2010

What did we do in 2010...

Had a visit from Maddy, Ellie and Drew


Had a visit from extended family members


Moved into our new home


Started a garden


Attended opening day of ReAl Salt Lake with family from Seattle


Went Go-Kart racing for the first time


Added a patio to the house


Added a cousin's wedding



Watched the neighbor kids play in puddles at the end of our driveway


Got caught in a rain storm


Harvested from our garden


Went to a drive-in movie


Harvested pumpkins


Painted rooms in our home


Spent a weekend in Park City


Carved our pumpkins for Halloween


Attending the BYU/Utah football and didn't freeze!


Had Michele's family over for Thanksgiving Dinner


Had a Very Merry Christmas


As the sun sets on 2010 I realize we did a lot more than I thought this year. We had a very wonderful and blessed year. I hope that everyone has a safe and peaceful 2011!

Christmas 2010

We had an interesting Christmas this year.

Ok not really. We did the usual Christmas Eve festivities with Rick's sister and her family. That was great fun. Rick's boy eventually joined us as well. On the drive home Rick mentioned that he didn't feel too well. It continued into Christmas and we ended up staying home watching movies all day. No family visits :( It's all good though. I did get a new faucet in the powder room and Rock Band 3 with the keyboard. It is really hard I know how to play the piano! We also received an adorable Gnome representing the great rugby team of Leicester! (Thanks Wayne!!)
We are so grateful, as you know by reading my blog, for our home. It was our Christmas present this year. It was so nice to have the space this year for my Christmas decorations. (Which we still took today the day after Christmas.)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Indoctrinated

I have become indoctrinated into the LDS Christmas Concert culture.

Prior to last night I had not attended a Christmas Concert at the Conference Center. I have lots of the cd's from prior years but had never bothered going. Well last night I did and I had a fantastic time. It was also the first time I had heard David Archuleta sing. Yes, I had avoided him thus far. (He sang at half time of the season opener for ReAl but I was too busy chatting with others to pay attention.) He did a great job.

Michael York was the other guest and he did an incredible job. He spoke wish such conviction about the beginnings of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir that I think he truly believed what he was saying.
Here are a few things I have learned because of my insider information -

Many know that MoTab is self sustaining. For their tours they only use money from sales of their cd's, dvd's, etc. They also pay for the guest's at the Christmas concert out of this money. There have been several celebrities asking for very large sums of money and after the concert, they have returned the money. They are able to feel the Spirit and conviction of the choir in what they believe that they can't take the money.

Micheal York is a very kind and clean man. He practically cleaned the green room each night.
David Archuleta's "people" don't realize that the security at the Conference Center is top notch and were worried about things. In the end, he was not mauled to death by 12 year old girls.

I supposed I am going to have to plan on attending each year now.

Christmas Lunch

Thursday I was able to attend a Christmas lunch where Elder Christofferson spoke. It was a fun intimate setting. He had a wonderful message and joked around. It is so fun to see the Apostles away from giving a sermon.
One of the things Elder Christofferson mentioned was this poem:

To My Brothers and Sisters,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season.

How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don't care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Now, having said that let Me go on. If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn't allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn If all My followers did that there wouldn't be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 - 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up... It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5 Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My
name.

9.. Here's a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them,
buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about
your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don't forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I'll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :

I LOVE YOU,

Jesus Christ

It was a very fun experience and I look forward to attending again next year.

December 2010

I wish I had something to post about but I don't. I have been way too busy with work the past two weeks. The good news, I don't have to work again the rest of the year!

Happy Anniversary

Today is our anniversary. It often seems like Rick and I have been together for a lifetime rather than only married for 4 years. Not in a bad way either. I tend to like the dood. Here are a few photos from our fun day.

Thanksgiving #30

There really are so many things I am thankful for each day but sometimes it is really hard to think of them. I decided for my last post in this series, because it is a series hehehe is to post how thankful I am for my family's health. Sure I have issues like not being able to lose weight but even though I am "obese" according to the charts I am pretty dang healthy. We rarely get colds or the flu in this house. As for my siblings and such, they are the same. Even the ones with kids, they don't get sick very often and we don't have any major medical disabilities. I am so thankful our health is one thing we currently don't have to worry about.
And so the sunsets on my November posts....

COLOUR

I seriously live in the Amazing Technicolor Dream House

The photos don't do the colors justice. Guess you will just have to visit.

My family room, living room and powder room are "Adobe Straw"

My office is pink

My bedroom is blue - I can't remember the name
Not to mention our yellow exterior with a blue door!

Thanksgiving #29

I am so thankful for digital cameras. When I went to Italy in 1996 I took 13 rolls of film with me and was teased about it. I ended up buying more film outside the Vatican on the last day of my trip because I needed some for inside the Vatican Museum. When we returned, everyone wanted my photos, because I took so many. It was SO expensive to have it all developed. I don't even have any in digital format today. It took me several years after returning home from England in 2000 to get all of my film developed and fortunately by then it was easy to ahve them put onto cd's. I am so thankful now all I have to do is plug in my camera and I am good to go. I had to get an external hard drive for my photos (and music but I have more photos than music on there). I take photos every chance I can. I keep my camera in my purse because I never know when I will need it. Rick really wants to buy an SLR for me to advance my photography but considering I have a simple point and click I am so pleased with the photos I am able to take.
I am SO thankful to have the incredible technology we have for photos.