Thoughts From a Frazzled Mind

We had a terrific Christmas this year! Our holiday started with the annual Duerden family dinner party on Christmas Eve. It was a great blessing that mom was able to prepare almost all of the dinner. It wasn’t very long ago that we weren’t sure that mom would even be around this Christmas, let alone make dinner! Tradition has it that we always listen to the Osmond Family Christmas album during dinner – things must have been crazy, because somehow we neglected to turn it on, oh the horror of it all! Regardless, dinner was quite enjoyable. After dinner we sang a few Christmas carols, and then we had the annual reading of the Christmas Story from the bible by mom. Along with the story we usually have the youngest children hold up stick puppets representing the key characters. Unfortunately we were reminded of the severity of mom’s memory loss when she didn’t even remember that we had ever used the puppets. Since the babies were so little anyway, we opted not to use them. Mom started r...

Just a quick note to say that dispite several hurdles to jump, TA DAH! The Christmas Jammies were completed just in the nick of time! It was touch and go because as I was sewing the last couple of waistbands my sewing machine decided to quit working . It was very strange, one minute I was sewing along fine, and the next, everything seemed to be working, but no matter what I did, the needle would not go up and down. I took it to the local sewing center, but they said that they couldn't fix it, and recommended that I take it to another shop in Logan. This was devastating news, not only for the fact that I was on a Jammie deadline, but also because, I love my sewing machine. I haven't used it much in the last several years, but previously it was used on a daily basis as I made all of my childrens clothing. I am so spoiled by my machine that it was very hard for me to borrow another to finish up the last few seams. However, I did. It was actually quite comical to see me try to ma...

Monday night we had a great time when Cyn's family and Marilyn's family joined us for an evening of fun times. We decided to have breakfast for supper and made yummy waffles and eggs. After dinner we headed to our house for, what else, GAMES! We just love playing games! This night the ladies chose to play Simply Catan while the kids ran around wildly and the guys watched Monday Night Football. Cyn is such a Kook! She promised that she would help Tasha make a gingerbread house during the holidays this year, and they never seemed to have time when Tasha was at their house (she stays there between classes at school). So, Cyn brought all of the makings, icing, and decorations here and while we were playing, Tasha decorated her very first gingerbread house. I think she did a fantastic job! We soon had all of the kids join us and want to play so we broke out "Walk the Dogs". It was fun to see McKay open the box and say, "what, we play with toy dogs?????" I...

Today my best buddy, Kalel, and I made Christmas cookies! He was a very good helper. He dumped all of the ingredients in the bowl for me. . We invited Tasha to join us for some of the fun. He especially liked the part when he got to lick the spoon! We had a GREAT time!

Feel free to play along for some yummy fun! Jodi posts a new one each Thursday night for those that are on a different time zone. JOIN IN!!! Food 4 Thought Friday ~ This week's questions Only SIX more days until CHRISTMAS!!! Breakfast: Do you still have gifts to buy or are you done with your shopping? I think I am done with the exception of some stocking goodies. I did it all on Black Friday, but that was forever ago, so I'm not really sure. I have a hard time remembering! It is always a big surprise to me on Christmas morning what everyone gets! I am still finishing the Jammies I am making, but I am just about done, hooray! Lunch: Has the economy affected any part of your Christmas this year? How? The economy hasn't affected us much. Years ago we started a putting money in a Christmas account all year long, so we use the money from that account, and when it is gone, it is gone. Dinner: What is your favorite Christmas tradition? Ummm , reading Christmas books and goi...

Sometimes I feel very frustrated at the fact that I am always running and never seem to get things done. It seems like no matter how well I plan someone or something interrupts and I have have to stop what I am doing and do something else. This year Christmas is coming and it is coming FAST! We are already past the point of starting the 12 days of Christmas, and I haven't even started thinking about who to give those 12 days to. I started sewing Christmas jammies months ago, and I will be lucky to have them finished by New Years. We have the barest of decorations up this year, we don't even have any stockings or yard ornaments. Luckily we left the Nativity up throughout the year or we wouldn't even have a Nativity at all this year. Kim, who is always stressed, is working hours and hours to finish up the big carving project for the courthouse stairs so we don't even have the opportunity to spend much time together. But, you know what? It is okay. Simple decorations are...

The irony of blogging is that when you have tons of time , there is usually nothing of note to write about. But, when there are many fun and exciting things to blog about, there is never enough time to blog! Here are some snippets of my frazzled (yet very pleasant) life lately. We have the most fun ward parties ! This year Kim and I proved ourselves as the Christmas Trivia Masters and were rewarded with Idle Isle chocolates. Singing Christmas carols is always a favorite activity of mine, and I was not disappointed this evening. Among other things, we sang the 12 Days of Christmas where each of us was instructed to stand and sing the verse corresponding to our birth month. It was extremely comical to see each group get into their parts! Kim was able to showcase his talents with “ 5 Golden Rings ” and of course Shandra and I helped him as back-up singers shouting, “ ba, ba, bum, bum ” in true Muppet fashion. Tammy climbed on her chair to assure that she would be seen during her part, a...

My friend, Marilyn, is immensely talented, creative, as well as a spiritual giant! She wrote a presentation called "A Walk With Christ" especially for our Young Women at girl's camp . I was so impressed with the presentation that I tattled to our Relief Society President and suggested that the sisters in our ward would benefit from the presentation. She agreed, and last night we again had the privilege of learning about the Savior by way of Marilyn's presentation. Because I was so moved and touched by the experience, I would like to share some of it (disclaimer: my words do no justice to the actual words from the script - both Marilyn's and those from the prophets and scriptures that were quoted). As part of the program, we heard the recorded words of Christ moving through the hallways of the building. We felt a desire to listen and follow His voice as we were lead to different rooms where we "met" people who had a direct association with Jesus during Hi...

What a GRAND pre-Christmas surprize! Tasha and Shandra made arrangements and bought tickets for our family to see Micheal McLean's Forgotten Carols! We have gone to see the Forgotten Carols several times as a family in the past and each time we are inspired and awed by the performance. I feel that this production is a perfect way to start off the holiday season and was feeling a little disappointed that we weren't going to be able to make it this year. Kim and I were thrilled and suprised when the girls presented us with the tickets! Micheal McLean is a wonderful lyricist and composer who has a knack for creating songs that touch your heart in many ways. I think that my favorite song from the production is entitled, "Arise and Shine Forth". It is a beautiful song of our Savior. I found this video of the song. (You will have to scroll down and pause my playlist in order to hear it) We had a WONDERFUL evening! Enjoyed great music, shed a few tears, and laughed until...

My sister, Roxane, is the most creative, talent, and artistic person I know. Her home is beautifully decorated and she is always working on some incredible project to either enhance the beauty of her home, give as a gift, teach skills to a friend, or make a little money. Recently she decided that since her mind is always running over with more ideas than she had avenues to share she would open her own mini boutique in her home. Many of her friends are also terribly talented and creative also, so together they have formed quite a nice variety of items available. Rox's boutique is entitled "Needful Things" and she is having an open house Saturday, December 6 from 10:00 until 7:00 at her home. If you are interested, please let me know and I will give you directions. I guarantee it will be worth your while! If you can't make the open house, it will be open any time that she is home! Here is a small sample of the items in her boutique. There are many items such as vinyl...