Josh and I spent Christmas in northern Utah this year, since we spent Thanksgiving with my family in southern Utah. His family Christmas party was Friday, Dec 21, so we spent this Christmas morning without any fanfare. We slept in until after 8am, then Josh finally got up to shovel the "White Christmas" driveway and sidewalks while I made us breakfast. Josh got me a Presto Professional Salad Shooter for Christmas this year, but let me open it early to make au gratin potatoes for the non-denominational holiday feast we shared at Lacie's Christmas Eve, so I used it to make homemade hashbrowns. They were so yummy! We feasted on potatoes, scrambled eggs with cheese and salsa, raspberry muffins and hot chocolate. It was so nice to sit down and enjoy a hearty breakfast together. I can't remember the last time we were able to enjoy a morning together like that.
Santa didn't quite make it to our house this year, and in addition to my Presto, we already bought and installed flat screen computer monitors and this headboard for Christmas,
so we weren't expecting to have many gifts waiting under the tree. We were so wrong! Maryann's family gave us Blokus, Josh's folks generously gave us "Dinner & a Movie", Nate & Holly gave us the Scene It? movie trivia game, Penny sent up a beautiful Christmas plaque, Duane & Amanda sent up a super-cute photo calendar set, and Holly gave us a book of her family's top recipes. We totally made out like bandits! We felt so loved. The spirit of Christmas filled our home and we felt all warm and tingly inside.
We spent part of the afternoon visiting at Josh's folks' house, then on to Gary & Wendy's to visit with the Heaps family, and finished the day off at Jon & Maryann's where I got to put together a huge fire engine puzzle with Riley, Preston, Hailey and Hunter. It was such a beautiful day and I loved every minute of it. It was the perfect Christmas.
Ugh. I need to finish writing our talks for sacrament meeting tomorrow, but I'm having a hard time concentrating. I went to southern Utah with Josh Tuesday to see my folks while he worked at Dixie on Wednesday. On our drive home Wednesday night we got a call from the Bishopric requesting we speak in sacrament meeting on Sunday (tomorrow). We almost said no - it was after 9pm Wednesday night, we were barely out of Cedar City, and Josh wasn't going to have much time to prepare one - but we guilted ourselves into saying yes.
Well, Josh worked at IMC until 9pm last night and has already been there since 8am this morning. Poor guy. I hate it when he works late, but I extra hate it when he sacrifices his weekends and doesn't get a decent break from work. Anyway, his talk isn't getting written, so we decided that instead of writing two 12-minute talks on the two subjects they gave us, I would write one 24-minute talk on one subject, and Josh could give half of it. I have my doubts about our probable success, but we've concluded that if we bomb these talks, they won't be asking us again anytime soon, so either way we win!
In other news...
I got a kicking maternity skirt for only $15 at Motherhood Maternity that will easily last me through these last three months. I officially start teaching the 6 & 7-year-olds in Primary tomorrow, so I wanted to get something now that will be comfy enough that I'm not constantly shuffling around in front of the kiddies, but that will grow with me so I don't have to buy another later on. This skirt is perfect. It's a little big right now, but it still stays up (and I can use my black belly band to help!), and it's dressy without being flashy. It's a long, black, skirt, and perfect for wintertime. I love it so much I might not get any others and just wear this one every week until the baby comes.
I'm making great progress on my crafty Christmas gifts for all the siblings this year. I'm more or less done with gifts for my side of the family, but Josh's side is another story. We've talked about it a bit, but haven't had any great revelations yet. What are some gifts all y'all are giving your parents this year??
Josh and I cannot agree on a single name for this baby, so he will probably not have a name before he is born. Suggestions are welcome and appreciated, but chances are we won't know his name until after we look at him.
I made some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for a ward function this week, and Josh confessed to me that "they are the best cookies you've ever made." I was surprised at first, but then I realized I don't make cookies very often. In fact, the only other cookies I've made since we married are "secret surprise cookies" and those are strictly a Lake Powell tradition. I'm a big fan of brownies, rice krispies treats, and even cakes (especially cheesecake - yum!), but rarely will I put in the time to make cookies. But now that I know he liked them so much, I might make them as an occasional special treat for him. Nicey!
So I put on some crafty gloves this week and made something for my niece's baptism on Saturday (tomorrow). I'm really excited to give it to her, and although I could have just bought her one for half the cost, I'm so pleased with how well it turned out and that *I* made it special for her.
I made Aubrey a bracelet of her two favorite colors - teal and purple. I bought a chain and affixed some beadwork off the links so they would dangle. In the very middle of the bracelet, I put these three little bead squares that say "I am a child of God" on them - so cute! I got to use headpins to make the beadwork and jump rings to attach them, and even though I got really frustrated a few times, I had a great time making it for her. Special thanks to Holly for all of her help and instruction and to the lady at The Bead Fairy for not only giving me 15% off all my supplies, but for teaching me how to use the headpins.
Update:
I took a picture with Josh's phone, and of course it was dark and I couldn't figure out the flash, so the photo is unfocused. But Aubrey loved the bracelet and wanted to wear it right away. I'm really hoping for a baby girl now so that I can make her pretty baby bracelets and cute binky chains. I think I may have found a new hobby!
so we weren't expecting to have many gifts waiting under the tree. We were so wrong! Maryann's family gave us Blokus, Josh's folks generously gave us "Dinner & a Movie", Nate & Holly gave us the Scene It? movie trivia game, Penny sent up a beautiful Christmas plaque, Duane & Amanda sent up a super-cute photo calendar set, and Holly gave us a book of her family's top recipes. We totally made out like bandits! We felt so loved. The spirit of Christmas filled our home and we felt all warm and tingly inside.
