...These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...

Nels pointed out to me yesterday that they play this song a lot at Christmas time (My Favorite Things...from the Sound of Music), however, it is not a Christmas song . . . What a quandary. Anyway. I gave this post that title because I wanted to post a few of my very favorite things that I've been thinking about and enjoying the past couple of days.

#1: Christmas Trees and Lights


Putting up the Christmas tree is, of course, my favorite thing to do the day after Thanksgiving. I love my beautiful, live tree and I'm determined not to kill it before Christmas this year. The past three years the needles have gotten all dry on my tree, even though I water it religiously. I believe I have determined the cause of my black thumb. If any of you know me well, you will know that I'm a bit of a perfectionist . . . to the point of going overboard most of the time. Well, when I put lights on my tree, I compulsively need to wrap them meticulously around nearly every branch on the tree! Epiphany!!! SO! I think I've been essentially burning up my tree by overheating it!!! Aren't I smart??? So this year, I still put on all my lights, but I didn't wrap them around all the branches. I'll keep you posted as the month progresses on my theory!
Anyway, I love my lovely tree and I can hardly keep myself out of my front room in the evening because I love to sit and soak up the Season. I also love the beautiful little angel ornaments that represent each of my sweet little girls. I've been able to find an angel for each of them that is holding a little chickie, which I also LOVE!

Hazel

Lilie

Elsie

#2: My Fish

I LOVE my fish! Everyone, with the exception of my sweet mother, starts to think that I am obsessive when I start on one of my lengthy monologues about the nitrate levels in our water or the specialized needs of my Bolivian Rams or Clown Loaches, but I cannot help myself. --- As I mentioned in the above section, I tend to get psychotic about most things I decide do.
I cleaned my tank yesterday and added some really beautiful coral that my parents picked up for me in Cancun. I am so pleased with the result! (Yet another thing that's been drawing me into my living room.)

This is Bo and Olivia, my beautiful Bolivian Rams.
I made countless trips to pet stores throughout Eastern Idaho
to find two that would make a happy pair.
Hopefully someday they will produce some little bebes for me!


Bo, Olivia, and my happy, little Clowns!

#3: My New Vacuum Cleaner!!!

I'm super happy today about, my new vacuum! How quaint, right? But I truly LOVE it! A good vacuum makes all the difference in the world! Now, I'm not the type that needs to have vacuum marks in the carpet, but I sure to like it!

As an added bonus, look at how beautiful it is!!!
What could be better about having a vacuum cleaner
than having a RED vacuum???

I LOVE it, LOVE it, LOVE it!!!

#4: My FAVORITES!!!

My sweet girls!!! They are the joy of my life!

My poor Lilie has been sick and hasn't slept well all week.
I think these pictures illustrate her tired state very well!

I'm just SO thankful for all that we have and I really wanted to share a few of my favorite things with you all today --- while my husband was sweet enough to share the computer with me for one night! Hee hee! He's been working every spare second for the past month on a side project!

My husband, my best friend, my FAVORITE!!!
(Dreamy, isn't he? Ha ha! I love photoshop!)

WOW! It's been a while, Eh?

Hoosh! It's been a crazy couple of weeks. I don't have much time right now to blog, seeing as how I've got a house and a van to clean, bags to pack, and an endless pile of laundry to wash, sort, and put away before I can go to bed. (I'm heading to Utah tomorrow) BUT I really wanted to write a little something while I had a few minutes. 

It's amazing how much the Lord can teach you in such a short amount of time (especially things you already "knew"), but I think the goal in my life right now is SIMPLIFY. Wow, the past six weeks have been a lot of growing for me (funny --- that's what I thought I was supposed to STOP doing once I had the baby!).  [[[For those who don't know me well, sorry, I think I'm severely sleep deprived and somehow can't control myself enough to stay on task]]] Anyway, I've realized just how much time and energy I waste on stupid things! Whether it's going to the store almost everyday because i haven't spent enough time planning ahead, or yelling at my kids all day because I keep myself too busy and too stressed out. 

Okay, I just wrote a big long paragraph detailing all the things that I've been stressed out about and then read back over it and realized that I've been rambling and not making much sense, and probably giving too much information...so I erased it and I'm going to SIMPLIFY.

The Lord is so merciful. He truly will take us gently by the hand to lead us and teach us the things that we need to know, if we will just let him. Sometimes we (I) just need to relax enough to listen. I've realized that when my kids seem to be having a particularly hard day, it's usually just that I'M having a particularly hard day...They're just acting the way they always are! There have been a lot of things out of kilter in my life the last little while, and it's continually amazing to me that if I get up in the morning (early) and read my scriptures and pray, miraculously everything else in life runs smoother - from the kids to cleaning to running errands to finances. If we truly will make Him the center of our lives, he takes care of everything else. I love him so much for being willing to help me be the best that I can be...even though some days my "best" is different from another day's "best". 

SO. He's now helping me learn to simplify. From budgeting, making a menu, and shopping to reading scriptures, praying, and taking time to play and learn with my kids. I'm really thankful for my kids who teach me how to "smile at me" and "just be happy, Mom." (Which is what they tell me when I'm having a "particularly hard day".) 

P.S. I just want to tell you all how much I love and appreciate my husband, who is currently upstairs taking care of Elsie. He has her in her swing, which is playing music, while he sits in front of her making up words to the songs. --- He's so great! --- I have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I have a wonderful husband and two great little girls and a beautiful kitty! (Lilie has been a KITTY for the past 2 1/2 weeks!!! She likes to call herself "Pink Gertie" and talks like a kitty most of the day. Even when she gets hurt she has a really hard time stepping out of character long enough to stop mewing and tell me what happened! She's such a silly little kitty!)