Mr. Blue Eyes Pays a Visit

Not feeling too well, he and me had a nice long, warm play bath to chase the sniffles, sneezes and coughs and grumps away.  It worked.

A little off-season football just before lunch.  Gosh the holidays are fun.

Kasey and Kara

A cold December day did not take away the warmth of this wedding.

                   

It WAS awfully cold wasn’t it McCall? But you were just so darn cute I  had to record those alligator tears.

It was much warmer at the reception . . .

Christmas Ball

As I post, this group is still having a ball at the Senior Ball.  When I left they were just getting ready to have cordon bleu, and it smelled soooo good.  Just time to post one.  I had a ball too.

A New Activity

As I was going through past years cards that I just couldn’t do away with before, I began to particularly enjoy the many, many artists’ renditions of the Nativity.  I decided to begin ‘collecting’ them in earnest and put them in a photo album all together.  How fun would that be – page after page of Nativity eye candy.  I can never get enough of this glorious story – and the music, words and art that depict His 1st coming to earth.  I hope our children and grandchildren can’t either.

I will begin with this one.  Kathi send it to us so many years ago I can’t remember when.  It was an instant favorite. 

You don’t get a peek at His dear toes and baby chubbiness in very many renditions.  That’s only one reason I love this one so much.

Deliberating–It’s a Date!

Jay and I haven’t been ‘dating’.  Or, maybe we have been – we just haven’t called our one big  LIFE together one big DATE together, which is how I’ve looked at it all these years.

Our Non-Date life has been great.  Perhaps “ True Steady Dating” would be a better way to put it.

My big idea to try joining the millions of married daters came when all the planets lined up:  Twins with more energy than their mother and muscling out my daily plans; Jay’s responsibilities ever increasing; reading an inspiring, lofty book about motherhood secrets that Anna gave me (Thanks Anna! see below); and a gradual realization that counseling and deliberating together could be very powerful.  And how could I take counsel with my Jay unless we actually carved out a block of time alone to do that.

Hence, Friday Forum Dating was born in my mulling, malleable mind.  It came to me this morning and now we’ve had our 1st one.  We like it.  It makes so much sense.  He already had the happy obligation to attend Friday Forum, and dressed up in the morning for it.  I just dressed up too – for him AND Friday Forum.  The talks are inspiring and then we came home and had candlelight ‘dinner’.  Downstairs, if I pull the blinds, it’s like night time.  I have candles and pretty dishes.  There are pinecones, big golden jingle bells, a big golden bow that came on a carrot pudding gift (thanks Linda) and that became my instant table décor. Dipped the glasses rim in water, then sugar, and placed them in the freezer for a few minutes.  When they come out they are frosty and crystal-ly. 

   

The Menu:

Soup and salad and grilled tuna/cheese sandwiches.

The soup was left over, and this meal preparation was so simple.  All was ready!  He was supposed to be home at 11:30 (FF is at 12:30).  It didn’t happen.  No worries.  I’m not like I was in my twenties and get offended at these things.  It ended up being even better!  We darkened our bedroom and moved everything up after FF instead of before.  The table is there permanently now for this very purpose.  Sure, the twins were home, but when they heard what was on our agenda (Christmas Planning) there was  no shout, pout or cry-I’m–tellin’-you-why, and they left us carefully alone.

Living deliberately – I think I like this planning with your one-and-only. 

Bedecked, Bejeweled, Bedazzled Me

Costume jewelry is on my Christmas fantasy wish list this year.  Shallow of me, yes.  But there was nothing shallow about the overwhelming display of gifted jewels that dazzled me this morning on a winter morning run.  I cried for the beauty of it ,and tried to say thank you with my camera.

This image also treated me  with  a tiny star.  Christmas symbols everywhere!

I think my favorite symbol of Christ at Christmas time are the lights.  The effects that light has upon the world are infinite and joyous – so fitting that He is the Light of the world. I love how the light is glowing through the leaves here.

There was more beauty at every turn – I just can’t capture it all! But it’s so fun trying.

Have a Merry Christmas day today.

Belly-Bouncing Visitor at 1st Ward

 

1st Ward trivia.  Any 1st Warder adult who can call me and identify whose leg is wearing this festive sock will get a fresh baked Razzelberry Pie.  (Now, no cheating and asking your kiddos.)

Hint: It is NOT Gary Cox’s.