happy new year!

This year, our celebrations will look more like this:



than this:



I don't really believe in making resolutions, but if I did, this year I would vow to design/invent something totally clever in order to make enough money to open up my own Sonic Drive-In franchise in Scotland.

The end.

What? Look people, I'm not that ambitious, but I AM easy to please.

dear blogging community

Please end your holiday and come back to the key board.

Please stop partying and post your Christmas pictures.

Please halt your shopping trips, your travel itinerary,
your New Year's Eve plans.

I'm bored and need something new to read.

Love,

Lindsey

on christmas

One of my church parties this year was based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and I’ve been thinking about my Christmases past, present, and future.

My favorites so far in life are those from Christmases past. Our annual Christmas Eve family party, when I was young and all of the girls were in music lessons and we'd have to prepare and present our holiday recital pieces. Some years we would borrow a set of choral bells and play carols. Waking up on Christmas morning in new pajamas opened the night before, it wasn't until I was much older that I even realized that it wasn't a surprise what we were opening any more.

On Christmas morning all of us had to wait with my mom in our bedroom for my Dad to turn on the Carpenter’s Christmas Portrait and the lights on our tree before we could come out; the traditional egg casserole breakfast already warming in the oven. The year my parents gave us back the toys that they'd saved since our childhood.

Darren and I shared our first Christmas with his family in Denver. We had so much fun, and I have fond memories of the new traditions that I got to share in that year (and that we are sadly missing this year). The holiday started out with some fuss, you see Darren realized after going through airport security that he had forgotten all of my presents at home. The night before he had playfully reminded me to pack his presents, but forgot to pack mine. After a frantic 20 hours or so, we finally got a hold of one of my good friends, giving her our permission to break into our house, find the hidden presents, and hand deliver them to a friend-of-a-friend who was flying into Denver late Christmas Eve. I still give Darren such a hard time about that. It wouldn't have been so bad if he hadn't reminded me not to forget his!

Our Christmas present is cozy and warm. The rolls are raising, the flat is clean, we're re-watching season three of Alias. It seems to be quite magical in Aberdeen this Christmas, the city so old and established. There are stories to be told by the cobblestone streets and granite buildings. As magical as Aberdeen seems to me, it is no match to the magic of my Christmases past.

See, we miss you terribly, our family and friends, but we are happy, and healthy, and oh, so blessed, so I have nothing to complain about.

Best of all, when I think of Christmases future I see our friends, our families, our sisters, our brother-in-laws, and our nieces and nephews...and even somewhere in that distant future, some of our own dark-haired babies as well. And I know it’ll be worth the wait.

Merry Christmas!!

XOXO

--Lindsey


P.S. An awesomeness nativity. Photo credit here.

a christmas fyi to myself

I had never heard of this gift-giving guideline until my Mom told me about it a few weeks ago. I thought that it was a really good way to keep Christmas gift giving on the right track. After reading this post by DesignMom, I've decided to file this information away for when I have my own children. By the time you add presents from Grandmas and Grandpas and other family, not to mention small gifts from friends, it is a recipe for a more than generous Christmas!

The Christmas Gift Giving Guideline for My Future Children:

Something to wear,

Something to read,

Something they want,

Something they need.

What my guideline approved wish list would look like this year:



And of course you have to have lots of somethings to eat:


And on Christmas Eve you have to open up a pair of new pajamas. (We decided that neither of us were in need of new pajamas this year, so it'll be the first time in 28 Christmases that this tradition won't be fulfilled. But never again!)



Darren totally disagrees that Christmas should be about anything that you need. But in my family, your stocking (and the area on the couch around your stocking) was always filled with a year's worth of lotion, q-tips, cotton balls, lip-stuff, socks, underwear, a new toothbrush. These were right along the small gifts like a new book, or a DVD, etc. Even when I was grown and in college I always loved getting these items at Christmas time because it meant that I didn't have to buy any of those practicalities for myself, ever. And regular, every day items take on some of that magic when they are concealed in an over sized stocking mixed with your Christmas orange and Hershey's kisses.

So, what do you think? Do practicalities have any business mixing with Christmas?

me and katie h.

Remember this? And then this?

Well, now we have this:

(Please disregard how obese I have become.
You know what they say about how cutting back on Diet Coke helps you lose weight,
it's not true.)

the movie you shouldn't watch when you are homesick for your three sisters, your own 'marmee', & the father who loves all his girls.

This is especially true when your 14-year-old self totally identified with (and wanted to become) Jo March with every ounce of her being. Including the refusal of a 'perfectly good marriage proposal' only to fall in love with a tall, dark, and handsome Professor. (Well I DID do that.)

Not to mention the fact that my childhood home was every bit the haven that Orchard House is for the March family.

Tears and all, I highly recommend a re-watch of:



Seriously, it's SO good.

we believe...

The arrival of this holiday banner from
my mom inspired my new weblog banner.

And it's true. We DO believe...in the magic of Christmas.
And despite being far, far away from home this year,
we can't wait to celebrate! Merry Christmas!

christmas joy

Thanks to my generous in-laws, my dear friend Celby, and craft night with the Young Women in my ward (thanks for inviting me Amelia), our flat has a few Christmas decorations! Here are a few sneak peaks.

on holdiday to edinburgh, part four

I promised a castle weeks ago, so here are some pictures of the Edinburgh Castle. Our pictures don't do it justice. It was amazing. Here a few pictures from within the castle complex. I won't add too much description, you can see for yourself how medieval and beautiful it is. Tomorrow I'll post some pictures of the city of Edinburgh from the castle grounds.




The statues 'protection' the entrance to the castle.


And if those don't scare you, the spikes on the gates just might.


One of the many stone pathways.


There were a lot of different buildings within the castle complex. Some were used as museums, some were being used by the current military unit stationed there, some turned into shops and cafes. Others were just there to walk through and view.




Wood and windows in the Royal Hall.




There are always beautiful and unique things to see when you're visiting a castle. This lion was no exception.

a holiday sale

ETA: Carrie just added a giveaway to her holiday sale! Now, happy shopping! And good luck on the giveaway!

My college roommate of one semester slash adorable friend slash talented photographer named Carrie is having a holiday sale in her etsy shop.

Let's show her some retail love!