I am SOOOOO thankful to be involved in the Baptisms every month. It's such a good experience. I was honored to give the talk on Baptism today at the service. I gained insight into Baptism and its' sacredness that I can't express fully. Let me just tell you: I love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They are real and they love .....me.... they REALLY do. They love YOU too!!!! Pray about it with real intent and you WILL get the answer. I so testify, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Happy 2010

Okay, I think it's an attainable goal to blog at least once a week....even if it's just a sentence.

Last night we were at Norm and Ingrid Sorensen's ringing in the New Year. Devin and Bethany Patrick were there, too. What an enjoyable time. Plenty of tasty snacks: pigs in a blanket, veggies and dip, fabulous salsa & chips, muddy buddies, crackers, juice....

By the way, It's so nice to have good friends who have children that get along well with our children!!! Blessings!

Balderdash is a fun game. It was funner last night because I was winning when we quit, but it's fun anyway. Ingrid noted early on in the game that the couples gave similar answers. It held that way throughout the game. Funny. We were on the same wave lengths---as well we should be. Blockus (or something like that) is another game we played. It was fast moving, simple, yet challenging. I think we need to get it.

The kids had a dance in the Dining Room. The teenagers went to the Umpteen-Stake-Dance and they came home by 11:30 to continue dancing. When Midnight hit the operative word truly was "HIT". The Young'uns grabbed every available pot and pan (and even the pizza cutter) and ran outside to hit and bang, and make as much noise as possible. After that Ingrid brought out some Fizzy Lifting Drink (otherwise known as Martinelli's Sparkling Cider) and we all sipped the yummy stuff. The dance lasted a tad longer, we took our cue from the Patrick's and we knew we should go home.

The ONLY problem with hanging out with the Sorensen's (and it was that way with the Patrick's last night, too) is that we eventually have to leave each other. We like being together so much, it's a downer when we have to part...that's the way I feel... I know that might sound weird, but it's our reality! Kindred Spirits. :)

This year should be fab! Here's hoping it's fantastic for you, too!

He called. I love cell phones!

HALLELUJAH!!

Jeff called and said they are all packed up, chains are on the car tires, fresh 6-8 inches of snow fell and they are making their way to Provo. Yeah! One of the guys came with sneakers, a pair of jeans with a hole in the knee, and a hoody...nothing more. WOW! He survived because others were well prepared. I'm amazed and happy. I think Jeff is treating them to "Five Guys" on the way home. Yummmmm! They should be home right on time. Now, I need to be calm...it's just that it's snowing again... I think that an overabundance of sugar makes me a bit high-strung.

When I woke I looked out the window. There always seems to be a peach/orange glow when there's new snow and/or it's snowing, and it's right before dawn. I thought how lovely... and then I remembered that Jeff & Logan are near Brighton Ski resort, in a warm "igloo" or some snow contraption...with 8 other boy scouts and another leader. That's fine and good. I just want them to travel home safely (treacherous mountain roads-urg!)... and SOON! I am a worry wart. I'm pretty sure they were going to aim for being home right around noon. I'm trying to remain calm, but at 12:01 I'll be calling Jeff or the other leader's cell phone. By then they surely will be within range of a signal, right? It looks like it may be letting up on snow.

How did Caroline Wilder EVER do this? She'd send Charles out on a job finding or food finding trip into the great unknown, not knowing when or if she'd ever see him again.

I love Jeff and Logan!!! I'm just not good at this waiting stuff! Prayer in my heart!!!!!

I'd better stop worrying and get other stuff done...do other things to occupy my thoughts.

Who knew BYU wouldn't have their Bookstore open on Boxing day? We're headed there now. Hoorah!

I need to do something about my lack of blogging! I guess I figure I should only blog if I have a picture to go along with it. Not too easy since I don't have camera of my own. Oh well.

The last few days we've been helping out with a production of Bethlehem. There is a blog about it. Bethlehem is very enjoyable. This year Jeff is a coppersmith, Lila a potter, Clarence a crafter of bracelets, Peterman a wood carver, Whacki a cider girl, Googs a shepherd girl or the coppersmith's helper, I am a candle woman, Dibs is Joseph. It's a family thing!

We're in a Community Christmas Choir--Jeff, Lila, Dibs and I. We had our performance on Sunday. I LOVE the choir. We practice on Saturday mornings from 7 'til 8:30, starting in October. Tomorrow night we are going to be the choir for St. Mary's Episcopal Church's 8 pm version of midnight Mass. It also is enjoyable. When we're at the Mass, the children who are at home will put together a Gingerbread House, and probably start watching a Christmas movie.

I love Christmas! It's especially nice when things seem to fall into place! Lila and the kids began making Christmas crescents (It's a cinnamon roll twisted to the shape of a crescent/wreath.) YUMMMMMM! We hand these out to as many people as we can. Sometimes we don't get them all handed out until AFTER Christmas.

I'm so happy that of the 5 packages I've sent, 4 reached the correct destination TODAY. # 5 will probably arrive the 26th.

Merry Christmas to ALLLLLL!!!

pumpkin carving --way back in October