Moving on ~ the ball drops on a new year

Christmas is over. All the visitors have called in that they are safely back to their own homes. The last family left this morning at 7:00 am. I'll admit to a few tears as they pulled away with the grand babies in tow. We had 15 wonderful consecutive days with family members back in our home over the holiday. Now it's time to clean up and get back to work after a two week break. It's good I have work to turn to. I'm back at my post in the morning.

Here are a few thoughts:

1. It's good to have it come, but it's good to have it go. Living in "Holiday" mode is exhausting!
2. When it's over, it's over. Why is it that I can't get enough of the music, the tree and all the activities, but when it's over, I'm done. Period.
3. We completely lose track of which day of the week it is. They all seem like a Saturday, 7 days a week during the Christmas season.
4. $400 of food disappears quickly with a house full of family.
   
5. I can't wait to get the tree down and out of the room. All 17 plastic bins full of decorations back to the garage until next year.
6. My to do list: write thank you cards for all the wonderful gifts I/we received, wash the company bedding and towels, get rid of any remaining candy and treats (take it to my office for the young workers there...please eat it....please), clean and dejunk the rooms after undecorating, bring in the new - pass on the old (we have entirely too much STUFF as it is), spent some time learning how to operate my new techno gifts (help!), make five realistic and attainable goals for the new year, always remember the good times we had enjoying Christmas 2008! Thanks to all our family and friends who made this holiday so fun and memorable. I love you!!!
   

Happy 2009! Onward and upward!!

Ya gotta see it to believe it

This from our friend Mark: "Sunday morning, Colleen went down to the kitchen at 7:30am and looked out the window. In our backyard was something wandering around that didn't belong. We called the police but by the time they arrived, it had moved a block down the street. See what visited us Sunday morning - Pretty exciting!"
Go to this link and be sure to click on the feature and listen to the report!!!!
















If you were born around 1950, you'll remember this old jingle... "which twin has the Tony?" or in other words... which of two items is authentic? Which picture shows the real McCoy, and which is a cheap knock off? These are pictures taken in our valley recently.
You decide which is REAL...the one above or the one below???

The pictures above or the picture below.....????
Honestly, what were the design people thinking??? Who rips off STONEHENGE of England in such a distasteful way? Now that Orem has it's own Stonehenge, the authentic one in England will have to label theirs STONEHENGE OF ENGLAND to differentiate. So, so silly and pathetic.
















Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!! So stupid and embarrassing!!!!

















On to other cheap imitations.....where do you think we are in this shot?
















You never know when a WILD game of keep away with the green plastic colander will break out...be sure to duck or they'll take you out!
















My sister Janet pointed out to me that I should have listed this next item in my list of Christmas Traditions. I agree. She'd been watching for it to be listed with the traditions all during the month of December, but alas, it wasn't listed. She and her family have seen the display as well several time and consider it very festive. Since we're past Christmas now, I'll list in here in "ya gotta see it to believe it." Yes folks, that's right, those are TWO four wheelers in the living room of this home with Mr. and Mrs. Claus riding them. Every year this family does a wonderful Christmas show room featuring some MAJOR Christmas decorations. They empty their entire living room and fill it with a Christmas scene for the entire month of December. The year Utah hosted the 2002 winter Olympics, they built a ski run with down hill skiers coming off the hill. They've had Santa on snow mobiles and other wonderful exhibits over the years. It's a favorite tradition to see what they create each year. I do have one question though...how do they get along without their living room for the entire month of December???
Ya gotta see it to believe it!

















At a local museum, we saw this interesting "art" display. High volume blowers blowing on packing peanuts to create art. It was actually quite original along with the other art attractions! Why didn't I think of that? Ya, I know, I know, ya gotta see it.....
















This is my husband, the gentleman boxer in shirt and tie, taking out his frustrations on a punching bag. You don't see that every day either. Fight, Rick, fight!!!

















This is a video of a mother beating the stuffing out of her daughter (if it will ever finish uploading.) I mean, she's really taking her to the house of pain. Hard. It's one of those things ya gotta see to believe. (Stay tuned, I' m having trouble with this upload....)
Enjoy!

Holiday Happenings

Sledding!!! The little girls took right to it and loved being in the snow!

• We attended the Timpanogos temple as a family and enjoyed lunch and a movie afterwards.
• Church @ the MTC both Sundays with our children and grandchildren in tow. MTC lunch with the missionaries was enjoyed by all.

• Our annual family party with the Phillies at their home. Their friendship means so much to us!

• Christmas day dinner @ the grandparent's home with the extended family (although this picture was taken in our living room on Christmas eve.)

• Mexican Fiesta with R's family at their home. A wonderful authentic Mexican meal was served by their friend Jesus!

• We also enjoyed hosting Jake's family one evening for sledding and dinner and then we were invited to their home for a feast including yummy BBQ ribs and English trifle on New Year's eve. A wild game of PIT was played for hours and enjoyed by all!

• Jan, Dave, Syd and Adam came over for breakfast on New Year's day and later for dinner that evening. We went to a movie together after dinner and enjoyed a good chat.

• Movies seen so far: Benjamin Button, Forever Strong, Doubt (Rick and I saw this performed at Pioneer Theater and enjoyed it very much - I liked the movie even better - the acting was superb) Australia, Valkyrie (all very different, but good movies!)

Christmas traditions - #20

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Christmas traditions - #19

Christmas morning started with the ring of the phone at 6:15 am! Since we knew who was on the other end of the line, we didn't mind the early hour. We have four phones in the house and we all got to talk to the Elder at the same time or listen in while he talked to each family member. The call lasted for about an hour and a half and it was pure HEAVEN to listen to his voice and learn more about the country, the people, his companion and his Christmas day celebration. Since he is 15 hours ahead in Mongolia, he was just going to bed on Christmas day as we were getting up. It was a wonderful Christmas present and a Christmas tradition that has been repeated over several years as we have talked to our missionaries on Christmas Day. He is happy, healthy and going very well and he sends his love and best wishes to all his family and friends. We love YOU dear Elder.