MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I love Christmas music, especially when my kids are the artists. For Grandma Hirons' Christmas present this year, we put together a musical program for her and all her friends at the Clearwater Springs Retirement Home. It was a fun evening. A big thank you to the Reid and McKague family for joining us. This program was not only a treat for Grandma, but a piano recital for my students: Alex Reid, McKenna and Carson Sork. Austin needed a few service hours for his Duty to God program so he coordinated the event, put together the program and then if that wasn't enough, to complete his Communications merit badge he played MC for the night. It was a nice evening. We enjoyed being with Grandma Hirons and her friends. I hope you will enjoy a few highlights of the Sork Army performance:



Carson played Jingle Bells on his violin. He has only been playing since October. He has wanted to play the violin for so long. He took his birthday money and bought the non-refundable portion of his first violin so he could start in the orchestra program at the school. (Sorry for the layout of the movie, just tilt your head to the side and you'll get the idea...)





Austin is taking piano from a good friend of mine, Christy Dustin. She took over when it wasn't cool for Mom to be the piano teacher anymore. It has been about a year. She is doing a good job getting Austin to FEEL the music - though he still likes to play fast and loud - this is a view of his softer side:





McKenna loves to sing. Her voice was absolutely angelic, like a crystal bell. I hope she continues to develop this talent. Tanner and I are playing the duet as accompaniment. (By the way, Tanner thanks me for making him take piano lessons now - he has even gone as far as to say he wishes he hadn't stopped. He enjoys being able to play the hymns, little ditties and lead sectionals in his high school choir.)



Tanner has found a new love for music through singing. I believe this is his first public solo - Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella. Unfortunately, the video clip is too big to upload. So you will have to wait in suspense to hear him until the next time. But here is a picture:



I am so proud of my kids. We enjoyed the opportunity to share our talents with others and spread some Christmas cheer. We hope all who are seeking it find the peace and joy Christ brought to the earth this Christmas season. Merry Christmas!

Three Wise Guys and a Little Angel

Another one of our favorite traditions during the Christmas season is going to the Festival of Nativities at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have been doing this for years. There are so many beautiful nativities displayed throughout the festival from all over the world. We wander around looking at each one. At the end we all compare our favorites. My favorite nativity I saw about five years ago and haven't seen it since. It was a miniature scene of Bethlehem set inside a treasure box. The scene artistically expressed the feelings I have about my Savior and his mortal mission and ministry. The knowledge that he lived for me and died for me is a treasure. Now I display one of my nativities in a treasure box each year.

In the children's room at the festival they have a manger scene set up where kids can dress up and take part in the nativity story. My kids have been doing this for years! This year we went on the same night Tanner's High School Choir was performing. He told me in no uncertain terms he was not going to dress up for my picture, he would be too embarrassed. "Mom, it just isn't cool." As you can see I did get him to put on the King's crown that matched his Letterman's jacket. It then dawned on me: there weren't going to be too many years left with my oldest son at this event. So attitude or not, I was glad he was there.

Austin, despite all the kids from his school walking around, donned the costume and posed with his sister. I am sure it endeared the cute girl from his class, who happened to be in the room at the time, to him. Who wouldn't be attracted to a handsome boy who would work so hard to please his mother and show such care for his little sister. Hmmm, did he have some ulterior motives?

Carson was not sure what to do seeing the opposing reactions of his brothers. He finally followed his heart and let a little of the kid still left in him come through. What a joy he is to our family.

McKenna instantly knew she wanted to be the angel this year. And that she has been in every way. I am so thankful for my little girl.

It was a wonderful evening.

Oh, Christmas Tree - Oh, Christmas Tree

For the kick-off of our Christmas season, the Saturday after Thanksgiving we venture into the Gifford-Pinchot National Forest with several of our friends to find and cut our Christmas tree. This has been a fun tradition. We make sure the ipod is loaded with Christmas music for the drive. We pack our snow gear in the back just in case we get lucky and may need it, then we head off singing Christmas carols.

Finding the tree becomes a game of "Marco-Polo." When we find a tree we like we plant one of the kids by it so we can find it again should we decide it is THE ONE. By the end of the hunt we have kids strung across the forest claiming it is their tree that needs to come to our home.

Following the cutting and tagging of the tree, we have a tailgate party. On the menu are chili dogs, grapes, chips, and hot chocolate. Mmmm, so good after trampling through the forest in the cold.

Then we find a safe spot for target practice and Eric and his friends bring out their guns. We all get a chance to shoot. We were blessed this year with great weather and even got a little taste of mountain snow. This is a wonderful way to start the season.




The following Monday for Family Home Evening we decorate the tree. I am not a froofy tree person. The traditional tree suits me fine. I love pulling out ornaments from years past and letting the flood of memories wash over me. The kids enjoy it too. They each have their own stack of ornaments with special memories attached, and the night often ends with a lot of "remember when" stories. Who would give that up to have a gorgeous tree? Not me, I think my tree is the best tree there ever could be!

"Bear Testimony and Live It"

At this time every year, for the last two or three years, I think to myself, "I should start a blog." I have so many things I want to record and share with the important people in my life. Yet, year after year goes by and still there is no Sork blog. So what's been stopping me? Well, there are a few things:

First is the time factor. How in the world am I going to keep a blog up to date? According to my scrapbooks McKenna is still 1 and Tanner is years away from High School. I finally took all my stamping supplies over to my neighbor and told her to enjoy them because they were just taking up space and collecting dust at my house. My hobbies now are trying to keep up with my kids, dating my husband and occasionally riding my bike. Where does a blog fit into that schedule?

Then there is the question, "Do I really have anything important enough to say?" I write in a journal to better understand myself and my feelings. I use it to record my important impressions. Occasionally I pull these journals out to read and remind myself of the things that are most important. I review the lessons I've learned long enough to realize I am still trying to learn them and then shove the journal back under the bed or up in the attic. When I am dead and gone I hope someone will find them and remember me, but these things are not really blog material. What would I fill a blog with?

Elder Bednar, in the last general conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said we should "bear testimony and live it." Well, here it is a record of my testimony - not shoved under the bed or up in the attic (though that will probably still happen for the really juicy stuff) but evidenced in a blog through the life I live, pictures and thoughts included. (Sounds like a journal and scrapbook in one - should cut down on time, right?)