Where do you go for sunshine in the snow?

Soldier Hollow! This was one of the venue sites for the 2002 Winter Olympics with Cross Country Skiing. It's a gorgeous location just past Heber and Midway with a stunning view of mountains all the way around. When the inversion gets to be too much in Salt Lake Valley, it's a wonderful place to get out of it and see the sun.

We met up with the cousins and so our group had 13 people ranging from 5 to 68....woo hoo!! You get a ticket for 2 hours on the tubing hill and you can go as many times as you can haul your tube to the rope tow. The last time we were there, Gabe was 4 and we ended up pulling him in his tube the whole time. I think we got him out once to let the blood flow in his legs. This year Gabe was an absolute trooper! He hauled his tube from the bottom of the hill back to the rope tow every time. Strong work Dude!!

One run down the hill had almost everyone in the family. We bundled all the tubes together (much harder than it looks) and slid down at a pretty good speed....here is the video:

Another run was just our little crowd:

And then Carmen and I decided to do our own video. I was so focused on making sure I had the camera in the right direction and not dropping it - I nearly made myself sick!! I wish I could have caught Carmen's happy laughter instead of my own....oh, she laughed!!

A new year, all the way around!

Not only is it the first week of 2009, but it is also my birthday. I have always loved having my birthday in January. I love having it so close to Christmas and New Years.... so I have decided to write myself a list of things I want to do this year.

I want to keep working out so my body looks a little more like when I was 24. I don't need the size 6 jeans again but I would love to have the same general shape. It was so fun to be able to put on anything in my closet and have it look wonderful. I will get there soon.

I want to wear earrings more...strange but I don't wear jewelery much but I love a fun pair of earrings. I really, really, really love my black pearls (thank you sweetie!). I need to make an effort to wear earrings more often.

I want a new kitchen sink. I know...odd. I am so practical but I really am disgruntled with my current sink. I am tired of getting everything (including myself) completely wet when I use this sink. I want to go back to a simple one basin, extra deep white sink....that's all!!

I want to have a really pretty and functional garden this year. I have had pretty and I have had functional but very rarely have I had both. I want to grow some things that are new and fun but can be canned or dried and used during the winter. I love the look of jars lined up after a long day of canning. Something inside me just sings.....

I want to spend more time laughing. I feel like some days all I do is correct or direct the kids. I want to trust them and have them cooperate and quit fighting....I just want to have more fun with them. That may mean that I don't need to have a clean'ish house....or things put away....but I would rather have everyone help me clean up so we can all have fun.

I want to spend more time in our own backyard. That may mean adding on to our deck this year and moving the grill back but I would love to have the oasis that I am dreaming of in our back yard.....grow little trees, grow!!!

I want to see if I want chickens........I love the idea and the benefits but I know I only want hens. I would love to see the cats react to huge pecking birds in the yard. I would love fresh eggs. I would not love the cost of a fence and trying to find said eggs.....

I want corduroy couches. I have only bought 2 couches in my whole life. One long before I was married and the other last summer at a yard sale....perfect microfiber and a total steal!! I want to buy really yummy tan or brown corduroy that you can just sink into and the cats can't destroy. I can almost feel how wonderful they will be!!

I want to plan a HUGE graduation party for Brett. He has worked so hard and has given up so much to get through school. I am so proud of him, I could almost burst!!! I really want to give all the people that adore him a chance to show him how proud we are of him.

I want to have a wonderful 35th year...so far it is looking AMAZING!!!!

Christmas is still magical

I absolutely adore that Santa still lives and children still believe and the jolly fellow himself manages to get big boxes into houses without chimneys! What would we do without all those hopes and beliefs and unexplainable questions? I hope I get many more years without having to find out.

I found myself wide awake before 6 AM on Christmas morning. Hoping to be quiet I checked outside to see the weather and I hear Brett chuckle. He, too, is wide awake. We are like 2 kids ourselves and can barely sleep knowing what squeals and screams will be happening soon. I'm not sure who has more fun at Christmas, the kids or the parents. I have completely enjoyed both.

The kids did as we asked and stayed in bed until 7 AM. Barely. I really have no idea why we said 7 AM but I think we were hoping they would get some sleep. With the giggles and sneezes going on, I think they were awake at 6 AM also.

Santa brought Guitar Hero World Tour this year. We are now a family of rock stars (ha ha ha) and I have been given the job that requires the least amount of learning - the microphone. I have yet to sing a song since the rest of the crowd is still learning how to play the game and make the drums and guitars work. I think by 2012 we'll be ready for an audience.

The kids were frazzled by the end of the day. Amazingly their wish lists were complete and they were stunned. I adore that they are pretty good about understanding what is necessary and what is not the whole rest of the year so Christmas can be all about getting things you have wanted "forever"!!!

I hope as we go into 2009 we continue to live as we always have....simple, frugal, beautiful. We have spent the bulk of our married years trying to stretch the mighty dollar and now our hard work is paying us back. To cut back a little, to not spend on silly things, to eat simple and fresh foods.....that is the wisdom we have lived by and it has served us well. May we all find ways to enjoy the simple beauty of life.

Here is to a wonderful New Year!

Why I adore laundry....

Saturday.....bedding day. As I sit here and read the paper online, this is what I see....


It's no wonder I love laundry....

Hope the ducky enjoyed his dizzying bath!!

It's the most wonderful time of the year.....really!!

I love the magic of Christmas. There is some amazing feeling that builds up inside me at the beauty and wonder of this holiday. I love knowing that my children still believe.....and I can still create a sense of amazement in their world.

I absolutely love my Christmas tree...it's fat and tall, it has pine cones and lights already on it and it is a pure delight to decorate. Sometimes I even get to help with decorating......sometimes.
I had a few great helpers who made sure everything was on the tree.....and some extra things like homemade snowflakes

The end result is quite gorgeous even if I did have a friend who decided hang out and eat the tree for a bit....

I love how it looks like he is sticking his tongue out at me. What a cat...reminds me of my kids for some odd reason :-)

When Chickens Fly

I think Thanksgiving gets kind of a bad rap for a whole lot of eating and not a lot of activity. I came up with an idea last year to let kids "launch" poultry for a Thanksgiving activity. This year I decided to get all my own supplies and do it with my family and at the kids school. I have proof....

Welcome to "The Great Turkey Capers of 2008"

It takes some thought, a little planning, some stamina and the ability to sit on your rear to get a good angle for flight.

A successful hit looks something like this....

and then retaliation begins.

This can be done as a solo sport although you will get some very strange looks...

It really is amazing to see what happens to completely normal people when you hand them a rubber chicken.....try it!!

Life in the fast lane....

I never really get how much time has passed until everyone starts telling me I have not updated this blog in a very long time.....the shame!! Since Marin's birthday we have had the first day of school (followed by a few more days of school but that is beside the point)...and here is proof that they were dressed and adorable on that first day:


Gabe had some alter ego moments:

Carmen (the cutest Italian exchange student we get to share our home with) came over to spend some quality time:

Marin and her friends created a great game outside during a warm bit of weather:

We all went to Sun Valley and Gabe and his best cousin Josh figured out great ways to keep themselves entertained:

And last but certainly not the least.....Gabe got a whopper of a cold (sorry little guy) and lost a tooth in the middle of it all. Wow. Thankfully he had many furry creatures to snuggle up to and keep him company.

Hopefully this next week won't be quite so busy.