Wednesday, November 26, 2008

With apologies

On November 1st we awakened to Christmas music on the radio. Yup, NOVEMBER 1ST! That is just ridiculous. Since Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday (followed closely by my birthday--yes, that counts as a holiday!), I am irritated that it gets completely skipped so that we can move straight into the commercialized "Holidays."

And what is up with "modern" Christmas music? Can we not just listen to a hymn--lovely and full of worship? No, we have to jazz it up, add vocal tricks, and basically just ruin it. Neil Diamond, I love you. But I am not convinced that you love the Savior or the season when you "sing" O Holy Night. Even Santa Claus Is Coming to Town loses its fun when The Boss yells it at me!

After that little tirade, I hate to even admit it...but here it is: Christmas music has grown on me as this month has progressed. To be completely honest, I listen to VoiceMale's Jingles 2 CD off and on throughout the year. Ditto The Forgotten Carols. There are some Christmas songs that are so beautiful, so worshipful, so FUN!

Now here we are, the day BEFORE Thanksgiving, and I have made this blog's playlist my Christmas playlist. I hope you will forgive me. I hope you will enjoy the music I've chosen. And I hope your Christmas is as void of commercialism as possible.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

A wish for you

Thanks to my dad for sharing this:

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off of your thighs!

Happy Thanksgiving !

Monday, November 24, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving

The list of things to be grateful for is excessively long. To save our sanity (yours and mine) I will not list everything, but it is necessary to list some.

First of all, I'm really grateful for my sweet family. From my wonderful, amazing husband to each of our four beautiful children, to my parents and siblings, to all of my in-laws, and all of your terrific children (who I can't believe I can love SO much!), I have been so richly blessed!

I'm thankful for what we have in the gospel. I realize that not everyone has access to the fulness of the gospel, and I am so grateful. However, the gospel is truly for all of God's children. One of the real miracles of my life is not just that I have it, but that I know I do. We know so much! I am blessed every single day because of what I know. The gospel of Jesus Christ got me through college, the "diapers and dishes" phase, the late nights and early mornings, the good days and the difficult days. What would I ever do without it?

Today I am also really thankful for my job: that I have good, solid work; that I am happy doing what I'm doing; and that I am surrounded by incredible people. The highlight of my day is always going home--there's no place on earth better!--but it is amazing to me that I found work where I am so happy.

Lastly, here's to so many of you who have blessed my life: the kind grocery store clerk, the thoughtful bank teller, my dear friends and neighbors and associates and family. You've made my life better; you've made me want to be better.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Friday, November 21, 2008

Edward kept me awake

Last night (really this morning) was the opening night of the movie "Twilight." We are fans, and our girls just HAD to go to the midnight showing. (I did that ONCE, and decided it just wasn't worth it.) They finally got home at about 3:00 this morning. I was sleeping soundly until I heard them come in. I knew who it was, so I wasn't afraid, but for some stupid reason it woke me up completely.

I should have just gotten up. While I lay there in my bed I composed four really great blog posts, which, of course, I can't even remember this morning.

I guess you can be glad I didn't get up. You'd be sleeping just reading this.

P.S. Ashtyn loved the movie. Briana was disappointed.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Spotlight on...

This is our beautiful daughter, Briana Nicole. She will be 18 in less than a week! Yikes! Most of the time, it seems impossible to me that that much time has gone by. And then I look at this beautiful young woman, remembering so many things, and I realize that she's had a full life. And I've been fortunate enough to be there for it!

Breezy has been a loving girl all her life. She still greets us happily when we come in the door, which we love! Briana loves music and musicals. When she was the only child, we must have watched "Beauty and the Beast" 5 times a day! She was singing those songs before she could speak full sentences. She opens with the high school tonight in "Once On This Island"--break a leg, babe! She's always been a willing worker and is good at deciding her own attitude. She has always been very dependable in taking care of her siblings, and we rely on her a lot for that. She hates that, of course (those of you who are the oldest child will understand--I certainly do!). One of Bri's gifts is the ability to keep friends. She swears that it's hard for her to make friends, but once she has a friend she has them forever. She has friends from when she was just two! Briana has never had just one best friend. She hangs out with a person or a group for a while; then, without burning bridges, she is suddenly spending time with someone else. In another few weeks she'll be back to that first group, and they just love her.

Breeze has always been very smart, but school work was overwhelming for her. One of the great things about her growing up is that she is discovering so many of her talents. We knew of many of them, even if she didn't. Many others are surprising and exciting for us. One thing she is quite good at is sewing. She has made some adorable items--Bri, can I have that pink bag?--including clothing, table runners, bags, quilts. She's even considering fashion design as a school major.

Briana, I love you so much! I think you are a beautiful, intelligent, amazing, talented young lady. I am so blessed to be your mom and I love that we are friends, too. I look forward to being your "sister" forever and ever!
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Wednesday, November 19, 2008

News from the other side of the world

My boss is in Israel. Yes, Israel. And because he's a workaholic, he even checked out a company world phone in case we couldn't live without him while he is on the other side of the world. Like if we had a crisis there would be ANYTHING he could do about it!

Back to the Israel thing. Yes, I am COMPLETELY jealous. I would almost give up my firstborn child to go on a trip like that. Almost. So when the world phone number showed up on Caller ID yesterday, I figured I may as well travel vicariously.

me: Good morning.
D: It's not morning.
me: Why are you calling me?
D: Just wanted to make sure my phone works.
me: How's your trip?
D: Our hotel overlooks the Sea of Galilee. It's dark. I can't see it.
me: I'm only hugely jealous.
D: The food is really bland.

The man is in Israel, for heaven's sake, and all he can tell me is that they should have brought salt and pepper with them? Something is seriously wrong with this picture.

Maybe it's just me.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

There is BEAUTIFUL all around

My beautiful friend, Amy, talked me into trying a beautiful blog of my own. She thought it would be a beautiful thing. No pressure, of course.

With Amy, everything is beautiful and she loves it! I LOVE that about her. I often ask Amy, "What DON'T you love?" So far she's only come up with two things, and one was fortune cookies that don't give you a fortune. (She's right!)

Let's hear it, then. What DON'T you love?