Twas the Week After Christmas

I thoroughly enjoyed this Christmas. Not that I don't enjoy every Christmas, but this one seemed to be better than normal. I'm not sure if it's because I didn't have to hassle with the stresses of decorating my mom's house, or if it was because we had Christmas at my mom's house for once, or maybe it's cuz I got the best Christmas gift ever, whatever it was, the holiday was wonderful!

On Christmas Eve, we had my aunt Dede, her fiance Steve, and his son Stevie, and my Nana and her bf Garry over for dinner. Lauren, Mason, and Hailey also came. So, there were 10 of us eating at my mom's house (and for those of you who haven't been to my mom's house, it was a TIGHT squeeze). It was really nice though. I baked 2 homemade pumpkin pies and 1 homemade dutch apple pie. Lauren and Nathan both said that the pies were probably the best that they've ever had, which is a really big compliment, because they're kind of picky about their pies. We opened my Nana and Dede's presents, which was kind of different. I don't think that I've ever opened anymore than one present before on Christmas, and that's usually my new pajamas. lol. My aunt Dede gave me 2 of my favorite gifts, she gave me a BEAUTIFUL topaz ring and she also gave me the Mamma Mia DVD. My Dede and I have gotten really close over the past couple of years, and the ring means a lot to me. After we were done opening all of our presents (for the night) Lauren, Dede, and I went over to Lauren's apt so that Dede could see it. When we got back, Nathan, Stevie, and I played some rock band. Then, Nathan and I went to my dad's house and spent the night.

Me and Hailey on Christmas Eve
Christmas morning was fun... NOT! Ok, no, it was. But, it was very hard getting up at 8 AM, when I hadn't been getting up that early all week. I told Nathan the night before, to wake me up at 8 AM, no matter what, because that was what time Lauren, Mason, and Hailey were coming over to open presents. Boy do I regret that now. He woke me up, but I did not want to get up! Well, I got up, we opened presents with my dad. I got a really cool pyrex measuring cup (I know, most of you wouldn't be too excited about that, but for me, it was AWESOME!) It comes with a cool lid that has different spouts and a silicone bottom so that it won't fall off the counter or something. After opening presents, we had breakfast burritos and played dominoes. After all of that, we went back to mom's house and opened presents there. Mom got me and Nathan both new phones (which is good because we have been wanting them!) At around 4:15 though, I got the best Christmas gift EVER though. I got to talk to Brandon. I'm not sure how, or why I got to talk to him, but I did! We talked for 20 minutes, when I finally told him that I had to go (because Lauren, Mason, and Hailey had just got to the house). We talked about EVERYTHING. It was a really good talk, and I wish it could have gone longer. We talked about future plans, and we talked about things that are going on now. I told him that I want him to stay obedient on his mission but that I will continue to wait for him. It was an AMAZING talk, and seriously the best Christmas present ever. After not talking to him for 19 months, it was so good to get to talk to him. We opened up presents with Lauren and Mason, then had dinner. During dinner, I got this HUGE headache, and went and slept for an hour.

Me, Nathan, Mom, Lauren, and Hailey

Me, Mom, and HaileyMe and HaileyMe, Hailey, and Lauren
On Friday, I went with my dad, Laurie, and Nathan to go and see my Granny Jane. We took her out to lunch. It was really good to see her, and she was really grateful that we came to see her. The past few days have been nice and relaxing. I have been playing the phone call over and over in my head. I'm still on cloud nine from it!

I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday, and I wish you all a Happy and Safe New Year!

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Every year when I was little, on Christmas night, my Papa would have my sister and I (and once my brother came along) sit on his lap, and he would read us "Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore. It is one of my favorite memories, from Christmases when I was little. I miss my Papa tremendously. The funny thing is, he continued this tradition even when we were older and were squishing him. Once we were older, it was usually only Nathan who would sit on his lap, but I used to love reading that with him. Because of him, I have pretty much memorized that poem/story. I figured I would share this tradition with you all. Merry Christmas!

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.
And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.

When out on the roof there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
tore open the shutter, and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
gave the lustre of midday to objects below,
when, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came,
and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:

"Now Dasher! Now Dancer!
Now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid!
On, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch!
To the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away!
Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
when they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky
so up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
with the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
the prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes--how they twinkled! His dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
and filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

2x2

Here's the thing... go to your photos and take the 2nd picture from the 2nd album, and blog about it.












This is a picture of Brandon and I, from his 19th Birthday. It was our very first picture together.

Some things that crack me up about this picture:
1. The shirt he is wearing. It cracks me up because he knew that I would love it when he would wear button up shirts, so he wore that shirt just for me.
2. The birthday button that he is wearing. I got it for him from Disneyland. He wore it all day at Disneyland, a couple of days before his birthday, and everyone kept telling him Happy Birthday at the park. It was really funny.
3. The lemons. Brandon's family ALWAYS has lemons. Brandon's dad and Brandon, put lemon juice in their water.
4. The cake. I made Brandon the cake. The real cake, just had green frosting, no heart. But then when Brandon uploaded this picture onto his computer, he put it onto PAINT and added the heart. I'm still not too sure why, but I thought it was pretty funny when I first saw it.
5. The pizza box. OK, so the reason that the pizza box cracks me up so much is because, his family didn't even have pizza that night. They had corned beef and cabbage! So, why the pizza box is out, I have no clue. But, it is just really funny to me that it is out.
6. The balloons on the counter. I gave Brandon the balloons, the night before, at midnight. Once it was officially his birthday! The latex balloons are like dead in this picture, but the mylar balloon is still floating. But, the only birthday balloon that they had at the store said: "Happy Birthday Sport!" And, it just cracked me up, because honestly, who calls someone "Sport" nowadays?

I'll Be Home For Christmas, You Can Count on THAT!

In spite of my car dying yesterday, I am still going to be going home for Christmas. I am leaving Provo on Friday, December 19th and driving back to Chino with my friend David. David is seriously a life saver!

I am so excited to go home! My mom saved my ornaments for me to put up, and some decorations too. It has been getting kind of chilly at home, meaning in the 40s, and it's been raining a lot there too. But, I'm happy that it will be a little bit warmer than it is here, and I'm so excited to be home with my family.

Poor Poor Freedom

Dear Reader,

As some of you may know, I drive a '97 Ford Explorer. I got her in October '05, and have been driving her ever since. Well, I was on my way to work yesterday, when my car died. I called AAA, and they came and towed me to the auto shop that is around the corner from my apartment. About 15 minutes after I got home, I got a call from the guy at the auto shop. He told me that my radiator and head gaskets blew. And, that it is going to cost $1719.00. I am honestly freaking out, I have no clue what I am going to do to get the money to fix it. Now, I am stuck, without a car, and it is killing me! I hate not being able to do things. Pray for my car, Freedom. Pray that I can find a way to get her fixed!

Love,
Terri

Merry Christmas Letter

Dear Family, Friends, and Loved Ones,

As we come to the end of yet another year, I am filled with gratitude for all of the love and support that you have given me over the many years of my life, in which you have known me. Some of you may know that I have been living in Provo, Utah for the past 6 months. I love it out here. Yes, it gets a little cold, and a little "white", and I sometimes get a little homesick, but I love it!

Why Provo you may ask? Well, I got a job out here this summer, working at one of my church's camps. It was a youth camp, I was a counselor working with high school aged kids. I LOVED it! I applied to work again this coming summer, we'll see if I get it. While I was working out here, I fell in love with Provo. I loved the atmosphere here. It is a college town. For those of you who don't know, BYU is located here, so there are TONS of people living here that are kind of living the same life I am right now. And, I just love it!

I am living in an apartment with 5 other girls. It is a 3 bedroom apartment, 2 bathrooms. I'm sure you're probably thinking to yourself, "How in the world do 6 girls share 2 bathrooms?" Well, let me tell you, it's tough, but possible. I think that one of the biggest struggles with moving out, and away from home, was realizing what a little amount of stuff I had. I realized that I didn't have anything for cooking, which was very difficult since I LOVE to cook and bake (a trait that I got from my Papa). And, I realized that living on your own was a lot harder than it looked. But, I've been making it.

I work right now as a substitute teacher, in the Provo School District. I love my job. Sometimes I get those classes where they make me want to just pull my hair out (I still don't understand how my mom does it). But, for the most part, I love my job. My mom once told me that if you love your job, you will never have to work a day in your life. And, I agree with that 100%, which is why I have decided to go into teaching. My favorite grades, right now, to teach are 5th and 6th grade. I can't wait until I turn 21, so I can start subbing high school, which is what I really want to teach.

I get the opportunity to go home for Christmas. One of the wonderful things about my job is that I get to have 2 full weeks off of work. While most of my friends around here don't get to go home for Christmas, because they have to work, I get to go home for the whole break! I'm excited to see my family, even though I was just there 2 weeks ago. But, I think that the hardest part about being away from home is missing my family.

I have a boyfriend, named Brandon. He is currently serving his mission, in the Mexico Hermosillo mission. He has been gone for about 19 months, and will be coming home in May. I cannot wait to see him again, especially after this LONG wait. He is doing really well, I get weekly e-mails from him, that let me know how he is doing, and that the work is going well.

I hope that you and your family will remember what this holiday season is really about. Jesus is the reason for the season. I love you, and hope that you have a Merry Christmas!

Love,
Terri