San Deigo/ Poway

I am in San Diego. Yes, lucky me!!! :) This is a great way to spend my Christmas vacation.

We (my Mom and Dad and I) left Utah the day after Christmas. We woke up to 8 inches of snow that had fallen after going to bed. We couldn't leave until we had cleared the driveway and my car off.

I didn't think about taking pictures of all the snow, but took a shot at the gas station in Santaquin.

I'm not looking forward to seeing how much snow has accumulated in front of my driveway back home in Utah. Fortunately, my roommate will be getting back from her trip first and will get to deal with it. I tried to shovel before I left, but didn't do it complete justice, since there was so much ice as well.

Our drive down was poor until after Cedar City. There was snow on the road until then. Our windshield wiper fluid (we suspect there had been water put in instead at the last oil change) was frozen, making it difficult to see out of the front windshield. We also take lots of potty stops. Between traffic, weather, and potty stops, it took us a very long time to get to Poway, our first destination.

We've spent the last several days here in Poway with my aunt and uncle and have been having so much fun. We've been taking daily hikes in the hills and enjoying the sunny weather and good company. At the most we've needed light jackets.

The cats are tolerating us. Simba (the white one) will let us pet and get near him. Mico (the black one) mostly runs from us. He has the softest fur. They found a new spot to lay.

We had a wonderful time last night at a restaurant called House on the Hill. It had a wonderful atmosphere and was very enjoyable. We talked much of the evening and had a little room to ourselves. They had great food, too. No, the wine is not mine. :) My aunt moved it toward my direction. We did have fun trying to get the cork to stand on end. It took me a while to accomplish that.


This was part of a tour of their beautiful backyard. They were showing us the rock fountain. It's "the iceberg". It's really cool. It has a light on it at night. I love the little green rocks below it.


Today, Mom and I went on a lovely walk up some of the hills. We also found the local ward and were welcomed there at church. The Chargers game was on this evening and my aunt and uncle are huge Charger's fans. The cats get treats for every touchdown and turn over, etc. Simba wears a Chargers hankerchief for the occasion.


We made the yummiest salad for the occasion. My aunt had the coolest salad bowl and pedistool that she received for Christmas this year, I believe.


Tomorrow we head towards our 2nd destination of San Diego to spend some time with another aunt and uncle, who are serving a military relations mission. Incidentally, my parents have finished all their paperwork and will be sending in their mission papers soon.

Tagged Again!

I was tagged with this one a long time ago, by Mindi. I'm pretty sure it was before her baby was born and her baby is over 3 months old. The joys of time off! :)

Ok, here's what I’m supposed to do:
list 3 joys (but I put 6, since that's what Mindi had), 3 fears, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 surprising facts and then tag 5 other people. I'm not going to tag anyone, but if you feel the need to be tagged, go for it! :)

Joys (not in any particular order)
1. Teaching - I love it, though this year has been a tough one
2. Friends - can't help but love them (I've been truly blessed)
3. Family - so much fun - wish I could see them more!
4. The Gospel of Jesus Christ
5. Music - love to sing, play the piano, and listen to it
6. Reading - love to relax this way, though it doesn't happen so much during the school year. You'll probably see me devouring a book, though, in the summer or on vacations. That's why I can't do it during the school year. For one, I'm too exhausted, and for two, if it's a really good book I have a hard time putting it down. That means I probably am losing sleep or not doing something else that I need to be doing or that is more of a priority.


Fears
1. Never getting married and being able to have a family and kids
2. Something happening to my hands so that I can't play the piano
3. Needles - have a tough time with needles and doctors, etc., but do so much better as an adult


Obsessions/Collections
1. The computer - I can't seem to stay away from my computer
2. I forgot about this, until I got out all of my Christmas stuff. I love snowman stuff and have seemed to have grown a collection over the years, especially since I started teaching. I always keep anything having to do with snowmen. I love it!
3. I've started collecting some seashells for school, since my classroom theme is under the sea. The kids love it. I use some of my shells to put on tables for the table that has the most table points. Simple pleasures and very effective!

Facts (I don't know that these are surprising facts, but they are true nonetheless)
1. I've lost over 55 pounds in the last few years! It's changed my life and I love the healthy lifestyle. I hope to never go back!
2. Even though I've lost weight and am much healthier, I still love the bad stuff or the good stuff (depending on your point of view). I think I'm addicted to sugar. I'm fine if I don't taste it or open it, but once it's open at my house, I seem to have to eat it until it's gone, so it's not there anymore (unless I manage just to throw it out or have someone else eat it). It's ugly, but true.
3. I love things neat and clean and organized, but I hate cleaning and should probably be better at organization. Not to have an excuse, but I think it might help when I have more room to call my own.
4. A sudafed was the first pill I was ever able to swallow, and then only with a "gallon" of water (I think it ended up all over me), and that wasn't until my brother went on his mission. I was probably 15 or 16 years old. (I was just reminded, since I just took one, and they are so small.)

Photo Tagged!

Ok! So I was tagged months ago by my sister Tori. I meant to do it awhile ago, but it never happened and today I seem to be having fun with my blog.

This is a photo tag. The rule is that you pick the fourth photo from the fourth file in your pictures and tell the story. Then you tag four people. I'm not going to tag anyone, but here is my photo (It's different from what it might have been, since I lost all my pictures when my hard drive crashed):
This is a random picture! It was from Christmas a year ago. We were playing with my Macbook and it's photo booth. It's got a webcam built into it. Of course, we look our absolute best, because it's Christmas morning in our PJ's and comfy stinky selves. This is Jolena, my sister, me, and Rob, my brother. All the other photo's we took that day were with weird effects, so this is one of the more "normal" shots. It get to see Rob again next month for Jolena's wedding. Yeah!!!

Things I've done/Not done

Well, I have many things I should be doing, but this sounded more fun at the moment. I've seen this on friend's blog, my sister's blog, and most recently on my cousin's blog. . . .so I thought I would give it a whirl to see all the things I have done or haven't done. The things I have done are in red. You might want to try it, too. :)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower (pretty sure I've done this)
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (when I was a kid, and not by choice)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train (I don't remember, though, since I was a kid)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (not sure about this one. I think I have, but I won't mark it)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (I've been repelling, but I think that's different than rock climbing)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (pretty sure I have, but not totally positive)
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (with friends, but it didn't ever really go anywhere. We had a business license, though, so I think it counts)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (bad experience)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
7 3. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House (been outside)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

This is kind of interesting to look at. I see I need to travel a bit more. I got my passport a year ago, so that I could travel. Now I just need a traveling companion. Next year, I think I'm going to Hawaii, so I'll have that one taken care of.

Christmas Fun and Family Traditions!

Christmas this year involved the folks, Greg and his kids, and I. We all joined up last night for Christmas Eve dinner. Mom decided to have our big dinner on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas, since Greg and the kids had to leave today at 12 or so to get the kids to their Mom's house.

We had fun at dinner and then played a game called Dummy Rummy. It was a great game! I'd never played before. I'll have to teach it to my friends. Lily really got into it. She's really into these games. I don't think the kids have ever stayed over to experience our Christmas traditions. It was a lot of fun. I had Lily convinced that she was going to be a sheep or angel. We haven't acted out the Christmas story since I was a young kid, but I think it would be fun to do again.


Lily (7 yrs old) and I slept in the same bed last night. It was a king-sized bed, but you'd never know it. She spread out. I think I had a foot or hand in my back on several different occasions throughout the night. The kids felt like we needed to get together in Mom and Dad's room at 7:30am. I thought 8:30 or 9am sounded better, but I was outvoted. They were convinced that Lily would be up really early. It turns out she needed my alarm clock to wake up. Once she was up, though, there was no going back asleep, so it was good she didn't wake up early. It helped that it is really dark downstairs in the bedroom we were in. There was no light coming in.

We have always met in Mom and Dad's room at the prescribed time for Christmas morning. Everyone is in their PJ's, except the folks. They've been up and exercised and showered. Usually someone has a blanket or pillow. We have to sit around and wait for everyone to get there, then have morning prayer before the festivities begin.

Dad goes downstairs to turn on the Christmas tree lights, turn on the Christmas music, and let us know that Santa didn't come or only brought coals and switches. We always laugh and then line up youngest to oldest. Once we get started downstairs, we always open up presents one and a time, so everyone can see. Mom always has paper and pencils to write down what we received. Mom and Dad always open their presents last. We have a great time and this year was no exception. There is always an orange in our stocking and some kind of lip balm as well. No candy for me. Mom is good to me.

Dad has to be silly!
Lily took this. She didn't do too bad.

After we all open up presents, we always take our oranges from our stockings to eat for breakfast and usually have breads that have been given to us, along with Mom's date nut bread. Yum!!! Who knew dates would make good bread. She's made it every year for as long as I can remember and I love it!!! I'm always disappointed if I don't get to have some or snag a loaf to take home with me.

We watched Wall-E together before Greg had to take the kids to their Mom's house. I hadn't seen it. I really liked it. I had wanted to see it when it came out, but never made it to the theater.

Merry Christmas to all! I hope your Christmas was as wonderful as mine!

Snow! Snow! Snow!

Yesterday, I went to my school to get my charger for my camera, since I'm going to San Diego for a week after Christmas. No big deal, right? Well, we've had a bunch of snow this week. Alpine always gets tons. We actually had quite a bit in Pleasant Grove, too. Anyhow, when I got to my school, I discovered that nothing had been plowed.

There was no way my little Honda Civic was going to be off-roading through the parking lot.

Fortunately, there was one parking lot on the side that was plowed a little.

Between snow and drifting, you couldn't really tell the different between the parking lot and sidewalks, etc. I had to walk around to the back of the school, where there was least amount of snow to stomp through, since I was just wearing tennis shoes. I felt like I needed snow shoes, not really, . . .but . . . kinda.

Aargh!!!!

On Monday, I came home from work and opened my computer to a clicking noise. At first, I didn't think the sound came from the computer, but alas, it was. I turned off the computer, turned it back on to find a flashing gray file folder with a question mark in the middle and the clicking noises. This CAN'T be anything good!!!! Sure enough, I turned it in the other day and got it back today. They said they couldn't do anything about it. The hard drive was bad and they put in a new hard drive. Aargh!!!!

I have decided not to be super frustrated over it, since there is nothing to be done about it. I lost all my files, school and personal, all my pictures from the last year, school and personal, and some music files. I keep realizing more that I've lost, but also grateful for the blog I started this summer, which has some pictures and emails where I have sent pictures or files to others that I can extract from. I also have some pictures on Picasa. I haven't yet looked to see if they are the regular files or just thumbnails. I do have to take a few moments, though, to be a bit sad. . . . . .

OK. Now I'll move on and be SOOOO excited that I have the next 2 weeks off, a week at home and a week in San Diego. Yeah!!!!! Because of blizzard conditions in Alpine this afternoon, I also got to leave school early. They sent the late bus kids on the bus with the early kids and put all the other kids in the library to watch a movie. It was nice to leave early, though very hectic and crazy, and not much closure. We didn't get done all the things we were working on and I'm not ready at all for when we come back in January. Oh well! Yeah for a 2 week vacation!!!!

Hopefully, this cold I seem to have developed in the last 24 hours or so will not go full blown.

I'm so excited for Christmas!!!! I absolutely LOVE this time of year with the snow, lights, decorations, smells, and Christmas music and family and friends! Simply delightful!

Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert

I heard the news the other day. Alecia called to invite me to the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. I was SO excited!!!

What can I say? Truly amazing!!!! I absolutely LOVED it!!! There were several times when chills started from my toes and traveled up my body. They performed some of my favorites, such as I Saw Three Ships; Sleigh Ride; Jesus, Joy of Man's Desiring; Choruses from the Messiah, including the Hallelujah Chorus. Richard Elliot did an amazing rendition of Go Tell It on the Mountain on the organ. This truly amazes me, since I also "play" the organ.

The guests, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Edward K. Herrmann were also incredible. Brian sang this English Carol The Friendly Beasts. He sang each part of the animals in a different voice and the Tabernacle Choir was also braying. It was very entertaining and funny. I was very touched when he sang New Words about a little boy learning new words. It made me want to have one of my own. Edward K. Herrmann was narrator for Longfellow's Christmas with the orchestra in the background and then the choir singing behind him. Wow!!! That's all I can say!

What a wonderful, uplifting night with good music and the spoken word, and great friends.

A shot of the Temple and the lights from the Conference Center.

All the friends together, Kayla, me, Katie, and Alecia. (Alecia, Kayla, and I were in a RS Presidency a long time ago in a single's ward; great fun!!!!)

Alecia and I had to take a SP (self-portrait). This was the 2nd try. The first time I managed to close my eyes. :)

Christmas Devotional

I had a great time tonight attending the Christmas Devotional in the Conference Center in Salt Lake. It was decorated so beautifully and the choir was amazing. It seemed like the choir just melted out of the orchestra. I loved it! I also enjoyed the messages.

Katie, my roommate, and I went with some friends. We were going to meet up there, since we couldn't all fit in the same car. We found them on the freeway as we were traveling up. It was very convenient, since we didn't have to find each other once we were up there and parked right next to each other.

I haven't seen the Temple Square lights for a few years. It was so fun to see them, amongst the crowd, as we passed on through. We captured a couple of pictures as we headed to our car. Unfortunately, some are a little blurry with it being dark and the lights and everything, but you get the general idea. Temple Square is such a wonderful place with such a great spirit there. It brings joy to my heart, which is perfect for this holiday season! I love it!!! I can't say that enough!!!!

This is the gang.



Here is the Salt Lake City Temple from the top of the Conference Center.

A little scary and blurry picture of me. lol

Temple with lights

Katie and I


Another blurry one of me and the Temple

Most Excellent Colleagues!

Today I am so very thankful for wonderful colleagues! They are my co-workers and friends! I love that I have such an amazing team that I work with. We work so well together. I so appreciate how well we work together and collaborate. We have an open door policy and can run ideas past each other. We cover each other whenever one of us is in need. Thank you, ladies! It makes the hugest difference if you not only love what you do, but love who you work with!

Thank goodness for a body!

For yesterday, I'm grateful to have a body that is fully functional. On Monday, I took an interval class at the local rec center. Boy, it sure kicked my body into gear. I guess that wasn't enough, so last night I took a spin class for an hour and then did an ab blast for an additional 1/2 hour. I'm so glad that I have a body that I can do that with. Our PE specialist gave each one of us a pedometer for this whole month to see which team can average the most steps per day. It sure makes you think and try to get more steps when you are wearing a pedometer.

My body is such a blessing. I can't believe anything, but that it was created by a loving Heavenly Father. We didn't come to be just by chance. There is an organization to everything and I'm grateful! I feel better than even in my 20's. Yeah for health!