Standing Outside With My Mouth Open Wide

Rebecca came home from preschool singing "If all the snowflakes were chocolate covered cupcakes . . ." Then she walked around with her tongue stuck out catching the huge snowflakes we are getting today - so cute!

True Joy

Today I had the privledge of spending time in the Boston Temple. I love the miracle of walking in those doors and feeling peace, love, and warmth gently wash over me. It's a little like waves of mighty oceans caressing bare toes at the shore.Not too long ago we were lucky enough to be here when our dear friends the Victorinos had their son Kyle sealed to them.

Today it was our friends the Whites who were able to have their new son Jacob (adopted from China last September) sealed to them. It was an amazing thing to see the love and closeness of their family - the sealer talked about how blessed these beautiful kids are to be part of a family that will teach them that true joy comes from following our Savior. Brother and Sister White have an older son in our ward who has three adorable kids of his own and both sets of Whites are a joy and inspiration to our family and our ward. Congratulations!!!! Thank you for letting us share in your joy.

It's getting closer!

I'm a messy painter - paint in my hair, on all of my fingers and arms and even on my lip - no idea how that happened. The primer was really hard to get off and the whole house smelled bad . . . I only used this shirt because it was already stained - Just in case Nikie is wondering.
All primed and ready to paint white - no wait, I changed my mind - dark brown!!!!


Middlebury Brown to be exact.


i LOVE it!!!!! DH not so much. Oh well, hopefully he'll change his mind when the walls and trim are painted too. I'm so excited - I knew painting it would help it look better, but I didn't think it would look this good. There's obviously still a lot of work to do; second coat, doors on the bottom, window trim, walls - but here, up close, in real life I think it looks GREAT!

January's Project

Let's see if I can get this done - I want to paint the bookshelves and the whole room (room by the bookshelves, living room, and computer area) before January is over. I started this project before Christmas 08 - but had trouble with the paint, it all peeled off the walls after three good days of painting. I gave up and haven't tried to tackle it again until now. Good luck to me!

Before photos below - Tuesday, Jan 12, 2010

Ok, now after two days of washing, sanding, dust and fumes and distractions (I can't believe the scattered nature of my brain, my life, my surroundings, my moments . . . it's all too evident when I try to focus my efforts on something like this)

Yes, our air conditioneer is still there - I try to cover it up with the curtains (see photos above) usually. Gary (Gregg's dad) is going to help me take it out and put it away tommorrow. It's HUGE!!! Gregg and Gary usually get together to take it out in September -

Only the first part done - and just one coat of primer, Gregg says it needs two. I still have to sand and wash the rest of it, prime all that (twice) and then paint a couple of coats - ah well, c'est la vie - and jya yo (literally translated from Mandarin "add oil" - means to keep at it, keep trying - move forward) as my friends in other parts of the world would say.

More Decmeber catch up

Making sugar cookies on Christmas Eve -

rumor has it (in our house anyway) that these are Santa's favorite

so we have to make them every year.

I usually enjoy it, but I'm starting to understand why my mom didn't get too excited about them when I was older. She used to let me do it all by myself :)

The worst part was when they were all done and I ate WAY more than my fair share!!! Santa's not the only one that loves all that butter and sugar and vanilla mushed together.My cute kids waiting patiently at the top of the stairs while Mom and Dad get the cameras ready before they go down and see the tree. They woke us up this year by singing Christmas Carols and reading Luke 2 for us while we wiped the sleep out of our eyes and tried to get up and be excited . . . I can't believe how lucky I am.
AHHHH - it's over now and we're a few days into the new year already. I'll have to take down the tree tommorrow. But before that I'll see if I can enjoy one last Christmas movie tonight and wish all of you another Merrrrrrry Christmas - only 362 days left till next year!

Happy New Year!

I have had the privelige this past year of discovering blogs of friends from near and far, spending time with my family and friends here at home, and watching others at church and school and I am just so inspired by you people! Thank you for your humor, wisdom, spirit, strengths and weaknesses.

I'm determined to be a better friend, homemaker, wife, mother. . . not just because it's the new year, but because I know people like you.

I see you struggle and laugh through it. I see you dealing with things so differently than I would ever think to do and I can see glimpses - through you - of ways that I can be more like the person I want to be. The Lord has placed some incredible examples of how to be in my circle of aquaintences and I sometimes feel overwhelmed by your goodness and my lack of it . . .but lately,

I just feel blessed and motivated by each of your everyday moments and your extraordinary moments that I've seen you live through or heard about or read about on the computer.

Thank you. I felt I needed to say it but not sure how to single all (or any) of you out - I hope some of you will read this and feel good about who you are and what you are doing to touch other people's lives - because you do -

you influence people everyday without knowing it and I'm grateful.

Live Nativity - December updates

Our Ward (congregation) revived an old tradition this year - we held a live nativity a couple of weeks before Christmas. One of our dear former bishops (Bishop Jim Puida) had the idea several years ago and we were able to enjoy it annually under his stewardship back then.

It was a lot of work to put it together again and added some busy nights to our already full December schedule, but what a sweet experience to sit with my kids and listen to the Christmas story while bundled up in snow clothes and shepherd's robes.

I didn't get many photos the night we participated as a family. However, the next night, Rebecca begged to be a shepherd again, so I dressed her up and out she went and since I wasn't dressed up, I got to take some photos - so sweet!

What do you think? Shepherd or ANGEL?

Inside the building, the activities committee had hot chocolate to warm up actors and visitors. We also set up nativities for everyone to enjoy.Members of our congregation lent all different creche sets for display, People brought some large, some small,
Some for kids, some delicate,

Some were newer,

Some wooden, some glazed,

They were realistic and fantastical

Some were crafty, some elegant

Glass, crystal, for play or displayMomentos from honeymoons (the blue and white set of ours),

and souvenirs from all over the world
Ornaments, keepsakes, simple and ornate,

white, painted,

even stuffed,

Almost anything you could think of. . .

The whole experience was so beautiful and inspiring - a touching reminder of what it's all about.
We plan on doing it all again next year - so come see it if you are close by!

My Aunt Nikki was in town for the few days preceding this. She helped set up the creches and witnessed our pre-Christmas chaos first hand. I don't have any photos of her while she was here, but she took some of us, maybe I can steal them from her. We sure loved having her here with us and hope it won't take us six more years to see her again. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP AUNT NIKKI!!!!!