We started this month off with several holiday parties. I was so into the season this year. We put up the tree early and we had so many Fresh Balsam candles that make our house smell so yummy and set the mood immediately when we walk in. I love the tree this year. I finally have my weight under control after 18 months of menapause fighting. I fit into my clothes again. I have an emotionally taxing job, however I work for a really good company with a good support system and kind bosses. In short, I was very happy this season and ready to celebrate.
The young women had a hot chocolate bar and white elephant gift exchange night. I am not a fan of white elephant parties. They always turn into a mean-fest. People's personalities really come out during a white elephant exchage and you find out really quickly who the mean girls are and who the passive, kind hearted people are. And the mean girls waste the kind hearted girls and it's hard to watch. Especially when your daughter is one of the kind hearted ones.
I didn't like it very much
But the hot chocolate was yummy and the bar was darling
The second party was my work party. We drew names in November and had to buy a gift for that person.
I was SO lucky to have been drawn by Lisa. She is super classy and is a very good gift giver. She wrapped them in really cute boxes with fun tissue paper.
She showered me with so many gifts.
THEN.... our bosses gave us
$800 bonuses.
Such a great night!
On the 10th, we were blessed and lucky to attend the dedication of the
St. George Temple.
It was in the top 5 of the best meetings I have ever attended.
President Holland, who three months ago was on death's door, was
miraculously spared so that he could be here to do this.
The music was amazing, the talks were SO good, the prayer was mind blowing.
I am so sad for everyone who didn't get to be in attendance.
I was definitely changed afterward.
Miss Kaleigh is the most positively self entertained person I know.
She loves being in her room.
Sometimes, I have to go up there to check on her because I will not have seen her for hours and I begin to wonder if she is okay or sad or something.
She is never sad. She is just content to be alone and doing the things that she loves.
She reads, listens to podcasts, draws, paints, curls her hair and does her own acrylic nails.
She bought a kit and she practiced and practiced until she perfected her skill.
She changes her nails 4 times a week and every time they are so cute.
Peyton has a large group of friends. There are like 8 girls and maybe the same amount of boys.
They are all really good kids and they are very kind to each other and build each other up and are good to include as many kids as are able to hang out in their adventures.
There were maybe 3 nights in December that she wasn't with them.
One of the nights, she asked if she could hang out with us. We said "we're going to the pharmacy"
"Oh sweet, I can check my blood pressure"
She is hilarious and SO fun to hang out with.
She has a very quick wit and she is LOW drama and has very HIGH self esteem.
Walt has asked my no less than 49 times for a perm.
I kept saying that I would think about it, hoping that he would let it go.
But one of his special gifts is not letting things go.
So, I eventually had to just give in and make him an appointment at the Beauty College.
He was so happy and he said "man the ladies are really going to love me now.
Haha.... he too doesn't have self esteem issues.
He probably told the girl 30 times that "this stuff smells SO bad"
How long will I smell like this?
He also was SO happy to sing in the choir concert
Allie and Kate got engaged this month. Of course, we couldn't be more thrilled to add Kate to our family.
She is as kind as she is gorgeous and we love her.
We are not really knowing how these things work and are looking to gain some knowledge. but in the meantime I am just so happy that they are happy and that Allie has someone who loves her and that Kate's family is also supportive of them and are learning to navigate this with us.
I have loved being a part of this difficult journey with them and I am grateful for the spiritual lessons I have been taught and the guidance I have received. But mostly for the undeniable knowledge that my Heavenly Father knows and loves our daughters and is taking care of them.
They are terrific girls and I feel blessed to be in their lives.
The Young Men and Women loaded up on two trailers filled with hay and rolled aroung the neighborhood singing Christmas carrols to the neighbors. It was chilly and we were not great singers, but we laughed a lot.
We were able to get Ellen's chair up on the trailer by backing her dad's van up to the trailer and then he lowered his ramp and she rolled over. It's a good thing too, she was the only one who knew every word to every song and she was always right in tune.
Literally as we were driving by carrolling, our next door neighbors were in the middle of a dispute that ended with the husband taking his life, six days before Christmas, leaving his wife and four boys behind. It was devastating and heartbreaking.
We found out about it the next day and when I got home from work,
Raleigh and I went over to sit with her.
I could tell the spirit was with us because we were there for a couple of hours and in that 2 hours with the help of our Relief Society Presidency and Compassionate Service Coordinator, we were able to come up with so many ways to hep her.
Raleigh and I volunteered to be the Christmas gift drop off location and we also agreed to be Santa for the boys.
The gifts came pouring in. It was really fun and humbling to be a part of so much love and support for this family.
Peyton built presents
On the Saturday before Christmas, I reached out to Jenn asking what we should get the boys.
After much thinking, she decided on ripsticks.
I finished getting ready and told Raleigh that we needed to go shopping.
He said as we were driving.... "I don't want to burst your bubble, but I don't think there is a chance that you will even find ONE ripstick in this town 2 days before Christmas much less THREE.
My bubble immediately burst....
I hadn't even thought of that.
And of course he was going to be right.
We went to all three Walmarts, Big Five and Al's Sporting Goods.
NOT A RIPSTICK IN SIGHT.... just like he said.
I was becoming devastated and getting SO nervous.
Not only were there no ripsticks, there was no nothing.
The shelves were Covid-empty in all the stores.
Completely picked over.
I finally paused, and said a quick prayer.
I told Heavenly Father what we needed and why we needed them.
You know how I know we can ask Jesus for the miracle of making three ripsticks to suddenly appear for little boys who have just lost their dad?
Ripsticks=worldly possessions.
Because He turned water to wine at a wedding.
Wine=worldly pleasure.
A miracle that didn't necessarily need to happen.
The people at that wedding, would have probably been just fine had they run out of wine.
Disappointed sure. But, it was not totally needed.
However, people that Jesus loved were involved and his mother asked Him for this miracle.
I knew Jesus loved these boys and they were probably on the forefront of His mind.
I also had complete faith that He would provide them.
So I prayed and we walked into Target and there on the shelf were THREE RIPSTICKS!!
I died. And my testimony grew SO much that day.
I know he hears and answers every prayer, even if they may sometimes be worldly asks.
At 10:00, we were able to deliver Christmas to a teary mom with four boys nestled all snug in their beds
We attended church in Papa and Nana's ward
with the Ellsworths
And played games and had a taco bar that night.
We also exchanged socks
And opened pajamas
We would have had a fabulous Christmas Eve Celebration, but our Papa was not there with us...
He was admitted to the hospital on Christmas Eve with a severe case of RSV and a little case of pneumonia. He had a terrible, phlegmy cough and he could not breathe. He totally missed Christmas. It was awful!
Even though he was a little sad and lonely, he was in great spirits.
He just layed there and watched a whole lotta football until the 27th.
Christmas Morning was delightful.
Allie is doing some amazing things.
She just switched jobs again in an attempt to simplify her life.
She also randomly started back up with her Kendama life.
And man, does she have a fan-base.
She has gained over 4,000 organic followers in 2 months.
It is so fun for me to watch. She is darling and I have always been her
biggest fan. She recentally did a post dressed up like this flipping her kendama.
So cute. I love her.
Ryker turned 12 this month. His birthdays are always his most anticipated day of the year with the biggest year over year let down. We have never successfully delivered on a birthday.
This year, the shoes he asked for and that we ordered in plenty of time..... were delayed.
So to make up for that, Raleigh took 4 boys to Big Shots.
Turns out, that is all it takes to ensure a birthday home run
Not sure when he became the tallest of his buddies
If I had to put a word on this month, it would have to be miraculous.
We were told not long ago by President Nelson to expect miracles in our lives.
He told us to watch for daily manifestations of the spirit.
Well... I have seen them first hand.
I cannot believe the blessings that I have been able to be a part of.
I cannot deny that there are angels among us who delight in helping and guiding our lives.
I was able to reconnect with someone that I worked with 20 years ago.
Turns out she is in my ward. That was such a fun realization.
I am getting a hold of my job. We had a MAJOR incident in one of our homes and I was the navigator of the solutions. It was INTENSE and had total potential to catastrophically fail (afterall, historically property managers do not win cases against Aibnb) but we did. We all worked SO hard on that thing and we were successful in the end. I have never been as happy as I was to make that good news call. I lost a lot of sleep over that fiasco. But in the end, I have gained a TON of confidence and knowledge. AGAIN. This is my second tragic scenario that had a happy ending. Expect Miracles.
I am the saddest person when the holidays are over.
The stretch between New Years and Memorial Day feels like five years not five months.
I think we have some fun things planned, but as I type this.... I am just sad.
I think I am just going to work every day on improving myself and expect a few miracles in that endeavor.
Wish me luck.
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