It's Beginning to look like christmas

It's really seeming like Christmas now.
Paul and I took the twins to visit his parents this morning. Then we checked Justin out of school early (Brooke had to stay the whole day because she had a test in her last class) so he could stay with the twins while Paul and I went shopping. It was Paul's start to his Christmas shopping. We made some real progress the first half of our shopping, then stopped for lunch at Subway and then we seemed to be really stumped in our 2nd half of shopping. The best part of the shopping was finding the perfect thing my sister had been looking for.
This evening we had our annual Shingleton Family talent show. (I, of course, forgot my camera again!) Brooke represented the adams family by playing a duet with Grand-dad - Brooke on the piano and my dad played the bass. They did a great job. The most fun part of the evening was watching all of the cousins run around and play together and then watching all the "boys" play the tornado basketball game.
Now we're off to my parents to watch a tape of the Utah bowl game. GO UTES!

The Road Home

I have to admit that I am usually pretty cold hearted when it comes to people standing on the road asking for money. But this year has been different, very different. Its actually hard to explain exactly how i've felt but its been a good thing. I guess Heavenly Father is trying to soften my heart.
Early in the holiday season there was an older man standing on the median somewhere by sam's club. I just felt like I needed to give him some money so I did and he was very grateful. Usually I wonder what they are going to do with the money but not this year. I've felt very prompted that it doesn't matter what they do, this is my lesson to learn. To not judge. To not condemn.
Jared and Kamryn were with me when I gave that man some money and they were very curious. I explained to them what it means to be homeless. They asked me if he would be able to get a house now since I gave him some money.
So, we've been talking about the homeless all season. I've given money out a couple of different times and they have always been with me. Sometimes I can hardly talk to them I'm so overcome with emotion.
This morning my first task was to clean up the family room downstairs. Its been a mess for quite awhile with way too many toys taking over the room. By the time the twins woke up and came down, the room was clean and i had a big black garbage bag full of toys to donate somewhere. Jared looked in the bag and was devastated to see a dumptruck of his in there. He hardly plays with it and its in good shape. He started bawling about having to give it up. I talked with him and explaing about so many kids not having a home or any toys and that we should share. I let him think about it for awhile and then told him he could take it out if he wanted but wouldn't it be nice to share. He ended up leaving it in there.
While I was out on errands after I heard on FM 100 about their big effort at The Road Home today. Right then I knew I had to take the kids down there today. So we gathered some coats, a blanket and these toys and drove down there in the storm. On the freeway the kids asked why it was taking so long to get there. They also wondered if these homeless people lived on the freeway.
When we got there, the Brighton HS football team was all there volunteering and taking in the donations. That was cool. They noticed by Bengal paw on the van and were excited that a fellow Bengal was down there. I wish I could have taken Jared and Kamryn in the shelter but it wasn't the right time for that. On the way home FM 100 was talking again about the shelter and saying how many people were in the shelter just last night - 95 families with over 150 children, hundreds of women and men. The needs are so great and we just did a little but it was something.

4 year old photographers

The other night when I was taking pictures of Lily, Jared and Kamryn wanted to take some pictures too all by themselves. Thank goodness for digital cameras.
I think they did a pretty good job.

jared as a ghost

super cute one of lily

cute of Kamryn, just a little blury

another ghost shot of Jared

close up of Lily

They're getting better.

Jared did a great job on this one.

Kamryn's turn

Real close up this time.

Scripture Study

For several years we have been somewhat regular in reading the scriptures together as a family at night before we have family prayer. Everyone takes a turn reading either a column or so many verses each so that we can read a chapter a night. Jared and Kamryn even "read" a verse each (with mom and dad helping them).
Right now we are reading the Book of Mormon and are in Alma and just read the chapter tonight about Korihor. A couple of months ago Paul started a new thing where at the end of our reading each of us takes a turn to say what they got from that chapter, so that we get more out of our scripture study and everyone really reads and follows along.
Tonight we had a really good discussion about this chapter. We got into a discussion about how their is so much evidence in nature that there is a God. Justin had a really great analogy about how God organized this earth versus the whole worldly view of "the big bang" theory.
He said the world's view is like if you had a puzzle in a box and you shook it all up and then opened the box and the puzzle was all put together perfectly. "I don't think so."
I thought this was a very profound thought and great way to put it. We asked him if that was his thought or he'd heard it somewhere and he wasn't sure if it was his or something he'd just "regurgitated" from his seminary teacher.

A good day

It's been a really good day.

Lily playing with Jared's toys.

She was a little jumpy with the flash.

It started out with sleeping in - yea!

Then Paul and I went out and delivered some gift baskets to people in the ward from the bishopric. Its always fun to give.

In the afternoon I got together with my best friends from high school for our annual Christmas party. We had lunch at a cute little Italian cafe in Sandy and then went to Charri's new house afterwards to do a cookie exchange and open presents. It was so great to relax and visit together.

Tonight we are having fun tending my cousin's cute little baby girl, Lily. Its been fun to watch Jared and Kamryn with the baby. They've brought her toys and helped find her diaper and jammies and binky. This is the best way to have a baby around.

Preschool Program Pictures

Kamryn and Jared with their most AWESOME preschool teacher, Carol Wilkinson.

Lisa with Jared and Kamryn after they did an awesome job on their Christmas program

at their preschool.

Jared really got into doing the actions with the songs.

Kamryn was a little shy during the program.

Jenny found out how hard it is to try and get a good picture of these two.

For more cute pictures of the program, check out this post on Jenny's blog.

Thank you, thank you to my friend Jenny for these pictures.

Ups and Downs

Today was an up and down day emotionally. I don't really want to go into it but I will just say that thank goodness it was book club tonight! It definitely ended my day on an up note and just lifted my spirits. And tonight's book club was especially entertaining and those that weren't there really missed out.