My Love Affair

I'm having a love affair right now with all the mini-lights and candles.  I can't get enough.  I even have them on during the day and then they just transition so nicely into the evening.  Well, the lights anyway.  I have a couple scented candles on during the day and then light the rest when it's dark.

Front door garland.
Stair banisters.
Mantle.
Snowman house.
Dicken's Village on the piano.
Tree.

Oh.  Don't ever leave me.  (Sadly January will come soon enough...)

Wednesday

I have always liked Wednesdays.

It is the middle of the week.

I remember my Mamo Minnie once told me she always tried to cook a really good meal on Wednesdays because it was in between the two Sundays and she thought that was a nice thing to do for her family.  I have always tried to plan my meals that way just because my grandma did.  It doesn't always happen that way but I do try to plan for that.

Today was an ordinary day.  I listened to Christmas music all day long while I worked around the house.  I went through every room upstairs and tidied and did some tossing out of random things.  You know those things you keep because you are just sure you will use/need them at some time and never do.

I did some more decorating.  It is coming together.  I have always been in love with mini-lights. 

It is nearly midnight and when I came upstairs a bit ago, I was surprised to see Christine's light on.  She was still working on AP Euro homework.  That class is so dang hard and requires so much.  It will be hard for her to wake up for seminary tomorrow at 5:30am.

Funny Thing Those Game Plans

Oh, crap.  I'm sorry but I had to say it.  My dryer went out last night.  At one point while I was cleaning up dinner the thought crossed my mind that the sheets I had put in it weren't done yet (I hadn't heard the buzzer yet) and it had been an hour????  I thought, Oh Cindy, you've just lost track of time....

Nope.  It was running just fine.  Only problem:  NO HEAT.  Great.

So this morning I called the repair company, and then loaded up the car and went to Josh and Meredith's to finish the wash.  Luckily, it was just the thermostat and it was an easy and affordable fix.  Phew.  I was quite annoyed with the whole thing because it threw my 'off' my game plan.  Funny thing those game plans.

Mere was working on a research paper in the family room with her Christmas music on.  She offered tv, magazines, etc. but I chose to be quiet and alone with my thoughts in the living room.  In the end, that turned out to be the best choice.  I pondered through all my annoyances about losing a whole day to the clothes dryer--a machine, no less--and ended up enjoying the diversion after all.  Yeah, I lost a whole day of tying up Christmas loose ends, but I got to have some much needed quiet time with a beautiful Christmas tree, nativity scene in my view and thoughts of perspective. 

Ahh.  Tomorrow is another day.

Fa La La La La

I'm playing Christmas music pretty much non-stop and loving every single note of it.  I put my ipod on the bose dock and let it go all day unless I need to leave the house and then I take it with me in the car.  Guess what?  I learned how to play only my Christmas music and shuffle all the songs!  Please be kind.  I'm so glad I finally figured it out.  And now I know.  I think it adds to my joy in listening to my all time favorite tunes.  There is nothing like Christmas music to put you in a good mood.  I'm working on Monday laundry and decorating today.



13 Baby!

ELIZABETH!
You are 13 today!
Whoa.  How did all those years go so quickly?
You are darling and growing up into such a beautiful young woman.  Be strong and keep the commandments.  Be a good example to your friends.  And kick that soccer ball hard!

We send all our love and hugs for a Happy Birthday today.

Your Cali Family-- 

Baby Jesus In The Manger

Adrianne and I put the Dicken's Village up on the piano today after church.  And the nativity is in it's place on the dining room table.  I think I've mentioned this before, but I love the contrast of the formal and the rustic.  To me it says nothing is as important as the birth of the baby Jesus.  We had the Christmas music playing and Christine sat in the living room wrapped in a fleece blanket working on AP Euro homework with Darla cozied up by her side. 

Adrianne was playing Christmas songs on the piano and then I joined her and we did some holiday duets.  It was fun and we enjoyed deciding who would play primo or secondo!  We decided to work on a particular piece to perform for the family program on Christmas Eve.  Practice.  Practice!

We had our monthly family dinner and FHE.  We watched the First Presidency Christmas Devotional together.  When it started, the kids were busy in the kitchen cleaning up dinner and it was a warm moment to see them enjoying each other and working together.  The music was beautiful and the messages touched my heart.

Christine went to her first Laurel class today.  The Bishop presented her with her Mia Maid certificate in sacrament meeting. Hard to believe she is 16 now.

Brine Tournament and Neighborhood Christmas Party

I don't feel very clever lately with posting.  I'm okay with it, my main goal is just to get it down right now.

Today we accidentally slept in.  When we woke up we realized that Christine had 5 minutes to get up, eat, dressed, load up her gear and be at the field for the Brine Tournament.  3 lacrosse games today and 3 tomorrow (which she will not be playing in because they are on Sunday.)

Duff loaded the equipment, I put cereal in a large glass with milk and a spoon and off she went!

 Fortunately the tournament location was close this year, right at RSM middle school which is ten minutes from us.  I missed the first game and they lost by only one.  But look at how pretty the mountains are!  I wish the picture truly reflected what a beautiful scene it was.

 Next two games they won well, and Christine played as the Varsity goalie for the first time both games.  She will probably be the JV goalie again this year during league play and move back and forth to get some varsity playing time to prepare her for next year.

An action shot against Mater Dei, who they beat!  Yes. (a private catholic school)

Inbetween games we ran and did the weekly grocery shopping, and then got home in time to shower and get ready for our annual neighborhood Christmas Party.  We take turns hosting and this year it was at the Cooper's.  We potlucked Cafe Rio chicken and barbacoa salad.  It was really good.  The gift exchange was mild this year in comparison to some others (!), but everyone seemed very happy with what we all ended up with.  This year we got a collector's series of 4 pint glasses of The Beatles albums with a gift card to get their songs that are now on itunes!!!  Pretty dang nice, since we are avid Beatles fans.

Lots of catching up and good holiday visiting with all our neighbors. 

Making A List, Checking It Twice

...Gonna find out who's naughty or nice...

Nah--everyone on my Santa List has been 'nice' this year!

And today my list is just about complete.

Went to Target.  What should have been 30 minutes or less ended up 90 minutes because of all the friends I saw there and all the visiting we did!  But it sure was FUN.

On to BBBeyond.  Oh Thank You to strangers who listened patiently to my questions and helped me make a decision.  Sometimes it is very helpful to ask a stranger for their opinion.  They have no emotion tied up in your decision making so they offer really good things to consider.  And the 20% off coupons--gotta LOVE them.

Next was Sport Chalet. Was I ever high-fiving myself that I happened to go on the day that they were having a huge sale on the most random items I was buying and walked out saving $120!  And the manager even carried them all out to my car.  So nice.

Then.  The Mall.  Very crowded.  But I had my list and I stuck to it and got in and out of there even trying on clothes in 35 minutes.  And I even made it all the way back to the school for carpool pick-up on time.  Whew.

Once home, I pulled my frozen turkey frame out and made a big batch of soup.  It is chilly, and I needed a meal to take to a family (who has been back and forth to the hospital with a son in surgery for a compound clavicle break from PE class) and one to feed mine.  Duff and I visited with them for a while and got all the details and I also got a little woozy looking at the pictures.  It was BAD.  Christine has a couple of friends over and I am finishing the laundry at midnight. 

Creche Set Up

I spent the entire afternoon helping set up the creche display for Follow The Star this weekend.

Our stake puts this free program on every year, rain or shine!  The Altisima building sits up on a hill and has some property attached to it, which for California is very rare.  Usually we just have enough land for the building and the parking lot. We lament not having ball fields and pavillions, but are so grateful that we have a place to worship!

The outdoor program runs each half hour.

It is the Christmas Story of the birth of the Savior.  There is a recorded narration with members of the stake acting out the parts complete with a sweet live baby!  Mothers with a baby born in the fall are asked to participate with their sweet newborns.  It is a precious experience.

All the animals are live from our members stables.

There are choirs and solos and hot chocolate and cider with cookies and then the beautiful creche exhibit.  Each year it grows.  The missionaries have booths set up and classrooms with displays about Christ and the Gospel.

 Kathy and Anita from my ward.  Kathy just had a new grandbaby born this morning a couple of hours before her creche shift began!

Our shift did the set up and building of tables.  Covering with tablecloths and draping with fabric, which means a lot of ironing!  Then setting out the precious nativities.

Even though we are working, (and this is hard work) there is quite the spirit in the rooms.  People have graciously lent their nativities for the event and there is a reverence and respect for them, but it all seems to be about The Baby.  The birth of baby Jesus.  The great gift from our Heavenly Father beginning His mortal life.  All that we hold dear he makes possible.

The shift tonight and tomorrow with put all the finishing touches on:  lighting, festive greenery, and season appropriate decorations to complete the displays.  The last shift tomorrow is inspection:  making sure each raw edge is turned, no strings or trash left, the music and lighting are cued.

 There is a beautiful story about this family heirloom set hand carved from Switzerland.

These are the kinds of creches all over the space.

Personal and emotional reminders of The Baby.

The outdoor crews were busy setting up as well.

Come tomorrow night this will be lit up with spots and sound equipment and the corral for the animals to be brought out on cue and shifts of people hosting, working the creche exhibit and kitchen, parking, and everything else you can imagine with a production.

It is open to the public and even with inclement weather is overcrowded. 

Something about The Baby's birth draws people here.

White Elephant

I'm interested in hearing what any of you might think of this question:

WHAT IS A WHITE ELEPHANT GIFT?

I've always thought that it's definition was something lying around the house that you don't want.  Some horridly ugly item that you don't want or an item unwanted for some reason.  A white elephant gift will almost always be a gag gift and not something genuinely useful or desireable.

So that is what Christine took last night to her party.  We found an old yellow pages phone book that was expired.  We don't need 3 phone books, right?  We wrapped it up ever so prettily.  She said she was a little embarrassed because only one other person brought the same kind of 'white elephant'.  Everyone else had something kind of nice.

This is not the first time that has happened, so maybe I've missed something?  Is there a new definition of 'white elephant gift'?  Maybe I'm getting old.......Haha!

Murder

I found out today that the oldest daughter of some friends of ours from our Westminster days, was murdered by her boyfriend.  He got angry and strangled her to death and left her body in an alley in Hollywood.  At 11 in the morning.  Alisha is Shaun's age and they were good friends when we lived there.  Back and forth to each other's houses. 

I'm just sick....and haven't been able to do much since I found out.

Welcome December!

It's the 1st day of December.  I wrote it on a check this afternoon!  And I'm so excited. Christmas is around the corner.  I've been cleaning up and putting the 'autumn' things away and getting ready to put Christmas out this weekend.  My shopping is almost done--don't hate me, it's the first time ever I've been this far ahead--, and so far I'm feeling calm and unstressed.  (Did I just jinx it?)

The first party of the season was tonight.  Christine's at Young Women.  Their annual dinner and gift exchange.  The 'white elephant' gift wrapped three times and passed around.  When the music stops you open which one you have.  The music starts again and when it stops it gets unwrapped another time.  The third time you get to keep the white elephant.  Then the 'good' gift to whose name you drew.

Saturday is our annual neighborhood party.  I even already have the gift for the exchange!  A really cute snowflake pillow.  I might just have to pick my own present when it's my turn.  Is that bad?

Our weather is cold and dry.  Typical for us in December.  I'm using lotion and chapstick like crazy.

Here we go!