Saturday, December 30, 2017

December 2017


My December started out with Matt sending me to an Asian market to find a particular brand of Chinese cooking wine.  I finally found it on this aisle full of wines and vinegars!  Ha Ha!


The next evening, while watching the First Presidency Christmas Broadcast, we were surprised with a large group of wonderful people from our YSA ward who sang us a couple of Christmas carols.  We love these people!


A few times a month, I have been going on long walks around Daybreak Lake with my friend, Rhonda.  She is full of light and positivity.  I'm blessed to know her.



Matt left me for a day or two for this.  He's determined to play golf every month during the winter.


For my birthday (#46), Matt took me to The Piano Guys concert.  We had a great time.



Here's a note I received at the end of a subbing day.  It made me smile and laugh a bit.  I love middle school kids.

Our 12 Days of Christmas started on December 13th.  Words of Christmas was my theme.  This is the ninth year I've done it for our family.  Next year will probably be the last.


Matt and I attended our ward's Christmas party held at the Institute building this year.  We had a yummy dinner catered by HoneyBaked Ham, and then we played games and decorated gingerbread houses together.










My younger sister Heather and her husband Rob welcomed their first baby together on December 18th.  They named her Evelyn Rae.  I get the privilege of babysitting her twice a week starting at the end of January.


Chelsea is now a college graduate!  We are so proud of her.  She has earned a Bachelors degree from BYU in Latin American Studies with a minor in Spanish.  We gifted her a FitBit and had a celebratory dinner at Benihanas.



I made gluten free cinnamon rolls and they actually were pretty good!


For about a week I got to dog sit this little 6 pound cutie named Sasha.  She visited our house a few times and even slept once on Emma's bed so she wouldn't bark in her backyard and bug the neighbors.


Let's take a look at my awesome family on Christmas morning.  Awwww I just love em.


Josh went to Zion National Park for a couple days with a few friends.  He hiked Angel's Landing!  Brave man!


Grandma and Grandpa Wright held their annual family Christmas party.  Little Caesars pizza, a visit from Jultomten, gift exchange game, and this year... a relay race of poop the potato!




Well, there you have it.  My blog has turned into a description of my Decembers and my 12 Days of Christmas.  

12 Days of Christmas: Words of Christmas



“Words of Christmas” 2017

On the first day of Christmas, we bring to you with love…

Angel Tree Shopping

For our 12 Days of Christmas, we will be savoring the true meaning of the season…one word at a time.  Today’s word is ANGEL.  Read now the message about angels in our new book.  Tonight we are going to be  messengers of joy and be “angels” for a little girl who needs us to bring her some Christmas cheer.  Her name is Jaszmin, and she is nine years old.  Mom has already purchased her some much needed clothing and Sister Mari Smith’s family are giving her a warm coat and shoes.  We need to go to the store today and buy her something to play with that will put a smile on her face. 





On the second day of Christmas, we bring to you with love…

Luminaria With Our YSAs

Today’s word of Christmas is LIGHT.  Look for the message about light and read that together.  At 8pm we will be meeting up with our YSA ward friends at Thanksgiving Point where we will walk through light filled gardens as we remember our Savior, who is the Light of the World.

(Emma got sick and we could not go.)



On the third day of Christmas, we bring to you with love…

 T-Shirt (for Emma) We Can All Learn From

KINDNESS is our Christmas word of the day.  Kindness begins with me and you!  Read the reflection in our new book.  Let us all find ways every day to choose kindness and treat others as we would like to be treated.  Usually it doesn’t take much effort, but sometimes it’s nice to go out of your way to show somebody that you care.  




On the fourth day of Christmas, we bring to you with love…

A Christmas Sign

Today’s word of Christmas is PEACE.  What can we learn of peace on earth as we read the short message?  It is only through Jesus Christ that we can feel such comfort and joy.  This sign will be displayed in our home so that we can remember who is the real source.  




On the fifth day of Christmas, we bring to you with love…

A Day to Get and Give Good Gifts

We will reflect on two words today…MAGI and GIVING.  Read about those in our book.  What can you give to your Savior for Christmas?  What can you present to Him on his birthday that would be the most meaningful?  Think about that today as you prepare for the special day.  Today, we will finish up any shopping that is needed and then deliver our gifts of love to our extended family.  We’ll go by car…not camels!





On the sixth day of Christmas, we bring to you with love…

Grinch Night!

What does that have to do with the true words of Christmas?  Read about SPIRIT today. “Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before, What if Christmas, he thought doesn’t come from a store.  What if Christmas perhaps, means a little bit more.”  It certainly does!  May we be able to fully know and feel the real spirit of Christmas despite all the trimmings and trappings of the holiday season.   Tonight, let’s enjoy being together while we watch the Grinch movie and eat Grinch treats.





On the seventh day of Christmas, we bring to you with love…

Our Annual Ornament

HOLY is our Christmas word of the day.  Read what our little book says about holinesss.  The temple is a symbol of God’s holiness, so a temple ornament was chosen this year for each of you.  Let it represent all that is holy in our lives because of our Lord Jesus Christ.   







On the eighth day of Christmas, we bring to you with love…

Nativity Puzzle

Jesus’ birth was a true MIRACLE that we BELIEVE in.  Read about those two words today.  You guys are great at putting together puzzles.  Hopefully this 1000 piece puzzle will be a challenge for you.  Greg Olsen painted this nativity scene that will remind us of the miraculous event that took place so long ago in Bethlehem.  





On the ninth day of Christmas, we bring to you with love…

Visit to Temple Square

Our words of Christmas are WONDER and CHRIST.  What are the thoughts about these words in our book?  How can visiting Temple Square help you to understand these two words better? Bundle up in warm coats and hats, and let’s go on an outing to the most wondrous place in Salt Lake City!  

(Instead of this, we celebrated Chelsea’s graduation from BYU at Benihana in downtown Salt Lake City.)






On the tenth day of Christmas, we bring to you with love…

Our Annual Christmas Book

Today’s word of Christmas is TRADITION.  Pick up our new book again and read what thoughts it has regarding tradition.  Every year since Chelsea was born, we would buy our family a Christmas book to read. We have quite the collection! This year, our annual book has to do with one of our biggest traditions…our 12 Days of Christmas! It has been a tradition in our family for nine years now!  This fun event may need to change as our family dynamics change, but it will always be something that connects us and bring us loving memories of Christmas.  





On the eleventh day of Christmas, we bring to you with love…

Candy Canes and Steamers

Read about SHEPHERDS today as we contemplate words of Christmas.  The candy cane represents the shepherd’s staff.  They were the first ones to tell of the Christ Child’s birth, and we, too, can share that glad news with those around us.  The candy cane can also remind us that He is our Shepherd…the one to follow each and every day.





On the twelfth day of Christmas, we bring to you with love…

Gingerbread Houses and Dinner with G&G Wright


Tonight we CELEBRATE as a FAMILY, together at home, the birth of Jesus Christ. As part of our family’s celebration, let’s create gingerbread (actually graham cracker) houses,  enjoy Christmas dinner with Grandpa and Grandma Wright, and have our annual pajama hunt.We hope that these Words of Christmas have brought a deeper appreciation of what Christmas means to you.