holiday mingle

We're ringing in the holiday season already this year. On Saturday, Jill and her boys, me and my kids and Jan went to the firehall for pictures with Santa, cookies and crafts. Pictures with Santa went surprisingly smooth this year--I was sort of expecting havoc with Janelle and her newfound "stranger anxiety" but she was awesome! After that Kandace was very eager to get her face painted and Stetson very carefully colored a puzzle Christmas tree. Kandace was very specific on how she wanted her little glove painted (halfway through she asked the painter to make sure it had purple in it). Stetson got a penguin painted right before we left. Little get togethers like these are fun for the kids but always a little stressful for mama. I'm always looking around doing a headcount to make sure they're all still there and behaving themselves. For a second I couldn't find Kandace until another mother pointed out to me that she was under the table right next to me. Sheesh. In other news, I've been singing with the stake choir for a few weeks now getting ready for the stake Christmas concert. I LOVE it. I look forward to it each week and am so glad to have a hobby that is fun and fulfilling that I can still do amidst the craziness of our lives. I was just released today from being the beehive advisor (sad to leave those girls) and am now the 2nd counselor in the primary. I'm grateful for callings and the chance I get to serve and somehow repay my Heavenly Father in a very small way for all the blessings I have. I'm excited to spend time in primary with Stetson but hoping he'll still behave well with his mom in there.

The weather has recenly turned frigid, and I'm never ready for it. :( Wish I was in Cabo. I ask Michael when we're going almost every day. Really I do. Brenda's youngest boy Dane reported his mission today. I love hearing from returned missionaries and feeling their strong spirit. He talked about repentance and the enabling power of the atonement. I loved it and am so happy for him and his family.

We recently got some exciting news for Michael. More to come on that later.