Holiday Hugs & Kisses

Sometimes mistletoe brings unexpected results.

Meet Velvet. She is as charming as she appears.

p.s. I did not get a puppy. She was on loan. If you are interested in meeting Velv, let me know. I happen to have a holiday crush on her owner.

Blah, Blah, Black Friday

It's 7am and I'm sitting in my cozy bed with my hot apple cider. Shopping is so much more pleasant from this venue than the -10 degree Idaho air. Trust. Me. Pajamas, laptop, and credit card--that's all I need to kick off the holiday shopping. If you're wondering what I'm buying on this lovely BLACK Friday morn, I really can't say too much, but I will tell you that I'm getting free shipping and a few holiday treats for myself.

If you're looking for the perfect gift this year, might I make a suggestion? My cute friend (at least I like to hope we're friends), Lady Mindy Gledhill, is the brilliance behind my favorite album of 2010--ANCHOR. Seriously, I know I've said it before and I'll say it again--I LOVE this CD. Visit her website HERE to purchase a copy for all those you love. She even has them available at a great price $6.63 each if you buy a case of 30 OR you can get both Anchor and Feather in the Wind for the bargain price of just $19.98. Oh, and rumor is that she's personally hand wrapping them all. LOVE that about her.

A Taste of Christmas

I'm a firm believer in documenting life through photographs. I think capturing moments with a camera make memories last longer. With so much filling our lives, it's easy to forget fun, excitement, and tenderness. Heavens, I can barely remember what I did yesterday--let alone the Christmas I was 8. So, my family is forced to suffer through lots of snapshots and I'm convinced we remember the happiness that is our life more because of it.

Sometimes when we're in the heat of a reindeer craft, it's hard to see the joy and magic of that sweet time. But when the tacky glue has dried and the googly eyes settle, there's a great deal of sweetness to be savored. Each of the boys made a reindeer can. We filled them with oats, cabbage, and carrots for Santa's reindeer. Tomy's reindeer was a family favorite.
Damien was especially fond of the decorating goodies.Laura is now the proud owner of her own fishing pole. I must admit that I was a little bit jealous.
Sterling's reindeer was actually transformed into an elf. . .go figure.
Speaking of elf transformations--this Brother was clipped into the most handsome elf I've ever seen.
I'm not sure who was more excited--Damian to receive his Life Saver (Light Sabor) OR grandma to give it to him.
Zachy sets out the reindeer goodies. Those must have been some hungry reindeer because when we woke up Christmas morning, all of the food was gone. We were especially excited about Prancer's visit--as we watched the movie Prancer on Christmas Eve. PRANCER Rocks!
Kimmy is turning into quite the little domestic diva--she is now crafting.
Damian was SO excited about presents and Christmas. He would pick-up his presents, hold them, and shake them. At one point, he just sat down on one and stared at the "goods" under the tree.
Dad is now the proud owner of 2 ice cream makers (one he bought himself) and a book from the Jenkins with a very close parallel to his own life as THE PAPER BOY.
Christmas night, we had a special sleepover. Zach, Damian, and Auntie Michelle (accompanied by Grandma V. & Kimmy) spread out blankets, popped popcorn, and collected goodies while we watched Benji the Hunted. The company was a lot better than the movie, I'll tell you that! Please note that Zach and I are wearing Ninja headbands--not to be confused with sweatbands.
This was also the Christmas of M&M sucking, Eric's skateboarding mis-adventure, sloppy joes, paper towels in the toilet, and LOTS and LOTS of snow. It was our first Christmas with sticky hands, B.I.L. #2, and a lot of Legos. It was another Christmas full of joy.

Merry Christmas to all & to all a good night!

Lighting UP

One of the highlights of our Thanksgiving celebration was the light parade sponsored by the Blackfoot Chamber of Commerce. I say highLIGHT mostly because the mayor decorates a classic Chevy and then gets to drive around town with Ryan & Eric spreading holiday cheer. We were all on-hand to cheer the happy trio on. If you look closely, you can see dad's green-white striped winter cap--CLASSIC DAD Virtue.
After, we all head to the bonfire for some hot chocolate and cookies. The boys especially enjoyed this part of the festivities.
Zach helped dad and I decorate the truck. He loved being on tape patrol.
And here they are--in all of their parade glory.

A Laborless Labor Day

The boys made their first appearance on the Blackfoot scene. We had a great time. Uno, play dough, games, good food, the fair, parades, and lots of laughter. . .exactly as life should be.

Celebrate

Happy Birthday AMERICA!

Happy Birthday Kirsti!

Easter Fun

Happy Easter EVERYONE! Hope you day was full of wonderfulness.

Aloha!

I'm back from 8 days of sun and sand to greet snow & WINTER. Oh, well. The temperate climate of the Pacific was just what I needed to get through the next few months of cold, doom, and gloom. We had such a great time & I can't wait to give you all the highlights. . .just as soon as I take a much needed jetlag nap.

Just a couple of photo teasers. . .guess who went snorkeling? Guess who looks hot in blue fins?
A group shot with my camera precariously set upon a rock. . .was it the wise man that built his house upon the rock? I'm tellin' ya--that foolish man who built his house upon the sand was probably more my type of guy. Loved Hawaii. Loved being there with those I love most.

Time Flies. . .

Excuse me--but does anyone else think time is going by at warp speed? I swear we just had Christmas. Don't get me wrong. I love this season and am especially grateful for the warm hearts and willing hands of those I associate with. I love the excitement of children and the smell of pine mixed with cinnamon. I'm in love with the color red (outside of any sports arena), Michael Buble's new Let it Snow CD, and holiday wrap. I suppose I'd just like time to slow down just a bit. . .so I might enjoy the things I love a little bit longer.

Labor My Day

Happy Labor Day to all! I ran (literally) to work this morning to set up for a back-to-school sale (ah, the joys of retaildom). CCF is closed, but the sale is sponsored by the Bookstore (which is open for business). I ran home and then Kimmy and I spent some time with the masses at the gym. I was in the zone and it felt good. We're going to get things cleaned up here and then hopefully head up the canyon to float down the Provo River with some friends. Watch for some awesome picts.

FYI--I'm in denial about the inevitable end of summer. "It breaks my heart." --EG. Honestly, where has the summer gone? The good news is that the mountains are quickly gaining color and I know some fantabulous photo opportunities are right around the corner. The only summer-ending consolation is that fall is fabulous, comfortable, and cozy.

Independence Day

Great holiday. Hot air balloons, the parade, a nap, grilling, and fireworks. I hope everyone enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate the freedoms we so often take for granted and paused for a moment to remember those who made it possible. God Bless America. I love the 4th of July. . .every little red, white, and blue bit of it!