10 Things We Did While in Utah!

1. Went to see Scrooge at a community theater there in South Ogden - two nieces were in the play - they were very good, it was very good and Scrooge himself was magnificent!

2. We made it for the second year in a row - to the Christiansen Christmas Eve party to see Santa and eat dinner, and of course to connect with that side of the family.

3. Went to a Jazz game. Nolan has season tickets and he usually saves some for us for when we are up there. Cory and Cam went with 6 other family members to watch the Jazz beat Philly.

4. While Cory and Cam were at the Jazz game I finally went to see New Moon with Diane. I know - the entire world has seen it already. I'm glad to finally have followed the crowd. (Side note: still very much an Edward fan - and will always be.)

5. Went to lunch at Maddox - my very favorite restaurant. I had the same thing I always have and it was delicious! All was right with the world for those 2 hours.

6. Went to Target. Target is right down the road from Cory's folks house - I don't know how many times I actually went there (quite a few) - but I do enjoy it as it is clean and new and a Super Target (which mine isn't).

7. Went to Burger Bar - never a complete trip without visiting the old place!

8. Visited the Rec Center a few times - so that I could run on the treadmill. Too dang cold to run outside - but Cory did a couple of times.

9. Nursed Cam - who got a killer flu along with plenty of other family members. I hear it is still moving through.

10. Played Farmville - yes I still had work to do. . .even over the holidays. A farmer's life is tough!

Utah

Here we are in Utah - another Christmas. And while it is great to be with family and see old friends I have some complaints about Utah. They are complaints that Utah can't do anything about mind you, but complaints nonetheless!

#1 It is dang cold here!

#2 The cold forces the heat to run continuously and dries me out so much that my lips get cracked and my nose bleeds! My hands are scaley and my cuticles are ugly! (I used to live here and don't remember this being normal.) Maybe I need a humidifier when I visit???

#3 It is so cold that it feels limiting or controlling - like I can't go outside or really DO anything but clench!

I guess those aren't too many complaints - and basically it all boils down to the same one - THE COLD!

Pictures of Christmas' Past

Throughout the years we have tried to take pictures in December to send with our Christmas cards. I always appreciate getting pictures from others to see how family and friends are growing and changing. I have always assumed that others appreciate our annual picture for the same reason. Traditionally, I get a new red dress to wear for it, (or at least that is my justification for buying a new red dress each year). Here are some of our Christmas pictures from years past.


1993 - one of my favorite pictures of us.


In front of our apartment building in LA - 1997.



In our apartment in LA - 1998



Just moved to Texas - 1999. (I gave this dress to charity last year after I realized it was hideous!).

Thought we would go professional - 2006. We look a bit puffy - don't we?



Back to our own devices in 2008.


We didn't do a picture this year - we will probably regret it like we always do when we don't have it to look back on.

The Sound of Music

Late night last night - Cory and I went to see "The Sound of Music" downtown. I have seen this movie about a million times - so I was curious to see a stage adaptation. It is hard after seeing Julie Andrews play Maria a million times to allow someone else to take a shot at it. They even put this Maria into a wig that was very similar to what Julie Andrew's hair looked like in the movie. She grew on me - but at first I just wasn't buying it. The Captain was too gruff at first - not subtle like Christopher Plummer in the movie - and the children weren't nearly as talented as in the movie, but there were some really great scenes. The "16 going on 17" scene was my favorite - and the boy who played Rolph was very good. He actually rode his bike with Liesl on the back a little on stage and I was sure he was going to crash and they were both to come tumbling down! And then the "I must have done something good" scene was very good - and there is nothing like some stage kissing. I even had a tear in my eye when at the end the Captain sings "Edelweiss" at the music festival. The actor truly had a fine voice! All in all a great night out. I really needed some time off from all of my farmwork - I have been working my fingers (especially my right index finger) to the bone!

Pumpkin Bars

I love pumpkin - pies, cake, bars, bread and cookies! Anything you want to do with pumpkin count me in (especially if it has some frosting or whipped cream on it!). These bars are moist, delicious and fool proof every time.

4 Eggs
1 2/3 C sugar
1 C vegetable oil
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not the pie mix one)
2 C flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients in bowl and pour into 15x10x1 inch sprayed baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until bars feel done to touch. Cool completely.

Frosting
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
3 to 4 C powdered sugar
1 C butter softened
1 tsp vanilla
milk to right consistency

Frost bars then score or cut into rectangles. This is a good recipe when you need a lot of something because you can make them as small or as large as you want. (Very cute around halloween if you put a candy pumpkin on each one.)

Get BAKING!!

Farmville

Alright - I have this new addiction. I'm not proud of it - I'm embarrassed that I have finally been sucked in. I stopped watching TV months ago and now I am wasting my time on this stupid computer! It's Farmville - on Facebook! I know - I am the last to the party - everyone has been playing it forever. I just started a week ago and when I was in LA for Thanksgiving it almost ruined my trip. I had to keep finding a computer to get to my farm and harvest my crops. One day some of my crops died (and I lost that money) and I almost went insane!

The thing about it is - everything can look perfect. I can work my crops and save my money to buy what I want and I can organize and re-organize and my efforts pay off. It is the American Dream - too bad it is a hideous game on a computer that sucks all of my free time and I have nothing to show for it in real life!

I talked Cam into doing it last night - and I am sitting here having to tie my own hands together to not go to his farm and "help" him. What is wrong with me?

A Happy Thanksgiving

Early on in our marriage we started going to my family for Thanksgiving and Cory's for Christmas. Thanksgiving has moved many times from family member to family member but I am always thankful when we get to spend it with my family. Sometimes it is the only time we see them the entire year. For the last two years it has been at my brother's house in Orange County. This year we left early Wednesday morning and flew into John Wayne Airport, got our rental car and went to our hotel - the Hyatt, right next to Balboa Island. Which was kind of a wonderful surprise for us as we had never been to that quaint little island before.

Crazy shot of Cam in bed watching a game on TV.

Cory doing some stuff on the computer and listening to the game on TV.

Wednesday night, after some shopping and food preparations at Allen's we met our friends Alex and Lori for dinner. We don't get to see them very often and we were needing to plan our next big trip. It is so nice to get together with them and visit. We got back to the hotel so late that I decided I didn't want to run in the Turkey Trot the next morning. I stayed at the hotel and slept, as did Cam - and Cory went by himself to the run in Dana Point. I think he got 27 seconds slower than last year and thus Thanksgiving was officially ruined! (kidding - sort of).

A surprisingly good picture of everyone in our family.

The blurs! Don't know what happened - looks like it could have been a good one!

Cam was in this position for most of the day - with all the games on TV.

Allen and I in the kitchen catching up and preparing food. It is always so good to see him!

Mom doing the rubbing rounds. Everyone loves her massages - except her own kids??

After the food fest - we converge in the back yard and those who can still move play basketball or jump on the trampoline, the others watch!

From left to right - Norm (Allen's Dad), Mandy, Mom, Pam and me - Tori is jumping next to me.

On Friday we rented bikes from the hotel and rode over and took the ferry to Balboa Island and rode around on the beach for awhile. It was beautiful!

I look a little too giddy! Don't know what is up with my brother!

A nice day for a bikeride.

Gorgeous scenery!

The water was very cold - I felt it to make sure.

We went back to the hotel and played a little ping pong. Since Mom wasn't up for a bikeride or ping pong we went over to Allen's to pick her up and then went out for Mexican food, which is a nice change after traditional thanksgiving food.

Later that night we drove up to our old neck of the woods (Pasadena) and met Alex and Lori again for dinner - more Mexican food! We were so stuffed we didn't sleep very well that night. But we have to visit with them as much as possible while we are in the area. I think we decided we will take a trip to Spain this next year!

A great trip! A great Thanksgiving! We even beat most of the holiday travel hassle. It was nice to get home and pick up Kitty - who was staying at a nasty kennel and wasn't very happy about it. Today, since I am off work I am putting up the Christmas decorations!!