Mmmm.....Breakfast

What is the worst thing you've had for breakfast?  I'll get the ball rolling....

Skittles!  I ate a half a bag of Skittles.  True, we didn't have any breakfast food, but I live right across the street from "Selecto Supermarket"! I  could've ran over to pick up something slightly more healthy.

 Oye vey!  I am going to pay for this later.  

It amazes me sometimes how much I abuse my body, but it is so forgiving. It still let's me breath, walk, dance with ease (although today it might be a brisker "sugar-high" walk!).

This cycle reminds me of forgiveness.  

We have agency to choose. 

We then sometimes choose poorly, which then makes us or those around us miserable.  

We feel remorse.

We ask for forgiveness 

It is freely given.

And even after all that, we STILL have our agency.  I don't know, if I gave somebody a gift and then they misused and came running to me for help to fix it, I'd be pretty upset and apt to never give them that same gift ever again, because they'd screw it up!

Thank goodness I'm not in charge of the universe.  Obviously Heavenly Father wants me to learn something.  I suppose he knows something I do not.   Glad it's in his hands.

So......

Skittles = 1          Anna=0

I've learned my lesson.  Skittles are not "Part of a complete breakfast"!

Tis the season to ignore your blogging

Sorry for my lack of blogging. I will return, honest! Stay tuned...

Just Thinking...

of all the memories from Christmases (sp? is that word?) past and my thoughts are turned to my wonderful family (naturally).  So just as a warning I'm going to trail off about things we baked for Christmas, presents we gave/received, service we rendered, etc.

I remember...

All the family dressing up in purple clothing.  Joel and Dad "picked up" a purple frosted Christmas tree from that empty lot by our house and then talking about purple things at dinner time.  I remember doing this whole charade for my oldest brother, Christian.

I remember...

Walks around the Arizona Temple to see the Christmas lights.  And then watching Luke II in the visitors center.

I remember...

My brother Joel, working very long and hard to make me my very first Barbie Doll house. It was blue with a brown roof and brown carpet samples on the floor of the house.

 I remember loving it!

I remember...

My mom letting me "buy" (she paid for it, but my name was on the label) a pink-flowered afghan for my sister as a Christmas present.  

I remember...

The Christmas that Joel wore his baby blue long underwear on Christmas morning.  Sprockets!

"Touch my monkey!"

I remember...

Eating pancakes with peanut butter and syrup and french toast with powdered sugar for Christmas breakfast.

I remember...

My dad dressing up as Santa Clause for the Episcopal church and going with him to their little church party.  I also remember feeling jealous that all those kids were sitting on MY dad's lap.

I remember...

The night that Joel, Cecily and I all got up at the same time to go to the bathroom the eve of Christmas.  I remember us giggling with excitement as we passed each other in the hallway.

I remember...

My mom scolding me for whining about presents and reminding me why we celebrate Christmas.

I remember...

When we were making Divinity for our neighbors, mom accidently pulled the hand-mixer out of the bowl while it was still spinning.  I remember her having white specks on her hair and and glasses.  Her first response--laughing her head off!

I remember...

Doing service projects to people outside our family, but I can't remember what we did in particular as a family...sad, I know.

I remember...

Warmth, thoughtfulness, kindness, gratitude, love, tenderness and the spirit of the season!

Botching, yet another, Christmas Song

My hubby's brother found this hilarious rendition of "The First Noel" by the beloved Animaniacs!
So I will give you the lyrics and you just place it with the melody and you get a very delightfully clever song.

To spell Santa's name is easy to do
You write S A N T and another A, too
But no L, no L, Santa's name has no L
And he won't be too pleased if you don't learn to spell

Jack and Jill went up a hill to fetch water from a well
But when neither one could find it, Jill started to yell
No well, no well, can't believe there's no well
We walked all the way here and I'm mad, can't you tell?

Captain Ahab took his crew, his harpoon and set sail
And he called out to ships, 'Have you seen the white whale?'
No whale, no whale, we ain't seen no whale
Saw a couple of dolphins, and a big yellow tail

If you've listened to this tune, then you probably can tell
That you've heard it before, it's a song you know well
Know well, know well, it's a song you know well
And we've ruined it completely, so we all say 'Oh well'

Oh well, oh well, We'll just say 'Fare thee well'
And Merry Christmas to you, and a Joyous Noel


Since I'm being irreverent, I thought this was kind of funny...poor santa

Getting to know my Christmas Style

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I love wrapping presents! I feel so cheated when I can't rummage through an old pile of torn boxes, only to find that the top of the box is missing. And then find out that I didn't cut the right size of wrapping paper so then I have to cut strips to go into the exposed areas where the larger wrapping piece didn't cover, and to try to perfectly fold the sides of the paper to make it look clean and discover that I left the tape in the other room...I just don't like the simplicity of gift bags.

2. Real tree or artificial? Well if I could afford a real tree that would be my first pick, but our adorable 2 foot artificial tree is doing a great job holding up our ornaments and lights. And the Christmas tree scented candle I bought does the job.

3. When do you put up the tree? This year is was 2 days after Thanksgiving

4. When do you take the tree down? Usually around New Year's

5. Do you like eggnog? I'll taste a little each Christmas, but I'm a big Hot Chocolate drinker

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I have two: The Barbie Doll house that my brother built and the homemade dress ups my sister made

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yup: 1 mini size, one orb-looking one, and one Veggietales nativity

8. Hardest person to buy for? My brothers

9. Easiest person to buy for? My nieces

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Luckily, I missed out on any bad gifts.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? This year I'm trying to make all my Christmas cards and then send them in the mail.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I love ELF! And a Christmas story is a classic! But Charlie Brown Christmas is good too. Hmm....

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? December

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I'm sure I have

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Holy Smokes! What don't I eat. Popcorn, candy canes, peppermint bark, divinity, cookies...I have no shame.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? colored

17. Favorite Christmas song? I Heard the Bells on Chrismtas Day

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Now that I'm married an both our families live on the other side other of the US, we travel.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Of course I can! Who doesn't! There's Sleepy, Sleazy, Cupid, DonJaun, Dopey, Blitzen, Flashy, Snazzy, and John Wayne.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I grew up with a beautiful ceramic angel on our tree. Now I have a giant red star on our tiny tree. I like both.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? On Christmas Morning!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? In NYC, it's the congestion on the Subway that is a bummer. Not only are there MORE people crammed into a subway car, they all have huge bags of Christmas presents.

23. What I love most about Christmas? Christmas songs, Service projects, traditions, decorations, Christmas lights at the temple, the birth of my Savior.