Wednesday, December 26

Christmas 2012

Why do they call the day after Christmas Boxing Day? Because you wake up feeling like you've been punched in the face.

Christmas Eve Breakfast







Christmas Day
















It was a long Fun Day!

MCC

Saturday, December 22

Happy Christmas

BTW we forgot to add walked the freedom trail...walked and walked yes, we walked, kind of like pioneer children.

Thanks to Rachel Cole this picture finally was taken, on a cold storm pending Sunday night...to make us feel more model like, you will notice the wind was blowing.........
MCC

Tuesday, December 11

What Matters

I had a great lesson and reminder about priorities and what matters most today. Last night after an awesome FHE we were making our weekly plans to go to the Temple.  We all committed but then  I began to have doubts that I could make it....there were a few unresolved scheduling problems with the movie theater and I wasn't feeling the greatest. So of course the thoughts kept running through my brain, just don't go to the temple. In my prayers I turned it over to Father in Heaven and said "I need your help to feel better and with the theater so I can go to the temple in the morning."  Fast forward to 7:00am, I felt only fair, the scheduling problems still existed but I could nothing about them until 9 or even 10 o'clock. I prayed again and said I am going to the temple help me feel better and re-solve the movies when I get home.
On the way to the temple I told Nelson and Hayden what had happened and we just laughed at Satan's attempts to thwart the plan.  While waiting in the chapel at the temple with our regular Tuesday morning group of blue haired widows and balding widowers I was suddenly excited to see how the day was going to turn out. While waiting we were approached by the officiator and asked how the three of us were related? I told him that these were two of my sons, he then asked us if one of the boys and myself could be the witness couple?...a little unusual, but okay. Hayden and I were the witness couple in our temple session today.....what a rare and special experience for both of us. I knew that this was Heavenly Fathers way of reminding me to take the time to take care of what matters most. It made my morning.
When we arrived home  after the temple I felt great, and the theater scheduling problems still existed, but I knew that it didn't matter, that all would work out because I made the right choice this morning.  Just FYI -the scheduling problems were resolved around 11:30 a whole hour after we arrived home. Were they resolved the way I thought they should have been resolved on Monday; No, but they were resolved quickly and all is well. I am sure that business will be fine this week and not as slow as it usually is the week before Christmas, all because we took the time with things that matter and because of Heavenly Fathers help with everything.

MCC

Monday, December 3

AHHH....it's almost time!

 Soon -to-be Elder Hayden Call

The count down to leave is almost over...yikes! We have 9 days and he is out of here. I am a bit weepy when I think on it all. I am also very excited for him. But I have done it before and survived.

I keep reminding Hayden that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and if missions were that bad there would be a lot more dead missionaries. Besides if Jordan and Nelson can do it, it should be a breeze Hayden.

I think Hayden is our most prepared missionary, but he is also our most dependent child.....come on he is the baby of course he is dependent.

There is a lot, but not, left to do before he leaves....a lot for me to do to have peace of mind and for the greet after our Sunday meeting. But not a lot because the list has all but 3 things crossed off.

Oh the fun!

MCC



Saturday, November 24

Decorating.....

Decorating for Christmas is a love hate affair.....I love it for the most part, but I have so much stuff that it drags on, and on and on......
I began early since Hayden wanted to enjoy our Christmas decor for longer than a week.  So I began the week before Thanksgiving getting the tree up, living room almost done and the garlands hung. It looks good and for most people that would be it, decorations up, but I am not most people. I have closets full of Christmas stuff. So now that Thanksgiving is over I have been trying to finish and by finish I mean put up the bulk of it....not as fun at 8:30 pm as it was at 10:00 am....my back is sore, my feet hurt and my head keeps telling me to get rid of stuff and simplify....and I would simplify but I love it all and will buy more when it strikes my fancy.
My challenge now is a tall manageable ladder, I need one.....and knowing that on December 9th my house will fill full of people for Hayden's mission farewell, yikes, where to put them amid my stuff.
I know where there is a will there is a way, so off to find my will.......




Bonus--- a schlump of Call's on Thanksgiving at The Grand America
(look at all the rolls on the front row...yikes)




MCC


Tuesday, November 20

Baking and Remembering

6 lbs of butter, 1/2 gallon of cream, 3 lbs of cream cheese, sugar, flour, pumpkin, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, apples, berries and peaches.....let the baking begin,
Love the taste of the holidays, not the calories however. Unfortunately you can't bake just taste of things, you have to create a whole whatever be; it a pie, cake or dozen cookies.
Getting out my favorite holidays goody recipes for our pie party makes me very nostalgic remembering who used to make what and when I remember eating it and who I was with.

subway art from eighteen 25

Time to bake.....3 pumpkin pies, mixed berry pie, peach pie, chocolate pie, apple pie, bread pudding, pumpkin tiramisu, gooey butter cake and Meg has a new idea for this year a gingerbread pancake trifle..... I would love to make more but my waistline can't handle it and time doesn't permit, to may other things need doing.

MCC

Friday, November 2

Halloween 2012

Halloween has come and is gone, but Halloween marks the beginning of the holiday season....Halloween to the Super Bowl.....license to eat poorly, party at the drop of a hat, stay up late, etc......

Here are a few images of 'Calloween' 2012












MCC

Friday, October 26

All Grown Up

Wow I have a 30 year old son.  He is all grown up...or he should act grown up, but what ever.

We have had fun ribbing him about his age. Hayden is the worst and when I say to Hayden one day you will be 30 he just responds with "And Jordan will be 41."

Happy Birthday Jordan we all love you!

 30ing his house

 It was so cold and frosty we had a hard time getting things to stick.

Jordan and a whole lot of other things are 30...like 
Diet Coke, Cheers, E.T. Newman's Own Salad Dressing, 
French's Spicy Brown Mustard, Crystal Light and USA Today.
Tootsie Pops aren't 30 but 30 sucks.....
Megan and the boys have had a good time finding things that are also 30 for his present.


MCC

Thursday, October 18

Temple

I need to be more diligent in writing ion my blog if for no other reason than to write down what I am thankful for.
I am so inspired by other bloggers and their commitment to their blogs. I especially like when they make resolutions/goals, give thanks to God or have a little 'light bulb' moment in regards to their lives.
Today I am thankful for the Temple...again, always and forever.

For the past 6 weeks I have been attending the Temple with my kids to do endowments. I have learned a lot, been blessed and I know that my attendance was the answer to someones prayers this past week.
One of the best things about this activity is the gospel centered discussions that we have all day long following our temple day. It is good to hear what your kids have to say and what they think.
They have also expressed to me that they feel extra blessed for their temple service....
When Gary and I were sealed over 31 years ago we were promised a whole lot of wonderful blessings if we would worthily and regularly attend the Temple....I too feel the extra blessings for our family.
Temple Power is real!
After GC I felt a bit guilty about attending without taking a family name with me but I am figuring out how to rectify this situation. I know that with Temple Power I can make taking family mnames with me happen.

I love to see the temple!

MCC

Sunday, October 7

General Conference








Love, love, love hearing from the Prophet and Apostles. A few of my favorite talk reminders.

MCC