Yucky cold

I have a yucky, horrid cold. Yes, I am complaining and wouldn't mind any sympathy you can send my way. But if you call on the phone, just remember that the strange graveley voice on the line is me. A telemarketer called yesterday and when I said "Hello?" he said (in that artificially bright and happy telemarketer voice) "Hi, can I speak to the lady of the house?" And when I said "This is she...," he paused for a second and then hung up. I guess he thought I was pulling his chain. Which is ok, because I hate that phrase "the lady of the house." Maybe it's my sore throat and runny nose speaking, but it's really a dumb and outdated phrase. Speaking of telemarketers not understanding the situation they phoned into, one called my parents house a few years ago. When my Dad answered, the telemarketer asked to speak to his mom. My Dad just said, "She's not here right now" and hung up, it was completely the truth, Grandma passed away when I was 6 years old. So these poor telemarketers are getting my Dad's young sounding voice and my preteen-boy-who's-trying-to-speak without-losing-control-of-his-voice voice, and that is why at the end of this post, which is probably a little nuttier than usual because I am fatigued, achy, scratchy in the throat and all the other stuff, I implore all of you to get some kind of training or college education so you never have to become a telemarketer.

Felicity's tooth

I'm about a week behind, but I need to post about a first in our family--Felicity lost her first tooth! She has been waiting and waiting to lose a tooth and was so excited when she could finally feel some wiggling in her teeth. She had all these plans (we were supposed to get her a special tooth box that she could keep it in, she would get to put her name on the Tooth Wall in her classroom, and of course, the Tooth Fairy would come for a visit), but one night she was eating popcorn...and when she finished her tooth was gone. She was disappointed until I told her that the Tooth Fairy would still be able to come, and then she forgot all about swallowing her first tooth. Now she's got the cute little gap that so many first graders have and she's waiting for the next tooth to fall.

Christmas

Yeah, I'm a little late on this, but I have a good excuse. I wanted to post pictures on here because Farris surprised me with a digital camera (well, he got it for the family, but we--and he--knows who it is really for) for Christmas. So I took all these great shots, and now I can't get our computer to recognize the camera to download them. I've been working on it and no success, so I'll write now and download later. Or I'll just go to walmart and get them put on a disk. Anyway...
Christmas was wonderful. We finally had Christmas eve/morning at our own house instead of our parents, and as much as we missed having grandparents around, we enjoyed starting our own traditions. On Christmas eve we read the Christmas story from the Bible from this great picture book with Joseph Brindley's paintings, it's called "When Jesus was born in Bethlehem" and is beautiful. We also got a great idea from the friend magazine where you each think of a gift to give Jesus, in other words, something that you can do to show Him your love and appreciation. Felicity decided she would help mom, Caleb will be reverent during prayers and FHE, Joseph will be potty trained (ok, we helped him with that), and Seth will grow big and strong (ditto). Farris and I decided to work on speaking gently and kindly to the kids (yeah, that means not yelling). We got Christmas Eve pajamas for the kids to wear and they went to sleep pretty well considering. Then we got to play Santa for the first time! In the morning, Farris and I were the first awake. We wanted to have breakfast eaten and everyone dressed before stockings and presents. The kids loved their stocking stuff(Felicity was disappointed that Seth got the largest stocking, she had wanted it) and then we had fun watching the kids open presents. Joseph stopped to play after each one, especially the balls. After presents we got looking out the window to nice weather and thought that we should probably try to make it to Idaho right then instead of waiting 'til the next day. We agreed to meet Farris' sister and brother and their families in Ogden and caravan with them, and we threw everything together as fast as possible. We only forgot a few things and we remembered each kid, so not too bad. After we got to Ogden, we decided to wait for the next morning any way, and spent the night there. The next day we called to see if the interstate was open about every hour, and finally at 4:00 we decided the interstate was never going to open and we had better go around the other way. Again, the rushing and throwing things together and eventually we went through Pocatello to get to Burley. Luckily the roads weren't bad and we all made it. We spent the next week going between family's. We also managed a session in the Twin Falls temple(yea!) and watched our kids have loads of fun with cousins. We finally headed home on new years day so we could get ready for Seth's blessing. All in all, a very good Christmas and hope it was for you, too!

Validation

This isa really sweet video someone from my ward sent around. It's 15 minutes long, but is very good.
Validation - Short Film (16 min)

Joseph, again

I'm going to post about Christmas and Seth's blessing later when I have time (with pictures from our new camera!). I've only got a minute now, but I have to tell this story about Joseph while it's still fresh in my mind. We just got back from shoveling outside and Joseph had wet in his snow pants, so I pulled everything off and sent him to get clean underwear on while I fed Seth. He came out a couple minutes later with clean underwear on... I guess I could say sideways? He had put his legs through one leg hole and the hole where waists normally go, and somehow he fit his waist in a leg hole. Hmmm, to have a waist as small as my thigh, wow. More on Chrismtas later.

Christmas suprise!

I just got back from helping Joseph. I had been sitting here typing away on my e-mail, when Joseph came up to me and hollered "I need underwear!" I looked down and our streaker had returned, this time only wearing Caleb's snow boots. Maybe he figured he had his boots on so he can go outside, but then decided he did at least need underwear. When I looked at him, his explanation was that his diaper fell off. Apparently his pajamas did also. Right now he's dancing fully clothed and happy in the kitchen to Christmas music (Diana Krall!).

Christmas Tag

O.k., I got this from my friend Kimberly, It ddin't take too long to fill out, despite breaks for the kids, and I'd love to see some answers. So Tag, you're all it! Just comment here that you did it so I can check it out on your blog.

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends. Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE!!! Just copy this entire post and paste it to a post on your blog. Change all the answers so that they apply to you.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? wrapping paper for kids (just like Kimberly--it's harder for the kids to peek in wrapped presents), and then whatever I feel like (and time I have)for everyone else.
2. Real tree or Artificial? We've had both, but I really love having a real tree, especially when we get the chance to go cut one with our family.
3. When do you put up the tree? We try for the monday after Thanksgiving for Family Home Evening.
4. When do you take the tree down? Usually as soon as we get back from visiting our families, so sometime in January.
5. Do you like eggnog? I do! I'm one of the crazy ones that get it in the Halloween cartons, and then whenever I can through the holidays, and like Kimberly too, I like to mix it with Sprite.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? I still remember the Ken doll I got that had glow in the dark stars on his pink vest. Yeah, a little cheesy,but it was the '80's.
7. Hardest person to buy for? My dad or some of my nephews
8. Easiest person to buy for? Definately the kids. I could spend fifty dollars on each of them just in the dollar store. But I will not, because then I would be picking up 150 dinky toys, (plus whatever they drag out of Seth's, since he's too little to spread toys yet.)
9. Do you have a nativity scene? yes, I love nativitys! I even leave one of mine (it's just Mary, Joseph, and Jesus) up all year.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? I try to mail, but some years...
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I am not sure, I've been pretty lucky. But the funniest was a food storage/preparedness gift from my mother-in-law(I really do appreciate it Judy!), a LARGE box of Kotex! Earthquakes, tornados, pandemics do your worst, I have nothing to worry about in that area.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? O.k., I think the Christmas Story is so funny, and I love the cartoon How the Grinch Stole Christmas (there really is something more about Christmas than the tinsel), White Christmas and Holiday Inn and It's A Wonderful Life are all great, too. Oh, and the Nativity that came out last year or the year before.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? All year round I check for bargins.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Umm, sorry, but yes.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Cookies, chocolates, and cheescake, yum.
16. Lights on the tree? Silly question, the thing needs to be GLOWING.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Too, too many to count. Traditional: The First Noel is a favorite, Funny: The Elves Lament and many others. Karen Carpenter singing Silver bells!
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We've always traveled, but I'm very much looking forward to Chrismtas morning in our own house this year.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? If I sing the song I can.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? We don't have a store-bought one, we're starting a tradition that the kids make a star for the top each year.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning, with stockings first.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Grandma got ran over by a reindeer and any Michael Bolton or Neil Diamond song
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I love snowflakes, white and blue and silver.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? No traditions, anything yummy.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A dishwasher...a laundry room with real walls...my wonderful family (extended, too).
26. Who is most likely to respond to this? Tasha? Please?
27. Who is least likely to respond to this? Of course everyone will run to respond to this, right?