O Christmas Tree

This is my Christmas tree for 2011.   This is not characteristic of me and my decorating style.   I normally have at least two trees and I have been know to have a tree in every room before.   So the fact that my tree was bare for most of December was quite alarming to many in my life.   Kaci even found some bows and odd ornaments in my office which she used to help the bare tree.   In the center of the the tree was a vinyl that I created with a nativity scence and it says Christ is the Reason for the Season.   I had no desire for more than that simple phrase and scene on my tree with the lights.   For me the lights are the most important part of the tree.  I put out my nativities and the boys decorated down stairs but this year I wanted to focus more on the spirit and the celebration of the Savior.   I am not sure how well this was accomplished but I tried.   There was a huge emptiness inside of me this year that I can not explain yet I created many memories.  Finally, New years eve I found a fun idea online and decided to use it.   I decorated the tree with things my family loves and tied money and small gifts to the tree with a note.   This was fun and the kids even Zeak loved it.     2012 I hope my tree is decorated again and the emptiness is gone.  Regardless of if it is or not the tree will be decorated fun for the New year.    This is a fun tradition I want to carry on. 

Become More

I attend Time Out for Women twice this year and loved every minute of it. The theme was "Choose to Become." I have wrestled with this all year. With so many options and so many examples I was left confused and not knowing.

The other day I had an experience that left me knowing that for sure I needed to create a home that was safe, warm, and comfortable. A place where not only we want to be as a family but that others will want to be as well. I just read a blog that summarized my feelings so well. She had compared herself to everyone and everything around her. That is Satan's plan he wants us to be competitive. It was his competitiveness that landed him in the pickle he is in. I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father had another son with a different plan. He was the opposite of competitive. Jesus was so loving and compassionate that the Father chose his plan. Do you wonder if when Jesus presented his plan he fully comprehended what his plan would mean for him and all of us? It is so easy to list all of the things I am not. I am Not a writer, not organized, not stylish, not the best at anyone thing. Yet I am good and good and many things. I have a very kind tender heart. I am creative, a cook, can play the piano and organ, love to create and keep memories, I am a cowgirl, the list goes on and on.

In this blog post I just read the lady dares anyone to Become More with that dare I AM GOING TO BECOME MORE! I am going to become more in both my good areas and my not so good areas. I am going to Become More with out comparing myself to everyone and everything around me. Here is to 2012 and Becoming ME!