Swing Out Sister!

Someone said something yesterday and it made me think of this song.

I LOVED it when I was in high school. I love that the song is so simple. I love the blocks of color and her hair and her lipstick and that she has bare feet at the end.

It still makes me happy.

Thanksgiving

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

2 Corinthians 9:15

24 days of Christmas!

I am so excited for Christmas this year!

The last few years, Christmas has been more of a burden for me, than the celebration I always want it to be. Everything was just too much. Money, decorations, food, activities, last minute requests, it was all just too much.

The last two years we've tried to pare down the "stuff" and bump up the substance and our attempts have only been semi-successful. Simplifying just isn't as easy as it sounds, especially when Santa still needs to make an appearance and because I love all the shopping and decorations and food and lights and activities.

Two years ago we tried a super simple Christmas and put money and effort into a really great trip, but Christmas morning was disappointing and unsatisfying for everyone.

Last year we had more of a Christmas morning but not the best trip and hauling Christmas morning to Galveston was WAY too much work. We just haven't quite hit the right note.

This year though, I think we may have done it.

Last year Paul's wonderful mother suggested that we find some service to do everyday in December. It was such a good idea but by the time I was given the thought, I already had too much going on and couldn't fit anything else on my list.

I kept the idea in my head all year and it finally took shape about a month ago. For me, I need to plan ahead a little or for one reason or another, I seem to miss the opportunities that come along. Just the planning, though, has me in a Christmas mood. Looking for places we can serve, finding activities that will be fun for the kids and to invite people to, planning parties, discussing and planning with the kids, it has been so much fun!

Now I have a December calendar full of concerts and parties and Family Home Evenings and fun and yummy creations to share with our neighbors. It's gonna be so great!!

One of the nice things that has come of this so far, is that I am SO ready for Christmas. I even broke out the Christmas music a week early, breaking a cardinal rule at our house. Another nice thing that has happened is that I am more organized for Christmas, all around.

I will report back after Christmas because I am sure you are all on the edge of your seats to see how this works out.

Grad Party

So, I am going to the initial planning meeting for the graduation for our seniors. I don't have any experience with this. For the Dixie High School's 1987 grads we went to that health club over by the Hilton, what was it called? Anyway, it was fine but it wasn't fab-u-lous.

There are websites out there but the ideas are so-so and you never know how good they really are.

Have any of you seen anything work really great? Something fab that I can take to the meeting?

28

Robin scored a 28 on the ACT!! And she did it without a calculator which she mistakenly thought she was not allowed to bring. Go Robin! Go Robin! Go Robin!

Principles and Ordinances

Each week the young men in our branch take the sacrament to the home of an elderly couple. The sister can not get around well enough to come to church and the brother is blind.

A couple of Sundays ago, the sacrament was done and everyone was just visiting. The mother of one of the afore mentioned young men said, "Brother G. you are always reading when we are here, what is that you're reading?" (It was in Brail so she couldn't see what it was.) He smiled and said "Oh, you wouldn't be interested . . . it's Playboy."

He said that it has really great articles.

More football

Little boys growing up strong, I like this commercial.

Deposit @ Home

USAA started the greatest thing a couple of years ago. Along with paying all our bills I can now deposit checks from my house. I scan in the check, tell them which account the money goes in, follow the little prompts and the money is in my account immediately. Sa-weet!

I just have one question. Where were you USAA, when, after having already stood in line for 20 minutes, I had to leave the Deutsche Bank with just one person in line ahead of me, consoling hungry, newborn Gloria and glaring at screaming, two year old Sara who was dangling like a pinata from my out stretched arm??

Happy Veteran's Day!

Paul's Team OIF 05-06

Richard OIF 05-06

Utah vs. TCU

It was happy at our house last night!

Peaceful Transfer of Power

What a fun night!! We copied Sara's idea to eat Senate Bean Soup and watched the returns.

I am so proud of America! I have been close to tears all day!

I love that we vote, that we have a say, that we have such quality people to choose from. I was so proud of John McCain. His speech was gracious and statesmanlike and made me wonder, for a minute, why I didn't vote for him.

I loved President Elect Obama's speech. If you didn't stay up for it (shame on you) you missed out. It too was gracious and statesmanlike as well as historic. His words were powerful, his family gorgeous and the crowd adoring. I could have done without the shots of Jesse Jackson but other than that I loved watching the huge celebration in Chicago and I longed to be there myself.

Kenya, Australia, Europe, Asia, I loved the shots of people celebrating around the world! I didn't expect that. It made for very thoughtful discussion in our living room last night.

We also celebrated with Steve Urquhart. Utah's newest State Senator!! Yea Steve!! And we are still waiting to hear how Shannon did in her election.

From small city seats to President of the United States . . . we have a say! . . . (exhilarated and exhausted sigh) I am so grateful!

Power To The People

Before trick or treating the other night, we took our goblins to our polling place which is a Masonic lodge just a couple of miles from our house. The kids sat in the waiting area while we checked in. As a grandmotherly lady gave me instructions on how to use my electronic voting booth, I called the kids over to watch. Pauly, Dan, Jasmine and Cinderella gathered around me as we went through all the choices. I showed them that they could vote all one party by pushing one button or that they could go through each choice one by one . . . president, senator, representatives, judges, constables, etc. Daniel showed me where I had missed one of the ballots and how to go back. A big red light flashed when I pushed the last button and my votes were officially cast.

We always take our kids with us to vote when we can. We explain ahead of time, the things we will be voting on and tell them what we think and why we are voting the way we are. We tell them what a blessing and privilege it is to have a say in how we are governed. We like them to see us vote and hope they are learning to be thinking people, voting citizens and respectful of others' opinions.

I love to vote! What a great feeling!!