SOME THINGS I LOVE ABOUT CHRISTMAS

I JUST LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR AND THE FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS THAT ARE BROUGHT OUT BECAUSE OF SIGHTS, SMELLS, AND SOUNDS!!! I LOVE THINKING ABOUT THE FUN HOLIDAYS WE HAD GROWING UP, THE EXCITEMENT OF TRYING TO STAY IN BED JUST A LITTLE LONGER, THEN SNEAKING INTO THE LIVING ROOM FOR A PEEK UNDER THE TREE. THE SMELLS OF BAKING, HMMMM HAM I GET ALL WATERY INSIDE MY MOUTH FOR THAT TASTE YUMMY!! I LOVED OPENING MY STOCKING THE MOST, WE DIDN'T GET PRESENTS IN OUR STOCKINGS, LIKE THE KIDS NOW DAYS, WE GOT PEANUTS, FRESHLY ROASTED, ORANGES AND HARD CANDIES THAT STUCK TO YOUR STOCKING, BUT YOU DIDN'T CARE THAT THERE WAS A LITTLE STOCKING FUZZ ON IT, INTO YOUR MOUTH IT WENT!! THERE WAS OF COURSE ALWAYS A TOOTHBRUSH, TUCKED INSIDE SOMEWHERE-OH WHAT SMELLS!!! THEN OF COURSE SOMETIMES OUR DAD WOULD MAKE US GO IN ORDER, SO THAT EVERYONE COULD SEE WHAT EACH OTHER GOT, WELL FUNNY HOW I HATED THAT TRADITION, BUT I HAVE IT IN MY OWN HOME NOW-SOMETIMES I THINK I GOT A LITTLE MORE OF MY PARENTS IN ME, THEN I THOUGHT!! HA-HA I THINK THE WRAPPING PAPER GAVE OFF A CERTAIN SMELL BACK IN THOSE DAYS, OR MAYBE IT WAS A COMBINATION OF THE TREE AND PAPER. I THINK MY MOST FAVORITE CHRISTMAS GROWING UP WAS, WHEN I GOT MY SUNSHINE FAMILY DOLL SET AND FARM SET, I WOULD PLAY WITH THOSE DOLLS FOREVER!! MARTY ACTUALLY FOUND THE DOLLS ON E-BAY AND BOUGHT THEM FOR ME THIS PAST YEAR!!! I REALLY LOVE THE FACT THAT SOMEONE VERY DEAR TO ME GAVE ME A NATIVITY SET FROM THE OLD CHURCH ONES, YOU KNOW THE ONES THAT WAS MADE OUT OF PAPER AND YOU PUT IT IN SLOTS, I WILL TREASURE THAT NATIVITY FOR AS LONG AS I AM HERE, MY KIDS KNOW THAT IT IS NOT TO BE TOUCHED, THEY ALWAYS KID AROUND WITH ME, AND TELL ME IT GOT RIPPED OR SOMETHING, THE LITTLE STINKS!!! I REMEMBER LAYING IN FRONT OF THAT NATIVITY AS A CHILD AND JUST WONDERING IN MY BRAIN ABOUT IT, I WOULD EVEN TALK TO IT, I THINK I MIGHT HAVE HAD SOME MARBLES MISSING BACK THEN!! I LOVED THE HOURS I SPENT OUT IN THE SNOW, HAVING SNOWBALL FIGHTS WITH THE NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE STREET, OR BUILDING SNOW FORTS AND LITTLE CARROT NOSED MEN!! I WOULD ALSO PRETEND TO BE LAURA INGALLS IN A BLIZZARD, BEING TOSSED AROUND BY THAT WICKED WIND, THEN FOUND BY A PRETEND FATHER AND TAKEN HOME TO BE LOVED AND WARMED!! ONE OF MY FAVORITE DOLLS THAT I GOT WAS PROBABLY THE UGLIEST THING EVER, SHE WAS HARD PLASTIC, BUT I FELL IN LOVE WITH HER AT THE HARDWARE STORE DOWN FROM THE OLD WAGON WHEEL STORE MY DAD OWNED. I CALLE HER, "BIG EYES," I THINK THAT IS WHY I FELL IN LOVE WITH HER, I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A SUCKER FOR EYES!! I HAVE A SNOOPY DOG THAT I GOT WHEN I WAS AROUND TWO, IT IS ORANGE AND YELLOW, AND ONE EAR IS RIPPED, BUT I STILL HAVE IT!! I HAVE MY STOCKING FROM WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, THAT MY DAD STAMPED WITH PLASTIC LETTERING, IN MY NAME, OF COURSE CRICKET!! I STILL HAVE THE ORNAMENT THAT WE HUNG ON OUR CHRISTMAS TREE FOR OUR DADDY, THE YEAR AFTER HE PASSED AWAY. I HAVE FUN MEMORIES WITH MY OWN FAMILY NOW, I HAVE TO LAUGH THAT EVERY YEAR NO MATTER WHAT, MARTY IS THE LAST ONE TO OPEN HIS PRESENTS ALL THE WAY, HE USUALLY GUESSES WHAT IS IN THEM TOO, I HAVE ONLY SURPRISED HIM A COUPLE OF TIMES. THEN THERE IS CONTESSA, WHO ALWAYS ORGANIZED HER PRESENTS A MILLION TIMES IN ONE HOUR, CHEROKEE WHO SCATTERED HER PRESENTS EVERYWHERE, AND WE ALWAYS HAD TO LOOK THRU THE PAPER FOR LOST PRESENTS. CHEVY ALWAYS THROWS HIS CLOTHES BEHIND HIS BACK AND DOES THIS LITTLE GRUNTING NOISE, I AM NOT SURE WHAT CASH WILL DO YET, BUT I AM EXCITED TO SEE A NEW MEMORY CREATED THRU HIM!! OH WE HAD A NEW LITTLE MEMORY HAPPEN YESTERDAY, THE TREE FELL OVER, OF COURSE I WENT NUTS, MARTY JUST CALMLY PUT ALL BACK TOGETHER AND SMILED AND SAID, "IT'S ALL GOOD CRICKET!" WELL I AM OFF TO WATCH A "CHRISTMAS STORY," WITH THE KIDS AND THEN WE ARE GOING SLEDDING!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GREAT NEW YEAR!!! LOVE YA, C

CHRISTMAS PEACE

SINCE WE HAVE BEEN HOME IT HAS BEEN A LITTLE CRAZY, BUT I WAS GLAD TO BE SURROUNDED BY THE CHRISTMAS MUSIC AND LIGHTS AND SMELLS AS WE UNPACKED AND WASHED, AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF. I AM AMAZED THAT A TREE WITH LOTS OF LIGHTS AND BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENTS CAN BRING SUCH PEACE INTO YOUR HOME. I FEEL SO AT PEACE WITH THIS HOLIDAY SEASON AND ALL THAT IT REPRESENTS, I LOVE THE FACT THAT I CAN PONDER ON MY SAVIOR AND PUT THE COMMERCIALISM IN THE BACK AND JUST FEEL LOVE AND PEACE FOR EVERYTHING AROUND ME, I AM SO BLESSED IN LIFE AND I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT PEACE WITH EVERYONE, SO MERRY CHRISTMAS AND MAY THE LIGHT OF OUR SAVIOR BE IN YOUR LIVES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!! LOVE, C

A GREAT BLESSING

THIS PAST WEEK, MARTY AND ME TRAVELED ALL OVER UTAH AND IDAHO TO SEE ALL MY SISTER'S AND BROTHER AND TO TAKE PICTURES OF THEM AND THEIR CHRISTMAS TREES!! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN TO SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES COME OUT IN THOSE TREES. THANKS FAMILY FOR OPENING YOUR HOMES TO US AND FOR ALL THE LITTLE PRESENTS!! WE LOVE YOU ALL AND WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS!! THANKS TO HEAVENLY FATHER FOR SAFETY AND PEACE AS WE TRAVELED AND FOR BEING WITH OUR MONKEYS AT HOME!!! WE OUR SO BLESSED!! LOVE, C

I LOVE YOU MARTY!!!

WELL I THINK THAT I JUST HAVE BEEN OVERLY BLESSED THESE PAST TWO MONTHS, NOVEMBER WAS AWESOME AND THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT HELPED, I THOUGHT I WAS TRULY BLESSED THAT MONTH, BUT THEN DECEMBER CAME AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED AGAIN, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND FIVE WONDERFUL DAYS WITH MY SWEET HUSBAND, TRAVELING ALL OVER UTAH AND IDAHO VISITING FAMILY AND JUST SPENDING TIME TOGETHER. WE WENT TO A MOVIE, WENT TO SOME PLACES WE NEVER GET TO GO WITH THE KIDS, ATE SOME GOOD FOOD AND MARTY GAVE ME A EARLY CHRISTMAS-LATE BIRTHDAY PRESENT, WE SPENT ONE NIGHT AT THE ANNIVERSARY INN IN SLC. WE STAYED IN THE JUNGLE ROOM, HE SURE IS A MONKEY!! IT WAS SO FUN, WE REALLY RELAXED AND TALKED AND JUST BONDED THAT LOVE EVEN MORE. THANK YOU MARTY, YOU ALWAYS KNOW WHAT I NEED AND ARE WILLING TO HELP ME. I LOVED SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH YOU AND JUST BEING ABLE TO LAUGH AND RELAX!! I LOVE YOU, LOVE, CHERISE

IT SNOWED!!!!

I WOKE UP THIS MORNING TO A BEAUTIFUL WORLD OF WHITE , WONDERFUL SNOW!! THIS WAS AROUND 6A.M., THE FIRST THING I DID WAS RUN OUTSIDE AND TURN ON MY CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, THEY LOOKED SOOOO PRETTY, THEN I GOT ALL THE KIDS INTO THE KITCHEN TO LOOK OUTSIDE, THE TEEN-AGERS JUST SAID,"YA-HOO IS THERE SCHOOL?" BUT, MY LITTLE CASH-A-ROO WAS SO EXCITED, HE KEPT GOING TO THE DOOR AND SAYING, "WANT OUT, SNOW." I BUNDLED HIM UP AND TOOK HIM OUT AND HE HAD SO MUCH FUN, UNTIL HE GOT SNOW ON HIS HANDS AND THEY GOT COLD, THEN HE CRIED AND TOLD ME OWWWY. HE DID LAST OUT THERE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR THOUGH, MY NEIGHBORS PROBABLY THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY, I HAD A TODDLER OUTSIDE AT 7:30A.M., AT ABOUT 16 DEGREES PLAYING IN THE SNOW!! ANYWAY, I GET TO MAKE AND DECORATE SUGAR COOKIES TODAY, YAH, I LOVE HOMEMADE SUGAR COOKIES, I ONLY EAT TWO AT THE MOST, BUT I LOVE DECORATING THEM!!! I TOLD MY KIDS THIS IS WHAT WE WERE DOING FOR FAMILY NIGHT, I THOUGHT THEY WOULD COMPLAIN, BUT THEY, MEANING THE TEEN-AGERS WERE ACTUALLY EXCITED!!! I AM RUBBING OFF MY CRAFTY SKILLS TO THEM HE-HE!! WELL HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY TO ALL THAT READ THIS AND I HOPE YOU ARE GETTING THE BEAUTIFUL WHITE STUFF!!

OH CHRISTMAS TREE!!

MARTY PICKED US A BEAUTIFUL TREE THIS YEAR, WE ARE GOING TO DECORATE IT TO NIGHT. I ACTUALLY DECIDED TO PUT UP ONLY THREE-YES THREE-BOXES OF DECORATIONS THIS YEAR, MY KIDS ARE SO EXCITED. WE USUALLY TAKE DOWN ALL MY EVERYDAY DECOR AND PUT UP ALL CHRISTMAS, TO THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SEEN MY HOUSE YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS NO EASY FEAT, IT TAKES DAYS!! SO TO CHEROKEE AND CHEVY AND MARTY-MERRY CHRISTMAS, NEXT YEAR IT STARTS AGAIN!! I AM SO EXCITED FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON, I LOVE THE SMELLS, MUSIC AND LIGHTS AND THE LOVE THAT YOU FEEL IN YOUR HEART!! I GET TEARY JUST THINKING OF EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH AND KNOWING THAT MY SAVIOR LOVES ME AND THAT WE CELEBRATE THIS DAY BECAUSE OF HIM, I WANT SO MUCH FOR MY KIDS TO KNOW THAT THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS IS THE SPIRIT OF GIVING, I KNOW I HAVE TAUGHT THEM AND IT IS SO AWESOME TO REAP THE REWARDS OF THAT TEACHING, I HAVE PEOPLE TELL ME ALL THE TIME HOW SWEET MY KIDS ARE, THAT JUST FEELS MY HEART WITH JOY. I KNOW I AM RAMBLING, THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I EXPRESS MYSELF!! HAPPY DAY!! LOVE, CRICKET

IT'S OVER!!!

MARTY JUST LOOKED AT ME SUNDAY AND GAVE ME A HIGH FIVE AND SAID,"IT'S OVER!!" LITTLE DID HE KNOW THAT AFTER HE LEFT SUNDAY NIGHT I BAWLED MY EYES OUT, I FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN ON A EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS NOW AND I JUST HAD TO LET LOOSE, TO SAY THE LEAST IT IS NOW THURSDAY DEC. 4, AND I STILL FEEL LIKE BAWLING SO WHAT IS UP WITH THAT??? I AM NOT SURE THAT I AM STABLE RIGHT NOW, MEANING MY HORMONES OR IF THIS IS HOW YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO FEEL AFTER GIVING YOUR DAUGHTER AWAY. I AM SO THANK-FUL THOUGH THAT EVERYTHING WENT SO WELL, CONTESSA LOOKED SO BEAUTIFUL AND WAS SO HAPPY, I REALLY GOT TO GET TO KNOW LORIN THIS PAST WEEK AND I AM SO AMAZED AT HOW MUCH HE REMINDS ME OF MARTY WHEN WE FIRST MET, SO I KNOW SHE WILL BE OKAY, BECAUSE I HAVE THE GREATEST HUSBAND EVER!!! I HAVE TO THANK ALL MY SWEET FAMILY, I HAVE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE SAY TO ME, "WOW, WHAT A FAMILY," THEY ARE AMAZED THAT WE ARE SO CLOSE AND THAT WE PUT EACH OTHER FIRST. SO THANK-YOU, AND I LOVE YOU ALL!! NOW TO MY SWEET HUSBAND, THANK-YOU FOR KEEPING ME TOGETHER THIS PAST MONTH, I KNOW IT HAS BEEN HARD, I LOVE YOU MARTY!! TO MY OTHER THREE MONKEYS, THANKS FOR HELPING MOM DO ALL THE EXTRA THINGS THAT HAD TO BE DONE, I KNOW PLAYING WOULD HAVE BEEN FUN, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE HELP AND EXTRA HUGS!! NOW A BIG THANK-YOU TO MY HEAVENLY FATHER AND SAVIOR, MAN THEY MUST REALLY LOVE ME, MY GREATEST THANKS AND LOVE TO THEM!! I LOVE LIFE AND THE ADVENTURE IT GIVES US!! GO! FIGHT! WIN! LOVE, CRICKET