Christmas Favorites

I have some favorite things I love about this time of year. Take a look:

Movies:
A Christmas Story
White Christmas
Miracle on 34th Street
Holiday Inn

Songs:
Silent Night
White Christmas
Were You There on that Special Night?
Let it be Christmas
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring

Foods:
Mom's Sugar Cookies, Fudge, Caramels, Divinity, Party Crunch, Orange Rolls, Egg Nog
Lebkuchen (Gingerbread)
Hot Chocolate
Caramel Apple Spice (ala Starbucks)

Misc:
Freshly Fallen Snow
Bundling up with coat, hat, gloves, scarf
Calm Winter's Night
Spending Time with Family
Fresh-cut Christmas Tress

Merry Christmas!!!

What a break!

Last week I had a much-needed vacation from school. Because it was Thanksgiving, we were out of school Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Thank heavens, or else I might have gone insane. I have a student in one of my afternoon classes that tries my patience every day. Tuesday I was at my breaking point and practically ran out of the building to get away for the weekend.
And what a weekend it was....
Tuesday night my brother and his kids came down from Soda Springs. His wife had to work Wednesday so she joined us a day later. They were here until Friday afternoon. It was fun having them around but man it makes you tired.
Thursday was an excellent Thanksgiving. We ate the usual food and had some of my mom's family join us for dinner.
Friday morning we did the early-morning sale thing. People say it's crazy and not worth the hassle but I have fun and it's become a tradition for my mom and me to at least hit a few stores with a stop at McDonald's for breakfast in between.
All in all, I'd have to say that it was another great Thanksgiving break. Now bring on Christmas! (Actually, I'd prefer Christmas to take it's time getting here as I have a billion things to do to get ready.)

I'm Thankful For...

I am thankful for:
*family
*friends
*my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
*my Savior
*the free country I live in
*my college education and degrees
*my talents and abilities
*fall weather
*my health
*time to do the things I love

I'm thankful for Thanksgiving break

I am so thankful that Thanksgiving break is nearly upon us. I started a long-term substitute teaching assignment last Wednesday and I already need a break. Don't get me wrong, I am happy to finally have a reason to get up and get going in the morning. I really enjoy being in a classroom as well. However, I am super ready for a break. I am teaching English this go round and it's harder than I expected. It's different from what I am used to and sometimes I feel like I'm back doing my student teaching. I'll get through and maybe even get the hang of it. But in the meantime, I give thanks for weekends and holiday breaks!

Christmas Music

It's happened! KLGN is now officially "The Christmas Station". I'm not sure when the transition took place but it had to have been over the weekend because I'm pretty sure I listened to the regular programming on Friday. I'm excited about the temporary transformation though. The station starting changing over to all Christmas, all the time while I was in high school. My friend Heather and I thought it was the greatest thing since slicecd bread. Well maybe not really, but it was up there on our list of pretty cool things.
I love Christmas music. I started listening to it this year prior to Halloween. It was just one CD (Harry Connick Jr.) and mostly because I saw him on Rachel Ray and wanted to listen to him but the quickest access I had was a Christmas CD. I restrained myself though, and only listened to the CD a couple of times before Halloween. Then, last week I got out a Christmas mix CD I have and listened to it nonstop for a couple of days. Now, I've got the Christmas station plus a couple dozen Christmas albums. I usually try to mix it with regular music until after Thanksgiving when I'll make the total switch. Christmas is only here once a year and there is so much music to listen to that it's a shame to restrict it to 25 days of the year.

1984=Probably one of the weirdest books I've ever read

I love to read. I've always loved to read. I didn't have much time to read for pleasure during college but since I've graduated, I've tried to make up for it by being a voracious consumer of books. On my last excursion to the library, I happened to walk through the "O" section and saw George Orwell's 1984. I decided I'd take it home and see what it was all about. I started it last week and finished it today. It took me some time to read as I was in the middle of two other books that I was trying to finish as well. Let me just say that it is not on my list of the greatest books I've ever read. Though it started out pretty good, by the middle I was ready to throw it against the wall. I guess I am not a fan of George Orwell. I should have taken the fact that I never finished Down and Out in Paris and London by him as a clue not to pick up another book of his. Oh well, I've finished it, and now I can say that I've read it and can also use words like "Orwelian" as Michelle pointed out last night. I did learn two things from the book however: 1. Communism and anything that resembles it is terribly evil and 2. George Orwell liked to use big words that I'm pretty sure no one has used since 1950.

I am not an ugly duckling, but rather a beautiful SWAN

I had a great weekend. Friday I finally got a sub job. I filled in for one of my old history teachers at Logan High. I even got to teach a little. On friday night I attended a regional YSA activity. It was alright. I'm just glad I got to see some great people before the Michelle's and I split and went to Village Inn. Saturday was our traditional family chili dinner. Yumm-O!!! I loved it.
But the best day of all was Sunday, and it wasn't the fact that I played the organ in church or taught Sunday School that made it the best. It was November 1st, a day I'd been looking forward to for a long time. You ask why? I'll tell you--President Uchtdorf was the speaker at the CES Fireside. His words were exactly what I need to hear.
For a long, long time, I've been struggling with life. Although I have moments of happiness, I've recognized that I am not really happy. I don't like the fact that I am unhappy, but have been at a loss as to what I should do. Finally, I think things might have clicked on Sunday night. I finally had "ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart to understand." It was the talk that I needed to hear in order to put my life back together. And I am happy to report that I have made some small accomplishments, even in the day and a half or so since his talk.
After the fireside, we spent a few minutes talking as a ward, about what struck us. One comment that particulary hit me talked about how sixty or so years ago, our country was at war with Germany, and now, a German-born man is in the 1st Presidency of the Church. That comment made me reflect on just how the gospel can change us into who we are truly supposed to be. It erases petty differences and bonds us together as divine children of God.
I am so grateful to have the gospel in my life simply because of the enabling power to change that it brings. Though I am far from where I thought I'd be at 24 years old, I know that I am getting back on track and am thankful for the knowledge that I have that such change is possible.