Service and Burnout

We did so much that first week of December. I wanted to get things in before the tradition of being sick during the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. Actually, nobody was sick for that this year. Yay. We did enjoy watching it together.

In Sacrament Meeting that morning, our bishop talked about doing simple acts of service, which as you know I've been thinking about and trying to do lately. He shared an experience where he offered to throw away somebody's trash for them because it looked like they were done eating. Simple acts of service. I offered to take someone's cart back for them in the Costco parking lot. I was already taking mine back and he had one arm already full. Simple acts of service. At church, I complimented a couple men on their ties because the Christmas season brings out some awesome festive ties. Simple acts of service.

I also took some time Sunday afternoon to make paper bag puppets with Jet. He loved it. 

So I tried to do service. I tried celebrating. Then Monday and the burnout came. I had my nice little breakdown, feeling the overwhelm. I managed to clean and vacuum the living room. I did not manage to catch up on dishes. Did you know baking uses a lot of dishes? I still haven't caught up on the dishes. I'll just admit that right now. And I want to do more baking (read that with a whiny voice).

I still managed to do service when a couple people asked me to help with things. I mean, when someone needs a balloon blown up and you have access to balloon pumps... 

Monday evening, I dragged the kids (a couple were grumpy and didn't want to go- everyone's feeling the burnout and overwhelm) over to the mall for something new. 

They had a live nativity. Students from one of the local high schools were the performers. I knelt down with Jet to explain who the different people represented. When we get to the different groups (shepherds, wise men, etc.) in our family scripture study, I'll be able to remind him of what we saw. 

We also got hot chocolate and brownies there which we were excited about because December 8 was National Brownie Day.

Jet wanted to go inside the big Christmas tree while we were there. It is so cool looking inside.

 

We enjoyed the holiday lights (including the lights of the fountain). 

Here's a funny story. We sat down by the fountain to let Jet eat his brownie because he was just carrying it around for a while. While we were sitting there, Lucky handed me his napkin which he had shaped like a flower and said, "Here's a pretty flower for the lady." Awwww. When Jet finished his brownie, he handed me his crumb covered napkin and said, "Here's a napkin for when you finish your brownie." Ha Ha Ha Ha. I think he did it in a similar voice to what Lucky was using which is what made it hilarious. Have I mentioned I love my kids?

 

We got to see live animals as we walked back to our van, including a camel.

The weather was so good that day. We were really fortunate. I think the student performers were also really fortunate because when Nichole went to the mall just a couple days before that, it was so cold.

The grumpy kids didn't stay grumpy very long which I am grateful for and Jet was very well behaved.

We talked about how many years ago (November 2017), most of us got to ride a camel, so when we got home, Jet got on his brother's back and told us, "I'm riding a camel."

Since it was also Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day, we had "fish fingers and custard" at home.

Huh. I guess going to a live nativity also works for that holiday because we went back more than 2000 years to when Jesus came to Earth as a little baby.

 

Yesterday, December 9, was National Llama Day so my mom said I could share a couple pictures she took of her neighborhood llamas. She shared some llama thoughts with me as well. I love that my mom helps me celebrate. 

Lots of Lights

December 6 was a day for being around holiday lights apparently.

Since it was St. Nicholas Day, we found candy in our shoes. Lucky let me know that he had learned about that holiday in the library so when he saw it on the calendar, it reminded him that it was that holiday so he went to look in his shoes.

I need to take a little break from writing now because Jet wants his turn so this is my way of doing service for him now- letting him type.

 

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Now it's my turn (after I edited his a little). 

Besides St. Nicholas Day, December 6 was also Put On Your Own Shoes Day. That happened. 

Since the lights are on at City Center Park now, I wanted to get out for a walk on the first morning I could, which was that Saturday (because weekdays during school, there's not enough time). You know I like going for morning walks there when the lights are on. It was Play Outside Day as well.

It was raining that morning so I was worried about going out until Jeremy encouraged me to unlock my "inner Oregonian" and I realized I could use an umbrella. So I went and got a good walk in the rain and enjoyed the lights (and an audiobook). 

That evening, Nichole needed to go some places for homework so I took her to the mall and to BYU, both places with holiday lights. 

She pointed out the cool Nativity they had on the windows of the library at BYU. 

The moon looked cool that night.

We ate breakfast sandwiches that night because it was Microwave Oven Day and I made sure to cook my egg in the microwave as well as sausage links. 

 

Balloon Trees and Choir Parties

I said we're balloon artists.

Our children built our balloon Christmas tree. The next morning, Jr. Jr. walked out to the living room and commented, "It smells like Christmas." I laughed and replied, "Because of the balloon Christmas tree?" "Yeah. The latex. It smells like Christmas."

We had a last ward choir practice the night before our Christmas Eve program then had a choir shindig afterward (families invited). Our choir director introduced us to some of his family traditions- games, treats, etc. It was nice and fun. Choir is my happy place.

 

December 23 was Radish Night so Jeremy cut up lettuce and radishes for salad because I was so busy. My hero.

 

Then the next morning we had a beautiful Christmas Eve musical program then family time at home.

We had our big Christmas Eve dinner. 

Jet decided at one point during dinner he was done eating and it was time to stand on Mommy's chair, lean on her head so it was hard for her to eat, and say over and over, "Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas." My child is so adorable. I love him. I love him so much. Everybody got a kick out of it and had fun. I love my family.

We took a video of ourselves saying what we each were up to in 2023, bore our testimonies for our last Countdown to Christmas scripture study, then the kids opened up pajamas to wear to bed (which I mentioned on my blog on Christmas Day).

Look at what a cute thing our Primary Presidency did for the kids and leaders. They put together a Nativity Snack Mix with different treats representing different parts of the Nativity. So sweet (and savory).

Winter Solstice Among Other Things

December 21 was the Winter Solstice, the first day of Winter. When Jr. was going to make pancakes the day before, the smoke detector went off (not from his cooking, from bacon grease and water in the skillet). I told the kids to open windows but to make sure to close them before sundown since the next day was the solstice (it's been tradition this year on the solstices and equinoxes). We ate fluffernutter sandwiches again.

 

The 21st was also Short Girl Appreciation Day. I got a picture with my teenagers who were not standing on their toes nor was I slouching. Throughout the day, Jr. gave me hugs and told me that he appreciated me (not just because I was short, but because I do so much).

Also on the calendar for that day was Yule. Jr. wanted to listen to music. I told him he could only listen to music if it was with a Yule log fire like The Piano Guys or Josh Groban. Jr. found a YouTube video of Link standing by a fire. He put it on the TV then put Breath of the Wild music on the computer. Bwah ha ha ha. Clever boy.

 

The kids took turns doing online crossword puzzles for National Crossword Puzzle Day also on the 21st.

 

For Family Home Evening lesson, we read the nativity story in Luke 2 as we drove to West Mountain. As we drove along we saw sheep. We were like the wise men traveling to see the Christmas star. That day Jupiter and Saturn were the closest to each other in alignment with Earth that they have been in 800 years. Nice and bright... and around Christmas time. That's why it is known as the Christmas star. We drove to the other side of West Mountain with just the hill behind us with no house lights and farmland across the lake at the place we stopped so not a lot of lights there either. There were some other people with vehicles in the same area but it was a big area so no one was too close to each other. 

It was fun to see the planets. Looking closely with the camera, we could sort of see Saturn's rings and some of the moons of those planets. Jet loved seeing the sky with the half moon and stars.

 #LightTheWorld suggested getting as many family members together for a virtual hangout that day. I didn't suggest doing a video call like we did for Thanksgiving but while we were out looking at the Christmas star, my sisters, Mom, and I were all texting about it. Both of my sisters were also out looking at the planets and unfortunately my mom had rain. It was still fun to chat together and see pictures of my sister's view.

Everybody say, "Christmas Star!"

Since I finished reading A Christmas Carol on Saturday, we watched The Muppet Christmas Carol when we got home from seeing the Christmas star since December 21 is National Humbug Day. Every time Scrooge was going to say, "Humbug," in the movie, Nichole would say, "Happy National," before he said it then would say, "Day," after he said it. Heh Heh Heh.

 

It was also National Flashlight Day. We definitely used flashlights while we were out at the lake in the dark.

Ward Christmas Party

I know I'm dooming myself by saying this, but I don't want to ever be in charge of a ward Christmas party in this ward.  I don't think I could do it.
Two years ago, the ward did a Polar Express Party.

Every family in the ward was given a ticket which we brought and different families were put in different dining cars or rooms in the church building to eat dinner.

As we ate, the conductor (guess who) came around and punched our tickets.

Then we all disembarked and gathered together in the train depot (overflow between the chapel and the cultural hall, a.k.a. gym).
At a signal from the conductor, the curtains were opened and we entered "The North Pole" where it was snowing.  That's right.  It was snowing.  It was soap bubbles or something.

There was a giant Christmas tree built by Jeremy of course and Santa's village was painted all around.

Santa himself came to share with us a message of Christmas.  He took ornaments from a Christmas tree and shared how they represented Christ and the message of His birth.

There were narrations and musical numbers to go along with what he shared and it was awesome.
Wow.

This year was "A Night in Bethlehem."  The Young Men, the Young Women, the Relief Society, and the Primary were each in charge of setting up a food tent.  Thanks to our wonderful Primary President, we had so many supplies to use to decorate our Primary tent.  Also, thanks to the two other Primary leaders who helped decorate the tent, and to the toddlers and preschool age boys who helped set up the tent by grabbing the fourth leg of it since we only had three adults there at the time.  They were great.  We were asked to make a sign showing what was being served in Hebrew.  Jeremy helped me make the sign.  Thanks, Jeremy.

We were encouraged to dress up if we wanted, so I raided the Primary closet for costumes to put on my kids so I wouldn't have to dig through things at home.

When we got to "Bethlehem" we were given a sack of "money" to pay our taxes and buy food and exchange for a wooden ornament we could take home for our families.  We gave money to the tax collector and went over to get a family picture which was printed by the end of the night.
We got our ornament and went over to each of the food tents to get our food.
There were cookies for dessert, which was appropriate since the activity was on December 4 which is National Cookie Day.

Jeremy built palm trees for decoration and balloon sheep.  There was a ward member making pottery in one corner of the gym.  That was cool.  We have a really talented ward- and so many different talents.

As we were eating, Mary and Joseph (friends of ours who moved out of the ward a while ago, but come back often for ward activities- we love them) showed up and started going around asking people where they could find shelter for the one night.  They went to the inn but were turned away.
Finally someone directed them to the stable (pavilion with cushions and a manger/cradle) in the middle of the room.  Joseph helped Mary lie down and pulled out a baby.  Yes, a real live baby.  She must have been bundled up as they were walking around and they brought her out for her scene.  She's only a couple months old so she's small enough to be used as the baby Jesus.
Then we saw shepherds tending their sheep and the curtain on the stage opened to show an angel.
When people were not walking around interacting with ward members, the gestures and movements were done to music.  The angel is a dancer and dance instructor so it was beautiful to watch her movements as she brought the message of great joy to the shepherds and directed them to the city of David- all without words.
Then the shepherds walked around spreading the news and ended up in the stable with Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus.
Then the wise men were on the stage along with King Herod (played by Jeremy) and Herod looked conniving.  The wise men showed up among the ward members and eventually reached Mary and Joseph.  Now of course we know that the wise men weren't actually there when Jesus was born and came later after they had left Bethehem, but for the purposes of the nativity, they joined the group in the stable.
Then we all sang "Silent Night" and had a closing prayer.
Wow.

And that's why I don't want to be in charge of a ward Christmas party.