Christmas Pictures #2

I think this is the first time all year that I've posted 3 times in one week. I'm really getting in the Christmas spirit by sharing all these awesome pictures with you guys, no? Anyway.

This spot is an open window (I really don't know what the technical term is) between my kitchen and my living room. It makes the house feel all "connecty." One of my brothers gave me the Grinch doll several years ago. The animated version of that is one of my family's favorite movies. (The Jim Carrey one is pretty great, too.) The Richard Scary Christmas book leaning against the wall is one of my family's favorite books. We love the story of "Abe and Babe, the Bad Twins" best. There were fights over that book---so I got online and ordered extras so we could all have one. I bought the nativity on the red, wooden background from Metal Moms. I love it! It's one of my favorite things I own. The wooden half-circle nativity I bought in Germany a couple years ago.


It used to be my job to decorate the little Christmas tree and I hated it. The branches were scratchy and hard to get into the right place. So why'd I end up with it? Cuz I like all the ornamnets that went with it. And cuz I needed a tree:) The three nativity pieces at the bottom are all ornaments, but they're too heavy for the tree so I left them on the music cabinet. The two other nativities are made of olive wood and were given to me by two of my cousins. Chrissy brought me hers from Jerusalem several years ago---I'm not even sure how many. And this last year, Becky brought me the other after spending the semester studying there.

Christmas Pictures #1

I thought I'd post a lot this month. And by a lot, I mean I was thinking I'd get up to four posts... I love Christmas and have so much to say about it, but I've just been spending all my time enjoying the season instead of writing about it.

So, I started writing a picture post with all my house decorations. Then it was too long. So, I'm splitting things up. Maybe I'll get up to four posts this month after all.

Anyway, this was my first year to really decorate my house. I had just moved in about this time last year and was still in the unpacking phase and didn't take the time to make it festive. Earlier in the month, my parents divided some of their Christmas decorations (that we've seen in their home our entire lives) amongst the kids. It was fun. And it was sad. Sad to think that the house won't always be the same and we'll all get older and things will change. I could live without that. But I did end up with some nice things for my home and so finally did my own decorating this year.

This nutcracker isn't actually mine. It belongs to my brother's family---but they weren't going to put it up this year so I borrowed it. He greeted everyone that came to visit me this month. I think my dad was glad to get rid of it, cuz big kids like to crunch dry noodles in his month and it makes a mess. I think my brothers are sad it's not in the house anymore, cuz they used it to scare little kids.

My niece (who's very cute)(and who is moving to New Mexico next month) (and I'm not happy about it) actually refers to him as a "mutcracker." Nobody's bothered correcting her cuz we all think it's funny.

Several years ago (19 in fact) my aunt took her kids to Germany for Christmas. But her youngest at the time(Becky)was only one so she left her at our house for a month. My brothers and I LOVED having a new "little sister." My parents weren't complaining either.

Our traditional Christmas Even nativity---with new jammies. Becky was a very patient Jesus in the manger that was too small for her.

We loved it so much we didn't want to give her back in January. As thanks for keeping the child, and then begrudingly returning her, my aunt brought this decoration from Germany.

Since I'm such good friends with Becky, and since I love Germany so much, I received it for my own house.

Help/Advice! Please?

See these cute boys? And their cute parents? (I don't care about the dog.) It's one of my brothers and his family. Well, I get to buy a Christmas present for them. They live down in Arizona. And I really like them. A lot. And I want to buy them something they'll like. Our family usually does games for the gift exchange but I'm not sure what to get. The boys are 6, 9, 12 and 15. And seriously, aren't they really handsome?



Any advice on what to get?

PS-don't judge me for doing this so late. I just got my gift exchange assignment yesterday.

And don't worry-they don't read my blog so you won't give away any surprises if you comment and tell me what to get.

The One Where I Talk About Christmas

I read this Christmas list off a few blogs recently. Apparently the people who did it were competing for a prize. I'm a little late on that aspect...but I still liked the idea so, in the spirit of being completely un-original, I'm using it.

1. What is your holiday wish for your family?
That the jobs and school taking them away from Utah and away from living close to me will become unnecessary and we'll all live near each other. (This doesn't have to be realistic, right?)

2. What is your Christmas morning tradition?
Forlornly listen to the children outside playing with their new toys while we're banished to our bedrooms to wait for Dad to get home from working at the hospital. Then, when we finally get up, go into my parent's inhumanely cold room, patiently suffer through Mom's ubsurdly long prayer and finally (around noon) get to go into the living room to see what Santa brought. Then, about half-way through, get re-banished to our rooms while Dad goes back to the hospital to deliver a baby and we wonder if there will ever be a Christmas that Dad doesn't have to work.* I highly resent any child that was ever born on Christmas.

3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be?
Is it weird that I don't know? Can Santa bring a boyfriend? I guess that would be decadent.

4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money?
Spend my parents money.

5. What games did you play with your family growing up?
Any games you can play with Rook cards. Oh Heck, Hearts, Golf, Rummy, Speed etc. Or, we'd play The Glob: one person throws a blanket over their head and tried to catch and smother someone else to make them The Glob. Wonder why I'm claustrophobic?

6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?
Well, I still insist that my parents do Christmas Eve jammies. And I still try and force everyone into the same car (which is clearly impossible at this point) to see lights. And did I mention the whole waiting-for-Dad on Christmas morning thing? Guess who's working Christmas Day this year?

7. Where would you go for a Christmas-away-from-home trip?
Nowhere---I love being home. Instead, I'd want all my family to be here, too. I guess if I had to go somewhere, I'd head up to Cokeville, Wyoming.

What about the rest of you? How would you answer these questions?

Also, it's the beginning of a new month which means a new edition of The Barrel. And I still don't know how to post the picture link. It features all kinds of Christmas ideas (lots of saving money ones so you don't have to spend your parents money either), great recipes to make you gain holiday weight and fun stories. Plus, stories from other bloggers outside of the U.S. with different cultural traditions. So go check it out.

*Don't let my dramatics fool you---Christmas morning was actually always wonderful. Yes, there were interruptions, but it didn't matter. It prolonged the time we sat around the tree opening presents and being together.

Thanksgiving and Such

Because it's almost Thanksgiving and because I want to show gratitude like everyone else, this is my list of things for which I'm thankful. My brain is a little full right now of all the things I have to get done today (and tomorrow...and the day after that) so I couldn't even think of a decent title for this post. All I had were titles of hymns and elementary school songs running through my head. Anyway, this is my superficial list of "thankfuls" (cuz the non-superficial list would be long. And heavy):
1. I'm grateful for pretzel m&ms (big shocker there).
2. I'm grateful I worked out before I weighed myself today. If I had weighed first I probly would have gotten back in bed, pulled the covers over my head and cursed the world. Oh, and I would have eaten pretzel m&ms.
3. I'm grateful that the ward Thanksgiving dinner that I have been planning will be over and done with in about 6 hours.
4. I'm grateful that I'm learning now, and not later, that planning a dinner for an entire ward is a stupid idea and I'll never do it again.
5. I'm grateful my office is closed Thursday and Friday.
6. I'm grateful for my three youngest nephews. They're very cute and very sweet and very fun to hold.
7. Fine. I'm grateful for all the other nephews, too. And nieces.
8. I'm grateful abc puts episodes of Dancing with the Stars online so I can watch them the next day.
9. I'm grateful for yams.
10. I'm grateful I live in Provo. Very close to my parents and several siblings. (Fine-that wasn't superficial.)

Also, my cousin and her husband have recently started a non-profit business that supports families in third world countries. They are selling handmade clothes, jewelry, bags etc. made by workers in India and 100% of the profits go toward humantitarian projects. Their website has all the information and, lucky for you, there are products that would make great Christmas presents! So go check it out. You're welcome.

Happy Thanksgiving!

iPod Exchange

First off, can I just say (or write) how upsetting it is to me to start a title with a letter that isn't capitalized? It's just wrong. What's with mac people creating products that start with a little i instead of a big one?

Anyway, a few months ago, I participated in my cousin, Damian's, iPod exchange. Basically, I gave him my iPod and got someone else's in return to use for a couple weeks. The purpose was to introduce me to new music, remind me of stuff I liked, etc. It kind of did that---but it also reinforced my dislike of some artists/songs. Here are the thoughts I had as I participated:

1. Willie Nelson, although he's really annoying and has lame hair, isn't half bad.
2. I still hate 'Come on Get Higher' by Matt Nathanson.
3. It doesn't matter how sad your song is, if your voice is annoying, I won't like it. I'm talking to you Pearl Jam.
4. Anyone who has George Straight on their ipod deserves a life full of happiness.
5. Second Willie Nelson song. Turns out he is as much of a tool as he looks. Good to know my initial judgments weren't incorrect.
6. I still hate 'Come on Get Higher' by Matt Nathanson. And any other song he sings. Is it just me or do they all sound exactly the same?
7. I'm never not in the mood to listen to Paula singing 'Straight Up.'
8. An entire country list and not a single Rascal Flatts song? The owner of this ipod is the smartest person alive.
9. Ashley Huff's 'Heart of Gold.' First song on the ipod that I'd never heard before and quite liked. Second was Don Williams singing 'If I Needed You' with Emmy Lou Harris.
10. Seven Abba songs in a row makes for a great work-out playlist.
11. Running out of iPod battery when working out=immediate loss of energy.
12. I like my music better than anyone else's.

Letters

Dear Katy Perry-
Please stop being popular. I don't want to hear your songs anymore. Your voice is like a black hole that sucks all good from the world.

Dear Killers-
You are a dumb movie. You have a dumb concept, made somehow dumber when it's put on film. However, Tom Selleck is attractive, so points for that. And it was smart of you to put Catherine O'Hara in the cast. You must have known you were going to be a dumb movie and that she would be your only saving grace.
You're also the name of a dumb band. Double whammy.

Dear Pretzel m&ms-
Please stop being manufactured.

Dear People Reading This-
There's a new online magazine out that you need to read. It's called The Barrel. And if you click on those words, it'll take you to the site where you can read it. Cool people like Melissa write/edit/design it. And cool people like Shelle write stories for it. And you can win stuff like photography sessions, or a blog makeover. And it's all online so you can read it anytime. And I'd post a picture-link to it, but I don't know how. So just go read it.

Dear Self-
It's nearly 12:30 a.m. and you're getting up at 6:30. Why the heck are you blogging instead of sleeping?

Good night.