Hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights on at Temple Square and throughout downtown, a seasonal tradition that brings visitors from every corner of the world.
Volunteers and official groundskeepers began stringing the colorful lights in August and those lights are expected to beam brightly every evening, from dusk to 10 p.m., until New Year's Day, and then the dismantling will begin. It usually takes until March to put it all away.
Christmas lights first were put up around Temple Square, at the direction of LDS Church President David O. McKay.
Nearly 15,000 people gathered on Thursday, Dec. 9, 1965 at 7:45 p.m. to see 40,000 Christmas lights turned on for the first "Lighting of Temple Square." President McKay did the honors: "Our minds tonight should be on the Babe of Bethlehem whose coming into the world Christmas morning reminds us all that we each should have in our hearts the love of Christ."
"A mighty 'aah' of appreciation went up from the crowd as all the lights went on, followed by a burst of applause."
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." Then the crowd joined them in singing "Oh Come All Ye Faithful." The ceremony ended with the choir singing "Silent Night."
It was a night like many other nights during Christmas seasons to follow. Forty-five years later, crowds still flock to see lights downtown and to hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing of a silent night.
Theboys and girls clubhosted a Christmas party for it's members on Saturday. My intern teacher told us about it, and also made a deal with us that if we volunteered our time it would take place of our term project. She has been volunteering for years and said we wouldn't be disappointed.
She was right!
We met at the Roy Municipal building Saturday morning, where a huge breakfast was being prepared. The kids' buses started arriving and after they ate breakfast we were paired up with a child, and helped them browse through donated gifts to find one present for each person in their family. After we wrapped their presents, we took them to see Santa and helped them reunite with their parent, or grandparent.
It sounds simple, but really it was such a good experience! I was truly touched by the gratitude of the kids and their families. One of the girls I was assisting was a high school student, my age. At first I felt really awkward, and was worried about how she would feel with a girl her same age helping her out with this. I realized, after getting to know her better, that someone as humble as her doesn't have those worries. I grew an instant love for her, and for her example to me. She was honestly just there so she could have a Christmas to share with her family, and she was SO grateful. She told me so many times thanks for my help, and merry Christmas, and how nice I was. She was the last girl I helped, and I came home crying. There is just something right about that kind of attitude, and she had such a sweet spirit.
I thank Mrs. Peterson for encouraging me to attend this event, and I highly recommend that if you haven't had the chance, to volunteer! There are so many places that need volunteers, you can really make a difference, and it is definitely worth it for the experience.
I have another amazing story...
So last year I tied fleece blankets. I turned them into my school (DHS) for them to donate.
I didn't know where they were going to be donated to, I just thought some shelter or something but was never sure.
well
Look what I found on Saturday...
That's MY blanket I tied! I PROMISE.
It was set out on one of the tables to be chosen for a gift!
How cool is that! I never thought I'd see it again, and there it was at the boys and girls club event I just happened to be at.
I'm glad to know that even if it is a year later my blanket is being put to some good use!
Today, I think, has been THE windiest day of my existence! It started with the power flickering out early this morning. As I was ON TIME to seminary me and Julia could barely walk in the doors! Like that one digestion commercial or something where everyone walks at a diaganol, thats how it was! In seminary, POWER OUT. Back at the school the power was flickering on and off, finally they dismissed classes and had us on lock down until 10:30. Driving back to my house was a sad mess. Literally dodging trampolines, trash cans, and trees. My light little truck barely made it on all fours to say the least. Saddest part about all of this... all the pretty trees. :(
These pictures don't show justice. I had to hurry and take them on my phone as I was driving by... but it's like this everywhere. sad.
But a good thing about today besides no school...
IT HAS BEEN ONE MONTH.
November is over and not once in the past 31 days have I touched a hair dryer or straightener.
I DID IT!
and... it was EASY
(i can't say my hair is way long now.. but its super soft and looking pretty healthy)
As if I don't already have enough to be thankful for.
I have been blessed with an amazing family and wonderful parents who have followed the example of their parents in teaching me and my siblings as we've grown up.
i'm SO thankful for mom, dad, Julia, Jake, Alivia, Avaree and LOVE them so much!
SO thankful for books, temples, missionaries, crafts, baby lotion, hot chocolate, my job, education, my intern with the second graders, sunshine, a roof over my head, water, book of mormon, my bishop, grandparents, sweaters, showers, crushed ice dispenser, frozen yogurt, JORDAN, cousins, movies, cars, apples, scrapbooks, hugs, glitter, the church, school vacations, people who make up recipes, the view of trees on top of an overpass in kaysville, the seasons, flowers, the holy ghost, Jesus, the atonement, blankets, cameras, America, and have i mentioned my FAMILY?
There are so many more things I could name, little silly things and big things.
Last night I was able to spend the night in a beautiful cabin full of a big family who i love! Today we all had a thanksgiving lunch together, and tonight I got to have another Thanksgiving dinner with another family who I love! I don't know how many people can say that. After being able to do this I realize that even though there are trials and hard things in my life it all just makes me stronger, things always turn out okay, and truly I have so much i'm blessed with that I have no room to complain!
when you mix the two together they dry all bumpy and textured
how cute!!
and in case you were wondering,
the 'sock bun' it works.
Yup thats a sock in there!
no bobby pins or nothing.
Cut the toe off of a mid-calf sock
Put hair in high pony
Feed hair through sock
Roll sock, it should cover your hair and stay in place
today is day 23.
Pretty sure I don't even know how to work a hair dryer anymore.
but bad news... julia took out her extensions today and her hair STILL
looks the exact same. :/ oh well. GOOD for her!
We're headed up to Eden tonight to spend Thanksgiving there with the Andersons, and starting a new tradition.
Since everyone is SO full after Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, we are having PIE tonight! Just to make sure we all have room to add a few more calories to our day! haha.
and think it's so pretty! As for the smell... not so much :/ But how cool is that, just a gutted out orange peel can light on fire and burn like a candle whick?
twenty-four to go! Today marks the sixth day in a row that I haven't used a hair dryer, or flat iron on my hair! My goal is to go an entire month without using either. (Hair please grow and be healthy) After getting ready next to my little sister every morning I decided that it isn't good for me to compare myself to her long, thick, luscious, horse mane (even though its fake) and that instead, I should take some action to make a difference on my own hair! I'm not saying that in thirty days my hair will magically take on a Rapunzel effect and grow past my bum, but I do have confidence it will be a lot healthier than it is now! This challenge has also presented a few other positive outcomes... I've had to get creative with new ways to do my hair, I'm less likely to be late to school because I usually wash my hair at night now so I don't have to worry about drying it in the morning, and I have to not care what other people think about my sometimes partially wet hair dos ;) haha. After a month hopefully some better hair care habits will have been formed and this will pay off!
This is also the sixth day that I haven't eaten ANY candy, and for this challenge I'm not trying to go for a certain amount of time, or set any goals, or really make it a big deal...cause I'd hate to set a goal I can't achieve. and to be honest I'm pretty surprised I've already gone this long! I just wanna see how long I can do it, and if I break in and eat those sour watermelons that have been sitting on my desk for a week now, NO big deal! I'll just start over again the next day :)
We looked out the window to see little white fluffy flakes falling down so of course I drag Jordan outside with me for a picture. He was a good sport to help me capture the moment :)
So I was browsing through my favorite website Pinterest when i came across this idea for a DIY scragly scarf. The instructions were REALLY simple so I tried it out...
It's just made by making some cuts, and adjustments to an old t-shirt. It was SO easy and took me probably five minutes tops. It's kinda different but i kinda like it!
(Although I probably wouldn't wear it with the outfit I have on in the picture)
For some reason I keep happening upon DIY ideas for making clothes out of other old or hand-me-down clothes. . . maybe it's a sign that I should just invent my new outfits and put my money to better use! There were the cutest ideas for:
a comfy cardigan from an old thermal
a skirt out of a man's button down shirt
even slippers out of a sweater?
So maybe these won't save all your money in the world, but it recycles AND gives you something fun to work on :) especially now that it's getting cold, and for some reason I relate cold weather to cozy in-doorsy activities:)
GUESS WHAT??
I'M IN!!
This is what Utah State sent me in the mail to celebrate my admittance into their school! I thought it was kinda clever... the small instructions on the bottom say:
"1.place hands inside dotted lines 2.hold over head 3.run around screaming I'm an Aggie!"
Don't worry I followed all of the above:) So I'm not celebrating the fact that I actually got into Utah State.. cause I realize that isn't a hard thing to do. Honestly I'm just pumped that I'm to the point in my life where i CAN be accepted into colleges! Life is coming at me fast and i am SO excited for what the next few years will bring me! so many changes coming so soon. Three more terms at dear old davis high school and then begins my new adventure. My only problem is I need to calm down and just live in the present... sometimes I get too ahead of myself just imagining all the new exciting things i'll be experiencing. As of now I should probably worry about things like am I gonna get Fit for Life credit? and start saving some mula! college isn't cheap i'm learning, bring on the scholarships!
They are one of the items made by my cute mom for Alivia's
Halloween party she hosted for her friends on Monday!
nothing like some mummy pizzas to get in the spirit of things!
first term over, halloween behind us, and just like that,
it's the HOLIDAYS.
Who doesn't love the Holidays?? I have to say I'm so excited for cozy sweats, making treats, holiday crafts, school breaks, the spirit of giving! haha I'm tempted to say it's my ALL time favorite time of the year, but i love all the seasons! Actually, Holidays were probably made such a special time on purpose just to get us through all the cold miserable weather! I'm down for a white christmas but I could go without scraping frost off my windshield every morning :/
Justin Bieber's new Christmas album is something I COULD
