Like most folks, I have my favorite Christmas music. One of my favorites began in high school with our choir's yearly performance of The Messiah. I loved singing in that. When I went home for Christmas my freshman year of college, I got to sing with the choir as alumni. Very cool.
We used to sing Christmas songs together every Christmas Eve when I was little. We don't seem to do that at my house now, but I love listening to them. Apparently, my iPod does too. Whenever I set it to shuffle, it likes to throw in some Christmas music. Finally I have decided to just let it play!
And speaking of Handel's Messiah, here's a little tip. A few years ago I saw a play about Handel and the story behind the writing of The Messiah. This year the play is showing at the Covey Center for the Arts in Provo. Tickets are $10. Here's a link to their site: http://www.coveycenter.org.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Thanksgiving!
As I counted my many blessings this year, I am thankful for so many things. My family, my husband, my home, my friends, my Savior. I don't have time to post very much, but I am very thankful. I know that I am truly blessed.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
William the Mouse-Killer!
Tuesday morning I was home, using the computer on the kitchen table, when I look over at the couch, and there is a Mouse!
Really, a mouse! I know there's been a bunch in the neighborhood. Every time one of my neighbors complains, I look at them with a slightly superior smile and say, "We have cats. We don't get mice."
So what did these hardworking cats do when there was a mouse? Tina watched it for a while, gave a couple of halfhearted swipes at it, and then got bored and wanted to go outside. I tried to reason with her. There is still a mouse. You can't go outside. Go get the mouse. Nothing. I gave up and let her out.
What about Spooky, the mighty slayer of birds? He slept through the whole thing, RIGHT ON TOP OF THE COUCH! The one with the mouse under it!
Clearly we were on our own. The kids were not happy when they came home and I told them, "You need to clean your rooms, and I am not kidding at all." They worked at it, more or less, but no sign of the mouse except for a nibbled granola bar under Will's bed. Ewwww. That night, I heard the mouse and saw Tina watching carefully for her chance. So maybe she was on the job after all.
But the next morning came and we still had a mouse. I took my paycheck to the bank and then headed to the store to buy a mousetrap. I was planning on waiting for Randy to set the trap and get rid of the creature, but Will read the instructions and wanted to set it up right then. Minutes later, he was in his much cleaner room when he saw a tissue moving on the floor. Then a nose poked out.
He wanted a trap, but I told him that the mouse would probably not come out as long as he was in the room. Will thought about it, and asked if he could get the mouse himself. I said sure, thinking that there was no chance that a skittish mouse would let a person anywhere nearby. But Will went off to his room, piece of wood in hand.
WHACK, WHACK, WHACKETY-WHACK
Out came Will, grabbed a paper towel, went back to his room, and comes out with a DEAD MOUSE. I had him take it out to the dumpster, then wash his hands thoroughly. (even though he hadn't actually touched the mouse. Still.)
And THAT is why it's nice to have a 12 year old boy.
His sisters were impressed in spite of themselves. "Weren't you scared?"
"Of a mouse?" he asked. "How could you be scared of a mouse?"
Really, a mouse! I know there's been a bunch in the neighborhood. Every time one of my neighbors complains, I look at them with a slightly superior smile and say, "We have cats. We don't get mice."
So what did these hardworking cats do when there was a mouse? Tina watched it for a while, gave a couple of halfhearted swipes at it, and then got bored and wanted to go outside. I tried to reason with her. There is still a mouse. You can't go outside. Go get the mouse. Nothing. I gave up and let her out.
What about Spooky, the mighty slayer of birds? He slept through the whole thing, RIGHT ON TOP OF THE COUCH! The one with the mouse under it!
Clearly we were on our own. The kids were not happy when they came home and I told them, "You need to clean your rooms, and I am not kidding at all." They worked at it, more or less, but no sign of the mouse except for a nibbled granola bar under Will's bed. Ewwww. That night, I heard the mouse and saw Tina watching carefully for her chance. So maybe she was on the job after all.
But the next morning came and we still had a mouse. I took my paycheck to the bank and then headed to the store to buy a mousetrap. I was planning on waiting for Randy to set the trap and get rid of the creature, but Will read the instructions and wanted to set it up right then. Minutes later, he was in his much cleaner room when he saw a tissue moving on the floor. Then a nose poked out.
He wanted a trap, but I told him that the mouse would probably not come out as long as he was in the room. Will thought about it, and asked if he could get the mouse himself. I said sure, thinking that there was no chance that a skittish mouse would let a person anywhere nearby. But Will went off to his room, piece of wood in hand.
WHACK, WHACK, WHACKETY-WHACK
Out came Will, grabbed a paper towel, went back to his room, and comes out with a DEAD MOUSE. I had him take it out to the dumpster, then wash his hands thoroughly. (even though he hadn't actually touched the mouse. Still.)
And THAT is why it's nice to have a 12 year old boy.
His sisters were impressed in spite of themselves. "Weren't you scared?"
"Of a mouse?" he asked. "How could you be scared of a mouse?"
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Sometimes Things Happen for a Reason
Yesterday, after a tiring day at work (seriously, it was only 4 hours! why am I such a wimp?), I promised to take the girls to the library. We gathered all our stuff and got to the library about 4:30, only to find that I had left my purse at home. They really wanted to stay, so I dropped them off and went home for my purse. At least this gave me an excuse to turn up my iPod!
I was just barely leaving the parking lot when President Henry B. Eyring's talk 'The True and Living Church' from last year came on. Suddenly the words were just for me. It was exactly the comfort and reassurance I had been praying for.
Then as I pulled into my driveway, another car was in the way. It was someone dropping off an overdue book I had misplaced. I was able to take that book and my purse and return to the library, feeling much better.
I couldn't help but feel that the hand of the Lord was in this. I am so grateful for little mercies that show up in my life.
Then the next morning I got pulled over. Now I get to go to traffic school. That happened for a reason too, but I'm pretty sure I was on my own in this one.
I was just barely leaving the parking lot when President Henry B. Eyring's talk 'The True and Living Church' from last year came on. Suddenly the words were just for me. It was exactly the comfort and reassurance I had been praying for.
Then as I pulled into my driveway, another car was in the way. It was someone dropping off an overdue book I had misplaced. I was able to take that book and my purse and return to the library, feeling much better.
I couldn't help but feel that the hand of the Lord was in this. I am so grateful for little mercies that show up in my life.
Then the next morning I got pulled over. Now I get to go to traffic school. That happened for a reason too, but I'm pretty sure I was on my own in this one.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
'Ear, 'ear
We finally got Will to the otolaryngologist - that's a ear, nose, throat dr. for you low-brow types - and got a few answers. Unfortunately, they weren't entirely helpful answers.
Will has had ringing in his ears for the last 2 years, on and off. Mostly on. I've had him to our family dr. twice about it, tried some chiropractic, tried some OTC meds, and nothing has made the slightest difference. He's also had some problems with enlarged tonsils. Every time he gets a cold or sore throat, he feels like his tonsils are hugely swollen. I've been more worried about this, although I'm sure the ringing is really annoying.
This week we finally got an appointment with a specialist. I had high hopes that we would come out of the office with a date to get his tonsils out and a promise that it would mean the end of the ringing. Wrong both times. He looked at Will's ears and did a hearing test. His hearing is great and his ears look normal. So he couldn't really give us any help with the ringing. He said thousands of people have the same problem, and unfortunately, it's not easy to fix. Bummer.
As for the tonsils, he said they are a little large, and when he gets sick and complains that his tonsils are swollen, he's probably right. But they aren't so large that they should be a problem. And since he hasn't had a lot of throat infections, he probably still needs his tonsils. If they get larger and he starts having trouble breathing in his sleep or if he starts getting more infections, then we can take them out. But right now, everything is fine.
On the one hand, I am of course relieved to know that Will is perfectly healthy. On the other hand, I was all set for some decisive action. It's a little bit of a let down.
After all that, Will and I needed some lunch and I let him pick the place. So we went to The Spaghetti Factory and had a good time.
Will has had ringing in his ears for the last 2 years, on and off. Mostly on. I've had him to our family dr. twice about it, tried some chiropractic, tried some OTC meds, and nothing has made the slightest difference. He's also had some problems with enlarged tonsils. Every time he gets a cold or sore throat, he feels like his tonsils are hugely swollen. I've been more worried about this, although I'm sure the ringing is really annoying.
This week we finally got an appointment with a specialist. I had high hopes that we would come out of the office with a date to get his tonsils out and a promise that it would mean the end of the ringing. Wrong both times. He looked at Will's ears and did a hearing test. His hearing is great and his ears look normal. So he couldn't really give us any help with the ringing. He said thousands of people have the same problem, and unfortunately, it's not easy to fix. Bummer.
As for the tonsils, he said they are a little large, and when he gets sick and complains that his tonsils are swollen, he's probably right. But they aren't so large that they should be a problem. And since he hasn't had a lot of throat infections, he probably still needs his tonsils. If they get larger and he starts having trouble breathing in his sleep or if he starts getting more infections, then we can take them out. But right now, everything is fine.
On the one hand, I am of course relieved to know that Will is perfectly healthy. On the other hand, I was all set for some decisive action. It's a little bit of a let down.
After all that, Will and I needed some lunch and I let him pick the place. So we went to The Spaghetti Factory and had a good time.
One funny thing - when Will say the doctor, he asked him if he knew Treebeard. You know, the ENT in Lord of the Rings? That joke fell flat! The doctor hadn't seen the movie or read the books and had no idea what he was talking about. He didn't really look much like Treebeard either.
Disappointing.
Disappointing.
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