough word to describe Justins feelings for Alyvia. I feel sorry for the first guy who comes to pick Lyvi up for a date. I can NOT even imagine the kind of interrogation he will have to go through and heaven help him if he doesn't get her home on time! He is a little bit protective of her but who could blame him, she is his finest work! I just want to say something about Justin's other girl, Sarah. She is perfect for him. She is sweet and soft spoken and I have seen a lot of changes in Justin since he and Sarah married that have made him an even better man than he was before. Sarah you are awesome. Such a good wife and mama. Justin, you will always and forever be one of my most favorite people. Sarah said once to me, "everything's more fun when Justin is around" and that is so true! I love you with all my heart. You are a great son and a wonderful example to your brothers and your little nephews of a man who loves his family and his God and who is willing to work hard for both. I am very proud of you. Hope you have a Super Duper Happy Birthday!
Love Always and Forever, Cookie

Scripture Man

Sometimes I look at my kids and I think, "who are you and where did you come from?" For instance, how on earth could I ever have a son who is an engineer? Or a boy who loves camping? Or a son who loved singing solo's at choir concerts or a little boy who was shy but now enjoys performing in front of groups? I have no idea where he came up with the brain power for that kind of a career, or where he learned to love to camp or how he has the nerve to sing by himself in front of an auditorium filled with people or how you could prefer to slink into the background for half of your life and now you enjoy the foreground. Actually all of our boys are far better at everything than I ever was. I admire their perseverance. I love how they set their mind on something and then they do it. I am impressed with the way they interact with people. Sometimes I think about the things I wanted so desperately to teach them when they were little and I thought I had failed but then there it is right in front of me, that child who is amazing and who is a strong powerful adult. Well I recently had a moment with Tyler that definitely deserves a mention on my blog. Tyler is in the Bishopric in our ward. He is a baby and yet there he is up on the stand in the Bishopric. Anyway, he is over the Primary which is something that makes him very happy. (He is also over the scouts which makes him even happier!) The Primary president informed him that they would like him to be Scripture Man in Primary once a month. What does he do? He dresses up like this
only with a suit on underneath and then when the children start to sing, "Scripture Power" he comes in and anyone who has their scriptures gets a piece of candy! He did it for the first time this past week and he had a blast, he said he was a little nervous for a minute but I'm sure it will get easier. One of the little boys said, "that's the guy who sits by the Bishop!"
It warms my heart to think that Scripture Man is the same person who used to study the scriptures at our kitchen table very early in the mornings before school.
Good Job Scripture Man!

A Very Danielson Christmas

This week has been a week of getting ready for Christmas. There has been a lot of fuss about the tree and other decorations. Tyler and Chase spent hours on Saturday putting up the lights...then taking them down and buying new lights and putting them up. It's hard to see how awesome the lights look but trust me, it's pretty great! Dennis has spent a lot of hours finishing the bushes and little trees that line our walks. It seems like a lot but believe me, compared to a lot of the folks in our neighborhood this is really holding back! One of our favorite things about our neighborhood is Christmas. We have a whole street that really goes all out. They spend weeks putting up their decorations and lights and people come in on tour buses and in limo's cars line our streets and folks walk in from the neighborhood to see it. It is so fun to take the little kids down there and walk around. I look forward to that every year.My favorite thing is my little collection of Nativities. I have had a few over the years that things have "happened" too. The one in the center is an on-going Christmas gift from two of my sisters! I love, Love, LOVE it. It's a great reminder of what the season is really about.There are little Christmas things on several nooks and cranney's!
Not sure why I put that Christmas card at that angle in the card holder, perhaps so the snowman could hide behind it?
A portion of my Santa and Snowman collection.

We got a new tree this year. It is the same height but much thinner. It fits perfectly in the spot by the stairs. The stairs also made it a little easier to get the decorations on the top!

Alyvia and Sarah came over today and Lyvi kept taking the balls off my little tree and handing them to me and saying "ball". She was very gentle. I think I will borrow her when it's time for this stuff to come down...she is good at taking things off the tree! I love Christmas. For years when I was little (like 16 years) I would get so excited on Christmas or about Christmas that I spent Christmas throwing up! Serious, I was always sick on Christmas! I've calmed down a little since then, I enjoy the season more. It's hectic but I love the parties and seeing all the people. What a blessing to have so many people we love in our lives.