HB Jackson Pollock!

Have you seen Google's image today? It's my favorite one ever.

freshly

Bragging about my goat. You heard me. I took this picture a few years ago while hiking Timp and it was published in "60 Hikes Within 60 Miles." Kind of cool, I guess. But then again, I've given up cool so I really wouldn't know.Walking about SLC with good friends taking pictures, sharing interests, eating out, catching up. I love the city, but I love it more when our friends breech the UC border and hang with us in OUR hood. Thanks Jess-for the pic.Neglecting the blog world these days because I've been fully consumed with work, church, and all that other stuff that fills up my 24/7. The 1000+ unread blog posts in Reader can back me up on this.Regardless, I'm still...
Voting for the 2009 bloggies. Go vote, or better yet snag a list of new and interesting blogs to read, that is, if you can handle any more.Recommending Slumdog Millionaire. Quite possibly my new favorite movie of all time. Incredible. Must see.Reading nothing...yet! 'Tis my turn to choose the February read for book club. Any great ideas?? Taking suggestions.Enjoying more sunny winter days snowshoeing with the Young Women. Really do love hangin' with these girls.Satisfying that evil sweet tooth with Breyers natural peach ice cream. Tastes like late summer, and in the dead of winter that's saying a lot.Drinking Apple Beer when H2O just doesn't cut it. Have given up HFCS for all natural beverages. Now, if I even have an ounce of caffeine I'm up all night.Dedicating this song to BD. Because it's true, and I really mean it.

I wonder how long we are expected to hold our breath?

At least somebody is not giving up cool

Spotted at my local grocer.

Special Person in Chelsea

Since today officially kicks off the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, I wanted to share this amazing storyboard written and directed by Robert Castillo in 2006. It reminds me of an enthusiastic primary teacher I had as a youngster. Sister Taylor could narrate and draw simultaneously, her arms flailing all over the place as she dramatically made Bible stories come alive on a flowchart. I thought she was pure MAGIC. And her lessons took my mind away from sulking over the awful dress I was forced into wearing "like all the other nice little girls" probably because it had a bow. I was a pitiful excuse for a girly girl even back then.

So much to say, so little time to write

During the Holidays I took a major break from the blog world and instead focused on my other journal, the composition notebook I carry with me at all times. It becomes my lifeline and the place where I store everything from grocery items, to-do lists, and precious bits and pieces of every day that I jot down. Sometimes I miss the literal part of writing with a pen and paper. When I scribe my feelings in my own handwriting I find I'm far more honest with myself than I might otherwise be. After all, I didn't get this gnarly bump on my right hand middle finger for nothing.I'm still trying to figure out what kind of year 2009 will be for us. Will this be the year of a skinny me? to be debt free? The year of a pregnancy? A move? A dog? Perhaps BD will buckle and buy a car. Or maybe this will be the year I finally figure out how to successfully pop popcorn in the microwave without burning it. Whatever this year holds for us, I'm ready and anxious to embrace 2009.I have high hopes for 2009 for a few specific reasons. One, I love my job. And my new boss. I mean really, how many people can say that about their boss? I'm extremely lucky and grateful for the opportunities my job provides me. I know it's what I'm supposed to be doing at this point in my life. And that's a good place to be. For two, BD and I are giving up cool. As in, we are no longer trying to be any sort or flavor of cool. Giving it up completely. And when you really weren't that cool to begin with, it's almost easier than it sounds. Also, BD is starting school again and I'm thrilled for what this means for him and for us. I'm thankful to be with someone who values an education. A lifetime with him equates to lifelong learning. Lastly, we are looking forward to another sailing adventure with my family come July. I've already started to daydream about this upcoming trip that seems so very far away.

Sorry I've been a terrible blogger, don't give up on me!

The Best Snow Angel Ever Kind of Day

Not being born an adrenaline junkie, I actually find snowshoeing much more pleasant than any other winter sport. Skiing is awesome, don't get me wrong. But snowshoeing is so peaceful, quiet, serene. Oh, and free. But who's worried about money these days anyway?
Last Saturday was the most perfect day for snowshoeing yet this season. Fresh snow, sunny day, blue sky. Heaven on earth. We hiked around the Mountain Dell reservoir for several hours taking it all in. Around every corner there was another beautiful view, flocked in white, stunning. I wish I could recharge my senses in the out of doors every day. I love being with my "snow angel." Did I just blog that? Yeah, I think I did. Sorry. Sometimes I just can't help myself.

New Years Day & Marriage Therapy

We spent the majority of New Years recovering ourselves and our house from the party the night before. Eventually we felt put back together enough to continue the celebrations yet another night. Our recent mid-western transplants treated us with authentic Chicago Dogs and Italian Beef sandwiches. Oh. My. Sometimes there is nothing in the world like a real Chicago Dog. And this is coming from a girl who has spent way more time avoiding hot dogs than ingesting them. Then...watch out...Wii bowling and boxing were a huge hit that night. Get this, I totally punched BD's lights out. In front of my mom. While laughing about it. I'm not one for video games but that Wii thingie is some fantastic marriage therapy minus the pretentious leather couch. Our relationship is now ready for whatever 2009 swings at us. Bring it.

Mocktail '09

Happy 2009! I started going through the pictures from our Mocktail party, all hundreds of them, gave up, and decided to throw up a slideshow of random shots rather than trying to explain the impossible. Couldn't have asked for a better way to usher in 2009. Cheers!

Just had to share tonight's sunset

Christmas Day

A perfectly timed Christmas Eve snow storm convinced us that we should avoid the icy roads and stay the night at BD's house like we usually do. I love it when we wake up to a beautiful white blanket of glistening snow on Christmas morning. It seems to be the icing on the Christmas cake and this years flocking did not disappoint. Dan and Alli had put together a treasure hunt for Dad to follow first thing in the morning. The clues sent him around the house, garage, and yard finding gifts and love notes all along the way. It was really cute! We opened presents together, feasted on creme brulee french toast, watched a movie snuggled on the couch, and even talked with the very missed and very loved Elder Duncan all the way in Australia who gave us the best gift of all; a beautiful Christmas message. I absolutely adore this picture of BD's dad because it captures his wonderful smile and happy-go-lucky personality. He is hands-down and uncontested the best dad in the world and we are so lucky to have him in our lives. Our favorite gift this year was a personal heart felt letter from him. He is this family's rock.

Christmas evening we gathered with my family again to exchange presents with my mom and siblings. I guess you know each other well enough when you give one another the same gift twice over. What are the odds? But I wouldn't have it any other way.My mom is the best person to give presents to because 1) she oh's and ah's over the wrapping until we yell at her to finally open it, and 2) she loves everything you give her no matter what it is. This year I gave her a book reminiscing our 2007 sailing trip to get us all excited about our 2009 sailing trip. Worked like a charm. My mom also made these adorable aprons for all her grand-daughters. Sometimes I wish I was a grand-daughter. When we finally left for the night the snow was falling once again but this time we braved the storm only to find road closures and an un-plowed freeway. Where is Santa's sleigh when you really need it? Getting home was an adventure to say the least. Every year I grow older I'm increasingly pleased at how Christmas becomes more about how and with whom we celebrate than about anything else at all. We are so thankful for loving family to hug and kiss and get warm fuzzies with.

Christmas Eve

Christmas this year was everything that it should be; joyful, jolly, topped with holly, twinkling, bright, covered in white. We flip flopped back and forth between families which is both the blessing and curse of having grown up within 1/2 mile of one another.
We kicked off our Christmas Eve festivities with dinner at uncle Stu's. They are always so generous to open their doors to our small {albeit growing} family on Christmas. We loved catching up with cousins who live both near and far.We arrived at mom's just in time for Christmas Eve fondue and hot almond punch, both of which I can't do without on Christmas. My mom's tree this year was gorgeous to say the least. She planted the Baby Blue Spruce about 4 years ago and this year it was the perfect tree to trim.The rest of the night consisted of reciting my Grandpa Richman's abridged version of Dickens' A Christmas Carol, listening to the kids deliver Christmas poems and belt Christmas songs they learned in school, reading from Luke II, Mannheim Steamroller's Silent Night, and warming by the fire.Oh...and there was that one minor incident where before we were warming by the fire we were smoked out of the house. Someone, and it might have been me, lit the fire without making sure the flue was open and let's just say that we are lucky the fire department didn't show up for fondue and hot almond punch. I like to refer to it as my little personal Christmas Miracle. BD drew the short straw {meaning he lacked the necessary offspring to keep him safely on the ground} and climbed up the icy roof to remove 8 inches of snow from the frozen shut chimney top. At the very least the kids were reassured that Santa could now get down the chimney knowing that the smoke could now get out.