•The Doctrine and Covenants
•The Magician's Elephant
•High Exposure: An Enduring Passion for Everest and Unforgiving Places
•K2, The Savage Mountain: The Classic True Story of Disaster and Survival on the World's Second-Highest Mountain
•Three Cups of Tea
•Book of a Thousand Days
•Glen Beck's Common Sense
•Catching Fire
•The Hunger Games
•A Mother's Book of Secrets
•The Last Lecture
•Austenland
•The Book Thief
•The River Between Us
•The Time Traveler's Wife
•Slumdog Millionaire
•The Graveyard Book
•The Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
•The Five Love Languages
•Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star
•The Tale of Despereaux
•The Penderwicks
•Tales of Beedle the Bard
•On the Wings of Heroes
•The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt
•Blink
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Friday, December 25, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
The best gift....
The best gift
That I ever got
Didn't really weigh a lot
It didn't have a ribbon 'round
And it sometimes made the terrible sound
The best of all it seems to me
It wasn't neath the Christmas tree
And yet, I guess I'd have to say
That it made all the other presents twice as gay
The best gift that I've ever known
I'd always wanted most to own
Yet in my dreams of sugar and spice
I never thought it could be so nice
The best gift that I ever get
Was sometimes dry and sometimes wet
Was usually pink but oftentimes red
As it lay so innocently in its bed
The best gift of the year to me
The one I hold most dear to me
A gift that simply drove me wild
Was a tiny new born child...
Having a baby during the Christmas season brings such a special spirit of innocent, love, peace and joy. Zach is by far the most special Christmas gift I've recieved this year.
That I ever got
Didn't really weigh a lot
It didn't have a ribbon 'round
And it sometimes made the terrible sound
The best of all it seems to me
It wasn't neath the Christmas tree
And yet, I guess I'd have to say
That it made all the other presents twice as gay
The best gift that I've ever known
I'd always wanted most to own
Yet in my dreams of sugar and spice
I never thought it could be so nice
The best gift that I ever get
Was sometimes dry and sometimes wet
Was usually pink but oftentimes red
As it lay so innocently in its bed
The best gift of the year to me
The one I hold most dear to me
A gift that simply drove me wild
Was a tiny new born child...
Having a baby during the Christmas season brings such a special spirit of innocent, love, peace and joy. Zach is by far the most special Christmas gift I've recieved this year.Twelve months ago today, I found out he would be joining our family. A day later, during our early Lexington Christmas morning, Rich unwrapped a tiny little box that contained a very small slip of paper {above} that shared the news with him. I'll never forget his surprise and then excitement to know a baby was in our furture.
It makes me sad to think this is my last Christmas with a little babe, so I'm trying to savor every moment and enjoy every event knowing that next year I won't have a soft, sweet smelling baby in my arms. His warm smile and bright eyes make everything new and thrilling. He simply makes our lives complete.
Merry first Christmas Zach. You've given us the most priceless gift this year- YOU! We already know we'll have best Christmas ever, because you are here to share it with us all.
Sprinkling Christmas Cheer
As we waited to sign in at the ENT office last Friday, an older couple were in front of us talking to the receptionist, looking through bags to find the proper paper work.
I visited with Rich as the timed passed.
As I looked toward the old man again, his wife was placing a handful of red and white into his palm.
He turned and walked over to Brynn, hand extended with a candy cane tied with a bright ribbon of red. "Merry Christmas, little girl."
I thought it was quite a funny thing to give Brynn since we were there in the waiting room because a bit of candy cane wrapper was lodged in her nose.
He then turned towards Kaitlyn and handed her a candy cane with a smile and then handed one to me, motioning the treat was for the baby.
As I held the sweet treat in my hand, I noticed a bit of green between the candy and the ribbon. I untied the bow and there was a $5 bill rolled tightly around the candy cane. Each of the candy canes had the same hidden treasure.
I looked at the man and said, "Thank you so much."
"Just trying to help Santa a bit."
I was in awe of this generous act and kind spirit. He was simply trying to spread Christmas cheer to children and strangers.
His wife had a broken leg and recent surgery and was waiting to see the doctor, and yet they had been think not of themselves, but others as they prepared their gifts and passed them out to people they met.
I hope I can be like that. Ready to give and not receive. That's the real spirit of Christmas and that's the one sure way we can truly have that sweet spirit of the season in our hearts- to love and serve and help others along the way.
I visited with Rich as the timed passed.
As I looked toward the old man again, his wife was placing a handful of red and white into his palm.
He turned and walked over to Brynn, hand extended with a candy cane tied with a bright ribbon of red. "Merry Christmas, little girl."
I thought it was quite a funny thing to give Brynn since we were there in the waiting room because a bit of candy cane wrapper was lodged in her nose.
He then turned towards Kaitlyn and handed her a candy cane with a smile and then handed one to me, motioning the treat was for the baby.
As I held the sweet treat in my hand, I noticed a bit of green between the candy and the ribbon. I untied the bow and there was a $5 bill rolled tightly around the candy cane. Each of the candy canes had the same hidden treasure.
I looked at the man and said, "Thank you so much."
"Just trying to help Santa a bit."
I was in awe of this generous act and kind spirit. He was simply trying to spread Christmas cheer to children and strangers.
His wife had a broken leg and recent surgery and was waiting to see the doctor, and yet they had been think not of themselves, but others as they prepared their gifts and passed them out to people they met.
I hope I can be like that. Ready to give and not receive. That's the real spirit of Christmas and that's the one sure way we can truly have that sweet spirit of the season in our hearts- to love and serve and help others along the way.
The Box
If you happened to peek under our tree, you might discover a curious package, wrapped in lovely birthday paper and adorned with curly yellow ribbon. While it looks like a lovely gift waiting to be opened, there is an odd hole cut in the middle. You might wonder why a birthday present was found beneath the bows of an evergreen tree. Or you might sit puzzled by the small hole found near the center.The word Christmas is a perfect clue, because it contains what the present is about- Christ.
This gift is the most important one that will ever find its way to our home every Christmas season. For its rightful owner is the true meaning of Christmas, and why we celebrate this glorious holiday. The givers are many and the box is filled with pure love, acts of kindness and bits of service performed on His behalf.
Every year, when the tree is brightly lit and presents are piling beside, we place a very special gift along side. It is for our Savior from us. We filled the box with slips of paper telling of the gifts we are giving to Him this year to help celebrate his birth, life and death and ultimate Resurrection. This present helps us to keep the focus on the real reason for the season and pass along bits of Christmas cheer to others.
From helping Mom with the baby, to picking up toys in the basement, to helping a teacher at gym class to saying hello to a stranger walking by- all are pieces of our gift to our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is my favorite Christmas tradition and one I hope my children will continue on and on, because the ones who share in this gift, are guaranteed a wonderful holiday season and blessings beyond measure.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
'Twas the week before Christmas....
And I was feeling good.
The stockings were hung, the lights were shining bright
Christmas was purchased and shipped and gifts were wrapped up tight.
All that was needed was a few last minute details to end it right.
Lively music was playing, Christmas movies were blaring,
Even the girls seemed just a little bit better at sharing.
Little did I know of the chaos that lay ahead,
but if I had, I think I might have simply stayed tucked in my bed.
Here's just a peek, into our past week.
I hope to get through without letting a shriek.
Thankfully it's over and done
and while it wasn't quite fun,
I know soon we'll be in Utah having a ball,
and even then I'll still be glad to be done with it all...
* Family photo for Christmas card. Rich has an attending doctor whose hobby is photography. He generously offered to take our picture in his basement studio for free. Who can pass up an offer like that? We went to his home last Sunday night with our fingers crossed that we could get one good photo. As we walked in the door, the kids saw his beautiful Persian cat named Buttons. The kids cuddled and scratched his long soft fur, then waved him goodbye as we went down for the photo shoot. Things were going well, until Matt started complaining that the flash was so bright on his eyes. After a round of photos I turned and looked at him. His eyes were swollen with hives and large welts and tears were streaming down his puffy red skin. It was beyond what I could have even imagined. It looked as if killer bees had attacked his face. I ran to the car to grab some allergy drops, but a huge dose of Benadryl is what he needed. When I returned it was even worse. All I could do was put in the drops and turn around to hide my giggles. I know this was no time for laughter, but the fact that his eyes were swollen twice there size and we were trying to get a Christmas photo, laugh was all I could do. Poor thing didn't look normal until the next day. He was a trooper and we managed to get one good shot (even though Josh is a bit dark since he's in Rich's shadow), but I'll never forget our little mishap with Buttons the Persian cat.
*No one wants to spend four and half hours over two days reclined in a dentist chair the week before Christmas, but that is where I found myself last week. Six weeks ago I was eating popcorn with the kids when I chomped down on an unpopped kernel and broken my lower right bicuspid (had to look that one up). Ouch. I called the dentist and set up an appointment before Thanksgiving. Rich was off that week so I was hopeful we could knock out the big part since I had the world's best babysitter at home. I wasn't that lucky. They put some filling around the tooth and told me to come back weeks later. Last Tuesday I returned. Rich left work early to be home with the kids and I was again in the chair. Two and half hours later I still had a broken tooth, but was missing a nerve. I got a root canal (tooth was far too broken to repair with out a post and pins) instead and had to return on Thursday for the impression and prep for the crown. Tiffany Rosenhan came to my rescue (thank you!) and I now am happily sporting a temporary tooth instead of a jagged mess. I think I know what to tell Rich to get me for Christmas- $$$ to pay for all my dental woes!
* Just when you think your week is winding down on Thursday night, Brynn decided to spice things up a bit. She had been downstairs while I scribbled down addresses on our Christmas cards. When she came to sit by me, she handed me a tissue with blood on it. Odd I thought and I wondered when she bumped her nose. Minutes passed when she could hold it in no longer. "Momma, I put candy cane wrapper in my nose. It stuck." I heard the words, but it took a second to grasp what she was confessing. Then it sunk in. She had shoved a wrapper in her nose, pushed it too far, gave herself a bloody nose trying to get it out and it was still in there. Oh. My. Goodness. I mean of all the things to put in your nose, crunchy, crackly candy cane wrapper? What?! A phone call was made to our friendly ENT, Dr. Todd. Unfortunately he lives in Utah, so advice was all we could get. Rich got out the tweezers, we used a syringe and nearly drown the poor girl, but no wrapper appeared. When I tucked her in bed, she boldly told me we had been drowning her and ruined her dreams with our 'scary' things (tweezers). Yes, but we weren't the ones who pushed plastics up into our nasal cavity. The next day we went to Rich's medical school friend and ENT resident for help. With FIVE adults in the room holding Brynn down and Kaitlyn whimpering by my side with fear they poked and prodded and pushed a fiber optic camera into her nose. No wrapper. It looked like Rich's water works had indeed worked. And I guarantee that little girl will NEVER put anything in her nose again. It was that traumatic for her. And sweet Kaitlyn too.
The rest of the list, while not as dramatic, still took up a lot of my precious pre-Christmas time....
* I took Zach to the doctor for his four month check ups. Shots are never fun. He's growing like a weed- 18 lbs, 27 inches. No wonder he's in size 3 diapers and 6-12 month clothes!
*Late nights trying to complete one final special Christmas gift. Stayed up into the wee hours of the night, with a computer mouse attached to my hand, when I should have been sleeping. Seriously think I have carpal tunnel of the elbow from overuse. Advil, please.
* 175 Christmas cards made, picked up, addressed, stamped, licked and mailed
* Music Matters class on Monday, lunch with the boys on Tuesday, visiting teaching on Monday, Tuesday and Friday
* 4 hours of basketball practice and games
* The girls had their last dance class on Friday. Signed up for gymnastics that start the first week of January
* Bought items for 3 class parties (one day notice- needed $15 of 2 1/2 Styrofoam balls- Yikes!)
* Delivered 30 neighborhood gifts and had the boys take in 3 teacher and 3 assistant presents
Whew! I think I'm ready for a break, but I can't stop moving yet.
I still have to:
Finish wrapping Christmas, pack suitcases for everyone but Rich, load the car via car carriers attached the top of the Pilot (missing the van's huge trunk space!) so our luggage doesn't fly off the car during our trip up to the Cincinnati airport, clean the house and finish all last minute Christmas tasks.
I think I'll sleep the entire way to Utah, even with a lap infant in my arms. Can't wait for the trip because after the week we've had, it will be a break, no matter what!
Merry Christmas. Right?!
The stockings were hung, the lights were shining bright
Christmas was purchased and shipped and gifts were wrapped up tight.
All that was needed was a few last minute details to end it right.
Lively music was playing, Christmas movies were blaring,
Even the girls seemed just a little bit better at sharing.
Little did I know of the chaos that lay ahead,
but if I had, I think I might have simply stayed tucked in my bed.
Here's just a peek, into our past week.
I hope to get through without letting a shriek.
Thankfully it's over and done
and while it wasn't quite fun,
I know soon we'll be in Utah having a ball,
and even then I'll still be glad to be done with it all...
* Family photo for Christmas card. Rich has an attending doctor whose hobby is photography. He generously offered to take our picture in his basement studio for free. Who can pass up an offer like that? We went to his home last Sunday night with our fingers crossed that we could get one good photo. As we walked in the door, the kids saw his beautiful Persian cat named Buttons. The kids cuddled and scratched his long soft fur, then waved him goodbye as we went down for the photo shoot. Things were going well, until Matt started complaining that the flash was so bright on his eyes. After a round of photos I turned and looked at him. His eyes were swollen with hives and large welts and tears were streaming down his puffy red skin. It was beyond what I could have even imagined. It looked as if killer bees had attacked his face. I ran to the car to grab some allergy drops, but a huge dose of Benadryl is what he needed. When I returned it was even worse. All I could do was put in the drops and turn around to hide my giggles. I know this was no time for laughter, but the fact that his eyes were swollen twice there size and we were trying to get a Christmas photo, laugh was all I could do. Poor thing didn't look normal until the next day. He was a trooper and we managed to get one good shot (even though Josh is a bit dark since he's in Rich's shadow), but I'll never forget our little mishap with Buttons the Persian cat.
*No one wants to spend four and half hours over two days reclined in a dentist chair the week before Christmas, but that is where I found myself last week. Six weeks ago I was eating popcorn with the kids when I chomped down on an unpopped kernel and broken my lower right bicuspid (had to look that one up). Ouch. I called the dentist and set up an appointment before Thanksgiving. Rich was off that week so I was hopeful we could knock out the big part since I had the world's best babysitter at home. I wasn't that lucky. They put some filling around the tooth and told me to come back weeks later. Last Tuesday I returned. Rich left work early to be home with the kids and I was again in the chair. Two and half hours later I still had a broken tooth, but was missing a nerve. I got a root canal (tooth was far too broken to repair with out a post and pins) instead and had to return on Thursday for the impression and prep for the crown. Tiffany Rosenhan came to my rescue (thank you!) and I now am happily sporting a temporary tooth instead of a jagged mess. I think I know what to tell Rich to get me for Christmas- $$$ to pay for all my dental woes!
* Just when you think your week is winding down on Thursday night, Brynn decided to spice things up a bit. She had been downstairs while I scribbled down addresses on our Christmas cards. When she came to sit by me, she handed me a tissue with blood on it. Odd I thought and I wondered when she bumped her nose. Minutes passed when she could hold it in no longer. "Momma, I put candy cane wrapper in my nose. It stuck." I heard the words, but it took a second to grasp what she was confessing. Then it sunk in. She had shoved a wrapper in her nose, pushed it too far, gave herself a bloody nose trying to get it out and it was still in there. Oh. My. Goodness. I mean of all the things to put in your nose, crunchy, crackly candy cane wrapper? What?! A phone call was made to our friendly ENT, Dr. Todd. Unfortunately he lives in Utah, so advice was all we could get. Rich got out the tweezers, we used a syringe and nearly drown the poor girl, but no wrapper appeared. When I tucked her in bed, she boldly told me we had been drowning her and ruined her dreams with our 'scary' things (tweezers). Yes, but we weren't the ones who pushed plastics up into our nasal cavity. The next day we went to Rich's medical school friend and ENT resident for help. With FIVE adults in the room holding Brynn down and Kaitlyn whimpering by my side with fear they poked and prodded and pushed a fiber optic camera into her nose. No wrapper. It looked like Rich's water works had indeed worked. And I guarantee that little girl will NEVER put anything in her nose again. It was that traumatic for her. And sweet Kaitlyn too.
The rest of the list, while not as dramatic, still took up a lot of my precious pre-Christmas time....
* I took Zach to the doctor for his four month check ups. Shots are never fun. He's growing like a weed- 18 lbs, 27 inches. No wonder he's in size 3 diapers and 6-12 month clothes!
*Late nights trying to complete one final special Christmas gift. Stayed up into the wee hours of the night, with a computer mouse attached to my hand, when I should have been sleeping. Seriously think I have carpal tunnel of the elbow from overuse. Advil, please.
* 175 Christmas cards made, picked up, addressed, stamped, licked and mailed
* Music Matters class on Monday, lunch with the boys on Tuesday, visiting teaching on Monday, Tuesday and Friday
* 4 hours of basketball practice and games
* The girls had their last dance class on Friday. Signed up for gymnastics that start the first week of January
* Bought items for 3 class parties (one day notice- needed $15 of 2 1/2 Styrofoam balls- Yikes!)
* Delivered 30 neighborhood gifts and had the boys take in 3 teacher and 3 assistant presents
Whew! I think I'm ready for a break, but I can't stop moving yet.
I still have to:
Finish wrapping Christmas, pack suitcases for everyone but Rich, load the car via car carriers attached the top of the Pilot (missing the van's huge trunk space!) so our luggage doesn't fly off the car during our trip up to the Cincinnati airport, clean the house and finish all last minute Christmas tasks.
I think I'll sleep the entire way to Utah, even with a lap infant in my arms. Can't wait for the trip because after the week we've had, it will be a break, no matter what!
Merry Christmas. Right?!
Letters to Santa
With Christmas quickly approaching, the kids had been thinking and thinking about what to ask Santa to leave beneath the tree on Christmas morning. On Monday, the kids wrote their official lists down on a letter to Santa. That night for Family Home Evening we all took a trip to the mall so we could mail the letters in Santa's official red mailbox located at Macy's department store.
All that writing wore Zach right out!
Brynn spent A LOT of time and used A LOT of stickers on her letter to Santa. It was a work of art.
Off to Macy's! 
Rich was a bit horrified at the amounts of pictures I took right there in the middle of the cosmetic counters. I loved every single second. It was magical, pure and simple.
This holiday season, join Macy’s and the Make-A-Wish Foundation to help collect a million reasons to believe. Across the country children are invited to drop off their letters- stamped and addressed to Santa at the North Pole — in the Santa Mail letterbox at any Macy’s store. For each letter received, Macy’s will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, up to $1 million dollars to help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.
Visit from the Underwoods
While living in Kentucky, we have been blessed to have met some amazing and incredible people that we feel honored to call friends. Folks you can call at 3 AM when you are having babies and dump your three tired boys on their couches and then they come to the hospital that day to see the new arrivals. Traci and Zane were there for us no matter what we threw their way. Yup, we are a lucky bunch to have friends like that. The Underwoods are like family and we were so excited when Traci decided to bring the gang to Lexington from Louisville to visit today since the kids are out of school for Christmas break. Traci is never far from my mind since I see bits of her around my house daily. She made Zach the cutest quilt, I have hand stitched pillows, bags and aprons she crafted and various wooden holiday decor she she cut and painted. She's very talented. It had been far too long since we had been together, so we enjoyed every minute while they were here.
Love you Traci!
The Southern Lights
Our favorite Lexington Christmas tradition is to visit the Kentucky Horse Park and see the Southern Lights. It's a huge light display you view as you drive. After, you can park and visit the petting zoo, see the train display, visit Santa (though we've never stood in the forever long line), ride a camel for $5 (wanted to, but passed since I didn't want to fork out $30 for everyone to take a turn) and hear live country Christmas music. This year Brynn insisted we buy some Kettle Corn. Most of us love it, but Kaitlyn hoped we could make the 'salty' kind at home. It rained and rained and was a cool 34 degrees, but we loved the sights and lights and just being together. 
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Christmas Dinner with the Hatches
Over the past few here in Lexington, we have been so lucky to have an amazing couple in our ward, Tom and Jan Hatch, reach out to our family and invite us over for homemade waffles on Sunday after church. They let the boys play in their creek or pull out the doll house and Legos so the kids can play after we eath.Their six children have moved away for work or to attend college, though I was lucky enough to be thier daughter Courtney's Laurel advisor last year before she graudated and headed to BYU.
Since they were heading west to spend Christmas with their children, they invited us over for an early Christmas dinner before they left. I am always amazed they want our loud and busy bunch around, but we love going to their home and enjoying their company.
Jan cooked a delcious meal and even had Lindor mints in the glasses. It really put us all in the Christmas spirit.
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