Best Day Ever

8 years ago I woke up at 6am, after sleeping a total of maybe 2 hours, to marry my best friend.  It was the best day EVER!   I remember the butterflies  smiles, seal claps and laughter as I got prepared to walk down the isle.  I remember my face hurting from all of my smiling but nothing could have wiped it off my face.  I was beaming.  A cheesy as it may sound it came pouring out from the joy in my heart.  I can remember exactly how I felt as I waited at the top of the staircase for my cue and how incredible it felt to walk down and see Joe standing there.  Our eyes met and they never parted.  From there the ceremony is a bit of a blur.  I couldn't take my eyes of of Joe and the next thing you know we were being pronounced husband and wife, kissing and walking down the isle hand in hand.  It was perfect.
I love Joe so much.  I love him more than I can begin to try to describe in words.  I am a sentimental schmuck and love day dreaming of our past.  Whenever I get a little upset with him I just think back to the day we met and its over.  I get all gitty recalling how I felt when he was in the room and can't help but smile when I think about our story.  
I know I haven't been the "perfect" wife and we don't have a "perfect" marriage.  We argue and can at times be cranky, harsh and well... sinful.  Joe gets the best and (unfortunately) worst of me.  But my love for him never ends.  It is a choice I made 8 years ago and a choice I will continue to make for the rest of my life.  Loving Joe is easy and I pray that each year our marriage only grows stronger and our love grows deeper.

Happy Anniversary Joe Russell!

Thank you for making me your wife!

Advent

I love this time of year.  The decorations, songs, cookies, smells, gift-giving...I love it all.  But over the past few years one of my favorite parts of the Christmas season has become celebrating advent with my family.  It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of "Christmas" that we forget to prepare our hearts and minds for the birth of our savior.  During the Advent season we celebrate the birth of Jesus the Christ in his First Advent, and anticipate of the return of Christ the King in his Second Advent.  I love that it helps prepare all of our hearts for the true joy of Christmas and puts a larger focus on Christ than on presents or Santa.

Here are a few of the Advent traditions in our home.

Advent Calendar

Rather than a piece of candy each day the kids get to open a tiny wooden door and place a magnetic piece of the nativity out.

Advent Chain

A few years back I found this website

I love it!  We make the 25 day chain and each night we read the scriptures from the Bible and do the listed activity.  Today we made handprint angels =0)

Nativity Sets

Our kids love to act out the Christmas Story with their nativity sets...a fun hands on way to learn.

We currently have 2 child proof sets.  One from Costco... 

...and one that was a hand me down from my cousins

We keep the wooden set under our tree amongst our presents as a reminder that the birth of Jesus our Savior is greatest gift of all.  Maybe one day we will get a grown-up Nativity set =0)

Wreath

This year I ventured out and made my own "wreath".  I put 5 candles on my cake stand and adorned it with our tree trimmings.  Joe and I hope to teach our children the significance of the wreath and each candle as we light them.

We also read "Getting Ready for Christmas" at dinnertime.  It is very similar to the chain and is great for families with young children.  It has a simple scripture, prayers and activity for each day.

I am a sucker for traditions and look forward to making may and sharing many with our family.

With the cooler weather, stockings hung, and the tree decorated...it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Russell house  =0)