Pre-Christmas adventures:

So, I just want to post some random pictures. I haven't pulled the Christmas pictures off of my camera yet, but here are some favorites from Thanksgiving and December.

Targhee says hi!

Cousins Alex, Amanda and me with crazy Uncle Curtis

Lisa and I are daredevils!

(there really was no train. Our friend Willie likes to photoshop!)

I was babysitting McKylla and Abby one night and Lisa came over to play with us!

Amanda, Alex, Makay, Dallin and Matthew. At Thanksgiving, the cousins wanted to watch a movie. There was only 1 TV in the house they could use! How many cousins can you fit on a twin bed? Apparently they all rolled over and the little one fell out. So, Matthew got the chair.

Distracted

I found this on Carolyn's blog and decided that it looked more fun than work.
Here are the rules: I have to answer the following questions with one word answers and one word only!
1. Where is your cell phone? Here
2. Where is your significant other? Undiscovered
3. Your hair color? Brown
4. Your mother? Clown
5. Your father? Grump
6. Your favorite thing? Friends
7. Your dream last night? Forgotten
8. Your dream/goal? Family
9. The room you're in? cubicle
10. Your hobby? snowboarding
11. Your fear? boredom
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? family
13. Where were you last night? Mom's
14. What you're not? disciplined
15. One of your wish-list items? freedom
16. Where you grew up? Cloverdale
17. The last thing you did? work
18. What are you wearing? yellow
19. Your TV? dirty
20. Your pet? moose
21. Your computer? puter
22. Your mood? distracted
23. Missing someone? Brimball
24. Your car? squeaky
25. Something you're not wearing? lipstick
26. Favorite store? Target
27. Your summer? Palisades
28. Love someone? BUNCHES!
29. Your favorite color? green
30. When is the last time you laughed? minutes
31. Last time you cried? days

Good Tidings He Brings

So, my car stereo's been out for the last couple of weeks, and I've been unable to listen to Christmas music! So, I've found myself singing the few Christmas songs I know just to break the silence! (Be grateful none of you are riding with me!) And I've realized that there are several songs that I've been singing my whole life without ever realizing the words I was singing. These Christmas songs were all written about the Savior, and I've been singing them without really realizing their significance. So, this year, I've really been noticing the messages in our Christmas songs. I spoke in sacrament meeting last Sunday, and here's the outline of my talk:

O, Holy Night

Long lay the world in sin and error pining. Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

---"The soul felt its worth." Isn’t that an explanation of the Spirit confirming something to you? The world FELT the importance of the Savior’s coming. It’s a tangible feeling that we can still feel today. It’s the Spirit confirming to us the value of the Savior’s birth and His life. It SHOULD bring a “thrill of hope!” Our “weary world” has great reason to rejoice because Christ brings us a “new and glorious morn!”

Joy to the World

Let earth receive her King! Let ev’ry heart prepare him room,

Prepare Him room. Let Him in. Let earth RECEIVE her King! Receive is an acceptance. It’s not just automatic. You have to hit the “receive” button to get your email. Receiving takes action. We must prepare room for Him in our hearts and receive Him.

Angels We Have Heard on High: Extra verse by Melissa Cook

Some may try to deny his name
Even dare to slay the King
But of Him we’ll testify
And with other Saints I'll sing
Gloria!

Theme of “some” doing one thing, BUT I’m not going to follow that. They DARED to slay the King. But of Him I’ll testify. We must bear testimony.

D&C 76:22-24
And now, after the many testimonies which have been given on him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—That by him, and through him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God.

Away in a Manger

And fit us for heaven to live with thee there
We need to be fitted. We need to be prepared and changed in order to live with Him.




Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Mild he lays his glory by,Born that man no more may die;Born to raise the sons of earth,Born to give them second birth.

He laid His glory by. He left His Kingdom, descended from an elevated position of prominence, power & privilege to perform an act of service for someone of a lower station which they cannot do for themselves. This was His purpose in coming to mortal. To save us. To raise the sons of earth. To give us second birth (resurrection)

President Gordon B. Hinckley
Born in a manger, He came to earth under the humblest of circumstances. The Son of the Almighty became the Savior of all mankind. He walked the roads of Palestine working miracles. He healed the sick, He brought sight to the blind. He raised the dead. He blessed the little children and condemned any who should offend them. He left His mark upon the world, which can never be erased or diminished. Concluding that brief life was the agony of Gethsemane and the terrible suffering of Golgotha, to be followed by the glory of the Resurrection. No other had ever before done what He did. He rose from the grave, and thought His great act of Atonement came salvation for all men. Our eternal lives are in His hands, and our eternal progress lies in obedience to His teachings.

Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains

Lord, with the angels we too would rejoice;Help us to sing with the heart and voice:Glory to God, Glory to God,Glory to God in the highest;Peace on earth, goodwill to men;Peace on earth, goodwill to men!

How do we feel about all this? What do we think of what Christ has done for us? Do we rejoice with the angels? We have every reason to! Glory to God in the highest. Praise Him.

The Wondrous and True Story of Christmas

—Gordon B. Hinckley
For each of you may this be a merry Christmas. But more importantly, I wish for each of you a time, perhaps only an hour, spend in silent meditation and quiet reflection on the wonder and the majesty of this, the Son of God. Our joy at this season is because He came into the world. The peace that comes from Him, His infinite love which each of us may feel, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude for that which He freely gave us at so great a cost to Himself—these are of the true essence of Christmas.


I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day--

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:“God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,With peace on earth, good will to men.”
Till, ringing, singing, on its way,The world revolved from night to day,A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,Of peace on earth, good will to men!

What the message of Christmas means to us TODAY. God is not dead, nor doth he sleep. Knowledge and faith in this turns our perspectives from night to day. He brings peace and good will.

Oh Little Town of Bethlehem

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heav’n.
No ear may hear his coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.

The gifts of heaven aren’t something we can see or touch. It’s a silent, but wondrous gift to our hearts. Blessings of heaven come as peace and assurance to our hearts. Good will isn’t necessarily a physical thing. It’s a silent blessing. No ear my hear His coming. But MEEK souls will RECEIVE (back to that verb) and Christ will enter into our hearts.

Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift on His divine Son.

–The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles

The Best Christmas Ever—Thomas S. Monson
Giving, not getting, brings to full bloom the Christmas spirit. Enemies are forgiven, friends remembered, and God obeyed. The spirit of Christmas illuminates the picture window of the soul, and we look out upon the world’s busy life and become more interested in people than things. To catch the real meaning of the “spirit of Christmas,” we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the Spirit of Christ.

The Gifts of Christmas—Thomas S. Monson
There is no better time than now, this very Christmas season, for all of us to rededicate ourselves to the principles taught by Jesus the Christ. It is the time to love the Lord our God with all our heart—and our neighbors as ourselves. It is well to remember that he who gives money gives much, he who gives time gives more, but he who gives of himself gives all. Let this be a description of our Christmas gifts.

A Pattern of Love—James E. Faust
At the heart of the message of the Savior of the world is a single, glorious, wonderful, still largely untried concept. In its simplest terms the message is that we should seek to overcome the selfishness we all seem to be born with, that we should overcome human nature and think of others before self. We should think of God and serve Him, and think of others and serve them.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Cousins ... and snow fun!

Me, Alex, Manda, Addie and Syd

So ... my cousins are amazing. I've always been close to cousins on my mom's side. We spend every holiday together. Whittney, Danielle and I were always dressed alike. We grew up together and did everything together, but our personalities have always been so different! Now that the younger ones are older, I find myself spending all my time with the 13-19 year olds! They are so much fun! We play games, go sledding, ride 4-wheelers, ride ice blocks down hillsides ... just fun stuff! I love each holiday spent with them and all the activities we always have planned. I especially love that we can just make each other laugh! We are silly, and witty, and oftentimes inappropriate, but that just makes life so much fun! I got to spend Thanksgiving with these crazies, and I'll be back in just a couple of days for Christmas! Woo Hoo!

In the car with our energy cans-o-nasty. I gotta get hyped up for this!

Every year after Thanksgiving, the moms wake up at o-butt-thirty to go shopping. It's just bad news. The throw elbows at Walmart and hold each other places in line at Target. As much as I LOVE shopping, I've never been interested in this mess. A couple of years ago, Kimball came to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving with me. The day after Thanksgiving, we got up EARLY to get a digital camera at Circuit City. They were sold out within 30 seconds of the store opening. We didn't get one. We came back home and went to bed. I'm NOT a morning person! This year, the South Town mall in Sandy opened at midnight the day after Thanksgiving! I AM a night person! My 18-year-old cousin, Sydney asked if I wanted to go shopping with her. Heck yes! I figured we'd be home and in bed by 2. We stopped at a gas station to by Satan's nectar (No Fear caffeine energy drinks) to sustain us for a couple of hours. A couple of hours?! Yeah. We were there until 5:30 a.m.! People are CRAZY who does this?! I did. And it was fun. But sheesh! The best part of the whole night was when we stepped into Maurices at 12:00 ... I was helping Sydney find some cute outfits. I'm in Utah. I know noone. I'm not even looking at people, just trying to stay out of everyone's way. I come around a corner and who do I find?! My cousin's wife, Pauline! She's a Silvester! Wrong side of the family! What is SHE doing there? They'd been living in Boise and just moved to Saratoga Springs the week before. I knew that. I just didn't expect to see her at the mall after midnight! Crazy/excited reunion in Maurices! I LOVE those kinds of surprises!

Me and Pauline in Maurices at midnight thirty!!

Other great cousins? I have not always been close to my Silvester side. My dad has all brothers and brothers aren't great at family relations. I grew up playing in the sandbox with Shane and Trevor, and succeeding at ditching Courtney in the kitchen with Grandma. (I was never a cookie-baking kind of girl!) But since the internet took over the world I've had better contact with a lot of them! For a long time, Heather and I knew everything about everything in each other's lives. Amanda can always be counted on for witty conversation and genetic dysfunction affirmation. (It's okay. I do that, too. Must be genetic.) And Jen has started an amazing blog with letters from our grandpa to grandma written in the 1940's when he was away at war. I love this heritage, and I love reading about it! If you want to take a look, check out the "My Dearest, My Darling" link on the right. I had to change the name of my blog to a line I pulled from one of Grandpa's letters. (It's okay. I do that, too. Must be genetic.) Family rocks!

And so does snow. And Santa. I got a taste of both this last week, and I'm loving it!

Huzzah.

We found Santa just walking down the street!

I had some time to kill-- and the snow was calling my name!

Why Don't I Fit In?

Artist: Burl Ives

Title: We're a couple of misfits

-----------------------------------

We're a couple of misfits

We're a couple of misfits

What's the matter with misfits?

That's where we fit in!

We're not daffy and dilly

Don't go 'round willy nilly

Seems to us kinda silly

That we don't fit in.

We may be different from the rest

Who decides the test

Of what is really best?

We're a couple of misfits

We're a couple of misfits

What's the matter with misfits

That's where we fit in!

--(this part sung by Rudolph)--

Why am I such a misfit?

I am not just a nit wit!

I'm an adorable reindeer

Why don't I fit in?

--(this part sung by Hermey)--

Why am I such a misfit?

I am not just a nit wit!

They can't fire me.

I QUIT!

Seems I don't fit in.

We may be different from the rest

Who decides the test

Of what is really best?

We're a couple of misfits

We're a couple of misfits

What's the matter with misfits

That's where we fit in!

Christmas taggety-tag...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Wrapping paper, with extra tape and sometimes patches to cover when I didn't cut it big enough. Yeah, I'm CLASSY!



2. Real or artificial tree?

REAL! Are you kidding me?! There's nothing better than chasing your best friend and her brothers up the side of a snowy mountain with saws in tow, and then tackling your friend and face planting on a stick, nearly puncturing your eye ball! Yeah. Oh ... this was all on our way to cut down a Christmas tree. Sorry, got off on a tangent. Fake trees are just that ... fake. I don't like the fake.



3. When do you put up the tree?

I never really do anymore. Mom usually does it while I'm gone. I come home, and there's a fake tree in our living room. What's that about? It's pretty, but I protest! Again, I LOVE real trees! I remember Christmas tree hunting at lots when I was little. Fake tree in a box just takes all the magic away!



4. When do you take the tree down?

Mom will probably do that, too. After her New Year's party. She has about 30 people over every year and she likes to keep the decorations up to be festive for the party!



5. Do you like eggnog?

Occasionally. It usually needs to be thinned down a bit. Egg nog milkshakes ROCK! Lara makes them the best!



6. Favorite gift received as a child?

I remember getting a purple scooter. It's funny, I remember it sitting at my Grandma's house with a bow on it, and being all sorts of excited about it ... but I never remember riding the thing. What's that about?


7. Hardest person to buy for?

Friends little gifts. I never know who I should include in my mass-gifting. If it's a group of friends, they're all going to know what you got for each person, so you can't leave anyone out, and you kinda have to get them all the same thing because you can't play favorites, and who has time to do that kind of individualized shopping anyway?



8. Easiest person to buy for?

Kimball. I always have way too many ideas and I have to limit myself. The girl just likes everything and we have so many funny jokes that I try to personalize and I seriously have way too much fun with it!
Angel Tree gifts are always fun to do, too! Every year, I pick a kid and I get to go crazy! This year, I decided to shop for my friends' kids instead and I've had a blast buying kid stuff for kids I actually know!



9. Do you have a nativity scene?

Somewhere, in a box downstairs I have 2. But I live at my parents' house, so mom gets to decorate with her stuff. My nativity sets, ghetto reindeer and singing Homer Simpson in a Santa suit will have to remain downstairs until next year. Or, if I get my own place, i may have to put them out in March!



10. Mail or email Christmas cards?

MAIL! Email is too: "I'm bored at work, so I thought I'd send this quick, impersonal note without any forethought, and now our correspondance is taken care of, and it's one less thing I have to worry about." Well, ya know what?! It's CHRISTMAS! Ya'll SHOULD worry about it! Share the love! Des and I sent out Christmas cards together for years ... like a married couple ... odd ... but I loved it!



11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

Worst? I'm trying to think ... I don't know that anything would be really horrible, but it seems like every year I get mess kits and freeze-dried camp food and pocket knives and emergency blankets from my dad. He says it's for my 72-hour kit. Thrilling. But seriously ... how many mess kits does a girl need to use in 72 hours?



12. Favorite Christmas movie?

A Muppet Christmas Carol. "It's in the singing of a street corner choir ..." I've already watched it 3 times this season, and there's sure to be a 4th! It's just not Christmas until you watch Rizzo fall through a chimney.



13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

Usually in November when I get all hyped up. I should start sooner, because i never have money ... but oh well. There's something about crunch time and counting the pennies with each paycheck that just comes along with the Christmas season.



14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

He he! Yep! Ssshh.



15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

Mom's carmel brownies--frozen. Grandma's soft gingerbread men. Carmel popcorn. Cinnamon hot chocolate. It's a very sugary holiday!


16. Lights on the tree?

I LOVE the bright colored lights. The ones with ALL the colors!

17. Favorite Christmas song?

SANTA BABY! He he! This was my mom's answer when she was asked in Primary what her favorite Christmas hymn was! MY favorite Christmas hymn is Angels We Have Heard on High with Melissa Cook's added verse that we sang in ward choir a couple years ago. I also LOVE Hark the Herald Angels Sing/Carol of the Bells from the SheDAISY. And then there are classic funny ones like The Hat I Got for Christmas is Too Big ... he he!


18. Travel at Christmas, or stay home?

I've never had a Christmas anywhere but at Grandma and Grandpa's! Only children don't like to stay home! All the cousins come and we have a blast! I especially love it when cousins get fun stuff like Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero from Santa and then we make Uncle Rod try it out!!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?

Is this a test? Am I s'posed to? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, Rudolph.

20. Angel or star at the top of the tree?

Mom has a grapevine star. Very crafty. Very rustic. Not so glowy. I protest. I like the star idea, but I like the tacky gold tinsel/light-up one that I grew up with!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

Ya get pajamas on Christmas Eve, and the rest comes in the morning!



22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?

Icy roads and snow storms before I get my snow tires on! Also, windy snow when I want to be snowboarding!


23. Favorite ornament theme or color?

I love green. All year 'round. Grandma got new limeish green bulbs on her tree and I LOVE them! My favorite ornaments are the ones I remember when I was little. Mom keeps them in a box somewhere. I have Bianca from the Rescuers that I think I made dad buy me one year from Burger King! Love her!

24. Favorite Christmas dinner?

Aunt Lizette's homemade tamales! with Grandma's homemade chili. Seriously? Best food EVER! and I like to find the hidden green olive!



25. What do you want for Christmas this year?

I asked for a snowboarding hat with built-in headphones. Those things are seriously COOL! and that's be super convenient! I love surprises, but those usually come in the form of mess kits and giant candy canes!



I tag ... Andrea, Lara, Pauline, Lisa John, and Shinae.
OH! AND I TAG DREW!! ;^)

Just one year ago ...

So, it's graduation time at BYU-Idaho again. It comes around 3 times a year. But this December graduation has really got me thinking. I am back at BYU-Idaho. I've been working in the Records and Registration office for nearly 2 weeks now. It's weird but totally normal for me to be back on this campus where I spent so much time. For those of you who didn't know, I've lived in Rexburg and attended school here since September of 2000, and have only left for a couple of summers. Last December, I finally graduated. I was incredibly close to receiving multiple degrees because of all the overlapping classes I took before I got serious about my education. I got my Bachelors of Science degree in English with an emphasis in Professional Writing. I was one course away from the requirements of a Literary Studies emphasis as well. Instead of a minor, I did two clusters: one in International Studies and the other in Speech and Theater. I could have majored in wallyball or snowboarding because of all the duplicated courses I took in both of those areas! I've grown accustomed to getting a hard time from friends and family for taking so long to graduate. I have friends my age who graduated years ago and have moved on with families and careers. I even have several friends with Master's degrees, or who are attending grad school. I've always envisioned myself as somewhat of a failure in the education area. Who takes 7 years to get their Bachelors degree? And better yet ... who gets a degree and then ends up unemployed and job searching for several months afterwards? I came awfully close to working at Craigo's Pizza, and may still end up there if this BYU-Idaho job remains temporary. So, I haven't had the greatest image of myself and my accomplishments in education.
But ... I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I went to devotional last week, and Brother Bergstrom talked about the new foundations program at BYU-Idaho. He made some comment that really hit me. He said that our education is a talent that we've worked hard to develop. I thought hard about that. I've never really considered myself a very talented person. I'm not very coordinated or athletic, I can't play any musical instruments ... frankly, I'm just a waste of oxygen! But I'm an educated waste of oxygen! Many people don't have it in them to go to school. I never understood how people would want to jump into a career after college. I wanted to extend my college experience for as long as possible! I LOVE to learn! And I'm pretty good at it! I didn't get the greatest grades, but in my job as a transcript processor, I'm seeing a LOT of transcripts that are much worse than mine! Actually, when I looked up my own transcript, I felt a sense of accomplishment!
Yes, I took forever to graduate. No, I don't have a successful job to validate all of my education. But I have done something very valuable with my time here at BYU-Idaho, and I'm truly grateful for my education!

Good News!

I know I need to post again and stop with these referrals, but I'll do that later. But for now, I just wanted to shout out to those of you who have been praying with me and many others for our sweet little Lila Howington. GOOD NEWS! She's doing great. Go to her momma's blog: http://anniehowington.blogspot.com/ for the latest, miraculous update on this sweet little trooper!
Thanks again for all your prayers and support!

Post Referral

So, I know I have some catching up to do and plenty to say to you people and ABOUT you people and probably a few other things as well ... (did you follow that? Cuz I didn't) But, LIKE I HAVE TIME! I was supposed to be in bed an hour ago, and I still haven't even showered yet! This job thing is seriously time consuming! Who knew?
But, I'd just like to take this time to refer you to one of the funnier posts I've read lately. Remember my post earlier about not being clever? And about how some people just are?! I seriously wish I'd had the idea to do this first. I have a few collectors I'd like to try it on ... but anyway ... want a good laugh? Go here http://jonandfriends.blogspot.com/ and read the post from Dec. 2nd. Seriously, hilarious. Better than anything I could have said.