Sounds of the Season

I never feel the Christmas Spirit until I sing and listen to Christmas music.  I'm not talking Jingle Bells, I'm talking The First Noel and O Come All Ye Faithful and the Messiah!  Although, I love I'll Be Home For Christmas and White Christmas too.  But when I sing the songs that are about the TRUE meaning of Christmas, something stirs inside my soul and I find myself feeling more happy than would seem logical.  This is what my choir has done for me.  Two years in a row.  It's filled me with joy.  It's made me grateful.  And it's put me exactly where I want to be in terms of feeling Christmas.  So without further ado, I'd like to invite you to a choral Christmas concert.

It's going to be good.  And I feel like I can say that because I'm only one person in over 100 that will be participating.  We've been practicing since August and the music is incredible.  Just don't look at me when we get to the 8 part harmonies in "The First Noel" unless you want to see me cry.  I can't help it.  I cry almost every time we sing it.  It's so awesome.  What a gift music is to me. I LOVE IT!

If nothing else, come to hear our accompanist!  She is crazy good!!!!!  And it's free.  But whatever you do, don't let this season pass you by having never listened to some good Christmas music.

November's Ten Things

November was like a dream to me.  I traveled to DC and Albuquerque and it seriously doesn't even seem like I was home at all!  But what a wonderful month it was, with lots to smile about. 

 1.  MY SISTER!!  Flying across the country alone to visit her was a definite highlight, and I smiled for the entire week.
2.  Homemade Apple Butter.  Seriously.  This stuff makes me smile every time.
3.  Visiting family in Albuquerque!  It was fun to hang out, talk and be with loved ones, and it was fun to see the kids enjoy each other too.
4.  Our Thanksgiving Feast.  What can I say?  I really like food.
5.  I spent quite a lot of my Thanksgiving Day going through all my blessings in my head.  They overwhelmed me and filled me with gratitude for all I've been blessed with. 
6.  H O M E !  Coming home after two trips really made me smile.  Both trips were amazing and fun and wonderful, but there is nothing like home.  And I'm a home body through and through.
7.  Celebrating my Anniversary.  I have the best hubby ever.  xoxo
8.  Singing in a concert this past Saturday!  I'll have to write about it tomorrow because it was an incredible experience!
9.  Today, while my kids were at school, I went through their closets and threw out A LOT of stuff.  A purge of junk toys!  Oh man, am I ever smiling!  It was totally awesome.  And when they got home, they didn't even notice.  A huge bag of garbage and two bags of junk toys out!  Wu!
10.  My friend taught me to crochet.  I'm working on and have made a few things already, and I'm loving it!

Our Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving this year, we went to Todd's sister's house in Albuquerque.  And we had a wonderful time! 

We stopped in Monticello on the way to walk on the grounds of the temple.  I love stopping at every temple we pass and having my children get extra chances at feeling the Spirit there:

 The road trip was long, but the kids did great and once we got there, we had fun every minute.  Grandpa took the kids to the toy store and they all got to pick out a favorite toy.  We walked around the neighborhood geo-cashing.  Played at the park.  Went to a first grade Thanksgiving feast, and played beauty parlor:

 This was Madeline's first real hair cut.  It doesn't look much shorter, but it does look WAY better.  Aunt Carrie cut off a good inch or two making it even and healthy.  Then she braided it and dusted her hair with glitter!

 Yes, she loved it!

 Carrie also was kind enough to do my hair last Tuesday.  It was Todd and my Anniversary (8 years!) and she got me all prettied up before we went out.  It was nice to be able to leave the kids and go out to a movie and dinner.  To my dear husband, I love you more than ever!  Thank you for your hard work, your patience, your love and faith! 

And the boys just had a blast together too.

 And peanut butter is good.

 On Thanksgiving day, the kids all sat at the table waiting . . .

 for Grandpa to carve the turkey

 and then we had a feast!  The carrot souffle was my favorite.  And the stuffing was my favorite.  And the brioche was too.  And the turkey, of course.  And all the pies!  And yes, I ate way too much!

 Who doesn't love pie?!?!

We sure had a fabulous trip.  And it always makes me wish I lived close to everyone that I love.  I have so much to be Thankful for this year.  Perhaps, I'll have to make that a separate blog post all together.  :)

How to Cook a Turkey

How to Cook a Turkey, by Ethan

1.  Get the turkey out of the freezer.
2.  Put the oven on 300 degrees.
3.  Cook the turkey for 1 hour.
4.  When the turkey is done, cut the turkey, when it is done being cut eat it for Thanksgiving dinner.

More Sewing Projects

For my nephew, Quinn:

It's Sewing Time of the Year

While it's true that I sew every single month, I always end up sewing more, and for other people, come November and December.  Here's a fun project I made for my niece (pictured in the post below) for Christmas:

She'll be quite a cute little baker in this.  Hope she doesn't see my blog!  ;)

I've let that hobby slide

I haven't been doing much in the way of photography lately.  As seen in my lack of photos from my trip.  In fact, I didn't even take my SLR (didn't have room) and I only remembered I had my point and shoot on the third day of my trip.  Oh well, I guess there is nothing wrong with taking a brake from a hobby, right?  Besides, baking tastes better anyway.

On a carriage ride with my niece

 With my sister!

 My darling nephew

I had the best time on my trip.  I don't think it would be possible for me to ever tire of being with my sister.  We shopped and cooked and baked and sewed and talked most of all.  I loved it.  That trip was a treasure.  And I didn't want it to end.  But it was also good to come home too.  To see my family and be with them. 

The dust collecting under my couch doesn't matter.  My to-do list doesn't matter much either.  It's all about people.  And today I am grateful for the people in my life that love me so much, and that I love so much, who are both near and far.

I took pictures on my trip.  But I think I'll let them stay in the camera one more day.  

I've got nothing folks.  No pictures.  No funny stories.  Nothing.

But!!!!  I do have something for myself tomorrow.  And it will occupy my time until next week.  I'm taking a little trip to visit my sister.  No kids; just me!  WAHOOO!  I can hardly wait!!

So, poor little blog . . . you'll just keep getting nothing.  So sorry.

Our Halloween

My elusive Fairy Princess

 My darling super hero

 Trick-or-treating in perfect weather with our friends:  The Chesire Cat, Alice, and The Mad Hatter

 and getting a stomach ache eating candy after.

It couldn't have been better!

October's Ten Things

I'm linking up with Emmy Mom a little later in the day than I had planned, but I couldn't miss out on sharing my Ten things in October:



1.  Successfully making over 200 cupcakes for a wedding

2.  Watching Ethan play soccer

3.  FALL!!  Perfect weather.  Colorful leaves.  Getting out my boots!  FALL!

4.  And speaking of fall . . . all the PUMPKIN TREATS

5.  I got the part in a trio that I auditioned for in my Christmas Choir!  The concerts are December 9th and 10th and they are free and they are gonna be good!

6.  Our next door neighbors!  We enjoyed dinner parties and trick-or-treating with them, and hanging out and everything in between.  It's amazing to have a best friend living next door.

7.  Our family vacation

8.  I started my Christmas sewing

9.  Carving Pumpkins

10.  Of course Trick-or-treating!  We had the most PERFECT weather!  And the kids got to go with their friends and all the parents followed behind talking and laughing and watching the excitement and it was just plain fun.  I, however, went shopping a bit too long today and didn't edit any of the pictures yet.  But the shopping . . . well, that's something to smile about in November!