Facebook?

So, I've never had a...what do you even call them--a profile(?) on a networking site such as myspace of Facebook. I've just blogged and that's been plenty fine and good for me. My cousin has a facebook account and one time she showed me about a million people that I went to high school with and I did think that was pretty intriguing, but I never did take the plunge.
However, I'm thinking more and more about doing it. I think it would be fun to find out where people ended up and what they are doing. I'm always fascinated by people--isn't that one part of the draw to blogging?
So, what do you think? Do you have a Facebook account? If not, why? Do you like it more than blogging? What do you post on your Facebook account that you don't post on your blog? Lots and lots of questions...

Finding the Time

This holiday season, in fact all holiday seasons since I had children, has been hectic. I always enter the month of December with so much expectation and excitement. I want to do the 12 days of Christmas for someone, I want to make homemade treats and deliver them to all my friends, I want to make homemade gifts for loved ones, I want to go see the lights at the temple, I want to do a cookie exchange, I want to send out Christmas cards, I want to put up the tree with my family while Christmas music plays in the background, I want to help my children understand the true meaning of Christmas, I want to make homemade crafts with my children, I want to help my daughter learn to play her Christmas song perfectly, I want to make sure Owen gets more opportunity to be included in the events of the season while not ignoring the baby either. I'm sure there's more that has escaped my mind or I've repressed in order to survive.
Some of these things got done, others didn't or haven't yet (there are still some days left). The problem I'm finding is time. I want to do all of these good things--I really do. The predicament is doing these things with kindness in my heart and patience for those around me--more specifically my children.
Perhaps I'm the only person with this flaw, but I'm willing to confess it--I am not patient. I get irritated when I can't get everything done that I have on my list to do. I am all about lists. I can't sleep without them--literally. I wake-up in the night and just lie there until I've written it down and mapped out a plan of action. Sick, sick, sick.
In all of my desire to bring a little bit of joy to those around me, I often feel like I'm bringing no joy to my own children. I lose patience for Ryanna's million questions and slow processes, I lose patience for Owen's messes and his ignoring me, I beg Eli to hold off from receiving attention/food/whatever so I can just get "one more thing done!"
All of this leads me to my resolutions for next year. Gaining patience would be the obvious goal. Yes and no. I'm not naive enough to believe I'm going to reach that goal in one year let alone one life, but I can do something about making better time for my children. I want to do more one on one activities with them. The obvious connection between that and patience is not readily visible. Dealing with three children at one time has been quite a new and trying experience for me. However, one child at a time is not only more manageable, it's even fun.
Last night Ryanna and I took a cookie making class together. I signed us up for it a couple of weeks ago. I was under the assumption that we would be making the cookies together--which didn't actually happen--but we still had an hour and a half of time with just the two of us. It was fun to learn some new things and just have her by my side. There is such joy in spending time with your child when really can let yourself unwind.
So, my goal for this next year--one of them and perhaps the most important one--is to make more quality time for our little family. Our lives already feel so busy and I know it'll only get more crazy, but I truly believe that the most important days are these--while my kids are young. I need to use this time being a good mom. I just don't want to look back at this time and wish I'd spent it gaining close relationships instead of to-doing every day. It's going to be tricky no doubt, but it is definitely a worthwhile goal.

Cookie Exchange Extrodinaire

(Several of the dessert plates are hidden under other plates because we had so much!)

I had this great idea last week to get together some girlfriends and do a cookie exchange. I love to take plates of homemade goodies to friends, but it gets a bit overwhelming to think of making multiple desserts in large enough quantities and in a fast enough time that they are still moist. I had heard of this concept of exchanging Christmas sweetness before, but I had never participated--let alone thought of hosting the whole event.

Well, I went ahead and dove in and contacted a bunch of friends--there ended up being 8 of us total--and we got together this morning to divide the spoils. It was absolutely amazing to see that many cookies/treats all in one location.

The way I worked it was to have each woman bring a dozen of whatever she chose to make for each of the other women. So, there were 8 of us total, so I had to make 7 dozen of something to share with the other ladies. I chose to make Chocolate-Peppermint Sandwiches (homemade oreo with peppermint filling, dipping one corner in a chocolate glaze and rolling it in crushed peppermint candies--I know, I know--pretty gourmet--look for my TV show on the Food Network later this year).

(These are the mini cheesecake type desserts)

Well, the cookie I picked wins an award for smallest quantity ever for a recipe. I ended up doubling the batch FOUR times. That's right, if I would've done individual batches I would've made it 8 times!!! AND, that didn't make enough cookies either. I ended up supplementing with a shortbread type cookie called Cinnamon Coins.

The biggest problem with the whole exchange is that after seeing all of these scrumptious desserts, none of us want to give them out! I think a new tradition is born.

Featuring: Coconut Macaroons, Pecan Sandies, Peppermint Oreos, Cinnamon Coins, Nutter Butter Cookie Truffles, Ginger Crinkles, Fantastic Fudge, Cream Cheese Cups, Candied Pretzels & Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chippies!

O Christmas Tree!

Last night we put up our Christmas tree. We have a beautiful, fake tree that my parents bought us several years ago. I love the tree because it has bendable branches and my mom also helped me pick out all these beautiful dark blue and silver ornaments to fill it. IKEA & my mom made decorating the tree affordable.

It used to be almost like a tree you'd see in a store--perfectly matching ornaments and such. Then, along came Owen and last year he seemed to want to pull all of the ornaments off the tree that were within reach. Only one of the ornaments actually completely broke. The rest of them just needed some new string. I did that this time around.

(not all of us were into decorating the tree)

My tree is starting to look less and less like a perfect store tree and I'm actually still just as much in love because of the memories that these new ornaments are bringing. There's the ornament featuring a picture of Ryanna glued to a frozen juice lid. There is the snowman with a bell for a bottom which Ryanna got from her violin teacher last year. There are two snowmen that have Ryanna and Owen's names written on the back with the year that they got them from us. I'm trying to get each of the kids an ornament each year, so when they get married they can have some ornaments of their own.

I remember the tree at my house growing up had some ornaments I had made. The one I remember most was a bird's nest inside of half of a pantyhose egg container (who is old enough to remember those pantyhose eggs?). It's amazing how decorating can bring back such strong and wonderful memories.

Last year's decorating party!

Watch me eat an ornament!

Cheesey smile!

Ahhh, too cute!