"Let's stay-up-the-night-away"

December 10, 2010... the perfect night to "stay-up-the-night-away," according to my 3-year-old niece!

Mike and D were hosting a Christmas party at their house and so the plan was for The Cutest Drama Queen Ever to hang out with me...The Most Awesome Aunt!

The rest of the regulars were out of pocket: B (who really is The Most Awesome Uncle) was out of town for work and my seester (who is The Other Most Awesome Aunt) was going to visit a friend in San Antonio. So, that would leave just me with The CDQE, but I knew I could handle it. After all, in my family I'm "The Chairman of the Board" (I love you and miss you, Uncle Bobby!), plus she only manipulates me a little!!!!

So, my brother brought The CDQE over around 5 and in she sauntered with a cute little gift bag proudly proclaiming: "I brought you a surprise!" When I asked if I could open it, she struck her thinking pose (lips pursed, and pushed to the side... finger tapping her lip... eyes looking up) and said, "Sure." Inside I found a great new wallflower scent and a nice little letter that The CDQE had "written" with a little help (Thanks, D!)...

As The CDQE got settled into what she calls "her room" (it's the one with the toys and most importantly: The Treasure Chest!), the phone rang. To my surprise it was The Other Most Awesome Aunt calling to tell me that she had barely gotten out of town and realized she was way too tired for a 4-hour drive to San Antonio, had rescheduled her visit to see Megan, and was heading over to hang out with us.

When she got here, we loaded into my car and hit the town for a total "Party in the U.S.A.!"

First to dinner (Pizza Inn) where The CDQE kept us entertained, then to Target to do some shopping (all hail the $1 spot), driving around looking at Christmas lights (with shouts of "Wow!" "Look, on your side Jenny!" "Wow!" from the back seat), then back to the house for a bit of Dora the Explorer (Thank you, B for setting the DVR!), and on to the showdown... aka: bedtime!

Now, you must know that The CDQE has always been a master sleep procrastinator! She has many tools and tricks to help you see that she needs to "stay-up-the-night-away" (her words and the catch phrase for the night). Tonight there were a couple of tears because she missed her parents, but after reading, singing, praying, and talking with both of The Most Awesome Aunts, The CDQE finally fell asleep.

Now, I would like to tell you that I was wise and went to sleep at a decent time to prepare for the next day... but that's not me! Instead I stayed up late and when I heard the little voice down the hall telling Jenny around 7 am, "let's go wake up Kirsten," I knew that I had done myself no favors by staying up so late!

We played, watched Dora, feasted on cereal, donuts, and chocolate milk (sugar 'em up and then send 'em home, is what I always say!), and played some more until it was time for The CDQE to head home.

I think we had a good time at our "stay-up-the-night-away" sleepover and I am so glad to be loved by The CDQE (even though she does give this "Chairman of the Board" a run for the money!).

Songs of the Season

The radio stations have been playing Christmas songs for weeks to help us all find the Christmas Spirit. We hear the "most popular" Christmas songs played repeatedly from Thanksgiving until Christmas Day.

Have you ever really paid attention to what these "popular" songs are telling us year after year, day after day, as we sing along in the car, at work, at home, and just about everywhere we go during this season?

Here are a few of the messages that we hear over and over during this time of year:

• Deck the halls
• Santa Claus is coming to town
• You better not cry
• All I want for Christmas is
• Have yourself a merry little Christmas
• Christmas, Christmas time is here, time for toys
• We've been good, but it can't last
• It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, toys in every store
• Whisper what you'll bring to me
• Bring it right here

No wonder we feel compelled to overshop, overspend, and overindulge ourselves and others!

Now, despite the emphasis on what "I'm getting" in so many popular Christmas songs, there are other good messages to be found in these modern-day songs as well:

• There's no place like home for the holidays
• Feed the world
• It's the best time of the year
• Friends are calling
• As long as you love me so
• May your days be merry and bright

In addition to the "most popular" Christmas songs, the radio stations also mix in a variety of "classic" Christmas carols, which have completely different messages:

• Glad tidings of great joy
• Joy to the world, the Lord is come
• Let every heart prepare him room
• Silent night, holy night
• Christ, the Savior is born
• With wondering awe, the wise men saw
• Good tidings of comfort and joy
• Oh come all ye faithful
• Come and behold him
• Peace on earth, good will to men

But have you ever noticed that these "classic" carols don't get as much play time as the "most popular" songs of the season?

As I reflect on this season, I think a couple of lines from songs in both the "popular" and "classic" categories sum up how I feel the best:

• Where are you Christmas, why can't I find you
  
• Remember Christ the Savior, was born on Christmas day

As Christmas Day grows closer and closer, and as the frenzy and frantic feelings escalate to get presents and packages tied up with strings, to wish you a Merry Christmas, to attend the parties and have a cup of cheer, don't forget that to REALLY make the season bright, we have to make room in our lives for Jesus Christ.

Oh come, let us adore him,
Oh come, let us adore him,
Oh come, let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

Living Thanksgiving Daily

It's Thanksgiving and I am blessed! Not just because I had a yummy lunch of turkey, potatoes, dressing, and pumpkin pie but because blessings come into my life every day from my Heavenly Father. He loves each of us enough to bless us daily in big and small ways regardless of how well we behaved (or didn't behave!) on that day.

Although I realize how blessed I am, I also realize that I am not always good about taking time to be thankful or to show gratitude for my blessings.

So, I have been trying to be more purposeful in being aware and being grateful for my blessings- not just today on our nationally deemed holiday of Thanksgiving - but on each and every day.

Therefore, in trying to be more grateful each day I have been keeping a gratitude journal in which I write at least 3 specific things at the end of each day for which I am grateful. The funny thing is that once I start writing, I usually surpass my self-imposed requirement of "just 3 things." I am pretty sure that the reason this happens is because once I sit down to specifically think of a few things I have been blessed with that day, my heart and my mind are opened to seeing so many more of the blessings I have been given, and so I usually have a longer list than what I started out to create.

It's also interesting how close I feel to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ when I take time to express my thanks and gratitude daily. I think that I draw closer to Them as I recognize all that I have been given. I have also noticed how much happier I am and how much more love I feel for my family, friends, and fellow man when I am purposefully focused on being grateful.

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin once gave a talk titled, "Living in Thanksgiving Daily", where he said that "Those who live in thanksgiving daily are usually among the world's happiest people." I want to be one of those people!

There are a million reasons not to be happy in this life - hey, the world is tough! But, Elder Wirthlin said that "living in thanksgiving daily is a habit that will enrich our lives and the lives of those we love" and that sounds so much better than being miserable!

So, how can we live in thanksgiving daily even after the turkey and the rolls and the pie are put away this year? Elder Wirthlin suggests three things that we can implement into our lives to be the happiest people who live in thanksgiving daily:

1. Open our eyes. See the wonders and the beauties of the world around us each day.
2. Open our hearts. Let go of negative emotions and fill our hearts with love.
3. Open our arms. Bless the lives of those around us.

Today I had the chance to open my eyes and see the beauty of the small town of Nauvoo, Illinois which has incredible significance to those of my faith. And although it was incredibly cold (I mean, there was ice on the Mississippi already!), as B and I explored and learned about this incredible place, the beauty of this area that was once a swampland, was impressed upon me.

I also had the chance while in Nauvoo to open my heart and feel incredible love for people I have never met. It is amazing to me that the early members of The Church of Latter-Day Saints who lived in the 19th century set out in great faith not only to be servants of God but to build an incredible community founded on faith, kindness, compassion, and great sacrifice.

Finally, I had the chance to open my arms and found a small, but very worthwhile way to try and bless the lives of others. One of the great things about exploring Historical Nauvoo is that at each of the sites you visit there are awesome Senior Missionaries who have given time from their lives to serve and teach visitors about these incredible sites. We were so blessed to have great tours and information shared with us by these incredible missionaries and so I put together candy treats to give to them today as they served on this Thanksgiving day. As I extended my arms to drop off this bag of treats, I was overwhelmed by their gratitude and thanks for my small gesture of appreciation and my heart was full!

What an incredible Thanksgiving! I was with B, who I love more than anything, in a beautiful place where the Spirit of the Lord is incredibly strong, and I was given the chance to show my appreciation to others. The blessings in my life are amazing!

Sneak Peeking Harry Potter 2010

A couple of weeks ago the 9th grade Biology teacher at school popped into the library to tell us about an opportunity she had worked out to see Harry Potter 7, Part 1, at an early showing at Movie Tavern and asked if we were interested in tickets. Um... YES!!!!

Not only is she the 9th grade Biology teacher, she also happens to sponsor the Harry Potter club at TVS which has quite a large number of participants.

The dealio was that she would have to sell every single seat for us to rent out the theater for a special showing. Myself and my friends Jennifer and Marcy snapped up the chance to go and I scored a couple of seats.

So... fast forward two weeks (actually I am pretty sure they were slow weeks as we eagerly anticipated the sneak peek!) and the time to hang out with Harry arrived!

It was definitely the highlight of my day - especially after a crummy dr's appointment that included a rather painful procedure as part of a follow-up appointed to a sickness I have been battling. Thank goodness I had Harry to distract me and help me realize that there can definitely be more painful experiences to endure than a dr's visit!

Before the movie started the manager explained to all of us that Warner Bros. had given special permission for us to have this advanced showing (massive cheers filled the theater 'cuz ya know, we're special!) but that under no circumstances were any of us to have our phones or cameras out at any point during the movie (cue all the camera flashes to instantly start going off - mine included!) and then encouraged us to sit back, dig in to our complimentary bag of popcorn (delish!) and enjoy the movie. So we did!

The movie was great! And being in a theater filled with great friends, my school community, and my fantabulous sister was a blast!

Now the hard part - waiting until July for Part 2 to be released! This is purposeful punishment from the production company! Boo!

So what are you waiting for? Get outta here and go see Harry Potter for yourself. It.Is.AWESOME!

Hooray for Cool Weather!

But an even bigger HOORAY for car seats that warm up for you at 5:20 am on a shivery fall morning!

I love it when the weather cools down! Texas is blazin' hot in the summer and so these cool, crisp, sometimes flat out cold days feel great. Of course, I realize my limits of appreciation for cooler weather do not extend beyond the borders of cool weather in Texas, and I know that I am not cut out to experience the really cold weather of other parts of the USA. (I'm a wimp, really!).

So, now that it is cooler it's time for:

• my flannel pjs (and I am not ashamed to admit that I love changing into them right after school, but I promise that if I go out, I change back - PROMISE!)
• hot chocolate (yummers!)
• wrapping up in a blanket on the couch (which the cat tries to steal from me - BRAT!)
• snuggling with "The Radiator" (aka: B - he radiates serious heat!)
• watching a good movie

Actually, this sounds like a great plan for TONIGHT!!!