that doesn't stop me

Another bit of primary goodness….

Last Sunday I was sitting by the cutest little red-headed sunbeam during singing time. She is probably one of the most obedient and knowledgeable 4-year-olds I have ever met. She knows her stuff. When asked what the angel said to the shepherds she busted out the exact scripture found in the New Testament. What?!

Anyway, the primary chorister decided to have the kids sing “Love One Another”. She prefaced it with something like this, “Now boys and girls, this is an important song because it reminds us that we should be kind to one another and that we should love everyone.”

This little girl looked up at me and in her sweet little voice said (while shaking her head), “That doesn’t stop me.”

I think I laughed out loud.

oh. my. edward.

two words, a name actually: edward cullen

he is the savory to my appetizer, the substance to my entree, and the cream to my dessert. if it wouldn't be the death of me (crazy, insane, delusional death of me), i would feast upon his exquisiteness everyday of my life.

despite being a voracious reader, i tore through the twilight series at inhuman speeds. (how appropriate) i found that with each book, i derived more pleasure and i was more forgiving of the over-the-top cheesiness that seemed to be at the heart of it all. and so when the movie had been green-lighted, my heart danced with joy. dear edward was jumping from the pages of a book to the big screen and i was thrilled.

sadly, the announcement of robert pattinson as edward was disappointing to me. he was not the edward i had imagined in my head. he was not what i had pictured perfection to be. and so i struggled. but with each trailer and with the mounting hype all around me, my heart softened to the idea and i was willing to give him a chance.

and boy was i NOT disappointed. he was perfection.

i mean, how could you not be smitten with someone who is incredibly fast and unbelievably strong, someone who could defend you in every circumstance and situation, someone who is protective and tender, someone who anticipates your every need and has the power and ability to fulfill them. how could you not swoon over someone who is brilliant, cultured, and who has a hundred years of experience being a gentleman? he can dance, play the piano, and from the looks of it, can knock your socks off with his "take me now" kiss. oh, how i wish i was bella. oh, how i wish...

and so, along with thousands of other hopeless females, i will continue to pine and swoon and obsess over yet another fictional character that creates completely unrealistic expectations of men. detrimental to my overall emotional well being? possibly. havoc wrecking to potential future relationships? maybe. am i going to stop? not likely. :)

my kind of Christmas

My friend Janae did this on her blog. As I am also a lover of Christmas, I thought I would fill this out too. :)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Definitely wrapping paper

2. Real tree or Artificial? Oh, how I love real. Unfortunately, my family hasn't had a real tree for years and years. I understand that though. It gets expensive. But my heart would still love a real one.

3. When do you put up the tree? It changes every year and honestly, I don't have any control over that right now. When I have my own family I will probably put it up after Thanksgiving.

4. Do you like eggnog? Nope. I never have.

5. Favorite gift received as a child? I have loved loved every single thing I have received.

6. Easiest person to buy for? My sister.

7. Do you have a nativity scene ? Yes. I love nativity scenes. Our family has always had them as my dad used to make them. I have one that my dad made for me and I also have one that he and I made together. Those are priceless to me now that he is gone.

8. Mail or email Christmas cards ? Mail, but I have been so bad about it this year. Time ran away with me.

9. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Oh, I can't think of anything really.

10. Favorite Christmas Movie? Tough one! There are so many. I love Elf though.

11. When do you start shopping for Christmas ? I would love to be done before December. It's never happened though. Occasionally, I will get started in November though.

12. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Whoops? :)

13. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? I can't pick just one. But I like to go back between sweet and salty.

14. Lights on the tree? YEAH!

15. Favorite Christmas song ? Silent Night (MoTab rendition--makes me cry EVERY single time), Away in a Manger, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, O Come All Ye Faithful, O Holy Night, The First Noel, Joy to the World (did you know that it was originally written for Easter time?), etc. Basically, I love the ones in the hymn book.

16. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Well, right now I travel to go home. Probably when I have my own family I would like to be in my own home, but I guess that is up for discussion with my honey.

17. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Of course.

18. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

19. Open presents on Christmas eve or morning? One on Christmas Eve...usually pajamas, but sometimes not. We're not so consistent with our traditions. And then the rest Christmas morning.

20. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Shopping on a limited budget with limited time with too many people in terrible traffic.

21. Favorite ornament theme or color? I like having an eclectic tree. I have started a tradition over the last 6 years though, of buying everyone in my family a new ornament each year. Kind of fun.

22. Favorite for Christmas dinner ? Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberries, some sort of steamed veggies, rolls, etc. And each year, depending on my mood and what recipe I have found online, we'll make something different.

bless that we don't say, "whatever"

My sister and brother-in-law teach the Sunbeams (the 4-year-olds) at church. Her husband was out of town so she asked me to come and help out. I forget how fun primary is. The kids are so wiggly and they say the funniest things. After a labored and much interrupted lesson on the birth of the Savior and the passing out of candy canes (which looks like a shepherd's staff in the picture), we asked one little boy to give the closing prayer:

(over in the corner) "Thankful that we can open the candy canes. (walked over to my sister who was holding the picture of the shepherds) Thankful that the candy canes look like this. (held up the candy cane to the staff in the picture). (walked back over to me) Bless that we don't say whatever. Bless that we can open these candy canes.
Bless that we be good."

Primary is the best!

i don't really stalk you...

The other day I saw a couple whose blog I check out every now and again. I knew them from church before they were married and they are seriously, a really fun couple. In my pitiful attempt to express my admiration (in a very hurried second) I blurted out, "I kind of stalk you on your blog. I love it. You're just so…" And for some random reason I trailed off. Their bewildered faces should have sent a signal to my brain that I need to provide more of an explanation or perhaps that I should have said hello first. Instead, I continued, "Well, I gotta go" and I left them where I found them. As I walked away I realized how lame I must have seemed. I was torn between taking my seat (the meeting was about to start) and running back to try again. What I had meant to say was, "Hey. I saw your blog the other day and I think you're the most adorable couple, you have fabulous taste, and you write great posts." But no, I told them that I stalk them and so they probably believe me.

I wonder if they have since privatized their blog...