I've been sick. Yucko, sicko. But, am finally on the mend. Thanksgiving was a quiet, low-key, nap on the couch while the boys play video games all day kind of a day. . . . yup, I'm THAT mom! I did manage to get them out of the house on Friday afternoon and we hit the local sled-a-rama. . . . seriously, this is big-time hit the slopes fun. We went again Saturday afternoon. There are kids flying down hills and vales left and right. It looks like a war-zone, only with a lot of smiling and joyful screeching filling the air.
It was cold, and at one point we were innundated by freezing-rain, but it was so delightful to be out of the house and feeling pure enjoyment from the kids. They had a great time. We came home and followed both afternoons with hot cocoa and Thanksgiving pie. Lovely, lovely. PS - umm, yea, you know those 30 pounds I had already lost, umm, well, . . . the last four days of carbo-loading have put on about half of that again. Yeeaaah, tomorrow I've got to get serious again! (but, it was a delightful break)
I am in charge of the ward Christmas party and we are doing a "Christmas in Zarahemla" theme. It will be a big event. I've started decking out the kids in their attire. B is going to be a Nephite warrior (with an identically dressed friend) and they are going to guard the entrance to our marketplace.
We are going to have Sweet pork burritos w/lime rice & cilantro buttermilk dressing, a miriad of cut fruit (mangos, papaya, pineapple, oranges, pomegranate, bananas), nuts, bean salads, tortilla chips & salsa & chocolate brownies for dessert. We will have a marketplace where people can "buy" their meal & side dishes, make headbands and beaded necklaces, bracelets or arm bands, as well as Nephite coloring pages and paper plate snakes for kids to make. We will show "The Testaments: Of One Fold and One Shepherd" in one corner and a back drop for family pictures in another. There is also going to be a shadow-play production of Samuel on the wall & the resulting sign of & birth of the Savior. I am very excited for the experience. I think it will be a great night. I'll post some pictures of the event once it is over. It is taking a lot of my time and efforts right now but I think it will be well worth it.
This time I year I am constantly reminded of our Savior Jesus Christ and how blessed we are to have been given him as our gift of redemption. What a cold and miserable place this world would be if we didn't know of the gift of the atonement and the ability to return to our Father in Heaven after this life.
