The Wondrous Gift of Christmas

Jared, my best bud, and I made it to the Conference Center last night for the yearly Christmas program, this year entitled The Wondrous Gift of Christmas. R was on call and T and V went to the Jazz vs. Lakers game (Jazz won!), so just the two of us went. It was soooooooo good. My cousin was going to join us, but ended up not going. Our seats were right in the front section on the floor, though to the side, but what a thrill. Featured guest was Natalie Cole and I have to say that she has gained a new fan. She has eight (count that eight) Grammys and truly has a rich voice. Also featured was David McCullough, twice a Pulitzer Prize winner, also a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom award, author of 1776 and John Adams.... Anyway, he was narrator and those two were so very gracious and warm. You add the Morm Tab, orchestra, bells, dancers. I can see now why these tickets are so valued, and to think I've made it through the lottery process two years in a row. What luck!! I was smiles the whole night.

It was so crowded downtown last night: 20,000+ at the Conference Center plus the Jazz game, plus those who went to see the lights on Temple Square, music events in the Assembly Hall, also the Nutcracker at Capitol Theater.... We took the Trax and it was quite a trip to get home. Fortunately, the rain didn't start until we got off the Trax which started turning to snow as we arrived home. This morning was a total mess, heavy snow and slipping and sliding because of the slush/ice underneath.

I heard "Margaret" while cued up to get into the Conference Center, turned around and saw someone waving at me who obviously knew me. I have to be honest as I was clueless. "Hi. How are you?," said I thinking "who are you?" She turned to her friend and said, "Margaret Nelson was my roommate in college." Ahh, yes. Now I remembered. She remembered my full name w/o any hesitation and I had to ask her name. I'm kicking myself. Fact: I had put up her homemade Christmas stocking just yesterday, the same one that she made for me all those years ago and it's such a treasure. It is hand knit (no pattern) with my name and Buon Natale, plus a Christmas tree covered in ornaments. I love that stocking. I think she went to Bolivia? on her mission and it seems like she was taught how to knit by the native ladies. They taught her well because she works magic with a pair of knitting needles. Anyway, I quickly got her phone number as we headed in the building and now we can do a reconnect. She also mentioned a former roommate, Nancy, whom I've tried to find in the past. Oh BTW her name is Susan Isom. Both Susan and Nancy never married, though I thought Nancy may have. Men can be such jerks. These are two exceptional ladies--college educated, returned missionaries, attractive, valiant in the gospel. I haven't seen or heard from Susan since college. She was in our aparment for only a couple quarters, then graduated, moved away and went to work. She majored in music therapy, but it turns out that after 10 years of that she moved into another direction and currently runs a nonprofits organization. I'll find out more when we connect.

The last time I remember being w/Nancy was shortly after I married. We both took a Saturday and went skiing. That seems like another life.

I'm feeling a bit drained tonight, probably getting to bed at midnight and getting up and out the door early . Good news: I get to sleep in. Bishop announced this morning that early meetings will start at 8 a.m. come the new year, and I only need to do that twice a month. I love my Bishopric. They are great men and I know that they meet early every week. Okay, it's off to the bathtub with a good book.

It's Cold When...

You have to go out 15 minutes before time to leave to warm up the vehicle enough to be able to scrape the windows (and this was at 4 p.m. after the sun had been out all afternoon). I'd forgotten what a pain it is in the winter to have outside vehicles. I have my parents' Suburban right now so it doesn't get parked in the garage. Poor baby.

When this chunk of yuck that the van accumulated while driving Victor to school this morning came off in the garage and has stayed pretty much frozen for the entire day.

The thermometer is below freezing--and that's with the sun being out all afternoon! Tonight's low is predicted to be close to ZERO.

The good news? It looks like Christmas outside. It is so gorgeous right now with that clean layer of white everywhere. It doesn't hurt that I'm listening to Mannheim Steimroller Christmas as I record my thoughts.

I hear a cup of HOT chocolate calling my name. Catch you at next entry.

First Week of December

So a few musings:

Hmmm?? Well it's my parents' anniversary today and Pearl Harbor Day. Who gets married on Pearl Harbor Day? My parents were married in the Salt Lake Temple. They tell me that it was a frigidly cold day and because of a huge snowstorm many of the invited guests could not get over Soldier Summit to attend. That's kind of sad. Actually, that's really sad, but you move on, right? None of my father's family could attend the actual wedding ceremony. They had to stay in the foyer of the temple and I can just see my Grandmother Nelson in tears. She went through the temple many years later, actually a couple decades, when the policy was such that women could go solo while still married.

Last Tuesday was the RS Christmas dinner/program. Really good. Very elegant. Sister Janice Nielsen and her married three daughters came and sang songs and talked about tradition. Oh yes, as RS Prez I closed the evening. Not my favorite thing to do, but it turned out just fine. We as a presidency hustled and got our sisters' Christmas done and passed out at the end of the program. Whew. Now, just have to get it out to those sisters who didn't show and those sisters who didn't pick up for their VTees. But in all, it was very well attended.

Thursday I had a stake RS Presidency Forum. Heard about how some of the other wards already have their assigned 2010 humanitarian projects outlined and have gathered monetary donations. We're having a switch at the first of the year w/our committee, so have put this on hold. Now I'm thinking we're going to be playing catch up. I need a vacation.

Friday was our ward Christmas party. Poor Chandra, our activities chair, has three on her committee and not one made it to the party. She had beautiful deco (hanging winter blue and white Chinese lanterns) which she had her HTers put up the night before. Really gorgeous. And she had her VTers help her w/the food. When I realized her plight, I volunteered, so did a turkey, baked a bag of potatoes and made a side dish. Well worth the work, as it was so nice not to be in charge but to simply show up and enjoy. Helped w/cleanup and gathered leftovers to take to a couple families later that night.

Again, the weekend highlights are listed on separate posts.

I need to run errands today to various parts of the valley. We got snow over the night, several inches, so I think I'll give it a few more hours for the roads to clear, although it's supposed to snow off and on today. Better drive slowly. There was a huge accident Friday night, actually accidents all over the place, but this particular accident was closer to Tooele on I-80. Involved several semis and 30 other vehicles, lots of people w/injuries, but a hard time getting emergency crews in and out because of the horrendous ice conditions. Not good.

First Presidency Christmas Devotional

Ahh, sweet Christmas spirit. We made it through the lottery process and got tickets to go in person to the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. Do you see three men seated in the front right. That's right, the First Presidency.

The good news!!!! We all FIVE went. Thank you Tony.

And afterward I steered my little group of five through the crowds to get a few pictures. Such moaning and groaning. You would think my boys had come straight from the equator and had never experienced snow and cold before. Yes, it was cold (probably 15 degrees at this point), but all I was feeling was the warmth from the program and enjoying the lights. Some day I'm going to adopt myself into a new family.

But all my pushing and prodding worked. Look, here's a picture of the five of us.

And another picture. It's a Christmas miracle!

Thank you Jesus.

Festival of the Trees

Ahh, where to begin to explain this amazing festival? Well it's a bunch of people who decorate trees and then they're bought by other people (who obviously have lots of money). The purchase prices are not posted, but I know a lady who decorated a tree (was on the simple side, probably not more than $200 total in supplies including tree, reinforced stand, add'l chair, etc.), and she sold it for $900. There are trees of all sizes including small table toppers, also wreaths, quilts, gingerbread houses, handmade gifts, sweets....

Okay, not everything is a tree. Here's an example of the door wreaths, which in this case includes the handmade mantle and deco. Gorgeous. This is when I fall asleep imaging that money is not an object, I have a to-die-for house and I go and purchase my holiday deco at the festival and have it all delivered and set up. Don't you have dreams like that?


Oh, and here's just another example of the beauty and elegance of so many of these trees.

ah, yes. These people you know.

Here's my friend Sue. Jared and I took her last year for the first time, as she had never been, had never even heard of this event. Are you crazy? You've lived here how long? She was totally amazed and joined us again this year. Where else can you be amazed with your jaw dropped for hours for only $4, well unless you buy a hot-from-the-oven cinnamon roll (or scone in my case). Oh, and don't forget the sweet shop for a homemade something or the other (of course, all handmade and donated for the benefit of the festival).

Then there are those whacked-out trees, which I personally love, like this upside-down Frightmare Before Christmas themed tree. Sue just shakes her head, "I don't get it."

There are always team trees. There were definitely more "Ute" trees than "Cougar" trees this year. I also saw a Bronco tree, which Tony would have liked. Victor told me to look for the Riverton tree because he had made suckers in his foods class. Never did find the tree, so I don't know if the suckers were attached to the tree or simply donated to the sweet shop. Sorry bud.

And the darling gingerbread houses!! I took pictures and then more pictures. But which to post? Should I go with the huge, need-10-weightlifters-to-carry house, or the elegant Victorian or the Eskimo igloo? I decided on this darling Up house.

FACTS:

Every single penny goes to the charity of Primary Children's Hospital.

Approximately 90,000 people attend over a four-day period raising a total of 1.4 million bucks from last year's event. Does that give you an idea of the enormity of this very successful event?