Movies, popcorn, snuggling, and pajamas.

What does that sound like? A SLUMBER PARTY. yes, we are having a slumber party this very minute. Curt, Ryan and I are cuddling in a bed while Breanna, Carli, and Logi are in the other bed. And Curt rotates beds every so often. I LOVE it. It's the best.

Craft of the day.

I don't know about you, but I have been feeling very crafty these days. I think it's the weather and all of the Christmas decor coloring the world. And when I get all these ideas in my head, I get all excited and anxious. I can't do anything else unless I do the crafts in my head. This one happens to be a wreath. I chose icy colors like blue and purple, but really any color can work. Red would be great or a more earthy green perhaps. Anyways, what you need for this project:

1. wooden wreath/ twig wreathe

2. baby's breathe faux flowers (any color may work)

3. Decorative accents

4. ribbon

5. glue gun

I don't think you can get more simple than that. I used about 4 branches or baby breathe flowers, this can also be altered to more or less. To begin, cut the flowers from the stem. I chose flowers that had a similar stem color to the wood to allow blending. You then begin attaching the flowers all going in a specific direction. To attach you would weave the access stems through the wooden wreath. To secure the stems, apply glue to the stem and surrounding wood.

When completed, you can apply the decorative accents to the wreathe. I used Faux berries, red and brown, to accent mine. You can use anything from flowers to holly. Once that is complete, You can tie your ribbon onto the wreathe. and VOILA, you have a wreathe to hang on your door.

I just like to smile, smiling's my favorite.

I mean, who wouldn't like smiling during this fabulous Christmas season. It's like peanut butter and jelly -- smiling and Christmas go hand in hand.

This weekend we did a lot of smiling and a lot of Christmasing (yes, it is now a verb). Friday, we made it to the last few minutes of our ward Christmas party. The main reason we went was to show off the great Christmas sweaters we had (thanks to Lynn Isenbarger and her many assortments of holiday clothing). After the Christmas party, we went over to some friends place and watched ELF (probably one of the best Christmas movies made) while sipping on some Hot Cocoa (which Rachel microwaved for FIVE minutes). And that is only the beginning of our weekend.
Saturday morning, I woke up bright and early to a snow storm and four inches of snow in my car. I was not very happy, and Curt was really not very happy. But it's all apart of the Holiday spirit right? Besides, Christmas lights look 10 times better when theres snow on them.
Anyways, it was a perfect day to cuddle in bed and watch Home Alone. That movie is a classic holiday movie. Your Christmas isn't complete without it.

After the movie (and a much needed nap), we put on some Christmas Jazz (Vince Guaraldi Trio) and put lights on our Christmas tree. We are slowly, but surely, decorating our tree. No ornaments yet though. After that, we went to the Purdue PMO Christmas show. That was also great. There were beauitful songs and great sets. It made me want to carol for the rest of my life.
Sunday was a happy day. It always is. It was also a very VERY cold day. I'm not sure if you know this, but Lafayette is the Christmas CAPITOL of the mid-west. Pretty impressive. So, obviously we had to celebrate Christmas at the Christmas Parade! Who cares that it was 9 degrees out and I was only wearing a skirt? No big deal. It was worth it. Actually, let me tell you a secret. I think we MADE the parade. We are the reason Lafayette is the Capitol of Christmas. No one cheers louder for Ice Princesses or Boy Scouts troup 421. That is a fact. And what better way to end our very Christmasy weekend than to listen to the MoTab and our beloved Prophet Thomas S. Monson at the Christmas Devotional. Nothin gets better than that. The true meaning of Christmas is testified by the spirit. Serving others is the reason this holiday season is so grand. It is a time to forget ourselves and bask in the love of Christ for all of his sons and daughters.


And by the way, Christmas was mentioned 19 times. Welp, now 20.

We are His hands.

Today my dad worked through lunch. It's been pretty busy at the Y. So he decided to grab something to eat around 2:00. It just so happens that as he was driving to Wendy's, he saw the missionaries walking. This is not unusual, missionaries are always walking this way and that. But today was unusual because these missionaries actually have a car. My dad pulled up next to them and asked what they are up to. This was there response:

"A tire blew out on our car and we've been walking  for two hours, we have another hour and a half to go to get home."

Think about the prayers they must have been saying. If I was in there position, I would have been pleading with the Lord for help. They were walking for miles and miles, and at this point thought they would have to walk several more miles. But the Lord intervened, as he always does. He knew that my father would eat lunch late and he placed the missionaries in his path. Because my dad loves serving and buying meals for people, he told them to hop in the car and bought them lunch at Wendy's (the missionaries hadn;t had lunch yet either).

I find it amazing how our Heavenly Father has a hand in everything. He answers our prayers if we have faith in Him. It is so important for us to follow His promptings because we are His hands. We are here to serve His children in need.

The Dangers of Basketball.

The lastest news with Curt involves sports and injury -- not an uncommon combination.

Curt is a very active individual. He is all about running, playing, sweating, competing, winning. So naturally, when given the opportunity to play any sport, for example basketball, he jumps right on it. Every Wednesday night there's a group of guys that get together and play some church ball. One would assume that because you are playing basketball at a church, it would be clean and peaceful and safe. On the contrary, it is vicious, intense, and dangerous. People leave the court wounded and bleeding. Two weeks ago, Curt came home with a bloodied shirt and cuts all over his hands. These cuts were from a player's nails! That is a bad sign. That either means someone's nails need to be trimmed badly or clawing the competition is a new tactic. But anyways, THIS Wednesday Curt came home two hours earlier than he normally does. Not a good sign. But this time he couldn't talk! He was guarding this guy, who at times may get a little carried away, when he slugged him in the jaw with his elbow. Hiw tongue got busted up and was bleeding everywhere. Another shirt with blood all over it. Now, Curt can barely talk and it took him a half an hour to eat a BANANA. Looks like his diet will consist of pudding for a while.

Now you are warned of what really happens at Church Ball.

Needles and Frozen Windows

Today is December 1st. November is gone (what a great month, we will miss you dearly). And December wanted Lafayette to announce his arrival with snow. How sweet of him. So today, I wanted to thank December for the many great things he does for me. Thank you December, for giving me a reason to wear my mix-matched mittens. Thank you for inspiring holiday music, which I believe should only be played when there is snow outside. Thank you for making hot chocolate ten times more valuable in my life. December, even though Curt seems to dislike you (along with lots and lots of other people) mostly because you are paired with freezing temperatures and shortened days, I think you bring a wonderful element to the year.

ALSO. I have never ever gotten a real tree for Christmas. Crazy, I know. But my family has always chosen the easier, cost efficient way -- by using a fake tree. I don't mind this at all, don't get me wrong. We would always find the correct color branches and fluff them out together as a family. Good times. But I always wanted to experience picking a real live tree. And so we did. Curt and I went on an adventure to Ace Hardware store. Here we found trees of all sizes. Big trees, teeny trees, fat trees, perfect trees. Of course, we picked the perfect tree, which is fluffy and about 6 ft tall. I love it. We stuck it in the back of my Accord and hauled it away. It now sits in our living room, tall and beautiful. All it needs are some lights and ornaments. We will get to that another time.

a BLOG i love.

http://kristinandkayla.blogspot.com/

I can't wait until I have children and can take pictures of them whenever I want.