Things I love about Sunday

I was laying in bed this morning about 6:30 which is usually about the time I wake up on Sunday mornings, give or take 15 or 20 minutes, thinking, "It's Sunday. I love Sunday". Then, I started thinking why I love Sundays. Here are some of the reasons, though not necessarily in order.

1. Church. I love church. The hymns, USUALLY pretty decent talks and lessons, interacting and mingling with good people. I mingle with good people at work, too, but church is different. I think it's the Spirit.

2. CBS Sunday Morning news show. I love that show. I've watched it for 15 years or so. I love the format.

3. Football during the season. I miss it when it's over.

4. Dinner. I usually can be counted on to make SOMETHING for Sunday dinner/lunch that's a little more involved than what ususally gets taken care of (if it gets taken care of at all) during the week. Although, there's no guarantee or promises about this one.

5. With a good church schedule and a little luck, I sometimes manage a Sunday nap. Glorious.

6. The Amazing Race on Sunday nights. I miss it when it's not on.

7. Not going anywhere or having to be anywhere. The whole day of rest thing. I can put on my jammies if I want at 12:30 and be good. I usually don't do that, in case someone stops by, but I CAN if I want.

8. Baths. Now that our church schedule is changing and we won't have to be at church until 11:00, I can resume my Sunday morning bath routine. I love to take a bath and being in this house we have a nice, big tub. It's a little bit longer, more luxurious proposition to body cleaning than my usual 4 minute shower. So, Sunday morning is the one day of the week I have time to enjoy one.

9. Treats. I don't do it so often anymore, but if I'm going to make treats, it's usually going to be on Sunday. Especially when I think some of my kids and grandkids will come over.

10. It's not Monday.

That's my list. I might think of other reasons, but I think that pretty much covers it.

Christmas Past

OK, I'm working on getting this whole picture posting down. I can't seem to manage to get things in the right order. This first picture should be last and the last should be first...hmm, that sounds rather familiar! Anyway, I hope you can figure this all out.

Nate & Stacy & their gifts.

Christmas is past...'07 is history. It was a good one, I felt. I thought it might be a little sad for me with Michael gone, but it really wasn't. I thought Christmas this year was good. I think it was due to my effort to "scale down" a bit and not be so caught up with all the hoopla. It seemed to work. We missed Nate and Stacy, but know they had a great time in Huntsville. Here are a few pics of the Big Day and the day after.

Brevin & his red light saber.

Austin being neat!

Seth & Brock admiring Seth's Disney Clubhouse.

Erin opening her Bass Pro Shops hoodie from Nate.

Sarah trying to figure out what she's opening.

Caylee with her Cheetah Girls doll. Rawk ON!

Brooklyn..."oooooh".

New clothes for Mackenzie.

Stylin new duds for Sydney.

Dave got the Ipod out when I wasn't looking! Surprise!

Howard reading and me crying trying to read the book Erin & Kevin gave us with our gift from them...a month of service to others. Pictures and stories documented it. GREAT!!!

This should have been at the top. Everyone passing out the goods.

No new news

OK, it's Christmas Eve, 10:23 AM. Turkey is in the oven, jello in the fridge, pumpkin pies I made @ 7:30 this AM cooling, dishes caught up, eggs boiled, veggies cut up. Things are rolling along. And, I checked the UPS site and Mikes Christmas package we sent him via UPS that was attempted to be delivered last Friday was delivered this AM in Roanoke. The website indicates he signed for it, so I'm guessing the boy is having a happy day, today. We still don't know what time he'll call tomorrow, so for Erin, Sarah and Nate...what can I say? We'll know when he calls.

David is out doing his last minute, Christmas Eve-all-in-one-day-shopping ("this is the way I like to do it!"). I think I'm done. I'll have some panic-y moments wondering if I forgot anyone/thing and worry that all things are more or less "equal". I got behind and some gifts that were going to be for Christmas didn't make it, but in the end, 30 years from now, or even next week, it won't matter. What matters is love and being with those we do love and talking to the ones we love and can't be with. Gosh, I love Christmas. I love the Christmas music--- non stop on the radio, cheesy Christmasy-feel good movies on Lifetime Movie Network and Hallmark Channel (Timepiece is on right now!), and all the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Music and the Spoken Word Christmas broadcasts from previous years. I just love it all. And, I love my family, both immediate and extended. I'm privileged to be in it!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Early Christmas Gift from Heaven!

This was the view from my patio this morning. Unfortunately, the picture really doesn't do the scene justice. It was beautiful. As sunrise should be since they're so stinkin' early every day!

It's beginning to look a lot like...Snowmen!!

Several years ago, Howard received a wooden snowman for a Christmas gift. After that, he thought they would make good Christmas gifts. So,the snowman making saga began. He has made them and given them as gifts to family and friends and teachers he knows. Last year, he made one for all the teachers athis school. Well, this year, he's at a new school and decided to make one for the entire staff. 80 of them!!! Yes, you read that right, 80. But, as often happens, things sneak up and it's always a marathon snowman making foot/fluff fest at our house the week before school is out. This year is no exception. Last night, he went to bed around, maybe 11:00 and was up at 3:00. Exhaustion sets in eventually and tonight he hit the wall. So, this post is for you, Howard. I'm sure the recepients will NEVER know what you put into their gift.

This is Howard @ 6:30 this morning...being up since 3:00...working on the snowmen before going to work.Here the snowmen are lined up in the hallway...

And in the kitchen...

And in the family room...

And in the family room, again!

What Day Is It????

Oh, Yeah, Dec. 12. Tomorrow is Dec 13. The first day of doing the 12 days of Christmas. So, why are the 12 gifts I have for Michael still sitting on my kitchen table, waiting for a box that will hold them all??? Most of them aren't big at all, but a couple are and now, I have to go find a box tomorrow to hold it all. Hopefully one that's not too big. He'll have to open a couple a day for a few days to catch up once it gets to him. Oh,well. It's the thought that counts....RIGHT? Whatev.

Today's email from Mike was the first one that hinted at a little bit of discouragement. I feel for him, but don't know what I can do other than pray for him. He lost his trainer at last week's transfers and I think he's a bit frustrated with feeling the responsibility of being the guy who's supposed to know the area and investigators (of which there aren't many) and wonders how Elder Lewis always made it seem so easy. He wants letters from people. I usually get one off to him at least once, sometimes twice a week. I can't wait for him to call on Christmas!!! 13 more days! Yikes. This is what he had to say in today's email:

"being the senior companion--in the sense that i know the area and have to pretty much plan our days out by myself--is hard. it feels like elder lewis always knew who we could go see when we didn't have anything to do. now when all our plans fall through, i'm at a loss for plans. so we tract. a lot. yesterday we tracted all morning, and then most of the afternoon. with little success. it's frustrating, but that's just part of missionary life i guess. it just feels like i'm forgetting so many people that elder lewis didn't. but i've been thinking about it so much, and the only conclusion i can come to is that i'm not forgetting anyone. we try to see a lot of different people, it's just that nothing works, they're either not home or "busy" or whatever. and that leaves our day pretty open. we're still working with a lot of the same people, and they don't seem to be progressing very quickly. no one wants to meet with us more than once a week. the zone leaders are teaching a young couple that they see almost every day. we need to find someone like that to teach! what we really need is some member support. we haven't gotten a single member referral since i've been here. members will go to lessons with us when we need them to, but that's about it. there's no real fellowshipping happening. IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ANYONE THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THE CHURCH, TELL THE MISSIONARIES. MEMBER REFERRALS ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE. "

Later...

Doncha just love car issues!

So, yesterday AM, on my way out the door JUST in time to make it to church without being late, I hopped in my car and turned it on and got click,click,click,click.... Darn! Dead battery. Came back into the house, got the keys to the other car and drove to church. Being glad all along the way to have an EXTRA car, already thinking ahead to driving to work today. And, I'm SO grateful to be a proud, card carrying member of AAA! Gotta love it. Right now, as I type this, the guy from triple A is in my driveway replacing my battery. Especially so since to change the battery in this car, you have to take the tire off because the battery is hidden way low in the front of the car. By the tire. SO worth the $112.00 it's costing me. Howard will echo the sentiment, I'm sure when he gets home and learns he didn't have to 1) go to the store and buy a new battery and 2) take the tire off and put the new battery in in the coldish weather. So, YAY AAA!

I have SO much to do/wrap/buy/mail/make/take for Christmas. With all I have to do, one would think I'd just be a whirling dirvish getting it all done. But, no. I had a very full weekend, however, watching Howard work like a maniac getting almost all of our "Christmas Crap" put out. The house looks nice. One more reason to not want to cook. I want the kitchen to stay clean! I really do have a decision making problem. When I have too many choices, I get frozen with indecision and don't do any of it, then later, kick myself. Why is that? Any psych majors out there want to give that one a stab?

This is actually a fairly calm week, as far as gotta-be-somewhere-after-work-stuff goes. GRATEFUL am I for that. But, we do get to go watch Caylee, Kenzie and Sydney be adorable and cute dancers at their Christmas dance recital tomorrow night. To get them all in one night's performance is nice. It's always lots of fun to watch them. And watch the little babies dance and remember when that was them!

It's Over!

Our last Enrichment Activity for the year is history. We did a Progressive Dinner. We don't progress as much as I've done in past dinners, but it's fun. We meet for appetizers, then split into two groups for dinner, then join up for dessert. Usually, there is a program of some short, simple sort, but this year, our R.S. Pres suggested a service project. So, we asked the sisters to donate supplies for School Kits that the Humanitarian Center for the LDS church assembles and sends to kids around the world that needs them. Paper, scissors, eraser, pencils, colored pencils and a ruler. In a tote bag. Simple. But, effective. We ended up with about 40 bags. Nice. I thought dinner was yummy. Trudy made this salad dressing that was amazing from pomegranete juice and I don't know what all. The company was good and all in all, beat as I am, it was fun. Now, we start planning for next year. Yay! It's 11:11 (Jerolyn!) and I'm beat and am REALLY not going to want to get up in the morning. WHY didn't I plan to take tomorrow off work?!

We got an email from Michael today. He didn't get transferred, but his trainer/companion did. He didn't know anything to tell us about his new companion other than his name. He wasn't too thrilled with the idea of staying in the same area (hence, still on a bike) into the winter and snowy weather. He said it was snowing today in Roanoke. So, 6 more weeks until the next transfer. Maybe then, he'll get in a car area. He's good though. Still no baptisms, but he does have some investigators. We get to talk to him in 20 days!!! Yay, us!

That's it for now.

Politicks!

Yes, I know that's not how you spell politics, but it's more accurate about how it makes me feel. PolitICKS!!

I'm a registered Democrat. Comes from being married to a teacher for 30 years and liking t have food on the table and a roof over our heads. But, I'm not a LIBERAL, I don't think. I feel like I'm a Republicrat. Why can't that be a party??? I like the idea of helping others and unfortunately, that costs money. But, I do get frusrated by the inappropiate spending of the tax dollars. I HATE this Iraq war. I want us out. But, really, will it all go to He--if we get out? Will they come hunt us down and kill us all in our beds? I don't know! I just know that I hate this war. So, I'm leaning toward Democrat candidates. But, then, I read today on MSN an article that tells about some atheist guy who took a case to court, made it to the Supreme Court (lost) and is now appealing to the District Court of Appeals. His beef? Having the words "under God" in the Pledge of Alliegance and "in God we Trust" on our money. The only reason he lost the original case in the Supreme Court is because he didn't have custody and wasn't the primary custodian of the child he was "protecting". So, he's filed another case and is pursuing it.

This makes me nuts. I have always felt more-patriotic-than-average, which might be a bit presumptious, but from small girl age, I've loved America. I used to read lots of stories and novels about the Revolutionary days. And, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints, I have a clear understanding that this land that America is on was consecrated and set aside by God for the freedom of religion that our constitution provides so that the TRUE church could be established and flourish. So, LIBERALS who take things to such extreme, seem to ruin it for others. Of course, "liberal" is a relative term. I mean, it was a pretty liberal idea one time for some people to think that women should be able to vote and blacks should be free.

But I say if you're atheist and believe there is no God, or agnostic and aren't sure or just don't lke the God you think "in God we trust" or "under God" represents, I have a solution for your problem. DON'T SAY THE WORDS AND DON'T SPEND THE MONEY. I'm pretty sure there is some island somewhere you could go live on and you woudn't have to be bothered by living in the OPPRESSIVE US of A. I mean, really, how hard your life must be to be so injured by having to hear some words you don't like and read words you disagree with. I've said those words for years and earned and spent the money all my life and just never realized how hard my life has been all this time. Maybe I should sue someone!

I love Christmas!

Can I just say I love December and all the Christmas music and decorations? Well, I think I just did. Howard has busted out the "Christmas Crap" as we so lovingly call it most of the time. It's a HUGE P-R-O-C-E-S-S at out house, because we have so MUCH stuff. It usually takes him 3-4 days to take down/put up all the stuff. But, in the end, it really looks so nice, all thanks to Howard. He's anal about it, he'd tell you so himself, that's no secret, nor a criticism. Consequently, we have a house that always looks fantastic at Christmas time. He's GREAT for doing it. Tonight, he had taken all my Dollstone figurines out of the curio to put other things in. I was wrapping them and putting them away and he was taking care of the shelf in the entry and the music was going and it was just...nice. I missed my kids, though. I'm going to take pictures of the house and send to Michael. Not that it's different from what he'll remember, but I thought maybe he'd like it.

Today at church was our Fast & Testimony meeting. In our ward, for December, people that bear testimony also tell their favorite hymn. Jana Wyson chose Called to Serve. Thanks,Jana. I lost it. That's just mean and cruel for a mom who has a missionary out. I think it should be banned until Michael comes home! I can just imagine him and his district/zone/mission singing that and that's all takes for me to lose it. But, all in all, it was a nice meeting.

Back to work tomorrow. This weekend went by entirely too fast. I could go for a 3 day work week.

Let the Shopping Begin!

Last night Sarah & Tyler and Erin & Kevin and Stacy and Howard & I went to dinner. It was fun and nice. During dinner, shopping for the grandkids came up and Stacy suggested that she and Erin & Sarah go with me to shop for the kids this year, which I was MORE than happy to hear. So, we planned to go shopping this afternoon. Squeeze it in while Caylee was at a birthday party. Unfortunately, Zoee got sick and Stacy couldn't go. However, I was able, with the parents/aunts input, able to get all the clothes shopping for all the kids done. Now, I just need to wrap them and I'm good. With 9 grandkids, that's quite an accomplishment in one day. Thanks Sarah and Erin. Especially Erin. Sarah and I are more the power shoppers. Search and destroy. There's too many choices most of the time and I don't have the time or the knees to stand around for long periods of time contemplating choices. I see it, I like it, I buy it. Done! Erin, however, LOVES to analyze, consider, ponder, picture, etc. Choosing just THE right outfit for her kids (or anyone) does not come lightly or easily to Erin. But, she went, knowing she would probably hear a little grief from me. Thanks, Erin, for dealing with that. But, the company was fabulous, as was the lunch at Cafe Rio afterward. My virgin Cafe Rio experience. Good stuff. Busy place.

And, as a side note, with this wind we had today, once the sun went down, it's seriously COLD out there!

Good Saturday, though.