New Year's Resolutions

I will confess to making them and breaking them and starting over. But for now, I have an idea for you. Let me guess one of your typical (LDS) resolutions... is it more effective, spiritual, fun Family Home Evenings? Ding Ding Ding Ding!!!!!!!! I got it right.

Well, boy, do I have an idea for you! I'm going to try it to, if I can get Ronald darling to agree. Two oldish people get kind of used to counting dinner as FHE. Really.

But here's the good idea. There is a website that has used episodes of the Andy Griffith show, the original, not Matlock, as the basis for Sunday School lessons. They are fun, cute and spiritual. Honest.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

http://barneyfife.com/

This isn't a particularly spiritual clip, but speaking of Ronald darling.... I love the Darlin's!

Merry Christmas!!

It's Christmas Eve and we are all tucked in for the night. I'm leaving out cookies, just in case I made the Nice list this year. It's not a white Christmas, more of a gray one; but still the celebration of the birth of our Savior into the world. One of my very favorite, one of the most wonderful times of the year.

And to all a good night!

When Herald Angels Sing

Our Christmas program was this morning and it was wonderful. No talks, no scripture, all music. Music carries the spirit so well. One of the pieces was one I'd never heard before, Pachelbel/First Noel. I don't know who the genius was who thought of combining the two pieces of music but it was truly heavenly.



Gesu Bambino is absolutely glorious to hear... I just loved it!




And Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming sounds so sweet.



And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

I Stayed Up Past My Bedtime!

My alarm goes off every morning at 4:00am and up I get. I didn't used to be a morning person, but I teach Early Morning Seminary. I taught for 6 years when my children were teenagers, many moons ago and am on the 5th year this time around. I love teaching Seminary and I love the teens I teach. Consequently, I need to go to bed early.
Last night, I was reading a friend's blog and she mentioned an actor whom I admire, Danny Kaye. She had a film clip of him so I trotted over to youtube to see what else they had on him.
BIG mistake!! One of the clips I saw was a guest appearance that he made on "What's My Line?" An interesting game show and I had completely forgotten about it. One of the segments of the show had the panel blindfolded and a celebrity guest. The panel tried to guess who the celebrity was by questioning and the guest tried to fool them by disguising the voice.
I was hooked. I was up until after midnight watching video clips of mystery guests. What a hoot! Even you young whippersnappers will recognize some of these folks.
And it's already an hour past my bedtime! I gotta go!

Christmas Movies

I've been sick for the last few days. I missed work for a day and a half, temple service yesterday and my church meetings today. Just a bad nasty cold; but that always settles in my chest. I'm doing much better now and expect to be back to normal activity tomorrow. Maybe a little under par, but back in the trenches.

So, what do you do? I've been either in bed or a recliner for the last three days with the lap top and the remote control for the television right by my side! LOL Luckily for me, it is December and the Christmas movies have started. I LOVE IT!

I haven't seen all of my very favorites yet, but for your enlightenment, here are the top three:

1. It's A Wonderful Life - My very favorite. I admire the sense of duty that George has, putting others always before himself and the fact that he is loved and appredicated by those for whom he toils. It doesn't get better than this!

2. Christmas in Connecticut - Barbara Stanwyck plays a writer whose magazine column chronicles her idyllic life on a farm in Connecticut. It's all lies and gets her in trouble with her publisher. A great, warm comedy.

3. Miracle on 34th Street - I like to watch mom defrost through the film, the lawyer start to believe in his client and Natalie Wood. Period.

If it calls itself a Christmas movie and includes a lamp shaped like a leg, a bunny suit or a frozen pole - it ain't on my list! LOL

Do you have one movie that tells you it's Christmas?

Warm Fuzzies

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! My brother and sis-in-law live in Maryland. We drove there and my daughter and her three boys (husband and two sons) drove up from North Carolina. Too much food, not enough time and just a blast! I was born of goodly parents and even though they are gone now, their three kids are still speaking to each other! That isn't true in all families. We love each other and that is a great blessing.

There were some family members missing, due to distance, pregnancy and other family. It would have been better to have everyone there, but it was great. Fire in the fireplace, firepit on the patio; sitting around and talking. I love my family!

Tag, I'm it!

I've been suffering from blogger's block recently, but my friend has challenged me to think of 7 weird things. About myself! Wait, random not necessarily weird.

Tricky, but not impossible.

1. I lived in Sidi Slimane, Morocco for two years when I was in fifth and sixth grades. It was the only overseas assignment my dad had that we could accompany him. It was wonderful! One of my favorite duty stations.

2. My dad's family is Hungarian, my ancestors came from the area we know as Transylvania in the Carpathian mountains. Is your reaction "Really?" or "Oh, that explains everything!" LOL

3. My first kiss was from my boyfriend, Joe. We were in kindergarten and precocious.

4. My first date was a blind date, arranged by my mother!

5. I love to eat out. I can cook, and like to cook, but I really love to eat in restaurants. Too bad it takes money!

6. Time is weird. I've been married for more than 40 years. Unbelievable. On the one hand, it seems like I've been married forever; on the other, it seems like just yesterday, ya know?

7. I was a voracious reader as a child. I loved all the classic kid book series that no one reads anymore... Bobsey Twins, Cherry Ames, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I got lost in Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. And my very favorite was a book called Papa Married a Mormon by John D Fitzgerald. It was my first introduction to the church - I read it two or three times a year for years. My mom got so tired of seeing me sitting around the house reading that she'd order me out of the house. I took the current book and went up the apple tree!

I don't know who to tag; if you are reading this and have not been previously tagged, you are IT!

Blog Envy

Many moons ago a friend said she was suffering from blog envy. I understood completely. I spend a considerable amount of time, probably (certainly) more than I should, reading other people's blogs. I like variety - LDS, humor, food, politics and the occasional whackadoodle

Here are some of my favorites.....

The Blogger of Jared

An LDS blog with doctrinal insight. Especially interesting is an episodic piece called The Secret Life of Earl Johnson. It is sort of a Walter Mitty-ish, Harvey-ish daydreaming, typical LDS experience thingy. Is that specific enough? You'll like it!

Homesick Texan

This blog focuses on food - not fancy, not complicated but just delicious. A little story about how her grandma or Aunt Rose used to do it, the Sunday suppers and the history behind the foods. I keep going back and collecting the recipes, but I haven't made any of them yet. I'll put that at the top of my to-do list.

Reflections from a Murky Pond

A conservative blogger, but not a right wing nut job. Thoughtfully and calmly presented.

Seriously, So Blessed

An hilarious spoof of Mormon mommy blogs. Aimed at a younger crowd, of course, but I get most of the humor. LOL

I read lots of friends blogs, link to their friends and their friends friends blogs. I haven't listed my friends; I couldn't choose amongst ye! I could make a living reading blogs, if only someone would pay me!!

The Sun Came Up Anyway

As you may have surmised; I am disappointed in the results of yesterday's presidential election. Of course, I was disappointed in the results of the Republican primary as well; I guess it's been a rather disappointing year.

That being said, the election is over, the victor is named. And I truly, sincerely, pray that he is the best president that we've ever had in the history of this great nation.

I refuse to suffer from Obama Derangement Syndrome. I will not weep and wail and gnash my teeth. I will, in other words, get over it. That's the message that I tried to relate to Bush-bashing Democrats for the last 7 years; I won't go down that road.

I still believe that the plans president-elect Obama has for this country are wrong. If it turns out that I am wrong (unlikely, in my opinion), I will acknowledge that.

We'll see.

Vote and Pray!

Some kids are just too cute.