CRRASSSSHHHH!!!

Yesterday while I was working at the Provo mall I looked up and saw Brittany, who then showed me "the coolest picture ever" on her camera. This is what I saw. Guess whose car it is? Yep; ours.

I had the van, so Kelly and Brittany hopped into our red '87 Toyota Corolla to come and see me and got stuck during the POUNDING of a snowstorm we got in Utah Valley yesterday. It was crazy. While they were dring they heard a crash and this is what the back windshield looked like. It was still snowing and they ended up with tons of snow in the car. So Kelly dropped Brittany off and took the car home to put it in the garage.

We're not sure what caused it to break, but it turns out the only way to replace it is to find it at a junkyard somewhere because no one makes that windshield anymore. Who woulda thunk? Needless to say, Kelly and Shane are not happy campers right now since that's the vehicle they usually drive--Shane the most, unless Kelly needs it for work (like right now because of the weather).

It was still storming really bad when I was done with work, so Brittany and I got lunch at the food court, finished Christmas shopping that was otherwise going to happen at Wal-Mart, and went and saw the Twilight movie. I told her I was fine with spending the night there in one of the massage chairs and declaring us "snowed in." She didn't like that idea and we finally made it home to my very upset husband.

The movie was good, though. :)

WHEW

I made it through one crazy Sunday today. Last night I wasn't sure how I was going to do because I was feeling sick yesterday (kind of achey, etc. how you are coming off of an illness) again and I think I have a sinus infection. Hooray.

Any-hoo. How's this for a ridiculous day? Not only was it my Sunday to teach Relief Society, but I also had a piano solo for the Sacrament Meeting Christmas program. It was good that I went home early from work because I really needed the extra practice time. On top of that, Kelly and I are on the ward activities committee and we had the ward PARTY last night. And I had visiting teaching appointments this morning at 9:30 and this afternoon at 3:00. Yow. I'm feeling a little like I've been hit by a truck.

The piano solo went better than last time I played it--it's an arrangement of The First Noel that I played at Enrichment and I wasn't happy with that performance at all. The key difference this time, I think, was that I had Kelly come up with me as my "page turner." Really what I needed was a wall so I didn't have any congregation views in my peripheral vision. It wasn't perfect but I remembered one of my piano teachers telling me that one of the keys to being a good pianist was being able to effectively COVER UP mistakes. I certainly did a fair share of covering up, but at least the parts that were really important to me for expression came out all right.

I thought Sunday was supposed to be a day of rest. I guess "keeping the Sabbath Day holy" doesn't necessarily mean resting. Did the Lord REALLY rest on the 7th day?

AGAIN

I know I just finished my last post but I just looked out the window and it's SNOWING. AGAIN. Uggggh. I did a lot of shoveling yesterday evening and it is really coming down now--huge flakes, wind and everything.

Curses, Brittany, curses!! Santa must really like you (I just realized that if you rearrange the letters in Santa you can also spell Satan).

Feeling Merrier. . .Thanks to my "Grandmas"

I'm feeling better today. I've been able to get a lot done over the past 3 days and it feels good. Got most of my shopping done Tuesday and did wrapping Wednesday.

Yesterday I delivered some little snowman dudes I got at the craft store to some of the grandmas that live in my neighborhood. Can I just say that that was one of the nicest afternoons I've spent in quite a while? Every single one of them wanted me to come in and visit, and it was so nice. They were so happy to be thought of! I love talking with grandmas; it's so fun to get to know them better and hear some of their experiences and just gab. I think it's sad that as humans we tend to gravitate towards people our own ages; we can learn a LOT from each other at all ages, I think.

I actually did housework today. It was amazing. I also got some piano practicing in and I'm making soup so that everyone can eat real dinner tonight after I've gone to work (for some reason no one around here is capable of putting a meal together themselves. Shane thinks there is no food in the house if we're not stocked up on crackers--it drives me CRAZY).

My Holiday Meltdown

So yesterday I had a complete panic attack. I literally woke up around 4:00 gasping because it hit me WHILE I WAS SLEEPING how close it was to Christmas. And I had very little shopping done. I've been working a LOT the past few weeks and haven't had time to do everything.

I was scheduled to work yesterday and I had a feeling that it would be a good idea for me to call in and ask if they still needed to cut hours and volunteer to give up my shift. My shift was actually an extra one that had been added and up for grabs, so I took it. Then at around 8:00 the director called and told me my shift had been cancelled and I was like, "No problem!"

I got quite a bit done, but I always battle feeling panicky this time of year. Spending those larger chunks of money really freaks me out and I get worried that I'll be sorry that I spent the money on anything other than food staples the day the world ends and we're all living in our basements chewing on the wheat we have in food storage. LOL I know it's ridiculous, but I really do go there. Except for chewing on raw wheat, maybe. Except that that's what we'd have to do at our house since WE DON'T HAVE A WHEAT GRINDER!! Hmmm. . .maybe that's what I should get ME for Christmas.

I've definitely realized the past few days that I have not been living in a very balanced way over the past month. I haven't allowed time to do water aerobics or keep up with housework, etc. In fact, yesterday I got sick and I'm home from work again today. I've gotta quit being stupid.

Snow, snow. . .GO AWAY!!

We got our first big snow Sunday night. Yesterday morning it was EVERYWHERE. Pretty, indeed, but my frustration level goes up a LOT with having to shovel, salt and scrape everything. Everyone was pretty grumpy yesterday morning, too--Shane was not happy about having to go outside and shovel snow with Kelly. The only happy person was Brittany. She LOVES the snow, and has been eagerly awaiting a good snowfall so she can go sledding. Jared doesn't like the cold but told her he would take her. Sadly, it didn't pan out because she has her electronic baby for child development at school--she wears a sensor on her wrist that she has to scan him with when he cries, so she can't get a "babysitter." For her sake, hopefully the snow will stick around long enough for her to get her sledding fix. . .but I can honestly say that I will be glad when it's gone. I like a good snow on Christmas day, and after that it can just stay in the mountains.

I know, I'm no fun. Oh well. Take me to Hawaii.

He's Baa-aack

Shane got back from dance tour late Sunday night. I was glad to get him back safe and sound; I got a little worried the later it got. He seems to have had a good time. . .I haven't heard a lot so far because he had school and work yesterday and we were all grumpy waking up to snow needing to be shoveled and scraped this morning. He did say that when they were at downtown Disneyland there was a live band that started playing a cha-cha so they started dancing and gathered a crowd. He said they did a couple of other dances for them as well and got some good applause. He was pretty excited about that!

This is the poster I made and put up on the garage for him to welcome him home. I always (or almost always) make welcome home posters when Kelly or the kids have been gone. I'm never gone.