a blended life

If you're on Facebook, you know that Santa doesn't exist in our house anymore. It started with this picture. Hannah realized that the "Santa who sat on Coke" was Grandpa's friend. And if he's Grandpa's friend, then he's not really Santa. And if he's not really Santa, then all these guys dressing up like Santas are just fakes. And if that's the case, then is there an actual Santa?? She pressured me and pressured me until I told her the truth.  Hannah isn't the type of kid where you can write a fluffy letter about how Santa is in everyone's heart and it's good to believe in things you can't see. My kids would never accept such an answer--either he is real and we will believe, or he is not real and we will deal with it.  "Mom. I'm serious. Is he real or is he not real?" Every few hours she asked. I knew it was tricky because her older sister, the most trusting, genuine soul I know, is an avid Santa/Elf on...

I mentioned being a bit sick but that was gross understatement. I was, and still am, ROYALLY ill and have not yet recovered from whatever hit me. According to the doctors, it was the "possibly the true form of the flu in it's toughest strain", plus some mysterious inflammation and liver dysfunction. I would normally insert a big fat sigh here, but I have a headache and don't feel well enough to even feel sorry for myself. My husband thought it was Hantavirus from the mouse infestation we had. It still could have been but I'm on the mend. Slowly. Have you ever heard this phrase? (designed by Kassie, of course) I didn't get the gene that makes you a little bit corny and makes you love phrases like this. Sometimes I wish I had it. Don't get me wrong, I fully believe in God and that he has not left me and that he is in every part of my life. I am a very devout person, but this doesn't quite sum it up for me. In my head, I've been making s...

So, I've been a wee sick here for a few days (one week). Hannah decided she couldn't wait for another day to get Christmas going around here, so she did it herself while I was in bed. She hung the socking with thumbtacks on the wall, right at her arm's level: Put up the creche with all the things looking at the baby in a round cluster, being frustrated that  the stable looks like a birdhouse and doesn't fit all the creatures: Decorated these mini trees, then got bored and gave up on the third one. She put them in front of her fishbowl (Merrill the Beta): Hung most of the "ordaments" on the tree in a cluster, with multiple ornaments per branch. Then she made the words "Joy" out of pipe cleaners and stuck it in the tree: It took me a while to decide to leave it up the way she did it. On one hand, it's great that she has initiative and we wouldn't expect anything else out of her. On the other hand, it looks like...

Near my house, there is a lit-up, Passing Gas Santa yard decoration. His cloud lights a barbecue pit. Stay classy, Santaquin.  Laurel gave my mom and I tickets to Time Out For Women in Salt Lake (my brilliant sister opted out). The speaker was Ann Romney. I went with an open mind and really tried to soak in the message of what she was saying. I came away with a few conclusions: 1) She is a good person and I can see why look up to her. 2) I did not feel stirred or motivated by her speaking, as I'd hoped to. It was empty to me and I look for leaders who can stir me or make me feel a connection. I didn't have that with Ann. 3) Just because I didn't have that connection doesn't mean others can't, and I feel strongly about being respectful of other's opinions. If Ann moves your heart and not your bowels, then we are friends and I love you for it. This is a guy that I taught on my mission. My companion, Hermana Whitcomb, and I met him my ...