The Gift of Laughter This Christmas (at Dick's expense)

Late in November I sent this email out (that's in bold print), a non original of mine but one that sure tickles the deepest part of my funny bone and makes me laugh out loud.

"My dear friends,

Somewhat embarrassing to admit, I'm not getting an annual bonus and Christmas is tight this year. I will be making bedroom slippers for you all as gifts.

Please let me know your sizes. You'll most likely agree that it's a splendid idea, and should you wish to do the same, I've included the instructions below.

How to make bedroom slippers out of maxi pads: You need four maxi pads to make a pair. Two of them get laid out flat, for the foot part. The other two wrap around the toe area to form the top. Tape or glue each side of the top pieces to the bottom of the foot part. Decorate the tops with whatever you desire, silk flowers (this is most aesthetically appealing), etc. These slippers are:
Soft and Hygienic
Non-slip grip strips on the soles
Built in deodorant feature keeps feet smelling fresh
No more bending over to mop up spills
Disposable and biodegradable
Environmentally safe
Three convenient sizes: (1.) Regular, (2.) Light and (3.) Get out the Sand Bags.

I've attached a photo of the first pair I made so that you can see the nifty slippers for yourself.... Awaiting your response. It's crucial that I get the right size for each one of you."


I got so many funny comments back, some elaborate in wordiness and others, just a simple word or two. From my in-laws, I got their sizes as a comment which made me chuckle too. Little did I know, that Jon’s dad thought I was being serious! We found this out one day when Carol was telling me about a conversation they were having when Dick remarked about getting slippers from “the kids”. Jon’s mom lost it and had to call me immediately. Through her laughter I finally could understand what she was telling me, which then made me laugh hysterically too!

Okay, you know what I did next, don’t you? Yep, many of you got it right. I presented Jon’s dad with some homemade slippers on Christmas Day. He was right. He did get slippers from “the kids” and he laughed right along with us!



Laughter is such a gift too. I want more of it.

On the Twenty-fifth Day of Christmas

Happy birthday Jesus and Merry Christmas 2008 to us all! What a beautiful day this has been. We began at 7:30 “ish” and slowly opened and enjoyed each other’s gifts. The kids were so excited, but deep down I wonder if it was Jon and I that had more excitement internally.
(First thing in the morning...look how tired I am)
(Christmas morning with my mom)

Each kid asked for one gift from Santa and each got their deepest desire, along with their stockings full. For Baylee, she got her Disneyland ticket (along with $10 in Disney cash). Too bad Santa didn’t bring the whole family a ticket. We assured Baylee that she didn’t have to go alone though, we’d just have to save for it.



Then Nathan, we’ll, he asked for a Wii which we thought was cool but worried Santa wouldn’t be able to “pull it off”. It was Grandma Sally that actually bought the Wii (this summer) and after hearing that Nathan asked Santa for it, informed our friend up at the North Pole, so instead he brought Wii games for Nathan to share.


Then there’s our Owen. He asked for Star Wars toys and got some characters and a blue light saber. He was overjoyed!


Jon too, without even needing to sit on Santa's knee or write him a letter, got his "wish", Guitar Hero for the Wii. Now some "Guy's Nights" can be at our home!

Early afternoon, Jon’s parents came to be with us for the day. It was such a nice day to be with both of them, my mom, and our Party of Five! And having the Wii to play around with made it so entertaining! I just wish we had pulled out the tripod to capture a picture of us all together.

My favorite gift from Santa was the true gift of family and togetherness, no unwrapping required. This was an unforgettable Christmas!

Seeing is Believing!

Check this out! Isn’t it amazing?! Our beloved elf Stewart honored Baylee’s request left on a sticky next to Santa’s cookie tray. He snapped a few photos of Santa by our tree on Christmas Eve right before they pulled out the gifts then headed to the next home. Way cool!

We can't believe how sneaky he was that Santa didn't even notice the photos left behind on the empty cookie tray!

Light a lightening bolt across the sky, Baylee quickly made it to the coffee table right when she came downstairs to see if Stewart helped fill her “request”. She’s in awe as she sees his writing, reads it to her family, and then opens up the envelope!




Well, here's what was inside:



We will cherish these photos forever! Today is so "magical".

Happy birthday Jesus!

The Twenty-fourth Day of Christmas

Growing up, Christmas Eve was BIGGER than Christmas day itself. The anticipation of tomorrow is practically making all of us jump out of our skin! There were several things I still wanted to do for the season, but next Christmas will come quicker than I’d plan I’m sure. So the Kempiak Party of Five says,

“OKAY SANTA, WE’RE READY!”

Before bed and after our family party, we said our goodbyes to Stewart, our elf, asking him to return in 2009. Too bad we couldn’t give him a hug but want to respect the rule and we don’t want him to lose his magical powers.

Then we did the following…

Set Santa’s key out (since we don’t have a chimney).

Spread carrots and reindeer feed that we made earlier today over our driveway and street…

Put cookies out for Santa on a homemade paper tray Baylee made full of sweet messages for the man in the red suit! Ooops, we forgot a drink...

Baylee even left a note for Stewart with a camera right beside it, just in case...

And then headed upstairs for a good night’s rest, hoping tomorrow doesn’t come “too early”!

My highlight today…my mom is spending the night and will wake right with us, in the hustle and bustle of this glorious holiday!

Our Family Christmas Party

Tonight we had our traditional family Christmas party on my mom’s side. Thanks to my Aunt Linda and Uncle Jimmy who opened their doors and hearts to a full crowd. Boy do I love having family living in town!

My cousin Jennifer and her family were even in from California. Yippee!

Jon joined us near the end of the party, once he was done singing all day. I’m glad he got to be part of the special night.



As tradition has it, Santa even stops in which makes our family feel special, knowing how busy he is all day/night! And boy, we sure do know how busy he is since we’ve been tracking him online all day!







Tomorrow can't come quick enough. Isn't it awesome having little ones at Christmas time?

(Laura, thank you for taking photos for us! You're the best!!)

The Twenty-third day of Christmas

It’s only two days before Christmas and I finally can say that my Christmas cards are finally ready to be mailed out despite my earlier efforts and intentions! Do you hear a sigh of relief? Are you amazed at how “late” I am (I am)? The cards aren’t what we originally planned; we made a collage of the year’s highlights, but last minute we had to change due to numerous technical errors, just keeping our Polar Express 2008 photo on it. Oh well, it must not have been meant to be. Nonetheless, I know the recipients will be happy to know we thought of them and wish them well. Christmas cards and letters are like a hug from a mailbox. I love them!

On the Twenty-second Day of Christmas

Every year we decorate gingerbread houses (usually the day after Thanksgiving in Greer). This year instead, we went to my childhood friend’s house, Lora Robinson. We had a great time building our homes with yummy candy (and sneaking some bites too). Lora, thank you for helping us keep our tradition alive and being a part of it. I am honored you thought of inviting us!

On the Twenty-first Day of Christmas

I know I won’t do this story justice. It’s much better to tell face to face. I’ll give it a try though…

For the twenty first day of Christmas we decided to head to Scottsdale to pick up some gifts on hold then to McCormick Train Park to see the beautiful lights. Before heading out I asked Jon if I should bring my purse since he was driving. He told me to leave it at home so being the obedient, submissive wife, I did.

We get to Scottsdale, drive around while until we get a parking spot outside the mall (with our empty gas tank light that just began to flash) then head towards the store. At some point, Jon grabs his back pocket to find it flat. Okay, I know he’s a male Kempiak which means there’s not a lot of “meat” there, however this time it was flatter than most. His wallet was not there and let me stress the big news…he was not held up. He forgot the wallet! We get back in the car and decide to go ahead and ride the train since we had 5 tickets. A little nervous about or empty tank, we just decided to “go for it!” About five minutes out it hit me, the train ride isn’t one ticket per person anymore, it’s two, thus us needing 10 tickets (and no money to make up the difference). Ugh! Jon pulls over and we tell our excited kids. They took the news well. I was shocked. I think I was more “put out” internally than they were. Shame on me!

Jon turns the car around to head home thirty minutes out as I repeatedly pray that we’ll have enough gas. Upon turning around, we see a Baptist church lined with luminaries hosting a live nativity scene. Maybe this is what God wants us to do tonight instead, I thought. I bring it to Jon’s attention and we decide to stop there. We walk around the grounds where the members of the church are dressed up; we pet the camel, goats, sheep, hear the story that never grows old, and see the baby Jesus with his earthly mom and dad, Mary and Joseph. It was really neat!

Worried still, a bit, about our gas tank and thinking that at some point we might have to call a friend to rescue us, we decide to head home so it’s still “early”. Jon opens the doors for us and as he’s buckling up Owen, I smell something odd. It was a familiar smell but it took me a little while to figure it out. “Something’s burning Jon!” And then we look down, it’s the luminary Jon knocked down with his door! Now imagine this…Jon jumping up and down on the grass and bag that’s in flames. Poor guy! I had a major dilemma here, do I take photos of this too? Well, I declined the thought, although tempting.

So, out of all the days of Christmas, I think the 21st will be with us for a very long time. We got to see the nativity scene and set arson at the same time, to the church that blessed us with a special night!

(P.S. We did not run out of gas on the way home. Another praise God experience!)
(P.P.S. With a full tank of gas, Jon went out the next morning when the store in Scottsdale opened to get the gifts on hold. What a guy!)

On the Twentieth Day of Christmas

I came across this small nativity set to be painted with Mary, Joseph, and Jesus this season. It was perfect because I have three kids. So tonight Baylee painted Mary, Nathan got to create Joseph, and our Owen got baby Jesus. Look how precious these are. I am going to proudly display them along with all my other sets each Christmas! I think it'll be a favorite of mine because I know the beautiful hearts' behind the ceramic masterpiece!

On the Nineteenth Day of Christmas

A favored pastime for my kiddos is playing dress up. All December long, the three of them have been reenacting the true Christmas story in full costume, whether they have an audience or not. Today, I grabbed a few photos of them to remember how very precious they are and tell them when they are older what great knowledge they had in the gospels at such a young age and how much it ministered to my soul. How precious it is to hear God’s Word, out of the mouth of babes!

On the Eighteenth Day of Christmas

This year for Christmas, our family is trying hard to look outside in our world to see a deeper need than small unneeded gifts to fill up our home and our loved ones homes. Our dear friends the Kellers told us of an organization called, FH (Food for the Hungry) that does just that! We’ve been touched deeply through this organization and have made donations in three different family names, in place of a Christmas gift to hold or use. Jon's parents, his brother and sister in law in California, and our family are now proud “givers”, knowing that 3 pigs have been bought for 3 needy families in another country.

Why a pig? Well, it’s been told that one sow can produce up to 20 piglets each year. In just six months, each piglet can grow up to 200 pounds. And the income from selling a piglet can make the difference between life and death for a poor family. Just think, a pig can provide valuable protein for malnourished children too.

We gave this pig ornament, as a reminder each year that each family has brought hope and help to hard places, loving selflessly, caring greatly, and showing that Christmas can indeed still change the world! I know our kids are so excited every time they walk past the pig on the tree. I hope the other two homes will be too when they open up their ornament and document sharing the news!

On the Sixteenth Day of Christmas

We have a new addition to our family, thanks to an early present from Santa! It’s one of his elves he dropped off at our door to keep an eye on the kids. He then reports back to Santa nightly on what he sees and hears, keeping the kids on their best behavior and Santa in check on who belongs on the “naughty” or “nice” list.

This silly guy, that we lovingly named Stewart Elfy Kempiak, is so sneaky. Each and every morning he’s hiding in a new, interesting spot around the home, which makes waking up a fun thing for us all as the kids’ race down to find their tiny red friend. They can’t touch him though, otherwise his power will be lost and his rule from Santa is that he’s not allowed to talk to us (just him). That doesn't stop any of the Party of Five from talking to Stewart though!

On Christmas Eve, Santa will pick Stewart up to head back to the North Pole, giving our little guy a much needed vacation. It’ll be sad to see him go but happy too, knowing Santa was here. Hopefully Santa will agree to have him back at our home again next year and all the years that follow, even when I have tons grandkids!

Here are a few snapshots of our special treasure directly from the North Pole. Check out some of the spots he’s been hiding!



(Here he is, in his sleeping bag right next to the couch where Owen was crashed out during his slumber party with Papa John, Grandma Pat, and his brother and sister. What a crack up, he didn't want to miss out!)


(He arrived in this box with candy canes...his favorite food, a handwritten letter from Santa, a green fuzzy sleeping bag, and book introducing the new tradition.)
(Since we can't touch Stewart, Santa's rule, we left him in his box and went to bed. The next morning, this is what we first discovered!)



Isn’t he adorable (and mischievous looking)? I can’t tell you how much our three kids LOVE this guy!

We're curious, how many homes have "An Elf on the Shelf" like Stewart?