One of My Most Treasured Gifts

Three years ago, Rachelle and I were both looking for a meaningful gift to make for our parents and in-laws for Christmas. Do you ever have a hard time finding such a gift year after year? We do. It was also the year we both had our last babies and wanted to preserve that precious time in print.

One December afternoon, we gathered all our children (combined that is 11 kids -- that takes some gathering!), donned them in Jerusalem-type clothing (Rachelle gave those to me one year for Christmas. Those deserve a separate post) and went about to capture the scenes of the Nativity.

And it came to pass...in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, everyone to his own city. Luke 2:1,3

We decided to make a 20-page book of the Nativity Story to give to them for Christmas.

A First Christmas. A True Story. The Whitlock Family

In the end, it has become one of our most treasured gifts to ourselves and our children. I love looking at it all year and so do my children. We just followed the Christmas story in the King James version of the Bible and took pictures accordingly. Here is a glimpse into some of the pages. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke 2:8

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:10-14

(Can you see personalities in those "angels" singing?)

And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. Luke 2:15-16

(I love the angel with his plaid shorts. If we did it perfect, we would never get it done, right? Progress, not perfection.)

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19

Since Rachelle has all boys, my daughter was her model too. We just turned her around and did a side view so you could tell it was "Mary" but not who was portraying her.


Remember the true meaning of Christmas. Whitlock Family 2006

This was so worth the time and energy it took to make it. We are still reaping the rewards. Everyone who received it, loved it. We made ours in Shutterfly. Rachelle set it all up and "shared" it with me online and then I put in my own pictures. We printed up as many copies as we needed. I printed one for each child to have in their memory box for the future, printed one for my parents, in-laws and our adopted grandma, and one to have open in our house.

This would be fun to do yearly or with all the cousins or whatever combination you come up with to do. Now, go and create.

Gift Idea for DAD

Although Father's Day has come and gone, here is a fun idea for Father's Day, birthdays, etc. I saw this idea on the Tip Junky blog and I improvised and did my own thing. I hope to do this every year for my husband. The letters and frames were purchased from Kohl's (you only have to purchase the "D" and "A"). It was too sunny for the children but the pictures still were fun. My husband loved it.

I decided to do this with all my siblings so I had each of them email me a picture of them holding "their" birth order letter. It turned out really fun. My dad even said he would hang it in his office -- hilarious. I especially love my brother, Scott, who is holding the letter "T". He use to be a boxer and always loves looking "tough" in pictures but he is the biggest teddy bear. Love my siblings!

My sister used the idea too for her family. Check out the "D" formed by her grandchildren. As you can see, there are many ways you can do it "DAD", "PA", "DADDY", "FATHER", "BIG POPPY", "CURMUDGEON" whatever fits your family.