How Long?

Go back a week or two and picture it being December 13th.  It is about 9am and I have called Aaron at work like 50 million times (I don't normally call him that much, I was just trying to be quick each time on the phone and kept forgetting things)

Now its about 11am and I just hang up the phone with Aaron after promising not to bug him anymore.  As soon as I hang up I remembered something that couldn't wait so I call him again.  Here is the conversation:

 Aaron answers the phone sounding a little irritated:  Yea
Me: Happy Anniversary... I totally forgot!
Aaron:  Oh my gosh, ya I forgot too, Happy Anniversary,  I love you.
Me:  Love you too! 

We are both laughing and can't believe that we both forgot.  Its been 8 years but it took us a minute to figure it out.  Its been one of those kind of months!!! 

Anyway Happy Anniversary Aaron!!!  Love you tons.

Snowmen

For teacher gifts this year, the kids and I made snowmen.  I think that they turned out super cute and both kids seemed to have fun making them.  Plus they were really proud of the finish product.  

Here is one of them.  We used marshmallows for the body and candies for the rest.   I did stick a skewer through the middle of the snowman and into the cupcake to hold it all together.

Jack did a great job putting on all of the little pieces.

Paige was happy to mostly watch, help a little and eat any extras.

Each cupcake was put into a plastic cup and then I took a cello bag and put the whole thing inside.  On top of the skewer I attached a little gift tag.

We gave these to pre-school and primary teachers.  For the pre-school teachers I attached a little tile necklace in a separate bag.  I think they turned out super cute.

Feeling in the crafty mood I also finish my ornament wreath.  I love how it turned out. 

When I was in ABQ for Thanksgiving my mom and I made these glitter trees.  Glitter is a gift that keeps on giving.  Glitter seems to just fall off.  Not sure the best way to get the glitter to stay on the cone trees.  We used spray adhesive but the cones are too porous or something.  With my gift shows and boutiques now over, I have time to start decorating our house and it is beginning to look like Christmas.  

(PS I lots of left over items from the shows, so if you need a last minute gift give me a call, I'll give you a good deal)

Thuderbirds

Albuquerque among many things is the home of The Thunderbirds.  Who are they you ask?  Don't worry I asked the same question.  They are D league for the NBA.  This team feeds into NBA teams like the Heat and another one that I can't remember. 

We got a sitter for the kids and went to a Thunderbirds game.  That night they were playing the Utah Flash (I think that is their name, I am not good and remembering this stuff).  Anyway they are the D league team that feeds into the Utah Jazz. 

It was a fun game, a little slow to start with.  But in the end it was intense.  I was just super tired after braving the Black Friday shopping earlier that morning. 

So their mascot is a cat... not a bird?

Before the game started (we got there like an hour before the game because someone aahheemm Cameron, was worried we would be late) and some people who work there asked Cameron if he would like to participate in the half time shooting contest.  He of course said yes.   So half time came and went and no one came and got him like they said he would.  But between third and fourth quarter is when they ended up calling him down.  If he could make a free throw, a three pointer and a lay up he would win tickets to another game.  If not he still won some sort of prize pack. 

Here are few pics of Cam getting ready.  Good thing he had been playing some pick up games at UNM with a bigger ball instead of the ball that he uses when coaching his girls high school freshman team.

I caught it all on video.  Here he is:

The Thunderbirds won and it was a fun game. 

Thanksgiving 2010

This year we planned to head to Albuquerque for Thanksgiving.  I have to say that I really don't like Thanksgiving.  Yes I am grateful for all of my many blessings, but why do we fill the need to eat such gross food???!!!  I mean really, if we are going to have a feast let's have some yummy food.  I don't like turkey, stuffing is alright I could go without, potatoes are ok and then all the sides.  The only thing that makes it taste ok and edible is the gravy.  With that being said we had a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving, even though we had traditional food!

We had intended to leave Wednesday, the day before T-day, however Mother Nature had other plans.  Northern Utah was hit with a Blizzard warning to hit Tuesday at around 3pm and be done on Wednesday sometime.  So we had two choices, sit and wait out the storm and leave for ABQ on Thursday or leave a day early and get there on Tuesday.  We decided to leave early.  This was a bit stressful since I thought I had an extra 24 hours to work on items for my next gift show, and pack and clean up the house, and all that other stuff.  Well we made it out of Logan at about 1pm.  We heard that Sardine Canyon would be closing at 3pm and so would Price Canyon.  So hustled out of Cache Valley to make it to Price Canyon before 3pm.  There were no indications that Price would be closing anytime soon, but we started into the canyon at about 3:15.  We made it.  Both Aaron and I sighed in relief that we would be able to continue our journey.  We knew that the forecasters were not wrong because as we were in Price Canyon, half the sky was a bright cheerful blue and the other half, the half behind us, was very dark and ominous.

 Can you see the divide.  The pictures don't really do it justice. 

Aaron the paranoid, um I mean prepared person that he is wanted to make sure that if we did get caught in anything, made sure we had plenty of blankets, snow clothes, and water.  That is why the kids traveled in snow boots.  They didn't seem to mind.

We got to ABQ around 1am.  All safe and sound and ahead of the storm.  We got texts along the way from friends still in Cache Valley telling us how crazy the storm was.  The thing about a blizzard is that the temps drop.  We could feel that change as we were in Moab stopped for dinner and getting gas.  It was still coming.  

Once in ABQ, we had a great time.  I hung out with my mom and sister one day running errands.  We took Paige and made it a girls trip.  While in Macy's Meghan and Paige played hide and go seek.  It was so funny to watch Paige get all excited when she got found.  

When we got home, my mom had a surprise waiting for her.  Both Meghan and I knew it was coming.  

My mom was surprised with an early Christmas gift from my dad.  A big table.  It can seat 14.  She cried when she saw it.  Obviously she got it early so that we could use it for dinner on Thanksgiving.

 

Here it is all dressed up for the big feast.

 

 

It was so nice to have space to eat.  

Some prep pics:

My mom thought it would be fun to have a Prime Rib Roast this year.  It was good except a little bloody for my taste.

It was a nice evening.  My cousin Tim and his wife Sara and daughter Lily came over and joined us.  Sara brought the turkey, sweet potatoes, yummy gravy, and death by potatoes.  It was all pretty good considering it is your traditional Thanksgiving food. ;)

I wish that I had gotten a picture of everyone, but I didn't.  We did miss Matt, Katie, and Abby.  Tim even joked that we could call him Matt, Sara Katie and Lily Abby.  Matt and his family were having dinner with my Aunt and Uncle (Tim's parents) and I guess they said the same thing. 

Halloween Aftermath

Can you tell what I didn't put away?

Ya I didn't put away the face paint crayons.  Oops.  I got home from work and Aaron said that Jack had fallen asleep on our bed and I went up to see him and saw that Paige had fallen asleep too (which she never does) and then I saw their pretty faces!

Here is just a picture of the kids being cute.

Halloween 2010

Since I am really behind in posting (I am only doing this so that when we get our book printed its all there), I am going to combine all of the Halloween events into one big post.

First Aaron and I decided to have a little Halloween party and I can't believe I didn't get pictures of everyone's costumes.  Anyway here are some pictures of the yummy treats that I made.

Next in the Halloween Round-up is the North Logan Pumpkin Walk.  We go every year and I have to say that this may have been the best year yet.  (I think that I say that every year).

Paige insisted on wearing her backpack.

As I took this picture I couldn't help but admire the beautiful backdrop these pumpkin walk scenes have.

Trick or Treating!!!

Since we live in Utah and Halloween fell on a Sunday this year, we went trick or treating the night before on Saturday.  For dinner I made the kids and Aaron jack o lantern grilled cheese sandwiches.  I think that they were a hit.

We had our very own super hero in the form of SUPER WHY!

Paige has been obsessed with Cinderella for awhile now so it only seemed fitting to have her dress up as the pretty princess.   

So it rained while we trick or treated.  Jack got cold really fast because he kept jumping in puddles and wanted to go home, where as Paige had another plan.  The girl LOVES candy and she thought this was the greatest thing.  People giving you candy just for saying trick or treat and looking cute.  She could have not been happier.

Some pics of our jack o lanterns!

 Sunday morning, Halloween, I made pumpkin pancakes with cinnamon syrup.  They were sooo yummy and it was fun to 'draw' on the pancakes for the kids.