Christmas Day 17

 

Keep Christmas with you
All through the year
When Christmas is over
You can keep it near
Think of this Christmas day
When Christmas is far away
Keep Christmas with you
All through the year
When Christmas is over
Save some Christmas cheer
These precious moments
Hold them very dear
And keep Christmas with you
All through the year
Christmas means the spirit of giving
Peace and joy to you
The goodness of loving
The gladness of living;
These are Christmas too
So, keep Christmas with you
All through the year.

-Sesame Street 1978

Christmas Day 16

 

“This knowledge—that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He was crucified for the sins of the world—is a spiritual gift. This gift is not tied to a particular priesthood office nor to a particular gender; rather, it is available to all who qualify for it. We are not asked to bring the Savior gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to qualify for this beautiful spiritual gift. We are asked to give ourselves.” Elder Dale G. Renlund

Christmas Day 15

 

“When we see shepherds, may we remember to be humble. When we see wise men, may we remember to be generous. When we see the star, may we remember the Light of Christ, which gives life and light to all things. When we see a tiny baby, may we remember to love unconditionally, with tenderness and compassion.” Bonnie L. Oscarson

Christmas Day 14

 

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. -John 8:12

Brr Basket

 

Earlier this week, I was surprised with a Brr Basket that my husband and daughter carefully schemed and plotted to put together for me. It made me feel so special and appreciated after a week of taking care of sick people. In this cute basket, they gave me an adorable unicorn that has clear, sparkly hearts all over (they didn't show up in the picture), reindeer slippers that light up as I walk, a mermaid Starbucks cup that was later taken to Starbucks for a peppermint hot chocolate, lip scrub, scrunchies, a beautiful candle, sugar scrub, Dr. Pepper, Doritos, and candy. I am so thankful that they took the time to carefully pick out each item, trying to find exactly what I would enjoy. I can't remember the last time someone put this much effort into making me feel special. 

Christmas Day 13

 

"It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” Dr. Seuss

Christmas Day 12

 

“Even as we sing “Silent Night,” we know the life of that Babe of Bethlehem did not begin there, nor did it end on Calvary. In a premortal realm, Jesus was anointed by His Father to be the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of all humankind. He was foreordained to atone for us. ‘He was wounded for our transgressions [and] bruised for our iniquities’.He came to make immortality a reality and eternal life a possibility for all who would ever live.”  Russell M. Nelson

Christmas Day 11

 

“The shepherds were invited to come and see. They saw. They trembled. They testified. They rejoiced. They saw Him wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger, the Prince of Peace...” Marvin J. Ashton

Christmas Day 10

 

"There would be no Christmas if there had not been Easter. The babe Jesus of Bethlehem would be but another baby without the redeeming Christ of Gethsemane and Calvary, and the triumphant fact of the Resurrection.” Gordon B. Hinckley

Christmas Day 9

 

“And it came to pass that there was no darkness in all that night, but it was as light as though it was mid-day. And it came to pass that the sun did rise in the morning again, according to its proper order; and they knew that it was the day that the Lord should be born, because of the sign which had been given.” 3 Nephi 1:19

Christmas Day 8

 

“I think it is appropriate this time of year to just think about that baby in the manger. Don’t be too over- whelmed or occupied with what is to come; just think about that little baby. Take a quiet, peaceful moment to ponder the beginning of His life — the culmination of heavenly prophecy but the earthly beginning for Him” (“Be at Peace,” “Ensign,” Dec. 2015).

Not Conference Cinnamon Rolls

 

For many years, I have been making cinnamon rolls each General Conference weekend. It all started when someone at church said they did it, and Chad loved the idea. Sometimes the rolls are Pilsbury, but most of the time they are from scratch. I just use the same recipe I use for bread. 

Yesterday, I was making bread for the week. The recipe makes 4 loaves, but we only have 3 bread pans. Most of the time I make rolls or buns with the dough that won't fit on those loaves. Yesterday, I decided to make only 2 loaves and some cinnamon rolls. Then, I had Sean go to the store for frosting. We will eat them today, and I'm excited! I can't say I will do this every time I make bread, but it is kind of a fun treat every once in a while. 

Christmas Day 7

 

“Let us never forget that we are disciples and followers of Jesus Christ, the living Son of the living God. To truly honor His coming into the world, we must do as He did and reach out in compassion and mercy to our fellowmen. This we can do daily, by word and deed. Let this become our Christmas tradition, no matter where we are — to be a little kinder, more forgiving, less judging, more grateful and more generous in sharing our abundance with those in need” (First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional, Dec. 3, 2017).

December Bullet Journal Spreads

I have made a plan for December and put it in writing. I know we are a week into December, but I'm ok with that. There are still plenty of days to work on and accomplish goals this month. 

When making my plan, first I decided on what goals I wanted to focus on and used those goals to make a December cover page. 

Then, I went down the list and made bullet journal spreads for each goal in the order I listed them. My favorite is the one for tracking miles (the first goal).

My next spread is for the Miracle Morning. I'm not as happy with this one because I tried to use colors from the washi tape, and I'm just not a fan of brown. It works with my theme, though.

Then, I made one for a book that I really want to finish to help me towards my weight loss goals. I love the colors I used for this one! I wanted to make sure to include the appendix, so I made circles for each.

Finally, in conjunction with my affirmations, I will be tracking the amount of time that I clean. This is the only page I made without washi tape, but I think it turned out fairly well.

In had a lot of fun making these. I found most of my supplies at Hobby Lobby. Some of the stickers and the markers were things I already had around the house. Sometimes I still can't believe I have become a person who enjoys this kind of thing.

Christmas Day 6

 

“Christmas is a time to remember that we are all children of a Father in Heaven who gave His Only Be- gotten Son that all would be redeemed from death and who has offered the blessings of salvation and exaltation to all mankind on the same conditions” (First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional, Dec. 4, 2022)

Christmas Day 5

 

“The angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

“And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

“He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

“And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” Luke 1:30–33

Christmas Day 4

 

“Christmas is based on an exchange of gifts, the gift of God to man – His unspeakable gift of His Son, and the gift of man to God – when we present our bodies a living sacrifice.” Maya Angelou

Christmas Day 3

 

“Have they not said that God himself should come down among the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth?” Mosiah 13:33–34

Wicked Nails

After Noel and I saw Wicked for her birthday, we stopped at the Claire's next to the theater and got a few "souvenirs." One of mine was a nail polish set. I have been excited to use the nail polish and have the perfect excuse today (I'm going to the movie with the hubby tonight), so I painted my nails this morning. I am a bit disappointed because the colors weren't as vivid as I had expected, but I am happy to have pretty nails. 

Christmas Day 2

 

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ~ Isaiah 9:6

Christmas Day 1

 

"When we keep the spirit of Christmas, we keep the Spirit of Christ, for the Christmas spirit is the Christ Spirit. It will block out all the distractions around us which can diminish Christmas and swallow up its true meaning." Thomas S. Monson