Christmas, revisited

OK, so I mentioned my favorite gift was the ceramic bowl from my sister. But there were other items that really pleased me as well, and none of them were expensive.

For example, a $6 pair of dangley earrings from the local museum gift shop (which was from Glen...he actually was there with me when I picked them out!).

Then there's the uber-soft, dusty blue throw blanket my parents gave us. Pure luxury.

And I am absolutely loving my new book "Crepúsculo." It's the Spanish version of "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer. I sometimes read my scriptures in Spanish and understand almost everything I read there, but I get to school and talk to the students or watch a Spanish TV show and I have a very hard time understanding what is being said. Part of the problem there is lack of vocabulary in certain areas...like any area other than religion. It's been 23 years since I got back from my mission in Uruguay and I don't get much practice. I have underlined a lot of words in the book so I can study the vocab...what I need now is practice in listening to native speakers. Anyway, it's fun.

And the greatest "gift" of all is being together...and the kids are actually getting along.... It's a wonderful time of the year.

Being Old, revisited

Went to write a check on the 20th. Turned out my driver's license had expired on the 7th. Glen had to drive me around the rest of the weekend.

Monday he took me to the DMV...where I FAILED the eye test and had to put on my glasses in order to pass it. I now have the "A" restriction on my license...I'm supposed to wear my glasses when I drive. Boy, do I feel old.

"The Nativity" by Alonzo L. Gaskill

I just finished reading a small book: "The Nativity" by Alonzo L. Gaskill. Bought it at BYU when I was there. It's published by Deseret Book. What a wonderful book. Brother Gaskill is a convert from the Greek Orthodox Church and has written books on gospel symbols.

The Christmas story from Matthew and Luke is meshed chronologically, so you can read the whole story (which is what we read on Christmas Eve). Then the scriptures are taken line by line and explained as far as biblical customs and other commentaries are concerned. Really insightful. I highly recommend it.

Merry Christmas

What a wonderful few days it's been! Andrew's home from college. Christmas is here and we are full of love, good cheer and too much good food.

Last night we read the Christmas story together...sad to say it hasn't been a family tradition to do that. Hopefully now, we won't let another year pass without sharing the story of the birth of our Savior.

Right now the snow is blowing outside...the first white Christmas I can remember for a long time. I want to say it's only the 3rd I remember since I first had Christmas here in 1988. I LOVE it. So glad to be able to stay inside, sip my warm lemonade, and listen to my kids happily playing together (Glen's napping, of course!).

Santa usually places the stockings at the foot of everyone's bed. Hannah, however, had locked her door (bolted from the inside, actually...that's what you get when you have 4 brothers and a regular lock doesn't stop them from entering if they -- well, he...there's only one brother that really wouldn't stay out of her room --want)!!! Santa had to leave Hannah and Alex's stockings in the hallway.

We mainly got games and books. So now there is plenty to keep us occupied. Cleaning out the game closet to make room for all the new ones is next on my chore list.

I think my favorite gift for this year came from my one and only and best sister...a ceramic bowl that she threw herself! My sister has never been into crafts, so it's just totally amazing! Thanks Deni.

As for what my loving husband gave me...I usually shop for myself (I don't know if it's because I'm a control freak and/or am afraid of being disappointed) but tell him I need one surprise under the tree from him. I have to laugh...guess what he gave me?

He thoughtfully gave me three packages of ball point pens (he knows I'm frustrated when I can't find pens and he knows I really like the kind with the spongy grip part, so it really was thoughtful of him).

He also gave me a new, non-burning cookie sheet (which is also thoughtful since Andrew took one of ours with him to college and sometimes we have a hard time dealing with only 2 cookie sheets...we make cookies a lot).

And he gave me a little vegetable steamer thing you put in the bottom of your pot to use. It makes me chuckle. Don't know why he gave me that...other than he knows we didn't already have one! Too funny.

Oops. Gotta go. My in-laws have arrived for our traditional Christmas Day visit. Merry Christmas everybody!

Galumpha

Last night our family went to see a performing group called Galumpha. Everyone had a great time (which is really amazing as it so rarely happens that everyone likes the same thing). The following link is to a piece they did for us called "Velcro" but I thought our experience was more fun than watching the video, so something might be lost by not being there live. But take a peek if you're interested:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K37LIk3i-9o


This link has a trailer and 2 other choices for them that you can click on...it shows the variety of pieces that they did. Our group didn't have the black man, but a woman instead. It really was fun.

http://www.galumpha.com/gallery.php

Happy Birthday to me

Well, I'm 47 today. Guess what I got myself? Lately I've been on a music kick and I discovered a pianist named Ludovico Einaudi. His song "Primavera" is on my playlist. I ordered one of his albums "La Scala" and it came on Tuesday. I've been playing it all week and I love almost every song on it. If you are interested in having a listen, the following link should take you to Amazon.com where you can listen to a bit of each song on the CDs.

http://www.amazon.com/Scala-Concert-03/dp/B00015TSMA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1228693966&sr=1-1

I'm now debating if I'm going to order an album from another pianist that I've just learned of: Scott D. Davis. I would probably order his Christmas album (I buy myself a new Christmas CD every year and haven't done it yet), but the YouTube of his that I've been listening to is the same song "Nothing Else Matters" that I posted previously by the group Apocalyptica:

I downloaded the sheet music for this song and have been practicing it this week...it's 8 pages long and I can get through the first 1 1/2 pages without making too many mistakes...of course they are the easiest pages in the piece. Don't know if I'll ever get it down well enough for others to hear, but I'm sure enjoying playing it.

We decorated the house for Christmas this weekend. I decided to put the 2nd tree up in my bedroom...I'm so excited. I've never done that before, but that way I'll get to enjoy it more than if it was in the other room. We are off to a slow start. I've only done a little shopping and I haven't made my Christmas cards or written our Christmas letter yet this year. I need to get going. The weather's been so warm it hasn't seemed like Christmastime, but we only have 2 1/2 weeks left to go!

A Very Busy Thanksgiving Weekend

Andrew came home from college last Tuesday night. It was so good to have him home! It was like he'd never left. Of course he's back at school now, but he'll be home in less than 4 weeks for the holidays!

Thursday we went to my in-laws for dinner (it was not a good day for pie making for me...I burnt 2 pecan pies). We had a wonderful feast and a great time visiting. Teresa and her family were here, which made it extra nice. We usually only see her once a year, so this extra visit was fun.

On Friday, Alex had his baptism. We were waiting to have Andrew home...he gave the talk on the Holy Ghost. Adam, who just got his mission call to Michigan, gave the talk on baptism. It was really wonderful.

Hannah's birthday was on Monday, but we had a little birthday celebration for her on Saturday so Andrew could join in on it. She's a teenager now...though she keeps telling me she's still only 12. It makes me laugh since when I was her age I really wanted to be older, but she doesn't seem to want that yet.

So, where are the pictures you ask? Stuck on my camera 'cause I can't find the battery recharger for my camera, so I can't download the photos to my computer. :(

It was a great weekend and we have so much to be thankful for...the gospel and our family being the two biggest.

Eric's birthday

Eric turned 17 this week. Wow. So hard to believe. I had a killer headache and wasn't functioning my best, so there are no pictures to share. :(

I asked what he wanted for his birthday dinner, and his only reply was "soft pretzels." So I bought some frozen ones from Walmart as well as jalapeño poppers (one of his favorite snacks). So nutritional. He wanted angel food cake with blueberries for dessert...it was so good I might just have the same thing when it's my birthday in 2 weeks.

Happy Birthday Eric!!! We love you!!!

my daughter, the actress

Well, this past weekend was the Jr High Musical "Shakespeare Comes to Calamity Creek" and my daughter had a part in it. When she was cast she told me she was cast as "girl, age 10" so I thought she was just part of the ensemble. Turns out she actually had several lines throughout the play and sang a song with 3 other girls (during which they each had a solo). She was wonderful, even if I do say so myself. Others shared my opinion.

It's just amazing to me that 4 of my 5 children (and my husband, of course) like being on stage. I don't know that I'd even want to be a part of the ensemble, much less have lines or sing a solo. Boggles my mind. Ryan is the only one of my children who takes after me in this. He had NO desire for the stage...well, for acting purposes anyway. He would want to perform his Rubik's cube solving talent in front of a large audience.

That's one of the fascinating parts of being a parent...the mix of personality traits that you discover in your children.

Anyway, Bravo Hannah!!! Oh, and thanks Hannah for helping me to get a playlist up!

youtube videos

Well, I did something new recently...I started surfing YouTube one day. I found a few videos with music that I loved and looked into the songs more. I've wound up with a string of open YouTube windows, and while I'm working on the computer I click one right after the other and can listen to some really beautiful songs.

There is one song I found that almost haunted me, so I figured out what it was and googled it...only to be surprised to find out that it was a heavy metal song from Metallica from 1992. I have never liked heavy metal, but this other group (Apocalyptica) has 4 cellists and though there's a part in the middle I don't enjoy as much, on the whole I think it's great. "Nothing Else Matters" and "River Flows in You" are now on my playlist.

"Nothing Else Matters" by Apocalyptica:

"River Flows in You" by Yurima

And here's the URL to a very funny clip Andrew sent us. It's called "Algorithm March"

I love beautiful music...wish I could play better.

Accident up ahead

I have to post this now, before I forget. You'll see why in a minute.

This morning Glen and I are getting ready for the day...I'm drying my hair and he's shaving. I was going to tell him something, but a few moments after the thought formed in my head, I couldn't retrieve it.

So I say to him that my thoughts had derailed again. He replies that my tracks are old.

Sad thing is...I reply with confusion. Tracks? What is he talking about. Duh. The tracks the train of my thoughts run on...I had already forgotten about my comment just moments before. Sigh.

A few weeks ago at Church an announcement was made and I thought that I'd better write it down before I forgot. I bent over and got the paper and pencil out of my bag, sat up...and then had nothing to write down as I'd already forgotten what it was that I was supposed write. Sigh again.

It's a good thing my head is attached...for all the good my head does.

Some Ironic (is that the right word?) Things

#1 Last winter/spring there was a Saturday where I was traveling in my car singing along to the CD of my favorite songs. I had an epiphany: I realized I was a terrible singer. I said to myself right then that singing wasn't one of my talents. I do sing alto in the ward choir, but at least I have plenty of other voices to cover mine up.

So what happened the day after I realize I'm a terrible singer?! I was asked by a friend to sing in a small group for a church meeting. I said yes because I don't believe in saying no to things like that, but I gave a warning that they might want to kick me out. They didn't. The audience survived. I survived.

A month or two ago I was approached to get this group back together to sing for another meeting. That meeting happened Saturday. Once again, all involved survived...and once again I was the weakest link. Oh, well.

#2 This past Saturday I commented to Glen that my eyes were getting so bad that it was now difficult for me to read without my glasses.

Now, I always bring my glasses with me to Church, but somehow I managed to forget them on Sunday. And the choir was singing (remember, I'm in the alto section). Then I was filling in as ward chorister. Then I was asked to fill in and play the piano in Primary during the Sunday School time slot (as the regular pianist was in the High Council room while one of his sons was being set apart as a member of our new Bishopric). I then had to teach the Young Women's lesson...oh, how I wish I hadn't forgotten my glasses (or that I didn't need them in the first place).

Getting Started

I think I'm nuts. Why would I want to add one more thing for me to do...especially when it involves more time sitting in the computer chair? But I've been toying with the idea of starting a blog...there are aspects of it that intrigue me, so here goes.

This morning I was feeling very negative about myself. It was very strange. I really felt that my life is a waste lately...I don't do anything important. Everything is just routine. I don't make any real contributions...I don't serve enough. I don't know how to explain those feelings.

I'm glad to say that I'm feeling much more positive now. I associate the improved mood with attending church. I guess the spirit there was enough to override my negative thoughts. I'm so grateful for that.

So, I'm feeling "lighter" and hope to have a good week.