Christmas Light Snob

It is a well known fact that I'm an opinionated person. While the kids and I were out the other night I came to the realization that I'm highly opinionated on the subject of Christmas Lights. I took the kids out to see a drive-thru nativity that one of the churches puts on. It was really cute, and afterwards I thought it would be fun to drive around and see some lights. Caden especially really enjoys christmas lights. It was rather hard to find houses with lights up though. I realize this is because I live in a college town filled with apartments, but heavens, it was harder than it should have been. But when we finally did find an occasional house or two with lights I decided that colored christmas lights are the way to go. Don't get me wrong, white lights are very elegant and classy, but just not very festive. They go a lot better for weddings, or something like that. Christmas needs color...but not just any color....it needs lots of color. I remember Becky, my old roommate, mentioning once how she thought a strand of blue lights was just wrong. I never thought much of it until now. She's right. Same with just a strand of green. Nope, you need lots of colors. It doesn't matter if they are big or small, or if they blink or stay solid. It's a lot more fun to go look at the lights if there are colors to see. This is my snobby opinion.

For the first time since we've lived here we put up a Christmas tree. Dan came down for a weekend and I made him buy a fake tree. He's rather anti fake tree (truthfully I am too, but I was desperate), but agreed that it was best for us right now. The kids got a kick out of decorating it, and every night they love to sit and look at it. Okay, they like to play with it, but I get really upset if they touch, so they just get really close and say that they are just looking.

For FHE tonight we delivered christmas treats to the neighbors (well, some of them, I about froze so I gave up and went home). The kids had fun and enjoyed getting all bundled up. Poor Cole can't even move in his bundle, but hopefully he stayed warm enough.

Evaluation

I'm addicted to blogs. I freely admit this. Occasionally I come across one that really makes me stop, think, and re-evaluate my life. Becky, my old roommate from Snow, wrote such a blog and I thought I would share it with everyone.

Preview; (n) anything that gives an advance idea or impression of something to come; a foretaste
For those of you who don’t know, I happen to be one of God’s favorite offspring. They say parents aren’t supposed to have favorite children. But then, He treats me so well, I just assume I’m one of His. I’ve been blessed to do lots of stuff in my short 25 years. If my earthly obligations were fulfilled and over with today, I would consider my life fairly successful. But, being the bright-eyed, dreamy girl I usually am, I can’t help but imagine and fantasize of the things I have yet to do/accomplish/experience. I don’t conclude that to be a bad thing.In what at the moment seems unrelated: I can always tell what type of movie I’m at by the previews and trailers that come before it. Before kids’ movies, you’ll see things like animated animals in the previews. Before a romancey chick-flick, you’ll see lots of high-heels and happily-ever-afterish stuff. Before an action movie, you’ll see car chases and explosions (and probably some irrational yet passionate kiss). I could go on and on, but hopefully you catch my drift.If you can’t handle the previews, you probably can’t handle the show.If you like the previews, you’ll most likely enjoy the feature presentation.In a similar fashion I can often tell what I’m in line for in my life, by the previews I catch on my path. Occasionally, as a favorite child, God sees fit to bless me with my own personal previews of my own personal coming attractions. They’re everywhere for me.My mission president’s wife, Sister Fillmore, taught us in the mish about good mornings. She taught that you can usually discern the majority of your day by how the first 3 hours ran (attitude, scheduling, etc). It’s true. In my current daily life, the day flows much more smoothly when the Poptarts DON’T burn and the snooze button remains un-abused. Previews.One of the assistants to the president (also in the glorious PPM) testified that he usually finds that the level of spirituality he’ll have one day corresponds directly to the amount of effort and sincerity in his bedtime prayer the night before. I’ve seen this in my own life. When the scriptures are un-read, and the prayers are un-said, the day is virtually spiritually dead. (Gosh, that’s almost needlepointable.) It’s previewtastic.I speak often of my love for the Lord’s temples and my testimony of frequent temple attendance. I love my Tuesday mornings in the Jordan River Temple! If I make it for one of the first two sessions, they don’t usually have all the lights in the Celestial Room turned on yet. As I walk past, I always try to peek and notice the chandelier with only a slight glimmer on it. It’s my preview of my coming attraction.Not just that blessed glance, but also the hours I spend in the Lord’s house each week. The whole experience in itself is meant to be a preview for any attendee. Continued attendance, the strive for worthiness, my future temple marriage, hope for Eternal Life—these are the previews He sends of the features I most hope to see.I know if I’m partial to the previews, I’ll be partial to the feature presentation.Thankfully, the opposite can also be true. The Lord sees fit, sometimes, to give me previews that aren’t so pleasant. These are for the coming attractions that He’d rather not have me view. Occasionally I say things, do things, see things, hear things, or feel things that are pre-cursers for the Adversary’s “flicks” (pun intended). Sometimes the Spirit will tell me that if I don’t like the previews then I won’t like what’s next. Previews in every sense can be the motivator to drive us either towards the objective or elsewhereIn real life movies (where Diet Coke always tastes amazing and where I strangely feel slightly obligated to sneak candy in) I don’t really like when people talk through the previews. I feel the need to personally figure out what it is I’m in for. In real life, I feel it absolutely necessary to talk through many of the previews. I often need the help to figure out what it is I’m in for. Also, if I talk through the previews the Lord is giving me, I’m often more likely to notice them and let them direct my path accordingly.Entonces. . . I can tell where I’ve been because I replay it in my mind (you know, like renting the video? Mwah!). I can see where I’m at because I’m not freakin’ blind, duh (well, most of the time). And I can tell a lot about my future because I’m seeing it every day.The Lord is blessing us with Previews of Coming Attractions. Do we like what we see in our previews? (It’s rhetorical; you don’t really have to answer.) And, my dear blogstalking friends, if we can tell we don’t like what we’re in for, do we have the courage and faith to change to another locale? My prayer is that each of us will watch—with every intensity—the previews our Lord gives us of the coming attractions He sees ahead. My prayer is that we will obtain the path and direction He has chosen for each of us.. . . and that we’ll be delightfully entertained in every scene of the journey.

Crying is supposed to be therapeudic

I must admit that I did break down a little bit today and for the first time since Dan left I felt truly alone. My mom and dad came up to spend Thanksgiving with me, and when they left all reserve fled and the tears started to fall...I was alone. Never mind the fact that I have three kids. It was the first time that I seriously considered going home early and just waiting for Dan to join me in Utah. Luckily, I called Dan and cried a bit on his "shoulder" and felt much better so when I looked at the calendar and realized that going home early wasn't going to happen it was okay. Actually, this was a good thing. It has made me re-commit myself to being a better mom while Dan is gone. I've been slacking the last little bit, and so maybe this was a good thing to go through. After all, there are only three more weeks left, and then Christmas. Three weeks is nothing...I can do anything for three weeks (like my little pep-talk to myself?)! So, needless to say, I'm very very thankful for Dan, and my parents, and my little family, and for my friends. Actually, I'm thankful for the phone too. I called a girl in our ward tonight just to talk about ward stuff and was actually prolonging the conversation to just talk...weird for me...very weird. Anyway, it was nice...until the kids started crying and screaming, but I'm sure that is beside the point (besides the point or beside...hmmm...) Maybe crying is therapeutic after all.

Two weeks down...four more to go; or there's no place like home

Well, I've survived two weeks so far. They have actually been really great weeks too. My friends have been awesome keeping me busy and occupied. Thanks guys. We just got back today from visiting Dan in Caldwell (Boise basically). I must admit that I am fairly proud of myself for driving the sixish hours there and the sixish hours back. And with three kids. Mind you, the DVD player is essential on trips like this, as well as naps (although those don't always happen). Thank heavens for the GPS, I would never had made it without it. We left friday after my meetings and the kids did really well in the car. We only stopped once for a potty break and some nutrients (in the form of an extremely healthy hamburger). It was great to see Dan, but can I admit that the last three days were harder than the two weeks by myself? My kids don't do so well at night when they are not in their own space. Sleep was a rare commodity and I didn't get much of it. Neither did Dan. I was trying to not bring so much, and I left home the toys...the kids were bored bored bored, and therefore into everything they shouldn't have been. We were going to stay at the house Dan is staying in, but after two screaming kids not wanting to go to bed (surprisingly enough it was Caden and Cole...Kember is normally the one who has problems, but she was an angel), we decided at 10:30 to stay in a hotel. We stayed at a real winner. The Sundowner. Now, I know that they were trying to be all cute with the name, but honestly, anything named "downer" not so appealing. We only stayed there because I thought it would be the cheapest place around. A hotel is a hotel...just a place to stay and I'm not very picky. This was fine and it served it's purpose, but really, the name needs help. Anyway...we stayed the next two nights at the LaQuinta. Admitidly this was a nicer hotel...and it had an indoor kiddie pool, so that was fun. I was supposed to drive home on Sunday, but I wasn't ready to make the drive back yet, so we stayed until today. Apparently that was a good decision weather wise. The drive home was non-eventful. The kids did great (love the naps...love them), and we got back in time to take Kember to school. Literally just in time. I pulled into her school right as the bus did. She looked a little funny, but there you have it. We miss Dan, but boy I'm glad to be back. I must be more of a home body than I realized. I like my home. I like to be home. I'm blessed to have this home. There is no place like home. You get the picture. Oh, speaking of pictures, I took some, but they are on Dan's camera, so probably never to be seen, but just take my word for it...they are cute.

Day 2...still going strong

I went to aerobics today. I probably shouldn't have...technically I know I am not supposed to, but I really wanted to get out of my house. I was really just going to go walking, but the place where people go walking was closed today (I'm assuming for veteran's day). So, I went to aerobics instead. Yes, I hurt a little, but it was fun and I'm glad I went.

I tried to save some money and take my own pictures of my kids instead of taking them to Sears or JC Penny or something. It didn't really work. Here are some pictures that sort of turned out cute, but definitely not a professional quality. Ahh well, what can you do? Cole was unhappy during his photo shoot, and the kids kept wanting to get in the pictures too...so then I got them ready for their photo shoot, but they were finished by that time, or just giving me those really cheesy smiles (or Kember wouldn't smile at all, but glare at the camera...grrrr).

Thiss shot was really hard to take with one hand. Needless to say I think I am going to spend the money for a professional.

So we finally put the camera away and got out the games. That's what we did for the rest of the night.

So far, so good

Doesn't this just make your heart melt? Today Dan left for his six week stint in Idaho and I took the kids out to say goodbye. I was glad I had my camera cause these are just too cute.

I made it through day one at least. Yea for me! For FHE we did a thankful turkey. I stole the idea from Miquelle. The kids didn't quite grasp the thankful concept, but they told me what they were thankful for and they got excited to put on feathers.

They liked that I hung it up on their door too!

We spent the rest of FHE singing songs. Kember and Caden would take turns making up songs aobut squirrels and bears and all sorts of stuff. Then I would say a primary song and we'd sing that. It was great fun.

Fall Photos

“It’s autumn time, it’s autumn time, the leaves are falling down. It’s autumn time, it’s autumn time, it’s all around the town” (sing with me now!).

Dan had to go build fence or something random yesterday (Nov. 1st) so I thought I would take the kids out and take some pictures. This turned out to not be such a great idea, but it gave us something to do. After getting everyone ready, which like I said in a previous post, takes a whole heap of time, it was about nap time (oops, good planning on my part). I loaded all the kidos up and we drove to the Pullman church where there are really pretty leaves everywhere. Well, it was raining, I didn’t want the kids in coats, and neither one wanted to “play in the leaves” like I wanted them too. Caden ran away from me, and I couldn’t catch him. Not to worry though, Kember chased him and caught him and then proceeded to push him over, tried to help him up, and then tried to drag him back to me. Isn’t she just so helpful? Then Kember decided she “has to go potty!” oh, and it’s an emergency (she’s doing the crossed legs clutching dance). No, the church isn’t open, so we run the kids back to the car and race home, where she decides she doesn’t want to go potty. Grrrrr! Well, I’d had enough so they went down for naps. And slept for quite awhile too. Well, I got a few pictures anyway.