Sunday Update

Today was the day I wait for all year - the first Sunday that the organist, Brother Baumann, begins playing Christmas music with the all the fervor and zeal that the Christmas hymns deserve.  I LOVE this time of the year!  Last year, when I was so ill with all my female problems, I missed every single Sunday that he played and was so bummed that I'd missed them.  So, I've been patiently waiting for today...and, today did not disappoint.  Brother Baumann knows just how to make every one of these Christmas hymns stand out on its own and shine.  I was in heaven listening to him play while we sang along!

The choir also sang a beautiful song as the intermediate hymn.  I loved the song - both the way the choir sang it, the words of the song, and the beautiful music that Sister Ritman and her daughter Nicole played.  I just knew I needed to call and tell Diane and Ritman how much I loved it...so I did.  That's when I found out that Nicole was the one who played the majority of the song!  Such talent for an 11 year old!

After church, we came home, had some leftover pizza for lunch, took a nap until 3 p.m., then I cut some vinyl, and then spent the rest of the evening working on finishing up the Christmas tree and other decor.  I had asked Melon Man yesterday if it was okay if I undecorated the tree so I could "fluff" the branches and finish decorating the tree.  He said he was fine with it, if I put the stuff back on.  Well, of course, sweetie, I'm going to put it back on, plus all the rest of the decorations.  So, that's what I did.  It took forever though.  I would work on parts and then stop and do something else and then start the process over again.  In the end, around 1 a.m., I was done with the tree, had wrapped a couple of things, had taped some vinyl to send to Jen, had weeded and taped some vinyl for us, cleaned up all the decor boxes and such, and got the ladder ready to go back out to the garage.  It was lovely sitting on the sofa off and on tonight with all the lighted garland on, candles going, and the "Yule Log" playing on the big screen.  I'll take come pictures soon.

Finally...it feels like Christmas again.  Up until our ward party, I'd been so excited for Christmas this year!  After the party, everything just kind of felt like it was over and the excitement was gone.  Tonight, I feel better - finally.  Now, I just have to get our gifts done and maybe the excitement will continue. 

I'm SO looking forward to this Friday.  Once I walk out of those doors on Friday afternoon, I'm off for 9 days.  I'm actually thinking about doing some baking!  I don't know what I may make though.  I'm not really a big Christmas baking person.  As a teenager, I never really liked making all the goodies my mom would make at Christmas time - not that they weren't good, and not that I didn't like spending that time with her, but mostly just because I have never really liked to bake.  Today I was talking to Auntie Sigie about all of this and was sharing my dilemma of what to make.  She named a number of things that Mom used to make and I felt horrible as she named off each one and I moaned or groaned or "yucked" or said this or that about each one.  My mom worked REALLY hard to try to make Christmas nice for us.  She worked really hard making all the goodies.  When I realized what I was doing, I was embarassed for thinking that way.  I just am not a sweets person though, so maybe that's why I've struggled with this.

So, I've been trying to decide what I would make if I did decide to "bake" for the holiday.  And, I can only come up with a couple of things - all things the rest of my family doesn't make, nor did my mom!  Is that wrong that I don't want to carry on those particular traditions?  I mean, I used to hate rolling the russian teacakes in the powdered sugar.  I used to hate dipping the pretzels.  I used to hate cutting the almonds in half for the honischkuchen.  So, if I didn't like doing those things, what am I going to do for my baking this year?  I think I will look through my recipe book and see what sparks some interest.  I know I want to make Pistachio Biscotti for sure.  I'm also pretty sure I'll make Cashew Brittle since I despise peanuts.  I think I thought of something else, but now I can't remember what it was!