Cookies, Cakes, Chocolates and more!

For years I've heard the theory of gaining "holiday weight." This theory generally supposes that a person eats many unhealthy treats during the time from the 4th week in November to the 4th week in December. Then, said person, spends the rest of the year working out in order to lose those holiday pounds gained.

I call this a theory because up until this year, I didn't really know what all the fuss was about! I never really thought I ate much differently (maybe a cookie here or there) than the rest of the year. Unforunately, this year, I've proved this theory true. In the last week alone, I'm pretty sure I've eaten my weight in cookies.

It all started with the fact that Evan and I had not done our grocery shopping for a while. Then, the goodies started piling up on our doorstep from just about everyone we know in the area. When a girl is hungry and there's a cookie, chocolate, or brownie laying around, what is she to do? I did just what any civilized person would do... I ate it. And then ate the rest of the plate. And called it dinner.

So, I'm here to say thank you to those people in our ward who gave us salsa. I appreciated being able to eat a Christmas gift and not feel guilty or sick to my stomach for all the sugar. And to the rest of you who were considering giving away more sweets to us: We appreciate the guesture, but we can't afford to gain another pound!

P.S. The above picture is of my sisters, nieces, nephew, and I at my grandma's house last Saturday making 16 batches of German Christmas cookies. Talk about sugar-filled fun!

Turning 28

Last Monday, I turned 28. Honestly, December birthdays are rather hard (as those of you with birthdays near the holidays can attest to!). I didn't expect much due to Christmas busy-ness and Evan's finals.

Evan's parents were so wonderful to me! They made me a birthday feast the day before my birthday and even gave me my VERY FIRST sewing machine! I couldn't believe it. The next day, this greeted me at my classroom door:


It was so sweet of them to think of me and take time out of their busy lives to do something so thoughtful for my birthday. (All day I had questions from students about whether or not they could HAVE a balloon!)

After school was over, I was able to spend time with my older sister, Nicole, and her two youngest children. She was so nice to be willing to spend time with me, even though her daughter had a basketball game. She came to my apartment to see the decorations and then we headed to grandma's house for dinner and dessert. Thankfully, Evan was able to finish his final quickly enough to make it to grandma's house in time for the birthday song!


All in all, it was a nice, relaxing birthday. I'm always touched by the kindness of others in celebrating my life. :)

P.S. Here's a bag Evan and I made my niece, Annie, with my new sewing macine. Honestly, Evan is a MUCH better seamstress (or as we call it "seamster") than I am!

Favorite Christmas Video

As I'm preparing to teach the Christmas lesson in Relief Society (our church's women's organization) today, I stumbled upon this video. I have probably watched it 20 times in the last 2 days. I love it. More importantly, I love it's message. For truly, Christmas isn't about giving Christmas presents. It's about celebrating the birth of our much-needed Savior, Jesus Christ, and renewing our resolve to give unto Him through our service to others. For "even as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:40). Enjoy the video. I hope you, too, come away feeling a renewed resolve to look for the simple ways we can make life a little sweeter for others.

A View of Christmas at the Stout Household

I was having a real struggle this year debating about whether or not to get a real tree. My entire life I've had a real tree in my house at Christmas. For years, my family has gone into the mountains to hand select and cut down our trees. This year, however, it's just Evan and I and I started wondering if it really is worth it to cut down an ENTIRE TREE just to have it up in our house for a few weeks. I guess I never before realized how truly wasteful it is to have a real tree in our house for only a few weeks, for no real purpose other than decorating it.

Evan and I debated and debated. (Frankly, Evan could have cared less if we had a tree at all!) I didn't want to spend a lot money, but I wanted to have a tree. Well, it turns out that my coworker had an extra fake tree from his wedding a few years back. It came complete with lights and everything. I put it up this week and was super excited to bust out ornaments that I've been saving for years!

Here are a few glimpses of Christmas at our house:




Russian Red Raspberry Cream (recipe courtesy of my mother)

Genealogy, I am doing it

As a very special wedding gift, a distant cousin of mine gave me an amazing family chart with names of spouses, siblings, parents, and children. When I look over the family history information I have, I realize that I have been blessed with an abundance of genealogical information from distant relatives interested in doing our family's genealogy work. Additionally, my father himself did quite a bit of genealogy and temple work prior to his passing nearly 18 years ago.

Recently, Evan and I have been taking a Family History class in place of our normal Sunday School class. Learning more about how to do family history has been so inspiring! Even though our 6-week course finished on Sunday, I went to the Family History Center tonight and was able to find and fill in so much information into my family line. I felt so empowered and inspired to search censuses from the early 1900s. I know that my ancestors are waiting to have their names found and brought to the temple. I cannot wait to do this temple work for them.

I am so grateful for the fire I feel in my heart tying me to my ancestors. I know that they are waiting to make sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father and that that work can only be done through someone living on this earth. Someday I'll get to meet them and find out their real stories and know of their gratitude for the genealogy work our family has done to tie them to us.

Toilet Seats

Something that really disgusts me is an upward toilet seat. I guess it's not so much the toilet seat as much as the fact that I have to put the seat down in order to use it. (I ALWAYS use toilet paper or some protection in order to do this!) I'm grateful that during the last 4+ months that Evan and I have lived together, he has only left the seat up twice.

This is particularly disgusting to find in public restrooms or at school. As a general rule, I don't bother with putting the seat down in a public place because I don't sit down. (I use the "power squat" method, as Evan so aptly puts it.) Still, the point is, PUT THE SEAT DOWN as a courtesy to others.

The reason this is fresh in my mind is that I just returned from the staff-only bathroom for our hallway. Since our hallway is comprised of 5 men and I, at least twice weekly, I go in there to find the seat up or some other disgusting mess (or smells!). Do people have no respect for others? I'm a firm believer in cleaning up after myself. Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that I need this sign in my workplace bathroom:

Evan is Awesome

I love Evan. I am so grateful for so many things that he does:

*He gets up early to make me breakfast in the morning and to pack my lunch.
*He fixes the brakes on my cars when the inner brake pad has worn away and it sounds like metal is grinding against metal. (Don't worry... apparently my rotor is fine.)
*He serves and befriends people who need friends.
*He lets me cry on his shoulder even when I'm being UBER emotional and then even tells me that my eyes look pretty when I cry.
*He does the dishes and cleans the kitchen.
*He loves me and strives to show it.
*He takes me to the temple every week.
*He stays active by surfing, rock climbing, ice climbing, hiking, mountaineering, mountain biking, dirt biking, running, snow shoeing, and snowboarding. (We have all of the toys crowding up our house to show for it!) I've probably missed a few of his outdoor adventures in there, but you get the point.

Evan definitely makes me want to be a better person in so many ways.

Little Miracles

Sometimes I'm just amazed as I look around me at all of the miracles that happen in our every day lives. I'm particularly impressed my students' willpower in the face of some very challenging obstacles and family situations. They get up, they come to school, they do their best to perform even when they aren't getting proper nourishment, love, or support. I am impressed by my students.

Although I am by no means perfect, I work hard as a teacher to do my best to encourage, uplift, and motivate my students. Often, I find myself staying late after school grading and planning. I strive to create lesson plans that are interesting and engaging to keep my students (and my own!) attention. I get just as bored with "boring" lesson plans as the students do!

As I look back at this school year, I realize that there have been many times when I was struggling to create the PERFECT lesson idea or game that would really drive home a point with my students. I have had wonderful ideas, but have spent hours trying to implement them. It has been overwhelming to say the least! After hours spent at school teaching and planning, I sometimes come home crying to Evan, frustrated that it took me so long to create the perfect lesson.



It is at these times that I will pray and pray to Heavenly Father asking for guidance and help. And you know what? He helps me. Not always right away, but He does help me to create the lessons my students need.

Today, I felt that power. I feel so blessed that Heavenly Father helped me to stay focused on an idea and not give up. He guided my footsteps and helped me to find the materials I needed to make this lesson work. I'm so grateful for His love and guidance. He shows me so many little miracles in my life everyday. I couldn't do what I do without Him.