20/20 Vision Again? Darn It!!

I don't remember life being crystal clear. Since grade 2, my world has been a bit fuzzy. Literally. At the tender age of seven I stepped into the realms of myopia. That's when I became A-Girl-Who-Wears-Glasses. (Some of my classmates simply called me "Four-Eyes.") Time has marched forward and my eyesight has continually marched backwards. If I knock my glasses off my nightstand before I put them on in the morning, I have to get down on hands knees and gingerly run over the floor with my finger tips. Sometimes, I have to call for someone to come help me. Someone with 20/20 vision. Someone like Emi.

Crazy kid, she doesn't know how good she has it! Emi has already surpassed me in the How-Long-Before-My-Vision-Betrays-Me? department, yet she doesn't seem to consider that a victory. Some of you have seen her in her "fashion glasses" (aka: frames with non-prescription lenses.) She pranced into the opthamologist's office this morning with hopes flying high that those cute green rims would rate function over fashion. Alas, the poor child's eyes continue to serve her as God intended.

Keep her in your thoughts.

Merry Christmas Continues....

It's the day after Christmas. I am enjoying the afterglow of a calm, quiet day, idled away in the company of those I love. Yesterday was a day for catching looks of delight spread across my daughter's faces as ribbons and wrapping paper were strewn across the floor and sneaking kisses with my sweetheart amidst the happy sights and sounds of childhood magic. Twinkling lights, enduring aromas and echoing laughter remind me that one distinct day cannot contain the joys it importunes

Today is Boxing Day. I haven't a household of servants to impart gifts to. And I haven't extended charity to the amplitude I would like to have done. Ringing bells and bright red banks have reminded me of my good fortune as I have fumbled in my purse for loose bills and change. I have offered prayers on behalf of those I know I cannot physically help. Of course, Ryan and I have continued to donate to the funds our church sets aside to assist impecunious families and individuals. Is that enough to share as my family continues to be on the receiving end of good fortune? After a day spent giving and getting, I am all the more aware of the bounties of my holiday season. Today, tomorrow and beyond, I have much to celebrate.

'Twas The Night Before Christmas

Merry Christmas Eve!

Wham!

Just because I love this song:



(I don't think any other singer/group does it justice and I wish they would stop messing with this modern Christmas classic!)

Pre-Lit?!!

You know why I bought a pre-lit (I mean pre-strung) tree? So I wouldn't have to deal with wrapping lights around branches and fashioning that sense of festivity a lighted Christmas tree creates. I think you can figure out where this is going: yes, friends, my pre-lit tree isn't lighting so well!

I was so proud of last year's after-Christmas clearance deal I scored on my tree - $350 down to $40! And it is a fine tree. I imagine it will look nice with dangling glass baubles, muted washi eggs, and delicate hand-made snowflakes, all gently cast with a sparkly glow from those oh-so-(in)convenient lights!

The handy Lightkeeper PRO that I picked up really did fix a lot of dead lights, but the multiple unlit sections - with what I can only surmise must be faulty wiring (based on my extensive knowledge of and experience with corded electrical systems) - are still giving me grief. And since I am married to Ryan, an admitted perfectionist, it's out with the old and in with the new! I am killing my fingers this year by removing useless strands and re-stringing with new lights. But here's the positive thing: even though I think the only fully decorated tree we'll have this year will be the girls' tree in the playroom, I should have at least a good 5 more Christmases with trouble-free lights on my big tree, right?

Deck MY Halls?

Remember my goal for this weekend? That I was going to deck [my] halls with boughs of holly; Falalalala....? It's not happening. But not for lack of desire - 'tis the season to be jolly, you know. However, this weekend has been all about Christmas. My Christmas. We scored off of Craig's List yesterday! So, instead of marshaling my forces in order to put up Christmas, we spent a good portion of the day driving around Overland Park to pick-up Christmas. Friends, my kitchen might really happen, after all!

Keep Pedaling

Elder Scott taught me something that left an incredible impression on me, and probably will till the day I die, because he answered the question that had troubled me for ten years. Someone asked him, “What can you teach us about the Atonement?” I sighed quietly to myself.

Elder Scott began to speak on Christ’s Atonement, and then completely out of the blue, he referenced Christ’s last few sentences on the cross. He told us that Christ said, “Why hast thou forsaken me?” because God had withdrawn from him, and God had withdrawn from him as an expression of trust.

Link to blog post at mormonmatters.org

....Kansas City - I'll Be There .....

I am glancing out the window while my fingers stumble across the key board. There's not even a sliver of snow left in the overhang's shadow. Blades of green grass poke up between the crumbly golden leaves carpeting the yard. The sky is bright blue. the air outside is rather cold, with no promise of snow to blanket the lingering fall weather. Sound's like Christmas, doesn't it? "It's Christmas in Kansas City....Yeah, it's Christmas everywhere...." To my local readers: is a schmaltzy melody whirling through your head about now? Sorry. Well, not really - if I have to have this tune invading my thoughts, so do you! "...And the Plaza lights are looking pretty...." Ryan, this song goes out to you! (To fully appreciate this sappiness, you must hear a recording, which I am unsuccessfully attempting to track down over the Internet. I will share the yuletide joy when/if I find it.)

I see Christmas lights twinkling from rooftops, decorated trees sparkling in windows, wreaths gracing front doors. But none of this is happening at my house yet. I still have a Halloween mat on my front stoop! I think maybe I'm just feeling kind of overwhelmed - I have to put away autumn before I can put up Christmas. (Actually, one thing that keeps guilt from overtaking me is knowing that my Christmas decorations will probably still be up well into January. ;))

My goal is turn our home into a version of wonderland before the coming weekend is finished. Emi will gleefully begin arranging nativities in several rooms, but she'll quickly end up playing with at least one of them, adding her dollhouse people, barbies and accessories to the fray. But she'll be having a ball! And since, as far as I know, Annie hasn't kicked anyone in the head today, I might even let her help!

Just Think

Half these sexy people are probably related to Allison through her Scandinavian roots.



Sometimes she has me dress up as Gregorius... maybe I should just leave it at that.

And Allison, maybe you should change the header of this blog. You talk about fresh-cut grass, but I don't think I mowed the lawn more than like four times this summer.

I'll Have A Blue Christmas Without You.....

To my partners in crime - you know who you are!

....So Be Good For Goodness Sake!

At this time of year, many children are desperately trying to atone for 11 months of misdemeanors. A simple reminder that Christmas Eve is approaching seems to jolt Emi into rethinking her behavior more than a splash of cold water would. On the other hand, Annie is trying to squeeze 11 months of misdeeds into the space between now and December 24th. This afternoon will mark her third after-school detention this year.

Maybe I can use that extra time until I leave to pick up Annie to re-roll the miles of toilet paper snaking through the house, vacuum up the pancake mix liberally sprinkled around the kitchen, clean the hardened toothpaste she squeezed to decorate the inside of a drawer and steam-clean the nice patch of Desitin she worked into her shag carpet....

....And when Ryan comes home tonight, we will review with Annie the list of things she is not to do, with a new one added to the recitation: No kicking classmates in the head!