"Congratulations, you are Blue"

I took the color personality quiz today. Winter break boredom might be getting to me. After so many questions (that I was suppose to answer with my first thought, not analyzing the question at all)the test told me my color is Blue. I'm pretty happy with that. Blue is a good color, it's always been a favorite. I like a lot of things that are blue. Like blueberries, bluebells,smurfs,cookie monster etc.... Do I have to agree with everything it says if your color is Blue? I agree with some of it. Here are the things I agree with.
1. "Blues" seem to genuinely connect with others
2.Everything "Blues" do is quality-based
3.We are loyal friends, Employees and Employers
4.They pay close attention to life's special events
5."Blues" are dependable and thoughtful(I like to think I'm both of these, I try to be)

I don't agree with these things but then maybe I don't agree because they are true.
1. It said that "Blues" are sainted pit bulls. Nice.
2. They never let go of something or someone once they've committed.
3. We can be self-righteous and moody(ok, the moody part might be true)

I like this last part on the definition of what it means if you are the color "Blue".
It says "Stacey, your personality profile indicates that you have significant portions of other colors in your overall makeup that help shape your unique personality style."

Not that I'm telling anyone else what to do but if you take the color personality test, let me know what your color is. I'm curious if I have any other "Blue" friends out there. If not, no worries because I love all colors. Well puke green has never been a favorite.

My cutie Mom!

My mom and dad are visiting for Christmas, they are both 78. They can't do like they use to which is part of life but also sad at times to see. They can't drive for long periods, my mom can't see very well and they both can't hear the greatest. Again, it's part of life. What I'm getting at is that we have to improvise and think of other ways to entertain them or things to do while they are here. Last night I started asking my mom about some of her favorite memories as a kid at Christmas time. She can remember tons of stuff from when she was little. My Mom said that one thing she loved at Christmas time was that her mom would cook and bake yummy foods. Her mom was a great cook, my mom is a great cook and unfortunately it was not passed on to me. Sigh! I think I have it in me if I would just care enough to bake as much as my Mom did. My mom had two sisters. Nin(Virginia) and Toots(Ruby). My Aunt Nin was 10 years older than my mom and was out of the house going to school and then going on a mission and my mom and Toots were the only ones at home. My Mom has brothers but they were also gone off doing their own thing. My aunt Toots was 8 years older than my Mom but they were close. The memory she told me was so sweet and cute and I can just picture it in my head.
She said that one Christmas Eve her and Toots (given the name because my mom said that's what Toots did a lot, ahem.... if you know what I mean)were jumping on their beds too excited to go to sleep. She said that when they were jumping they were singing "Jump in bed and cover up your head because Santa is coming tonight." Then they went to jump under their covers and smacked heads. She said they were laughing to hard to even cry but that the next day they both had big bumps on their foreheads. I love that this was her favorite memory because Toots was my favorite Aunt and she was spunky (despite her MS) and I can just see those two laughing and laughing. Toots had a very contagious laugh and so does my mom. In this photo, My mom is on the right and Toots is on the left.

Traditions make me happy!

"Traditions" is not just a song sung by Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. It means "passing on, handing over." We have two Traditions that happen every Christmas come rain/snow/sleet or hail. They are from the Griffith/Scott tradition book. There really isn't a book but if there were, these two would forever be in it.
The first we did this morning(or I should say Mark did with Miles and Sofi while I took Kiah to the doctor). I think I've mentioned before the famous potato donuts from Mark's Grandma? If not you can look it up at www.niffgurd.com . The recipe is even on there if you'd like to start making it be your family tradition, if you do please credit Mern Lindquist. She was Marks sweet Grandma who passed away this year. I have been eating potato donuts since I was a little girl though when my Mom and Dad would take us to Pete's spudnuts in Logan,Utah. Good ol' Pete had a hamburger place on Main street in logan, but they also sold potato donuts which were big and so yummy. I have met people that didn't grow up in Logan but had family there and remembers eating those donuts as a kid. That's bringing in a memory and this is about traditions, sorry.
The kids love making potato donuts though, and I'm not sure if that's because of the mess and playing with the dough or because they get to eat as much as they want while making them. I hope this is one that my kids pass on to their kids and so on.
The second tradition is from my side of the family. It is from my Mom and it was her Mom's recipe. It's called Green death and I have had it every Thanksgiving and Christmas since I can remember. It's a drink and so easy to make and kids love it. It's one large can of pineapple juice, 1 cup of sugar, 2 cups of water,1 packet of lemon/lime kool-aid (not always easy to find) and 1/4 cup of lemon juice. You mix it all up and freeze(I usually use a cake pan 9X13).
When you are ready to serve it, put in a cup, about half of the cup and then fill up the rest with 7-up. The kids don't usually help make this one because we usually make it the night before we have our big dinner and the kids are in bed. I've loved it, my brothers love it and we now have it at our houses for the holidays because our kids ask for it. Traditions make me think of the Holidays, families together, new families being formed. It's important to create new traditions but at the same time you have to hold on to things that your families have been doing forever, passing them on, handing them over. Here's to you and yours. Wishing you all a Happy Holiday and praying for peace and joy in your lives.

No fun in the sun, just some fun in the Snow!

We played in the snow yesterday with the kids. We had a great time, despite the cold and despite the fact that we have lost our Utah blood! A good time was had by all.

Epiphanies

This is another journal entry of mine. Instead of picking one from when I was little like before I chose one from when Sofia was a baby. I chose it because I had been looking at Sofia's baby book this weekend and I found a copy of this journal entry that I had stuck in with a photo. It took me back to a special time in my life, still a special time in my life.
March 2000
" I've believed for a long time that the meaning of Epiphany was a thunderous enlightenment, a revelation to those that were worthy to receive it. Then a friend reminded me of it's true meaning. Epiphany= a revealing scene or moment,an illuminating discovery. I had forgotten that Epiphanies could be small moments in our lives, loving, enduring and special times. As a mother we sometimes feel our lives are so mundane and unappreciated. Because of this I suppose I had begun to believe that an Epiphany couldn't possibly work it's way into my boring life. Yet I've had so many, some related to being a mom, some not. I need to remember that they happen everyday, to everyone. This photo of Sofia reminds me of one very important illuminating discovery. When this photo was taken it was definitely a moment for me. We had just bathed Sofia in our little hotel room in Florida(about three days after picking up Sofia at the hospital)and she cried through the whole bath. It was very warm outside, being that it was August in Miami. We opened the curtains, and laid her down on her stomach. She must have felt the sun shinning through the window, that feeling of being inside and out of the heat, yet you are aware that the sun is on you. It's very soothing and obviously it calmed her down. Her eyes were so alert and open to the world around her. Another Epiphany was later that night. I had gotten up at some awful hour of the night to feed Sofia and it was dark, the only light was from the moon peeking through the blinds. I was in a sleepy state, not even coherent of whether Sofia was drinking from her bottle or not. I looked down at her and those eyes of hers were wide open like they had been earlier in the day. She was peaceful and looking all around the room and at me. It sounds cliche' but our eyes met and we bonded in that moment. I fell head over heels in love with her then. I think we were both aware of how much we needed each other. I felt and continue to feel truly blessed. At times she will be laying in my arms, almost asleep and I look into her eyes and see what I saw that night in Florida when she was just a few days old. We are bonded through that moment, connected."
Think of the big and small Epiphanies you have had. I guarantee you've had more than you can count.