The 23rd already?

I can't believe it's already December 23. Man, this month has just flown by. Here's what's been happening with us.

I now have a job at W.I.M.P.S. Fitness. Janet and Ron asked me to cover for them when they have school things they need to be at for the boys. I was very excited to accept. I love the fitness center and think it will be fun working there with Janet and Ron. I actually started walking on the treadmill and doing the bowflex. I never thought that would happen, but it did. And, Ron had me working slow enough that I didn't hurt too badly the day after.

I celebrated my 39th birthday for the fifth time on the 14th. I went to lunch with some dear friends and had a good time. I hadn't eaten chinese food for awhile, so it was fun to be able to do that. Karen gave me a necklace that I really love and Christine gave me a beautiful plate which I will put up in my office after we paint it in the spring. Shirley bought my lunch and Janet came which was awesome!! I just love my friends and am so very blessed in the friendships that I have.

All month, I've been guest CTing for Jacque Larsen and Meg Mullens and have had a blast doing that. It will be sad to leave Jacque at the end of the month, but it was fun. As for Meg, well, I don't have to leave because she asked me to stay on full time!! I am super excited to stay on with her. Cori Gammon retired from designing which is super sad, but I hope that all works out for her. Traci Reed also had a call which I applied for, and I am anxiously awaiting the results of that.

We had a little contest in primary last week. We had the bishop come in and judge our singing contest and the kids won. I know it says we aren't supposed to have contests, but I think that directive meant between kids and not kids vs. teachers. It was a good way to get them excited about singing and singing well, which they did. We're set to sing on Sunday. I love being music leader in primary.

The ward party was a huge success. We had a man come who is thinking about buying the funeral home in town. That would be wonderful if he did. He was a nice man and I hope he gets to move here with his family. The food for the ward party was delicious and well worth the entire day I spent there getting things ready. We had a lot of compliments on the food, which made me feel good. It was my last big soiree as ward activities chairman, and I am so glad it was a success. The Bishop actually came up and told me later that it was exactly what he had envisioned.

I have the missionaries coming for dinner on the 30th and will make a second batch of tamales. The first ones were SO good!! I enjoy feeding the missionaries and hope they have fun when they come over. I do miss our missionaries from last year - Elder Swank and Elder Naegle. They are both home now, but I am Facebook friends with them.

I do hope that you all have a very merry Christmas and a joyous new year. This year is going to be a little sad since it will mark the one year anniversary since my grandmother's passing. It's going to be a hard one, but I know she's in a better place now and I have to keep reminding myself of that.

Merry Christmas and Happy 2011!

A Fun Christmas Survey

Darcy got this from Janet and I thought it would be fun to participate. So, here's mine.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hands down hot chocolate made with milk and topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? When my kids were little, yes, Santa wrapped the presents using the same paper. But, now that they are all teenagers and no longer believe in Santa, mom wraps them. LOL

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I love plain white lights.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? Nope.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the day after Thanksgiving, but not this year. LOL We're off to a late start.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? I love my mama's cornbread stuffing and giblet gravy.

7. Favorite Christmas memory as a child? We always went to my grammy's house for Christmas. Every year, we'd get clothes and we had to have a fashion show to model them and then we took a photo in front of her buffet. We have about 10 years worth of those photos.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I think I was about 8. My mom had me wrap the presents and so I knew.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes, we always open the Christmas pjs and sleep in them on Christmas Eve.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? My tree is covered with ornaments that I've bought my kids throughout the years as well as their art projects from school when they were little.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I love me a white Christmas - just as long as I don't have to go out in it.

12. Can you ice skate? Nope.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Oh wow. I've had so many throughout the years, but I would say that my favorite is a Little Bo Beep from Toy Story that my youngest "bought" me when she was five. When they were good in class, they earned "Paul" dollars (the teacher's name was Mrs. Paul) and at the beginning of December, they would get to go to "Paul Mart" and spend their Paul dollars. My little baby girl was SO excited to see me open that gift on Christmas day. It meant SO much to her and that's why it's special to me. It still sits on my desk.

14. What’s the most important thing about Christmas for you? Celebrating the gift of the Savior's birth with my family.

15. What is your favorite Christmas Dessert? Homemade pumpkin cheesecake.

16. What is your favorite Christmas tradition? On Christmas Eve, we always listen to Christmas carols and open our pjs and then we sleep with the tree on all night.

17. What tops your tree? A star.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? I would much rather give than receive.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Contemporary would be "I'll be home for Christmas" and religious it would be "Silent Night."

20. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? The pepperminty ones are yucky, but I love the cinnamon ones.

21 Favorite Christmas Show? Ok, for the serious ones, I love "It's a wonderful life" and "A Christmas Carol" and for contemporary funny ones, I love "Elf" and "Christmas Vacation."

22. Saddest Christmas Song? "Do they know it's Christmas time" by Band Aid.

23. What’s your Wish for Christmas. My only wish is that my kids have a good Christmas and enjoy being together. This is our last Christmas with my son as a minor and living at home, so it's going to be a bittersweet one for us.