Halloween pumpkin carving

This is weeks late in coming but whatever. So...here they are!

I made cupcakes. And the plate thing they're on :)

They're mummies!

Carving pumpkins and separating seeds

Kermit!

Self portrait?

We have a tradition of carving a watermelon every year. It started because on our first Halloween Kyle went out to buy a pumpkin to carve for a date with some friends. Lo and behold, no pumpkins anywhere! So he bought a watermelon and a cantaloupe. And that was the beginning.

Christmas thoughts and traditions

Christmas is almost here and I can hardly contain myself! I am really looking forward to decorating for it and I have even allowed Christmas music in the house before Thanksgiving. I love the spirit and the joy that fills the world when we think about the true meaning of the holiday and not the commercialized version. And I am really excited to see my family in a few weeks and spend some quality time with my dear. Anyway, I was talking to my mom on the phone last night and we started talking about Santa Claus. I tried telling her this story I found from another blog {Bringing Lady Back}, but I really didn't do it justice. In case something happens to the other blog, I want this story here so I can remember it when the time comes for me because I love it so much.

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"My husband and I have discussed that we don't want to lie straight out to our kids, but we do want to create special memories for them. Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, etc, all inclusive. Where do we draw the line?

A friend of ours was so devastated when she learned the truth about Santa Claus, she swore she would never lead her children to believe in something that didn't exist. I truly can't say that I blame her. I remember when I found out about Santa, I just felt stupid. As in, really, really gullible. And very irritated at myself that I had fallen for it so long.

So, after hearing my friend's story {which was truly heartbreaking. The whole story left me with a hole in my heart}, and thinking back to my own experience, I began to fret. I started thinking, "I don't want to lie to my kids! I want them to know that they can ask me anything and I will tell them the truth and I will never lead them astray."

But we were already into it with Hailey! She believed, and she was adorable. Spotting Rudolph in the sky, waking to the treats the elves would leave her during the week leading up to Christmas, and she just plain loved the idea of Santa Claus.
 

Two years ago, Hailey asked for a teddy bear. She wanted a teddy bear because she'd lost her other one. That was all she wanted. An 8 year old girl asking for a teddy bear. Does that even happen anymore? Moms from her school were naming off their children's lists, and I listened to the desires of all of these kids. I was shocked! Cell phones? iPods? BMWs? {okay. exaggeration.} Really though? 8 YEAR OLDS???

In the middle of the insane wants of her peers, Hailey was unashamed to ask for a teddy bear. And I love her so much for it. I can't describe the amount of love that swelled in my heart for my humble little girl when she made that request.
 

On Christmas morning, she got her teddy bear. She hugged that thing for what seemed like forever before moving on to anything else. When she did get around to emptying her stocking, she found a note from Santa. He told her that he was so proud of her for what a good girl she had been throughout the year. She had been such a big helper for mommy and daddy. She helped out so much with David & Nora, without even being asked. She was obedient, kind, friendly, and loving to everyone she knew. He was also amazed that she was happy to ask for only a teddy bear. He told her that she of course earned her teddy bear, but that He thought she deserved a bit more. He told her she had a surprise waiting for her on the back patio, and that she should go look right then.

Waiting for her was a brand-spankin' new, pink, beautiful bike (and helmet). The look on her face was priceless. To see the humility in her expression as she read the letter, then the excitement light up her eyes when she peeked through the blinds of the back door... Magic happens on Christmas Day, I tell you. She was so happy, and so thrilled to have had her good deeds recognized, without ever expecting them to be.

The awesome thing? She loved and still loves that teddy bear just as much as the bike. She leaves me in awe.

A few days after Christmas, Hailey asked, "Mom, is Santa real?"

Hm.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, in my stocking at Daddy's house, there was some lip gloss that had a sticker on it from the store."

Ah. Nice.

"Let's sit down and talk about it."

We sat and cuddled on the couch. I said a silent prayer for guidance. I started.

"Santa is real, but he doesn't live at the North Pole, he doesn't have elves that make his toys, and he doesn't have a sleigh with flying reindeer. Santa is a tradition that lives in the hearts of parents all over the world.

The tradition of Santa Claus allows parents the opportunity to create magic for their kids anonymously. {"What's anonymously?" "Without them knowing. Like, when we bake cookies and drop them off at our neighbors and you run away? That's anonymous." "Oh."}

Didn't you feel the magic when you came out every morning and found the treats the elves left in your shoes? "Yes!"

And when you found your sweet teddy bear?

And then, when you read that note you found in your stocking?

And, most of all, when you found that you had a bike waiting for you in the back?

"Yes!"

And do you remember how good it made you feel to leave cookies on people's doorsteps?

"Yes!"

It makes parents feel good to see their children so happy.

That is what the tradition of Santa Claus is all about. It's another way for parents to show children they love them, and add a bit of magic into the mix."

We discussed that it is not up to her to tell anyone else about this tradition; it is for the parents to decide when they tell their kids. {I still feel badly about ruining it for my dear friend Amy!}

We also discussed how the magic of the tradition is the same with the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny. Parents are performing acts from the heart.

At that point, Hailey looked up at me, smiled her sweet smile and said, "You must have the biggest heart in the whole wide world."

Um. I love her.

Then, we discussed that she can ask me anything and everything and I will always tell her the truth.


To be safe I told her Jesus Christ is real, that He lived on Earth and that He will come again. I told her He truly performed miracles and does to this day.

I told her I love her and I am so proud to be her mother.

And I told her since she now knew, she would be able to help create magic for her younger siblings. She was ecstatic!

I was so happy it went so well, and she was so receptive to the message I was trying to convey. I hope it goes as smoothly with the others when it's time. I hope I can help our other children understand the tradition of Santa. We may need to go about it differently with each. It will be interesting to see things unfold as they get older.

In the meantime, I'm all for magic. "

Personal Happiness project: week 20

Whew, we had a busy weekend! We went to Ikea and got a bookshelf for the bedroom, a different furniture shop to get more screws for a toy chest we bought months ago, and H&M to get Kyle some new clothes (sadly, we left with nothing, but that's okay. I know now that he looks good in maroon pants!). Obama won the election. We spoke in church on Sunday about gratitude, giving thanks in all things. I thought it went really well. I made people laugh a lot, especially when I said we need to be working toward eternal life and immorality. Oops! I had a good time though. And Kyle did really well too. I just hope we were able to make people feel the Spirit and feel more gratitude for our many blessings and the wonderful lives we've been given.

This week is brought to you by the letter T and is for "Take power naps. Talk wisely." What's with all the sleep encouragement lately?? So, I guess I'll do that. Talk wisely would have been a good challenge for last week too! I think the most important thing about talking wisely is to actually be wise and know stuff. I think it is also important to know when you don't know stuff and admit it instead of talking like you know something when you really have no idea. I hope I can take time this week to focus and learn about things around me so I can be wise. Good luck and have a great week!

I've had this song stuck in my head the last few days. I love this version and these guys!

Oh and this is my absolutely favorite piano song! It just makes me feel so happy when I hear it.

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Personal Happiness project: week 19

Halloween was alright. Kyle had his woodshop class so he missed our first trick-or-treaters! We got three: our neighbors (1 child) and our neighbor's sister's family (2 children). I had a good time. I stayed at home and frosted sugar cookies we made the day before. There are a billion! I don't know how we're going to get rid of them all. But now it's November, so Thanksgiving is coming! And then Christmas is coming! Excited for a break.

Anyway, this week is the letter S and the challenge is "Smile. Sleep. Simplify." Sleeping I have down! I'm good at that one. Smiling is pretty good too, maybe work on being more friendly and positive. Simplify...hmmm...well, I think I want to take this the direction of cleaning my house. I have lots of piles in my bedroom and everywhere of papers and things that need to be sorted that I'm going to go through this week. Maybe I should go through my clothes too? Nah! :) I've tried but I justify keeping everything. Any tips?

Oh, and today is election day. I'm so nervous! I am really excited to see who wins because either will make the next four years interesting. Have a great week and go vote!

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Personal Happiness project: week 18

Mmm-kay. The challenge for this week is "Read. Relax. Reinvent yourself." Sounds pretty good. I don't really have much to say about this one. It seems pretty straightforward. I read on the bus to and from work. I guess I relax sometimes. And I've been trying to reinvent myself the last few weeks anyway by doing these challenges. I guess the challenge now is to make them part of me instead of just things I do. So, yep. Here it goes!

Halloween is this week. I still don't know what we're going to dress up as. Our pumpkin/melon aren't looking so good. Kermit is getting really scary looking. I think we'll throw them out soon. Oh well. But! I have a really cute decorating idea for our dirt patch! Stay tuned!

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Personal Happiness project: week 17

Such a fun week! We (not in any particular order) ushered for "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" at BYU, went to the BYU Political Affairs Society Oktoberfest, celebrated a neighbor's birthday, and carved pumpkins with our neighbors. The holidays are upon us and I am loving it! Pictures to follow!

Okay, so this week's challenge is "Quit a bad habit. Quiet your mind." Yikes! Well, seems pretty self-explanatory. I have lots of bad habits, which I won't air out here. It will take awhile to quit them but with the help of President Uchtdorf's words from General Conference a few months ago I may be able to do it. Simply put, his advice is to "Stop it!" He was talking about gossiping mainly but it can apply to anything we are doing that we shouldn't be. The thing I've heard about bad habits though is that instead of just trying to stop cold turkey, you need to replace the habit with something else. Haha, watch the video below. Actually just the first joke will do, but the rest is really funny too.



Anyway, to accomplish both of these challenges, I really just have to put my mind to it and do it. And that's that. Hopefully by the end of the year I will be free of bad habits! (or have developed new ones :) ) Have a great week!

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Personal Happiness project: week 16

Oh man, last week was crazy. There were good times and difficult times. Just glad that it's over! Highlight of the week was going to my friend's baby shower and it basically being a reunion of my last ward. It was so much fun! It was cool to see how we've all grown up since most of us have kids now or are expecting soon. Anyway, on to the challenge!

 This week is "Pray. Paint. Play an instrument." I really need to get better at praying, so this will be a good reminder to work on that. I've been thinking lately that I also need to learn how better to pray and ask for things from Heavenly Father. I can't remember if it was in church or a stake conference a few weeks ago but I really liked what one woman said. She said that when we are going through a trial, instead of praying for our circumstances to change we should pray to change to fit our circumstances. For example, instead of praying for a test or a paper to get cancelled at school, we should ask for our minds to learn the material better and be inspired, or something. Basically, we shouldn't be upset about things we can't change but should find joy in them instead. Easier said than done, but do it anyway!

As for the other challenges, it'll be a busy week, so they may need to wait until I have more time. I still have the materials from my last painting class and a few months ago I bought some online piano lessons that I have yet to do. So these parts of the challenge are doable once I can prioritize them. Good luck! I hope you are having a great week!

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