So I've kind of been in a rut lately. A scrooge like rut.

It all started when I wanted to put the Christmas tree up Thanksgiving night! I was super excited and feeling all the holiday cheer, I love Christmas time. BUT the tree wasn't at our house, we had forgotten that we stored it at my mother-in-laws. No worries right? She was coming down the next night to go to dinner and could bring it down with her, and she did.

So Sunday night we finally go it up and then went to get the decoration box...MISSING! I can't find my Christmas decorations anywhere! We checked Derek's Mom's again and opened each and every box in our entire house looking for them. Some time-probably during the move-they dissappeared! We didn't have a lot but did have the cutest stockings ever and some sweet ornaments that I'm way bummed about. We went to the store and bought some cheep basics to decorate with, but even those have sat on the floor and still aren't hung. So 2 weeks left til Christmas and I still have a bare tree sitting in living room and not a hint of Christmas anywhere else in the house.

GOAL-This weekend I am going to get them up and see if that doesn't help me feel more "Christmas-y"

On a higher note, we have gotten the chance to go to multiple Christmas events that help me forget about the missing decorations (at least until I'm back home with a bare tree.)

For my birthday Derek took me to the Utah Symphony concert. It was so nice to get all dolled up and have a night on the town. We ate at the Garden in the JSMB on temple square and enjoyed the beauty of the Christmas lights below. Then we headed to Abravenal Hall to the concert. It was Handel's Messiah, as a sing along. Now we don't have the music so we sang the songs we knew and sat back to enjoy the sounds of the symphony for the rest. It was a beautifully magical night. Thanks Honey!

Then our dear friends Samantha and Steve invited us to join them for The Forgotten Carols. I had heard the songs but never seen the entire production. It was great! Michael McClane was quite entertaining. Always nice to have a reminder of the true spirit of Christmas. Thanks Wayments!

We also got to go be in the conference center to see the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. What a magnificent production they put on. So many people piling into that building and beautiful Christmas trees and decorations everywhere. My brother and his girlfriend joined us for the evening. Always an honor to be the same building as a Prophet of God.

Maybe I'll make my Christmas cookies this weekend and continue the festivities...