FIRST LOST TOOTH

Chelsie lost her first tooth. I will get a picture of her cute smile soon and post it. It was very exciting. She had had a loose tooth for a few days and it was getting where she didn't want to eat anything hard because it would bump it and hurt. Finally, she went in the bathroom and wiggled it and pulled it out all by herselt. The tooth fairy came and left her $1. It was so great! She is getting so big.

2010 STRONG

Our youth are having a youth conference this year called 2010 Strong. It will be wonderful! They have to have the Book of Mormon read by July 6 and they leave July 9th and go to our stake camp called Zarahemla. They will have renactments and activities centered around the Book of Mormon. We went to a fireside last Sunday night and got to see clips of another stake's activities and hear what is expected. Our youth must dress as Nephites or Lamanites and they will be arranged in tribes. It will be fun to see how it goes.

MIRACLES

I just got back from my presidency meeting, and I have decided what I am going to give my 1st Sunday lesson on this time. It is going to be about MIRACLES. I think we forget to acknowledge the many miracles that happen daily in our lives. Some are itsy bitsy and some are huge. I am going to have some of the sisters in our ward share miracles they have had happen. One sister's son returned back to the church after a few years of inactivity. One sister has survived breast cancer. I know that God's hand has carried us through our lives in small and great ways. My scripture that I am basing it on is Moroni 9:15-21. It is one of the scriptures at the back of our lesson last week.

Moroni 9
15. An now, o all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and god has not ceased to be a God of miracles.
16. Behold, are not the things that God hath wrough marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?
17. Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was created of the dust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?
18. And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles? And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles.
19. And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
20. And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbleief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.
21. Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted unto him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.

CHAIRS

Just before Christmas, I reapholstered my bar stools. I really liked the material on them before. They were red and beige but had lots of stains, and I needed a fresh, clean look. I found four black and beige materials that I loved. I especially love the paiseley design. Also, notice the red bows on two of the bar stools. Next year for Christmas, I will have all four bows done. I am not much of a decorator, but once in a while, I do something that makes me feel good--like this.

Nathan made the Salt Lake Choral Artist's children's Choir. He will be performing in a concert February 20th with T minus 5 (to the right). Jason, the last one on the right, is a good friend and I am excited to see the concert.

Merry Christmas. We have had a great day.

We got to talk to Carissa for almost an hour. She is doing well and having fun.

We woke up at 6:00 a.m. and had fun watching everyone open their presents. It was a fun morning. This afternoon some of my family came and hung out and of course, ate. It was pleasant and relaxing.

CARISSA AND DANNY

Carissa has a new boyfriend named Danny. He is in the accounting program at BYU and is in Carissa's ward. She is having fun and they are a cute couple. His family lives in Sandy, UT and he went on his mission to Guatemala.

Oh, that reminds me. Carissa is going to Russia for Christmas this year. Her roomates' (Libby and Sara) family lives there and invited her home for Christmas. Carissa thought it was a wonderful opportunity and jumped on it. She flies out this Saturday and won't be home till January 3rd. She will have a great time!

NO PICTURES

Nathan and Chelsie made the cutest snowman on Saturday, but we didn't take any pictures. We meant to, but it never happened. He was so cute. Well, Sunday morning, I thought I would take his picture, but with the heavy, wet snow, I guess he kind of melted and fell apart overnight. We will have to make another one.

I have been "wasting" my morning by checking all my e-mails and updating all my favorite blogs. I probably should be cleaning the house or organizing Relief Society, but I have chosen to sit at the computer and do my "stuff." Next, I will check the Credit Union site and make sure I have recorded all of my spending lately. I am in the habit of using my debit card and not recording it, so I have to keep up through the online banking.

I have most of my Christmas cards sent out, or addressed and ready to send. The cards are really cute, but the envelope is really plain. I have some stamps I was going to dress them up with, but I don't know where they are now, and I just wanted to send them out. Also, the newsletter is pretty blah too, but at least the information is there. Maybe next year I will do something really spectacular.

Today I will go to the school from 1:30 - 3:30. Then, I need to make sure that Nathan makes it to piano lessons. Rachel's and Nathan's recital is next Monday morning at 10:00. They have to have their pieces totally memorized. My piano teachers never made me memorize anything. I wonder if I could have done it.

David and I are singing a duet in church next week for the Christmas program. We really are not singers. David has a good voice and I am o.k., but the choir director asked and we decided that we would give it a try. We are singing "Silent Night" and it is a complicated arrangement. We'll see how it goes.

This weekend we are going to "The Cabin" with the Wainwrights. I need to e-mail them all directions, so maybe I will do that before I check on my account balance.

Well, enough of this. I just haven't blogged in so long and so much has and is going on. Hopefully I will update soon.