Happy New Year!

Christmastime in Chicago

We took a night trip to the city to check out some of the pretty decorations. There are several books published on the beauty of Chicago at Christmas, but I think we should have figured out where to look before we left. We only found a few things. But they were pretty. I wore my little Russian hat. The kids were laughing at me. You can too.
And in truth, our main objective was to go to Al's Beef for authentic Italian Beef sandwiches. We went, we ate, we enjoyed. You can get them two ways: dipped and dry. I wanted to do dipped, which is basically french dip, but the whole thing at once. Richard would have preferred dry, so of course, he went and got one the next day and did it dry. That is soooo him. We're trying to experience all of the legendary food places while we're here. There are lots of them.

Have Fun, Maddie!

Maddie has returned to sunny CA for a week. She took her first solo flight including a layover in Dallas. Thankfully, she got assistance for the whole trip. She had quite a way to go to catch the connecting flight. It may be a life-changing experience. She had so much fun and the flight attendants were so nice to her that she may consider this as a career. They gave her tons of food and even let her help in their station breaking up ice and filling cups. She was well cared for. I hope she's having tons of fun. We miss her.

gingerbread men

We finally got around to making gingerbread men this year--after Christmas. Ellie has been really interested in gingerbread this year. They did a big unit on it in school. So her Christmas book was Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett. As part of the illustrations on each page there is a running recipe for gingerbread and she wanted to use that recipe. So that's what we did. It actually turned out really good. They had a great time decorating a few, but soon tired out. I'm glad I didn't make the double batch that I had considered.

Christmas Morning

All of our Christmas wishes came true this year. Here's what we got:
Richard-really wanted a bunch of new sweater vests. On Sundays he wears bow ties and with the sweater vests he looks like a professor. I think he likes the look.
Me-I got the steering wheel cover I wanted and a new towel warmer. Richard also fixed the shower knob so that we get hotter showers now. I just love taking hot showers and getting into hot towels. A little bit of heaven everyday.
Maddie-got lots of clothes. She did not get the camera she wanted but is on her way to saving up for it. Her tastes are becoming increasingly expensive.
Emma-got the scrapbook that she's been wanting for 4 years now. Yay for her.
Lauren-got the Hannah Montana wig that she has given at every friend's birthday party for 2 years now. (I don't think everyone is as thrilled about it as she is, but she insists every time). Much to her delight she also got an entire Hannah Montana outfit: shirt, "leather" skirt, leggings, and her jacket make for quite the Hannah Montana.
Ellie-got the Gariella HSM dress with wig that she wanted and the Belle and Beast barbies. It was a close call on the barbies, but I lucked out and found it on ebay with only 2 days to go and it got here on time. A little Christmas miracle.
Of course we all (okay, mostly me) got Wii Rock band. I knew sometime in August that this would be a must in our household, but couldn't justify getting it until now. I'm getting soooooo good. I just love it. I get to release the inner rocker. Oh, you know it's there.

Happy Birthday Jesus

We don't have very many traditions that actually occur regularly enough to be considered traditions. But our Christmas Eve celebration is the exception. We have been doing this for about 8 years now and it's the best part of Christmas for me. Here's what we do:
Light a bunch of candles--usually about 15. (The number actually coincides with the number of activities we do.)
Then we do things like get new tree ornaments, open new Christmas books and read them, sing Christmas songs, read the Bible story from Luke, set out a treat for Santa, and of course, sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and eat the cake.
Then blow out a candle at the end of each activity and when the house is dark, it's time to go to bed. This usually lasts about 1 1/2 hours and my kids love it.

Annual Santa Show

 

Ever since Maddie was about 6 years old she has been writing, directing, and producing her own plays using siblings as her main characters. Therefore, ever since Emma was about 4 years old she has played the main role of Santa in Maddie's Christmas productions. If I had known then that this was to be an annual Christmas tradition I would have tried much harder to get photos of it. This is pretty hilarious because I have absolutely nothing to do with it and never have. It just happens one night before Christmas and they never forget to do it. They work together to find costumes from anything they can scrounge up in the house, they rehearse, and then they perform. We now have Santa and two elves in the show. I love it. Emma's costume this year is perhaps the best ever. I think it was the polyfill stuffing beard they found this time that made the difference. In the past in has been made of paper. They crack me up.

Do-It-Yourself Messiah

 

I had the wonderful opportunity, last week, to attend the Do-It-Yourself Messiah with my friends Karen, Kim, and Tammie. It was held at the Civic Opera house in Chicago. We planned to leave early, find some dinner, and then go sing. But as it turns out, the traffic was so terrible it took us more than two hours to get there and we ended up being a bit late. We had to sit on the very last row of the very top tier. During intermission we got up and moved down a few floors.
It was incredible. The soloists were awesome, the audience choir was huge and did a pretty good job. It was such a fun time, despite being the coldest night I have spent any real time in. The temp. was about -34 degrees F. with the wind chill. We only had to walk about 3 blocks from our parking place and my face was numb when we got there. Sooooo cold! Our dinner ended up being McDonalds on the way home at 11:00 that night. It was really fun. Thanks girls :).

What is Christmas about?

My sister requested that we all write down our favorite Christmas memories, a story, poem or maybe just some thoughts about Christmas. And then, strangely, Richard requested the same thing a few days later. So, I thought I'd get the kids together and talk about our favorite Christmas memories. We brainstormed a bit, but it was like pulling teeth to get a real, and positive, memory out of any of them. So, this is what we came up with (I'm just keeping it real here):
Maddie- wrote a poem in couplet form expressing commentary that she hasn't had a good Christmas since she was about 4 years old.
Emma- plagiarized a poem from the computer about how pretty Christmas tree ornaments are.
Lauren wrote-(sic)
Christmas is about love and caring--not presnts. But sometimes you like the presonts more. But if you wish for Christmas all the time Santa just runs out of presnts and then you get no more presnts. P.S. I hope you all have a mary Christmas like me.
We talked a little about how the topic sentence didn't really go with the rest of the paragraph and she told me that she only put that because she thought she was supposed to say that.
Ellie wrote-(sic)
I love my familie. Christmas is about loveing not about gifts. And Christmas is about Jesus being born.
(Can you tell that Ellie is very concerned about having the right answer at all times?)
So, that's where we stand on Christmas right now--cynical and immature, but trying to think the "right" thing. I think we'll stick with the traditional Christmas stories at our house for a few more years. They're filled with so much more joy and love.

Gingerbread Houses

 

During the last week of school Lauren's class was making gingerbread houses. She was so excited for this day. She got up without too much of a fuss, dressed in her "pretty house" shirt just for the occasion, let me do her hair, and was ready to get out the door 15 min. early. This is pretty much unheard of at my house. She was extra pleased because I was going to be a helper in her class for the event. She had such a good time doing this project.
On a side note--I don't think I've ever blogged about the school district here. It's run like a prison. Every school is in lockdown 100% of the time. There are NO class treats allowed--ever!!! They only get one recess (at lunch time) and have about 10 min. to eat lunch before they are thrown out of the cafeteria. So, what does this have to do with gingerbread houses? MmmHmm. . .you know I was letting kids sneak a little candy here and there and watching them pop it into their mouths. Take that you crusty ol' school district.
On the other hand, when I went into Ellie's class to help out during the same week, I took my camera and was going to get some cute pictures of the fun Polar Express Day they were having, but right when I walked in a little kid walked right over to where I was standing (off of the carpet) and puked a gallon right next to me. So I became a little distracted from the picture taking idea. That was another fun day. :(

Our Princess Tree

 

I suppose it's inevitable that when you have a household of girls you will eventually have a pink, princess Christmas tree. It has happened. Over the years we have collected so many princess, ballet, angel, etc. themed ornaments that I finally decided to just embrace the theme and we have gone pink. We got pink lights and had a Cinderella tree-topper. We did a big pink and silver bow and we are just as happy as can be with our new pink tree. I realize that having a Cinderella tree-topper doesn't do much to remind us of the reason for the season, but I hope that will come through with the other traditions and celebrations we have.

Santa Train

We had a great time on the Santa Train. Sadly, our trip to the North Pole was cut short. It was discovered that the journey would take way too long. So we went into Chicago and back. Ellie had been talking all week about what she was going to tell Santa when she saw him, but in true Ellie fashion she chickened out as soon as she saw the Big Guy.

The dreaded ICE storm. . .

has come. People have been talking about this for two days. It's been on everyone's minds and part of every conversation. I was out late last night trying to get a bit of shopping done and that's when it started. It really is like nothing I ever remember experiencing before. Literally, ice is falling from the sky. Not like hail, more like frozen raindrops (I know it sounds like the same thing, but it's not). When it hits the ground it just sticks solid and creates a sheet of ice. We awoke to 2 inches of solid ice in our driveway. The roads actually seem pretty clear. They do a good job of keeping them salted and plowed.
But the good news is---Christmas vacation has started early!!!!!! No school today was hoped for and received.

Live Nativity. . .

at the Woodridge ward. It was pretty neat. The kids loved the sheep and the donkey the best. It was rainy and cold, but worth it. The flash wasn't working well to get the pictures of the nativity because it was a little too far away, but Lauren did snap this one of us. It looks like Ellie's nose was dripping some. Eeuwww!

Salad, Please!

Today's conversation with Ellie--
Ellie: Mom, can I have a salad?
Me: (surprised and pleased) You want a salad?
E: Yes, the ingredients are Cheezits and Doritos.

Hmmm. . .that does sound pretty good.

Ward Christmas Party

Our ward did a nativity play. Everyone but me was involved. Parts are obvious (Maddie was a narrator). It was a great time.

Emma in Choir Robes

We were happy to watch Emma perform with her choir last week. She did a great job. I will just add that I have never been in a choir that actually had choir robes. I think they're pretty cool.

Life in the Doghouse

This is a pretty funny little video.

A Muslim translates the Book of Mormon

This is floating around the internet. Maybe you've seen it, but I think it is very interesting.


A Muslim translates Book of Mormon back to Egyptian and is converted.

Reflections of Sami Hanna as recorded by Elder Russell M. Nelson.
My neighbor, Sami Hanna, is a native Egyptian. He is an academic scholar who moved into our neighborhood to accept an assignment with the university as a specialist in Middle Eastern Studies and the Semitic group of languages such as Arabic, Abyssinian, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Assyrian. Being a newcomer into our community, he felt the Mormons were a bit of a curiosity. Upon learning the name Mormon came from our belief that the Book of Mormon is divine scripture, he was intrigued by the existence of the Book of Mormon. He had erroneously thought this was American literature. When he was told that the Book of Mormon was translated from the ancient Egyptian or modified Hebrew type of hieroglyphic into the English language by the prophet Joseph Smith, he became even more engrossed, for this was his native language and he knows much about the other Semitic languages as well as the modern languages. So challenged was he by this book that he embarked on the project of translating the Book of Mormon from English to Arabic. This translation was different from other translators, for this was to be a translation back to the original language of the book.
To make a long story short, the process of this translation became the process of his conversion; for he soon knew the Book of Mormon to be a divine document even though he knew virtually nothing of the organization of the Church or of its programs. His conversion came purely from the linguistics of the book which he found could not have been composed by an American, no matter how gifted. Some of these observations I think will be of interest to you, as they were to me, for they clarify some of the unique aspects of thebook.
1. Jarom 2: "It musts needs be..." This expression, odd and awkward in English, is excellent Arabic grammar. Elsewhere in the book the use of the compound verbs "did eat", "did go", "did smile" again awkward and rarely used in English, are classical and correct grammar in the Semitic languages.
2. Omni 18: "Zarahemla gave a genealogy of his fathers, according to his memory. Brother Hanna indicates that this is a typical custom of his Semitic forebearers to recite their genealogy from memory.
3. Words of Mormon 17: Reference is made here as in other parts of the Book of Mormon, to the "stiffneckedness " of his people. Brother Hanna perceives that this word would be a very unusual word for an American youth, Joseph Smith, to use. An American would likely prefer an adjective such as stubborn or inflexible. But the custom in the Arabic language is to use just such a descriptive adjective. Stiffnecked is an adjective they use in describing an obstinate person.
4. Mosiah 11:8 "King Noah built many elegant and spacious buildings and ornamented them with fine work and precious things, including ziff." Have you ever wondered about the meaning of the word " ziff" referred to in this scripture? This word, although in the Book of Mormon, is not contained in dictionaries of the English language. Yet it translates freely back into the Arabic language, for ziff is a special kind of curved sword somewhat like a scimitar which is carried in a sheath and often used for ornamentation as well as for more practical purposes. The discovery of the word "ziff" in the Book of Mormon really excited my neighbor, Brother Hanna.
5. Alma 63:11 Reference is made to Helaman, son of Helaman. Why did not Joseph Smith interpret this as Helaman, Jr., which would have been more logical for him, bearing the same name as his father, Joseph, and being named Joseph Smith, Jr. In Arabic, Brother Hanna explains, there is no word "junior" to cover this circumstance. Their custom is to use the terminology Joseph, son of Joseph; Helaman, son of Helaman, etc.
6. Helaman 1:3 Here reference is made to the contending for the judgment seat. Brother Hanna observes that the use of the term "judgment seat" would be quite strange to an American who might have used a more familiar noun such as governor, president, or ruler. Yet, in Arabic custom, the place of power rests in the judgment seat and whoever occupies that seat, is the authority and power. The authority goes with the seat and not with the office or the person. So, this, in the Semitic languages, connotes the meaning exactly.
7. Helaman 3:14 In this verse, there are a total of eighteen "ands." Reviewers of the Book of Mormon have, on occasion, been critical of the grammar in such a passage where the use of the word "and" seems so repetitious. Yet Brother Hanna explains that each of the "ands" in this verse is absolutely essential to the meaning, when this verse is expressed in Arabic, for the omission of any "and" would nullify the meaning of the words.
8. Helaman 3:18-19 Have you wondered why the Book of Mormon cites a numbering system such as this? Do we say "forty and six, forty and seven, forty and eight?" No! Joseph Smith's natural interpretation would; more appropriately have been forty-six, forty-seven, forty-eight without the ands". Brother Hanna excitedly observes that the use of "and" in forty and six" is pecisely correct Arabic. Remember they number, as well as read, from right to left and recite their numbers with the "and" to separate the columns.
Well, I have just cited a few of these examples. There are many more! As Latter-day Saint leaders, we are aware of the Semitic origin of the Book of Mormon. The fact that an Arabic scholar such as this sees a beautiful internal consistency in the Prophet Joseph Smith's translation of the book, is of great interest. The Prophet Joseph did not merely render an interpretation, but a word for word translation from the Egyptian type of hieroglyphic into the English language. Brother Hanna said the Book of Mormon simply flowed back into the Arabic language .

Dear Santa,

Besides world peace, there are a few other things I would like this year.
1) a fuzzy steering wheel cover. I'd forgotten how cold it is to drive in the winter.
2) new Bosch beaters. Sadly, I destroyed one of my sets and I'm missing them. . .a lot.
3) a Bosch wheat grinder attachment. I am the provident living specialist--again. I should be able to so some stuff with wheat.
4) a new camera and computer or whatever I need to make pictures work again. Have you all noticed NO pictures lately? I've got a serious problem. Every time I go to download pictures it zaps them away. I've already tried to set the computer to not delete. It was already set there. That doesn't seem to be the problem.
5) a better brain that understands all of these technological problems.
6) patience for the holidays -- you are not getting Christmas cards this year. Sorry! Refer to #4.

Ward Activity

Looking for an idea for a great Christmas activity? I know, it's too late for this year, but keep this gem in mind for next year. My friend did this in her ward. Thanks Laura.

We have tickets for. . .

The Polar Express Train tomorrow. This is a train ride that simulates the Polar Express train and takes you to the North Pole to visit Santa. So, here is a recent conversation I had with Ellie.
Ellie: Emma knows Santa's email address.
Me: She does? Is she going to email him?
E: I think so.
M: Are you going to?
E: No way, Mom. Why would I do that? I'm going to be seeing him in his natural habitat.

Book Review: The Magic of Ordinary Days

Attention Twilight fans! Have you been pining for Edward? Wishing you were a vampire just so you could be with him FOREVER? Or are you finally tired of him? After all, he is a mythical, dead guy. I've got an excellent replacement for you. Ray, Ray, my little Ray of hope (that there really are guys like you); I am officially in love with a fictional character. I'm not even going to tell you one other thing about this book. It's rated PG. Read the book first and then watch the Hallmark movie of it. Someone put it on youtube and you may view it in about 6 min. segments. The book is better though. Quick read by Ann Howard Creel; I give it 2 thumbs way up. Please enjoy and do not delay.

A Small World Story

I just love a good "small world" story. So, here's one for you.
We've been feeding the missionaries some since we've been here and found out last time that Elder Taukeiho (sp?) is from Elk Grove and was in our stake in the Liahona ward. Well, we fed them last night and he brought his ukulele to sing a song for us. He's very musically talented and shared a song that his cousin wrote. After he sang Maddie said, "Wow, I haven't seen anyone play the ukulele since the pioneer trek." And he said, "It was probably me." Sure enough, he attended the same pioneer trek that Maddie did (summer 2007), he took his ukulele and Maddie remembers him playing there. He was in the red family and she remembered that. I thought that was amazing.