January Joy: (No more whining!)

I've written way too many whiny January posts. This is the eleventh year of this blog, and I'm pretty sure if you look back, you can find a whiny January post at the start of nearly all eleven of them. Let's just say it's not my favorite month. So this year, rather than whining, I decided to write about some January joy. Here goes:

1. After two weeks of no contact with Seth, I got to chat with him this morning. Wooo! Last week was a killer, my friends. Apparently just as he and his companion arrived at the cyber, Gmail stopped working. Seth had no way to contact me. I want to report that I did pretty well, all things considered. Here are some things I did NOT do:

• I did NOT have a full-on panic attack.
• I did NOT call the mission president.
• I did NOT message Sister Hansen (president's wife) on social media.

Instead, I tried hard to believe my family, who told me that no news is good news because the church would certainly contact me if anything bad happened. They also reminded me that whenever I don't hear from my missionary, there is always a perfectly logical explanation. One would think that 18 months into my third missionary's two years of service I would have learned this. I'm a slow learner. Here he is with his new district in La Floresta, where he is serving as the district leader.

2. I got to celebrate Amanda's birthday. On Thursday, we had a game night, where we played a new version of Pictionary; rather than drawing, you use cards with pictures on them to make words. It was intense, let me tell you, but so much fun. Then yesterday, we ate a yummy lunch at Cheesecake Factory, followed by a four-layer chocolate cake with birthday cake ice cream for dessert. Happy, happy birthday, Amanda! I'm so very glad you were born and that you said "yes" to Eli four years ago.

3. I got to wear a brand new dress to the first day of spring semester. This may not mean much to you, but I just love clothes, especially surprise ones. So caught up in the Christmas rush, I totally forgot that at some point in the thick of it all, Shulamith and I both bought new dresses at Old Navy for a crazy steal price of $15.  When I was searching through my closet for the perfect "First Day of the Semester Dress," voila! There was this cute black and white dress, tags still on, that I forgot I bought. It was such a good surprise.

4. I got to watch my Jazz boys crush the New York Knicks, 128-104, with my two favorite Jazz partners, Shulamith and Isaiah. In case you haven't heard, my Jazz boys are creating an incredible season, game after game. They've won 15 of their last 17 games; honestly, they just get better and better. What's their secret? Team is everything, Coach Quin says. That and outstanding defense. These guys truly care about each other, and it shows. They are not selfish. There are no superstars. They work together. They build each other. We'll see how they do in upcoming weeks when their schedule becomes decidedly more challenging, but whatever happens, they'll remain the awesome players and awesome people they already are.

January is not my favorite month, and I've done plenty of whining about it in past years, but this year, nope! This year, it's all about the January joy!

Theodore's Themes - Part II

This is an ongoing blog post, so Shulamith can remember all the things Theodore says. If you want to see the earlier installment of this post, go here. 

11. Theodore and Swen accidentally bonked heads, making Theodore very upset.
Theodore: Mommy! My Swen. Stupid!

12. We were with Shulamith's kids in the play area of a mall, and I spilled my nearly full, 44-oz Diet Coke everywhere.
Theodore: Oh no! Uck spill Diet Coke!

13. Theodore likes to nap here for some reason. He loves the Pack 'N' Play apparently. Shulamith was trying to get him to go to sleep at their apartment.
Theodore: I sleep Uck's house. I NOT sleep Mommy's house!

14. Looking around at their new apartment:
Theodore: I like new house. Really fun new house.

15. I gave Theodore a dollar bill in a Valentine card last week. He used it to buy new pacifiers because he loves them.
Theodore: I buy new bink! Uck give me present money.

16. The Jazz have come back from All-Star break and totally sucked, losing their first two games. Shulamith was screaming at them.
Theodore: Mommy, what Jazz doing?
Shulamith: They're losing really bad.
Theodore: Go away, Jazz, you stupid!

17. Theodore (playing with Waffles): Waffles is very nice and cute.
Me: Theodore is very nice and cute.
Theodore: Huck (formerly Uck) is very nice and cute.

18. Recently there was a noticeable earthquake here in the valley, followed by several aftershocks in the next couple of weeks.
Theodore: Mom! Shaking house so fun!

19. Swen is obsessed with tornados these days and plans on being a tornado chaser when he grows up. So of course Theodore hears lots of "tornado" talk. 

Theodore: "I will hiya tornados!" ("Hiya" means to attack something with a sword or some other long weapon.)

19. Theodore was asking for pepperoni. Shulamith often gives the kids little pepperonis in a cup, so she did that for Theodore.
Theodore: (noticeably unhappy): I don't want this! I want pepperoni (showing her a can of Dr. Pepper in the fridge)!

20. It's already been established that Theodore is the sweetest kid on the planet. I've had five children of my own, and I've never met such a docile, easygoing toddler. He basically bathroom trained himself at age 2.5, with zero stress. Lately, Shulamith has noticed his teeth (overbite) getting worse, likely the result of his pacifier (which he loves and calls a "bink"). Shulamith is a kind, respectful mother; she would never just take it away from him, but she also doesn't want his teeth to get worse. So she and Matt decided to sort of distract him from it during the day, and then see if he might be willing to go to sleep without it, knowing they would give it to him if he needed it. So when they were putting him to bed, Theodore said "Where's my bink?" to which they replied, "I don't know. I can't find it right now. Do you think you can maybe go to sleep without it (never thinking he would). But of course, Theodore lay right down and went to sleep. They left the pacifier on the floor by his crib, expecting he would wake up and need it in the night. He didn't. Slept all night. In the morning, when he woke up, he saw the pacifier on the floor.
Theodore: Hey Mommy, there's my bink. It's right there on the floor.

21. Theodore is the easiest baby/toddler ever, but like all kids, he often objects to going to bed.
Theodore: Night night is an idiot!

22. It's birthday season in the Webster-Monson home, with Shulamith's birthday in April, Matt's and Swen's birthdays in May, and Kennedy's and Theodore's birthdays in July. So Theodore has been hearing a lot about birthday presents arriving in the mail, mostly from Amazon. But he also hears a lot about junk mail each day, and it seems he's a bit confused.
Theodore: Mommy, my birthday present is in the junk mail!

23. It's been so sunny lately, and sometimes the sun shines right in Theodore's eyes as he rides in his car seat.
Theodore: Mommy! My eyeballs are crying!

24. So a few days ago, Theodore was mad about something, and Shulamith can't even remember now what it was, but...
Theodore: Mommy, I so mad I kick you in the face!

25. Shulamith tries to get Theodore to wear a swim top (rash guard) because he has such paper-white skin (more over, Joe Ingles), but Theodore doesn't want to wear it.
Theodore: If I wear it, my swim suit top will melt.

26. Theodore turned three on July 15th. He wanted to make sure everyone knew. All the next day:

Theodore: My birthday was so fun. I three now!

27. Theodore is obsessed with bugs. He loves them!

Theodore (showing me a bug on he ground): Hey, Her! Look at that bug!

Me: I see it. Is it alive or dead?

Theodore: I think dead. I think not walking.

28. One time Swen was with me, and Shulamith was out driving in her car with her other two kids.

Theodore: Oh Mommy! I think we can't find Swen!

29. Theodore loves to "read" stories (meaning, he looks at the pictures and makes stuff up about them). One time, he was leafing through a non-picture book.

Theodore: Oh no! This is NOT a story.

30. Theodore was eating the very last package of two Swiss Rolls. Shulamith told him to save one for Kennedy.
Theodore (holding up the tiniest crumb of Swiss Roll): I saved this for Kennedy!

31. Recently, Theodore was invited to an outdoor (social distanced - as much as is possible with 3-year-olds) birthday party for his friend, Ellis.

Theodore: I'm going to get a very special car.

Shulamith: You're going to get a special car as a birthday present for Ellis?

Theodore: No. I think for me. I'm going to hide it from Ellis.

Swen-isms - Part 4

This is Part III of my ongoing blog post for Shulamith, so she can remember the things Swen says. If you want to see an earlier installment, go here.

158. Swen is the most loving, caring friend to all people, with one exception: his sister, Kennedy. For some reason, he torments her constantly for no reason other than that she exists. So Shulamith is really weary of this behavior.
Shulamith: Swen! You have to stop being mean to Kennedy for no reason. Stop hitting her, kicking her, pulling her hair, etc. So this is the deal. Whenever I see you hurting Kennedy out of the blue, for no reason, I'm taking one of your coins (Swen has a collection of coins). Those times when I see you treating Kennedy kindly and respectfully, I'll give you a coin back.
Swen: I'm gonna lose all my money!


159. Swen: I didn't come to earth for a sister. I came for Classic Fun Center and cars.

160. Swen: Karina's dad is a vegetarian, so that's why it's okay for him to say bad words.

161. I was going to take Swen to school one day last week because the "Monster"(Monson-Webster) family was busy moving, and things were a bit chaotic.
Swen: Sorry, Her. I only want Mom to take me to school. Sorry to tell you, but you're not my favorite. Mom is my favorite. You are second. Mom has taken me to school my whole life. Preschool, kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade. I only want Mom to take me to school.

162. Swen slept here a couple nights ago, and when we took Woof outside in the morning, Swen remarked:
Swen: Her, I am SO glad you didn't give him away.

163. So now that Swen can read and write, he likes to look over my shoulder and read my text messages. Also, he takes Shulamith's old phone (which still works) and texts me various things throughout the day. I have told Swen NOT to read my text messages. They are private, and it's rude to read other people's texts. Yesterday, he was reading Shulamith's text messages, and she told him the same thing, to which he replied:
Swen: I don't know why Her doesn't want me to read her text messages. What would she be writing that she wouldn't want me to read?
Shulamith: Oh Swen, lots of things!

164. Shulamith was talking to Swen about the Plan of Salvation, about after we die and progress to the Spirit World. She told him we would be busy there and have lots of things to do.
Swen: Are we gonna have to do a lot of hard math there?

165. Since the quarantine and social distancing, most days we drive through somewhere to get lunch, then go to a big, empty park with lots of grass and no people. We sit and eat our food and let the kids run around, sometimes ride their bikes, whatever it takes to get them some much-needed exercise. Swen has always loved to make up his own names for things; for example, his large truck that has spaces for multiple small Hot Wheels cars is called a "Weem Weem." There are so many others. However, a new one came about from sitting out on grass in different places each day. Swen was picking up the little 2-in cores of soil caused by core aeration.
Swen: Look at this notification. Wow, look at all these notifications! I guess these little cores of dirt are now called "notifications."

166. Recently, Shulamith was teaching her kids about the story of King Benjamin from The Book of Mormon. The were discussing about why it's important to be generous and to show our love by giving to those who don't have as much as we do.
Swen: I think we could give our cell phones to homeless people. That would be a nice thing to do. But then we would also have to give them chargers. But I don't know where they would plug them in.

167. Swen often trashes on girls, and he was in the middle of one of his rants about how girls are stupid, etc.
Me: Swen, Mommy and I are girls.
Swen: Well, you and Mommy are nicer than all the other girls.

168. Shulamith was teaching Swen about how it will be when Jesus comes again. There will be peace in all the land and no fighting.
Swen: Does that mean I will be nice to Kennedy when Jesus comes?

169. I am a seatbelt/carseat Nazi. Every person, young or old, in my car needs to be buckled before my wheels move. Shulamith is a bit less rigid about this, and she allows her kids to unbuckle and move around in the car when she's in parking lots. Swen is baffled by this difference.
Swen: Mom, I'd love to live with Her because she's really nice, except when she forces me to buckle when we're hardly moving at all.

170. Gerald is a hoarder. There are worse ones for sure, but he's pretty bad. Imagine how that works with my OCD personality. Haha. So earlier today, Swen was pulling stuff out from under our bed, a bunch of crap, old unopened mail, wrappers, empty soda boxes, full soda boxes, so much junk.
Swen: Gerald sure keeps a whole lot of junk down here. I'm gonna throw away the trash, and I'm gonna leave the good soda on this chair right here, so he can see how much he has and not buy any more.

171. So, I've been spending lots of time in my bedroom because Seth has decided to watch all 40 seasons of Survivor, and Isaiah is rewatching with him. I detest that show. Now only is it the most boring show ever, but it's also Rated "S," (full of disgusting creatures).
Swen: Her, are you hanging out here in your bedroom because Isaiah and Seth are watching Survivor?
Me: Yes.
Swen: Well, you could at least go out there and say "How's Survivor?" That would be the nice thing to do. They are your sons, after all.

172. Shulamith was teaching Swen and Kennedy about the importance of giving to others and how Heavenly Father wants us to be charitable and to be mindful of those in need.
Swen: Well, maybe we could give a homeless person our phone.
Shulamith: Well, that might be nice.
Swen: But then they'd need a charger. And where would they plug it in?

173. Swen: When I'm a grown-up, I'll have to buy birthday presents for my mom.
Shulamith: Do you mean for your wife?
Swen: Yes. I think I'll buy her a microwave.

174. Swen slept upstairs with me a couple nights ago. He was with Seth and me when we had our evening prayer. Later, he told his mom about it.
Swen: Why are Her's prayers so long???

175. Shulamith: It's okay, Swen. Everyone makes mistakes.
Swen: Well I never make mistakes. I do it on purpose when I hit Kennedy and take away Theodore's cars.

176. Recently, I wrecked my car, and it was a total loss.
Me: Swen, will you go with me to pick out a new car.
Swen: Yes.
Me: What kind of car should I get?
Swen: Really, Her, I think you're gonna need to get an older, smaller car like Isaiah's or Seth's. You can't buy another expensive car when you are buying a new house.

177. We took Swen car shopping (see above). He had a couple choice comments regarding my situation:
Swen: Mom, you need to take Her to a big parking lot, where she can practice driving without getting in crashes.
Swen: Her, you need to go back to college and learn how to drive.

178. With the COVID situation, we have spent most of the summer taking Shulamith's kids to various parks. Usually, we try to vary our activities. We go to fast food restaurants with play places. We go to the trampoline place. We go to Classic Fun Center. We go to the mall. But this summer, we just go to parks, and Swen has grown quite tired of it.
Swen: Mom, I don't really like parks that much. Also, you and Her just sit on benches, drink Diet Coke, and talk about Her's house and Her's car. And you could do that in your own house.

179. Shulamith has been talking to the kids about the possibility of changing schools sometime this school year, once they move out of their apartment and into a house. Swen isn't sold on this idea at all.
Swen: No, I don't want to go to a new school. This school is just fine.

180. Theodore is truly the sweetest little boy, but at age 3, he still often irritates his 8-year-old brother, Swen. Especially when he takes Swen's cars and other important things.
Swen: I'm just gonna take all my cars and all my other stuff to Her's house, and no one will bother me.

181. Today was Swen's fourth day of 3rd grade. After a couple days, Shulamith asked him if he was learning lots of new things.
Swen: No, not really. We mostly just color sheets. We do a lot of coloring. Ms. Pack is new this year, so I think she may not know she's supposed to teach us stuff.

182. Swen: Mom, Her's been driving a lot lately, and I don't think she's gotten in any car crashes. So I think she'll be okay.

183. Swen: Mom, a lady who does duty on the playground asked about Minecraft today.

Shulamith: Really? That's cool. What did you tell her?

Swen: I told her I'm building the White House, and then I'm building Donald Trump inside it. Then I told her I was going to blow it up because we don't like him. 

(Shulamith would like me to add that she told Swen we don't blow people up just because we don't like them.)

184. Swen was asking me when Seth would get married and if I wanted him to get married.

Me: Well, Seth is only 20 years old, so that's too young to get married. But when he's older, yes I hope he will get married.

Swen: Do you think he will have children?

Me: I hope so because being a parent is the best thing in the whole world.

Swen: Well, we will have to cross our fingers that his baby is a girl.

Me: Really? Why?

Swen: Because I don't want another person taking all my cars like Theodore does. I have a lot of very nice cars that I've spent a lot of money on. I think any baby boy would want them. Especially if I still have this tanker truck right here.

185. Swen: Which will come first, the sun exploding, Jesus coming back, or WWIII?

186. Swen: Mom, why are you so worried about my screen time? There are so many other things to worry about like paying your taxes on time and making sure your bills are paid.

187. As some of you know, Shulamith and I are both in the process of building new houses in Bluffdale. This means that Swen will have to change schools at some point, and he doesn't want to do that. He won't let people even talk about the new houses because he doesn't want to move. He adores his teacher, Ms. Pack. Last week, Shulamith was cleaning out the small bedroom Swen and Kennedy currently share in their temporary apartment. Way down on the bottom of Swen's cart that holds all his most important treasures, she found this:

Apparently, Swen made this note for Ms. Pack and is saving it to give to her when he has to leave his school. But he did this all in secret. :-( In case you can't read what he wrote, it says this: "Dear Ms. Pack. I will always miss you and never forget."

188. Shulamith bought Theodore a rainbow sno-cone, and he didn't finish before it was time to go pick up Swen and Kennedy from school. When Swen got in the car, he was furious. Later, he tried to explain his dismay to his mother:

Swen: Mom, how would you feel if I came to pick you up from school, and I was eating one of your favorite Oreo ice cream bars?

189. Swen: Mom, I'd like to have a collection of trophies, but I don't want to do soccer or basketball or like any of those things.

Kennedy says...Part 4

This is the ongoing blog post for Shulamith, so she can remember all the things Kennedy says. If you'd like to see earlier editions of this post, go here.

62. Since coming home from Disneyland, both Shulamith's older kids have so many great memories.
Kennedy: Whenever I watch videos of Disneyland, I get tears in my eyes because I miss it so much.

63. The "Monsters" (Monson-Websters) are moving into a fairly small apartment after selling their tent in the wilderness and before purchasing a larger home. 
Kennedy: When do we move into our new "compartment"?

64. When we eat at Chinese restaurants, Shulamith "reads" her kids their fortunes, except instead of reading what is there, she makes stuff up about them. For example, "It says, 'Swen is the most amazing boy who loves cars.'"
Kennedy: Sometimes you get really, really lucky, and the fortune inside the cookie has your name on it, like "Kennedy is the best dancer."

65. Shulamith and I always remark on how Kennedy is so NOT like us. We are extroverts, super social, and we like to go places all the time. Kennedy is an introvert, not very social, and she likes to stay home. But we recently discovered one way she is like us. A game of "Would you rather..." went like this:
Shulamith: Would you rather not be able to walk or not be able to drive a car?
Kennedy: Definitely not be able to walk. People could just push me around in a wheel chair.
Shulamith: But you couldn't run and play and dance and do gymnastics.
Kennedy: That's okay. As long as someone could put me in my bed and bring me food, and I could watch TV, I'd be fine.
Haha, yes, girl, we also love to lie in bed, eat good food, and watch TV.

66. Driving through downtown Midvale on the way to Shulamith and Matt's new apartment:
Kennedy: This is like old world.
And sure enough, we saw this sign:

67. We had no idea that Kennedy has been paying any attention at all to the presidential race, until this.
Kennedy: Mommy! Did you now that a girl is going to be the new president?
Shulamith: Well, a couple of girls are trying to be the president, but we don't know yet who will win.
Kennedy: No, Mommy, a GIRL! A GIRL is going to be the president!
(Oh, Kennedy, not this time around. But one day soon, we can hope!)

68. Then more on the election, out of the mouths of babes...
Kennedy: Mommy, I think everyone should just vote for Jesus for president.


69. Kennedy and Swen were in a conversation about whether it's better to be a girl or a boy.
Kennedy: It's good to be a girl.
Swen: It's better to be a boy. You can go to the bathroom outside.
Shulamith: But girls can have babies.
Swen: That's it? And sit around and look at Instagram.
Kennedy: That's a lot!

70. Kennedy's brother Swen is a very nice, kind boy to everyone in the world. Everyone except Kennedy. For some reason, Swen makes it his life's mission to make her miserable much of the time. One day she was at her wit's end with him.
Kennedy: Whenever we go anywhere, just LEAVE him!"

71. Last night was Halloween, but because of COVID, safe trick-or-treating meant only going to houses with bowl of candy outside.

Kennedy: I don't really like saying "trick-or-treat" to strangers. I like these bowls better.

Happy New Year (but not new decade)!

As Isaiah and I watched the first Jazz game of 2020, the casters kept bantering back and forth about the "play of the decade." "No, no, no!" I told them (through my TV); the best play of the decade is yet to come. We have a fabulous team this year. All five starters, including our new additions Bojan Bogdanovic and Mike Conley, are incredible. And our bench! Can we just stop right here and give a huge shout out to our bench players, who have totally stepped up this season? RollsRoyce O'Neale rainin' down 3s one after the other. Recent trade Jordan Clarkson, with the team less than 24 hours when he donned a Jazz uniform and was on the court, scoring second to our incredible Donovan Mitchell. So yeah. The "Play of the Decade" will happen this year, in 2020, when the Jazz go further in the post season than they have in, well, decades. I'm sure of it.

Why do I think those casters were mistaken, implying that the decade ended Dec. 31, 2019? Because there is no year zero. Of course, time is a human-made construct, so I suppose people can decide for themselves when decades begin and end, but I'm a purist on such things. Just as the new millennium began January 1, 2001 (not 2000), the new decade will begin January 1, 2021. Because there's no year zero in the calendar, the first year was complete at the end of year one, not at its beginning. Here's an article that explains it better than I can.

While it's not a new decade, it's most definitely a new year, full of all the hope and promise a new year brings. I don't really make resolutions per se, but here are some of my plans for 2020:

1. Saying "This is the last _________ without Seth." Yep, with every yearly event, I can say that. In reality, I've been saying it ever since he hit his year mark. For example, "This is the last time we'll decorate for Christmas without Seth." And "This is the last time I'll ring in the new year [at around 10 p.m. - I'm a wimp] without Seth." And "This is the last time I'll look outside and get excited for the first snowfall without Seth."

Anyone and Everyone: When does your missionary come home?
Me: Oh, my missionary? Why he'll be home LATER THIS YEAR (!!!), August 6th, to be exact!

2. Going to the airport to pick him up. I just loving having most if not all of my kids with me in my car at the same time. It makes me so happy. That's why when I replaced my 2004 minivan just over a year ago, I made sure to get a crossover vehicle that seats seven. Just in case. Our oldest son lives in Maryland, so I don't know if he'll be here, but the rest of us will pile into my new car, "Welcome Home" banners in our hands and joy in our hearts, and drive to the airport to watch Seth come down that escalator and into my arms. Oh it will be epic; you just wait.

3. Studying the Book of Mormon. It doesn't hurt that I teach Gospel Doctrine, so it's technically my job to do this, but I'm super excited for the new year and for the Come Follow Me curriculum. I had a crazy cool time with my class last Sunday, and that was only the introductory pages, not even the actual text. But dang, if you check out the promises from modern prophets for studying this book, it's hard to argue it's not an excellent idea. Here are just a few: draw nearer to God; have greater power to resist temptation, avoid deception, and stay on the straight and narrow path; receive an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord and increased desire to walk in obedience; make better decisions, receive answers to questions and direction for your own life; and be immunized against the evils of the day.

How many of these sound good to you?

Me, too.

4. Increasing exercise. I already walk everywhere all the time, but I've been thinking lately that maybe walking isn't enough. Maybe I should add something more to my fitness routine. Shulamith and I are going to try out our friend Hilly's "High" class Monday morning, so we'll see how that goes.

5. Continuing intermittent fasting. I know it's not for everyone, but over a year ago, I started this plan where I fast for 16 hours every day and eat only during the remaining eight. It's been so great. I love it. My whole body feels better, and weight control is 10 times easier.

6. Visiting the Grand Ole Opry. In April, Shulamith and I are meeting my mom and my brother in Nashville, where I'll fulfill a lifelong dream to see the Grand Ole Opry. While I love many types of music, I was raised on "Waylon and Willie and the boys." Nothing gives me all the feels quite like classic country. Suffice it to say, I cannot wait!

I probably have at least a few more plans for 2020, but I can't think of them right now, and I'm off to watch the Jazz beat the Nicks tonight, so I need to get ready.

Happy New Year, Everyone (but not new decade)!

Oh What Fun!

Merry Christmas, everyone! May I wish you that retroactively and also extend all my hope for a glorious new year to come. As I reflect back on Christmas 2019, for us just three days ago because we celebrated on the 26th, I feel only joy. Not everything went as planned; it never does. Still, oh what fun!

Christmas Eve (for us, Dec. 25th), Gerald and I ate a late lunch at Macaroni Grill. We sat in Amanda's section, where we could see Eli nearby on the expo line. It was a lovely dinner, parmesan crusted chicken salad for me and pizza for Gerald. When we finished and I was thanking the manager Krissa for comping our entire meal, she hugged me and whispered, "Merry Christmas! Thank you for sacrificing your family to us on Christmas and moving your celebration to the next day." I really don't mind; 25 is just a number, but it was still so kind of her to say.

That evening, we ate our traditional Chinese food. Because it was technically Christmas Day, lines at Joy Luck were out the door for both seating and takeout, so Shulamith and I drove to Asian Potato instead. It was busy there too, but we were able to get our takeout order in about 20 minutes. After dinner, it was time to open our one Christmas Eve gift. Sadly, Eli and Amanda were still stuck at Mac. Grill and wouldn't be home until near midnight, so we had to do it without them. That stuff about not everything going as planned is never my favorite, but it is certainly reality. Isaiah and Mathew abstain from the matching Christmas pajamas, so Isaiah opened a sherpa/fleece blanket, and Matt opened slippers while the rest of us opened our new matching PJs. We didn't get a picture of everyone together because we were waiting for Eli and Amanda. We said we'd do it the next day "Christmas Day" for sure, but then we didn't. So you'll have to look at these pictures and imagine Amanda in her dress, and Eli and Shulamith's sons in their navy pants with Christmas lights, all dressed up cute right along with us:

The next day, I awoke to snow flurries. It was as if Heaven was trying to send us a white Christmas, but the temperature was a bit too warm to allow the snow to stick. It was pretty, though! We began our gift opening rotation, one at a time, youngest to oldest, at around 10:00 a.m. Here are some of my favorite surprises:

Yeah, Shulamith and I gave each other nearly identical gifts, new church coats. This happens often for her and me. We have similar tastes and styles and know each other very well. (Side note: We both loved wearing these coats to our church meetings this morning, commenting, "We're at church. And we're warm. This is amazing!")

Here is Amanda opening her weighted blanket, something she has wanted for a long time but wasn't expecting. Yep, I think I surprised her good. Oh what fun!

Isaiah was recovering from serious jet lag, after a 2-week trip to Asia, where he visited Cambodia, Singapore, and Vietnam. He's extremely hard to shop for because he's a true minimalist and wants nothing, but I think he was actually excited by Shulamith's gift of socks from Donovan Mitchell's new store:

Sometime in the middle of all this delightful chaos, my phone rang. I had been waiting and hoping for a tiny miracle that would make it so Seth could video chat with us. He's serving this week in a remote area, where technology is challenging. As of last Monday, the WiFi was completely down, and no one seemed to know when it might be restored. I tried hard to have faith to believe that one way or another, we would hear from him, and LOOK!!!

It happened. Our own Christmas miracle. The connection was better than we've had in months. Seth was able to chat with everyone one at a time, and even open the presents I had shipped, right there where we could see. He was so crazy excited over simple candy, and he nearly jumped out of his chair when he opened the new watch he had asked for. With the recent change in policy relaxing communication restrictions between missionaries and their families, we get to talk to Seth way more often than we ever did our other two missionaries; still, it was as wonderful as ever to "be" with him on Christmas. He stayed connected for about 90 minutes and watched us each open a gift. My heart. My baby. Next Christmas, you'll be home.

The best surprise of the day came after all the gifts were opened. We open our stockings last BECAUSE THAT IS THE CORRECT WAY TO DO IT, AND IF YOU DON'T OPEN Y0URS LAST, YOU PROBABLY NEED TO REPENT AND CHANGE YOUR WAYS. Again, one by one, in order of age, we opened our stockings. When it was Eli's turn, I told him there was one more thing that I failed to get into his stocking, and I went into the bedroom and brought out a big box, all carefully wrapped. He seemed unsure at first whether to believe it. "Wait, I get to open another present? That's mine?"

Santa brought Eli a hover board, something he's wanted for many years, all the way back to when the technology was new and they cost $600. I think he was completely surprised, and few things bring me more joy than surprising one of my kids with a gift he or she wants. It was perfect, and I think he likes it.

Oh what fun!!!

We are off to St. George this week to ring in the new year. May our 20/20 vision show us all our blessings, and together may we seek to show greater love one to another.

Let's just read books and watch TV all the time.

Me: Let's not teach any more classes. Let's just read books and watch TV all the time.
Shulamith: Done.

Shulamith and I both teach a couple English classes at Salt Lake Community College, and we recently completed fall semester, giving us four full weeks of break. Needless to say, we really like it.  Break, that is. So much so that this afternoon as I finished the book I was reading, The Woman in the Window, I texted Shulamith, which resulted in the above conversation. Honestly, I think I would be perfectly content to read books and watch TV all my days. And eat good food, of course. And walk. Don't worry, Emily, I won't stop walking. I have walked for so long, I think my body would rebel in a big way if I ever stopped.

With the year end approaching, friends have been posting their favorites of 2019: books, TV shows, movies, memes, etc. In addition, I've seen a few "least favorite" posts, including two about least favorite Christmas carols. I decided I needed in on the action, so here goes:

I didn't see enough movies to make much of a list, but hands down, the best one I saw this year was Rocketman, the biographical musical drama based on the life of Elton John. It doesn't hurt that I crazy love his music (and him!), but seriously, this film is so well done. Pure delight. Isaiah and I sang every song. Later in the year, Isaiah surprised me with not only the best concert I saw in 2019 (okay, it was the only concert I saw in 2019), but the best concert I've seen in my whole life. Highlights here!

Honorable mention goes to the documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor? based on the legacy of Fred Rogers, creator and host of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. 

Moving from big screen to small, I like a lot of shows, all pretty much the same genre. We've already established that I'm a reality TV failure, and I'm not that good at comedy either. I can count on one hand the number of comedies I've really loved, and none of those aired this past year. So sorry JoJo Siwa, but I'm definitely not gonna "Hold the Drama." It's all I like to watch! I've narrowed my faves of 2019 down to three, in this order:

#3 Almost Family. I know, I know, it seems like the stupidest plot ever, so stupid that I'm not even gonna tell you about it. You just have to watch. The strength of this show are its characters. All of them. They're quirky and complicated just like the rest of us, and endearing right down to their souls.

#2 A Million Little Things. This one hooked me from the first episode, when the most influential character of the series dies. After that, he appears in occasional flashbacks, but really, his presence is felt most deeply through the impact he had on all the other characters, through whom the writers explore and interrogate the most basic meanings of friendship.

#1 This is Us. Despite the glaring grammatical error in its title (Ugh!), this show easily wins first place in my heart. With nothing short of brilliance, these writers move us back and forth in time. Maybe I'm just fond of dead characters (and no, I never watched The Walking Dead - way too violent!), but the hero Jack Pearson, alive only in flashbacks, breathes life into this show in a way few can equal. The story's essence is Jack: his wife, his kids, their kids, and then back the other way to his dad, mom, and brother. I'm captivated every single episode by how the show presents parallel plot lines, as it moves seamlessly and effortlessly through time. Watch it. You won't be disappointed.

Honorable mention goes to Jane the Virgin, a telenovela that explores the strength of women, the strength of family, and the vulnerability that always accompanies genuine love. It's a fun one, and a little bit comedy to prove that I don't totally suck at comedy.

Way more challenging than movies, concerts, or TV shows is to figure out my favorite books. I read so, so many. So many stories. So many characters. So much angst. So much joy. It's hard to remember. I have four lovely suggestions, but I can't guarantee they are my for sure favorites of 2019, because I could be forgetting something wonderful. If so, my apologies.

#4 Where the Crawdads Sing. I always say that all good literature is true, because it speaks of life, and in doing so, communicates to readers what it is to be alive and human. By this definition, Crawdads, though obviously fiction, is true in every way. As we read, we live and breathe right alongside Kya, the marsh girl, abandoned by everyone, yet strong and resilient, and that's enough right there. Don't want to spoil anything for those of you who haven't yet had the pleasure.

#3 Small Great Things. Through the story of Ruth Jefferson, an African American labor and delivery nurse, we are smacked square in the face with the uncomfortable topics of racial injustice, prejudice, and hate, in a way that makes us squirm mightily. And squirm we should.

#2 Just Mercy. Disclaimer: I've only read 30%. I started it too late because I was finishing another book for my book group, and then my loan expired. It's back on my Kindle queue, but it's popular, so I'm still waiting. But even with just 30%, it finds its way to #2 on my list. It's that good. The only non-fiction on my list (remember, all good literature is true, but this story actually happened), this book is like a train wreck. It's so awful, but I couldn't stop reading, and when it disappeared, I felt simultaneously relieved for the break and desperate to have it back.

#1 The Things We Cannot Say. While all story elements are important: plot, characters, setting, point of view; for me, it's all about voice. I yearn to hear a genuine, honest voice, and this book delivers exactly that. Woven beautifully between WWII Poland and modern day, this story threw me head-over-heels in love with both protagonists, Alina, the young girl in worn-torn Poland, and Alice, the woman plagued by her quest to uncover a family secret. The story causes us to reflect on secrets, indeed the things unsaid, those that protect as well as those that do harm, and the brave souls who fight to know the difference.

Honorable mentions include The Silent Patient; Little Fires Everywhere; Where'd You Go, Bernadette?; and Every Note Played.

Finally, for the fun of it, let's talk about crappy Christmas carols (oooh, gotta love that alliteration). I've heard numerous rants about the song "Baby It's Cold Outside." Is it promoting date rape, with lines such as "Say, what's in this drink?" and "I like to think of it as opportunistic"? Okay, yeah, I can see that inference. I can. But I don't think this was the song's intent really; maybe I'm naive? I actually sort of like the song, truth be told. Sorry to those who hate it.

Then there's debate over "Mary, Did You Know?" citing Luke 1:26-35, where the angel appears to Mary and foretells the coming of the Savior and his mission. Again, I get it. But I'm okay suspending reality just a bit. After all, we set up manger scenes with both shepherds and wise men, who in reality, visited the babe years apart, and as Gerald noted in a post, we sing about how He never cried, which is incredulous considering he was a human baby. So maybe it's okay if we sing a pretty song that asks Mary if she knew.

Another favorite to hate on is "Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer." My biggest issue with this one is, again, GRAMMAR! Come on, people. Otherwise, the song kind of makes me laugh. I guess I just don't take it seriously enough, and also, I have this fond memory my mom carrying Luke (Born Dec. 4th) around the house, singing this song to him to sooth his newborn cries.

So what songs don't I like, you are dying to know? Counting down the three crappiest Christmas carols. Second disclaimer: I still sing numbers 3 and 2, because they're as old as dirt and everyone sings them. I just don't care for the meaning in the lyrics.

#3 "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." This song presents a terrible example of bullying and shunning a poor reindeer because of his appearance, then loving him only when he's desperately needed. Blah.

#2 "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." And this one promotes the false belief that children can be "bad," and that if they are, Santa (who creeps on them night and day) won't bring them any presents. The worst line in this one: "You better not cry." Double blah.

Last, and this one I DO NOT sing. I get mad when it comes on the radio. Guys, I really loathe this song.

#1 "Santa Baby." Some girl with a sexy voice petitions Santa to "hurry down the chimney" and bring her everything under the sun, including a sable, a light blue convertible, a duplex, and the deed to a platinum mine! How utterly materialistic! And the only way she'll be a "very good girl" next year is if he brings her all this stuff. I really might throw up.

There you have it, my favorite movies, concert, TV shows, and books. And my least fave Christmas carols.

Also, if you're looking for Shulamith and me, we are reading books and watching TV all the time. For the rest our lives.

It's fine.