Christmas 2022

15 years ago when I was on my mission; my companion and I decided to do a Christmas present for the members of the ward that we were serving in. We ended up making little beaded spiders and giving it with a little message called the Legend of the Christmas Spider; it was a hit. So for the past few years, I have wanted to do do this for my neighbors but I didn't know if I could recreate what I had done so many years ago. So in October I went ahead and bought some little black spiders on amazon; they came and I knew I wasn't going to use them. So in November I googled how to make a beaded spider and I found a website that gave step by step instructions on what to buy and how to make it. So I purchased some beads from Walmart. went to hobby lobby and grabbed the rest of the things. I was able to create some really pretty spiders. Macy and Sally even helped me. So we printed off the Legend and wrapped up the spider and gave it to our neighbors, they loved them... Below is the legend that we sent. 

Once upon a time, long ago, a gentle mother was busily cleaning the house for the most wonderful day of the year.... The day on which the Christ child came to bless the house. Not a speck of dust was left. Even the spiders had been banished from their cozy corner in the ceiling to avoid the housewife's busy cleaning. They finally fled to the farthest corner of the attic.

T'was the Christmas eve at last! The tree was decorated and waiting for the children to see it. But the poor spiders were frantic, for they could not see the tree, nor be present for the Christ child's visit. But the oldest and wisest spider suggested that perhaps they could peep through the crack in the door to see him. Silently they crept out of their attic, down the stairs, and across the floor to wait in the crack in the threshold. Suddenly, the door opened a wee bit and quickly the spiders scurried into the room. They must see the tree closely, since their eyes weren't accustomed to the brightness of the room... so the crept all over the tree, up and down, over every branch and twig and saw every one of the pretty things. At last they satisfied themselves completely of the Christmas tree beauty.

But alas!! Everywhere they went they had left their webs, and when the little Christ child came to bless the house he was dismayed. He loved the little spiders, for they were God's creatures too, but he knew the mother, who had trimmed the tree for the little children, wouldn't feel the same, so He touched the webs and they all turned to sparkling, shimmering, silver and gold!

Ever since that time, we have hung tinsel on our Christmas trees, and according to the legend, it has been a custom to include a spider among the decorations on the tree.

I had some ladies text me a picture of the spider on their tree. I am so glad it turned out and that I didn't use the plain black spiders that I had ordered. 

So our kids know that we are Santa's helpers...and the spirit of Santa is real. So in Christmas's past Sam has done the kids Christmas's list with the kids and they have put over 10 things on the list. This year we needed to be more frugal so we had the kids put 5 things down and let them know that they might not get everything they asked more. My parents and sister helped out with a few presents. I wrapped the presents during the week so I didnt have to do it all after the kids went to bed on Christmas eve. I went to bed a decent hour but the kids were up at 4:24 on Christmas morning. I was not a happy camper. I told them to do something for the next couple of hours because I was not waking up. The kept coming in saying they were board. I told them to go downstair and watch a movie but they wouldn't. Finally at 7, I told them we could open up present; they went and got their dad. So when I was getting up, I reached for my phone and it was dead and would not turn on. I had had it charging all night so I knew it was charged but it just wouldn't turn on. I was really sad and not in the best mood. Sam tried to get it on but no luck. He let me take a picture with his phone but it wasnt the same as having my phone to get the pictures that I wanted. Also, this year I wanted to do things my way. Growing up Sam and his brothers would wake up Christmas morning, go downstairs and open up all the presents in five minutes and then be done. My family growing up does it so differently. We come down and open up our stockings but then with the presents under the tree, we take turns opening them up. It takes longer and each person gets to see what the other person got. We talked about it in years past about doing it different every other year; well it normally just happens the way Sam wants it and I just say okay. Christmas morning goes fast and then I am left feeling a little defeated because it took me so long to get it all ready and then it was done just like that. Well this year, we got to do it my way, or semi my way. I knew Sam was tired and wanted to go back to bed, but he didn't say anything about it and just let me have my way, which doesn't happen very often; I was grateful because I was already not in the best mood and that would have pushed me over. The kids were happy with what they got and even though I was sad I did not get pictures, it was okay. 

Christmas fell on a Sunday this year; it only happens every once in a while. There was actually a facebook post going around how it will not fall on a Sunday for another 11 years, pretty crazy. So we were on time for church today, actually a little early and we had a nice program. We had a narration and musical presentation. The kids got to sing two songs with the primary. Teddy was happy because this is his last Sunday in the primary program. Next Sunday he will be moving up to the youth program. He will not have to sing as much, lol. So anyway, we had some people play the cello and flute and clarinet as well as the choir sang two songs. Macy and I sang with the choir and it turned out really nice. We got another picture with Sam's camera and I am glad how it turned out. 

We got home from church to a disaster of a house. I was sad because the night before I had had it so nice. but I tried to get it cleaned up. Since the kids have been home from school this past week, Sam made up a chore chart and they kids have done a pretty good job of keeping their rooms clean as well as the living room and downstairs. Its been pretty nice. I hope we can keep it up. So after we got home, I put in the turkey in the oven. I forgot to get a pan to put it in but I had a disposable deep 9x13 that I was able to use. It was close to spilling over when it was done but it worked. I also grabbed the potatoes from the garage and realized that they were frozen. I should have kept them inside but I forgot. I wasn't sure what to do but after texting a friend in Florida, she asked if I had any instant potatoes and sure enough I had a few packages downstairs, crisis avoided. The meal turned out nice. I was full though, I seem to be full all the time. I hope that I can do better at eating and exercising. So all day I kept saying a prayer that my phone would work. I didn't necessarily need it, I just had wanted pictures of this day and I wasnt able to get them. I was also not able to communicate with people all morning; I love wishing people Merry Christmas and talking to people that I usually do not. So after church I took our ipad and was able to text some people back. I also said a prayer again to ask if my phone could work. I went into the bedroom and googled on the ipad to see if I could find answers to why my phone wasn't working. I read something that it might be a bug that happened when the phone updated; I dont know but I followed the directions on the website and was able to get my phone turned on. It seemed like I had tried to do that earlier in the day but I couldn't be sure. I dont know, maybe I was being tested to see how I would react without the phone, that little device that made me not have the best attitude and now was working. I had let something so dumb almost ruin my day. I learned a lesson and that is probably what I needed. I said a thankful prayer as well. The true meaning of Christmas is not opening up presents but it is celebrating our Savior Jesus Christ. I am grateful for Jesus and all he has done for me. I do not know very much, I do not think of myself as a smart person but I try and I will keep trying, for that is all I can do.  

 

2022...Last Half

In the beginning of October Sally lost two teeth in one day. Then two days later she lost another one. She is now missing her two front teeth...she was brave and earned a little bit more money from the tooth fairy than normal!!!

Happy Daughters Day to my little loves!!

That moment they stop fighting to get a smiling hugging picture…they are always down for a picture and sometimes I wish I could just take pictures of them all day so they can be friends. I am grateful for the things I learn from being their mom, even though sometimes I go to be feeling like a complete failure, I am doing my best and we are all just learning together…
 

The girls and I headed to Boise the second weekend in October. My nephew Arthur got baptized. We got to catch him playing in a flag football game too. It’s always nice to be with family, my sister is a great hostess. Macy and Sally were so sad to leave their cousins!!!

Halloween 2022 was nice...I say nice because one thing the weather was not too bad. I was very grateful. We had a chili cookoff for our ward party and also an indoor trunk or treat. I think it would have been okay having it outside but they decided to do it in just a room at the church. Macy wanted to be an angel this year. I got her a dress and some wings off of amazon. It wasnt the best, but it worked. Well at the ward party she spilled chili all over the front of her dress. She was so sad...for some reason she spills alot when she eats...so anyway, I didnt get a picture of the before, but we decided after to put blood on the dress and her face so she would be a bloody angel.  

We did out trick or treat on main street the saturday before. On Halloween; Teddy decided to go up to Rexburg to go with a friend. It was just the girls and I going down here in Rigby. We did meet up with one of Macy's friends and his family. 

Sally ended up going to a carnival at a school in another town with a friends. So she missed the main street trick or treating.

Teddy was a scary clown this year...and Sally was a cheerleader...

SCHOOL PICTURES

Teddy didnt love his picture...but we were able to get a retake because Southfork did their pictures after Harwood. He likes the new picture better; I did not get a picture of it. 

Rigby football is where you will find us on Friday nights from August to November. We played two teams from Utah at the beginning of the season. One was a 6a school from American Fork. We lost that game by 3 but it was close. We were suppose to win all of our games, but the weekend we were in Bosie; they played Highland down in Pocatello. They were winning by 21 in the last quarter and ended up choking and losing 42-41...it was pretty crazy. We went into the playoffs having to play in the first round. We havent had to do that in 3 years. Well, we played at home against a new Boise team and won. The next two weekends we played in Boise and won both. That brought us to the championship game played at the Boise State University Stadium. We came over a little early and got to go to my nieces basketball game and went to dinner with them. 

We played Meridian. We did not play the best. Starting the 4th quarter, we were down 21-7...we came back and won 28-21...it was pretty surreal...

We usually stay with my sister but she had company...so we got to stay in a hotel. The kids were excited, especially because they would get to swim. Well guess what, we forgot the swimsuits...and the internet was down in the mornings...so we just had breakfast and headed home...what a fun weekend. 

Thanksgiving was a nice small affair; we had Callan, Karey and Liam come over to our house. Marshall and his family were planning on coming up but they got sick. It would have been nice and cozy, but it ended up being nice. I have so much to be grateful for. Thanksgiving in the past was a really hard day, but I have come a long way. 

Macy had her Christmas dance performance in the beginning of December. My parents were in town and my sister Ashlee came down from Rexburg. My sister in law Karey came as well. The performance was called Mrs. Clause's Bakery.  It was a cute production.

The day after Macy's dance performance. The girls had their first of many singing performances. They were suppose to perform at a nursing home in town, but they had to cancel because of an outbreak of COVID, so we found a different nursing home to go to. My parents and Ashlee came again. It went really well. I am proud of both girls, but especially Sally, she did so good. 

The next day, Macy got to go on a father daughter date. But first her glasses came in and we got to go pick them up…A little side note, Macy has not passed the vision test that they do at the school for the past three years. So I finally took their advice and took her into the eye doctor. They said she is near sided and needed glasses. We got her prescription and ordered glasses. They said it would take 2-3 weeks...they came at a perfect time, she was able to wear them to the ballet with dad and she was able to see clearer...yay

Last year, they tried to go to the ballet, but it was too late and didnt get tickets. This year we made sure to get them early...I am glad that they got to go. 

We got to go to our cousins performance of the nutcracker, it was fun..

We love Kingsley!!!

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I was proud of Teddy for performing at school with his grade. 

So at the beginning of the year, the kids started Piano lessons. But it just did not work out; she lived farther away than I wanted and the kids just didn't like it. Well, we found out that a lady just down the road from us was teaching Piano and lots of the kids around us went to her. I was able to get the girls in. They had their first recital on the 17th of December. They did well. I am grateful. 

The girls had their final two singing performances. The first one was at an elementary school and the second one was at the first nursing home that had cancelled. They called and asked if we could come, we did not have all the girls there but it still went well. 

We are almost all ready for Christmas...our ward had a Christmas party and the kids sang a song. The boys left before Santa came, but I got a picture of the girls. Our bishop also made this train that they took our kids out on. It turned out great. We are grateful for all the hard work that went into providing us with this nice experience. 

Im all caught up...Christmas 2022 is in two days...pretty crazy how fast this last year and the last couple years have one. I hope I can keep updating and doing some blogging. I think I will share some other things pertaining to my journey...but for now, I hope you enjoy!!!