Winter Wonderland!!!

From inside my door.
Looking toward my carport. I am pretty thankful for that little blessing in my life. You can see the old steps to my old apartment. The porch is where I broke my leg a few years ago! What a history I have in this little property!
Looking toward the road.
Fluffyness on the shrubs

I couldn't resist taking these pictures from just outside my front door. The first snow has arrived here in Provo, Utah. I am sure the novelty of snow will wear off in the next few months, but today I am thankful for it and glad to see the snow again. I truly think that without the snow and winter, summer and spring would not be as sweet! There must be opposition in order to enjoy the good and be happy. Hmm....sounds familiar in so many ways.

I just wrote in my journal. Since being a blogger, I have not been a good journal writer. I think that is okay but at the same time there are things I would write in a journal that I would never write on here. For example, you will never hear about the horrific experiences I have had with the dating world. Those thoughts and feelings are just too much for a public sphere. I guess if you really wanted to know all about it, you could call me. I would probably tell you in private! Journals are places where we can write down our most intimate feelings and thoughts; the true core of our souls. I forget sometimes how healing a journal can be. So many times, I have been feeling down at certain times of the year and I go back to my journal and realize that there are natural patterns in my life. Like this time of year, I am usually pretty good and happy and excited because it is so close to a trip home to my kin. But in February and March as winter rolls on, you will see a different Alice. It is good to be able to go back and read how I have been in the past to realize that I am always a survivor even when times are very hard!!! So, I guess what I am saying is that you too should go and buy yourself a little notebook to write in. It is therapeutic. Not that I am saying that you need therapy but I am just letting you know that it can help out in life! I can't tell you how to live though...but I can only encourage.

I am very thankful for my little house today. I am enjoying the warmth as I lounge around. (Lounging is a common theme in my life these days!) I set up my kitchen table to be a little Christmas nook. It is fun to see a little Christmas Tree and some ceramic Santas and a corn cob manger. I do love this time of year!

What else? I don't think there is much...but I want to leave with a little thankful list. I think being thankful helps keep me grounded!

1. My little house
2. Christmas music
3. Christmas decorations
4. A Packer Game on Monday night. It will be nice to be in my pajamas have some fun snacks and watch the game!
5. Prayer. What a gift to be able to communicate with Deity. It clears and brings joy to my soul.
6. Pure white snow. The first snow is always so pretty.
7. Heaters. Glad my house is warm and that my car can be warm later too!
8. Knowing what the real meaning of Christmas is. Having a Savior is an amazing blessing. I am so grateful for his sacrifice to bring peace to my soul!
9. Plane tickets. Less than two weeks and I will be HOME.
10. Awesome Friends. It is good to have a great support group to get through the tough times in life. It is also good to have friends to share in the happy, joyful moments too!!!

That is a good list for today. What are you thankful for? Leave a comment. I know you have a few minutes. Click on the link to comment on the post. It would be nice to hear from you all....I know you come here and read, so why not share with the world what makes you happy and what you are thankful for. I dare you! I double dog dare you!! I triple dog dare you!!! I miss comments.

Flashback Saturday...

I really want to start a weekly tradition of having a flashback day. Basically, that means just putting an old photo on the page and talking about it. This picture is from Spring Break like two years ago. We stopped in Cedar City and hung out with the Bills as they were also going south during that time. It was around Josh's birthday and look how tiny he looks. This was one of many fun nights spent with The Bills! Lots of memories have been made with them.

Today has been one of the laziest days I have had in a long time. I didn't do a whole lot except sit around and watch TV. I did wash some dishes and clean my bathroom but besides that just lounging. I did leave the house once but it was only to go to the grocery store to buy some chocolate. I went in my pajamas that I have been in for more than 24 hours. What a life huh?

I think winter is officially here and that causes some laziness. I need to break out of the bonds of winter one of these days...maybe tomorrow! :)

Bad Blogger

I apologize for being a bad blogger. Bad Alice!

The week has flown by just as time is lately. Not much to report.

Here are things that make me happy right now:
1. Christmas Lights
2. Timer for Christmas lights. I was very glad to have my lights greeting me the other night because I had not seen daylight that day(that is one of many things I hate about winter....the long nights.)
3. Playing Madden 07 while pedaling my exercise bike. It is like I am not even exercising.

I was at a conference today for school. It is a way cool program that I hope to implement in my Leadership Classes. I get to go again tomorrow. It was nice of my principal to send me there, even if on short notice. I have liked not being at class. Don't tell anybody, it is a secret.

I must go sleep. It is much too late.

Thanksgiving was good....now looking forward to Christmas!

I love this time of year. I really love Thanksgiving and I feel it is a very important holiday that sometimes gets lost because of the greatness of Christmas. Do not get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas, but I also think Thanksgiving gets a bad break, so I always wait until the day after Thanksgiving to get excited about Christmas. No Christmas decor or music until the day after Thanksgiving. I am very excited about holiday music and decor now, though. Only 20 days until I get on a plane to fly home and really that is what is going to keep me going the next three weeks. I am so excited to see my mother and family and to just chill with them. Mom, be prepared to watch some movies and play some trivia.

The holiday was good. I was able to see The Utah Jazz lose in basketball, but still I was at a pro game, right? That is all that matters. I was able to babysit a very cute baby on Wednesday. Thursday, I was able to both watch the Packers play and peel potatoes...all at the same time. I also was able to eat some wonderful food and spend time with my other family. I sure do love them. Friday, I got to see New Moon and spend even more time with the fam. Saturday, I went up and was able to attend a temple session with The Bills as Caleb received his endowments for the first time. We then went to Red Robin afterward. Yummy!

Today was a chill day as I just want to church. I actually was only out of my pajamas for those three hours today. That is my kind of day! I have been busy tonight watching football and writing my novel. Good times!

So, there you have it. You are officially updated.

Hmmmm......TURKEYS

I like that tomorrow is the last day that I have to teach this week. It is going to be very, very, very nice to have a few days off. I plan on doing some major sleeping and eating. That is what Thanksgiving is all about right? I told my students today that I would not miss them because hanging out with a turkey would pretty much be like hanging out with them, the turkeys that they are!

Life is good. Gave a good lesson on Sunday. It is actually nice to be done with it. I hate the whole being nervous in preparing. The talk was by President Monson and it is spectacular. Click on Monson(it will be in green) to read the talk. You will enjoy it. Mom....read it!

What else. Hmmm. It snowed yesterday. It was pretty coming down but then I started to think about how I don't really like snow and winter. I think I need to buy some full spectrum light bulbs this winter!

I have been eating a lot of chocolate lately. I like it. I had some nice pizza tonight from Papa John's. YUMMY. I am going to have In-N-Out burger for lunch tomorrow. One of the teachers at school has prep the hour before lunch and he was totally okay with going to get it for us tomorrow. That makes me excited. Funny how food really makes me happy these days!

Here are a few things that I am thankful for today:
1. Friends who are so supportive of me.
2. Good talks with co-workers after school.
3. Visiting Teachers who come and visit me and who are hilarious.
4. Pizza and Fresca
5. Music
6. Sleep. (I better go get some!)