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Thank You!

As 2014 comes to an end, I have so much to be thankful for. On the top of my list, I am thankful for my beautiful and healthy family. I have made some major changes this year including becoming a mother to two children, quitting my full-time job, staying at home with my children, starting my own business, and pursuing my blogging.

Midwest Mom & Wife officially became a business in the beginning of October and in the past three months, it has exploded with support and followers. I want to thank every single person who has began and continued following my blog and my Facebook page. I also want to thank the families who have entrusted the lives of their littles ones in my hands, while I take care of them. I am so lucky to be able to watch other children, while being able to be home with my own.

I have so many exciting things planned for Midwest Mom & Wife in 2015! Of course, I will continue with my exploration of the Des Moines area, trying out fun activities to do with the kiddos, focusing on being healthy and digging deeper into subjects that are important to me. Please keep on the watch for what else Midwest Mom & Wife will be adding to the community!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun New Year’s Eve and I look forward to what the year 2015 will bring! Happy New Year’s!

One Starry Night 2014

This year we checked out One Starry Night at the Grimes United Methodist Church.

It was amazing!

One Starry Night is not just a live nativity scene, but it’s a journey you take through Bethlehem and end at a live nativity scene. The whole church is set-up like Bethlehem, everyone is dressed up accordingly and there are live animals! Monte enjoyed the real life experience. The entire time, he was completely engaged in what was going on.

When you enter the church you register your family at the census table and receive your denarii, in a little cloth bag. Monte made sure to hold on to the denari and paid whenever he needed to. Then you walk into the worship area where you get to take a family picture!

Of course, Monte wouldn’t look at the camera!

As you wait in the worship area, waiting to start your trip through Bethlehem, you can snack on cookies and hot cocoa. There is a large screen with a Mickey Mouse Christmas movie playing to keep the kiddos entertained for a bit. There was also three young ladies who sang some Christmas songs, while we waited.

Then you get to enter the town of Bethlehem! Your first stop is to pay taxes. Monte had to pay one denari! Then we ventured outside where we looked at the stars with the shepherds and angels appeared to deliver the good news.

We then saw King Herod receive the news from the Magis. We traveled with the Magis through Bethlehem and even looked for a place to stay the night, but there was no room at the Inn.

We traveled back outside and saw baby Jesus and the live nativity scene!

After our travels, Monte spent the rest of his denari on animal crackers, making a clay pot, a Christmas bracelet, an ornament and a scarf !

I loved every moment of One Starry Night. Not only did Monte learn about baby Jesus, but he also learned the value of giving his denari to be able to go on the journey, do a craft, or eat some food. Oh yeah … and the entire thing was FREE!

This will definitely become a new tradition for our family in years to come. Unfortunately, One Starry Night is finished for the season, but I highly recommend putting it on your list to check out in 2015!

Have you and your family been to One Starry Night before?

Jolly Holiday Lights 2014

If you are from Des Moines or have lived in Des Moines for awhile, you know about Jolly Holiday Lights. It is one of those “must do” holiday things.

The proceeds from this entire event goes to Make-A-Wish Iowa. Last year, this event raised enough money to make wishes come true of more than 35 children in Iowa. This truly is an event that is fun for the entire family and does some good for others 🙂

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Jolly Holiday Lights is a 3.5 mile tour of lights through Water Works Park. There are several displays and each display is donated from a local business such as KCCI, More 104, DMOS, Goode Greenhouses and many, many more!

At the end of the event is Santa’s Wish Shop! Where you can take a picture with Santa, enjoy hot cocoa & cookie, and do some small holiday shopping.

Jolly Holiday Lights runs November 25th until January 1st 5:30 pm – 10:00 pm

Santa’s Wish Shop is open Sunday through Thursday until 9:00 pm

Admission

$10.00 per car

$20 per limo/mini bus

$45 per chartered bus

You still have plenty of time to drive through Jolly Holiday Lights! Don’t miss it!

Christmas Movies!

 

It’s that time of year again! Here is a list of MUST WATCH Christmas movies. Also, I have discovered the Hallmark channel which plays Christmas 24/7!!! It’s amazing! 🙂

 

ABC Family broadcasts most of these movies through out their 25 Days of Christmas. Luckily, we have a DVR so I have went through and recorded most of these so they are available to watch anytime! Make sure you do the same!

1. Elf

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2. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

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3. Frosty the Snowman

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4. The Santa Clause

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5. Miracle on 34th Street – New

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Miracle on 34th Street – Old

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6. Fred Claus

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7. Christmas Vacation

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8. Scrooged

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9. The Polar Express

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10. A Christmas Story

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11. AND one more, just because this is also my favorite!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

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What are your favorite Christmas movies that are or are not on this list?