Our second Christmas together (before we had kids) we still lived in a basement apartment in Provo. Somebody (I'm convinced it was our friends the Knudsons but they never 'fessed up) did the 12 days of Christmas for us. It was the most clever, fun thing ever. For the first day we got a cup full of pear jellybeans with a twig stuck inside. Attached to the twig was a picture of the Partridge family. Get it? A partridge in a pear tree. Every single day was like that. I tried to catch them each day but we never did, so since then we have done it for a family we know, usually somebody somehow in need. Not needy like poor and can't pay for Christmas because these are mostly fun things to cheer people up, but for example last year we did it for a family that had just lost a baby to SIDS. We don't ever reveal ourselves, it's just something fun for our family to do together each Christmas. So we picked our family for this year (if anyone in my ward is reading this and happens to know who we're doing this for, please don't tell them who we are!) and tonight I was delivering our four calling birds (a homemade Christmas CD). I rang the bell and turned to run and there was a slight step up that I hadn't noticed before. I'm in flip flops and my dress from Church and I kick this step at full speed and man I went down. I flew. Here's the kicker: I have arthritis in my right foot pretty bad and I wore high heels to church today so I'm pretty much in agony already without kicking a step full speed in flip flops. I was headed straight for a brick wall so I put my hands down to stop my head from slamming into it. My palms are all ripped up now, my whole right side aches (falling is a much bigger deal as an adult I've discovered), I have a big bump/bruise on my right arm, I ripped my cute J.Crew dress (pictured in this post about 5 pictures down) in two separate places, and my foot hurts so bad I can barely walk. All for a stupid Christmas CD. I REALLY hope they appreciate it. I had to sit in the car and laugh for like 5 minutes...thank goodness it was dark and nobody saw me. If they had it would definitely qualify as my most embarrassing moment ever.
i'm the emily. howdy, partner
.
Gorgeous Fall
.
May 2025
"I invite you to read the Book of Mormon between now and the end of the year. As impossible as that may seem with all you are trying to manage in your life, if you will accept this invitation with full purpose of heart, the Lord will help you find a way to achieve it. And, as you prayerfully study, I promise that the heavens will open for you. The Lord will bless you with increased inspiration and revelation.
"As you read, I would encourage you to mark each verse that speaks of or refers to the Savior. Then, be intentional about talking of Christ, rejoicing in Christ, and preaching of Christ with your families and friends. You and they will be drawn closer to the Savior through this process. And changes, even miracles, will begin to happen."
.
Caramel Apple Pie Apples
.
Izzie, Noah, Zoe, Finnegan, Jonas May 2025
.
Copyright © 2007-2025 Emily Foley. The content on these pages, including text and images are the sole property of the author unless otherwise noted and may not be used or reproduced in any manner without consent. All Rights Reserved.
25 comments:
OMG!!! I wish I would have been there...I have to pee my pants I am laughing so hard right now.
I'm laughing hysterically right now, seriously!
Hey, I've been wanting to do this every year. Can you email all of your ideas? The ones you've done and the ones that were done to you? I know it's too late this year (unless I wanna do a bunch at once) but I wanna be ready for next!
Thanks smem and thanks for the good laugh.
-gym
gym i email 'em every year 'cause you always say that. i suppose i can oblige again....
I know you haven't emailed them to me! I'd love to do this too!
ouch! Falling really is a bigger deal as an adult, if I fell as much as Beth does, I would never stand up again!
ya email them to me too!
ditto. Hope your dress is okay!
how 'bout i just list 'em here?
you already saw 1 so here are the rest:
1: when they did it for us the jelly-beans were in a paper cup but i usually go to tai-pan and get a christmas coffee mug (they're like a dollar) and then a matching plate for what we do with 11.
2: two dove chocolate bars with turtles taped to the front (i use clipart to find my turtles) (2 turtle doves)
3: 3 french pens (3 pens with the french flag attached, again, clipart) (3 french hens)
4: homemade christmas music cd (four calling birds)
5: 5 krispy kremes (5 golden rings)
6: 1/2 dozen eggs with pictures of geese taped to the carton (6 geese a-laying)
7: when they did it to us they gave us 7 "swans"on TV dinners but that's too expensive for us so we do blue finger jell-o in a throw-away pan and then do 7 oragami swans on top (put saran wrap on so the swans don't actually touch the jell-o). search google for oragami swans, they're very easy to do. this one was dave's idea. (7 swans a-swimming)
8: 1/2 gallon of chocolate milk (8 maids a-milking)
9: ladies dancing...for both 9 and 10 our people gave us t-shirts. this one was white with an iron-on of little girls dancing. i couldn't think of anything so i just give them nine of something, like candy-canes or something
10: Lords a-leaping, this t-shirt was an iron-on of lord of the dance, again we couldn't think of anything so just gave them 10 of something (like 2 packs of little debbie snack cake christmas trees, there are 5 in each box)
11: eleven piping hot cookies (11 pipers piping)
12: 12 dum dum suckers (12 drummers drumming)
Thanks Em! Those are great ideas and I lovely pick me up. I can definitely see why you think the Knudsons pulled this off, it certainly sounds like them.
i want all of you who are laughing at me to know that my foot is so swollen i can't get shoes on and i seriously can barely walk. can't bend toe at all. this is awful!
Hey Em, I need your new address, want to email it to me or something? I want to fulfill your wish for Christmas cards...
i don't know your email diane!
Sad, but at least they didn't catch you
true enough
Emily,
If I send some money will you buy something besides flip-flops for shoes for the WINTERTIME? I know - it's not the 1st time I've suggested this.
Dad
You know, Uncle Dave, I was going to say something similar. :-) Flip Flops???? Isn't it cold in Utah??? We always give the YW a hard time for wearing flip flops here in snowville, MA so I guess maybe its an AGE thing...
I loved your dad's comment! I wear flip flops still too...but this made me think twice.
So sorry you're in pain. Hope you feel better!
dad, i have other shoes. but flipflops are quick and easy. and now nothing else will fit over my swollen feet. thanks for the offer though!
This is hilarious! I hope your foot get better really soon! And, I can remember when they did this for you... I was so jealous!
LYNETTE! was it really the knudsons? did you know all this time?!
Dad! Send me money and I'll stop wearing flip-flops!!! heh heh
Emily,
No it was US! Haha, just kidding. No, seriously, I'm totally lying.
I don't know who did that, but I remember you telling me all about it and I was jealous that you had such cool, fun friends.
Do you know who put those wrapping peanuts over the Woodley's door. They swore it was us, but it wasn't. Again, not that fun or cool.
i have no idea, i thought it was you too
I don't wear flip flops, but if you're sending out money . . .
ha. i guess i should just take my dad's money, eh?
Post a Comment