Let's Have a Look-See

I love this time of year. It is full of to-do lists, projects and memories.   I started collecting nativities many years ago. As my kids had their own homes, I started giving them away. I now have some new ones. Callie gave me this one that is made from Olive trees in the Holy Land and it truly is beautiful. I love red on the Christmas tree. I have ornaments that I have collected for years. There are a couple from the first year we were married. Many were purchased on vacations. I love my pirate Santa that reminds me of hot, sandy week in the Outer Banks with the littles. This year it means even more as it was the last time I saw my Canadian littles.  There are a few ornaments on the tree that remind me of the reason we celebrate Christmas. These ornaments remind me that Christmas is truly about the birth of the Savior. All the things that we do that help us be more like him are good things that get to stay on the list. My mom always had...

That crazy week is over. It is the week before Christmas vacation with true believers. They are waiting for Santa from home now.  We made it through the semester without any cases of Covid in our classroom. We used plenty of Clorox wipes and Virex. Social Distancing in Kinder is a joke and I found myself saying, "Don't lick your friends" way to often. Little masks found there way, well, everywhere. Everyday, was a new day and we just kept working. We had a Zoom meeting with our kids last night. It's as close as we are going to get to each other for a while.  Richard finished his semester at BYU and with it, finishes the last of my kids working on a BA. When we took Keith to Provo, I was so sad. He was only 17. Todd told me that this was the way it should be and that I wouldn't cry when I took him. Boy, was that true.  We went to Provo to see Richard and I thought it would be fun to do a picture. There was no one on campus. Please note that I'm happy. I kept th...

I really thought that the school would have had to shutdown by now, but that is not the case. No Covid in the building since the first week of school.  It leaves us working at this busy time of year.  First: I have a boy who brings his Elf on the shelf to school. Not sure if that Elf should see the way he acts at school.  Second: I have a student with an Elf named Rainbow.  She insisted that the mailman could not find the North Pole and her Elf would give it to Santa. She was a force to be recond with, but the letter was delivered with the rest of the class.  Third: I had a child tell us we were all following Satan as we were making Rudolf Christmas cards. I might add that she was making one too.  They are cute, but naughty.  Knowing that this season is about following the Savior makes it easier. Easier to keep it simple.  Easier to help others. Easier not to stress. Easier to fee...

We had Thanksgiving a week ago Saturday.  Because we had planned on being in North Carolina, these kids had planned on being here early. One of the reasons I wanted to go away is so I wouldn't have to cook. But cook I did.  I am so grateful that they came. We played games, andnd stitched, and ate.  I have not cooked much since that day. Maybe this week. 

 The leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints asked the world to join him in flooding Social Media with Gratitude  for 7 days. This is to help the world heal from so many negative and hateful messages. I must say, that it is a joy to read so many thoughts of gratitude on Facebook. I took the challenge, and focused on Facebook, because you have to have a picture with Instagram. From the 1st minute of this challenge, I wasn't sure how I was going to take seeing all the picture - perfect families plastered all of Social Media. Oddly enough, the only pictures I've posted are of my family.   I am going to post 7 things I'm grateful for here. They may or may not match what I post on Facebook, but I  practice daily gratitude anyway, so it is not a stretch. 1  My family, of course. They are light in the dark and joy on the grayest day. This includes all of them, my parents, siblings, Wes, his parents and siblings, my children and their children and...

  After what seems like so much noise about the election, it is so nice to have a quiet week.  Of course the Corona's are driving me crazy. I go between feeling very safe at work and wondering when one of those germ sharing students will come in with it and share it with all of us. I think I'm the only person I know who hasn't had a case in my immediate family. It is a crazy time to live. Just saying.  But let's move on. We had our annual Veterans Day celebration this year. We did a drive by parade. The Veterans drove by. The kids waved flags while standing in the snow.  I have to admit I missed seeing my dad pop up in the slide show at school, so I'll have him pop up here. My dad joined ROTC to pay for college. When he graduated went to Korea and my mom became an Army wife. After his tour in Korea they were moved around the country. My mom was fearless and left her little town in Utah and rolled with the punches.  Here are some other Veterans that I'm pretty ha...

The election of 2020 did not disappoint. Let me just say that I'm not a Democrat or  Republican, but my views are very liberal and inclusive. I don't love Joe Biden. But I like Kamala. I really don't like the Trumpster. So here us what I look forward to: We will rebuild relationships with our Allies. No more governing via Tweeter and Fox News. No more calling people names. A President that understands the Constitution.  A President with a vocabulary higher than a 2nd grader. The Republican party needs to sit down and regroup.  They need to rebuild and unify. They need to start, tomorrow, and find a candidate who will represent them.  I said I would be happy when the election and Halloween were over and indeed, it already feels better.  And Kudos to my great grandmothers who worked for my privilege to vote.