*CHRISTMAS EVE*

I had a great Christmas Eve with my family and was blessed by the Lord to be able to spend the whole night without feeling overwhelmed. It was great to laugh and enjoy the company of everyone. As you will see from the photos, we had a great night.

Ps. Don't be jealous of our totally awesome pj'z! :D

*MY FACEBOOK LOVE LETTER/CHRISTMAS CARD*

Dear friends, family, and facebookers,

Last year I sent out 80 Christmas cards. Let me repeat that…EIGHTY CHRISTMAS CARDS! I won’t tell you how many I received in return (Fifteen. Love without expectations…yeah right! hahhaah JK  So because I am still tired from sending that many last year…I have chosen to send a Christmas love letter via-satellite instead. (It’s also cheaper.)

Facebook has been a real eye opener for me. I can’t express how fun and amazing it has been to find friends that I have made throughout the years. It’s like watching your life pass before your eyes. To find people that I thought I may never see again is remarkable. This has been a great blessing to me and filled my recent months with much laughter, happiness, and even some grateful tears. There were many times in my life that I recorded these words in my journals, “I wish people loved me as much as I love them.” The Lord has recently opened my eyes and shown me that there are many who love me as much as I love them. He has humbled me in showing me how many people he has brought into my life to be a blessing to me…to “uphold me and cause me to stand” when otherwise I may have fallen from the weight of the world and the afflictions that I have been asked to go through in this life. Each of you have provided so much happiness for me and were guided and placed in my life at just the right moment. I don’t believe that anyone has come into my life by chance. It has proven to me that the loving God of this universe has never left me, when so many times I’ve felt that he had. I’m so proud to call all of you friends. If I had the physical strength and ability I could easily write a letter to every person on here and tell you how you’ve blessed my life and why I love you. THANK YOU to everyone for providing me with a great life because of each of your influences upon me. It has been a joy to watch how your lives have unfolded.

In the great movie, “It’s a wonderful life” we see the worth of a soul and how differently things would have been had they not been there. If even ONE of you was missing…my life would be less beautiful. I’m thankful for a Savior who we honor at this time of year and for his birth, life, and gift of the atonement… and for giving me friends.

“No man is a failure who has friends.” And today…I don’t feel like a failure at all.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukah, Feliz Navidad and God bless America! *Stiflingly a laugh* ;)

*A LIGHT IN THE DARK*

*MR. HANKY THE CHRISTMAS POO*

I'm sorry but this is another all time favorite Christmas laugh. The problem is that you find yourself singing it throughout the day. It NEVER leaves! So take caution before listening to it. There are actually two videos and I'm adding them both. :D

Warning...it's kind of a potty mouth video. PUN intended.

P.s. I'm also attaching a special photo of Mr. Hankey in real life. He was given as a gift to me and my best friend since it was an inside joke between us. You will never look at fudge the same again. And yes it WAS fudge...but no we didn't taste it! hahhahh

*CHRISTMAS VACATION*

Christmas vacation is probably one of my favorite Christmas movies of all time. My family and I quote it all year long! Sometimes when we have a family get together and go to say prayer before we eat, my brother will say out loud "Da bleeeeessssing!" (If you've seen the movie you know what part that is.) We end up laughing which then takes away from the spirit. Heaven help us.

Anyhow I usually do a little raffle every year and give some sort of classic present to the winner. Last years was the best of all the game! The MOOSE MUG! It was a total hit with everyone who didn't get it. The person who got it showed very little enthusiasm. I'm BIG on reaction and people who fail me when I give a gift like this brings pain to my soul. Oh well! Still it was fun and I had to get a set for myself too. Tonight I will sit on my couch, drink some eggnog in my moose mug, and probably watch Christmas Vacation! Gotta love it!

Clark: Can I refill your eggnog for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?
Eddie: Naw, I'm doing just fine, Clark.

Bahhahhahahhah

P.s. I have no idea what I'm going to do this year...nothing has come to mind YET.

*TWILIGHT* CATHRINE HARDWICK GET'S THE BOOT*

So everyone knows that Twilight had a lot of cheesy moments in it and there were a handful of things that were just off that almost ruined it. I think Summit Entertainment recognized this and gave the director, Cathrine Hardwick, the boot. They have now hired director Chris Weitz. He is known for both penning and directing "About a boy" (which is a favorite of mine.) And directed "The Golden Compass" which I never saw. From what I have read about him he is a great visionary when it comes to directing and has won Academy Awards for his visual effects. Fingers are crossed that he will have the ability to make the next Twilight movie, New Moon, into an amazing film and be able to pull off what Catherine couldn't. (Even though I think she is amazing as a person and did the best to her ability.)

Here is a statement from Chris Weitz about him taking on the directing role. I like what he had to say.

*ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS*

If you've ever seen the t.v. show from the 90's called Felicity, this photo will bring back memories. It's the classic moment where she had been publicly humilated and the next thing you know she is standing in front of the Ice Cream isle at the grochery store...checking out the 1 Pinterz of Hagan Daz.

Not that long ago, I had a night like that. Something happened that hurt me and I found myself also standing in and isle an staring into Ice Cream oblivion. I think I stood there for ten minutes not even really thinking about the Ice Cream. But finally I grabbed one, "Peppermint Bark" and left. One thing I soon realized was that I don't even LIKE peppermint! What was I thinking? Oh...that's right, I wasn't really thinking. At least not in my "right mind" whatever that means. ;)

I guess the only point to this blog is to say that we all have "one of those nights" and millions of people across the globe find themselves doing the exact same thing. Why is that? Maybe Ice Cream is the only thing that makes it better or makes us forget for a small moment (or however fast you eat :) whatever hurt us or made us sad. I think Ice Cream unites people...in the crazy world we live in, it just might be the key to world peace.

Profound, I know.

P.s. If anyone finds the origional picture of "Felicity" standing in front of the Ice Cream Isle send it to me and I'll give u a present. :) As you can tell It's a bad copy!

*LET THERE BE LIGHT!*

My Creamsicle, Disco, Retro, Sparkly tree! The pictures didn't turn out well...but I can tell you that I find myself wanting to shout Hallelujah every time I see it.

*THE PASSING OF THE APOSTLE JOSEPH B. WIRTHLIN*

"Come what may, and love it."

Joseph B. Wirthlin, Oldest
Apostle, Dies, Age 91

"SALT LAKE CITY 2 December 2008 Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, the oldest living apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died last night, age 91.

Elder Wirthlin had gone to bed at his Salt Lake City home, and died peacefully at about 11:30 pm of causes incident to age. His oldest daughter, Jane Wirthlin Parker, was present. A member of the family had been staying and caring for Elder Wirthlin, whose wife, Elisa Young Rogers Wirthlin, died in 2006.

He had continued to work at his office right up until the Thanksgiving holiday."

The day before Elder Wirthlin passed away, I felt the desire to read his last LDS Conference talk. I remember how much it touched my heart, made me laugh, and helped me. I needed to feel that all my losses in this life would be compensated and his talk addressed it perfectly.

My nephew has a "spiritual thoughts" page on facebook and I shared this quote on it the day before he died. I feel humbled and grateful that I had been thinking of him and now to know I was able to listen to him speak for the last time.

*The Principle of Compensation*

"The third thing we can do is understand the principle of compensation. The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude."

~ Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin.

You can read this inspiring talk here,
http://www.lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-947-9,00.html

*A MESSAGE FROM MR. NIELSON*

For those of you who heard about the accident of the lovely couple who were in a plane crash in August...here is a personal update from Nie Nie's husband, Mr.Nielson. Powerful and touching to say the least. Also below is their love story along with a link to their website.