Christmas in the City

Christmas in the city is MAGICAL. And I have always wanted to stay at the Little or Grand America in downtown Salt Lake City during the Christmas season. So this year I made it happen. And I think that it is a new family tradition. Staying at the Little America is like going back in time. There were old time carolers, music in the lobby, big roaring fires, and lots of festive decorations. The Grand America had a really fun scavenger hunt of finding the hidden star in window displays. And along that scavenger hunt was a gingerbread house the size of a child's playhouse. All made from edible items. Very cool! It ended at the most AMAZING toy store for collecting a sticker and then to a little french bakery for a cookie. The toy store had a monster wall with electronic pictures that changed images and a huge tree with fairies. There was also a GIANT robot and window displays that captured the imagination. Not to mention the candy, the brightly colored enticing displays of candy. I had no idea that the Grand America had such fun activities for the kids. They also have brunch and tea with Santa. We went to the Utah Symphony "Here Comes Santa Claus" concert at Abrevenal Hall. Just attending Abrevenal Hall is a great experience for the children. They were amazed by its big golden balconies and shimmering chandeliers. I was worried about how Brighton would do. But he did great, a little restless towards the end but manageable. I think Stella enjoyed it the most!! We ate at a great little unique deli, one of the reasons I love the city, all the unique little food joints. We also went to the lights at temple sqaure. Although I have never seen more people nor do I remember a night so cold. I enjoyed the lights but I think the kids were only worried about one thing, getting back to the hotel to SWIM! So we moved right on through the lights, jumped on trax, and went back to swim. The little America has a great indoor/outdoor pool and the kids were swimming outside!! I did not attempt that. On Sunday we ate yummy smoothies, muffins, and bagels by the roaring fire while carolers serenaded us with music. A Christmas moment I will not forget. We got back on trax and headed to the Joseph Memorial building for church services. I am sure my kids will not forget going to church in such a beautiful setting. There were guitar, flute, piano, and choir musical numbers in the program and it was so lovely to be there. Although being mostly adults in the meeting, it was very quiet. We had to work hard to keep our kids very quiet so as not to make a peep in the large echoing walls of the Joseph Smith Memorial building. We walked around and looked at the life size nativities after church on the temple grounds. The place was empty and it was fun to walk around without a million other good folks. While such busyness tends to over tire and excite the kids, I am so glad that we went and made such wonderful Christmas memories. It certainly won't be the last time!

Serenaded Lights

The Snydees and our friends the SHENNY-mans had a fun Holiday night out feeding Santa's reindeer, checking out the ice-sculptures and riding the old fashioned trolley around to see the lights at Thanksgiving Point. The trolley was trimmed with Christmas decor and we sang carols with a couple dozen strangers. We wish you a Merry Christmas...We wish you a Merry Christmas...

Olympic Christmas Skating

The Olympic Oval had a fun Holiday festival and we convinced our cousins to come party with us after a quick bite at the Old Spaghetti Factory! We felt like olympians skating on the same ice as the athletes skated on 1o years ago. Our skills need some improvement to meet the olympic standard.

Rack 2

Our Random Acts of Christmas Kindness have continued and I am sure our hearts have grown a bit too. Here is what we have been up to the last few days...

December 8: Gift to Stella's Piano Teacher

December 9: Stella and Miles handed out Christmas pencils to their class.

December 10: We gave out doughnuts at our favorite outdoor ice-skating rink.

December 11: Donated to our wards service project of hygiene kits.

December 12: Wrote THANK YOU notes to the mailmen and women and posted them on mailboxes around our neighborhood. The mail woman wrote back on the note expressing her love:)

December 13: Took dinner to a new mom.

December 14: Donated socks and gloves to the Christmas Tree at the Library.

December 15: We gave an ITUNES gift card and treat to our favorite babysitter in addition to her usual fee. She was so grateful that she brought back gifts for the kids and I.

December 16: For Miles' little Christmas party with his best buddies we delivered Hotwheels to a local Primary Children's Hospital. This was a tear jerker. My boy Miles LOVES Hotwheels.

December 17: Put together stockings for the Road Home family homeless shelter.

December 18: Shared a family tradition and delivered our four braided bread to our neighbors.

December 19: The kids delivered Thank You presents to their primary teachers for a great year!

December 20: Gave a sweet elderly lady a 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby because she didn't have one.

Only five more days left until we reach the big day!

Happy Holidays.

Catching Some Air

Nothing quite like catching some air and a snow picnic with my favorite people. Here at the Snyder house we pray for snow!

Elf and his Santas

With a leap and bound, I hear Miles jump from his bed every morning in search of Buddy the Elf! It has been like Christmas morning everyday since Buddy arrived on December 1. He has been playing tricks and leaving treats. Stella is keeping a list called the mysteries of Buddy with each new spot we find him in. Here is Elf and his Santas as opposed to Santa and his elves, riding in the sleigh.

RACK

Well, we hung the stockings, decorated the tree, and made our Christmas bucket list. At the top of that list is something we are all so excited about. A countdown to christmas with RACK (random acts of Christmas kindness.) Each day in December we are trying to do some random act to show kindness. Something we may not normally do, or maybe something we do all the time. And so I want to keep record of this to always remember how much fun we had doing it! A new Snyder tradition that makes us all excited for the true joy of the season.

December 1

I held a food drive in the college courses I teach to donate to the Utah Food Bank. I am always overwhelmed and impressed with the response.

December 2

We attended the Festival of Trees, a fundraiser for the Primary Children's hospital. At the event we purchased handmade wands (something my kids want to get there every year) and handed them to small children. It was amazing to see the surprise and reaction of the parents. And total confusion of the children. Made me realize how stuck we can get in our own world. So simple and so fun.

December 3

We went to dinner with my family to the old Spaghetti factory. With such a big group, and a lot of kids it can be overwhelming for the waiter. So Spencer and I were both on the same page about an unusually large tip for the waiter. I would have loved to see his reaction:)

December 4

This was Sunday so we took homemade banana bread to one of our favorite widows in the ward. She is always saying how much she loves the baked goods we bring her because she doesn't bake much anymore.

December 5

We didn't pass up the ringing salvation army bells and put our dollars inside the red boxes.

December 6

Brighton and I picked an ornament off a tree at the gym and returned later with a gift for a mom and baby to be donated to the Christmas Box House. Brighton was so excited to put the gifts under the tree.

December 7

I was excited to mail a package to France and the Ukraine for my favorite missionaries, my nephew Zack and my niece Natalie. I sent a giant pen to make them laugh and as a symbol of the BIG work they are doing. Along with some other goodies and supplies. I am so proud of them.

I am looking forward to the next 18 days. It really makes me happy to think about random acts of kindness! What a Merry Christmas it is.

A few shots from the Festival of Trees. Stella handing off the wand to this cute girl that was getting awfully bored with the festival. It seemed to brighten her right up! Brighton got so into it that he suddenly gave his wand away to a tired little boy in a stroller. Completely changed my Festival of Trees experience.

(My mom loves the movie "A Christmas Story" so we got a good laugh about this tree and the infamous leg lamp!

(Brighton jumped in this kids picture to give the Jolly Old Elf a hug:)

Mother Nature's Gift

Sometimes I just need to break free from the four walls that keep us indoors! This was one of those days. So when we woke up to find a winter wonderland, I thanked the great mother of nature for such a gift. We bundled up and did some major sledding. The air so refreshingly cool and crisp. We are snow bunnies. Bring on the white stuff.

Field Trips and Fire Trucks

The highly anticipated preschool field trip to the fire department was a success. Brighton and Thomas were excited to climb in the cool firetruck and meet some real live firemen. They even turned on the really loud sirens and bright lights.

My friend Marissa was happy to meet the firemen too:) And happily volunteered to get all geared up.

Miss Amie and her crew. She is such a loving kind person. Just the kind my Brighton needs.

A Thankful Vegetarian Turkey

What does a vegetarian eat on Thanksgiving. A vegetable turkey of course. While I enjoy turkey a few times a year, this is all the turkey Spencer gets on the big day of Gratitude. I really love to cook and to eat so Thanksgiving is a fun holiday. And not to mention that to have gratitude is one of the most powerful qualities to posses. Holidays always seem to bring great joy and a little bit of the blues. I am so joyful and grateful for my own great life. And sad for all the misfortunes I have encountered in my own life or the lives of others. It truly is a time to reflect. So after traveling from the Snyder home to the Carter home and getting a lot of family time this Thanksgiving, I was reminded of how important it is to not only be thankful but express your gratitude openly. One of the many beautiful things that I learned from my mother was to say Thank You, to recognize and verbalize your gratitude for all that others do. I have watched her selflessly serve without expecting anything in return. But what it did was create a great return of thankfulness and a desire to return the love. This year my assignments were chocolate "thank you" place settings, cranberry relish, garlic green beans, harvest salad, and one turkey relish tray. So easy and stress free. Before stuffing our selves we took a brisk walk around the lake and gave these birds, that escaped the Thanksgiving table, a feast of their own. There were a lot of others out getting some fresh air and burning a few calories.

I didn't take any pictures of the actual dinners. And yes, we ate two tasty dinners. We were so glad to have my brother Rod and his family in town from Colorado. My teenage nieces and nephews were having great fun with fat booth on their phones. Now there is some motivation to stop eating. But we had a good laugh and I was grateful to spend time with my family and remember all those things I am truly thankful for.