Next Year

Only 20 minutes left and then I'm officially on Holidays!

I'm excited yet at the same time have this fear I've forgotten to do something at work.
I've taken care of my emails and even remembered to set my Out of Office message, everything should be fine.

This Christmas season has been so busy. Busy with good things but so busy that I don't feel even a little bit of Christmas spirit and I can't believe it's in 6 days. It snuck up on me this year. There's been no time to decorate the tree or go see the Nativity Pageant or go to the Zoo lights (we'll go in January for sure). I haven't done even a little bit of Christmas baking and there were no cards to my neighbors. I'm relieved every night when I can cross tasks off my busy schedule, I've wished away the whole season!

I pledge that next year will be different, it has to be. Even if everything I'm invited to sounds like fun, I can't do everything without feeling rushed and annoyed.

So from this Grinch,

Merry Christmas

I wish you friends and family and treats and gifts and gift giving and game playing and cozy nights with slippers and hot chocolate and skating and anything else you've been hoping to do.
L

Picture a Christmas

Picture a Stable in Judeah.
Picture a sacred, silent night.
And can you hear the Angels near, and see the star so bright.
Picture the little baby Jesus.
Think of his life and words so dear.
Sing Praise to Him; Remember Him,
as you picture Christmas this year.

Picture the kind and gentle Joseph.
Picture the mother, Mary, fair.
And can you see, so reverently The shepherds kneeling there.
Picture the little baby Jesus.
Think of his life and words so dear.
Sing Praise to Him; Remember Him,
as you picture Christmas this year.

Picture a Stable at 6th Ward’s Christmas party, Wait John, don’t knock it over.
See the adorable Sunbeam sheep and watch them pull off their cotton balls.
Jesus doesn’t like his eyes being poked and there goes the manger.
Yet somehow it was perfect, just as it should have been. :)
L

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Like every little girl I had visions of being a figure skater... whom among us didn’t?
Not surprisingly that didn’t really turn out but I did used to really like to skate. I thought I was pretty good too, definitely comfortable on the ice, it was one of the very few sports that I actually liked to participate in. My Mom liked to skate so I have lots of memories of skating at the local arena. The Young Men and Women used to go skating on the Fish Pond sometimes too, I even remember a bonfire on the ice one year. Those trips always involved the standard scalding hot chocolate.

As I got older and eventually moved away from home the skating trips became non-existent and it was years before I laced them up again. Then I started dating Bradley who really likes to skate and we liked that it was something free we could do in the winter for a cheap night. So we took my old, too small skates and turned them in to (traded them in for) some really great new skates that are actually comfortable.

Last year we started going skating at local rinks but we purchased the new skates a little bit late so they weren’t used very often and since I hadn’t skated in years I really wasn’t good.

This Saturday Brad and I decided it was time to pull out our skates so we headed over to Olympic Plaza. We had such a great time and we even managed to go right before the ice was zambonied, meaning we got to skate on such smooth ice after. I was really pleased with how quickly it came back this time. I was much more comfortable than I’d been last year.

So I have a few skating related goals:

1. Be able to stop like I used to. You know, hockey style. I used to do it no problem but it’s definitely going to take some practice to get back there. I can’t stop at all anymore.
2. Skate often enough this year to be a decent skater.
3. Find others who own their own skates so we can go together.

These aren't exactly like mine but they're pretty close. Nice eh? And way better than those silly white ones.

L

Getting to Know You, Christmas Style

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags. I think gift bags are a cop out, they're no fun to open. Everyone loves to tear paper. I have this problem though, I have a lifetime supply of gift bags from the wedding... everyone gets wedding themed bags this year and every year until I run out :)
   
   
2. Real tree or artificial. I have a little artificial one. I've never had the space for a big one and I've actually never had a real one, I've seen that video of the real one going up in flames though, they're dangerous!
   
   
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually on December 1st but we've been so busy this year it has yet to go up. We're working on it, maybe tonight (but realistically probably not)
   
   
4. When do you take the tree down? When I get around to it, usually far later than it should be up.
   
   
5. Do you like eggnog? Ew, yuck, definitly not!
   
   
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I don't know if this counts cause I think I was 21 but my parents gave me a Kitchen Aid mixer, best gift ever. We have a tradition that gifts from Santa aren't wrapped so I could see it sitting there but I knew Mom had gotten one for Dad so I didn't ever look at it. They had to point out that it had my name on it and I wouldn't believe them for a minute or two. I really love that mixer. My parents have always been really good at giving me this great gift that's exactly what I want but I didn't ever expect to get.
   
   
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. It's tiny and cheap and from the dollar store and I'm hoping Santa will bring me a new one some year.
   
   
8. Hardest person to buy for? My Dad. He has no hobbies and doesn't like to read and has everything he needs... the result is he gets one of three presents, a tie, pajama pants or cologne. What will it be this year? Wait and see.
   
   
9. Easiest person to buy for? My Mom. I can buy her clothes or yummy lotion or something cute for her house or some Christmas music, the list goes on and on, she's usually the first person I buy for.
   
   
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Probably the Ugly Claus series. My brother and I used to give each other tacky gifts. The person who got the tackiest one had to display it. I always lost though and the tradition died the year he gave me something so ugly I never took it home but hid it under the guest bed instead. Some traditions are meant to end though I'll always treasure the memory of the cheap, pink, plastic flamingo light.
    
    
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? I've actually never sent out Christmas cards before. I really want to and last I decided this was the year to do it but then I felt guilty sending out Christmas cards before all the Thank you cards from my wedding went out so maybe next year.
    
    
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I really like White Christmas and a Christmas Story though there's no way Brad will watch that one with me. I talked him into it last year cause he'd never seen it and he was a little horrified at the stupidity of it, he just didn't get it, it's a classic!
    
    
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I'm always sad I'm not one of those super prepared people who has it done by October. I don't know when I start but lets just say I'm still not done. Getting close though.
    
    
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Not that I can remember. This year I'm giving my sister a blender we got for our wedding but I'm not sure that really counts. I asked her if she wants it and we got her a different gift. I did wrap the blender but only because it'd be fun to have more presents under the tree. It certainly won't be a surprise.
    
    
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Pecan Pie. Lots and lots of pie. I love all the vegetables though too. I used to love the stuffing but 2 Thanksgivings ago we had this huge Thanksgiving dinner and later that night I was sick like I haven't been sick in years. Sutffing is a little ruined for me but I'm hoping not forever, one day I'll love it again.
    
    
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Definietly clear, I'm not a fan of the coloured ones, especially if they blink.
    
    
17. Favorite Christmas song? I really love O Come All Ye Faithful and O Holy Night, but as per my previous posts regarding Christmas Music it's pretty hard to choose a favorite out of 349 songs. I like them all. I also really like Christmas in Killarny because we listed to it a lot while I was growing up.
    
    
18. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? Since I've been single and living away from home Christmas always includes travel. Normally I drive to Magrath but one year I flew to London and this year we're driving to Spanish Fork, Utah to my sister's house. Should be fun. I do look forward to the time I have a family of my own that's established enough to stay home cause that sounds nice to me.
    
    
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Let's see... On Comet on Cupid on Donnor and Blitzen. Now... I don't remember how it goes after that but there's Vixen and Dasher and Dancer and of course Rudolph but that's about all I've got. That's not bad, I missed Prancer, I can deal with 8 out of 9.
    
    
20. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Defintely Christmas Day.
    
    
21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? I"m having a difficult time this year with how busy our schedule is. It's all good things but there's just too many of them, we're having to miss out on stuff we want to do because we just can't fit it in.
    
    
22. What I love most about Christmas? I love Christmas Carols. There's such a feeling about them, they make you peaceful and happy and ready to be super nice to everyone.
    

So there you have it, Getting to Know You, Christmas Style. Feel free to add your own answer in the comments :)
L

Party Pooper

Brad and I have been asked to be in charge of the program for our Ward’s Christmas Party and I’ve been a little surprised by my response. For a few months leading up to the time we were asked I’d been hoping we wouldn’t have to do anything with this party, I didn’t think I had any interest in helping with a family ward Christmas party. Brad was asked one Sunday and I wasn’t happy that we had to do it.

Being in Primary and living in a tiny apartment, I’d forgotten that I like to organize and plan. I’ve really enjoyed putting together this program and I’m excited to see how it turns out. I like giving people the opportunity to share their talents. I miss planning activities and parties.

If you’re looking for something fun to do this Saturday stop by the Crescent Road Chapel and watch a fun, entertaining program, complete with Santa (I hope, I wasn’t in charge of that portion and I haven’t heard). Eat a delicious meal and enjoy the party!
L

Love at First Listen

This new Relient K Christmas Album is easily the best part of this Monday; from the first note it was love.

If you need a pick me up or just love some good music, check it out.
L

Home sweet... Meat Locker?

A few months after moving into our apartment we discovered that our baseboard heaters weren’t working properly. After a few weeks, numerous phone calls and random stop-ins by our landlord the problem was finally fixed and we were proud of ourselves.

Well fixed seems to have been a pretty loose term. While yes, we do now get heat, the amount generated is NOT enough to actually keep me warm. 15 degrees when it’s -28 out is not warm enough. So you can generally find me on the couch wearing pajamas and covered in a blanket, carefully tucked so no air gets in. It makes me really unproductive though as doing those dishes would required me to venture out of my heated cove.

I’m sure starting to appreciate the case of hot chocolate I got at a wedding shower.
Here’s to more cold nights than I care to think about.
L