The Long & The Short of It

There was so much that happened in December. It's always a very busy month. And I love it. I really enjoy all the Parties, Cards, Pictures, Gift Exchanges, and Surprises! However, I also Really Enjoy the week between Christmas and New Year's. During this week, I traditionally spend time contemplating the last years events, as well as doing what I call a mental "IESE" - Internal-External Self Examination.


Truth be told, 2008 was incredibly challenging; yet, a time of growth, for me personally, and for each member of my immediate family.

A really good clue as to how challenging my circumstances are is the length of my hair. The more challenging my life is, the shorter my hair is. This picture was taken about 4 months ago.


Then, as chaos cools its heels, and life seems to settle down for a time, I let my hair grow. I decided October 1st that I would grow my hair out again. And today, just a day shy of 3 months of growth, this is the length of my hair.


Yes, life is calmer for a season. A.M.E.N.! So much has happened that could have caused me to throw in the towel, run away to Tibet, and live with a shaved head the rest of my days.


But, all along the way, I have felt the Lord's presence with me. I can now see His hand in every circumstance all year long - for which I am deeply grateful.

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Knowing He is with me always, enables me to Smile and Hope. Today, I am looking back at 2008, packing up the Lessons I learned that Strengthened me, and my Testimony that He Lives, and I'm heading into 2009 with a New Resolve to continue Becoming who I was sent here to become. And, to continue serving My Family, to help facilitate their continued Growth as well. I Love Them All With Every Ounce of My Being!

And I Love All of You my Extended Family & Friends!

Happy New Year Everyone! May God Bless You with Love, Peace, and Joy in 2009!

Tag!

Awhile ago, I read someone's blog where they were tagged to post their 4th picture from their 4th folder. I was curious to see what mine would be. This is it:

What's yours?

Fueling Up For The Long Ride

I just Love this Big Guy in Red!

Happy Birthday, Girls!

Just a few hours before we met Lauren & Ashley for the First Time - 5 weeks early!


Eight Month Olds - Getting Strong & Healthy - Ahhh...They can Breathe!

One Year Olds - I just want to Hug & Squeeze them when I see this picture


Eleven Year Olds - Happy...

...and Funny!!!

Fourteen Year Olds - So Cute! - Whether they are Blonde...

...or Brunette

And Today....FIFTEEN!!!! You girls are THE BEST! We Love you VERY Much
Happy, Happy 15th Birthday

(as soon as I finish taking pictures of them this weekend & complete the humongous job of scanning all our pictures, more pictures will be inserted to this post)

Got Dickens?

Every year on the first day of Christmas vacation, Judy reads Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. A few years ago, she wanted me to read it with her, and bought me this book that not only has the beloved Christmas classic, but other stories by Dickens as well. I promised her I would read it with her this year. Anyone else care to join us?

Wordless Wednesday

Annual Family Holiday Party

We had a very nice, calm night Celebrating the Season together like we do each year. It was great to simply be together...















...well...

most of the time.

HO! HO! HO!

Favorite Things

I LOVE to Tease! It's one of my favorite things to do. So, here it goes:

I have a little bag
that holds a tiny box
in which lies a gift...

...for a certain graduate.

Any guesses who that could be? Whoever it is, she LOVES a Surprise as much as I Love to Tease. :)

Wordless Wednesday

You Are All Invited!

We don't care how far away you are...PARTY WITH US!!!

I have an idea for those of you who won't be able to make it to THE CHILD'S RESIDENCE for the Annual Family Christmas - and this year Graduation - PARTY. If you want to share in the festivities with us, have your own celebration at your own place. Take lots of pictures and post them on your blogs. At our party we are going to EAT, PLAY the White Elephant Gift Exchange game, SING Happy Birthday to Lauren, Ashley, Cari, Natalie (and all other December Brithday people - but you have to let us know who you are if I didn't name you already), TAKE lots of PICTURES, LAUGH, and especially SING "For She's A Jolly Good Graduate" to a Certain Someone.

If you want to join in the Celebration with us, Please Do! How Fun to visit all the blogs to see how everyone celebrated! Wish You Could All Be Here With Us.

Cameron's Perception

A few days ago, Cameron went with me to run errands. As we drove from place to place, we chatted about this and that. Eventually the conversation came around to me asking him what he wanted for Christmas. While he was quietly thinking, I stole the opportunity to tease him - as I usually do - and said something to effect of, "Now, I know you really want a Barbie, but you need to tell me which one you'd like." Since he is used to my teasing, he simply rolled his eyes and said, "Mom, that's not funny." He then proceeded to tell me what he wanted for Christmas.

It didn't sit well with me that my teasing didn't get a better reaction from him; so I thought I would tell him something - a Shocking, but True, story -that would get more than an eye roll out of him. I told him that when I was growing up, my dad would not let any of us girls have Barbie dolls.

Well, that story gave me what I was looking for. With lifted eyebrows and a look of disbelief, he asked, "What? Why not?!" I said, because Barbie was too "Bossomy". His "Aw, Mo-O-om!" was the bonus reaction I was not counting on, but delighted in anyway. I was about to tell him that Grandpa Pederson also didn't like us watching the TV shows "I Dream of Genie"

or, "Bewitched"

but decided that I would save that information for another day of errand running with him. Hey, a mom's got to have something to look forward to!

As Cameron was contemplating this new information about what it must have been like when I was a child - you know, "Back Then" - he giggled to himself and then said, "You know how Judy likes to make those funny Christmas cards with other peoples bodies but with her head? Well, that's the only way I can imagine her as a little girl."

This time it was my turn to give him a reaction by throwing my head back and laughing from the bottom of my belly. Judy HAS always been able to leave an impression on people!

Wordless Wednesday

The Saturday before Thanksgiving I woke up early, grabbed my camera, jumped into Bumble Bug and TOOK OFF, MAN! It was great!

I was looking for a peaceful, beautiful and refreshing place to snap a few pictures. I didn't have to go far. All I had to do was drive down the street and over the hill to the Redlands Temple. Ahhhhhhh.....there was my place!

I snapped a few pictures of the Temple, the Angel Moroni, and the surrounding flora. It was all beautiful. I love the simple angularity of the Temple's architeture; and how the plants and flowers soften those angles.








Even though we hadn't even celebrated Thanksgiving yet, the Temple's Nativity Scene was already in place. Just Lovely. My very Favorite scripture story of all time!





It was an invigorating morning! My heart was filled with Gratitude for my Savior. I felt great Joy in being near Him and His House. As always, whenever I contemplate the story of Mary, I am inspired to be a better Mother; because she, a mortal, raised the Savior of all. The fact that she enabled her Son to fulfill His destiny and purpose on this earth gives me strength to know that I can enable my children to fulfill their destiny's as well. I am so Grateful for Mary. I am also Grateful for Joseph who Loved her, supported her, cared for her and protected her. What a guy! These are two people I can't wait to meet and give Really Big Hugs to. I love them.

I hope you all had a Very Happy Thanksgiving; and are enjoying your few weeks of madness before Christmas! Much Love to You All!