I found it!

I wasn't planning to blog today but decided to since I am one happy girl! I found it! I found the nativity scene the girls have always had. I always put it in the bathtub with the girls and that's how they first learned the story of Christmas! It's a plastic set that I probably  bought for a dollar when Grace was 1 or 2. Both girls have played and played with it in the tub! Now if you think it's crazy that they had a nativity set in the bathroom, let me tell you, that 's just the start. They have had them everywhere! My grandma (MawMaw) started it. She made me a cloth one when I was in college. Then I just started getting new ones every so often. Coy thought I was crazy when we had our first Christmas. I think I have toned it down some since then, though! Then one Christmas I found the pattern at WalMart in the craft section (that basically doesn't exist anymore....:( ) and I made a cloth nativity scene for each girl. They have had them in the playroom and in the rooms and it's soo cool to see them playing with baby Jesus. Not so much any more, it's just the memories. One of my favorite decorations is one JoGail made when she was about 4. It's a thing you hang on the wall that has a simple nativity scene she glued onto it. It says Happy Birthday Jesus. Coy's mom made each of her kids a wooden nativity set one year as well. (Joseph is about 8-9" tall!) Then when she passed, we inherited the one that's got  Joseph over a foot tall! It's hard to display because the figures keep falling over, though. It's solid wood and plain. No paint, no decorations, just simple. Kind of like I imagine the first Christmas being. Simple. Which is another thing I am working on this Christmas.Simplicity. (This fits in with the Mary Christmas thing if you've read that post.) So if you don't see me getting all worked up over Christmas this year or running around trying to get everything just so. That's ok. We're going simple this year. Yes, that may mean changing some traditions and may include adding some new ones. But that' s ok. No, in case you were wondering, we don't have a Walton Christmas and not even a Hallmark one. We have ones filled with love and reflection. Homemade gifts, homemade decorations, and usually homemade food! :)



Laurie