Bookclub Christmas--Best Gathering of the Year

We gathered at Collette's house last Friday night to celebrate Christmas together. It's been a rough year for book club gatherings because we've all gotten so busy it's hard to be together at the same time each month. This year we moved our gatherings to the 2nd Friday night of each month, which helped immensely with the late nights for Collette and I since we have to get out the door for work in the mornings and because there are less conflicts with kids' sports/church activities. But we still ran into conflicts with vacations and busyness.

This was the first time we'd all been together in several months!

Collette had the table set beautifully and a scrumptious roast cooked.

Jenn brought salad, Jana brought rolls, Amy brought baked potatoes, I brought the sparkling grape juice, and Michelle was on dessert.

This is the view from the kitchen looking into "the book club room". Usually the blue lounge chair is not there, but it is left over from Collette's husband Travis' recent kidney and pancreas transplant!! It is such a miracle that he is no longer diabetic and that he is healthy and well, this felt like a milestone for book club too!

As Jana was sitting there looking at her feet she realized she had mismatched, fuzzy red socks on.

Michelle made this fabulous oatmeal, butterscotch cookie pie thing with a caramel sauce. We devoured it of course!

We continued our traditional book exchange, isn't this book mark made by Collette cute?

  Michelle got her book from Collette.

Collette got a book from Amy.

Amy got a book from me.

Jenn got a book from Jana.

Jana got her book from Michelle.

I got 2 books from Jenn! She knows I hate paying for church-type books so she got me this Emily Freeman book and then also The Lover's Dictionary which is on my to-read list but I didn't remember putting it there but I'm thrilled to get it.

The whole book is done like this with a different work heading on each page and talks about love.

These are the unwrapped books we gave/got.

Then it was on to gifts! I ended up giving the girls this draft paper Christmas print that I got from Pinterest. I really struggled to come up with something this year, but I love this.

It was a bountiful harvest! Amy made us paper poinsettia decorations, Jana gave us a substantial roll of wrapping paper, Collette gave us an autographed book and Cadbury eggs, Michelle gave us a cute tin with candy canes and a decorative frame, and then Jenn was the big finale with the suitcases full of treat goodness AND the black wood Christmas tree decoration. We're spoiled for sure.

Sunday Thoughts

Last week's Relief Society lesson was on President Uchtdorf's conference talk titled Waiting on the Road to Damascus. (It is an excellent talk, definitely worth reading and thinking about.) The teacher brought out many great points and shared an amazing personal experience with us.

• We take small steps of faith on our road to eternal life.
• Belief does not come all at once, but gradually over time.
• A body at rest stays at rest, a body in motion stays in motion (apply this principle to your personal spiritual growth).
• Those who diligently seek Him will come to know Him.
• Sometimes we don't get answers because we're not willing to give up certain things or be quiet enough to listen for them. We don't always recognize the promptings.
• Often our prayers are answered through someone else.

This is when the teacher told an amazing story of how after her husband died from cancer and she was left with 5 kids and lots of questions she was invited to attend a temple wedding and was struggling because she didn't want to go. But of course she wanted to support the person who invited her, so she decided to go but had been praying fervently to have a strong spiritual experience to help comfort her during this very sad, stressful time.

She said she went to the wedding, and it was nice but she didn't have anything special happen to her. But as she was driving home she got a call from a woman who'd been working on a house deal with her, who she didn't know very well. This woman told her that she had an amazing dream that she had to tell her about. This seemed very odd, but of course she listened to her. The woman said that in her dream she was driving down the road to her parents' house and that this man on a yellow bicycle flagged her down. She rolled her window down and he said, "When you see my sweet Stephanie tomorrow, tell her that I love her."

It turns out that Stephanie's (the teacher) husband used to ride his yellow bike on that road all the time (but the lady who had the dream didn't know that and hadn't known him) when he was alive.

She shared this story to illustrate that the Lord knows us personally and that He often answers our prayers through another person. Her example was particularly unusual since her answer came through someone who wasn't even familiar with her family, but that just makes it that more miraculous. Also, that same woman had been struggling with her testimony and as a result set off on a more spiritual path and is now the Relief Society President in her ward!

**Thoughts??**

Comment Window Tidbit: I substituted for a member of the new Primary Presidency today and it reminded me of how much I love being in primary!

Sweet Fancy Moses

This afternoon I experienced my first burst of energy in 23 days! (Which have been the longest 23 days I've ever experienced.) With this new sense of well-being I was able to get some groceries and gas, unload them (this is no small thing when you've been without energy for a long time), did some laundry, documented my recent good mail, dusted, called Lori just to talk (I've been anti-phone through all of this), called my dad for his birthday, vacuumed the house, AND went for a walk with Landon! What in the world?!! I am so excited! I'm starting to remember that I like to do things after all. It feels miraculous!

Side note: While on our half hour long walk Landon and I saw at least 6 cats, a huge pheasant, 4 deer, numerous horses, several dogs and two goats.

Comment Window Tidbit: I really hope this burst of energy is going to be a permanent thing!

Sunday Thoughts

Recently we had a primary activity about the miracles of Christ; it was the perfect pre-Easter pre-conference activity.

The kids gathered in the primary room for singing time, so that things didn't get out of hand the way the often do at these activities. The music always sets the tone and brings the Spirit, so it was the perfect way to start.


We then had our fabulous music leader (she's the Bishop's wife and has been Stake primary president) talk to the kids about what a miracle is. She taught them these steps.

1. Need
2. Faith
3. Divine power
= MIRACLE

Then she told them how miracles start with the seed of faith and that with nurturing it will grow. She had several of the kids plant a seed in a container of dirt, and has plans to bring the container to primary to show them its progress.

Then we had 3 rotations about the miracles of Christ.
1. Healings
2. Feeding the 5,000
3. Calming the sea


I was in charge of talking about the many miracles of Christ healing people, plus the kids were writing in 5 huge get well cards for various members of our ward. I got totally choked up as I talked to the kids about the various ways Christ healed people. I think the combination of telling them about each picture I had hanging on the board with the reality of the 5 ward members' situations just did me in.


Especially because the 6 year old daughter of one of the card recipients was in the first rotation and she immediately burst into tears as I talked about people struggling to get well. She is an incredibly intelligent, high strung, emotional little girl who is wise beyond her years, so hearing her say, "My dad has cancer, he is so sick" was a lot to take.

I tried to explain to them how Christ can make each of us whole and how we should love and take care of people we know are suffering because that's what he taught people to do.


The 10 minutes for each rotation flew by and I felt like a snotty mess, so I have no idea which kids paid attention or felt the Spirit, but I know I did.


At the end, we gathered all the kids together in the primary room for the powerful ending. We had one of our male primary teachers (who has a strong voice) read from the pulpit in the chapel so that his voice came over the speaker in the primary room. He read President Hinckley's testimony of the resurrection. It was amazing.

**Thoughts??**

Comment Window Tidbit: I'm totally loving the book I'm reading right now (The Forgotten Garden) and just want to read in bed all the time.

Shmalentine's Day

I wasn't feeling very Shmalentiney this year so I didn't send any Valentines or put up any decorations or do much of anything other than make cookies and make sure the kids had Valentines for their classes at school. Weird. I normally enjoy the gift giving, candy-eating, good mail sending activities that go along with Valentine's Day, I guess I just wasn't in the mood this year.

And then I woke up sick on Saturday morning, so any sort of shopping, baking, or decorating quickly disappeared from my agenda.


Sunday morning the kids woke us up by bringing us breakfast in bed, complete with this decorated tray and decorated cups (Whitney had decorated our door the day before).


I've never had a heart taped to a glass before, or started out the day with a grape soda, but I was happy to make an exception for Shmalentine's Day (though it was risky move considering my rumbling guts).


Randy (and the kids--though they had no idea) gave me a Target gift card and all these chocolates. Lindor milk chocolate truffles are my favorite, so I love having a stash of those on hand.

Fortunately the kids had a present from my mom for each of them--she gave them a huge heart sucker, a pair of Valentine socks and some chocolates.


I ended up going out today and got Randy and the kids a little box of chocolates and some bubble gum, even though they didn't expect anything from me.


Lori stopped by tonight to bring me this bedazzled mug full of candy. I think it's cute, and I appreciated her thoughtfulness for sure.

I think being sick over this weekend ended up being a good thing for me because it absolved me of any Valentine's Day duties and expectations and made me appreciate how Randy takes care of me when I'm sick. He ended up making the frosting for the Denver Sheet Cake I had signed up to take to a funeral on Saturday. I had made the cake on Friday, but planned to make the frosting on Saturday but then was too sick to do it. He not only made it for me, but he frosted the cake, delivered it, helped take down chairs and tables from the funeral luncheon, and retrieved my pan...good man. He also ended up frosting the 2 dozen cookies I had to bring to primary on Sunday (luckily I'd made them earlier in the week and frozen them) and delivered those as well. So really, it's kind of Shmalentine's Day miracle!

**How was your weekend?
Did you go all out?
Ever had grape soda for breakfast?**

Comment Window Tidbit: I lost 5 pounds by being sick this weekend!

Sunday Thoughts

I was really hoping to be snowed out of church today because it seemed rather dreamy to have a quiet day at home with just the 4 of us, but that didn't happen. Instead, Landon stayed home sick on the couch while the 3 of us went to church. It ended up being a great day there, so I'm not sure why I was so hoping to be snowed in.


The talks in church were quite good today, here are my notes.

--Try praying without asking for anything, just be thankful and focus on the good in your life.

The woman speaking gave an example from a time in her life when she'd been up all night with a sick child and wasn't feeling particularly grateful, but had been challenged to pray like this. She said she had to work hard to craft her sentences in a way that fit her circumstances. She said things like, "Thank you for the one hour of sleep I got last night" and "Thank you for this child". She said she ended up feeling so much better after her prayer and was able to function that day as if she'd had a full night's sleep. She said that praying this way results in longer, more thoughtful prayers.

--Often times things that are most common to us lose value in our eyes. So living near many church members, or close to the temple or with abundance means we often forget how blessed we are.
--Miracles happen all the time!
--Look around you to see what you may be taking for granted.
--The temple points the way to Celestial Glory.
--Heavenly Father doesn't give up on us and we shouldn't give up on our children. --The Lord is aware of our needs, and places us where we need to be.
--Is the temple too close, too easy to be of value in our lives? (Ouch!)
--The Lord expects us to put forth the effort to go to the temple.
--Strive to see God's hand in your daily life.
--Credit the Lord with the inspiration and miracles in your life. There are NO coincidences!

I was really touched by this 2nd talk and know there are no coincidences. When miracles occur in our lives it is through God's hand. Randy came home from work earlier this week and said, "We've had our first Christmas miracle!" I thought it was sweet that he said it was our first, but he was right. One of his jobs (which is only part time) gave him a very unexpected and generous Christmas bonus, thus saving us from having to donate plasma to provide Christmas for our kids. We had seriously been sweating about this and wondering how this month was going to happen for us, but the Lord provided and did so in a big way!

Our second Christmas miracle came a few days later in the mail when a blogger's mom (a friend of mine) sent a card with a nice note and some money. I was absolutely speechless upon opening the card and felt so humbled and touched. Thank you!

Of course, money miracles aren't the only ones going around, they just happen to be the ones we need most these days. I also know that we can be the answer to other people's prayers as we look for ways to serve and be generous with our time, talents and means. That can happen by doing your visiting teaching, serving your family, offering someone a ride or help in a store, babysitting for someone, listening to someone, writing that note you keep meaning to write, and basically getting over ourselves and our busyness enough to reach out to others.

**Thoughts??**

Comment Window Tidbit: Last night we watched "Elf" and tonight we watched "Home Alone" so our holiday movie viewing has been a delight.

Sunday Thoughts

The overwhelming message I came away with from church today was that prayers are answered. I know this, but it's still spirit-building to listen to other people share their testimonies on the subject.


One man, whose wife just had a kidney transplant from their grown son, said that "It's through faith and prayers that miracles happen, we've had miracles." He also said, "Prayers are answered through other people."

I feel like this past week of back pain has brought about my own miracles and reminded me that the Lord always answers our prayers, but that most of the time it's not in a way we could have anticipated.

I had been praying for Him to heal my ankle so I'd be able to walk in Paris, and He did so by giving me back pain. I'm not saying He specifically gave me back pain, I'm sure the pain was a result of me limping for 7 weeks and then stressing about the limping, but I feel like the resulting pain and relief from it has humbled me and changed my perspective in such a way that I'm now grateful just to be able to bend down to pick something up. I have been led to a doctor I wouldn't have known otherwise, and am getting affordable help for both my back and my ankle. These are miracles and answers to my prayers!

I know that none of us wish for trials or challenges to come our way, but it sure is nice to feel the change in heart, mind and spirit when one is over.

**Thoughts**

Comment Window Tidbit: My stomach is full, my back isn't hurting, church was great today and I took a Sunday nap...life is good!

Comical Update

Thank you to everyone who commented on yesterday's whiny post and offered me advice and support, I really appreciate it. You'll be happy to know that Crystal gave me info about a chiropractor and I can now say I'm "well adjusted" (Ha, I couldn't help myself).


It's amazing to me that I went into the chiropractor feeling locked up, sore, nervous and clueless and came out of there laughing and amazed. When he sat me down to talk for a bit and give me some background (no pun intended) info about back pain I was seriously trying to keep from turning into a weepy mess.

Then he had me lie face down on the table and then did some pressure point stuff and resistance exercises, then had me turn over (I practically slid off the table because of my rayon pants) and then he proceeded to crack the living daylights out of me! It took me by surprise really (which sounds stupid considering he's a chiropractor), but I was just lying there and then he came over and turned my head and popped like 6 things into place...what the?


He did some adjustments for my back which created the kind of noises you hear in chiropractic visits you see in the movies. Each time he did this I grunted and then burst out laughing. I couldn't help it, it was just too crazy. Plus, I kept thinking how amazed Randy would be by these sounds, because when we crack each others' backs occasionally we only hear 2-3 cracks, but this was like a home run in the World Series of back cracking.

He also worked on my gimpy ankle a little bit and gave me a bottle of Ligaplex to help it heal faster. Plus, the office visit was only $40! I could not believe the difference I felt after this appointment! I still wasn't in skipping kind of shape, but I felt like giving it a try. I'm going back in Friday, but am now feeling seriously hopeful and much more at ease, which is very important because my stress was related to the back pain in the first place!

Funny note: The doctor said I was the first patient he's ever had who laughed hysterically after being adjusted and the first who has ever slid off the table. I'm so proud.


After my appointment, Landon had a football game (it was deceptively cold) and scored 2 touch downs and an extra point, plus I actually got the touch downs and a kick on video for once.

Touch down number one.

His victory celebration with Randy.

Kick off!

It's remarkable to find myself sitting at the computer 24 hours later feeling completely different. I know this whole episode has been a blessing, and I think the back pain ended up sending me to a chiropractor which will end up helping my ankle, which I was worried about but unsure of who to go to or how I would pay for it in the first place, so the back pain was a blessing. This is totally one of those times when I can see the Lord's hand in my life.

**Have you ever gone to a chiropractor?
Have blogging friends helped you before?
Have you ever laughed in a doctor's office?**

Comment Window Tidbit: What a difference a day makes eh?

Little Miracle

The title Little Miracle is an oxymoron, but I'm sticking with it. This morning I had a visiting teaching appointment to meet this new woman in our ward. I'd made the appointment with her on Monday and was looking forward to meeting her. My partner is out of town, so I was going alone, and this woman is new in our ward and recently separated from her husband, but that's all I knew about her.


So I showed up on her porch right on time at 9:00am this morning and no one came to the door! I did some aggressive knocking and rang the door bell a couple times, but thought she might be hiding out in there avoiding me, so I didn't want to be obnoxious about it.

I got back in my car and remembered that on Monday I had felt inclined (aka prompted--though I didn't recognize that at the time) to put the phone numbers of the ladies I visit teach into my cell phone. In all my years of visiting teaching, I have never done that before, but was so impressed that Michelle's visiting teacher called her from Costco earlier this month to see if she would like her to bring her a roast chicken for dinner that I thought I should do that too.

So I called this woman from my car and expected to get her voice mail, but she answered the phone! I asked her if she remembered that I was coming, and she said "yes" so I asked her which house number was hers and it turns out I was knocking on the wrong door! (I didn't have an address for her, I'd just been told she lived in one of these condos near another family from our ward, so I was at the wrong door.)

I was then able to go to her place and have a great visit with her, that ended up being good for both of us. As I left there, I immediately realized that I had been prompted to put her phone number in my cell phone the other day. Because even though I carry a ward list with me, she's new and wouldn't have been on it yet. If I had missed that visit she would have thought I was a flake and I would have thought she was a flake too! I truly feel this was a little miracle just for us today.

**Thoughts**

Comment Window Tidbit: I'm getting my hair done tomorrow, yippee, yahoo!!

Sunday Thoughts

A couple of the speakers in church today mentioned miracles that happened while on their missions, and one of them read from the Bible Dictionary definition of miracles which totally piqued my curiosity and got me doing follow-up reading at home.

Miracles

An important element in the work of Jesus Christ, being not only divine acts, but forming also a part of the divine teaching. Christianity is founded on the greatest of all miracles, the resurrection of our Lord. If that be admitted, other miracles cease to be improbable. Miracles should not be regarded as deviations from the ordinary course of nature so much as manifestations of divine or spiritual power. Some lower law was in each case superseded by the action of the higher. They were intended to be a proof to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ (Matt. 11: 4-5; John 2: 11; John 10: 25; John 20: 30-31). Many of them were also parabolic and instructive, teaching by means of symbols such divine truths as the result of sin and the cure of sin; the value of faith; the curse of impurity; and the law of love. The miracles of healing also show how the law of love is to deal with the actual facts of life. Miracles were and are a response to faith, and its best encouragement. They were never wrought without prayer, felt need, and faith.

It is important to notice the different names by which miracles are described. They are called signs, as being visible tokens of an invisible power; they are powers or mighty works, because they are the acts of One who is almighty; they are simply works, or the natural results of the Messiah’s presence among men; they are wonders, marvels, because of the effect produced on those who saw them.

The following miracles are found in one Gospel only

Matthew.

The curing of two blind men (Matt. 9: 27-31).

the casting out of a devil from the dumb man (Matt. 9: 32-34).

the stater in the fish’s mouth (Matt. 17: 24-27).

Mark.

The healing of a deaf and dumb man (Mark 7: 31-37).

the restoration of the sight of the blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8: 22-26).

Luke.

The draught of fishes (Luke 5: 4-11).

the raising of the widow’s son (Luke 7: 11-16).

the healing of the woman with a spirit of infirmity (Luke 13: 11-17).

the healing of the man afflicted with dropsy (Luke 14: 1-6).

the cleansing of the ten lepers (Luke 17: 12-19).

the healing of Malchus (Luke 22: 50-41).

John.

Water made wine (John 2: 1-11).

the healing of the nobleman’s son (John 4: 46-54).

the healing of the impotent man at Bethesda (John 5: 1-16).

the restoration of sight to the man blind from birth (John 9).

the raising of Lazarus (John 11: 1-45).

the net full of fishes (John 21: 1-24).

Miracles are a part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. If miracles cease it is because faith has ceased. See Mark 6: 5-6; Morm. 9: 10-20; Ether 12: 12.

I need to be better about recognizing and recording the miracles in my life so I don't forget them.

**Thoughts??**

Finally, My Birthday Post

I had to be awake by 8:00 on my birthday in order to get the kids ready for Jared to come pick them up at 8:30. He saved me a trip to Freakin Eagle Mountain (which was a birthday gift itself) because he'd gone to an early-morning temple session and was heading back home at that time. How nice!


I opened the door for Jared and found these darling balloons on the banister. I was surprised and happy, because nothing is more festive on a birthday than balloons. I had no idea who they were from until later in the day when I got a text message from Lori.

After the kids left, I had a leisurely morning of blogging, reading, going back to sleep for 1.5 hours (I'd been up very late the night before) and then had plenty of time to get ready for the day. It was luxurious, I love not being in a hurry.


I picked Michelle up around 2:00pm for a birthday lunch at California Pizza Kitchen. I didn't get the Tostada pizza this time, but got the BLT pizza instead and loved it.

We had an hour to go shopping in the mall after lunch and Michelle scored a bunch of cute items. I struck out most cruelly even though I took like 10 items into the dressing room with me. I like to increase the odds of finding something, but only came away with one dressy cardigan I can wear to church. Hmph. (That sounds super dowdy doesn't it? But really it's cute.)


At one point, I was sitting outside the dressing room waiting for Michelle to finish trying things on when a woman in the next dressing room came out and asked me to help her with her zipper. The funny thing is that the zipper was on the side of the dress right under her armpit and involved very close proximity to her teal bra. Also, the dress DID NOT FIT so there was no way to get that zipper up. There was a language barrier between us, but I tried to convey the fact that it was not going to zip up. It was a rather tiny party dress for a not so tiny girl, but she ended up buying it anyway. Maybe she has some sort of magic, slimming undergarment I should know about.


After our speedy shopping session we went to the Dollar Movie Theater and met up with Collette to see '17 Again'. She had already seen it, but liked it so much she wanted to go again. Michelle and I both loved it and felt like giddy school girls, which is funny because we were surrounded by real, giddy schools in the theater who were all dreamy-eyed over Zac Efron the way I was over Ricky Schroder back in the day.


Michelle and I then went back to the mall (Collette had other things to do) after the movie and subjected ourselves to more reality-check, self-esteem-busting dressing room time. Oh the humanity! I found myself wondering what serious lapse in judgment I must be having to consider trying on clothes on my birthday (as if I need any help being mental on that day). Remarkably, I held it together, did NOT go into a funk (truly amazing) and found a couple shirts and a couple skirts, plus I had a coupon for $25 off. It was a birthday miracle!


I then took Michelle home and opened the super cute gifts she had for me. First of all, they were in the world's cutest, reusable shopping bags. I thought she must have used rub-ons to put the "J" on them, but she said they actually came that way (they're from T.J. Maxx).


Then she had very cute, color scheme-themed gifts for me. Red place mats, a red tea towel, a red spatula, black & white polka-dotted plates, a black, white and red notepad and note cards AND a King Sized set of her favorite Long Staple Cotton sheets! I was elated!


I am so grateful to have a good friend like Michelle to spend my birthdays with. It's always a fun day with her, and this year was even better because I was inexplicably stable. There were no waves of disappointment or mysterious melancholia, all was well! I'm wondering if 38 is my year of official maturity? Could it be?


After leaving Michelle's house, I drove to Los Hermanos for a lovely birthday dinner (complete with fancy drinks) with Lori. We had a nice, leisurely dinner and then spent another 45 minutes talking in the parking lot. Good times. (It ended up being too dark to get a good self-portrait so the drink photo will have to do.)


I came home just after 10:00pm to find these goodies waiting for me. There was a bowl of cut up watermelon and a little gift bag from Amie, flowers and a Chili's gift card from Madison's mom, and a box of donuts from Claudia that had been delivered by one of her cousins.

How happy is this?!

The kids had already brushed their teeth, but were super thrilled when I told them they could have one (so was Randy!). Apparently they feared I'd keep them all for myself, sheesh.


Landon gave me this sweet card he made for me. He doesn't usually like to do anything artistic, so this was really a gift of love from him. (Whitney had given me her handmade card first thing in the morning, but I can't find the picture of it right now.)

It was such a great day, and ended perfectly because there was a new episode of So You Think You Can Dance there for me to watch.


I received a lot of great birthday good mail, but that will have to be another post.

**Do you like to go out on your birthday?
Is shopping traumatic for you?
Have you ever had BLT pizza?
Have you ever given a color-themed gift?**