Christmas Caroling

               Jenna seemed quite excited when the Young Men and Young Women decided to go “Ding-Dong Ditching” rather than their usual caroling, but still wanted to go caroling.  I have not had much of a singing voice this season and have missed singing along with Christmas songs because I don’t wish to risk making my throat sore.

                Jenna finally found someone willing to go with her.  On Saturday, I picked up her friend.  They caroled to a few houses in her neighborhood.  I then took them to the street where we used to live.  They went to several houses.  Surprised some people.  Uplifted others.  I was happy to see how happy it made them.

not your typical caroling attire, but this is what they chose to wear

                On Sunday, we had just one speaker for sacrament meeting.  The remainder of the meeting was for singing five different hymns after the bishop introduced each hymn with a small synopsis for what purpose each had been written. I could tell that she enjoyed that.  I am so happy that she enjoys singing.

Jenna's Wish List

Jenna has never been greedy with her wish list.

Some things are not practical.
Generally her wish is short.

She rated the following from 1 - 10,
10 being the highest.  Only 7 things on her list.
What I'd like to fulfill most is wish #4.
That will require a lot of prayer.

She just wrote her list in random order

but not order of importantness. 
The two things from the list that
she would like most
I don't have control.

1.      New  charger for tablet

(Roland finally broke down and
got one for her as she was using
up his phone battery.)      
                  rates this as a 2

2.      "Everyone wants to steal your cheese" t- shirt

          rates a 7. 

3.      toy box chocolate surprise                  
          I don't even know what that is
          rates a 4

 4.     a good friend to move in across the street         

          this is one we both would like
          both of us would make this a 10

5.      common sense hoodie

          rates a 5

6.      better singing skills     rates a 6

          I think somebody in the ward
          offers singing lessons.  I will look more
          into that

7.      brothers    10


She would also like to see it snow.  I don't foresee that happening anytime soon.

More on 12 day challenge

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On the 7th day there were lines

Lines at Winco
Lines at WalMart
I did not have to wait in either
Roland was really sweet and
allowed Jenna and I to do
our own thing.

Day 8

Take a few minutes to
write down your values.
I do that anyway.
There are 8 values listed
as  part of Young Women's Theme
I would say that Individual Worth
appeals to me the most as I
would like to be recognized for
my individuality and not be
a cookie cutter representation of
someone (or something) else

Day 9.  Take 3 breathes to get

oxygen flowing.  Oh, yeah!
I can do that here in Oregon.
I can breathe the moist clean air
Breathing the outdoor air in Salt Lake
right now -
NOT a good idea,   
I hear there is a lot of inversion.
I don't doubt it.
It's what pushed me to move
to Oregon in the first place.

Today's challenge is to excersize -

to get my endorphins going at
least five minutes.  I can do that by
just going to the mailbox.  LOL
I have my daughter.
That in itself takes energy.

Our Vacation Thus Far

 In No Particular Order (certainly not chronologically)

Dec 18 - posed with tree on 2nd and Main

loading up for food storage

Dec 19 - before our cart was full

Dec 19

wanted a picture of her height

Dec 18 - you can see the ornaments in this one

she wasn't playing, just pretending

air hockey

Dec 20 - Add caption

Ten Down Bowling is quite generous with toppings

Dec 20 - enjoying Wii

Dec 20

Dec 16 Santa's - Favorite Elf next to our Christmas tree

Beautiful Rain

Rain

Beautiful Rain

Pounding on the Skylight

I Stood on my Porch

Yesterday Morning.

I inhaled deeply

Enjoying the Moisture.

I Feel So Awesome

Just Like the Rain.

5 cards

I opened 5 cards yesterday. 

First one sent from Kearns, Utah

It said:

"Wish you were still here

Sure Do Miss You!"

Second Card sent Local

It said:

"So grateful you moved into our ward

We're so glad that you're here."

Third one was from my cousin.

She had sent it to the wrong address

But our former neighbor forwarded it.

Forth card was to me from the school

Fifth card - no return address and

no signature.  Just a thought

to wish Merry Christmas and a

gift card

which Roland wanted to use for

food storage.

He thinks war is coming.

Our Nation's President has

offended many people.

Roland drove us to Grants Pass

It was my second time being there

since we moved to Oregon.

We splurged on food. 

The machine told us that we would

need a pin for our gift card

We might still be able to use it

for placing orders online.

But I don't know.

Roland says it is good until

Christmas Day 2025.

Way to go Jenna!

Two of our boys had said they’d come for a visit this week.  Roland took the days off so he could spend time with them. They both cancelled, but Roland still has the time off. Neither Jenna nor I have classes and so are on vacation as well.  Let us vacation – do something we don’t normally do.  We’d like to have Roland eliminate the TV.  We wouldn’t seriously be watching TV if the boys came?  Roland said we’d probably go to a movie? Are you kidding me?  I’m not spending 13 hours of driving so that I can go see a movie.  I want to visit.  I want to play games.

After Jenna and I returned home from our jaunt downtown yesterday, we made a gingerbread house. 

Roland and I held the house part together and Jenna did the majority of decorating.

Roland added to it a bit when she was through.

 I think we played three different games before Roland announced he was getting tired and would watch TV.  Jenna then fired questions to him about his childhood and things he did; his likes and dislikes and so forth.  She kept him talking for three hours.  I missed the library meeting AGAIN – but the communication and discovery was so much more important.  I’m happy that Jenna could steer Roland away from the TV for so long and that Roland was willing to share of himself and his time.  No more television watching would be the most awesome Christmas present ever!

7th Day of Christmas

    

                Today’s challenge is to think about the best parts of my life while waiting in line or at a stop light.  I am done waiting in line this season.  There is one traffic light in Myrtle Creek and one in Tri-City.  I am never at either light long enough to reflect my life.  The best part of my life may be now or since we moved to Oregon because I am not so uptight.  I miss my sibs and families, but overall, I really am happier living in Oregon.

                Day four I had a problem.  I wrote a lot of detail about why.  Roland wanted to go shopping.  I don’t like shopping.  I try to remain positive.  It was a Saturday in December. He wanted to go furniture shopping.  He wanted to take Jenna with us.  The idea of shopping with both Roland and Jenna is a challenge for my emotions.  There is ALWAYS tension between them when Roland is shopping.  She really didn’t want to go and I told her she could stay home if she wanted to.  I love Jenna.  I really do, but allowing her to stay home would be preventing some of the negativity, so that counts, right?

                We’d gone to a baptism first.  I had been asked to speak about the gift of the Holy Ghost.  I printed out two talks – one with pictures for my primary student and one for me.  It was probably the best part of my day.  I think I was pleasant throughout the remainder of the day.  Whatever negative feelings were inside of me stayed there – but I don’t guess they were eliminated.

                I did well on day 5.  When I do give compliments, they really are genuine.  I gave out more compliments on day 5 than yesterday. Perhaps I should have switched the two around.  My soul purpose for leaving the house yesterday was to have the opportunity to run into others that I might fulfill complimenting three different people.  I forgot.

                On vacation from my emotional class – though I had set up a goal to write down my emotions each day.  I’d somehow forgotten about that too.  I guess my mind really did go on vacation . . .