Slowing Down December

It was a beautiful Sunday. Quite a miracle because Sundays aren't usually the most joyful day of the week. I haven't pinpointed what was the most effective strategy today, but the underlying theme was simplifying. I think we've settled on a new Sunday dinner plan, and not having any company over was so nice.

I'm returning to this letter 5 days later as the final rush caught up to me. Today is the last day of school, I can't wait for the school break. I've caught a cold, a tropical cold is still the same as a winter cold. But I'm happy to be sick now and not over Christmas or when traveling to the Philippines.
Catching a cold has also slowed things down and Christmas cards aren't out yet, but I'm enjoying writing them.

Highlights:

Moses singing, "Four calling birds, three Fentons, 2 turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree!"

And Abe's prayer on the food this morning included "Thank you that Fenton came yesterday, please bless that he can come today or tomorrow."

Apparently we need more Fentons.

We found eggnog. Saving it for Christmas Eve.

Abe made 18 loaves of bread on Wednesday and is excited to take a couple weeks off.

Sick. Sore throats are the worst.

We went to the annual bubble snowfall for FHE on Monday night and rode the Christmas Carolling Bus downtown on Orchard Friday.

I went on Abe's school field trip to Little India, I haven't been on a school bus forever, but it was well worth the delicious food!

This is how you host party.

Our neighbours hosted an Ugly Sweater Christmas Party, we're using our sweater as a get-along-shirt in the future.

Sunday dinner, I still think this is the easiest meal yet. We're going for a second round this week.

Game nights.

Making Christmas treats for classroom parties. "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch."

The Nutcracker

The typhoon may have fizzled in Quezon City but our friends who went back to the Philippines for a wedding got caught in part of the storm and just got back. Their flights were cancelled then delayed, but the worst of the storm was flooding and I think most filipinos have a lot of experience with rain.

This friend who went back to the Philippines is a woman I minister too. It is partly because of her that I applied to take some classes in January. (One on Mental Illness and Recovery and another focusing on Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training.) I was accepted? Both courses are offered by the Singapore Social Service Institute, I had to apply to take both courses and then had an interview last week (because I'm not a registered professional). I just found out I was accepted into BOTH! It's really nothing big, but I'm excited anyway. When applying, I mentioned MIMB and working extensively with children and youth within church. I was surprised to see that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was actually listed as an organisation that SSI partnered with. I think the training will better equip me to evaluate program structures supported by MIMB, and I'll be better prepared to support members. I've had two women approach me this year who were struggling with self harm or contemplating suicide. I hope to better understand the impact and scope of appropriate strategies. In summary, I was accepted and the two classes are in January.

I've started keeping a list of stuff on why phone so when I sit to write I can REMEMBER what happened! 

Mary was Clara in the dance concert. Mary DID NOT attend all of the rehearsals as she was also in the play, but doubled up as soon as the play was over. Her amazing teacher knew she was a little behind and turned what could have been a demoralising event into something special. There really was NO way Mary could have caught up, and it was difficult for her classmates to be patient with her. Mary came home discouraged just last week, but she was certain she knew the dance. I know the teacher invited Mary to be a narrator/actor, dressed her in Clara's costume, and slightly altered Mary's dance part and it was beautiful. Mary felt confident and important. The hardest part for Mary was staying in synch with her peers, and as soon as she was dressed as Clara, the teacher gave her a few extra pirouettes and a separate entrance and all frustration was dissolved. I'm thankful for someone who looks for alternative solutions, who is creative and more interested in the individuals around her than perfecting a routine. 

Mary is a teenager. And such a lovely one at that. She is even tempered, patient, and overly accommodating at times... when we asked her what she wanted to do for her birthday, she said, "I think the kids would like to see Frozen 2." And dinner, "I think Abe wants to go to Wild Honey." 

We had a successful Ward Christmas Party and opened registration for ASIA Women’s Conference.

I went shopping in Malaysia with Julie, we decided to go to the Lulu Lemon store that Dallin had so desperately wanted to go to. Not worth the trip for the shopping alone, but it was fun to hang with Julie.

Abe is branching out and experimenting with quiche.

Last week was full of concerts, beyond Mary's dance concert, Maeser had a Gamelon concert and Scout had her Winter Celebration. She's perfected the hula and can't wait to show anyone and everyone.

Oh! And Maeser broke his toe playing tag in the dark. This fit so well into our scripture study last week: 1 John 2: 8-11. Thanks, Maeser.

That's a wrap! Making a list makes so much easier to write!

It's December.

In an effort to focus on the most important things this year, we started an advent calendar last night. Julie had a great idea to plan a family activity for every day of the month. So I copied her and made our own list. At breakfast we read the daily task. The month is full of things like game nights and service projects and reading Christmas stories- I conveniently scheduled things like "Have a Christmas Party" on the days with the Church party, or "Attend a Christmas Concert" on the night Mary is in the Nutcracker. More to come on this new favorite.

Also this week:

Moses turned 4.

We celebrated Thanksgiving.

Hosted Pie Night... it was out of control. Not sure how many people we can effectively host, but it's for sure less than ~60. (Julie was supposed to host, but their family was 50/50 with the flu and a last minute venue change brought it to our house.)

Decorated and demolished IKEA gingerbread houses. The ginger bread was surprisingly good.

Bought our tickets for next summer break. (Really early this year.)

And I just finished off the pumpkin and banana cream pies for breakfast.