I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!!

I just love Christmas!! I love the hustle and bustle. I love the simple kindnesses of people you don't see at other time of the year. I love attending cultural events, eating lots of food, and wishing you hadn't.

I love decorating trees, and creating a Christmas oasis in my home(by the way, why do we drag a dead tree into our home, decorate it, and think it is lovely????? I LOVE it, but, if you think about it, it is kind's strange).

I love hearing my children practice their recital songs over and over. I love making "moose balls" and hot cocoa, after the lights.

I love hearing the story of the nativity, and watching Christmas movies ("The original Grinch" is still my favorite) over again.

I love choosing a family for sub for Santa. I love that for one month of the year, the Savior's love touches even the toughest of hearts. I love reflecting on the gift of the Savior.

I am always saddened when the season winds down, and I have to wait another year for all of these things again.

I JUST LOVE CHRISTMAS!

Tagged
My sister Carrie tagged me, and my cousin tagged me.

NOTE:I have a love/hate relationship with these things. I love reading others tags, but can't imagine anyone would want to read mine, so mine has been sitting in my posts box for a week (plus I wanted people to see Matilee's tag..below).. I am finally posting it, because my other sister, Laura tagged me as well.

I have to answer with one word answers.

1. Where is your cell phone? Purse

2. Where is your significant other? Work

3. Your hair color? Hazelnut

4. Your mother? Misunderstood

5. Your father? Altruistic

6. Your favorite thing? Relationships

7. Your dream last night? Many

8. Your dream/goal? Eternity

9. The room you're in? Dining

10. Your hobby? Photography

11. Your fear? Widow

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? MTC

13. Where were you last night? Sleeping

14. What you're not? Perfect

15. One of your wish-list items? Slowdance

16. Where you grew up? Everywhere

17. The last thing you did? Read

18. What are you wearing? Sweats

19. Your TV? Off

20. Your pet? Jumps

21. Your computer? Communication

22. Your mood? Content

23. Missing someone? Always

24. Your car? Expo

25. Something you're not wearing? Boxers

26. Favorite store? Book

27. Your summer? FREE

28. Love someone? Unconditionally

29. Your favorite color? Red

30. When is the last time you laughed? Seconds

31. Last time you cried? Yesterday

I tag..... Tina, Emily, Vicki, Kerri, RicAnn, Caranna, Ellen

Matilee Has Been Tagged!!!!!!!!!

Matilee was tagged by her cousin

(three weeks ago...Sorry it took me so long).

I have the opportunity to say five neat things about Matilee.

Then, we get to tag more people.

1. She has a way of cheering people up, even when they don't feel like it.

2. She tends to look on the bright side of things.

3. She LOVES to clean... we often find her cleaning without being asked. Her "happy to be alive" job is to vacuum, and she loves to do it!!

4. She recognizes strengths in others, and tries to encourage them when they point out their own weaknesses.

5. She loves to read, sing and dance. She is always making up cite little songs that often get us rolling on the floor. She is a simple delight to our family!

This was a fun activity filled with goodness...the children that are "kiddie Tagged" next are:

Brendan Eccles

Stephanie Hacking

Melanie McCarthy

Allyssa Miller

Levi Despain

Tadhg Ingram

Tate Green

Have Fun!! I enjoyed this.

Here are our Halloween Pics!! We had a lot of fun, I just haven't taken the time to post!

Here is our pumpkin we carved for our porch.. It was ENORMOUS!! It was a gift from a boy in my class, whose parent's own a commercial pumpkin patch! We had a lot of fun carving it. I may go back next year, and buy another one.

This was just after Matilee crawled out if the pumpkin. Look at her face!

Colton took the little ones out on the golf cart this year for trick-or-treat.

McKenzie has done it the past couple of years ( except last year, the Kunz's helped

us out during the flood). So, it was his turn. He didn't complain a bit

Zay and Adrianna.... don't they look cute!!

Yes, even the Halloween Scrooge dresses up , for the children. It is really fun to see my students come to my door! I love seeing their faces, especially, when they don't know that I live here, and they see me dressed up. That is so fun...... Another guilty pleasure is we always order pizza on Halloween, so never have to cook!!! YAY!!!

OK, so maybe I am not a complete Scrooge, but I have a hard time truly "hating" anything really. How do you not have some fun, when people keep coming to your door, they are happy to see you, you get to give them a present, AND some of them you haven't seen for a while?

We had a great night.

P.S. Check out Brindy's hair on the previous post!

Brindy"s Crazy Hair Day

We had so much fun doing her hair for crazy hair day, I had to share them!!

Proud to be an American!!

Election day is always a fun day for me. I love exercising my right as a citizen to vote!! It doesn't always turn out the way I would like it to, but I love the feeling of pushing those "chads" through, and feeling my power as a citizen. No matter the outcome, I am thrilled to have contributed with my civic duty! I put in my two cents.

I am proud to be an American!!!

The Value of a Cousin

I met my cousins when I was young, at family reunions, and at an occasional sleepover (three or four in my childhood). But, I never really knew them....because...well just because...it was our families way at that time.

It wasn't until my adult years, that I had any real relationships with any of my cousins. My first cousin relationship started with me having my younger cousins stay at my house when I was a newlywed. I have also observed my children with their cousin relationships. Knowing my cousins now, makes me wish I had childhood memories with them. Cousins are often overlooked. We often hear about grandma, grandpa, aunt, and uncle....but what about that special cousin?? Cousins, can be pseudo friends, comrades, conspirators, and even replacements for missing family members. What is the value of a cousin??? Irreplaceable. Cousins are a great blessing to me, and I am very grateful for those cousins of mine that have gotten to know me in my adult years. I love you!! Let's do lunch soon~~