They're back!

Even though I never gave birth to daughters, I hit the jackpot with step daughters, daughters in law, and granddaughters. 

It starts early, too....Juliet is only 3 1/2 here.

The grands come back from Idaho... from Jill Shelley on Vimeo.

Christmas Eves from the past...

Den and I had to miss the annual Rozier Christmas Eve tonight....

Instead, here are a few of my journal entries, all written on past Christmas Eve's....

2018

This morning about 7:15 Robin called to tell me Susan had passed away. I shouldn’t have been surprised, but I was. She had that awful head trauma including several staples in her head just 3 days ago. I think she probably died of a brain bleed. I’m thankful we got to spend all that extra time with her on Friday night. We will miss her terribly. She was so pure, sweet, kind and SO GOOD to my Dad. She loved to laugh! It was fun to go see them because she was excited to ask about our lives. 

As they were bringing her body out this morning, Dad grabbed her hand and sang the song, “Have I told you lately that I loved you?” Heidi said he was singing the song to her last night when she walked in on them....he was in his room and she was in hers, and here he was in bed singing to her.

Christmas Eve at Carly and Enoch Sears in Visalia. Sad Dad sitting there having just lost his sweetheart and best friend and wife earlier this morning. Heidi fed him.

2017

Poor Richie got sick at the Rozier Christmas party and had to leave early with Tyler. But Leo, full swing ahead. He took his part as a shepherd SO seriously. There was a really sweet spirit in the house there at the Shepards. A spirit of love and helping. Heidi spoon feeding Dad… Dave and Scott helping Dad out the door, the girl teenage cousins all on the couch side by side with happy smiles on their faces, Susan wanting and asking for cranberries for her ham.

2016

After our Christmas Eve gathering at John and Suzanne’s, and before he lead us in prayer, John looked at Dad and said, “Because of the decisions you and Mom made 61 years ago, look what has happened..” and he pointed his hand around the room. In his prayer John said thanks for the good choices of his parents.

2015

Glorious evening. My siblings and I all lined up against the back drop of John and Suzanne’s fireplace. Someone said, “I feel like someone is missing.” John said back, “It’s Chris. But we aren’t going to think about that right now.” I turned to look at my Dad and he was sobbing. Someone said to him, “Feeling bad Dad that you didn’t stop at 2?”

2014

The ride home from John and Suzanne's just now was NOT fun. I feel so uncomfortable in Dad's rickety old van. We feel every little bump of the road. I kept telling myself the ONLY reason I put up with it is for my Dad, because it means so much to him to be able to be with family.

1979 (from Mom's journal)

Busy day--did the route early. Then bought groceries. Cooked a turkey and made ice cream dessert. Had the whole family over for dinner. All 8 kids. Wendy and Bill, Grandma, Brock, Logan, Little Robin, Natalie and Chip. Had a nice family nite after. The kind of a Christmas Eve you dream about. Just about perfect.  

Rudolph Cookies

Wouldn't you just love to make these 

Rudolph cupcakes this week?

Just press HERE to unfreeze Elora 

from TEN YEARS AGO...and she will show you how.

One of her journal entries...

While working yesterday on Mom's journals I came across this entry from March 25, 1984:

"I saw Sharon Richey at the store on Tuesday and she asked what I was up to, and I said, "Oh not much." 

But I thought:  My Mom is dying at our home, the boys are sick, I have to clean the carpet for the fireside, Richard and Wendy are moving and need help, Jill has a new baby and the flu, Jeff and Peggy opened their new jewelry store this week, Peggy is pregnant and I have a book review coming up in 3 weeks. Also the Relief Society does require a bit of my time. (she was the president). But I'll get thru it. No real problems and for that I am grateful. Chris wants me to stop typing so he can sleep."

Yep, that's our Mom. She absorbed everything her kids were going through at any given time. Always there for us all. 

Christmas Eve 2009

Rozier Christmas Eve, 10 years ago.

This video was taken quickly and it looks that way. Okay, it's not the best....but there's a few cherished snippets worth seeing.

I remember going around the room that evening, looking for anyone who was not afraid of my camera....

Rozier Christmas Eve 2009 from Jill Shelley on Vimeo.

Book Club List for 2020

Below is our schedule for what I call, Kristi's bookclub,

since it's usually hosted by her. 

(The other 2 clubs I belong to, we decide month by month.) 

Looks like we have some good ones to look forward to....

(and just a little FYI... April, July, Sept, Oct, and next Jan of 2012 were my suggestions.)

Book Club

Book List 2020

January 9^th 

BOOK: 7 Miracles That Saved America

AUTHOR: Chris Stewart and Ted Stewart

February 6^th

BOOK: The Moment of Lift

AUTHOR: Melinda Gates

March 5^th 

BOOK: Insights From a Prophet’s Life – Russell M. Nelson

AUTHOR: Sheri Dew

April 2^nd

BOOK: Small Fry A Memoir

AUTHOR: Lisa Brennan-Jobs

May 7^th 

BOOK: Educated A Memoir

AUTHOR: Tara Westover

June 4^th

BOOK: It’s Just My Nature! A Guide to Knowing and Living Your True Nature

AUTHOR: Carol Tuttle

July 2^nd 

BOOK: Hannah Coulter

AUTHOR: Wendell Berry

August 6^th 

BOOK: Finding Chika 

AUTHOR: Mitch Albom

September 3^rd 

BOOK: From This Moment On 

AUTHOR: Shania Twain 

October 1^st

BOOK: I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Live

AUTHORS: Caitlin Alifirenka & Martin Ganda with Liz Welch

November 5^th

BOOK: The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Roger

AUTHOR: Maxwell King

December 10^th 

BOOK: The Power of Kindness: Why Empathy is Essential In Everyday Life

AUTHOR: Dr. Brian Goldman

January 7, 2021

BOOK: The Dearly Beloved: A Novel

AUTHOR: Cara Wall

4 questions you should ask your doctor

On one of my favorite podcasts, Something You Should Know, a neurosurgeon explained 4 questions you should ask your doctor before agreeing to surgery, or testing or even taking some medications. 

From there I found his TED talk.

I like his honesty. 



By the way, here are simple instructions should you want to subscribe to any free podcasts:

• Find the Podcasts icon on your phone's home screen
• Tap to open
• Tap "search"
• Type name of podcast you are looking for (or type in subject you are interested in)
• Tap on the desired logo
• Tap "subscribe"
• Tap to listen

I really did try!

Den is so hard to buy for because he won't tell me what he wants!

But last week I actually heard him say he sure wished he had some wireless ear buds. I thought... perfect!

So Friday night we go to Costco to buy some fruit and pick up a few gifts for the grandkids. While he parks the car. I go inside and there just happens to be this lady promoting wireless ear buds...I tell her, “My husband wants these for Christmas. But I don’t want him to see them so I can’t put them in my cart. He’s parking the car now.” 

She says to me, “I’ll you what... after you get all finished shopping have your husband go to the car and tell him, “Sorry I forgot something. This will be real quick.” Then come back in and purchase them.” Okay, I thought, that’s a plan. 

Just as I’m walking away from her I see Den enter the front door of Costco and he goes right to the ear bud display like a child goes to candy. The ear bud lady looks at me from afar as if to say, is this your husband? I laugh and point to Den as if to say, you got that right! I then raise my voice so Den can hear me and say to him, “Come on, we’ve got to get shopping!” 

So we go all over the store finding those few things we needed when suddenly Den says he feels sick and needs to find a bathroom. Off he goes. I continue the shopping. He calls several minutes later and says he’s not doing well. Of course I feel sorry for him but I’m thinking, hey take advantage of this, maybe I can sneak those ear buds in after all. But the front of the store where they are is quite a distance and I don’t know when Den will appear again. So I decide to go to checkout. 

As the guy is scanning my items I tell the helper girl I sure wish I could buy some ear buds for my husband that I saw in a display upfront...thinking she might offer to get someone to go pick up a pair for me. 

Instead she says they have some right there. Really?  Great I’ll take a pair! They ring them up, and then hand me an ear bud “card” and tell me I need to go to customer pick up to get them. Oh man, I tell her, “But my husband will appear any minute! I can’t do that.” She says, “hurry over there...hardly any waiting right now, you can do it!” 

Den calls again and he’s looking for me. I tell him, “I know you aren’t feeling well. Just go out to the car and I’ll pay for everything.“ No he doesn’t want to do that. I nearly beg. No he wants to be with me. Where is he exactly...I don’t know, so I don’t know how much time I’ll have before I get to customer pickup. I hurry over there....a girl standing there, for some reason offers to let me go before her. Maybe I looked desperate. I thank her! Hey, I think this is going to work. I look around. Can’t see Den anywhere. Good! 

Then it’s my turn in line and I give my receipt to the man and he hands me the ear buds. I feel like I’m doing something illegal as I push them down into my purse and then put my wallet on top of the ear buds making sure Den won’t be able to see them. Feeling very relieved. I did it! Then suddenly I see him coming towards me. What perfect timing. I pulled this surprise off after all!

We walk to the exit door together. The man there with black curly hair asks to see our receipt as they always do before letting anyone out. He looks it over, and then looks down at our cart. “Ear buds? Where are the ear buds?” he asks while looking down at the receipt again to verify them. 

I move a little back so Den can’t see my face and I look at the curly haired man and point to Den while making the SHH sign with my finger against my lips. He looks right at me! But does this help? NO! The curly man continues, “I need to see the ear buds.” Den suddenly gets an uncomfortable smile on his face. 

The curly man blew my secret. I say to him, “This was suppose to be his Christmas present!” Then I look at Den and say, “Sorry honey!” The curly man throws his arms up in the air and says, “I had to ask!” 

“Yeah I know,” I said. I felt I should also say Merry Christmas to the curly man but I didn’t feel like it. Because I was a little mad. By the time we walk out to the car I’m over my anger and I wish I had! 

Don’t be like me. Say Merry Christmas this month as many times as opportunity comes. I love doing this! (usually) It’s interesting how many will say, “Thank you” or “same to you” or Happy Holidays” or even mumbled something. 

Then there’s that rare one here and there who will actually smile and say Merry Christmas back. 

Who would have thought 20 years or so ago this would even be an issue! Some will say we need to put Christ back into Christmas. He’s never left ours, and he’s probably not left yours either.

Merry Christmas!