While I think the trees look sad and ugly when they lose their leaves, they can also be interesting. For one, you can see clearly all the birds' nests that were built in the trees from the year. There is a tree in front of United Grocery that, while not large, houses nine nests! The other fascinating thing is the shadows and forms that they make under street lights at night. And I love to see the ice formations on them after a storm. So they're not entirely bad.
Today was a yo-yo day. Go to Seminary, come home. Go shopping, come home. Pick up Jonathan, go home. Take him to work, go home. Go to the bank & gas station, go home. It's dizzying. But there's a lot to be done, especially this time of year.
Analiese and I tried out a new treat recipe we're sending to the California family for Christmas. Now I won't give particulars, but it involves pecans (I've gotta do something with them!). And...it was quite yummy. Lucky family!
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Seminary today was a review/preview of the Assessment they take tomorrow. It was nice, because I didn't have a big lesson to study for and the kids were glad to be able to go over what is expected of them tomorrow. Which means I don't have to study for tomorrow, either. But I do have to get ready for Thursday, which is the Seminary Christmas Family Breakfast. That involves some planning.
The Relief Society Book Club had a Christmas party tonight. We each brought a wrapped book (new or used) to swap in a fun game. I took "Mere Christianity," my worn copy full of notes and highlights. Don't worry, I have a digital copy that I can still make notations on! It was the only non-fiction and I worried a little that anyone would care about it...but they all thought it was marvelous, even including the notes!
I received a sweet book called "Amish Christmas," one of those light, feel-good books. I like to read them from time to time when I want something quick, light, and uplifting. Goodness knows I read plenty of other stuff!
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Assessment Day at Seminary! It went well...and quickly. They were all done in about half an hour and the rest of the time we went over their answers and graded them. Not one of them missed more than one or two answers. Will, our newest student, discovered that there's nothing to fear from them!
It was a good thing it all went well and swiftly because Ken is working this morning at Walmart and I had to take Jonathan to school. Being late was not an option! One of my students kept me on track, though, giving me a ten-minute warning before it was time to go. That way I could get her to school and pick up Jonathan and deliver him to his class at the airport before 8 a.m.!
I made a bunch more sugar cookies today. This time, I glazed them. Why? Because glazing hardens and it ships better than frosting. It looks cool, too! I'd purchased some food color gel in green and red for better color and it looked great!
Tonight, after taking Analiese to Mutual, Ken and I visited Rosa (and Nasly) Maldonado and the Hargrave family. See, Ken said that the people I am shipping sugar cookies to (not saying, in case they're reading) would not eat three dozen cookies. This is astounding to me only in that I probably would. I am a cookie monster. So, I only put a dozen in that box and plated the rest to send to my VT sister and Ken's HT family. See, the Carbohydrate Devil still lives...just in OK instead of CA. And her modus operandi is to bake a bunch and give it away (mainly so she won't eat it).
Thursday, December 17, 2015
This was the last day of Seminary for the year. We'll start up again after New Year's. So, we had a Family Christmas Breakfast. The bishopric provided the breakfast, and I supplied the program. I gave the kids each a scripture from the Old Testament with a title for Jesus Christ in it. They were to read the scripture, study the footnotes and Bible Dictionary, and talk about how Christ fulfilled his mission and his title. Two of my students did as expected. But one really surprised me with her insightful comments; I could really tell she'd thought about it. The Spirit was so strong and I am very proud of her. I know she sometimes feels like she doesn't measure up and has a small testimony, but she's come a long way and today proved it!
I am a slow learner. Call it humility, but I still don't believe that people really read my blog. Apparently not only do family and friends, but ward members here do, too. Because my blog that mentioned the ward party tipped one of my Seminary families on what to get me for Christmas. I had mentioned that I "coveted" a certain Willowtree Nativity. Guess what I got? So I would, in the family's words, not need to covet any more. When I saw it, I just cried. They are a special family to me (well, all of my students are, it's crazy how fond I am of them), and when they move next year I will be sad. I have a very precious reminder of them. The only problem with it, though, it that I had to try and make room on the top of my piano for it. Nativity Row has a new family.
After dropping off Jonathan at school, coming back to finish cleaning up the church from breakfast, and going home to change, I went back AGAIN to the church to work on a musical number with one of my students. We are singing a duet this Sunday - a combination of "Silent Night" and "O Holy Night." She sounds lovely (the high part) and covers up a lot of my breathing and mistakes (the low part). Still, I think it will be nice on Sunday.
The rest of the day was busy getting my packages ready to ship tomorrow. One more batch of candy (not saying - spoilers!) and finishing a sewing project, wrapping, and printing shipping labels. And it's done. Hooray!
Friday, December 18, 2015
On the way home from taking Jonathan to school (Seminary is out till after New Years'), I spotted the General Lee. It was sporting two flags - US & Confederate (confused?) - streaming life-size from poles attached to each side. I really don't think this fella's an Oklahoman, because we have a tenous hold on the South here. We're kind of the red-headed step-child and really don't care about it. Plus, you've lived in Altus long enough, you can recognize most of the stand-out cars in town. For example, the Pizza Hut manager's black, red & silver ride with the fancy rims or the Barbie VW in bright pink with eyelashes on the headlights or the black pick up with the Flowers-and-Peace wrap on it's doors. Still, I wonder, does this GL play "Dixie"?
Thank heavens for Click & Ship at USPS! Analiese couldn't wrap her head around it. "No, I do not need to take the packages to the Post Office! They pick them up here!" One less thing to do around here. I am glad!
The VERY LAST batch of sugar cookie dough for the year 2015 was made today. Tomorrow we bake them for the 4H Rockin' Rabbit Club party on Monday. I am heartily tired of rolling out cookies. I don't think I've ever made so many in one season.
Tonight was a calm, quiet evening, with the family watching "The Santa Clause" together. Not going anywhere. No working on projects. Just sitting down. Ahhhh!
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Another yo-yoish day. Take Analiese to 4H Food Science. Come home and prep for afternoon cookie baking. Take Jonathan to work. Pick up Analiese from 4H. I have no desire to go out this evening. Call me a homebody, I don't care!
Michelle and Charissa Dosher came over this afternoon to help us roll and bake cookies. Charissa has been obsessed with my cookies since the 4H party. She likes to bake, so I invited her to come over and learn to do cut cookies with me. I realized today that I know of four ways to deal with sugar cookie dough - 1. Bake & Frost, 2. Bake & Glaze, 3. Paint & Bake, 4. Jelly-filled. And I've done 3 out of the four in the two weeks!
We all had fun. They brought a couple of extra rolling pins and we all went to town. I have a LOT (no understatement) of cookie cutters, so they got to try them all out. We had flour and dough all over the place and by the time we were done...121 cookies! "We nearly have a gross!" I said. "Oooo! Our cookies are gross!" We enjoy getting together, too bad we don't do it more. The boys do it much more often.
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Since we had our "official" Christmas program last Sunday, this Sunday was a bit more traditional. We had two speakers...and a special musical number.
Yep, me. And one of my Seminary students. She sang the high parts. We did a "Silent Night" & "O Holy Night" medley (see Thursday). She covered a bit of my flaws and had a nice solo bit. I don't mind singing if I don't have to do it alone. Thankfully, there are few alto solos!
Relief Society ended up being very sweet today. We were few in number, but the teacher had us come up to the front in turn and everyone said nice things about that person. It ended taking up most of the time and she almost didn't get to make her point, but none of us cared much because it had brought such a special, sweet spirit into the room. Last of all, she put a picture of Christ on the chair and asked us to all say what He meant to us. That really was the topper, as many of us tearfully testified of His life and mission. It was a perfect lesson, really!
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