Why I refuse to celebrate "x" mas

This post is kind of a rant....so if you don't like rants...STOP READING!  With Christmas come and gone this year I am a little behind on this post.  I have been thinking about ALL season.  I am constantly hearing "Merry x-mas" or seeing people write Merry x-mas".... I DON'T CELEBRATE X-Mas!!!  Sorry, I just don't!  I believe in Christ, when it is time to celebrate the birth of our Savior, I celebrate CHRISTmas.  I love Christmas.  I love the feeling in the air, I love the service that is freely given, I love seeing the nativities, I like certain Christmas music.  I don't like Christmas shopping, some Christmas music and I am so not a fan of FORGETTING what the holiday is really about.  So if you are a "Merry X-mas" wisher.... I would rather you didn't wish me a Merry anything!  Tell me Merry Christmas or nothing at all.     Ahhh, that feels better.  Sorry for the rant.  I hope you all had a Very Merry Christmas!!!

November

What can I say about November, except I am SOOOO glad it is over!!!  We had some high points in November that I really enjoyed.  But for what seemed like all of November I was sick and just wanted it to end.  The first week of November, I found myself in the ER with kidney stones.  IT WAS HORRIBLE!  My back always hurts so I didn't think much about how bad it was hurting.  But one morning I woke up and thought my insides were exploding and that I was about to die!  I called my wonderful brother who diagnosed me over the phone and told me to go the hospital.  Once I realized I wasn't dying, I started to wish I was.  At least then the pain would stop!  The pain that came with it was so bad that I was always sick to my stomach.  Then there were the pain pills they gave me, they made me even more sick...but I didn't have the pain.  So I felt like a Zombie for the first part on November. 

Nick turned 9 in November!  For his Birthday get away he wanted to go bowling and have the chocolate fountain from Golden Corral.  So we ended up going to Rock Springs the Saturday after his birthday.  He got the chocolate fountain, and was disappointed.  We ended up going to a movie instead of bowling.  I didn't get any pictures of this, I was still in my zombie phase.  But I did get a couple shots of him the night of his Birthday.  I didn't have a party cause Ted was at work.  Nick did get to choose what his Birthday breakfast and dinner were. Want to take a guess at what was for Dinner......

He drew a map on his shirt so that I could find where to get his dinner!  That kid seriously cracks me up sometimes! 

After Nicks birthday I felt ok for a few days and then right before my birthday....Yep  I had another kidney stone attack.  When I went to the ER the first time they said I had already passed some and I had several more to pass.  YAY for me!!  I took more medicine that made me sick, but took away the pain.  Ted had been planning a "surprise" birthday party for me.  I kind of knew what was going on, maybe not all of the details, but I knew there was a party in the works.  I hinted to Ted that if we had anything planned for that weekend, he was scheduled to work and we should change the plans.  He ended up cancelling the party but didn't TELL everyone.  So while he was at work and I was laying around getting over my most recent Kidney Stone issue.  I was very surprised when my Mom and sister Jennifer came to my house!!  They were almost to Kemmerer when they finally were able to talk to Ted and found out that there was no party.  I am glad they came.  We talked until late into the night and had a great visit.  They had to get up and leave early the next morning, so it was a very short visit, but I loved every minute of it!!  The next week was Thanksgiving.  We went to Utah to spend it with my family.  I was feeling a little off, but but loved spending time with my family.  On Saturday morning, I wasn't feeling well at all.  I was hot, then cold, then hot..... you think I would know what that meant, but I didn't.  I was confused at why I was so hot, then cold.  We went to Park City and did some shopping then on into SLC.  We had some more shopping to do, then went to visit my brother Daniel and his family.  We planned on going to Temple Square to see the lights and get a picture taken for our Christmas card.  That day it hadn't been too cold, so we were hoping for a warm evening at Temple Square.  NOPE, it was so cold.  FREEZING COLD.  And there were about a million people there.  So not our best Temple Square trip, but we did hurry and snap some pictures of the family. 

Do we not look thrilled!!

We went back to my brothers and spent the night.  I was still either really hot or so cold that I couldn't stop shivering.  We got up the next morning and drove home.  I slept the entire way, once we were home I went to bed.  It was then that I realized....oh I have a fever!  No wonder I am hot or cold.  I ended up back in the ER on Monday.  I think Ted was sick of listening to me complain.  I had a double ear infection.  And one heck of a chest cold.  YIPEE! Once the Antibiotics kicked in and my fever broke....it was Wednesday, the last day of November and I remember thinking... OH I AM SO GLAD NOVEMBER IS OVER!  

BOO!

Here are some of the troops filing out of the house.  Chrislyn and Daxton didn't stop to pose!

Carson was a old time gangster, Micalyn was a witch (with a dislocated elbow!) and Nick was the Devil....

Here is a shot I got of my little Lamb, Chrislyn.  SOOOO CUTE!

The kids were really excited about their pumpkins.   I didn't buy any candles to put in them, but the glow sticks I bought the kids to put on their costumes while trick or treating some how ended up in the pumpkins!!