More Christmas Eve Pictures

One of our traditional Christmas Pictures.
Chewy is on the floor.  Kayli is holding Teddy.
From left to right front:  Kayli, Jake, Trisa and Dan
Back:  Mike, Tia, Derek, Me and Connor

Before the traditional picture we were at Derek's Parent's house for pizza and a program.
This is the only picture I had with Dan in it.  He played 3 different inn keepers (I think).

Trisa's Dog Chewie in our kitchen later.

My nephew Chase being angelic.

And, the family again -- minus Teddy who isn't in to staying still.

Christmas

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 

Photo by Alasdair Elmes on Unsplash

Some Christmas Eve Activities

We've done a few things today.  I don't have a picture of Mike and Tia making a cheese ball, or me making sugar cookie dough.  I don't have a picture of Dan on the computer, or watching things on his phone.  I don't have a picture of Derek reading, or the girls walking the dogs.  But I do have some pictures!

Connor had Tia cut his hair.  I love it!!

All of the children but Dan just finished a game of Harry Potter clue.  Now they were preparing
to watch a part of The 10th Kingdom

Mike wasn't so excited for The 10th Kingdom and so he's doing the biggest puzzle he could find at our house.  He was disappointed that it wasn't more than 750 little pieces.

Also, Mike graduated from BYU last week!  He's not really excited about it and we didn't even realize it had happened.  He starts at the Police Academy in early January.  He was hired by the Provo Police.  Hopefully that will be a job he enjoys.

Impressing the Boss

Derek and I went to a couple of work parties in the last couple of weeks.  One was a big gathering, and the other a smaller one at someone's house.  This smaller one was the party for the people who work under Derek's boss, and their spouses.  Derek's boss is from the UK, and I got to meet him briefly at the big party and I got to spend quite a bit of time talking to his wife at this party.  I liked them.  They are nice people.

At the end of the party Derek's boss thanked everyone for coming and said how impressed he is with the people he works with (including those there).  He hadn't ever had such a kind group of people who help each other and were even willing to open their homes for Christmas parties.  I have been thankful for him because he is a lot more reasonable than the last boss, and I am glad that he recognizes that he works with good people.

The top thing is a "Christmas Cracker".  Derek's boss' wife Alex told us about them.
It is a tradition in the UK at family gatherings for everyone to have one.  You pull the ends and a firework goes off.  A paper with a joke on it comes out.  Everyone shares their joke.  She said it is fun, but they wouldn't let them bring any to America on the airplane (because -- fireworks!).  Fortunately they sell them in the US now.

A Christmas Carol

Today at church one of the speakers started by giving a synopsis of A Christmas Carol.  I love it when I get a chance to see the play at the Hale Center Theater.  It is my favorite and I cry over it every time.  I cry over Tiny Tim, and his family who is devastated when he dies, and I cry over poor miserable Scrooge.  But I am happy that he learns his lessons, and that the future he saw could be changed if he made better choices.  Tiny Tim could live.  The sad family could be happy.  And Scrooge could learn to be happy instead of miserly and miserable.  And he did.

The Scrooge who had yet to learn his lesson sees his business partner Marley covered in chains.

“You are fettered," said Scrooge, trembling. "Tell me why?"
"I wear the chain I forged in life," replied the Ghost. "I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

We get to choose how we live.  We get to decide how to react to things.  We choose how we think, and what we do.  Agency, or choice, is one of the greatest gifts we have, and the way we learn.  As long as we live it is never too late to shed whatever chains we have girded.  We do this by using the power of the Atonement made by the Savior, who is the very reason we celebrate Christmas.  We can be like the Scrooge at the end of the story.

“I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year"  Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

Celebrating Kayli

Today Kayli finally got to really celebrate her birthday.  She wanted to wait until her siblings could all be home.  During the day we did a hard puzzle, played a game that had us laughing a lot, watched a Hallmark movie, ate dinner, opened presents (just Kayli on that one), and had dessert.  Now another movie is on.  It has been a good day.

Connor, Trisa and Kayli -- with Teddy's head as he watches.

Kayli wanted her Dad to decorate the cake and so he did.  It was awesome!

Jake, Trisa, Kayli and Derek
I like this for Kayli's face, and Derek's sympathetic blowing.  I really think that is a thing.

Connor, Trisa and Kayli.  Aren't they the cutest?!

Trisa, Kayli, and Derek.  Trisa gave Kayli a Lion King coloring book.
Kayli is a Lion King fan.

Trisa, Kayli, and Kayli's new kindle.

Kayli's Birthday Day

For Kayli's birthday she and I traveled to St. George to see her Grandpa Fuller.  He's having heart surgery on the 3rd of January and she wanted to visit him first.  We stopped at IHOP and The Puppy House on our way there.

I believe this is a Bernadoodle (half St. Bernard and half Poodle).
You can admire his large belly.

Kayli wanted to take them all home but especially this snuggly one.

So Cute!

Cute puppies.

Kayli's Great Uncle Don and Aunt Ada sang the happy birthday song to Kayli before dinner.
My Mom and Dad and I sang it again with her Peanut Butter Pie after dinner.

The first attempt was a no go.

Which made her laugh.  She blew the candles out quickly after that.

Wiggly Puppy kept trying to get to my face!

Aww.  Maybe the trick to smiling well in a picture is holding a cute puppy!

Ha ha!  Nope.  Apparently not.  But that's okay.

We had a nice time here with my parents and will celebrate Kayli's birthday with the rest of the family on Saturday.  Or maybe she'll want to open presents Friday.  We'll see!

Kayli!!!

Tia and Mike took Kayli and her cousin Avery to Goat Yoga.
I wish I had all of the pictures because Kayli and Avery look so very happy when
they are holding the goats!

💖 Today is Kayli's birthday and I am so very, very thankful that we have our Kayli in the family!!  She has a hard time getting to bed when she wants because Jake and Dan line up at her door.  They know she will listen and they know she loves them.  I think Jake lists her first every time someone asks what he is thankful for.  Her sisters love hanging out with her, her brother-in-laws are huge fans, and her "twin" Connor carried her picture with him all over Japan and loves her a lot.

Kayli especially loves her Papa, who she often calls "Gary", or "Cupcake".  She is "Sweet muffin of butter", or "Buttery Muffin", or "Muffin" for short.  Call her that at your own risk because it's a special perk for Dad.  She's my shopping buddy, my smoothie buddy, my traveling buddy, and she listens to her Mama too.  She's been my finder for years.  If I lose something I am always hoping Kayli is home to help me find it!  She loves old people, babies, and everyone in between.  She's Sassy and silly and fun.  There really isn't a way to say too many good things about my Kayli.  I love her.

Kayli with her Papa

Kayli with her baby -- Teddy

A Happy Day

Today (Tuesday) while Derek was struggling through a long work day and Dan was trying to catch up on school work and everyone else were was getting through their days the best they could, I was busy having a pretty good day.  Mostly I am thankful for my four hours of working in the Payson Temple office.  The temple is a happy place to be and the ladies in the office are kind.  It is fun to watch people come in and out.  I answered phones, and helped whoever came to the desk.  I learn more every time I go.  I smile a lot in the temple and am so thankful that I went.  I am giving "service" but I am sure that being there helps me at least as much if not more than I manage to help anyone else!

Happy for Bad News?

Isn't this a cool picture?
Can you see the heart?

A week or two ago when I was told I'd be on crutches for the first two weeks of January I wondered what they thought of my happy sounding, "I've never had crutches before!"

Then today when I actually got results for the heart monitor I wore for a month I probably sounded like the happiest person ever to get a lousy diagnosis.  Hey!  At least I now know that wearing a heart monitor wasn't a waste, and I have a better idea of why my heart flips around sometimes -- sort of.

I have a couple of kinds of tachycardia.  One I don't remember because it apparently isn't a worry.  The other is ventricular tachycardia which is, as explained by Google:

 "a type of abnormal heart rhythm, or arrhythmia. It occurs when the lower chamber of the heart beats too fast to pump well and the body doesn't receive enough oxygenated blood."

This is not something hearts are really supposed to do, and can be very bad.  It usually occurs in people who have had a heart attack in the past (I haven't) or have an unhealthy heart (which I hope I don't) for some reason.  So I "get" to have an echocardiogram to see if they can tell what is causing the problem.  In the mean time they put me on a medicine to help regulate my heart.  One more pill added to the stack that is rapidly starting to feel like a meal all by itself!

So, I still think I'm a healthy person, but I'm not sure the evidence is currently stacking up in my favor.  I'm working on it! :-) and I suppose there are worse things that being cheerful about bad news!

*Photo by Omer Salom on Unsplash

Crying In Public

I don't think most people like to cry in public, but some of us do it occasionally.  Today was one such day for me, though I don't know how many people noticed besides my family.  Why was I crying?  Well, I suppose it boils down to me feeling sorry for myself.  Some things just aren't how I want them to be right now, and though the majority of my life is awesome, sometimes those things I wish would or wouldn't change, or just didn't happen, get the best of me.

My friend is moving.  I mean, I have more than one friend, but this one also happens to be "my" secretary in the Primary and she has helped me so much over the last couple of years that the idea of doing without her has sent me in to fits of tears more than once.  I am happy for her.  I am!  But I still feel sorry for me!

I tore my hamstring in April and waited for it to get better.  Bad move.  It got worse.  So now it hurts to sit, and it hurts if I lay down wrong, or make my stride too long, or squat down, or sing head shoulders knees and toes and do the actions with the cute kids.  Oh, it's not screaming pain, but it isn't fun and apparently, since physical therapy didn't fix it, the next step is to do something to make it hurt twice and badly and put me on crutches for two weeks and back in physical therapy.  It could be ever so much worse, and I get the adventure of crutches I've never had before!  (Ha ha.  I know nobody really loves crutches much).

My Dad is doing great considering he has congestive heart failure -- but that means that he can do what is required to make himself even better.  He can have quintuple bypass surgery.  He's really strong and he'll probably do awesome, but it is still scary for me.  I love my Dad.  I would really like him to stick around for a long time. He's 81 so I don't know how long that can be, but longer than next year would be great, and making it to Christmas would be super excellent.

Those are just some of the things.  Like everyone else, there are always a whole list of things to wish were different.  No worries though, I pulled myself together in time to play the flute and got through the rest of the day with help from those around me. 

Now I plan to move forward with thanksgiving.  I am thankful that I have a friend that I will miss.  I am grateful there is something that can be done so maybe my upper hamstring tendon won't be torn my whole life, and I am really thankful I've kept my Dad this long and he is doing well.  I have a great family, and it is Christmastime!  I love Christmas!  It is time to celebrate joy, and love, and the greatest gift we have ever been given.  A Savior.

Merry Almost Christmas!
***Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash

Pinterest Pillow Project, Prize, and Perfectly Exciting Hair

One side of the pillows I created because I saw a picture on Pinterest.

The reverse side of the pillows I created because I saw a picture on Pinterest.

The top view of the centerpiece from Derek's work party Friday night.
We got to sit by Derek's cousin Brian and his wife Patty at the party since they
work for Nature's Sunshine too.

Derek was surprised to have to go up on stage and help hand out prizes for a little while.  At the end of the event they gave away the centerpieces via a sticker on the bottom of the decorative plates we had.  I won the wreath at the bottom of this centerpiece.  The person who won the top part had already left and so the other two couples decided to give the rest to me also.

I have great hair that is easy to do (hallelujah!!), but when I wake up it is not always looking perfect!  Just perfectly Exciting!

The Greatest of Miracles

***

This morning I listened to Christmas music.  One of the songs said, "Sometimes the greatest of miracles come from the smallest of things."  I'm sure this was in reference to a tiny baby boy, born in a stable in a little town called Bethlehem. 

I have had the opportunity to hold little babies many times.  Some have been mine, and some belonged to family and friends.  Each time I hold a little baby I feel like I am holding a miracle.  But maybe the greater miracle is what each baby can grow up to be, and the difference for good they have the potential to make.

Christ was born and grew and met his potential.  His miraculous birth was followed by a faithful life filled with love.  Because he loved so much that He was willing to suffer and die and be resurrected, all of us who were once little baby miracles ourselves can eventually reach the rather miraculous potential we have (even if we feel right now that our potential isn't so great or miraculous).

Small actions, and people of any size or age can help to create love and joy and can help fill the needs of others.   Doing these things may give someone just the miracle they need.

***Picture used by permission from churchofJesusChrist.org