O Tannenbaum...How Sparse Are Your Branches

I know...it's absolutely insane that as of the 12th of December we still hadn't put up a Christmas tree. We had such grand plans for this year but they didn't come to fruition until Ian finally had a day off work so that we could take care of this vitally important Christmas task.

Thanks to a neighbor we were able to procur a permit to cut down our very own tree. So, Ian used his handy-dandy topo mapping software and GPS thingamabob to plan out the "perfect" route to acquire said tree. We packed up all the cold-weather gear we could muster and drove up Provo canyon, past Deer Creek, through Wallsburg, and then onto a single-lane, snow-covered, scary-as-heck road up into the wilds of the Utah wilderness. In the warmth of the truck it was breathtakingly beautiful. Every branch of every tree was coated in snow and I was thoroughly enjoying myself...until we stepped outside in search of our tree. YIKES! I know that I should be a bit tougher when it comes to cold weather due to my Canadian upbringing, but I'm not. Ian's satellite mapping showed that there were a lot of trees in the area...but they didn't, apparently, differentiate between the aspens and the pines so the pickings were slim. We saw several beauties on the opposite side of an icy creek but very few on our side of the water. While the girls trudged up and down the "road" Ian and I did our best to scout out a little pine tree. A few minutes after scaling a 5-foot embankment Ian shouts down, "I think this one's okay". Since this whale of a pregnant lady was not following anyone up any sort of an embankment and I was pretty sure we were all going to expire from hypothermia I replied, "Great! Let's go!" This is, by far, the least imput I've had on a Christmas tree in our entire married life. A couple minutes later Ian comes down the side of a mountain hauling our tree:

After a little adjusting (it wasn't until we got it home that we realized it was over 12 feet tall) and a little heat (to get rid of the ice stuck on each branch) we were able to set it up in our front room. The house smells oh-so-Christmasy and the girls had a fabulous time decorating it. I'm not sure we'll attempt this venture again until the kids are a little older...but for now we are simply enjoying feeling like we've entered the Christmas season in full swing once and for all!

Mind Like a Steel Trap

You might need the background story for this...
In January of 2006 (yes, nearly 2 years ago), we attempted to join the ranks of pet-owners worldwide. This grand adventure lasted only 4 days. (Keep that in mind: 4 days!)
Over the last 6 months or so Lindy has taken every opportunity to remind us that she misses Zoe and asks repeatedly if we could go visit her. Sometimes she even throws in tears and a little sniffling to add more melodrama to her requests.
So today: Lindy was assigned to give a talk in Primary next week. In the car on the way home I casually ask, "So, Lindy, what do you think you should talk about?" And, of course, she responds, "Why don't we talk about my dog we gave away?"
We're never going to live that one down. We miss you, Zoe!

Dear Santa

Tonight the Jones family celebrated another milestone. It was our first Santa Letter Writing Night. Ellie really didn't do anything but scribble a little on a piece of paper and then try to color my teeth (don't ask because I don't know why). But our little artist, Lindy, was able to produce a fine letter. As you can see, she was quite specific about her Christmas wishes. She's been planning on asking for some rootbeer lipstick for about 11 months now. She kept asking me to buy her some and I kept putting her off by telling her that she'd have to ask Santa at Christmas time. She has a great memory. She also wants a FurReal baby pig. And last, but certainly not least, she asked for a wiggle car. Grandpa and grandma set those wheels in motion over Thanksgiving and now here we are. Luckily Santa has hired some great elves this year who, I'm sure, will help fulfill our 4-year old's wishes. She was beside herself with excitement as we helped her address the envelope, put a stamp on it, and stick it in the mailbox. Isn't childhood grand?

Little Miss Attitude Strikes Again

We are sitting at the dinner table enjoying our time together as a family. The conversation eventually turns to the ever-present drama of our home. (The stage for each day's drama is usually ruled by our oldest daughter with the under-study role reserved for the second-born.) This evening's conversation goes as follows:

Ian: "Well, I think I can safely say I'm the least dramatic of all of us."
Amy: "I wouldn't necessarily say that."
Ian: "Have you seen yourself pregnant?"
Amy: (not one to let this slide) "Oh yeah...have you seen yourself tired or hungry?"
Lindy: (to Ian) "...or married?" (with the same tone as her mother)

So, I can't tell if that's a point for me or Ian. Hmmm...

Temptation

I recently read a story about Heber J. Grant that gave me reason to stop and think. One day Pres. Grant went to his meat cellar to pick a ham that was to be donated to his ward for some type of ward function. It was his policy to always give the best to the Lord. As he began to look over the hams to determine which he might give, he suddenly had the thought that he could give the smallest and poorest ham and no one would really know, or care, for that matter. Just as the thought crossed his mind, he immediately recognized it for what it was and said aloud, as if there was someone there with him, "Shut up Mr. Devil or I'll give 'em two hams!"

Each and every day of my life I'm faced with sometimes little, sometimes big, temptations that put me in the position of choosing sides. I think that most of the time I do okay. But some days it's hard to remember that I've already chosen the side I want to be on. I know that the sneaky jerk wants me to believe that I'm not worth the fight, but I do know better. I know whose daughter I am and I know whose side I'm choosing. All the same, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who wants to shout out loud, "Shut up!"