A Sweet Angel and an Adorable Elf

Among all the holiday parties and gatherings of the season, I enjoy our grandkids’ performances most, and yesterday I had the opportunity to attend two in one morning...one right after the other.

Phoebe was a sweetly singing angel in her kindergarten Christmas devotional. The music was mostly sacred hymns, and the focus was on the gifts we can give Jesus. Phoebe had a small speaking part, played the xylophone, and took her role very seriously as she and the other students helped fill the room and my heart with the Christmas spirit.

Makai was an adorable little elf in his preschool Christmas program.  The stage was crowded with brightly dressed and energetic elves, and their music was as lively as they were. Several of Makai’s cousins have attended the same preschool, so I’ve seen the program more than once, but I loved watching him sing with his big smile and hand motions to match!

This is one of the reasons I’m grateful we live so close to most of our family, and it was a great way to start my day!

A New Adventure in Japan

From the moment we arrived on Tuesday until we departed on Saturday, our experience in Japan was absolutely delightful! The friendly and gracious people, the beautiful and clean surroundings, and the healthy and delicious food exceeded our expectations!

Sterling and I, as well as Donna, took our very first trip to Japan this week for two gatherings with our new demonstrators there. After arriving late and a good night's sleep, we were greeted by Yukiko, our business development manager, who walked with us to the office from the hotel. It was a beautiful day, and we were thrilled to spend it with our coworkers in the Ginza office preparing for the two events on Thursday and Friday.

Although the events were only a few hours long, they were both magical as we witnessed chatting, swapping, and stamping among demonstrators who have just begun their Stampin' Up! adventure in Japan, which opened for business a couple of months ago. We're now in ten countries! I loved meeting and visiting with our demonstrators there and felt such immense gratitude and tender emotion for the opportunity to be part of a company that makes a difference in the lives of people around the world.

Once the events were over and everything was packed away, we celebrated together at a cozy Italian restaurant (totally not what we expected in Japan, but yummy like all the other food we ate!).

It only rained one evening. The rest of the time was clear and sunny, allowing us to marvel at the never-ending skyline, walk the busy and safe streets of Ginza, and enjoy a stroll through the Hama-rikyu Gardens (just across from our hotel) the morning before we flew home...the perfect way to end our stay!

We're excited for the opportunity to return to Japan, and next time we'll plan to sightsee for a couple of extra days too!

Big News

Back in July, I told you I would share the projects for my monthly events through May of 2015. I even shared with those who attended convention the themes for each month. My plan for my December events was to focus on weddings and babies...new beginnings for the new year. It made sense back then, but now that I'm living December, it's not making so much sense!

 

I want to share my projects with you anyway, and you can save them for any month, because weddings and babies happen all year, right?

 

The set I chose is Big News...a great set for lots of occasions!

                                                                          

 

I'll probably choose this card for my Make & Take because of its easy and fun techniques, and everyone can use a birthday card! 

 

And here are some samples using images from the set, focusing on weddings, babies, and more.                                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Christmas Season

Today marks the beginning of the Christmas season for me. You know I listen to Christmas music throughout the year (when I’m alone), but now it’s publically acceptable to listen to it all month long…love it! I enjoy everything about this time of year from the holiday music, to the smells of cinnamon and cloves, to the lights and festive décor. Most of all, I appreciate the focus on our Savior, his gift to us, and the special time spent with family and loved ones.

I put up our holiday décor this weekend. For as many years as I can remember, I’ve gone all out and decorated in several areas of our home with lots and lots of decorations. This year we decided to simplify and only put out our nine nativities, a few angels, and some garland. Everything looks beautiful, but it’s going to take a little getting used to.

I’ve never thought that all my decorating took away from the spirit of Christ, but it will definitely be easier this year to focus on the reason for the season. In fact, when the Browns came for dinner last night, the first thing Phoebe did was comment on a few of the nativities that she’d never noticed before…probably because many of them were amidst the multitude of other décor. For example, in years past, this buffet and mirror would be covered with decorations…so much so that you could hardly see either piece.

This year will be different in the Gardner home. The focus (visually and in our hearts) will truly be on Christ…as it should be. I’d like to share a gift from me to you on this first day of December...

www.mormon.org/christmas

Hopefully it will help you feel the spirit of Christ during this wonderful Christmas season.

A Day of Thanks

I have moments of giving thanks every day, but today my mind has been occupied with things I'm thankful for, and my heart has been filled with gratitude since I woke up! I have so much to be thankful for...today and every day!

Today I’m especially grateful for a husband who worked in the kitchen for hours (while I worked on my computer nearby) to prepare a delicious Thanksgiving Day dinner for two (the girls and their families are all out of town).  While it would have been much easier to go out to eat, I enjoyed our quiet meal together.

The green beans were sautéed with loads of onions and garlic, the sweet potatoes and cauliflower were oven-roasted with onions and garlic, and the turkey was stuffed with veggies for flavor and basted with orange juice, seasonings, onions, and garlic (notice a trend?). Sterling even made homemade unsweetened cranberry sauce for my turkey! What a sweetie!

I hope your day was happy as you paused to count some of your blessings because there is always something to be grateful for!