Catching Up and Christmas Fun!

I'm a bit behind on events in the Jacobs household. So, here we go catching up!

Parade of Lights

We got to ring in the Christmas season with our long-standing family tradition of the Fort Worth Parade of Lights.

On our way into downtown for the fun, we commented once again about how much busier this parade is becoming...people were already lining the streets almost two hours before! Here is the typical "daddy and his girls" pose as we headed to get burgers before the parade:

Mommy and her silly girl. (She thinks it's REALLY funny to stick her tongue out in pictures. :)

I love seeing my girls watching the parade in awe. :)

We had a fun night with {all the other residents of Fort Worth, plus} Grandad and Grankay (don't know how we missed a group picture this year!), Aunt Cailee,

Cortni, Adam, Braden, and Avery

and Cassie, Austin, Caleb, and Eli (shown in utero!)

And, of course, the star of the show: Santa himself!

Homestead Children's Craft Fair

We also finished up our Thanksgiving holidays with a visit to the Homestead Children's Fair in Elm Mott. What an amazing place!! I'm so glad Cortni found it!

I won't go into all that interested me about this place, but if you live in the DFW area, you should experience this fair next year. This is a group of Christians who live on this beautiful land, and live with the purpose of being "self-sustaining", where they live off their land, sharing with each other and using the gifts and talents they have been given to contribute to the community. Really, really neat. And, the kids LOVED it.

Carlie & Braden's favorite place was the chicken house, where they returned often to cuddle with a chick (one time going without even any adults...which they got in trouble for!)

The kids (and their moms!) learned about all kinds of trades, including how to make soap, how to weave baskets, how to work with wood (Braden made this awesome sailboat!),

how to hand stitch, how to work with leather, and how to make a spoon.

Everyone there was so nice and obviously work hard at everything they do.

They had an amazing market full of everything from pottery to soap to homemade bread. Ask Cassie about her beautiful hand-knit baby blanket and hat. They are beautiful!!

It was a fun day with all the sisters, and {most} of the cousins, and a great way to end the holiday week.

Now, for December Fun!

We (and especially the girls) have been mindful this week of our sweet Chase, as we begin another holiday season without him here. We have had countless conversations about him this week, and the girls seem to have more questions, which we do our best to be honest about.

Kendyll and I have had some great opportunities for conversation this week as we have driven back and forth to Nutcracker rehearsals. She is really enjoying some of the music that I listen to, and the words have sparked questions and conversation in my big 7 year old.

One night as we drove, we talked about the song "I Will Carry You" by Selah, and she shared through tears how she wishes she could "sing sweet lullabies and dry his teary eyes" like the song says. But, that she's also so glad that Chase gets to hear "angel lullabies" with "no teary eyes" too. :)

One night, as we listened {and sang loudly} to "Unredeemed" by Selah, we talked about how God brings good from any situation, and about all the ways Chase has been honored. She understands so much more than I realize, and cares so deeply for these children who have been sponsored because of Chase. I will cherish these conversations with her forever.

This morning, we also showed them a few of his sweet pictures for the first time. I was nervous about their reactions (which is why it's taken me a while to do this!), but their faces lit up seeing what he looked like and his little feet and hands. Kendyll said a few times, "I wish I could have held him", or "I wish I was there for that picture". I couldn't contain the tears at that moment, because it truly is one of my most heartbreaking wishes about this whole thing. I wish they could have met him or at least seen him...

But...even with these extra emotions swirling, we have also begun the celebrations of such a joyful month: December! We have all been looking forward to the fun that the Christmas season brings. In fact, Carlie went to bed on November 30th, so excited to wake up in DECEMBER! She asked if it would be snowing when she woke up "since it was the first day of Christmas".

We do love our month of Christmas celebrating. I am a little bit overzealous about holiday traditions, and our countdown to Christmas day has always been something I've enjoyed. December 1st, was full of fun, as we unloaded Christmas bins full of decorations. All three of the girls were so excited to see some of the things they treasure most, and I always smile thinking of how I did the same thing as a child. Those familiar decorations don't just make the house pretty. They remind us of family and give us comfort. They make it feel "like home". And, I love watching my girls enjoy that.

And, if you know Kendyll, you will appreciate this picture of her extra-dramatic greeting of her Nutcracker from last year. It was as if she had just found her long lost best friend in a box. :)

We gave the girls new special ornaments to hang on their own small trees, as well as a sweet memorial ornament for our baby Chase.

The girls were so excited to see this baby blue ornament, and it was hung first on the tree before anything else. We decided that we will continue to honor Chase each year by beginning our tree decorating with his ornaments.

And, of course, when asked what their favorite ornament was, they all said "Chase's ornament!" In fact, every single ornament that Carlie hung she said was "for Chase", and she would say "because this one reminds me of him". It was so sweet. And, I was of course, very thankful that he was such a part of this day.

This year is also fun because I consider the "two year old Christmas" to be a very fun teaching year. It is Abby Kate's year for discovery of all things Christmas, and it is fun to watch it "click" in her little mind, just as it has in years past for Kendyll and Carlie.

Just to test where we were at the beginning of this month of learning, I asked Abby Kate over a week ago "Who was born at Christmas, Abby Kate?", knowing she most likely did not have a good answer. Her answer: "Ummmm...Swiper!" Needless to say, I realized that YES, this will be a great year of learning. :) And, today, as we retold the story of Jesus' birth for the umpteenth time already, I can see her little eyes light up when baby Jesus enters the story. I LOVE seeing those moments in a two year old's mind. And, of course, even more than that, I LOVE seeing her recognize her Savior in the sweetest story ever told. :)

Along with learning, she is also having fun discovering all the new things that she didn't fully understand last year. Christmas lights, Santa Claus, our Christmas tree, our advent box...all of it has new life for all of us, as we see it through her eyes.

This year, we are trying a couple of new ways of counting down Christmas. One way is with this countdown chain:

I bought it last year at the Children's Pastors Conference and we have really enjoyed it so far. It includes scripture to read together, and then an activity or game to apply it. What I like is that it is not just about Jesus' birth, but also about His life.

We are still doing our advent box countdown as well (like I said, I'm overzealous...but at least I admit it. :). In past years, we learned a "name of Jesus" every day, and read part of the story of Christ as well. Last year, my mom did a fun one where the girls had one "job" each day to do for someone else, either in our home, or for others in the community. This year, we are counting down with daily Christmas activities, also focused on "doing for others", as well as some fun things to do as a family. It's the highlight of the day when they open the little door to see what is waiting for them!

We hope you are all having a fun beginning to the Christmas season. It is such a special time of the year for so many reasons, and I am thankful to be sharing it with some very special little girls. :)