"Inside me lives a skinny woman crying to get out, but I can usually shut her up with cookies." ~(Unknown)

This year Mike has to work Christmas night, so we decided to do all of our celebrating on Christmas Eve. That way he can sleep in (in preparation of being up all night) without making the kids wait for the festivities.

Tonight Alyssa participated in the Central Massachusetts Concert Choir Festival at her high school. It is always one of my favorite things to do at Christmas.

I love Christmas music!!

I especially love this song that Alyssa's choir sang. It described some of the feelings I've had this Christmas. I have been so busy and I'm more unorganized than usual this year. It was nice to sit and relax, and listen to good music.

I Need A Silent Night by the Shepherd Hill Concert Choir

I've made the same mistake before

Too many malls, too many stores

December traffic, Christmas rush

It breaks me till I push and shove

Children are crying while mothers are trying

To photograph Santa and sleigh

The shopping and buying and standing forever in line

What can I say?

I need a silent night, a holy night

To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise

I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here

To end this crazy day with a silent night

December comes then disappears

Faster and faster every year

Did my own mother keep this pace

Or was the world a different place?

Where people stayed home wishing for snow

Watching three channels on their TV

Look at us now rushing around

Trying to buy Christmas peace

I need a silent night, a holy night

To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise

I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here

To end this crazy day with a silent night

What was it like back there in Bethlehem

With peace on earth, good will toward men?

I need a silent night, a holy night

To hear an angel voice through the chaos and the noise

I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here

To end this crazy day with a silent night

To end this crazy day with a silent night

Garrett and Hayden had their Winter Band concert this week. It was a first for Garrett and he was so nervous all week. He even said that he didn't want to go...

Lightly Row by the DMS 5th Grade Band

Santa Baby, forgot to mention one little thing,



a ring....

I don't mean on the phone, Santa Baby.
So hurry down the chimney tonight!





The first few years we were married I rarely got to wear my wedding ring. I was in dental hygiene school and we weren't allowed to wear jewelry. When I started working and could "bend" the rules a bit, I still didn't wear it because it would rip the gloves. One year for Christmas Mike surprised me with an anniversary band that I could wear to work. I LOVED it!!
Then a few years ago it slipped off my finger while I was doing laundry and bounced up under the washing machine. I never did find it. I went back to my wedding ring after I quit working, but bent the prongs on it somehow and ended up just wearing a gold band that belonged to my Grandma...



until now.



This year for Christmas, Mike bought be another anniversary band. He let me have it early since I helped him pick it out and knew about it this time. He told me that this is the last one though. If I lose it or bend it, I'm out of luck!

I guess no more laundry for me!!!

Friday night Hayden went over to a friend's house to "hang out" with a group of his friends. After an hour or so he called me to see if they could come to our house because the boy whose house they were at had to leave. I told them they could. I prefer them to be here anyway. They were outside playing some sort of tag and then night basketball for about another hour. When our dinner was ready I went out to tell the other boys it was time to go home. As soon as I got back in the phone rang and it was the police. NEVER A GOOD THING!

Apparently one of the boys was supposed to have been home at 5pm (it was now 6:30pm) and his mom had called and reported him missing. I knew all the boys and their parents except this one (of course) and even though I hadn't done anything wrong I was humiliated! I told the officer that I would have him come in and call his mom and let her know where he was.

I had the boy come in and told him to use the phone. He said he didn't know his phone number. (I'm not sure if he was scared to death and couldn't think straight or if he just didn't want to call her, but I can't quite figure out how a 12 year old doesn't know his own number. ???) I even tried looking it up in the phone book for him, but no luck. He left with one of the other fathers, who offered to put his bike in the back of his truck and drop him off at home. I started feeling bad for the poor mother of this boy. I ended up calling the police back to let them know he hadn't called his mom and could they please call her and let her know he was on his way. The officer says to me, "You didn't let him just leave on his bike, did you?"

"Duh!! I'm not an irresponsible parent, even though I feel like one right now and I didn't even do anything!!!"( That's what I was thinking, but not what I said).

Now that my initial embarrassment is over, I'm just glad it wasn't my child...and that he ALWAYS calls me to let me know where he is and ask permission if plans change.

Last February we sold our 9 foot Christmas tree (remember?) So, once again I had to find a new one. We decided against buying the same exact tree again, because what if we end up moving in a year or 2 and have the same problem.
I found one I like at Home Depot and there was an internet only sale with free shipping. What is better than that??? I don't have to leave the house, they deliver it right to my door, I save $$$.
PERFECT!
I ordered it and received the confirmation e-mail. The only problem was that I was worried it wouldn't get here in time for our traditional "day-after-Thanksgiving-Decorating extravaganza". Then the day before Thanksgiving I received another e-mail saying Home Depot was cancelling my order.
Alyssa and I headed off to Home Depot with printed e-mail in hand. They had only one of the trees I wanted in the store and they gave it to me for the internet price. SCORE! I had my tree and my savings, the only thing I didn't get was delivery.

of the month, but not the end of my gratitude!

Today I'm thankful for this month I've had to reflect on all of my blessings. I realized that I have many and I didn't get a chance to blog about them all, so here are some more (in no particular order).

4 Seasons
Being a stay-at-home mom
My testimony
Technology
Neighbors
The Atonement
My van
Our cat
Sleep
My health
Christmas

• smart
• a good example for his brother
• a great friend
• loves nature
• great outdoorsman

• handsome
• a talented musician
• dedicated
• worthy priesthood holder
• gives 100%
  

Thirteen years ago Mike surprised me and gave me a set of new dishes for Christmas. My kitchen at the time was mauve and blue (it was the mid 90's and that was the thing) and they matched perfectly. I have loved them, especially since they were from him.



About 8 years ago I changed my kitchen and it is now red and black, but my dishes have remained the same. Mike even told me to get new ones and I just couldn't do it. I'm a sentimental gal.


This past week I finally went out and bought new dishes, an early Christmas present to myself. I went for something plain so they will go with anything, since I know I won't keep the red forever. I packed up the old dishes and put them in the basement. I don't have the heart to get rid of them completely and I kept a teacup and saucer in my china cupboard (pictured above) as a reminder.

A couple months ago I taught a lesson in Relief Society on President Hinkley's "Be Still". In preparation for it, I had written a list of words and phrases that meant being still to me, such as
be quiet, be reverent, be a listener, be patient... (You get the idea).
This week as I was cleaning out my church bag I found my list. On the bottom, written in Garrett's handwriting, were the words:

Be BORED!

• Trumpet


• Flute


• Piano


• Guitar


• The recorder


• Rock Band drums


• and the stereo

We also have people who sing:

• HS choir music


• Country


• Rock


• in the shower


• Hymns


• Christmas songs


• Karaoke


• and show tunes

Usually, it is more than one of these at the same time. Our house is never quiet, but that's o.k.

Today I'm thankful for MUSIC!

Tonight we had the missionaries over for dinner. We haven't been able to do that for a while between Fall baseball and Mike's crazy schedule. It was a really nice evening, as it always is when they come.


Today I am thankful for missionaries: their example to my boys, their dedication and their testimony.

My mom recently sent me an e-mail with this list of "Cowboy Rules". I don't necessarily agree with them all, but I love the general idea...it was how I grew up.




1. Pull your pants up. You look like an idiot.



2. Turn your cap right, your head ain't crooked.



3. Let's get this straight: it's called a 'gravel road.' I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive, you're going to get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way.



4. They are cattle. That's why they smell like cattle. They smell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it? I-80, I-70, I-10 & I-40 go east and west, I-25, I-17 & I-15 goes north and south. Pick one and go.



5. So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $250,000 Combines that are driven only 3 weeks a year.



6. Every person in the Wild West waves. It's called being friendly. Try to understand the concept.



7. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of geese/pheasants/ducks/doves are comin' in during the hunts, we WILL shoot it outta your hand. You better hope you don't have it up to your ear at the time.



8. Yeah. We eat trout, salmon, deer and elk. You really want sushi and caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop.



9. The 'Opener' refers to the first day of deer season. It's a religious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.



10.. We open doors for women. That's applied to all women, regardless of age.



11.. No, there's no 'vegetarian special' on the menu. Order steak, or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds of ham and turkey.



12.. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes: meats, vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, and ketchup! Oh, yeah . . We don't care what you folks in Cincinnati call that stuff you eat . . IT AIN'T REAL CHILI!!



13.. You bring 'Coke' into my house, it better be brown, wet and served over ice. You bring 'Mary Jane' into my house, she better be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.

14. College and High School Football is as important here as the Giants, the Yankees, the Mets, the Lakers and the Knicks, and a dang site more fun to watch.



15.. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards - it spooks the fish.



16.. Turn down that blasted car stereo! That thumpity-thump crap ain't music, anyway. We don't want to hear it anymore than we want to see your boxers! Refer back to #1!

... I hear the song of a bird

Whenever I feel the rain on my face

I'm thankful for this girl...

Today I got a call from a good friend. Our sons are best friends and we love to chat about them. Then I went to a brunch with some other friends this morning (and into the afternoon). We had a great time eating, talking, laughing and eating some more. On the way home I stopped by another friend's home to say "Hi" and drop something off.

In Hayden's 7th grade ELA class they are reading a book called "Gracie's Girl". It is the story of a girl who goes to help at a soup kitchen/homeless shelter with her parents. As part of this unit of study, Hayden's teachers arranged to take the class in small groups to a local soup kitchen called The Mustard Seed. Hayden's group went tonight to help serve dinner and clean up afterwards. He had an amazing time and I think (hope) he came home with a new appreciation for what he has. I wish I had had the opportunity to do something like that when I was his age. What a great experience!

Alyssa was sustained and set apart as the 1st counselor in the Laurel class presidency today. In listening to the blessing given her to help, counsel, support, assist etc.. the president, it made me think of all the things my counselors do for me. I could not do what I do without them!!

He works hard to support our family so I can stay home, he lets me have the remote, he makes the phone calls I HATE to make, he likes to surprise me (but can't keep a secret and tells me before I'm surprised)...

and this morning he let me sleep in, when he was the one who desperately needed the sleep. He made sure our kids were fed, quiet and working on their chores when I got up at 8:45!!