CHristmas Memories

Today at church we had the Relief Society and Priesthood together and they did a Christmas program. It was really good. It made me think what kind of things make Chrismas the magical time of year when the spirit is so prevalent? For me its reading the Christmas story, singing carols, decorating the house and being with family. But really even with that I didn't feel all that Christmasy until today. I am not sure what changed it was it hearing it all together? Or was it just the setting, what ever it was I am glad because now I can't wait for Christmas, sadly that is less than a week away. Why couldn't this of happened earlier? Now I only have a week to enjoy the spirit of Christmas.

But it also made me think of some of my favorite hol

iday memories. So I am making a list for all of you to enjoy....

1. One year Nichole (my sister) was so excited for it to be Christmas and so she decided to wake up really early that morning and open the presents... not just her presents but mine as well. I got woken up by her not long after with "Mariah, Mariah!" She then proceded to tell me everything I had gotten for Christmas. As a result Christmas was not that fun for

me that year.

2. I remember one year we woke up to find a big foot print of ash by the fireplace. That was the coolest thing a 7 year old could of hoped for. See Santa is real!

3. Every year my mom would let us paint pictures on the window. She would make these pretty winter scenes but as for me I just liked the colors. It was a ton of fun!

4. As a family tradition we would go caroling every Christmas eve. Even though I was not that happy to be out in the cold I enjoyed spending time together.

5. As we decorated the tree every year we would listen to Forgotten Carols. The music is so beautiful! The tree may not be the prettiest but it was worth it, especially w

hen we got to add our ornament from that year. (We got a new one every year.)

Forgotten Carols

Last night Kyle and I were able to go see forgotten carols. (It was an early Christmas present from my family.) I loved every moment of it. There is just something about being there in person. I like to think of it as Christmas magic. The spirit of Christmas is so special. They had a song in there that I hadn't heard before I loved every moment of it. The music was beyond awesome it was "beawesome."

Michael came out after the play and he had David Bluth the most amazing singer ever, sing his carol. He ender up singing Arise and shine forth. Wow It was amazing. He told us the best part of doing the play for 19 years and playing a man that was 1900 years old was that he would never be too old to play it, and that his wife who played Sara got to come with him. He said that the best part of that was "making out backstage" everyone laughed. Then he had us all sing silent night. This woman next to me made me cry she told me that I had a beautiful voice. All my life I have never been told that, and I have always thought my voice was awful. I started crying she was so sweet!

Thank you to my family for giving me that very special experience. I think I didn't stop smiling the whole time.

Holiday magic

Well I have not been doing well at updating consistently.. I am awful I know. I hope everyones Thanksgiving was enjoyable. For me it was good, awkward but good. I was surrounded by people I didn't know and anyone that knows me, knows how enjoyable that one is. NOT!

But lights on Temple square have turned on, they are beautiful! The lights and the snow really makes it feel more like Christmas. I love it! Its cold but there is magic in the air this time of year. There is more giving, more joy, more acceptance and more love. Though these things are here year round there is simply more of it this time of year.

I am reminded of the Children's story Christmas Oranges. In this story there was a little girl in an orphanage, every year they received a single orange for Christmas, but this year the girl had done something that made the headmaster mad, as a result she didn't get her Christmas orange. But all the girls sacrificed one piece of there orange so that she could have some.

Do we share in such a sacrificing way? Do we give so much? Try this Christmas season to find ways you can give.