Your Prayers Please

I normally wouldn't do this, and not many people read this anyway, but there are a few things we are in need of your prayers for. The Monday before Thanksgiving, Cameron & I were in a car accident. Cameron and I are both fine, but the accident resulted in more damage to our van than it is worth to us to be repaired. Our van has been nothing but a money pit for the last year and we have been trying to save for a different vehicle only the have our money pit swallow our savings every time we get close. The problem is that we only have one vehicle and insurance wants us to make a decision by Monday the 8th what we are going to do. They will stop paying for the rental at which point we will have no vehicle (makes it tough to look for a vehicle). Brian's parents have been kind enough to loan us a beat up old truck of theirs they don't hardly ever use, but Cameron's car seat doesn't fit in it. So basically we have to find a vehicle that fits in our budget by tomorrow or shortly there after. We found one Saturday late afternoon that we really liked, but our mechanic was already closed and we didn't want to buy it with out having it checked out first (our van was a lemon despite looking excellent on paper). However, they wouldn't take a deposit to hold it for us. So it might have been sold. Anyway, if we could have some prayers sent our way to help us find a good reliable vehicle that is in our price range ASAP, we would really appreciate it.
The second thing I would like to ask prayers for is Brian's finals (he would kill me if he knew I was asking for this). Due to the accident and trying to take care of everything that it has involved, including the arduous task of finding a new vehicle, Brian hasn't had nearly the amount of time he has felt he needs to do well on his finals. He has been such a support over the last few weeks, but I know that he is really worried about his finals and the lack of time he has had to study for them. He has next over the next 5 days and they are all brutal and he really hasn't had much time to study properly. So if there could be any prayers sent his way to help ease his mind and help improve the effectiveness of the time that he does have left to study I know that we would both appreciate it a lot.
We hope all of you are still in the school part of your lives will have the Spirit to guide your studying and to give you peace to know that your very best will be good enough. Happy finals prepping and yay for when it is all done!

Grateful for the Season

We had a really amazing Thanksgiving. I know that Thanksgiving has passed, but I didn't write anything about it so now I will. We had our first Thanksgiving with out extended family this year. We hosted at our house and invited two other families from our ward to come. I baked three pies, two pumpkin & one apple cranberry, the night before. The day of we got the turkey ready, made stuffing from scratch, cut/peeled/boiled/mashed nearly 10 lbs of mashed potatoes (most of which were not consumed), open two cans of corn, and made gravy from the turkey drippings. We managed only to run one hour behind schedule, which is pretty amazing considering Cameron was not happy with the lack of attention he was getting. the two other families brought several side dishes and deserts each and the was so much good food it was very hard to choose what to eat. One of the families we invited are vegetarian. It was funny because when I invited them they said they would love to join us so long as we wouldn't be offended if they brought tofurkey. I responded that I would be at all offended so long as they wouldn't be offended if I didn't try any. Cameron however, when he saw it sliced up thought that it looked like a cookie and wanted to try some. I really wish that I had a camera in my hand to capture the face he pulled when he realized that the little tastes I gave him was not a cookie. After we ate we talked at let our stomachs digest and settle our food a little before we attempted desserts. We had lots to choose from and they were all delicious. We feel so blessed to have been able to spend such a wonderful Thanksgiving with such great people.
We are greatly looking forward to Christmas and have already started to do somethings in preparations for all the festivities that come with the holiday that celebrates our Savior's birth. After going on a vocal music hiatus of almost a year and a half (choirs meeting times didn't work with our family schedule for a while) I have come back with a bang. I was going to sing at the ward Christmas social, but was at the tail end of a cold and bypassed that. However, Wednesday I am singing at our Christmas enrichment, Sunday I am singing two solo's and with the choir in the musical Christmas sacrament program in the morning and in the stake choir at our stake Christmas Music concert. I have been so grateful for these opportunities, music means so much to me and it truly has been spiritually uplifting for me to practise and rehearse and prepare for these performances. I think that I will be sad when they are done and the next big music thing won't be until Easter; which I may or may not be able to participate in depending on when peanut feels like joining our family. We hope you all have a merry Christmas and remember why this holiday is so special. Take the time to put Christ into your Christmas celebrations. His birth is celebrated because He lived His life & gave His life for us. I know that Christ is my Savior and yours and am so grateful for all that he did and continues to do for me and my family.