Goodbye, 2025

 Happy new year 

Farewell, President Holland

 Beautiful ceremony. Wouldn’t have missed it for the world. All 3 of his children spoke and President Oaks. Beautiful music. The Tabernacle Choir looked like angels in their white dresses. 

Happy birthday Lizzie

 A very happy birthday to my most favorite niece, Lizzie!  I know, I know, she’s the only niece I’ve got…but she’s my most favorite regardless! Hope you have a great one, sweetie! 

Merry Christmas

 King of kings 

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; 
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,

With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

Fantasy 12

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Twelve blazing dragons

Eleven strutting centaurs

Ten flimsy fairies

Nine mystic mermaids

Eight hearty hobbits

Seven dwarves a-mining

Six flying horses

Five magic rings

Four mountain trolls

Three phoenixes

Two forest fauns

And a unicorn as white as the snow! 

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Fantasy 11

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

Eleven strutting centaurs
Ten flimsy fairies
Nine mystic mermaids
Eight hearty hobbits
Seven dwarves a-mining
Six flying horses
Five magic rings
Four mountain trolls
Three phoenixes
Two forest fauns
And a unicorn as white as the snow!