weekending on the court

Well, it has officially started...

the fiend that usurps my weekend time away has arrived again.

It's basketball season.

I grumble about weeknight practices.

I complain about 3 games (2 coached by Dad) every Saturday of our winter.

But

then I go and cheer my hoarse voice away for these stellar Cope basketball boys.

And I look at the way they wear their basketball shoes around the house all day on game days,

and talk about their winning stats all night,

and get so excited they can't even sleep.

And I know it's worth the time and effort.

I watch them win and lose, succeed and fail.

I see them learning about teamwork, sportsmanship, and life.

And I realize what a powerful teaching tool this game can be.

Go here for a look at what goes on in the Cope fan section on the sidelines.

And Happy Monday!

The stockings were hung

...by the chimney with care,

at last!

Yipee!  After years and years of a dollar store sock for each new baby, I finally sat down and sewed stockings.

I had made four of them years ago (one for Mom, Dad, Taylor and Romney), and then dropped the ball on the rest.  So, I fixed up the existing four, which were by now a bit tattered, and assigned those to the boys in the family.  I made four more for the girls out of red chenille and some red cotton velvet, decorated with crocheted doilies and lace, ric-rac, and creamy chenille.  I'm so glad they're up and finished...ready to be filled to the lovely brim with treats of all kinds!

Happy weekend to you all!  

Oh Christmas Tree

Faithfully trimming the tree the day after Thanksgiving:

Now enjoying it's magic:

If only I could be like this tree.

I want to boldly emanate light and peace.  I want to bring joy to the season.  I want to quietly send out a message of goodness and love...the message of the Savior of the world.  I want my children to gather around me, like they gather around this magical tree, to find love and comfort.

But...

I also want to sew eight sets of Christmas pajamas with slippers, three Christmas dresses (plus matching doll dresses, of course), a few plush toys and dolls, some boy gifts, and more.

I want to finish knitting the eight woolen hats I've begun.

I want to whip up some holiday garland and other handmade decorations for the house.

I want to do lots of December service projects and festive sight-seeing,

and I want to take time at home to read classic Christmas books by the fire and study the scriptural accounts of the birth of the Savior with the children.

Oh, and I want a clean kitchen and floors, empty laundry baskets, delicious meals, and self-taught-and-entertained children.

Add in basketball season's start, dance classes, homeschool co-op classes and clubs, holiday parties, choir concerts, play performances by the kids,.........

and suddenly the idea of spreading holiday cheer becomes more like a feat the caliber of climbing Mount Everest.  And it doesn't feel festive or cheerful at our house at all when Santa's go-to elf Mom is completely overwhelmed and acts more like the Grinch, stealing the goodness right out of our holiday (which has been the general feeling at times already this month).

So, for me, this year...

the tree that stands so still and wonderful

will be my reminder and inspiration.

I will take time when I walk past it, to reflect and ponder, even for a moment, the real meaning of Christmas.  I will picture in my mind's eye (even while my body is running from one end of the house to another for kidly emergencies, which rarely wane) that blissful first Christmas.  I will feel the sweet peace which filled that meager stable, as wise men and shepherds gathered 'round in humble adoration.

I will breathe in the tenderness of these moments with our blessed tree, and then move through the day, using my time wisely and spending my energy on that which matters most.  And what matters most to me is that my family feels that same peace I have described, every day of the season, in our home.  That they may know with a surety as they grow, that a Savior was born in Bethlehem.  That he lives today and loves them.  That with him, nothing is impossible.

I guess this means that I must chisel down my wish(-to-get-done-)list a bit...

**Pardon me, as I go now to take a glance at the tree and a big deep breath, and then run upstairs to clean up the "gift" Sarah just left me, sans diaper, on her bedroom floor...wish me luck...

How do you balance the craziness with the cheer during the holidays?  Do tell.

inspiring helping hands

I think the rising generation has some difficult challenges.  Really difficult.  Our children stare daily into the face of some of the worst social problems that have ever plagued the earth.  One of those is the sense of entitlement running rampant through society.  It's the feeling of "deserving" to have whatever we want.  And not knowing how to work hard to obtain it.  Or just plain wanting to be taken care of instead of sacrificing to care for ourselves and others, through that good ol' fashioned thing called work.

I feel like one of the solutions to this widespread disease of selfishness and entitlement is learning GRATITUDE.  It's realizing that there are so many who are less fortunate than we are...being exposed to poverty and need humbles the soul.  It's rolling up our sleeves and reaching out to help ourselves and those around us.

Lots of the inspiring we do here in our home is directed to this very issue.  This month, I'll share some of the things we're doing to expose our children to the less fortunate in order to:

1.  help them feel gratitude for what we've been blessed with and

2.  evoke a desire to go and help others who have less.

A few weeks ago, we assembled hygiene kits as a family to be sent over to the LDS Humanitarian Aid Center for distribution to those in need.  We viewed the fantastic video "In the Service of Your God," and then spread the soaps, combs, towels, toothpaste, and other goods all over the living room floor, packaging them up in assembly line fashion.  While little hands were busy, we talked about the need all over the world for such simple items, and how aid from our beloved Church has helped so many lives over it's years and years of faithful service to the needy.  We spoke of our time touring the Humanitarian Aid Center back in May, and what it felt like to witness the amazing productivity and the tender spirit of such a special place.  (you can read about our visit and the feelings it evoked in one passionate mom (me) here...which also happens to be the longest post in history, so beware!)

What a great experience this was for our family.  Preparing kits to be used in a far-away place by people we don't even know, but who are in need of so very much.  Comfortable, blessed little hands busily working for needy little hands.  Clean, soft, warm hands giving to cold, lonely hands around the world.  A powerful thing for all of these hands.

Stay tuned for more of our attempts to inspire gratitude in our children...and ourselves this season.  

the book signing...and December inspiration

Last week, the boys went to our favorite bookstore for a writer's workshop with Brandon Mull, author of the Fablehaven  series...one of their recent favorites.  He was a dynamic presenter and just a great guy.  It was a pleasure to meet him.

After the workshop, we waited in line for almost two hours to have our stacks of books signed.  It was quite the adventure...fighting the crowds and keeping the little ones busy while waiting in the almost endless line of fans.  It was our first book signing, and will most likely be our last...at least for quite a while!  Whew!

This is how I found Sam after dinner that night, working on his "book."  And I must say that I have seen much more reading and writing this week by all three boys.  Don't you love it when your kids get inspired?

The trick is finding ways and energy and time (and sometimes waiting in long lines) to expose them to great people and ideas and books to keep that inspiration flowing.  And the truth is, we're inspiring them whether we like it or not...for better or for worse.  On what activities do they see us spending much of our time?  What things are we excited about?  What do we complain about?  Questions I needed to ask myself this week, as the rush of the Holidays is upon us and I'm really trying to slow down and make this a special season for my family.  I find that my kids usually get inspired when I'm inspired...or when I'm purposefully working to inspire them to want to do certain things.  Or when I'm simply noticing the goodness and beauty around us...and sharing it with them.

So...to help me to plan, deliver, and recognize the inspiration happening here at our house, I'll be blogging about it here.  Throughout December, come back and visit here to find things that are inspiring us this season.  I'll be posting some great meaningful gift ideas for those you love.  And I'll share some family holiday activities and traditions that help us remember the real reason for the season, and inspire us to be more like that babe of Bethlehem, who we worship this month and throughout the year.

Oh, and please feel free to comment and share what is inspiring you and your family this season.  I'd love your ideas as well!