Today is our stake's New Years activity for the youth. It's a four stake activity. The youth counsel put it together. Well, due to an unforeseen event, the person in charge of the decorations was unable to do it. This was fun for me, because then I got to do them. Mom and I had been thinking about it for a couple weeks, and we were going to go buy everything at the after Christmas sales. Even with those, the deals weren't good enough for us, so our ideas evolved and in the end, I love what we did. The theme was black and white. Here are some photos. They're not the best, because by the time I got back with my camera the kids were already showing up.

They actually look way cuter in person. They look tiny here and the chairs are pretty ugly. Oh, well!

Christmas...

This Christmas season has been one of the best in a long time. It started when Mom and I went to see Savior of the World. What a beautiful musical depicting the birth and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ! Then I've been lucky to not be working retail. I've loved being able to participate in different Christmas activities, like being able to see the lights at Temple Square and shopping on a saturday! I, also, was able to help Mom with a couple of her concerts. I played the piano for the night performance of the wealthiest school in the Ogden school district and I was able to play for the poorest school in the Ogden school district. I absolutely loved playing at Madison with all of the funny kids. They weren't the most talented group I've heard, but they were so excited about it all! Playing for Wasatch was a different story, they weren't super excited about anything, except for a couple of 3rd graders. The teachers were rude, as well.

Yesterday, we had Christmas Eve with the Nicholes'. It was so much fun! There were about 35 of us there, so we were missing sixteen, I think, well seventeen including my dad. Dinner was delicious! The kids were so much fun! It was just great to be with all of the cousins that we don't get to see that often. It was so great!

Mom & Grandpa

Maggey, Ally, Spencer & Abbey

Grandpa being the Angel

Today was a different Christmas than we've ever had. Usually, we'd have Grandma Mamie sleep over and Grandma & Grandpa come up for breakfast, then we go to Grandma Mamie's for dinner with the Nelson's. Because of the snow, Grandma & Grandpa weren't able to come up and Grandma is at Apple Village, so there was no party to go to. Instead, Collin, Krys, Fordy & Evee came around noon and we spent the day, just the six of us, opening presents, eating, and playing. For a little while we went to visit Grandma, so she could open her presents. I made cinnamon rolls, so we took them there and she shared some with the CNAs and some of her friends. It's been so quiet, and restful, being home. It's been a great day!

Ford saying, "I've wanted this my whole life!"

Everett surrounded by his gifts!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Today, being the sunday before Christmas, we went to two Sacrament meetings. We first went to our ward, where the talks were all about charity and the charity of Christ. They were very good talks and the ward choir sang Christmas songs, but it was so weird to not have a "Christmas message." Then I had primary. I was playing in Hobbs Creek ward at 1:00, so I had my primary class go into class time with the senior primary, so that I could teach some of my lesson. That didn't work out too well, because I had to go practice and opening exercises went on for a really long time. However, I did have enough time to get them in class and give them their little Christmas presents. Then, I had my cute mom take the first part of my class and then I had a sub for the rest so Mom could come listen to the Nicholas' family do the Christmas program. My class thought they were so cool, because they didn't have just one teacher, they got three teachers!

It was such a great Sacrament meeting. The spirit was so strong there. I was talking with Mom about it, to see if she agreed with my thinking that it wasn't so strong just because I love the people doing the program and I love the ward. There is a completely different spirit between the two wards that is almost tangible. I loved getting to play the piano for the primary, the young women group and the Nicholas' family. I'm so grateful for the gifts and talents I've been given, and I'm so happy when I get to share them. While I was playing for the young women, my stomach was doing flips, which is weird, because I usually can play anything anywhere without getting nervous. Then I realized what was causing me such discomfort. My old drama teacher was sitting by me to make sure my music didn't fall off. I'd asked him to, not realizing that I was sinking back into my self-conscious issues like I was in highschool. It took me until the next song to say to myself Hey, there's no point in being stressed. I can play the piano, I shouldn't let him affect me. He's just a regular person. I have nothing to prove to him. Then I was fine. I was grateful he was there to turn my pages, and it was fun once I let go of my self esteem issues! What a dork am I sometimes! I just have to say I love my old ward!!!

Salt Lake City!

This is so funny, but I have to tell you how much I love Salt Lake City! I love the busy-ness! I love the buildings! I especially love it at Christmas time! I was down there today to meet Deric & Stephanie for lunch. I got there early so I walked around Gateway. It was freaking freezing! That doesn't even explain how freezing it was! It was still so nice to walk around and be in that beautiful place. Then we went to Cafe Rio on 4th South. We sat near a window that looks out on 4th south, so you can see up near the avenues and the north end of campus. I love it so much! It's hilarious! I didn't graduate from the U, but I just feel so excited being near campus. I know, weird! I just love the air in Salt Lake! (Not the exhaust and stinky air, though.) I can totally see how "this is the place."

Christmas Time is Here!!!

I love Christmas time! I love the music. I love the lights. I love the parties. It's so fun! We went to see the lights at Temple Square on Saturday night. It was the first time with my cute nephews! It was freezing and snowing, so we kind of just ran through. Ford loved the huge nativity scene. He loves nativity scenes. He has some of his own that he can play with, and year round he has Mary nearby. While we were listening to the presentation at the nativity scene, when President Hinckley's voice came on, it brought tears to my eyes. What a wonderful man he was! The spirit there is so amazing! I love it!

My Website!

I finally have my website up and running! It was a challenge, but it's up. Hopefully, it will bring in some business! I was just looking at advertising on Google, and it's going to cost $50 a month to get it within the top 25 listings or something like that. Crazy! Anyways~ check it out tell me what you think! www.designsbypyper.com

Rhetters!!!

This is my cute, little cousin Rhett! I've been thinking a lot about him, so I decided to write about him. Now I don't remember what I was like when I was six, but I doubt I asked questions like he does. I'm sure these topics came up after Dad died, but that's because that experience made me aware of everything, and I needed the answers so that I knew that I would be with my dad again.

Last wednesday, I don't know how we even got to the subject, but Rhett asked me how come the church can't have missionaries in China. I explained as much as I could, and then he asked me, So, can the Second Coming come tonight? I told him there were some steps that had to be taken care of, before Jesus Christ would come again. Like what? I told him that the whole world had to be able to have the gospel taught to them, so that every person had the chance to know about Him. Rhett then said, You've already had the chance and so have I, huh? Then, on Thanksgiving we were talking about it again, and then he brought up how in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Ausland is like Jesus, he had to die for them, and then he came back to life, huh? I figured that all out on my own. What a smartie! Then he had a really, really long nap, so he ended up being up all night long. He was sleeping in the same room with us, so I went out into the hall to use that light so he could sleep. I was laying on the floor reading my scriptures, and the bedroom door slowly opened, and he said, Are you reading the Bible? I told him I was reading the Doctrine & Covenants. I love the Doctrine & Covenants, will you read it to me? So, we read a section, and he had tons of questions about where they were going on their missions and why and who would they be teaching. Then he got out his Book of Mormon, and wanted to read out of that. He wanted me to read the introduction, because I've never read that part before. So we started, but where it says that it was translated by Joseph Smith, he wondered why he had to, and why it wasn't written in English, before. So I told him about different languages, and we had to look in Genesis at the Tower of Babel and read that. He had me on my toes, because I needed to make sure I told him the facts. It was so fun! He's such a special boy!

Comfort food...

You know how some people have comfort food when they're sad, tired, or sick? Well, I don't really have a specific comfort "food." Instead, when I get sick, like I am right now, I have to watch Pride & Prejudice! It just makes me feel so much better. Jane Austen was brilliant, and I love all of her books, but watching the Kiera Knightley version, I just love Mr. Darcy!

For Thanksgiving, we spent a few days with ALee and her family, and Grandma & Grandpa. We had great food, and it was really fun for all of us to be working to make dinner. I think that everything went off splendidly! Only one dish was broken, and yep, it was me who broke it, and I was the only one who got burned, so all in all, it was great! I dipped marshmallows in broken candy canes to put in our hot chocolate. Rhett and Porter helped, Rhett was diligent in helping until all the marshmallows were covered. It was so much fun! Hopefully, Grandpa will be feeling better soon!