New Legs

Sisters Mary Catherine, Maria Theresa, Katherine Marie, Rose Frances, & Mary Kathleen left the Convent on a trip to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City and were sight-seeing on a Tuesday in July. It was hot and humid in town and their traditional garb was making them so uncomfortable, they decided to stop in at Patty McGuire's Pub for a cold soft drink.

Patty had recently added special legs to his barstools, which were the talk of the fashionable eastside neighborhood. All 5 Nuns sat up at the bar and were enjoying their Cokes when Monsignor Riley and Father McGinty entered the bar through the front door. They, too, came for a cold drink when they were shocked and almost fainted at what they saw.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!!!! It's time to bring out the journal and read old resolutions and figure out some new ones. I laughed when I looked at mine. My first resolution was to write in my journal weekly. The very next entry was a month later! I will definitely be better about that this year. :)

On New Year's Eve, Nathaniel, Caitie, Ted and I went to Kirtland after church and toured the sites there. What a way to start the year! We went to the upper room of the Whitney story where the school of the prophets was. Because there were not many people there, we could stay as long as we wanted. There was a powerful spirit there. Caitie sang hymns while the rest of us thought separate thoughts. Then we came home and had a wonderful dinner. We watched a couple movies and then watched the ball drop on TV. We drank martinelli's and Ted and I kissed in the new year. :)

For family home evening last night, we wrote down what we were grateful for. I think the theme of this trip home for me was to be grateful and to not be afraid to talk to the Lord and ask Him for what I need. It's amazing how much the Lord wants to bless us.

Happy New Year! May your year be filled with incredible experiences, love and success!!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas was wonderful this year. Mom decided to stuff us instead of the turkey. :) All of our favorite meals were carefully planned and shopped for before we came home. We made new traditions which included eating fondue instead of clam chowder on Christmas Eve. I love fondue! We had cheese fondue, heated peanut oil where we fried shrimp, scallops, steak, and chicken, and chocolate fondue. When the chocolate came out it was almost as if we had not eaten in weeks! Everyone rushed to the chocolate. We had sword fights with our fondue forks in the chocolate trying to knock everyone else's fruit and cake off their forks. It was great fun! The best part was when Nathaniel "accidentally" dropped a piece of pepper-jack cheese into the fondue for some lucky person to find and eat while it was covered in chocolate. When that lucky person finally did pick it up (thinking it was an apple!), Nathaniel started laughing and the person ran and spit it out. Pretty hilarious.. I'll tell you what! Also different this year was instead of acting out the nativity while Dad read it, the little kids put the nativity pieces in place while the story was read. On Christmas Eve we also went around the room saying what we were grateful for from the year before and also what gift we want to give Jesus this year. It was a really powerful night! I decided I like Christmas Eve even more than Christmas day. I love what we focus on on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas morning I was greeted by my excited 5-year-old nephew. "It's time for Christmas!" he exclaimed. We groggily walked down the stairs and found our stockings. The boys all got ping pong ball guns that didn't really work (we ended chucking them at each other with our hands instead!). The girls got bath stuff. Everyone got their favorite kind of cereal from Santa. Then the present fest began! The Manheim Steamroller Christmas CD was put on while we took turns opening presents. I think everyone got spoiled this year--especially the grandkids! Steve called from China and met Ted over the phone. We sang carols to him and laughed and talked. Mom put his picture at the top of the tree this year. :) I'm so glad we could talk to him. We called everyone in the family and wished them a merry Christmas.

Breakfast was the usual cold cereal with a swedish tea ring. Yum!!!!! And then we were back to the presents! :) My favorite gifts were gifts from the heart. I think everyone gave those. I really feel so blessed! As that little boy said, "love is the feeling you get at Christmas when you stop opening presents and just listen."