Computers, Cookies, Christmas and Church

This is one of our favorite photos of a dear little daughter.  I love the light in her eyes and the smile on her face as she is captured "playing" on the computer.   The computer was certainly not a plaything for me when I was growing up, and even back in the 80's and early 90's when we were raising our kids, it was fairly unusual for homes to have a family computer.   Of course now days many toddlers grow up using their own tablets or their parents' phones on a daily basis, and our own children each have various computers and other electronic devices in their lives.   However, when the kids were small, we all had to share, at least until it got to the point that if Dad wanted anything safe on the computer, the kids needed to have their own.

Our first computer was an Atari 520ST, purchased in 1984 or 1985 when DS1 was a tiny lad.  He learned his alphabet at a very young age playing games on the Atari, and even though we didn't ever have a huge number of games, the children spent many hours exploring with Mixed Up Mother Goose, Winnie The Pooh in the Hundred Acre Wood, Where In The World is Carmen San Diego, Reader Rabbit and Dream Dollhouse, among others.    Eventually we invested in a Super Nintendo game system and entered the world of Mario Brothers, Mario Kart, Q-bert, Mario Paint, Mario All Stars, Paper Boy, Sim City, and later on Super Battle Tank etc.    The challenge was learning to co-operate, take turns, share, and get the home work and chores done too! By Junior High School the kids were starting to learn some basic programming skills . . . and of course they all use the computer almost constantly now at work and at home.  Where would we be without Computers?

image source

Next we come to Cookies!  I can't imagine a home with kids without cookies, mostly home-baked of course.   I grew up in a family where we baked cookies on a regular basis for pleasure and fun, and I think most of our kids did the same.  Learning to read and follow a recipe, measure carefully, stir and mix thoroughly, scoop carefully, preheat the oven accurately, accurately time the baking, and don't forget the kitchen cleanup are all important lessons for children to learn.  Right?  Plus, it's fun and delicious!   There were a few years when we rarely baked home made cookies due to a diagnosis of Juvenile Diabetes, but after a number of years we learned more about managing diet, exercise and insulin dosages, improvements in blood sugar testing and longer and shorter acting insulins allowed for better control of the disease, and we slowly starting baking cookies more often.  Our family favorites are probably chocolate chip (chewy gooeys), brownies, peanut butter, no-bake "chocolate dreams", and peanut butter bars, lemon bars, and cowboy cookies (oatmeal cookies with added nuts, raisins, chocolate and butterscotch chips and coconut).   And of course, sugar cookies for Christmas and Valentines Day were important too!   (if you are looking for recipes, let me know in a comment, and we'll share some of our favorites!)

Christmas has always been a favorite holiday at our house, and I have posted several times previously about some of our favorite Christmas Traditions.   The first Christmas after DS1 was born, we were living far from family and money was tight, so we opted to not have a Christmas tree that year.  Presents were few and simple, but we were happy and DS1 loved opening his few presents.  What baby doesn't love wrapping paper and boxes? 

The next Christmas we had two little boys, and went a bit over-board with the Santa shopping.   Yes, we did encourage the Santa tradition at our house, and the kids enjoyed the traditional anticipation of  waiting and wondering what Santa would bring.  They would browse the toy catalogs that came in the mail and the Sunday newspapers, and write letters asking for their favorite things each year.  Santa usually made a stop at the Church Christmas Party, so there was the opportunity to sit on his lap and make the favorite requests in person too. 

Some years Christmas presents have been more abundant than others, and there may sometimes have been some disappointments, especially as the kids have grown older.  I've sometimes questioned whether we should have encouraged the belief in Santa as we did, but we have also encouraged and helped the children to purchase gifts for one another, and do not regret that decision at all.  The tradition of carefully choosing and exchanging gifts with each other is a happy one with many fond memories.

 We usually start decorating and listening to Christmas Music right after Thanksgiving, never before.   We have gathered quite a collection of Nativity Scenes, stocking hangers, an old Christmas  Village, and many other hand made decorations and ornaments that the kids have made or others have gifted to us over the years. For many years we bought a live Christmas tree, but for several years now have been using second hand artificial trees . . . and our current tree is a bit bent and always leans a bit in one direction.  

I love the years when Christmas Eve falls on Sunday.  That way I make sure my errands are all done before Christmas Eve, and we spend the day attending church services and then relaxing with the family.   On years when Christmas Eve falls on another day,  we usually clean the house, do last minute errands, have a simple dinner, then read the Nativity story from Luke and Matthew in the Bible.  When the children were young we would have them act out the story, and take turns playing the parts of Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and angels, and even baby Jesus.   Then it would be time to sing Christmas Carols, with everyone having the chance to choose their favorites.   By the time all the songs were sung and family prayers were said, it was usually way past bedtime.  Stockings were quickly hung and a plate of cookies and carrots left out for Santa and the reindeer.  In spite of the late bedtime, for many years the kids would be up just an hour or two after Santa had made it to bed, and the fun would begin all over again.  Emptying stockings, plenty of goodies and hopefully a few nutritious treats too, a big family breakfast and several hours unwrapping gifts from each other, one at a time.

Church has always been a very important part of our lives, and still is.   We attend services every Sunday during a three hour block, partaking of the Sacrament, remembering our baptismal covenants and promises, and listening to other members share their thoughts and testimonies about the gospel of Jesus Christ.   We divide into groups for Primary classes for the children, Sunday School for Youth and Adults, and Priesthood for Men and Relief Society for Women.  The Youth also attend scouting and other activities mid week, and there are other activities and service projects for adults and families on a regular basis.  During the years when we lived far from our parents and grandparents, the members of our congregation became our extended family.    At one time it was an hour's drive each direction for our family to get to church and back each Sunday, so with the three hours spent in Church, that took up most of the day.   We were all so excited when it was announced that a new Chapel would be built in the town just down the hill from our town . . . now going to Church was only a 30 minute drive away!   It was so exciting to see watch the chapel being built, and then to finally attend the dedication, invite neighbors and friends, and start attending services in our very
own brand new building!

What are your favorite computer memories and games?
What are your favorite cookies?
What are your favorite Christmas Traditions?
What part has Church played in your family life?