Christmas Movies

We watch a lot of movies at our house.  We love Christmas at our house.  So naturally, Christmas movies play a pretty big role in getting us into the Christmas Spirit.

We have a Canon of movies we like to watch leading up to Christmas.  The order in which we watch them is somewhat fluid but there are certain heavy hitters we save for the last.  There are a few that aren't as "necessary" to watch, but are fun to get in if we have the time.

Here they are:

Christmas Vacation (1989)

The most irreverent and sketchy on our list.  We like to start the list of movies with this one.  Lots of great one-liners and memorable characters.  This one fits in nicely into the middle-to-last half of November.








Neptune's Daughter (1949)

The only thing that makes this a Christmas movie is that it won an Oscar for Best Original Song in "Baby It's Cold Outside."  It is still a cute love story with some funny moments.  Another good one for November.









Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

I grew up watching the 1994 version which is not horrible, but this one has stood the test of time much better.  The kids call it "The Santa Movie."
This one we try to watch around Thanksgiving.









It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947)

(From IMDB)
A homeless New Yorker moves into a mansion and along the way he gathers friends to live in the house with him. Before he knows it, he is living with the actual home owners.
This is an End-of-November, first of December movie.








The First Presidency Christmas Devotional (Annual)

Not technically a movie, but still very much worth your time.  Every year The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints do a one-hour devotional with music from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Orchestra on Temple Square.  The Christmas messages from these inspired men are uplifting and a great way to kick off the holiday season.  Can be watched here.
The devotional is done every year the first Sunday in December.


Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

(From IMDB)
A food writer who has lied about being the perfect housewife must try to cover her deception when her boss and a returning war hero invite themselves to her home for a traditional family Christmas.
Good to watch in early December.








White Christmas (1954)

It may not be technically a Christmas movie and it is possible it was only made to sell copies of the title song.  That being said, this is firmly planted in our Christmas Canon of movies.  We showed the kids this one again this year and they are starting to pick up on some of the songs.
Any time after December 1 is free game.






A Christmas Carol (1999)

One of my favorite Christmas traditions growing up was seeing the play version of "A Christmas Carol" at Hale Center Theater.  A few years ago I read it for the first time and this version I feel is most true to the story.  That and Patrick Stewart is great as Scrooge.  I recently found out that in the past he has done a one-man performance of the entire thing.  THAT would be awesome to see live.  There is an audio recording of the performance on YouTube.
Good to watch any time in December.




While You Were Sleeping (1995)

A fun Christmas/New Year's movie.  Mistaken identities, great characters, and the paperboy.  These mashed potatoes are so creamy.
The only one on the list that can be watched after Christmas.










Mr Kreuger's Christmas (1980)

Jimmy Stewart.  The Mo-Tab.  BYU Dancer's Company from 1980.  This one has it all.  The Christmas Spirit is epitomized by one of the greatest actors in the last 100 years speaking unscripted to the Christ Child.  It has been said that all of the camera men were bawling and the director was praying they captured Stewart's performance.
You can get a free copy from the missionaries.  mormon.org/christmas.
Great to watch as a Family Home Evening lesson early on in the month before the excitement of presents start to set in.





Elf (2003)

The movie that introduced the word "Ginormus" into the lexicon.  At first I was kinda bothered by the Santa-centric theme, especially with how the movie ends.  But when you stop and think how Santa represents a God who gives good things to His children, the discussion on the "Clause-o-meter" takes new meaning.  If all the people saw Santa, they would have knowledge instead of belief and the sleigh wouldn't fly.
Any time in December.






Amahl and the Night Visitors (1951)

This one almost gets an honorary place in the lineup.  When I was on my mission, Faith sent me a CD with the music from this.  As it was not on the approved music list for my mission, I dutifully did not listen to it.  A few years ago Faith showed this to the kids.  It may take a few years before it gets fully Canonized.
Any time in December.







Home Alone (1990)

For me, this movie represents my Christmases from ages 8 to about 12.  My brothers and I watched it a lot during that time.  While it is not much in the way of feel-good, spirit-of-the-season material, it brings back fond memories of growing up.  That and the soundtrack is quintessential Christmas.
A good movie to have going on in the background a week to a few days before Christmas when you have a bunch of presents to wrap.






 
A Christmas Story (1983)

So many quotes.  So many great moments.  Still wondering when we introduce this one to the kids.  Not sure if I am ready to hear Lilia say "Ohh, Fuuuuudgggge."
Fits in the week before Christmas.










It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

In all honesty, probably the best movie I have ever seen.  This is one we watched on and off when I was growing up but it has gotten to the point where this is THE MOVIE on the list. I love the message how our lives touch so many others.  Jimmy Stewart plays the hero of the everyman and like I said before, he was an incredible actor.  The ending gets me every time because it reminds me that everything will be all right in the end.  If it is not all right, it is not the end yet.
This one has to be watched within 3 days of Christmas.






Not in the Canon (Yet)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas -The kids love it.  Good message.  More of a "filler" movie than anything.
A Charlie Brown Christmas -Same as above but closer to making it to the Canon.
The Santa Clause -Has aged pretty well.  We watched it 2 years ago and was surprised how much I liked it.
Die Hard -Just need to get an edited copy.  Gotta love John McClain.

On why I've stopped sharing birth stories

I once heard a woman telling her birth horror stories to a prospective mother who was only one week away from delivery.  I couldn't believe it!  Why would you tell a first-time mom, who is probably anxious enough about what's about to happen (I know I was), all the things that could go wrong - even if they are true?  How is that supposed to make anyone feel better?  Does the woman telling the story feel good that her (most likely glamorized) story makes her a better mother for surviving something that is not the norm?  Does the new mom feel that much more excited to know that she will be sharing the same fate (or one very nearly like it) in a matter of days?

These kinds of one-upping stories (or one-downing as I sometimes like to call them) don't serve any useful purpose.  There has been an epidemic of wanting to stand out to those around us for, probably, as long as people have been able to relate stories.  To be set apart by the things we have overcome.  To look important.

Most adult women have at least heard these conversations - if not been a part of them directly.  Honestly, they're not very pleasant.  They usually end with two women - maybe three - kind-of battling it out for the worst experience.  Sometimes it's not even their own, but someone they know well, which is just as good in this setting.  I've heard women talk about how their labor with an epidural was worse than delivering naturally because the epidural didn't "take" one bit and the process of getting the epidural was tantamount to murder.  MURDER!!  How can you compete with that?!  So, eventually, people stop competing.  And the topic changes.  To something like how bad your kids' school teachers are.  If you're lucky.

My question is: Why do we want to compete?

This whole process seems to me to bring about a disconnect to those with whom we are associating.  These conversations are not unifying.  Everyone leaves dissatisfied except the winner.  Who won because she experienced something (or knew someone who did) that is unimaginable.

Addiction Recovery Programs (ARPs) run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are incredibly successful wherever they are held.  It's wonderful that there are so many of these out there to help those who are in need of them.  This may seem off-topic, but bear with me a minute.  I heard of someone who thought that these programs should be ended.  With the success of these programs, this statement is incredibly surprising.  One of the things that makes these programs so successful is that the people who attend discover that they are not alone.  There are other people who struggle as well.  When you realize that you are not the only one who has ever dealt with something that is harder than you could have imagined, you learn that there is a way to get through.  All hope is not lost.  The point this individual was making is that these types of meetings should be held every Sunday in Priesthood and Relief Society meetings throughout the world.  These weekly meetings held in church should be the support that everyone needs.  We are not alone in what we are experiencing.

Not too long ago I had a friend comment after something I wrote that she was glad to hear that she was not alone.  We all need that.  Very much.

Recently I had an amazing experience.  One I needed very badly.  I had been feeling very alone - that happens, sometimes, when Spencer's schedule is this busy.  There were hard times with the kids and I felt at one point like I had come to a breaking point.  I had been praying all day.  I do that sometimes.  Many times.  It helps.  At this point, though, I was praying for something I thought I needed.  Something to help me know that someone cared about me.  To know that I was not alone.  The answer I received was that I was not alone.  That I AM not alone.  Because my Savior is always with me.  He who sunk beneath all things is here for me to help me know that I can do what is required of me.  I was, again, amazed at the goodness of God.  I shouldn't be, I know, but I always am.  God is watching out for me.  I don't ever need to feel alone because I am not.

We all need to know that we are not alone.  We need to feel connection to each other and most importantly to our Savior.  Life is not a competition.  Life cannot be a competition.  If it were we would ALL come off losers.  I don't think you can lose better or worse than anyone else.  We are all trying to live.  Why not stop trying to one-down the previous story with our own?

The other day on a run I listened to Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's talk from the April 2012 General Conference.  He puts things so beautifully.  I would definitely recommend you take the time to read through it - or listen.  It has a few different messages in it and they are all beautiful.  I will share just a bit: "So lesson number one from the Lord’s vineyard: coveting, pouting, or tearing others down does not elevate your standing, nor does demeaning someone else improve your self-image. So be kind, and be grateful that God is kind. It is a happy way to live."

And that is why I have stopped sharing birth stories.  I am trying to find a happier way to live.

Utah July 2012

We almost weren't going to take a trip to Utah this year.  We wanted to spend Spencer's last off time a little closer to home spending lots of time with the kids.  We took a trip to Kansas City, MO and Nauvoo (I will back-track later) and also a quick camping trip (our first as a family - also, pictures to come later).  I had decided two years ago that I would not travel with the kids on my own any more.  That was a hard trip.  And this time I didn't have anybody who would be coming with me.  We thought it best we didn't take the trip this year.  Then, looking ahead, we realized that we wouldn't be taking a trip next year.  We'll be moving to Indianapolis in June and there's no other time we'll be able to take a trip.  And we're not sure we'll get a trip during the three years of residency in Indiana.  So, it looked like this year needed to happen.  It took me a while to decide that I would be going for sure.  But I finally made the decision.  The kids and I would drive out.

I'm not sure when it was, but Eden called one evening when she was with my parents trying to get a flight for Harper to come to Tulsa to drive back with the kids and me.  What a blessing!  I ended up doing all the driving (I hope you don't mind, Harper!) even though Harper was more than willing.  It was great to have help with the kids, though.  And rest stops were wonderful being able to split up and have all the kids taken care of (side note: we started toilet training with Lilia just two or three weeks before this trip and I was so worried of what might happen on the road.  She was in a pull-up the whole time, but you never know.  Lilia was a champ and went to the bathroom successfully at every stop!  She would then have an accident at each destination, but we were sticking with pull-ups for the trip, so it wasn't horrible.  More on her toilet training another time).  We made good time to Denver where we got to stay at Bethany's and Nate's.  Twelve hours from start to finish.  Beth, Nate, and fam had already left for the Callister reunion at Lake Tahoe, but were so generous as to let us stay over anyway.  Such a blessing to have a home to stay in.  The next day, 3 July, we left early again and this time took 8 1/2 hours to Draper.  I think that in some ways I really have learned patience - definitely have so much work to do, so I'm not inviting new lessons, but I noticed that I had the easiest time on this drive than I ever have before.  Things went really well.

We had a great time seeing all sorts of family.  The Anderson reunion was the second half of the first week of the month and we got to see everyone but the Justinianos.  It was a great turn-out and we had a great time!  The kids loved playing with all their cousins!  (A few times since the trip when doing video chats with Bubbe and/or Papa the kids have asked where all the cousins are.  They really loved it.)  We also got to see a lot of the Cotterells!  Spencer's parents got home from their mission the Friday before we got there.  (I had originally been trying to make it for that day, but we found out that Spencer had his white coat ceremony that day!)  It was great to see them back in Utah and to see everyone together.

And now the trip in pictures.  With more words.


I had signed up some time previous to run the Freedom Run 10k.  I was doing half-marathon training (more on this at a later time) and thought it would be great to run the "adult" race for once.  I've done the 5k before with a niece and was looking forward to really running.  Then I hurt my foot.  In a non-running accident (Andy's rocking horse and I are still not on amicable terms).  My sister-in-law Jen (some weeks pregnant) was going to be walking the 5k with her sister.  I switched my registration over to the 5k and decided to walk with them.  Well, we jogged for about half a mile, walked for more, jogged another bit, and walked the rest - except for across the finish.  It was a lot of fun to do it with good company - the next best thing to running the race.

 During the race - me, Jen, Ange

Immediately following the race.  You can tell how worn out we are!

By grandmother's wall on our way to the parade with the rest of the family in town.

Someone at this point (who had also run) asked how we did.  The only logical answer considering the medals around our necks: We won!!

Very intently watching the parade.  They all loved it.

 Anne really enjoyed herself.

Andy with Mark.

Anne had a great view with Eden.  And Eden was one of the first that Anne was okay going to besides me.  She sure took a while to warm up to anyone on the trip.  It was very helpful, though, because now she goes to nursery without any problem!  A major break-through.

Benny spotted his favorite: the tubas!

Sporting one of Bubbe's hats.

Lilia with Bubbe.

Enjoying Anne's hair.

One rainy day of the reunion we ended up at a place like Incredible's Pizza - a buffet with a game center.

It's a really blurry picture, but there was a Go Kart round with all family members: Harper and Benny; Graydon and Andy; Dominic and Jimmy; Adam and Jack; Sara and Rab; and Adam (Jr) on his own.  Everyone had a great time.  I think the drivers are still debating over who committed what foul.

I went on a run up to the temple one morning.  The weather was beautiful!  And it was great to get out.  2 miles each way.  I didn't run up the whole hill, but probably ran a total of 3 of the 4.

Eden was helping get kids in the car on afternoon and "she says" Max got in on his own. :)

Grandma Joy was down for the Sunday Spencer's parents spoke in their ward.  It was great to see her and to have the chance to visit with her for a little while.

Here she is with all of her Cotterell great grandkids!

Brinley wanted to join in on another picture!

We're so glad we had the chance to see her!

We spent part of a day in Provo visiting Grandmother and feeding the fish and going up to campus.  It was hot, but we had a great time!

The kids love the fish!

Enjoying some BYU Creamery ice cream!

I think I'm the only one who finished my little dish.

Anne was offered bites from all, but after her first taste, all other offers were rejected.  It may have been too cold, but it was hot as the dickens out, so I would have thought she'd like it.

The courtyard with the First Vision statue was locked, so we came to see the other Joseph Smith statue.  Lilia was being a bit of a stinker and refusing to be in some pictures.

She'd gladly join in when it was all of us, though.

The 'Y' shot.

And I decided to stop by the stadium to get another picture with Cosmo.  We got a picture three years ago just after Lilia was born.  Quite different now!

The one thing the boys said they wanted to do on this trip was to go to the Dinosaur Museum.  Thank you, Bubbe for taking us with some cousins!

Anne was a good sport for being buckled in everywhere.

Andy, Jimmy, Benny

These boys were so happy with their island!  They were working on this the whole time.

Digging for fossils at the end.  Another favorite.

Two mornings before we left I took the kids to the "dinosaur" park (on the underside of a climbing section there a dinosaur "fossil").  We had been once or twice with some others and the kids were dying to go back.  It's just a short walk down the train behind my parents' house, up a decently (albeit short) steep hill, over the railroad tracks, and down a little path.  I'm actually quite impressed that we made it without any help with the three bikes and Anne in the stroller!

Anne had free reign and was pleased as punch.

Our visit with Grandma Spendlove that afternoon.  We got to have our own time before the rest of the Cotterell cousins came over for the group picture!

I'm just sad that Lilia's blurry in this one.  This is the best one I got.

The whole group.

Our last morning we went downtown for a little trip to Temple Square.  It wasn't much.  Just into the South Visitor's Center where they have a model of the temple with a view to the inside so you can see what some of the rooms are like (I'm really glad we saw this since I showed the kids "The Mountain of the Lord" and at the end when it shows a lot of the rooms the kids call out, "We saw that!").  Then we went over to the Beehive House to see where Brigham Young lived and then where his son added on later.  I don't think the kids remembered, but we saw Brigham Young's house on our trip to Nauvoo.

Anne was a trooper!

Whenever I can, I love to get a picture of Lilia with her Bubbe and Grandma.

Lili, Lilia, Lilly Ann

The ride home was different than originally planned.  I was originally going to drive home on my own with the kids leaving 17 July (Benny's birthday) and getting home the 18th.  Then, when talking to Jen (Dominic's wife), I discovered that they were planning on their move to Houston happening on the 13th.  I thought (and Spencer concurred), "Why not caravan?!"  It would be much safer.  Our trip would be cut short by four days, but it would make the drive home much better all around.

Dominic and Jen had to check out of their house at 11 on the 13th, so I decided that I would drive to Bethany and Nate's ahead of them and then we could leave together Saturday for Tulsa where they would spend the night before moving on.  I don't know all that happened with Dominic and Jen's getting out of Provo, but I do know that they had to deal with a lot!  They ended up not making it to Denver until really late on the 13th and decided to spend an extra day there before making the long, long drive to Tulsa.  It's too bad things didn't work out like we were hoping, but God is very kind and things worked out.

The morning we ended up leaving I asked my dad for a blessing.  He had given me a blessing before the drive home three years ago and I still remember some of the things he said there.  And I know that we were all being watched over on that ride home - particularly me (I had found out recently before that I was pregnant with Lilia and had been having a lot of lower back pain that entire trip.  The pain just about disappeared for the drive home and didn't return until some time after the trip).  I knew I was in good hands asking for this blessing.  Dad mentioned a few times that time would pass quickly - including the phrase that "time will quickly fly."  I love that.  And the only explanation I have for how well the whole drive home went was just that: time quickly flew.  Even with Lilia's throwing up incident (we were only set back half-an-hour and that ended up working as our lunch break that day) and with Anne's tired screaming/crying.  God was taking care of us in very real ways and I am so grateful for the power of the Priesthood so that I can be a direct recipient of that power.  What a blessing it has been (and continues to be) in my life.

Not a great picture, but the best I could get while on the road.

I'm not sure if the helmet was in case of accidents, but he was happy!

And the poor kids kept dealing with "bums hurting," so they would sit on their pillows.

The only sleeping we get in the car is right before we reach our target destination.  Andy fell asleep when we were within 5 miles of Bethany's and Nate's.  Granted, it took us probably 45 minutes to cover those 5 miles, but we were close.  And this was our short day!  Nobody fell asleep on the 12-hour day.

 Well, Anne does sleep, but very little.  The most she probably slept in the car was around an hour or so (she did sleep twice, I think, on the long day back).  That being said, the drive goes very well!

Sleeping arrangements in the Callister's basement.

Iris, Lilia, Andy, Benny.

Taken at the start of our last day on the road on the Callister's driveway.  The kids were great!

And can you see the four bikes on back?  Spencer and I finally have our bikes back!  And the bike rack held up great the entire drive.  I'm just glad I didn't have to open up the back or anything.

Thanks, again, Dad for getting that all set up for/with me!

We had a wonderful trip and are so glad we went.  We sure missed Spencer, but it all worked out.  And we wouldn't have been able to see much of him had we been here - we haven't been able to see too much of him since we've been back!  We're just grateful for whatever we can get.

Until next time, Utah.

We'll see you when we see you.