Lights

We have named this our BYU tree in honor of Jake starting his program there soon! 

We love lights around here! We also can't wait to walk around Temple Square sipping hot chocolate and taking in all the wonderful lights they have there. It's my favorite!

A new light

One thing I always look forward to around December is all the festive lights. I could stare at them all night. In fact I sometimes do. Jake and I were so excited when we got our tree that we put it up super early (for me anyways), and placed the lights and ornaments on right away. Jake and I will sometimes turn off all our lights, turn on the Christmas tree and just sit on the couch, wrapped in each others arms and stare at the beautiful lights. Sounds a little silly I know but we love it. Yesterday we spent the evening with Jake's family and were able to deliver a tree with ornaments to a lady in their ward. She hadn't gotten a tree yet so we as a family got a tree and ornaments, went to her house, sang and brought it in for her to decorate. It was so fun to see her so excited. A light just lit up around her, as a light lit up within me.

It's easy to get caught up with your own problems and trials you are facing. But every time I do service I forget about my troubles, and focus on other people who could use my help. A new light turned on within. The light of Christ. It reminded me of all that I have and how I need to be grateful for that. How there are so many people who are in worse situations than you are. How Christmas is about giving. Not receiving. I have been so blessed to have grown up with amazing examples who have this light of Christ and who are constantly going out of their way to help others. I hope that I can take what they have shown me and put it to good use. Not just during the Christmas season, but always. I'm constantly thinking of things that I can do to better myself and be a good example for my soon to be little girl. Like I said I was blessed with so many wonderful people that taught me this, and are still teaching me this. I hope my little girl will have similar examples of these type of people in her life.

Thank you Wright family for being one of those examples for me!

Tis the season

My right thumb is orange from eating these wonderful fruits all day!

Seriously can't get enough of them. Definitely one of the many things I love

about this season.

Family

Today I got into the topic of Families and The Home with my roommate and my home teachers. We just talked about how Christmas is a great tool that brings the families together. That got me thinking. I've noticed especially this year how much that means to me. To have the family all home. To sit down together at the dinner table for a meal. My family is slowly starting to experience that time, when no one eats together any more, family home evening doesn't always happen, children are off at college, some in crazy places like Idaho, etc. This Christmas year was very special to me. I just loved every minute of time I was able to spend with my family. Not only to know that I can always come home to people who will always love me, but to know that my home is a place where the spirit can abide. I think sometimes I take that for granted.

Not everyone has that.

I'm so blessed to have a wonderful dad who is a worthy priesthood holder. Who loves his kids and would do anything for them. Who loves the Lord. Who loves....everyone. Unconditionally. Loves my mom. Speaking of my mother, I have a wonderful mother. A lot of who I am today is because of her. Even those dang emotions! I can talk to her about anything. She puts up with five crazy kids and loves us all. At least I hope she does! She is the glue to our family. She is my best friend. I also can't forget my siblings. These past two years I have become so much closer to them. I love spending time with them. Learning about them. Being able to share experiences with them. To teach them as well as being taught by them. I love them all so much and am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to be apart of this family.

Christmas

Christmas, even though our family didn't do our traditional Christmas tradition, went down very well. New traditions were started and we all just loved being together as a family. I hoped that we would all wake up to some snow since it's been a little on the weak side lately, but alas.

That didn't happen.

We did go for a little drive up the canyon where I was able to get a couple of shots of the most beautiful snow! I can't wait to play in it tomorrow. I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas with your families!

Breaking in entry Carolers

Yesterday was the annual Crosland get together for food and caroling. Oh how I love caroling with the fam. After we had stuffed ourselves with all the wonderful food, we all got bundled up in our warm winter coats and headed to the houses we usually go to sing to. We just had one last house to go to. We rang the doorbell and started singing. We could see the cute old man through the window just sitting there watching tv.

"Dude he is totally ignoring us!"
"Lets sing louder then."

We all increased the volume. A lot. The cute little old man was still just sitting on his couch watching the tv. So my awesome grandma decides to just walk into his house to tell him we have come to carol to him! Hahaha I was dying.

"Grandma you can't just walk into his house!"

Well the cute old man turned off his tv to listen to us. I think he enjoyed it. He looked like he enjoyed it. Sorry we had to all barge into your house and interrupt your tv time! However, it is said that "the best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for all the hear."

Tradition

Is it me or does it still not feel like Christmas yet? I never thought I would say this but I really, really want it to snow. This year is definitely going to be different for our family. The youngest now knows about the whole "Santa" thing so we can't really do our family tradition of hiding from Santa and watching him deliver our gifts. Seriously it was the BEST tradition ever. All of us kids were devastated when my mom said we were not going to do it this year. She does have a point though. I'm almost tempted to head over to our neighbors behind us and be part of their family for a day because they can still do the tradition! My mom looked at me and said,



Mom: "Well as soon as you get married and have a kid then we can start up the tradition again!"

Me: "Yeah mom....I'll get right on that."

I love my family.

Problem

So remember how I am a shoe fanatic? Well that still is very applicable.

However, I have another thing to add to my fanatic list. I love love dresses. Especially dresses with pockets. If it has pockets then I am totally sold. Finally got around to my Christmas shopping today and after I finished I found I had some extra money. So I decided that since I did such a good job on my finals that I would reward myself!

This is what I got! And....it has pockets!
You don't want to know how many dresses I have. It's embarrassing.

Celebration

Wait for it.....wait for it....

FINALS ARE DONE!!!

Oh man today is the best day ever. Finals always take it out of me and to say they are done is like a ginormous weight off my shoulder. It feels fantastic. Easiest semester I have ever had and probably will ever have. Sad day. Now I finally have time to do some Christmas shopping which I haven't even started. I know I am totally behind. Don't judge. I did get to go to my bro's high school Christmas concert with the fam which was so fun! Brought back so many memories and made me miss choir even more! I saw so many friends that I haven't seen in years. Some are getting ready to turn in mission papers, some are home from missions, some are engaged....some are working their butt off in school like me....seriously it's crazy. Megan gets home from Idaho this Friday so we will finally have the whole family together! Christmas time is the best.

Speaking of Christmas time, I've noticed that there are more crazy drivers around this time of year. Running red lights like no other! Relax people. You still have time to get that perfect gift. Or not so perfect gift.

Remember this with him?




After going to the MOTAB Christmas concert Thursday, (which was fantastic by the way) I went home and watched the last three years of MOTAB Christmas concerts. Starting with the lovely Sissel who was fantastic, next the Kings Singers, then Brian Stokes Mitchell. I forgot how awesome last year was! This song just makes me smile and makes me want to dance.

Love, love, LOVE his voice.

The Unthinkable

I was shown this a couple of days ago and about died. No way would I have ever pictured these two singing a Christmas song together. Ever.

Ladies and Gents....David Bowie and Bing Crosby.

Manic Monday

I am one of "those kids" who does not like to listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. It just makes sense in my head. I did get a little excited when I went to Tai Pan and my mom finally got her frosted tree. I can't think of the real name for it right now. Anyways, well my mom wants to set it up so we can see what ornaments we need to get, for we are for going our country theme and doing something new. My dad however said as long as there are pilgrims (decorations of course) in the living room , you can't have a Christmas tree up at the same time. Well Sunday, I got in a weird Christmas music mood and listened to Christmas music all day. My roommate was shocked. That weird mood ended Monday morning though so no worries.

Do you ever have one of those days where you are so busy that you don't notice the day go by until it's over? Like what did I do today? Today was like that. Work was so busy which can be a very good thing and a notta good thing. It went by so fast! I was so tired today too so that didn't help. I almost said "peace out" to one of my patients as I walked them up front. No bueno. I caught myself just in time though.

Secret Said

Okay well my mom just posted the secret on her facebook so I think it's pretty safe to spill! Don't you just love technology these days? I never thought my mom would ever....ever get a facebook!

Drum roll please......

The guest singer that is going to sing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at their Christmas concert is the Natalie Cole! I can't tell you how ecstatic I am to go to this concert. Natalie Cole is amazing and Mormon Tabernacle Choir is amazing. So this concert is going to be double amazing! Click here to listen. Or here. Or here!

Tradition...Tradition!

Thinking about Christmas traditions, my family actually has quite a lot.

• Caroling with Dad's side of the family/talent night
• Dipping pretzels in white chocolate...mmm yum!
• Family dinner in which we pull out our Christmas china, my parents make a very fancy dinner, we turn off all the lights and eat by candle light, and then after dinner my parents also clean everything up. This is one of many ways to show us kids how much they appreciate and love us.
• Pulling out the Christmas puzzles.
• Watching the good ol' classics: White Christmas, Holiday Inn, It's a Wonderful Life, and Miracle on 34th Street.
• Picking good hiding spots the night before to watch Santa deliver our gifts! (This is a favorite of mine! The whole family hides from Santa and once or twice we have almost been caught!)
• Decorating sugar cookies.
• Watch The Christmas Story then go out to eat Chinese food
  
• Decorate our two trees together! Except this year they did it without me. (sigh...life of a hard working college student)

Oh how I love family traditions! I hope to carry many of these traditions on when I have my own family.