It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

I was playing around with my camera again tonight. I'm trying to figure out my shutter speeds for dark lighting conditions. I have an automatic setting, but I know you can do so much more if you really understand the settings and use them manually.
So, is everyone enjoying the weather? This is one of my favourite times of the year. I love the crisp, clear, cold nights at the farm. Everything is silent outside and the moon bounces off the snow and makes such great shadows.

It has been a quiet week in the house. Brendan's projects are winding down, his report card has come home and he's getting ready for many parts in the school Christmas concert. Dylan is chilling out and working on his eco-friendly gingerbread house and he will be going to his Christmas party for the first time in all of his school years (thank you to Mr. G!).

I had a conversation at church today with one of our pastors about how we celebrate Christmas. He wants to see the gift part of Christmas taken away from the 25th and make that day just about Jesus. I like that idea, but it would never fly in my very traditional, holiday focused family. The kids would be fine, but the rest of the family would never handle it. One thing it did make me think of, is how glad I am that we try and celebrate something about Christmas every day in December. Years ago, I bought a family advent book that starts on Dec. 1 and goes until January 6th. It's important to build traditions in to your kids' lives and it's important for me to raise my kids with the understanding that Christmas is about the beginning of our Faith, more than it is about presents under a tree. Many parts of Christmas are fun, but there are many, very important things to take away from this time of year. I pray that my boys understand, accept and live a life of faith that comes from the tiny, baby Jesus. A baby that came to save the world. A baby that was born with a sinless nature, but the understanding nature of all sin. A baby that had all the hope in the world placed in him. This is the season to give great gifts to others. Pass on the gift that was given to you - share Jesus with everyone you meet this Christmas season.