Slumdog Millionaire

Last night I went to a great movie: SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE. I went with my niece Noelle and we both give it four stars. A modern fairytale of an Indian boy rising from the slums to triumph over what seems like insurmountable odds and finds his long lost love.

In Utah this movie might be hard to find in a theatre, but if you can find it, you won't be disappointed. Jamal the main character is the hero of the film and you are cheering in your chair for him the entire film. There is a reason this movie has so much Oscar buzz.....

Off to California

Hey everyone -- we are off to California for the New Year to visit my sister Tina and her family. We'll be up to lots of trouble and of course watching the Utes play on National Television. Whoot! Whoot!

An Angelic Nativity

About the middle of the month, we started receiving little packages every night on our door. The first one had three wise men and a scripture, the second night was the a shepard with a sheep and a scripture, the third night...you get the idea. It was so fun. The boys absolutely loved and looked forward to each present until the whole nativity was compete.

We have an absolutely amazing nativity sets from Adam's Mom which I threaten the kids to even touch with an inch of their lives. (She wouldn't be to happy if she knew that.) But it is a prize possession. So, this nativity is great, because Thomas and Jack have loved looking at the pieces and resetting up the nativity about a 100 times.

The scriptures have been great - not just the standard scriptures but really great thought provoking scriptures about each member of the nativity. At the end we were a little sad, our very thougthful friends never revealed themselves....it will remain a mystery. But a greatful
thank you all the same. Thank you!

Our Tree!

I was so pleased with how our Christmas Tree turned out this year. We even made a homemade star. The boys loved putting that one together. I started making a few ornaments that never made it on the tree, maybe next year. Santa better hurry and get here we have no presents under our tree!

Christmas came early this year and we have had some great happy endings to report beginning with a NEW CAMERA! Yeah for us and getting a Cannon Powershot! We love it. My husband spent yesterday afternoon finding out all about it and snapping away. Adam took all these fabulous photos! In the picture below, you can see Adam in the silver ball taking the photo!

Even better, Adam was offered a new job! Monavie is where he will call (work) home starting January 5th. We couldn't be more thrilled, excited, relieved and just plain exhausted. Thank you everyone for your support.

Finally, to all our family and friends we are the luckiest people in the world. We are so thankful for everyone who has been there for us for...well for always. We love each and everyone of you. It's like you are all our guardian angels.

Christmas Festivities

When we moved into our newest house we started a Christmas Breakfast Tradition. We invited over some close friends and neighbors and had an aebleskiver breakfast on Christmas Eve. The first year was such fun, it is now a much anticipated tradition. For me I get to see all my closest friends as close to Christmas as possible and it really kick starts the Christmas festivities.

I love aebelskivers! Puffy sweet pancakes with lots of hot yummy syrup yes, the syrup has to be hot!

The recipe I have for aebelskivers is easy... the hard part is the pan. I borrow my mom's because it is deep, well seasoned and they cook up perfect. She found hers in a thrift shop, you can purchase them NEW at most kitchen stores.

Here is my recipe:

9 eggs

3 cups Buttermilk

4 cups Bisquick

4 tablespoons oil

1 long skewer

In a large bowl combine buttermilk, bisquick, oil and all 9 yolks - whisk together. Take the separated 9 egg whites and beat until white and fluffy. Add to batter and allow to sit a few minutes. Heat pan on high with a drop of oil in each hole. Once pan is very hot (hot enough that the oil bubbles) drop a large spoonful of batter into the hole. Turning the aebelskiver can get a little tricky. Take your skewer and as the batter cooks make little half turns until the batter cooks making a complete circle. The aebelskiver should be somewhat hallow inside. All the aebelskivers should be done about the same time. Remove from heat, and enjoy! I love to add any and all my favorite toppings: jam, syrup, powdered sugar, butter, fruit, whipping cream etc.

Rocky Road for Christmas!

This year My Family is doing a Progressive Dinner. Appetizers at Jill's, Main course at Mom's and Dessert at my house. I am also in charge of the Christmas Program and I have some great ideas up my sleeve. I am going to try and share some of them over the next couple days.

Since I am in charge of Dessert! and with lots yummy treats on the menu, I thought I would share my favorite treat of all: Van Duyns Rocky Road. I love Rocky Road- gooey marshmallows, crunchy walnuts and chocolate. Van Duyns is a local chocolate shop in Portland, Oregon. So I have my rocky road sent to me via my parents. Thanks Mom and Dad!

Christmas Calendar

Adam and I's trip to Disneyworld last february!

Summer Hike!

Taking a nap in Island Park

Last Day of Kindergarten

Exhausted from playing!

Jet Skiing in Lake Tahoe

Every year since my oldest was about 2 years old we make a Christmas Calendar for the Grandparents. I add a few photos and the kids do awesome art work. Although I know the pre-made calendars you can create on the web are easy and nifty - it just isn't the same for us. Besides we love to really get our hands dirty while making it. Here are some of the photo selected to grace this year's calendar.

Nutcracker

Jack had his last performance in the Nutcracker yesterday, and I know I am a biased parent, but he was so fantastic. He was so great! I was the proudest Mama in the auditorium. He and Drosselmeyer stole the show. The Utah Regional Ballet has a professional photographer come and take all the kids photos -- when I get those back I will post one!
He is going this weekend with his Papa to see the show and watch his good friend, Dax be the nephew. He is excited to see the whole performance and watch someone else play his role.

A White Christmas

It snowed last night! About two feet where we live. Maybe this year we will have a White Christmas. Speaking of White Christmas.....

That is my favorite Christmas Show. When I was about 10 I feel in love with it... and it is not a kid's show. I loved the two sister in the show, Betty and Judy, I think that was the first time I tried to pretend to be a character from a movie. My sister and I actually got feathers and re-choreographed the sister's skit on Christmas Eve.

Nutcracker - A Christmas Favorite

Jack is performing in the Nutcracker this Christmas. We have some good friends who run the Utah Regional Ballet and asked if Jack would like to participate this year as Clara's Nephew. With a hip hip hooray, we gladly said yes.
Jack has loved being in the Nutcracker. He has loved going to practice and learning his part. He really looks up to the boy playing Fritz and wants to know when he gets to play his part. He is performing this weekend and I have to admit I can't wait! Although Jack has told me alot, they are very strict on parents "hovering and waiting in the wings", so I don't quite know what to expect.
Jack has been so cute. When he first started practicing he told everyone at school and he is absolutely thrilled his 1st grade teacher is coming to a performance. He smiled when I told him he had to wear stage makeup and he loves his costume - a little tux!
If anyone wants more information or tickets visit http://www.coveycenter.org/

Family Tree Quilt #8

Just a few more photos to show of the quilt. This is the bro -in-laws block. Cathy subtly informed me that I really needed to give them some props. I agree!

Gabe belongs to Cathy

Eddie belongs to Jill]

Clint belongs to Candi

Rob belongs to Tina

Adam belongs to me.

Cathy picked out the fabric for the back of the quilt. She thought the quilt needed more strawberries. Who could agrue with that!

Getting A Tree

Each year, as a surprise, my parents went out and selected our Christmas Tree. We kids waited anxiously at home to see what it would looked like. Being from Oregon and trees there only cost $20, a few times my parents even came home with more than one. So not surprisingly, to my complete horror not only are real trees very expensive in Utah but equally horrifying, they are usually shipped to Utah from Oregon!

Every year nonetheless, we fork over the cash and get ourselves a fresh (ironic) Christmas Tree! The last two years, the tree has been completely dead, brown and almost needless, by Christmas. Last year, I wouldn't even turn on the light unless I was in the room, for fear that the tree would start on fire.

This year we tried something new and went to a fantastic family run tree farm in Alpine. It was great we chose the tree, they cut the tree for us and then we got to take it home fresh from Utah (not Oregon).

Not only did the boys get to help cut down the tree they also got to ride on the back of the four wheeler to bring the tree back to the parking lot. Notice how through the pictures the boy's smiles grow and grow. Even my little one who is notorious for not smiling is beaming from ear to ear in this last one! I think this will be a Christmas Memory they will remember for a long time.

Christmas Quilt

I went on a quilting retreat 2 years ago (last October) and my goal was to make a Christmas quilt/wall hanging. Other than the buttons and machine quilting: mission accomplished in one relaxing, quiet weekend.

This quilt was so easy to design and create. I stuck to some of my favorite rules:

1. Always use polka dots

2. Use scraps of fabric

3. Rick Rac

4. Keep it fun!

Santa Parade at Star Mill

Saturday Morning we had a fun, festive holiday outing. We went to Star Mill and met Santa.

Santa and Mrs. Claus came down the road in a beautiful white carriage. The boys were so excited to see the grand display.

This is the Best Santa Line in town. Each child gets to take home a used children's book, have ride in a vintage fire truck and play around on antiques. We even got some yummy hot chocolate when we were done.

Mr. and Mrs. Claus are the "real deal".

Toffee 101

Pamela’s Christmas Toffee

Ingredients:
1 cup of butter
½-cup brown sugar
½ cup of white sugar

1/2 cup of your favorite nuts

1/2 package of chocolate chips

Prep: On the bottom of a 9x13-glass pan, spread a light coat of butter and ¼ cup
your favorite nuts. Also, have a small bowl of ice water ready to test your toffee.

The toffee recipe needs constant attention and stirring for about 10 minutes. In a
heavy saucepan, add butter and sugars and melt on high heat. Once the butter and
sugars have melted and started to boil, the toffee will go through 4 stages.

Stage 1: butter and sugars are melted, but not mixed. Keep stirring.
Stage 2: Butter and sugars are mixed and start to cook. Keep stirring.
Stage 3: Butter and sugars are bubbling. Keep stirring.
Stage 4: Butter and sugars change color, slightly (from light tan to dark tan) toffee
looks almost like taffy, it becomes smooth not bubbly. Keep stirring and start to
test for hard crack.

Hard Crack: Hard crack is when you take a small piece of toffee and when it hits
ice-cold water, it sizzles. This is when the toffee is done!

Pour toffee evenly into buttered 9x13 pan, do not spread or stir, just pour
directly from saucepan. Sprinkle with your favorite chocolate chips on top,
the hot toffee will melt the chips in a few minutes. With a spatula, spread the
melted chips over the toffee and sprinkle with your favorite nuts.

Allow toffee to completely cool, break apart with a knife and enjoy!

Family Tree Quilt #7

A few more pictures from the quilt. I need to have my friend Kimberly take a real professional photo of the quilt to put on the blog. Hopefully that will happen in the near future.

The picture above is all the places "the men" in the family went on missions.

Dad - South America

Clint - England

Rob and Adam - Italy

Gabe - Philippines.

Below is a stitched picture of the SLC Temple and Mom and Dad's Wedding Date! Above are all the girl's wedding dates from August to December.

Jack was dying to have a drawing of his in the quilt. This was the last stitched item,m and boy was I ready to be done. It is a flying pterodactyl. I just couldn't say no!

Family Tree Quilt #6

The Quilt is finally finished. Well, except for the binding!!! But I can whip that out in an afternoon. My dear friend Ella Lung - machine quilted it for me. She did a fabulous job, not to mention quilting it the day before she had her baby! She is amazing.

To finish off each family/fruit block, I decided to have everyone select a family scripture. I was really impressed with everyone's selections:

Jill - Alma 13:28 (Humble)

Candi - Matt 5:16 (Good Works)

Tina - Mosiah 5:2 (Truth)
Michael - Alma 11:44 (Restoration)

Pamela - 2nd Nephi 20-21 (Christ)

Cathy - D&C 24:8 (I am with thee)

We couldn't forget about Tipsy and Danger! Tipsy ended up looking a little bit like a bear, but cute none the less. Gabe sent me the sketches and I traced and stitched the dogs onto the fabric. I wasn't quite sure how it would turn out, but it was a fun experiment.

Art Shoppe

Ok, I know this is really past due posting about our Fabulous Art Shoppe. (I have a million excuses, namely the family tree quilt, but.....)

The picture above is from The Front Room of The Shoppe. Everything looked so great, all our vendors did an awesome job making their products enticing, inviting and amazing.

Marie and I, in front of our Tom and Lucy Quilt. (isn't Marie cute!) We had such a great time visiting with customers and vendors during the shoppe. Can't wait to do it all over again in the spring!!!