Saturday, November 15, 2008

Christmas Recommendations...

I've gotten to the point now where the best part of Christmas to me has very little to do with presents. I love getting to enjoy time with family, having time off with that same family, and doing the Christmas-y things that sort of warm the spirit. I love being involved with our church's candlelight service, and taking hope out of Christmas songs of a Savior sent to save all who would come to Him.

With that, I wanted to mention a few things that are essential to our Christmas, that I highly recommend.

Music:

Andrew Peterson: Behold the Lamb of God

This is the greatest Christmas CD I have ever heard. I cannot describe to you enough how much I love this CD. Every single note is a beautiful part of a whole musical masterpiece. By and large Andrew writes some of the most beautiful lyrics, and adapted Scripture to paint the story of Christmas. The CD is diverse, but largely acoustic including vocals from folks like Jill Phillips and Derek Webb, and instrumentation from guitars and piano to accordions and hammered dulcimers. Laura and I go to see the Behold the Lamb tour as well each year, and it is our favorite concert of the year (and we've been to see U2).


Sarah McLachlan - Wintersong

Now I am not a huge Sarah McLachlan fan, I only have one other CD of her. Laura and I love this album though. It is the perfect snowy day album. It is soft, smooth, and there is something warm about the album that we just love. She sings some less popular Christmas songs, and adapts others and adds her own take on them. We love this album though.





Christmas Movies:



Christmas Carol (1951)

There are so many versions of Dicken's story, and in my opinion this is by far the best one. Laura and I watch this each year, in its original black and white, and LOVE it. It is as if Dicken's story is being done as it was actually intended to be done. There are elements of the story that are not mentioned in other versions, and overwhelmingly it is so believably a 19th century story. If you love the Dicken's classic, you have to see this version.




The Stingiest Man in Town

This is also a great version of A Christmas Carol, and it is my favorite Christmas cartoon. Rankin Bass produced this one, just like so many other Christmas cartoons and claymations, and Walter Matheau is the voice for Scrooge. This cartoon is a remnant of a time when it was appropriate to talk about the meaning of Christmas. I'm 28, and I still can't have Christmas without watching it.

New Avery and Family Stuff...

It has been a while since we put stuff up. Sorry, but I am finally getting a chance to throw stuff up here.

Here is Avery in her boppy chair. She doesn't like it very much usually, but we caught her at a sort of calm time in it.



Laura and I at our Church's Trunk and Treat. That is my car turned into an X-wing from Star Wars, Laura did a killer job making her Princess Leia costume, and I tried to make a Jedi costume from whatever I could find in the baptistry.

Avery looking thoughtful...










This was taken during the "fun" part of Avery's bath. This is during the first 4 minutes, before the
water gets cold and it becomes miserable bath time.






This is kind of blurry, but still fun. Avery in her carseat on the way to Greensboro.




Also a video that I hope you like of Avery in a good mood :).