The Reason

I love Christmastime. I love the lights, glitter, and family time. I love shopping for gifts, Christmas parties, and building gingerbread houses. I love decorating the tree and listening to Christmas music. I enjoy watching the same Christmas movies year-by-year and participating in the annual traditions. I think I get just as excited as a little kid each time I pass by a beautifully lit home. I love Christmas. I hope that I love Christmas because I understand the meaning behind our holiday. In reality, I know I forget Him, or at least to thank Him. 

I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am grateful for His miraculous birth, His perfect life, His atoning sacrifice and death on the cross, and His glorious resurrection three days later. I know He is my Redeemer, my Savior. I know that through Him, I can be forgiven for my sins and, eventually, return to live with Him again. I am grateful for the knowledge I have and hope to better remember Him a little more in the upcoming 364 days. 

Merry Christmas! 

Christmastime

Here are a few things I was able to experience during the Christmas season. 

 The beautiful Temple Square lights. I love them and they seem to get better every year.

 Braden, Jordan, Ryan, Matt, Courtlin, and Marge

 Justin, myself, Mike, and Lisa
We went to the Utah v. BYU game and watched BYU win :) Always a good time.

 My students are doing projects on world religions. Instead of making gingerbread houses, we made gingerbread places-of-worship for the individual religions they are studying. It was a great time. (Ironic that they made Christmas gingerbread houses on non-Christian religions, huh?) I wish I could post pictures of my students holding their houses...

 My roommate, tap dancing... Her newfound hobby.

 The kids at the family Christmas party signing "Mary Did You Know?" It was AmAzInG!!!

Apparently, we have a connection with Mr. and Mrs. Clause. Way to marry into that one, Cecy!

Sub for Santa

Each year, our students do this Sub-for-Santa charity where they earn money to give to families in the area that struggle during the Christmas holiday. Here is my contribution, frame by frame. 

Things I learned: Wear long sleeves, duct tape pulls off arm hair. It also hurts when 15 year olds try to help pulling it off. Also, it has a tendency to leave residue on your face if some random kid (that will now get an F ;)) puts it over your lips.

Merry Christmas :)

Thanksgiving 2011

I love Thanksgiving. It is a great season to be grateful and it introduces the Christmas season which I love. This year, we were fortunate enough to go to my Aunt Caroline and Uncle Arnell's house in Hollister and be with their perfect little family. (Apparently, I am not entertaining enough for my parents with Sheldon away on his LDS mission). I love that we were able to go stay with them, as we don't see them very often. They were the best hosts! 

 Kylii and Kamryn at the Spanish Mission in San Juan Baptista (maybe? Can't really remember).

 Adorable Kamryn

 Not so sure what's happening here, but I couldn't pass it up. 

 Kamryn, Mom, and me. You might notice that Caroline, Berlin, and the boys are missing (Kylii was taking the picture). Poor Berlin started throwing up and Caroline was taking care of her. The guys decided to go golfing instead of sight seeing...men. ;)

Really?

Random 9th grade girl: Are you married?
me: no
Random 9th grade girl: You're pretty though.
me: Ummm, thank you?
Random 9th grade girl: Why aren't you married?
me: Sometimes, people just aren't.
Random 9th grade girl: Oh. Bye.

My job...