Stuck

I have lots of things to post about. Christmas, the pillow pets, all the other fun things we've done in Idaho, funny things the kids said on the trip....and I'm sure there's more. However, really, the big news right now is that we're stuck. The interstate is closed between Rock Springs and Laramie. The kids really wanted to be home to be able to go to their new primary classes on Sunday (each year the kids move up to a new class), but I don't think we'll make it.

The good news is that we're not really "stuck" in Idaho. The roads are fair, and we've been back and forth from my parents to Clint's parents, to visit some friends and family. Emery and Chani have played in the snow, played with lots of toys, and enjoyed their Christmas presents. It's not been a terrible vacation. We're enjoying it, but looking forward to going home. Hopefully soon.

On the road again.....

We're headed to Idaho tomorrow to spend the holiday. If you want to spend time with us, send us an e-mail.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

My 'monica

When we were in Idaho in October, my dear sister, Shelly, gave Chani a harmonica. Actually, I think it came from Stewart's (my nephew) room, but at any rate, Chani ended up with it. It's very loud. Chani loves it. She seems to find it when I am on the phone. I try hiding it, but she really loves it. She says, "Where's my 'monica?" So, the other day I asked the kids to get their coats on so we could go to Albertsons. We walked in the door, and as I was getting situated with an ad and a cart, Chani whips the harmonica out of her pocket. She was playing it before I realized she had it. Sneaky little pill!

Merry Christmas

Here's our Christmas letter and pictures from the year. I just couldn't swing doing mailed Christmas cards this year....hopefully next year.

Redbox deal

Do you know Groupon? It's pretty snazzy. They offer a different deal everyday. Sometimes it's tickets to events or places, restaurant offers (usually spend $10 get $25 in food or something similar) hotel deals, and spa/salon offers. Today they have a deal if you spend $1.00 you get 3 redbox rentals. It's a cool concept, and this is a pretty sweet deal.

A little more Christmas Cheer

My friend Julie posted these on her blog. I went to school with one of the girls. They are a really neat and super talented family. Hope you enjoy!

A Christmas Story

My friend Nikki (I used to visit teach her in Chadron) has been doing the coolest 25 days of Christmas. Each day on her blog she posts a Christmas recipe, a song, a movie, an activity, a picture of her kids, and a story. I knew I was in trouble day one when she posted the orange story (I'm a crier), but the story she posted today was too much. I love this part of Christmas, the secret Santa and the love that goes into serving others. So, (sorry, Nikki) I'm shamelessly stealing her story and posting it here because I loved it, even though it made me cry.

Story: The Christmas We Gave Away By Marilyn Ellsworth Swinyard
The Christmas I remember best began with tragedy. It happened at 6 a.m. on one of those crisp Idaho Falls mornings the day before Christmas. Our neighbors, the Jesse Smith family, slept peacefully in their two-story home. The baby, barely six months old, was in a crib next to her parents' room, and the three older children were upstairs. Suddenly something jarred Jesse from his sleep. He thought he smelled smoke. Could a spark from the torch he'd defrosted the frozen water pipes with the day before have started a fire in the basement? Still half asleep, he stumbled to the bedroom door and flung it open. Clouds of black smoke poured into the room. "Lorraine!" he yelled. "Get the baby!" He ran toward the stairs and his sleeping children. The smoke was thicker as he gasped for breath. "Rick! Tom! Wake up!" The boys scrambled out of their beds. "Run, boys!" Tom grabbed his younger brother's hand, and they raced down the smoke-filled stairway to safety. His daughter's room was next. As Jesse groped through the heavy shroud of gray, he called, "Cindy! Cindy! Where are you?" "Here, Daddy, here!" He followed the frightened cries, scooped up his daughter in his arms, and with his hand over her face, felt his way out the room and down through a narrow path of searing flames. They coughed, choked, gasped for breath, until they at last stumbled out the door where a relieved wife and three children stood shivering in the snow. Now the family looked to the smoke and flames pouring out the roof of their home, the home that the night before had held all their earthly treasures. It had also held a promise of Christmas, mulled cider, homemade candy, and stockings waiting to be filled. They stood huddled in their nightclothes, barefoot in the biting cold, and watched their Christmas burn up along with their house. The spell was broken by the sound of sirens piercing the icy air. Firemen leaped from the huge red trucks and turned their powerful hoses on the blaze. Seconds later, the bishop of the Smiths' ward drove up, bundled the family into his car, and took them to a home the ward elders quorum had just completed as a fund-raising project. They were not to witness the firemen's hopeless battle with the flames. For when the trucks finally pulled away, this time in silence, nothing stood of their house but its charred skeleton outlined against the sky. And tomorrow was Christmas. At our house we were putting the last secret wrappings on the presents, making the last batch of popcorn for popcorn balls to go in our Christmas stockings. We three children were attempting dubious harmony with our favorite carols and breaking into giggles at the results. Then Dad came in with the news. We sat with serious faces listening to him tell of the fire, the narrow escape, the house where the Smiths were spending Christmas Eve. Why? Mother said. Why did this happen, just at Christmas? It isn't fair. They had children, just the same ages as ours, she said. Jesse and Dad were the closest friends; they even joked that they were so close they wore the same size shirt. The same size shirt! "Bill," Mother began hesitantly, "would you mind terribly if we gave Jesse one of the shirts I bought you for Christmas? You wear the same size ..." A hush fell on us all. We all seemed to be thinking the exact same thing. "I've got it!" my ten-year-old brother shouted. "We'll give the Smiths a Christmas! A Christmas for Christmas!" "Where could we get one?" my inquisitive little sister asked. "We'll give them ours," the others chorused in. "Of course! We'll give them ours!" The house rang with excited voices, until Dad's stern command silenced us. "Hold it! Let's make sure we all want to do this. Let's take a vote. All in favor say aye." "AYE!" chorused back at him. "All opposed?" was met with silence. The hours that followed are ones we will never forget. First we sat around the tree and handed out presents. Instead of opening them, the giver would divulge their contents so the label could be changed to the appropriate Smith family member. My heart fell when Dad handed Kevin a box wrapped in gold foil and green ribbon. "It's a baseball glove, son," Dad told him, and a flash of disappointment crossed Kevin's face. I knew how he'd longed for that glove, and Dad wanted to say, "You keep it, son," but Kevin smiled as if he'd read our thoughts. "Thanks, Dad. It's just what Stan wanted, too," he replied. "Look, here's the recipe holder I made for you, that is, for Sister Smith." We signed all the tags "From Santa," and the activity that followed would have put his workshop elves to shame. They had presents, but what about a Christmas dinner? The turkey was cooked, pies baked, the carrots and celery prepared, and then all packed in a box. The Christmas stockings must be stuffed. Dad got a length of clothesline and some clothespins to hang the stockings with, but what about a tree? We looked at ours. Could we really part with it? "I know," Dad volunteered. "Let's decorate it with things they'll need." And so more things were added to the tree: a tube of toothpaste tied with red ribbon, a razor, comb, bars of soap nestled in the branches. Finally it was all ready. It was a strange procession that silently paraded through the dark streets of Idaho Falls that night. Father led the way carrying a fully deco-rated tree. Mother followed with a complete Christmas dinner, down to the last dish of cranberry sauce. The three of us children pulled wagons and a sled piled with boxes of gifts. We waited until the last light was out in the Smiths' borrowed home, and then Mom and Dad stealthily carried each item in the door. When the last stocking had been hung, we turned again toward home. All the way home I worried about what waited for my family at our home. What if the others were disappointed? All that was left were a few pine needles and paper scraps. I couldn't have been more wrong. The minute we were back inside we were more excited than ever. Every pine needle and paper scrap was a reminder of the magic of the evening, and we hadn't taken that to the Smiths. It was in our home as real as if you could see it. A happier family never went to bed on a Christmas Eve, and the next morning the magic was still there. For our celebration we wrote a promise to each person on a card and presented it around a spruce branch tied in a red ribbon. "One shoe shine. To Father. Love Kevin." "This is good for two turns doing the evening dishes. Love, your husband Bill." And so it went. Our Christmas dinner consisted of scrambled eggs and bacon, toast and sliced oranges. Somehow, I don't remember a better one. And I know we sang our carols that night with the same unconventional harmony, but it sounded sweeter than angels to me. "Oh, Mommy," said my small sister as she snuggled up for her bedtime Christmas story, "I like to give Christmases away." Tears blurred the book in my mother's hands, because she knew that none of us would ever forget this Christmas, the one when we gave our best gift. And as she read the story of the Baby born in a manger, it seemed our gift was but a small tribute to him who gave his best gift, his Son to us.

Did you know about this?

My friend KaLee just posted the coolest new holiday card from snapfish. Did you know about their Top 10 design? It's awesome.



Plus with their blogger promotion, how can I go wrong with 50 free cards?

**Even with that awesome card, it may not be the one I pick.......just so you know.

Christmas projects

It's the time for Christmas projects. I have a pile of sewing behind the kitchen table (sorry, Love) and it's taking over my life. In addition to a few cape orders for Christmas gifts, I have some secrets (for Clint and the kids) and Chani's Christmas dress. I finished the bag that goes with the dress today, so here's a little sneak peek. I think it turned out cute. The wine colored side (with the viney flowers) is supposed to be the inside, but with the finish work, I think it could be reversible. I love how it turned out. I can't wait to get the dress finished.



What projects are you working on for Christmas?

Cheeseburgers

The other day Chani decided we should have cheeseburgers for dinner. I told the kids we would have to go to the store, and Emery got some paper and made me a list. He did a great job, and only asked for help spelling lettuce. In addition to our cheeseburgers, we had baked sweet potato fries. It was a delicious meal!

Here's a picture of Emery's list. He wrote GO first (to remind us to go to the store), and then listed what we needed below that. Can you guess what the first word is?