Brain Declutter: Because I need to post words not just pictures....

*I hate towels that don't really dry you off.  You know the ones that just move the water around?

*Our tree has been up for a week and a half and we still haven't decorated it.

*Today Jake brought his little hymn book in the car so we could sing Christmas carols on the way to pick up his friend.  We had a disagreement on how you say "in excelsis".  He was sure it was pronounced "egg celsius". :)

*I am trying really hard to get in the Christmas spirit but I am having a hard time dealing with the fact that it is December 9th.  When did that happen?  Curse you late Thanksgiving!  Also I have a lot to do to get ready for Christmas so I am trying to postpone it in my head.

*Jake lost what I think is his 2nd to last tooth he needs to lose.  He keeps reminding me that the tooth fairy hasn't visited yet.  Do you really still have to give tooth fairy money to them when they know you are the tooth fairy?  Of course you do but I just never seem to have a dollar in my wallet.  One time the tooth fairy gave him a bigger bill because it was dark and she didn't know it wasn't a dollar.  That was back in the days when he didn't know I was the tooth fairy.  Luckily it was his first molar so that was the excuse for why he got a big bill (I can't remember what it was...it may have been a $10) that one time and never again!

*I know a lady who thinks that book club distracts from reading scriptures.  She is giving the impression that she thinks this statement is true to all those who attend book club...She is a self professed slow reader and she doesn't have time to read both and wonders if book club is a good idea.  To this my response (in my head, not out loud) is:  then don't come.  I am not a slow reader and the only thing we take with us into the next world is knowledge, so I read good books including the scriptures, but not limited too).  This is one of those "You've Got Mail" moments.  You know in the movie where they talk about being able to say the exact thing you want to say-at the moment you want to say it...I wanted to say "so just don't come" and be done with it but I couldn't do it.  If the conversation comes up again I think I will say it and not feel bad.  She is willing to voice her opinions, assuming that they apply to everyone when they don't.  My statement is simple and truly does apply to her.  Plus she doesn't want to read Jane Austen.  She says it is fluff she doesn't have time for.  If that isn't crazy I am not sure what it.  Here's to not being that busy and not being a slow reader!

*I started this declutter 13 days ago.  It is the eve of Christmas Eve and I am still trying to feel like it should already  be Christmas time!  It just seems like it should be October...

*I just got a package we ordered for our Primary (Sunday School, Sharing Time, and Music Time).  (Note to myself in the future and posterity: I am the Primary President right now)  We ordered Book of Mormons for our Junior Primary (kiddos ages 3-7), and scripture bookmarks with "Scripture Mastery" (verses they will memorize when they attend Seminary in high school) verses on it to start memorizing.  There are also CTR ("Choose The Right") rings for junior primary and some other fun stuff for kicking of next year.  At church we start our new curriculum in January and our new theme for the year is "Families Are Forever".  We are doing lots of prepping for it and it is going to be a great year!!!  All our teacher are in place and things are looking good!

*I love me Kindle.  I have said it before and I will say it again.  I love the idea of having a library in my purse.  "I can't live without my books."-Thomas Jefferson, one of my heros.  I am back to trying to finish Great Expectations.  I started it months ago (I think the beginning of 2013..) and only got 60% through and gave up.  It is not my favorite but I was told it gets better and it is better, but still not my favorite....I will finish it before the year is out.  I am 80 something % through and am waiting eagerly for it to get better....

*We just saw Catching Fire in the theaters on Saturday and it was AMAZING!  I cried four times I  think.  It was that good.  They did a better job this time connecting the characters and I just loved it.   We were waiting for Jake to finish it (he had just read Hunger Games and we watched that the Friday before...or maybe even 2 weeks ago...He is half way through Mocking Jay now).  I am a big believer of reading the book first. We saw the Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug, the day after it came out and it was also AMAZING!  We read the Hobbit last school year and Jake loved it.  I think Hollywood is getting better at making movies that were books first.  I still haven't seen The Book Thief and I am not even sure if it is in the theaters any more...I will have to keep checking the $2 Theater.

*Aaron and Jake are out Christmas shopping...Better them than me!  Now I have to get back to painting ornaments, painting a little table for Jaxson, and wrapping gifts...

This is how my mind works...

I am on a mission to fight off a cold (colds always settle in my chest and right now we are waiting for our health insurance with Aaron's new job to kick in...so I can't afford to catch a cold) so I turned to my Facebook friends for home remedies.  Here they are:

The adorable winter themed mug couldn't hide the hot, spicy, and acidic mixture I concocted when I put all the ingredients in (besides the D3 I just swallowed that...I mixed these all together because that is what I thought I was supposed to do...I wasn't supposed to...) and got ready to guzzle it down.

I hesitated...but then I took the plunge and drank...Jake handed me a Ritz cracker after every gulp to try to help with the burn from the Cayenne  Capsule I opened and poured in it.

That is as much as I could do.  I found out the next day that I wasn't supposed to put it all together but I'll tell you what, I woke up the next day feeling a lot better.  I burned the germs right out of my throat and sinuses, and I will do it again if necessary!

I love how the lemons, I have been drinking with my ginger herbal tea and local honey to keep away any more germs and continue to soothe my throat, look in my bowl.

That reminded me for some reason about all the gift bags I stuffed for the Ward Christmas party...

...with Cutie's that I had in the fridge and had to sit on the counter in tea towels to dry off the condensation...Cutie's and lemons both citrus fruit...That is the leap my brain made...and...

...the gift bags reminded me that the first gifts under our tree this year were the ones Anika gave us in January of this year all wrapped and ready for Christmas...

Yep...that is how my brain works.  I have a hard time going to sleep some times because it just won't shut off.

Got some packages in the mail...

...and we couldn't wait to see the treasures inside...

Aunt Gloria sent us some amazing things...

Beautiful fabric galore!!!

Beads...

 And all sorts of other awesome sewing notions!

Scientific America.  My science nerd was excited (being a nerd is a good thing in our house).

 BOOKS!!!!

A letter...

With the story of Nana Lee's sewing shears and darning egg passing to Aunt Gloria and then on to me.  These will be cherished and passed along for generations.

Aaron was excited to see some math books with his name in them.

Now we have to decide which one to start first!

We were THRILLED to get this book that I have been eying ever time we were at Sam's Club on the book aisle...(Great book by the way!!!  Read it-you will love it!)

Jake was extra excited his name was in it. :)

I took a million pictures of course, but tried to pare it down a little.  I can't wait to get reading and sewing!  Thank you so much Aunt Gloria!  We love you!

Getting in the Christmas Spirit...or at least trying to

It always creates such a mess to get out the Christmas decorations...

But it is worth it.  Jake always sets up the Nativity...and then I rearrange a little.  But this year he asked me not to, so I won't...

Can't find a home for these guys...

I love our Christmas plates because they are really winter plates.  I love snowmen!

Kayla (and Megan...She left earlier.  This is a pic of when Kayla was leaving) came for a visit and it was AWESOME!

We had a Sound of Music (live on NBC) party and this is the only picture I took...but Sound of Music always puts me in the Christmas spirit.

Jake made me breakfast in bed one Fridays morning, "because I thought you needed it".  He rocks.  Cracklin' Oat Bran and garlic toast.  My favorite!

I think...it may...be starting to feel like Christmas.

If we were Mini Figures...

I really am going to write something in a post one of these days. My brain is full and needs to be decluttered...Maybe tomorrow...but for now: here is our family, if we were mini figures. Sadie is way cuter than this, but you work with what you've got. :)

Cooking lessons...

Jake has decided he wants to learn to cook and last Friday was the first lesson.  He can scramble eggs and make macaroni and cheese but he wanted to make something a little more involved.

I told him step by step what to do and he did it all.  We don't boil our noodles.  We let them cook in the sauce....

Now for a layer of cheese and back in the oven...It already looks yummy doesn't it?

We may have forgotten about it in the over while playing a little Mario Cart Wii, but this is actually the way Aaron likes it....

...Nice and crispy cheese...

This is the one that didn't get quit as crispy.

He was on a roll so he made banana muffins and bread completely by himself.

I may take an early retirement from the kitchen, because is was all DE-LISH!  He even cleaned up the kitchen after.  Great job Jake!  What are you going to cook next?







Blurry picks of the guys trying it out while re-watching the Hobbit to get ready for the Desolation of Smaug.  Thumps up all around!

If my kiddo has to grow up, at least there is a perk of him cooking so I don't have too!!!

Thanksgiving Weekend Traditions...

The Saturday after Thanksgiving means: Fried food, family, and fun...Oh, and the Gamecocks beating Clemson for the 5th year in a row. :) 

Jaxson kissing baby Jesus. :)

Jaxson kissing Della. :)

Aaron is the Fry King.

It's a good thing the hardest thing we Mormon's drink is Mountain Dew, because we can put it away!!!!  That is a lot of soda...

All the Harmon cousin's minus Sara...WE MISSED YOU!!!!

(Next year I will include more words...Go Gamecocks!)