I can't believe November is almost over, Christmas is really creeping up on us. In 3 weeks we should be in or close to Nauvoo, IL to visit Grandma and Grandpa Torrie. We have Christmas parties coming up, for both of our jobs, Christmas baking to do, Kali's Christmas concert and we have to make sure our car will be up for the 24 hour drive there and back..
Kali is going to be star of the week this week at school, we made her poster yesterday, she is pretty excited, I think she gets some extra privileges. Spence just got back from his winter camp with the Scouts, I'm really glad that he can do that with them. I would rather be dead than go on a winter camp, I have a hard enough time sleeping outside in the summer.

Things I've done this week:
- I just changed jobs this week, from a Montessori School to a regular preschool. I work for the Catholic school board and I requested that they relocate me, luckily I'm at the best preschool now. It makes a huge difference to be at a place with nice, happy people.
- I also got ambitious and carpeted the stairs going to the basement, they look great. They were kinda dangerous before and ugly with glue from whatever had been on them before.
- I had fun helping out a friend by watching her boys last week, I took them to their swimming lessons and couldn't get them out of the pool without getting wet. I'm taking them tomorrow, but I think I might have a better plan, swim with them before the lessons.
- I gave a talk in church today about the goals our ward is working on. We do specific goals each week, it was fun since the talk was only 5 minutes long. I hope my name is scratched off the list for another couple of years.
- Last Saturday, we went to the Temple with our ward, Spence did all my father's work. What a blessing it was and an amazing experience, I love the Temple, it was amazing to be there with our ward. I really love our ward.

Well, Christmas is that time of year of extra stress. I hope I can slow down and share some special moments with my family.

I have a family here on earth...

Kali had one of her debuts today singing in sacrament meeting. She sang "Families can be Together Forever", Spencer and I were her back up singers. We had a few practices and Kali would not hold notes long enough and she'd come in too early, finally with the patience of our wonderful Relief Society president and pianist, she got it. She was so unfocused during practices that I told that I would spank her in front of everyone if she did not behave properly. Then I told her that I would reward her with anything she wanted if she did well, I'm not sure which worked.
We were announced to sing after the high council speaker, just before he finished Kali "desperately" needed a tissue for her nose. Spencer went to retrieve her as the speaker sat down, I sat hoping they would come NOW, I was not prepared for a solo. After what felt like 5 minutes we went up to sing. Our ward had like double the people it seemed. We sang the song together until the second verse where Kali had a solo, "While I am in my early years, I'll prepare most carefully; So I can marry in God's Temple for Eternity," . Spence and I almost couldn't sing, the spirit really touched us, I would have been bawling if I'd been sitting in the congregation. One of our friends told us how proud he was of Kali even though she was not his child. We received many nice compliments, but really it was Kali who did a wonderful job, she is our star.

Primary Presentation... check

Kali had her primary presentation today, on the way to church we talked about last year and having Grandma and Grandpa Torrie there. She really misses them. The presentation is probably my favorite sacrament meeting of the year. Kali's teacher said she was so well behaved and encouraged the other kids to be reverent too, I'm glad she's a good girl. She loves to sing, I could hear her the loudest at the end of the verses, I think she likes to have a strong finish. Everyone had a part, Kali's was "Reverence and keeping the Sabbath day holy strengthens my family", we had to remind her of that today a couple of times. The Bishop read the part in 3 Nephi where Jesus took the children one by one and blessed them and where the angels surrounded them, I really felt that today. Those children who can't sit still, put their hands in their noses and mouths, sing too loud or not at all, still have bed head or the most beautiful dresses but lovingly wave at their parents are just the ones that our Savior loves so dearly. If only we could be as innocent as a child. Church was totally focused on families today, it made me feel the spirit, it was a good day.
Next week we've been asked to sing "Families can be Together Forever" as a family. We have to sing it in C so that I can do it. We practiced tonight... it may be a gong show, we'll see, I better pray real hard.
Our Super Saturday was yesterday, I taught a class making block nativities and using vinyl to decorate them, I think I will give one to Kali's teacher. I made a watch with beads and a frame with a glass insert that says "Family", Kali has already put that in her room. She begged to come to Super Saturday, she loves crafts, I had to tell her that it was a day for Mommies to get away from their kids, she didn't like that, but had fun with her Daddy anyway.