Top 12 Ways To Recognize a New Year!

“Whatever with the past has gone, . . .

The best is always yet to come!” ~ Lucy Larcom

Throughout the years of celebrating each new year with our growing family, we have come to recognize the dawn of each pristine beginning in numerous ways. So here for your enjoyment and thoughtful pondering of your own traditions, are my . . .

“Top 12 Ways To Recognize It’s a Brand New Year (past and present):

1. You watched Dick Clark's “New Year's Rockin' Eve” countdown to the sparkling “ball drop” in Times Square, New York City, while sitting at home in the comfort of your living room. Presently, following Dick’s unfortunate stroke and subsequent long recovery, you now watch Ryan Seacrest preform the annual ritual in Dick’s name, with Dick looking on doing studio comments.

2. Having promised your little ones they could stay up to toast in the New Year with Martinelli’s sparkling nonalcoholic cider, finally tucking them into bed, your daughter says sleepily, “But we didn’t have our toast!” Only then do you realize they thought you meant actual toast, with butter and honey.

3. You wake up in the middle of the night with the television blaring loudly, realizing everybody fell asleep in front of the television. Your poor husband is snoring uncomfortably on the floor.

4. Your kitchen pots and pans and large serving spoons are outside in the snow, after your children rang in the New Year at midnight, annoying the neighbors.

5. Hallmark, Lifetime, and the Family television channels have discontinued their “24 Days” of tear-jerking, heartfelt Christmas shows, that in reality began two months ago.



6. You have a piece of paper on your desk with the title, “New Year’s Resolutions,” which you intend to begin writing eventually . . . however the only thing listed so far is, “Stop procrastinating.”



7. You resolve to finally lose the “weight,” . . . after you’ve consumed the last piece of Christmas chocolate goodness.

8. You resolve to begin each day by being grateful, giving service to someone. You begin by being grateful you have one more piece of chocolate in the house before you begin your new diet. You give service by serving it to yourself.

9. You resolve to go through the Christmas trash bag of wrapping paper, still in the living room, to find the new television remote control and Barbie’s missing shoe, before the garbage truck comes on Friday.



10. The evening news presents their annual “Year in Review” and you wonder where you were when all that was happening, as the majority of it is “news” to you.

11. You hang up a cute new wall calendar, realizing you no longer need to write last year’s birthdays on it because you now use an electronic calendar. Never again will you miss that January 1st birthday and have to send belated greetings. Sadly, you usually forget to check your technology on January 1st and send belated greetings anyway.

12. You begin the New Year by: Making a new “To Do” list on your computer, adding in things you’ve already done today so you can have the satisfaction of crossing them off and feeling accomplished as well as giving purpose to the “strikethrough” font you’ve never used; Creating a January computer screen saver; Deleting 200 old emails that were still sitting in your inbox; Creating a new signature quote and writing “Happy New Year” on every outgoing email!

Happy 2010 Everybody!

“Learn from the past, prepare for the future, live in the present!”

~ Thomas S. Monson

A New Kind of Nativity!

Nine Grandchildren, Dec. 2009

“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger . . . And there were in the same country shepherds [and Luke Skywalker, along with three wise guys] abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock [and their doggies] by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid [some were wild and crazy, others stunned in silence].”

A Christmas Story

I love this time of year with all of the over sentimental, heartfelt, television Christmas movies. I can’t help myself and I watch them every year, no matter how cheesy or predictable. Of course nothing beats the classics, passed down from generation to generation, like “Miracle on 34th Street” (“Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to.”), “It’s a Wonderful Life” (“Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings!”), or “A Christmas Carol” (“God bless us, everyone!”), the three enduring movies from which all other Christmas plots derive! They are timeless, their messages universal, regardless of age. However no Christmas is complete without the traditional viewing of the 1983 classic, “A Christmas Story,” one of my all time favorites! The story depicts a little boy’s memories of his most unforgettable Christmas. It's Christmas time and there's only one thing on Ralphie Parker's Christmas list: a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-Shot, Range Model Air Rifle! Many obstacles stand in the way of Ralphie’s dream, mainly the adults in his life who keep telling him, “You'll shoot your eye out, kid!”

Christmas represents various contrastive things to many different people. However a common bond we often share are the obstacles that threaten our perfect imagined Christmas vision. For some, Christmas brings memories of hectic shopping for hard to find gifts and added weight gain from eating too many holiday goodies. For others it brings sadness of loved ones lost and memories cut short before their time.

For me, Christmas has always been a magical time of year. It has never been about the weather outside or the money we had (or did not have) to spend. It has always represented a time for unexpected surprises and the joy of family, gathering together in celebration of their love, just like on the first Christmas so long ago.

My own parents always made Christmas special. My mother spent many sleepless nights making doll clothes and hand sewn Christmas dresses to wake up to. I remember being blindfolded while she tried on the clothing she was making, so I’d be surprised on Christmas morning. There was always at least one special present on the tree from Dad, identified by the mini chocolate Santa’s he adored his gifts with. One year I asked for a chimpanzee, after seeing one as a pet on a popular television show. Realistically I knew I wasn’t going to get a “real” clothes wearing, people understanding, furry, monkey companion to share my life. However, I put it on my wish list anyway. I was so surprised and excited when my dad’s chocolate adorned Santa gift turned out to be a life size baby monkey, wearing little white shoes and sucking his thumb! He was a pretend stuffed animal of course, but my love for my dad was genuine!

One of my most unforgettable Christmas’s with our own children was in 1976. Our little boy, Cordale, had just turned three that year, and his baby sister, Aleesha, was almost 10 months old. Dale had spent many late nights after work making a wooden train with 12-inch cars that could haul cargo and seat mini Fisher Price people. He was excited for Christmas Day when it would surprise Cord from beneath the branches of our pink, snow flocked Christmas tree. (At my request Dale had hand flocked our little tree “pink” in honor of our new baby girl, just as our tree had been “blue” when Cord was born.) While Dale was reenacting Santa’s workshop, I was busy making a pink, bunting clad, soft bodied, baby doll and a blanket to go with the beautiful wooden doll cradle Dale had also made for our new little girl.

Our December activities also included an invitation to go to California with Dale’s whole family for his sister, Joanne’s wedding open house. Not wanting to miss out on the family occasion and a trip to sunny California as well, I finished weaning my nursing baby, who began taking a bottle after some concentrated effort, and flew my little coop, leaving our two children in the hands of my loving mother.

It was the third wedding that year in Dale’s family, a year of wedded bliss his parents would not soon forget. That December, following Joanne’s Utah wedding and reception on December 18th, we all caravanned to California for the groom’s open house celebration. We were all part of the wedding party!

Things were going well and we were all having a great time. Unfortunately, right before we were to leave for home I got alarming news from my mother. My baby girl, Aleesha, was sick and even my experienced mother was frightened and wondering what to do. Aleesha had a tight cough that sounded like a “barking dog” and it was unlike anything my mother had experienced before. I gave my mother the name of my doctor and she made an appointment immediately. Aleesha turned out to have “croup,” an ailment unfamiliar in my family, but one very familiar in Dale’s family, and one I would come to know well in the years to come. Croup features a cough that sounds like a seal barking. Most children have what appears to be a mild cold for several days before the barking cough becomes evident. As the cough gets more frequent, breathing often becomes very labored, a recipe for scary, worried nights and continuous steam ridden bedrooms.

Dale and I left for home immediately. Dale drove all the way while I prayed and kept my frightened state of mind busy by putting the final hand stitches on the baby doll for Aleesha’s Christmas. We arrived home to a very sick baby with instructions from the doctor to bring her to the emergency room for a breathing treatment if she worsened in the night. In the wee hours of the morning we made our way to the hospital where life saving medicine opened up baby Aleesha’s lungs. That night Dale made a tent like covering over Aleesha’s crib and elevated the top of her mattress, pointing the humidifier inside, creating a “steam tent” to relieve her breathing. I vowed I would study nutrition and find ways to help my children in times of illness. I never wanted to be in a hospital of sick babies fighting to breath again . . . not if I could help it! (Later we found out Dale’s sister’s baby daughter, Nicole, only four months old, had also visited the hospital with a severe case of scary croup as well.)

Christmas morning was definitely memorable that year. The quilted material doll blanket I had tied with yarn was neatly tucked inside the beautiful wooden cradle, concealing the blanket’s still unfinished edges. The wooden train was nestled beneath the tree, not yet sealed with protective finish to keep away the dirt. However, Christmas was magical, as we witnessed it through the wonderment of our three-year-old son, and rejoiced in the renewed health of our baby daughter. We were blessed to be a family and to celebrate His birth by giving thanks for our own children’s precious lives.

I hope that whatever is on your Christmas wish list this year finds a place under your tree and that they’ll be some fun surprises there too. Perhaps you’ll write a new “Christmas Story” in your family catalog of memories as well. Just remember, what ever your Christmas story is and whatever you do, “Don’t shoot your eye out kid!”

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year . . . God bless us every one!” ~ Charles Dickens

Ghosts of Christmas Past!

Some are naughty,

Some are nice,

Some are joyful,

Some come twice.

The magic of Christmas,

Is sweetest to see,

From the eyes of God's children

He entrusted to me. ~ Linda Ottley

"In this age of instant coffee, overnight rush deliveries, and 30-second media sound bites, it's not surprising that children have discovered that their letters to Santa can be sent by email!"

~ Patrick Flaherty, (Dear Santa)

The Four Stages of Life

Santa and Ashley (1987)

1. You BELIEVE in Santa Claus.
2. You DON’T BELIEVE in Santa Claus.
3. You ARE Santa Claus.
4. You LOOK like Santa Claus!


“I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph.”

~ Shirley Temple, Child Actress

All I Really Need To Know I Learned From Santa!

Santa and Me (1955)

The bestseller book, "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten," by Robert Fulgrum, has encouraged numerous, anonymous Internet authors to take pen in hand and write their own versions of life knowledge gained. After all, why over-analyze life when it’s mysteries can be simple! Here’s the Christmas version of knowledge gained and life solved! Enjoy!

All I Really Need To Know I Learned From Santa!


1. Encourage people to believe in you.
2. Always remember who's naughty and who's nice.
3. Don't pout.
4. It's as much fun to give as it is to receive.
5. Some days it's okay to feel a little chubby.
6. Make your presents known.
7. Always ask for a little bit more than what you really want.
8. Bright red can make anyone look good.
9. Wear a wide belt and no one will notice how many pounds you've gained.
10. If you only show up once a year, everyone will think you're very important.
11. Whenever you're at a loss for words say, “Ho, Ho, Ho!”

“Whenever you give someone a present or sing a holiday song, you’re helping Santa Claus. To me, that’s what Christmas is all about . . . helping Santa Claus! ~ Louis Sachar

Gratitude Rocks!

“Gratitude is the heart’s memory.” ~ French Proverb 



Carrying a “gratitude rock” in your pocket was made popular by the best selling book, The Secret. Presently you can find unique gratitude rocks in countless shapes, colors, and sizes on numerous websites. The gratitude rock story was about a man named, Lee Brower, whose life seemed to move at such a fast pace that he unconsciously ended up ignoring all of the wonderful experiences, relationships and blessings he had. So he began carrying (what he called) a “gratitude rock” in his pocket, in reality just a small, smooth stone that he picked up by a pond of water. Whenever he put his hand in his pocket and touched the stone—usually several times a day—it was a reminder to him to give thanks for something, usually something happening at that given moment, whether good or bad. Now he carries it with him where ever he goes!



A similar story was published by a writer for the Washington Post, as part of an experiment asking the question, “How many people would recognize beauty in a place where it wasn't expected?”

On a busy workday as commuters rushed toward their busy schedules in Washington, D.C., a 39-year-old man dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and a baseball cap took out an old violin and began to play. Few people noticed. Most kept their eyes on the ground or looked straight ahead. A few, talking on cell phones, raised their voices in order to be heard over the music. These were, after all, busy people. They had work to do and appointments to keep. They did not stop and they did not listen. What they missed was a rare performance by one of the greatest violinists in the world playing his Stradivarius violin, worth more than three million dollars. He chose to play some of the most technically demanding, elegant music ever written for his instrument, and he played with all the passion and perfection that he had become known for throughout the world.

During the 43-minute concert, nearly 1,100 people passed by. Of those, only seven stopped to listen even for a moment. The writer, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his article about the unheard violinist, summarized the experience with these words: “If we can't take the time out of our lives to stay a moment and listen to one of the best musicians on Earth play some of the best music ever written; if the surge of modern life so overpowers us that we are deaf and blind to something like that--then what else are we missing?” (Lloyd D. Newell, "Music and the Spoken Word," Nov. 1, 2009, Broadcast #4181)

The world offers us daily moments of beauty that can enrich our lives—if we open our eyes and open our hearts! I was diagnosed with a devastating chronic illness, called Lyme disease, 14 years ago and my life has never been the same. The crippling effects of my condition make life a daily challenge. So . . . long ago I decided that just for today . . . every day . . . I'd choose to be in an attitude of gratitude for all God’s gifts. We get to choose how each day begins and receive the positive energy that accompanies our awareness and gratitude for all the many blessings in our lives.

It is amazing how this simple act of daily gratitude can change our perspective and, ultimately, our attitude. Instead of seeing the glass half-empty, it’s half-full. Instead of focusing on what we don’t have, lets focus on what we DO have—right now!



A very wise person once told me, “You won’t attract what you don’t have, until you learn to be grateful for what you do have.” The law of attraction does not focus on our lack—what’s missing, but instead focuses on gratitude for the gifts of life we already have!

So here’s a challenge for today—this season of thanksgiving. Push the “pause” button on your life and take a moment to write down 10 things you are grateful for today. Then grab your own “rock of gratitude” and carry it in your pocket to remind you to live in gratitude each and every day! Hold your gratitude rock in your hand and think about the people and things that you have in your life right now which you are grateful for. Think about the incredible experiences you've had as a result of having these special people and possessions in your life. When you do this on a consistent basis and start to associate the power of these experiences and the feeling of gratitude with your “gratitude rock,” you’ll begin creating a very formidable base from which everything else will grow.

Remember whenever you find yourself overwhelmed by life's daily stresses, all you need to do is to grab your gratitude rock and feel its positive energy to put yourself in the right state of mind immediately.



Each day we have a new canvas placed before us. How will we use it? Here’s what I’m grateful for today. What’s on your list?

My Gratitude Rocks:


1. My Savior; His unconditional love and sacrifice for me.


2. My husband, Dale, and 37 years of marriage, wisdom, dry humor, encouragement, love and support.


3. Our family, immediate and extended and the love they give.


4. Our home; I am warm, dry, and comfortable.


5. The fact that I have enough to eat today.


6. A family business thanks to the hard work of Dale’s parents.


7. Living in the age of technology, the Internet highway of information.


8. Good books to read and heartfelt movies to ponder!


9. Laughter and Sunshine—The Very Best Medicine!


10. Dark Chocolate! (You've read my thoughts about that on a previous blog.)

“Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much!”