Weekend Activities

Even though it means three weeks where he won't be working and making money....having Tyler back in town makes me so happy! It's bitter-sweet, I suppose. But I'm making the most of our time together and filling it with activities and maybe even a few things we can use as traditions for our future family.

My wonderful mother sent us a little present to open every day before Christmas. It's usually an activity we can do, though sometimes it's a decoration or food or something. One thing she sent us was all the fixings to make our own "Gingerbread" (it's really graham cracker) house.

Tyler is the architect in our family. I just like putting candy on the finished product. So this year he designed a church. Originally it was meant to be a cathedral but since we were using a plate we had limited room.

I still think it turned out pretty darn cool. I should have taken a picture from the top so that you could see...it even makes a cross shape from the top. Very clever, that husband of mine.

And there the handsome man is...showing off his work.

Sunday night Laurie, Tyler, and I went to a drive through Bethlehem that a local church was putting on. What a cool experience! They gave us a CD that had scriptures telling the story of the birth of Christ, then we got to drive through scenes (the angel coming to Mary, the angel coming to the shephards, the wisemen traveling) as well as driving through a Bethlehem market place. At the end we saw the nativity scene...Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus. And like Tyler promised me (I didn't believe him) they were all black. I'm not racist...I've just never seen a black Jesus before.

On our way home after the Bethlehem event, we stopped by Swan Lake. It is one of my favorite parts of Sumter....a beautiful lake filled with every type of Swan that can be found in the world. They had it all decked out for the holidays and it reminded me of the Spanish Fork Festival of Lights that I was missing out on this year.

Our second nativity scene of the night. Though this one wasn't real people....and I don't think Jesus was black in this one either.

They had a whole lane filled with characters from kid shows including: Monsters Inc, Shrek, Bob the Builder, Dora the Explorer, Hannah Montana (she makes me gag....), and Clifford the Big Red Dog. I should have taken more pictures.

The trees were lit up on either side of the car...it was so pretty!

And because it was Swan Lake....there were quite a few Swans featured....


Sumter is home to Shaw Air Force Base. Show your pride. :)

Then last night, as another gift from my mom, we were able to make S'mores and Hot Chocolate. My family has a fire pit in the backyard that they usually use (unless it's so cold and windy a fire won't start....) but we've discovered the stove top works just as well.

I had been wanting S'Mores ever since we went camping this summer in Tennessee. I must say, I was shocked we went camping and never roasted a single marshmallow. But finally my craving has been satisfied.