Aanii means Hello!

Marley had a pretty cool event at her school today.

Can anyone guess what they did?

 

"Am I Wrong?"

I missed a day of blogging.
I have lots of really good reasons.
It was a really busy day and I'm not organized enough to be ahead on my posts.
I have one really good reason....
I got a migraine last night, with a floater, so I couldn't see.
I had to go right to bed.

I hesitated to even bring up that I missed a day, because I know that you understand me and wouldn't judge me too harshly.

Am I Wrong?

(I am not wrong.)

Anyway,
That is not where my blog title comes in, though it did fit perfectly, didn't it?

"Am I Wrong"?" is a....
 song title.

Side note:

Nathan doesn't really read the blog....

So, I'm gonna tell you one of his Christmas presents.
I purchased the song "Am I Wrong" by Love Spit Love's.
A particular version of the song. = D

First, I have to tell you why I got it for him.

Whenever we watch anything we have the captions on, of course.

Nathan reads everything and he reads fast.

And of course he even reads the song lyrics when they are provided, which in most movies they are provided.

I don't.

If we are watching something that is soft or quiet I usually only look at the captions if I missed something. Sometimes they are ever so slightly delayed or they are extremely delayed so they are helpful for me to pick up stuff I missed. Or if they have strong accents (BBC!!!), captions are super helpful, to me too.

During the songs, I just listen and watch and enjoy but I'm not usually catching much of the lyrics. Music is so funny that way, it can set a scene by it melody even if the lyrics are telling the story! Music evokes emotion, we all know that. Then when you actually pay attention, the lyrics can bring new meaning or reinforce the feelings you get from the melody.  Lyrics can mean different things to different people. To one person, a song lyrically could mean nothing and make no real sense to them, and to another person the same song can speak to their soul and have a deep impression.
Music is SO cool.

There is a movie called "Angus".
My sister Julie  introduced me to this movie, she really liked and so did I.
It's about a kid in high school in the 90's and that was us.
He's a good kid.

High School movies are often crude and crass and overly sexual.
I will usually watch them once and then never again.
I would say that "Angus" has a bit of that but the overall message of the movie is nothing that comes close to any High School movie I have ever seen.
In fact, I love this movie.
I recommend it.

Okay, so I introduced this movie to Nathan and he really liked it too.
At the beginning of the movie there is a song and I remember thinking that I liked the song and especially the arrangement or execution of the song.
Nathan liked the song for the same reasons but he also really liked the lyrics.

After we watched the movie, we watched the beginning again, for the song.
Then we tried to find that version online.
I don't think we looked long but felt we couldn't find that version and gave up.

Well, recently he brought that song up.
I got online and found that the version we like is only available for purchase on the soundtrack and you can't even just purchase that song. That is one of the songs that is only available if you purchase the whole soundtrack.
So I did!
He is getting the whole CD for Christmas and I think the other songs will be great too.

That big ol' long explanation and here is the best part....videos!

The first one is the opening of the movie "Angus".
So cool with the horns and drums and marching band and color guard.
SO HIGH SCHOOL!
And we really like the lyrics.

The second one is the same version of the song with the lyrics to read as the song plays...if you want.

Enjoy!

Good song right? 

"Am I Wrong?"

I Belong

The name of the church I belong to is called

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I say belong because I don't just attend. 

I am an active participant. 

I live what I believe. 

I love it.

It brings me peace and hope and lasting happiness.

We are often referred to as Mormons for a number of reasons...I think.

One: We not only "believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God."

Two: Mormon is a lot shorter than saying the full name - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Okay, that's all I got. Two reasons.

But, why Mormon?

The Book of Mormon, just like the Old and New Testament, is another testament of Jesus Christ. 

It is an ancient history of the people of the American continent. 

Mormon is the name of one of the ancient American prophets. 

I love the Book of Mormon.

To learn more, click here.

To quest your own free Book of Mormon, click here.

Christmas Music

When do you start listening? 

This year I started 2 days before Halloween. 

Some people think that if you start celebrating Christmas too early it overshadows Thanksgiving. 

I consider Christmas music part of Thanksgiving.

And though Thanksgiving is an important and cool holiday, I really think Christmas is the cooler more important holiday. 

Maybe people are just talking about the commercial side of Christmas? 

Anyway.

I'm trying to build up my Christmas music collection. 

Last year I realized that we didn't have nearly enough. 

My cousin Megan was very kind and sent us a Christmas mix CD. It's awesome!

I grew up listening to Barbara Streisand's Christmas Album and I love all the songs on that...

So, this year I purchased it. 

I listen to it several times a day.

I listen to all of our Christmas music all day. We are getting a pretty great variety. 

But, we still need more.

 What are some carols, hymns and Christmas songs that you love. 

What version?

Who is singing? 

Why do you love it?

Please give me all the details...and if you have a link for youtube or something, please share that too!

Freedom

I think I am beyond the worst in the pregnancy sickness department.

At least for this pregnancy. 

And that is where I get the word Freedom. 

Sickness is so confining. 

Debilitating. 

Extremely limiting. 

Frustrating. 

Depressing. 

I have had 2 1/2 months of feeling crappy and that my body is unpredictable and weak.

In many ways, I feel like my life has just been suspended because of the limitations of been sick and tired. I am excited to get back to business and be more actively engaged in my life. 

In many ways, my life couldn't stop. I still needed to be a wife and mother. But, I couldn't cook or even enter the kitchen. I couldn't shop or even help put the groceries away. I couldn't clean as effectively or as thoroughly. So, you can imagine what our house looks like.  Well, maybe not because Nathan has been doing a great job trying to keep everything up along with everything else he has going on. 

I still have a little job and I needed to follow through and perform for that, too. Which I was able to do, again, with Nathan's help. 

I guess I'm just saying, I am grateful for a healthy body. 

Our bodies can do such amazing things. 

I am grateful that my health is returning and I can get back to doing the things I am used to doing everyday.

I have deep sympathy for people who suffer from chronic illness and mental illness. 

My cousin just blogged about things happening for a reason. 

I think pain and suffering happen for a reason too. 

And sometimes that reason is to bring new life into this world. 

Sometimes it is for us to learn patience and to rely on the Lord. 

Sometimes it is so we can more than sympathize with others, so we can empathize. 

I may have a lingering few weeks of sickness left, but I know that for some, it never leaves.

I hope and pray that they have times of relief and strength and more than just fleeting. 

I also hope they know and take advantage of the Atonement. 

Jesus Christ is the only one who knows EXACTLY what each of us suffer individually. 

He may not take our ailments away but he surely has born them with us. 

He can sustain us. 

He can inspire us. 

He can uplift us. 

He can free us. 

And He often does it whether we recognize it or not. 

He is always there.

I over did it today.

I joined the local Mops group. That's mothers of preschoolers. It's a nondenominational Christian group. I'll tell you more about that another day, but they had a 2 hour meeting today and it was wonderful.

Following that meeting I went to Applebee's. Remember we went there for dinner on Halloween? Well, I'm so awesome I left my wallet there. When I called the next day they hadn't found it. I searched our house and car and retraced my steps a thousand times. I watched our accounts like a hawk because I really didn't think it had really been lost out stolen... Just misplaced. Risky, I know. Today I decided that I had to go there and ask again. As they checked I crossed my fingers and prayed it would be there! And it was! 

Hallelujah!

Then I met Nathan at his work and we ate lunch in the snow together, in the warm car while Isi was passed out in the back. We had a wonderfully uninterrupted conversation and got to discuss secrets... Mostly about Christmas.

It was lovely!

Almost like a real date!

Then I was feeling pretty good and had even curled my hair under this morning so Isi and I went to Marley's school to hang out and help. Plus we wanted to watch Marley be the line leader which encompasses many responsibilities including leading the line to various places throughout the day.

We found them in art. Isi and I passed out paint brushes.

Then we followed them back to their room where they made cardboard pizzas with shapes and patterns.

Then we got to go to computers with them!

Those kids are good at logging in and double clicking and dragging the mouse and even actually playing pattern games and math games and letter games!

Then we enjoyed free time and snack time and Marley got to show and share too. She took in a commemorative coin that her Grandpa Alger gave her. Maybe it's more of a medallion, but It's from the Boy Scout of America's bicentennial in 2010.

We stayed until just before their last recess, then Marley graciously said we could go.

By the time Nathan was home and Marley soon after I was so exhausted and it was making me nauseous and shaky. I lay down while my sweet husband did everything including make dinner, clean it up, get ready for a meeting, get the girls ready for bed and then go to his meeting.

By that time I had to be a mom again and take care of the girls. Marley got 4 of her card games and came to my bed. We gave one to Isi because she's a sore loser and has to empty the box on her own and use her own method of shuffling and playing and losing and then winning... It's all pretty dramatic.

Marley and I played old maid and crazy eights.

Then Isi had had enough so I went and put her to bed.

Marley got face cards from her school so I taught her slap jack tonight. She loved it and kept begging and begging to play more even though she kept losing. I really think she would have tried to play all night had I allowed it. Finally I said "come on it's really time for bed and if you don't hop to it I'm gonna have to slap jack your bum!"

We laughed and laughed.

Then we said prayers together.

Then I got up and went with her to tuck her in and she slap jacked my bum and giggled the whole way!

Inappropriate.

But she did it super quiet and didn't wake Isi so.........

Yoopers and Trolls

This wooden handmade handicraft was purchased at our local farmer's market. 

It is carved in the shape of the state of Michigan.

The top part is the Upper Peninsula or U.P.

The leather hinge is the Mackinac Bridge. 

And the lower part is the lower part of Michigan. 

People that live in the U.P are Yoopers.

Yoopers refer to the lower part of Michigan as downstate. 

Yoopers refer to the people that live downstate as Trolls because they live below or UNDER the bridge. 

It's all in good fun. 

You're welcome!