When you wish upon a star...

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Christmas Cheer

I have heard a lot of people saying that it is hard for them to get into the Spirit of Christmas this year. I've felt it too. I like to blame working in retail for so many years. It really ruins the holidays dealing with crabby people who don't understand what Christmas is all about and working the long raunchy hours. This is my second year out of retail and it has been great.

Today everything started to turn around. I think that the little things like visiting Disneyland at Christmas, walking around Temple Square and driving around looking at lights have helped me shift from Bah Humbug to Holly Jolly. I hate to admit it since I hate snow so much but the little bit that we got today helped it feel like Christmas.

I found a few little gifts this morning that I know the kids will love. I have a surprise up my sleeve that I can't talk about that is making me pretty excited also. I am done with the Enrichment Christmas dinner so I can just focus on my family and it feels great.

I think the Christmas shopping for our immediate family is done, and now I can just attend all the neighborhood/ward parties, bake yummy cookies and wrap gifts. I am even going to try making Peppermint Fudge tomorrow after church.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas and that is pretty great!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

GLOW

Tonight we got to see Andrew in Glow. The second grade puts on this cute little musical each year. It is about finding your place in the world and how everyone has an important role. He was one of the fireflies. The music is really fun, the kids are so cute and the costumes were a riot. We all enjoyed ourselves (my parents made a trip down to watch with us) and I couldn't help being a proud mommy with a tear in her eye.

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Yesterday was a Good Day

I got up and ran some errands and bought A Christmas Story for the kids. When I got home Paul was raking leaves. I was frustrated because I just knew he was doing it so he wouldn't have to go to the Festival of Trees. After he finished, we ate lunch, all showered, did our hair, got dressed, gathered are stuff and then we were finally ready to leave. I never thought we would get out of the house. The kids really enjoyed watching their new movie in the car as we made our way up to Sandy.

We were all really impressed with the trees that we saw. The were so unique and beautiful. Seeing the faces of some of the little children that these trees were dedicated to and have lost their lives really tore my heart out. It made me want to donate my time, a tree, a craft or anything really just so you know that you are helping to keep some of these children alive. I wonder what it would take to organize a donation next year. I saw some that were

sponsored by wards and some by grade school classes.

This was made of all blown glass by the artist who does the stained glass windows in the temples. It sold at auction for $27,000. It was stunning!

I couldn't help but think of Grandpa David when I saw this tree.

This tree was made in remembrance of Ashley. She was a beautiful little girl who passed away in March of this year at only six years old. To me it was the most special tree there. So pink a perfect for little Ashley.

This is a gingerbread castle that we just couldn't believe. It makes me crazy just thinking about making something like that.

After we were done we sent the kids off with grandma and grandpa and Paul and I had a little time to do some shopping. We went to Big Rock Clothing Company and realized we are too old and fluffy for designer clothes!

We walked around the Gateway and then went out to dinner at Thaifoon. It was delicious.

We had tickets to the BYU vs. Utah State basketball game that was being played at the Energy Solutions Arena. It was a great game.

Those Aggies were out in full force and boy were they a ruckus bunch!

BYU won the game by only a few points. It was very close and exciting. We had a great time!

After the game we walked to Temple Square to see the lights. We were meeting my parents and they were bringing all the grandkids so they could see the lights too. Right when they got there Cora got sick so that did NOT work out like we had planned. Our kids did not seem that interested so we rode Trax back to our car and went out to Leatherby's for ice cream sundae's. What more could you ask for?

This tree looked way cooler in person. The flash was just too bright.

Friday, December 05, 2008

The Happiest Place on Earth

The week before Thanksgiving we went on our third trip to Disneyland in the space of twelve months. My faith and love has been restored. It was the Disneyland I know and love. The crowds weren’t there, the temperature was great and the new Christmas decorations would have even the Grinch singing Fa La La La La. It was magical.

We flew into Long Beach airport (Bwahahaha! I’ not sure you can really call it an airport, but I digress…) very early Tuesday morning. We had our breakfast, got changed and found a Wal Mart where we bought deodorant and still got into the park by 11:00 am.

It was Mickey’s 80^th Birthday (we were also there on his 75^th Birthday!) and Emma and I were able to see him ride off with his best friends after being wished a Happy Birthday in a very fancy, very Disney style car. Notice the hood ornament and tires!

We were able to zoom onto every ride we wanted, meet Tinkerbell (here is Emma in Pixie Hallow)

and have our Dole Whips and clam chowder with time to spare.

Our friends arrived that night and the next morning we started our first official day of vacation out right with a continental breakfast of waffles, donuts and hot chocolate. The kids were so excited to get into Disneyland with their friends and to show them all around.

Their first priority was to ride on Indiana Jones.

After we tackled Adventure Land, we then made our way to New Orleans Square.

We found out that A Small World was having a soft opening after 10 months of renovations and got to enjoy all the lights that evening. It was beautiful and relaxing.

We got to do and ride just about everything we wanted to that day.

Thursday we ate at Goofy’s kitchen, which was great (Paul is even talking about “the next time we go” GASP!!!)

and then we went into California Adventure. We rode everything there, often more than once and left feeling satisfied that we had done all there was to do. I even managed to get Paul on the Hollywood Tower of Terror one last time. I have never laughed so hard. His eyes were squeezed shut so tight and I couldn’t help but claw at Maggie’s arm each time we dropped.

Friday was different. It was the first “official” day of Christmas in Disneyland. There was media set up everywhere and the crowds were back. We still managed to revisit our favorite rides and have a good day. Nothing beats soaring around the corner in a Matterhorn Bobsled and catching a glimpse the Small World all aglow below you.

It was also the first time, since we had arrived, that they turned on all the Castle Lights. It was amazing!

Saturday Robb, Maggie, Chandler and Olivia had an early flight home but we were able to go into the park for a few hours. We kept it easy and only rode one ride, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. We took the train around the park, saw all the princess’s

on our way out and got a nice dinner before driving back to Long Beach. We got home late that night where our fluffy Monsieur Marius greeted us. It was good to be home, especially in a dry house!

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Under Construction

If you check in today and things look wonky, I am working on it. Hopefully we will be in the Christmas Spirit sooner rather than later.

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So I think I am done. How does it look? I have checked it on my wide screen and one my standard screen and it seems to be working on both. The banner is even lining up this time, unlike my Autumn one. If it looks crazy on your computer let me know but by golly I think I've done it!
Off to do a happy dance.

Friday, November 28, 2008

Thanksgiving 2008

Thanksgiving 2008 was celebrated at my parent's home. It was different for us this year. We didn't get to be with as many family members as usual. The kids kept saying they wished they were with their cousins. Even though it was quiet and small it was still very nice and we all had a good time.

We ate way more than we needed to because everything was soooo good! I completely forgot to make my traditional wild rice (Duh) but somehow I still got nice and full.

Paul and I on our 13th Thanksgiving together.

This pie was FABULOUS, if I do say so myself. I had tried a chocolate pecan pie for Pie Night at church and it was good. Then I found a recipe for caramel pecan pie. I decided that we needed the best of both pies so I combined recipes and came up with this! It is a Caramel Chocolate Pecan Pie. It tasted like candy. It is not for the faint of heart.

Emma and Daddy being cute during dessert.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Change....I hate it!

For explanation of why these pics are here, read on!
Above, San Francisco's Orpheum theater where we have seen some of our favorite Broadway Musicals.
Below:The El tracks in Chicago

A few weeks ago the kids got a virus on my computer. I was devastated.

I use my computer all. the. time.

When I need my mood picked up I go through photos, I digi-scrap, I mess around with things in Photoshop and last but not least I surf the web and shop!

Paul was trying to fix it and then HP took over and sent the computer back to the way it was right out of the box. I was able to keep all of my files (for that I am grateful) but I lost all of my programs.

That night Paul announced that he bought me a new, beautiful, Mac. It is suppose to be the greatest thing for photo work and designing. In theory that sounded great!

Well to say that the transition has been hard is an understatement. I am now trying to figure out where all my files are, trying to learn PS CS4 (there are some tiny little changes from PS CS that drive me nuts) and trying to decide if I really wanted a Mac. I am leaning toward no. I am a creature of habit and nothing is the same.

I did find a file on one of my externals that had some of my favorite photos in it from our trips and favorite places. Last night I added to it (an excuse for me to learn a bit about iPhoto)

So in an effort to see what I have figured out, I am posting a ton of my favorite photos. Some of these look better in color, but then I wouldn’t have had as much to play with, would I?

See now I have already run into problems. I can't move the order of my photos. Growl, hiss, spat!!! I also seem to have lost my cursor. Wait, now it is back. I also thought everything was going to be underlined but I got that worked out miraculously. I don't know how I did it though.

It might be a while before I post pics from our most recent Disneyland trip.......

Manti, Utah