A Love Affair

There's a new love affair

going on at our house....

It all happened when this handsome stranger

came for Christmas

and met up with some old friends of ours.

Truly, it was love at first taste...
for all of us!


But as you know,
even the best love can grow stale
without a little variety.

Won't you help us keep the flames of passion burning?
Please tell us...
What do you love to make in your Magic Bullet?
(We know you have one!!)

Two Thoughts...

By all accounts this has been a historic day-

any inauguration is-

but this one has been particularly striking for me.

It all hit me when I heard a young black boy

(about the same age as my own sons)

being interviewed on the television.

This is what he had to say....

"I've been told all my life

that I could be anything I wanted to be,

but I knew there were limits

to that statement.

I knew that they meant

I could be anything I wanted to be

as long as I wanted to be a rapper

or an NBA star.

But today I feel differently.

Today I really believe it.

Today I feel like I can really be

anything I want to be -

EVEN if what I want to be is

President of the United States."

So even though I don't agree

with much of what President Obama stands for,

one thing does ring true to my heart...

any child,

of any color,

or any circumstance

should be able to aspire to greatness-

however they may define it-

and feel that that greatness is attainable.

So, today I'm grateful for that.

And, lest I ramble on too long,

I'm grateful for our outgoing President.

I actually started to cry as he flew off to his new life.

Certainly he's made mistakes,

and he has a lot of critics,

but I have no doubt he did the best job he could.

Anyone would.

I wish him the best of luck in whatever he does next.

Finally Finished!

I think I bought these books when Matthew was a baby. I was hoping that someday I'd have a girl and that she would love the same things I did. Lucky me -- I got one!! It took her a few months, but she finally finished. . .Yay Camille!

The Sweetest Thing

For Christmas two years ago we had a progressive dinner for RS, and we made a stop at the Whippert's house. They are retiring and moving to Utah, and so as we visited their home we were invited to make an offer on any items of furniture or any decorations we wanted. So, I promptly said... "I'll take that wreath!"

"Sorry," she said, "That one's going with us." So imagine my surprise on Sunday when Margaret walked up to me at church and said, "I have a present for you in my car." I immeadiately thought of the wreath, but didn't dare hope as much. But that's what it was! I can't believe she remembered. Luckily for me, she decided she didn't want to cart it around until June, so it was mine! How lucky am I? The picture isn't very good, but the red berries match my couch perfectly, it looks fabulous next to my favorite picture (if I must say so myself), and it was FREE! I am one happy girl!

Remember

I have a friend who has inspired me

to choose a word for myself this year,

and the word I'm going to choose is

"Remember"

Like you, I know what is most important in my life,

it's just remembering what I know

that sometimes hangs me up.

Instead of setting a single New Year's Resolution

(though I'd love to learn how to quilt!),

I'm going to resolve each month to

Remember

something that is important to me.

January's goal will be to

remember to read --

and to remember to encourage

my children to read.

Read the scriptures,

read the classics,

and read something

that makes you laugh out loud!

I'm going to start with

Gone With the Wind

(though I fear I'll just end up

watching the movie),

continue reading

The New Testament,

and share a little

Wimpy Kid with my middle one.

If you have any other suggestions

of good books I can read,

I'd love to hear from you.

(Please!)

And hopefully you can

remember

something that is important to you!

Happy New Year!

A Christmas Extravaganza

Every year is the same around here

(I love that!)

and Christmas isn't just a day...

it's an extravaganza!

Day One starts at my grandmother's house.

A Christmas Eve celebration where --

children are free to entertain themselves,

talents are shared,
and ornaments are opened...
lots of REALLY beautiful ornaments,
each one a celebration in itself.

Day two is Christmas morning.

And guess what....

SANTA came!
and even though he didn't bring a baby sister
(my own secret wish a few years back),
he did seem to hit the mark!
(No, the dalmation wasn't real,
but almost real in his own little online world.) And the traditions continued
(my favorite part)...




matching Christmas jammies
(the only gift opened on Christmas Eve),

a toothbrush in every stocking

(the big guy is SO smart!),

leftover crumbs from a yummy midnight (or 3 a.m) snack

(no time for neatness with millions of kids to visit!),

and sweetness and love for breakfast!

After Christmas dinner with my hubby's delightful family,

Day three begins -

A "Day-After-Christmas Party" at Grandma's house

(so she doesn't have to compete with the in-laws),
where we take an annual Christmas picture of the cousins,

and have what seems to be the annual post-picture dog pile.

This is followed by special gifts for each child.

Grandma is so careful about checking their lists,

and each child gets several gifts

picked especially for them.

My mom is so clever --

She loads the children's gifts

on one half of the tree.

And after they speedily race through,

here is what's left...

gifts for the adults!

And we take our time,

and open each one with care,

and admire what others receive.

It's so fun.

So MUCH fun.

3 days of fun.

No wonder it has taken me so long to recover!

The Nutcracker

The picutres are poor

(to say the least...)

but the day was fabulous!

Mom, Linda, Nathan, Camille and I

went with Aunt Sandra

to see the Nutcracker

at the War Memorial Opera House

in San Francisco.

Stunning!

Camille and Nathan
posing in front of Sandra's
amazing Christmas tree.
(I wish the picutre
could do it justice!!)
Overall, a wonderful day!

Doors

I've been thinking all week
about how grateful I am for doors.
When you open a door
you invite wonderful things into your life--
like carolers with cookies
or friends dropping by with a smile.
Sneaking up to a door is fun too--
especially when you've got secret santa duties to perform.
And doors can be closed
(particularly those belonging to teenage boys)--
and that makes me very happy as well!

Yea for doors!

Good Luck Santa!

Camille has been keeping a secret.

She's got an idea of what she wants from Santa, but she doesn't want anyone to know - it's just between the two of them.

I told Matthew that it was his mission today to find out what the secret wish is.

It's not like I need to know or anything.

After all, the gift isn't from me.

I'm just curious.

She was hesitant to tell.

She was afraid he might think her ideas were a bit "ridiculous" - but who can resist the lure of sharing a secret with a sibling?

So, the secret is out. (But don't tell her!)

Would you like to know?

Well, she's open to two options. . . the first is a dalmation puppy and the second is a baby sister.

Good luck, Santa!

Day 6 - Breakfast with Santa

What better way is there to spend a Saturday morning

than having pancakes with Santa Claus?
Can't think of one.