Christmas Madness

Dear Reader,

Last year I wrote a post on the simplicity of Christmas. And how it's important and all that. 

This year I've been overwhelmed by Christmasy things. So much so that maybe...I'm not being simple enough.

It all started with the ward Christmas party. The youth were in charge of it, so that meant the leaders had to put it together and get the youth involved in some way. It was stressful and time-consuming. We made the centerpieces, and decorated the room, and put together the entertainment, and organized the food that was being served...I was thinking of like nothing else for weeks. Luckily it turned out:

Then one of my young women turned 16 this past weekend so I baked this cake:

And then I went to coworker Michelle's house to bake cookies.

A LOT of cookies.

I've also been decorating my house, Christmas style.

(I made this little nativity number out of construction paper and Popsicle sticks at the Highlights Holiday Open House a few weeks ago.)

PLUS the obligatory Christmas present shopping.

Pretty much Christmas hasn't even happened yet and I'm already exhausted. I think this is the opposite of taking things simple. Oh well. Better luck next year?...

Cleansing

Dear Reader,

So cell phones are awesome. When they work.

Then there are all those other times when they break. Or your SIM card dies and you have to get it replaced but there's no way to save all the phone numbers you had so you have to contact people individually and ask them for their number so you don't lose contact with them completely.

So anyway. That happened yesterday.

Yesterday and today I've been going through lists of my friends and letting them know that I don't have their number anymore. But see, this way I get to choose who I put in my phone. Thus cleansing myself of all those people in the past that I either never talk to anymore, don't want to talk to anymore, or don't remember who they are anymore. It's awesome!

And it's inspired me to do a little cleansing in other areas of my life. A good cleanse is healthy every once in a while. Just get rid of all that old garbage. Who needs it?!

A Unique Highlights Moment:

Having to figure out where to put the dinosaur head now that the Christmas tree is in his usual spot.