My favorite thing about Christmas is the music - especially the sacred music. As a young girl, I learned to recognize the Holy Ghost - from music. And nothing brings the Spirit faster than music.
Over the years I have compiled many that I love and I have to share two new favorites.
The first is from last year. See, I listen to music on the Mormon Channel every morning as I set up Seminary and they start playing as early as November. Well, I ran across a piece from the MoTab with David Archuleta, "The Cat and Mouse Carol." Here's the video:
https://youtu.be/n_yve-VvaMk
Now, the new one I discovered this past week. It, too, comes from the MoTab. It is from a 2009 Christmas Concert with Brian Stokes Mitchell. It is sweet, charming, adorable..."The Friendly Beasts."
https://youtu.be/4o1_h7qWThg
Isn't his voice marvelous? He's so flexible and talented. I was seriously impressed...and touched.
Today Ken & I headed to Lawton (leaving Analiese to do her work alone) so that he could go give platelets. I guess he has a high platelet count (300?), and they like that. It took two hours, so I went along to do some shopping - Hobby Lobby, Sam's Club, and Staples (for my desk calendar that I put on my wall - I like the big squares for family scheduling).
We got done in time to grab a quick bite to eat and drive home and pick up Jonathan from the airport. Ken was tired (I guess giving platelets is draining), so he slept and I took Jonathan to work. That meant no FHE tonight...hopefully we can do it tomorrow.
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Seminary was a jolly place today, I don't know why. We were just awake and happy. Talking about distractions (and Analiese and squirrels), Megan said she knew my "squirrel" - Star Wars was coming! Yes, I got distracted and made mention of squirrels with Vader helmets holding light sabers. After coming back to myself, I continued the lesson. And she drew my squirrel and gave it to me!
She has a funny sense of humor, as pointed out when I asked her to sign her work. I call those her art "asides."
Grocery shopping came today. Analiese went with me because she needed something from Dollar Tree for the YM/YW white elephant gift exchange and party next week. We had a fun time giggling around Walmart at the funny (or so we thought) things we saw. People looked at us strangely. Sorry! We are happy people!
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
The weather is very nice right now. It's like we had a week of winter just after Thanksgiving, and now we're back to fall. The day temps have been running in the upper sixties and lower seventies. I don't even need a sweater for that!
I was by myself this evening, kind of a bittersweet thing. Ken and Jonathan were at work and Analiese was at a Young Women's activity. I'd like to say I was really productive, but I was tired and had a headache, so basically, I did dishes and vegged.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
I was going to make cookies yesterday, but the day just didn't let me. So I had to make them this morning. After all, the RS Christmas party was tonight and I needed a plate for the goodie swap!
So, in between working with Analiese on her lessons, I rolled and cut stars and filled three dozen cookies with red (raspberry) and green (apple mint) jelly. They were beautiful to look at and very festive.
The party was so much fun! We have such a great group of ladies! We played "Dirty/Mean Santa," where you choose a plate of goodies and someone can steal them from you and you have to choose again. We had a limit of stealing - only three times - and let me tell you, my cookies made all three rounds! The sister who ended up with my cookies did parcel some out. After all, three dozen is A LOT.
We also had this hilarious game where we had to take some balloons, blow them up, and stuff them into both legs of a pair of panty hose. We were in teams, and the team who got theirs done first won! Then, they had to put it on their head like a set of reindeer antlers on steroids. It was so funny, especially when the sister missionaries put them on their heads.
Friday, December 11, 2015
Ken has the day off today and tomorrow, so we spent the day getting stuff done. More work getting rooms put back together (Ken got the fan blades back on the ceiling fans in the dining room) and normal stuff, like lessons and laundry.
Also, I'm doing a little data entry to earn a bit of money to support our dwindling bank account. I may also (cringe) be looking for a job. How I'm going to do it all, I'm not sure. I'm not great at it right now.
Jonathan went this evening to a Hannukah party (he's got an eclectic mix of friends right now, but it's kind of cool), Ken and Analiese went to help decorate the 4H float for the city Christmas parade tomorrow,
Plus...I PROMISED Analiese that we would put up Christmas decorations tonight. With the house repairs and painting, I've been putting it off...much to her disgust. So we turned on Pandora to Christmas music and set everything up. Our modest tree was lovely with lights, ornaments and my crocheted garland.
But at least it's done and she can quit bugging me!
Saturday, December 12, 2015
This morning began with helping to clean the church building. I had made it my personal mission to clean all the chalkboards. They get used a lot (especially in the Seminary room) and most erasers are pretty lousy, so they need it after a while or are covered with "ghosts" that make it hard to read anything new on the board. I made up my own personal (ok, Pinterest) solution of water and white vinegar and took some rags and went to town. They all look much better - not like new, but at least a whole lot improved!
The missionaries are coming to dinner tonight - a last minute invitation - so after dropping Jonathan off at Walgreens (you can't believe how confusing it gets with Walmart & Walgreens on our tongues constantly!), I went to pick up a few items to augment dinner. I'm going to make brownie sundaes for dessert - with Braum's peppermint ice cream. So the house smells great right now. First, brownies; second, rolls. T'is the season to make people fat! ROFL! To make them like me!
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Today was our ward's Christmas program. I know, it's a little early, but the bishop is leaving town the end of this week and wanted to be here for the program. So, we had it today.
The choir did well, I felt. We sang "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and "Guard Him, Joseph," a song written by Sally DeFord. It's sweet, like a lullaby. But for all we did, the Primary kids overshadowed us by doing "Stars Were Gleaming" and using handbells. It was darling.
Ken had to work this morning, so he missed out on all the fun. And he'll come home and probably sleep. In the meantime, I had to take Jonathan to meet with the bishop (Mission stuff - ah!) and Analiese to a fireside. I may be alone again a bit for the evening. Maybe it's time to watch "A Christmas Carol"!
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