Master Diego

It was truly a Star Wars Christmas at the George house...Diego especially was showered with Star Wars toys and Granny even made him the coolest Jedi cape ever! So cute!

Fun fun

Merry Christmay to me! Lovin my new coat! Its warm and cozy and even reversable:) It'll be perfect for our crazy cold winters in SLC.

Merry Christmas

I've always loved the Nativity...what an amazing moment that must have been...

Oh, the weather outside is frightful...

Yes that's my car after a long day at work...gotta love the snow!

The view outside the kitchen window when I woke up this morning:)

Well winter has finally arrived. It's the middle of December and aside for a few snow flurries in Oct this is our first big storm. You'd think living in the mountains would prepare people for driving in snowy conditions, but you'd be surprised. Yesterday I spent the day slipping and sliding around the streets, watching people slide off the road as they tried to turn or stop on the slushy ground, unable to find traction. I really do take for granted that my tires are going to find pavement. There's really not much you can do but sit back and enjoy the ride when you're sliding on the snow covered ground...fun fun!

Thanks Tracey!

The other day I went over to my friend Tracey's house for lunch and she gave me my Christmas present. Its a photo box full of beautiful live plants. Its so pretty and is perfect for my office. Hopefully I can keep the plants alive for a little while...we'll see. Thanks Tracey...you're the best!!

Visit with Grandma George

Mom and Dad flew in for a quick trip. We ran down to see Grandma and they were on their way back in the morning. Its been a blessing to be close enough to visit her every now and again. Love ya Grandma!

Historical Thanksgiving

Original 1863 illustration by Thomas Nast of "Thanksgiving Day, 1863." The image shows scenes of importance to this critical period in our Nation's History. The image show a nation in earnest prayer. Our founding fathers, our political leaders, our military leaders, emancipated slaves, and the destitute are all seen lifting their prayers before God. In the center, we see a dramatic image of Columbia (Lady Liberty) kneeling in prayer. This is a touching illustration, and an important reminder of the critical role that prayer played in the history of our Nation.

This is NOT my life!!!

So last night around 10 my roommate came in and said..."you're not gonna be happy with me". Keeping in mind I already knew she was planning to move at the first of the year, I said what, I'm sure its fine. Then she told me our landlord had someone else to move into our place and I couldnt stay either. Oh, but it gets better...since we were on a month to month lease, we have to be out on the 15th of December, one month from the time she notified him. So not only do I no longer have a home, but I have to figure it all out in about 2 weeks and over at least one holiday.

Now, being the happy, sunshiny person I am, I'm trying to look on the bright side, but I need a little help. So I'm gonna spend the rest of this blog writing down all the great things that happened in my life this year in a last ditch attempt to not have a nervous breakdown. Please feel free to add...(and due to the complete crazyness in my head, these events are in no order at all)

1. The elections are over
2. I am healthy
3. I have an amazing family and wonderful friends
4. I have a job!
5. I dont have to work graveyards anymore:)
6. I have actually dated a bit this year...yeah (see Niclebacks song "Gotta be Somebody", it is my theme song)
7. I have a car that is paid for
8. I get to go home for Christmas
9. We had a great time in Tahoe for our family reunion
10. 2009 has got to have tons of blessings coming!!!

Twilight

(Just a quick note, I promise) I've tried my hardest to NOT watch any of the hype about Twilight so I can enjoy the movie all by myself. I did, however, read some of the goings on in my area. I have tickets to see the film Saturday and when reading about the event Twilight will be at my local Megaplex, I realized what fun the crazyness is. They are actually doing a blood drive at the theater I'll be seeing it at. Stephanie Myers would be proud:) What a silly bunch of mortals we are....

room for rent

So the other night my roommate knocked on my door and said, "I have good news and bad news, which would you like first". Then she preceded to tell me she was taking a job in AZ starting the first of the year which meant she'd be moving. (job=good news/moving=bad:)

Now dont get me wrong, I'm happy she's jumping into something new, but I just got settled and I love my little place! UGH!!! So, best case scenario...I find a new roommate and we go about furnishing the place (I have nothing but bedroom stuff at the moment) and worst case...I have to move too because the rent goes up or I cant find someone in time. I hate option number two for many reasons, most of all I love my place and moving sucks! HELP!!

weekly update

Well it was a fairly uneventful week. You can tell from the lack of pictures on my blog. I did have a date on Wed. which was nice but that's pretty much it. My job is finally starting to pick up. I'm meeting with kids and writing reports most days and that is a huge step in the right direction:) I'm still trying to get used to being in an office all day, I'm not really made for the office...anyway...that was my week.

Veteran's Day

Thanks to all the men and women who have served. We honor you!

football photo's

OK first of all it was COLD!!! I think it was around 28 degrees when we got there around 7:00...don't ask me how cold it was by the time we left. And yes, I did make that scarf!


For those of you who know me (which should be everyone reading my blog) this is how I actually watched most of the game. Playing with my camera and remaining in my seat.











Melinda, Leo and myself...go Utes!

Football...am I in the right place?

So last month when it was a nice 75 degrees we went to a U football game. It was a lot of fun so we decided to go again. Leo got tickets for Melinda and I and we're going tonight. Now if it had even been last week the weather was crisp but nice fall weather. Today the high is 30 and tonight after the sun goes down it will be even colder! What were we thinking??? So somehow we will be at the game tonight bundled in coats, blankets, hats, scarves, gloves, hand warmers, thermals, extra socks and whatever else we can drag to the stadium to sit outside in the freezing weather and cheer for the U. (someone remind me why I'm cheering for the U) Anyway, freezing cold pictures to come...

Teen Pregnancy & TV

So I just read this article on the link between teen pregnancy rates and sexual content in TV watching. I sent some of you and email about it but not sure if it worked. Here's the link so check it out. Its nothing you probably dont already think about current programming but its interesting to read about the literal links between content and teen pregnancy rates. Maybe this jumped out at me because of the type of kids I work with, but I also think it has a lot to do with the amount of very poor programming that is on TV now days. It's sad really how few shows are positive and uplifting to watch...not very many.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27506234

family fun

Aunts, Uncles & Cousins....Congratulations Elsie! We had a fun time catching up with the bird family at the reception held at Elsie's cousins amazing home in Mapleton. We should get together more:)

THRILLER

THRILLER

Thanks you Odyssey Dance Company for putting on such a fun Halloween show. Some of the favorites were the skelatons in black light, the witches, Frankenstein and his bride, the Mummy, and the little kid that could rock it!

Leo, Melinda, Clarice and I all had a great time at Thriller!

Gotta love Halloween:)

Wild Wild West

Though it began as a Renaissance costume, I think my Saloon Girl version (left)worked pretty well. With a few pins to busstle the skirt, the fabulous hat and boa. And couldnt be without a fancy fan, not to mention the sexy boots;) All in all it was a fun costume. I even won the costume contest for best theme costume, yea me! I love Halloween!

(top)The costume winners...me-best theme, Tracey-sexiest, Isaac-best cowboy. Arn't we cute:)

costume woes

We were spoiled as kids to have an amazing costume maker in the family. If you could think of it she could figure out a way to put it together (ie...campbell soup can, chicken in egg, etc.) Needless to say, gone are the days when mom made our Halloween costumes:( So I have a Halloween party with a Western theme. You'd be surprised how hard it is to find western type costumes, even cowboy costumes are burried behind the pirates and vampires. And try to find a female costume that doesnt look like a Playboy Bunny costume. Fun for Honeymoons and private bedrooms with your sweetheart but hardly street worthy, unless you work the streets...(hmm...tangent, sorry:) So in the end I decided to alter the Renaissance costume of Emily's that I somehow had shoved in a box somewhere. Happily it turned out well and there will be pictures to come.

gas

Its a little sad when I get excited enough to post about gas prices. I got gas last night for 2.99 and even saw it this morning for 2.89...if it would only stay down. Enjoy it while it lasts!

registering

Just a little reminder that today is the last day to register to vote in the upcoming elections. I thought I was all set, after all they tracked me down for Jury Duty, but it turns out I had to fill out a change of address form. So on my lunch hour I wandered down to the County Clerks office and to my surprise it was the most popular place on earth! Lucky for me I already had all my paperwork and just had to drop it off. This too was a chore but I made it. EVERY VOTE REALLY DOES COUNT!

Oh..oh...Beautiful!

Today I decided to take a drive up the canyon to spend a little time with nature. For those of you who don't know, I am one of the blessed few that doesn't have church until 2:00pm (and yes I'm being sarcastic). Thinking ahead to my blog I even had my camera with me. I actually love taking pictures so this is a huge motivator for me. Anyway, here are just a few of the amazing shots of nature that I ran into up Big Cottonwood Canyon.

Top right is a rock formation that I wanted to share because when I looked at it on my camera it looked to me like a lyon. Those of you with a shred of imagination can see the king of the jungle if you but look.....below is a picture of the changing leaves on the Aspen trees up by Donut Falls....and above, one of my favorite pictures of the river.

I'm not really the nature type but it was nice to take a drive up the canyon and just relax. The weather was beautiful. It was a time of reflection and peace and sometimes that is the best thing in the world. Life is full of everyday amazing things. We are truely blessed!

help?

Has anyone seen this product???? Its called Advanced Color Therapy Leave-In Glossing Mist. Anyone?? Its one of my favorite hair care products and I cant find it anywhere, not even on-line. My fear is, its one of those test/limited products I brought home one Christmas that my sister Emily's husband Nate got from his work. He works at P&G and gets to try all sorts of things that arn't always accessible to the public. If this is the case then I dont know what I'll do. I realize its a frivolous request but it really is the best little product in the world to make your hair shiny and soft without feeling like it has product in it at all. HELP:)

work

So you all know that I'm having tons of fun at my new job. I am an Intake Probation Officer for Juvenile Court in West Jordan. Basically SLC is split into north and south and I'm in the south office. It is only about 10 minutes from my house. I have a normal schedule (8-5 M-F) and I even have to dress like a grown-up...this has its pluses and minuses. So far my work load has been really light. At this moment I only have 6 kids on my caseload when the average worker has 130. I guess it takes a while to build up a caseload. Everyone keeps telling me to enjoy my down time, but really its killing me. I'm not a sit around on the job kind of person...thus this blog:)

Since I'm not great with the pictures yet, I don't have any picture of my office. And really, its so plain there's nothing to see. I so need to decorate! So here is a picture of the West Jordan Courthouse where I work. It was built just a few years back so its so nice. My office is somewhere in the middle with no windows:) Its so fun to have an office!

haircut

So I finally got my hair cut a few weeks ago and I cant believe I waited so long (I always think that:) Anyway, this is the most recent picture I have of myself. I guess if I'm gonna be a blogger, I'm gonna have to start taking more pictures...its a good thing!

Armor

I found this on someone's MySpace a year or so ago and have always appreciated it. It is a constant reminder to me of the need to always wear my armor!

Down Time

So I love my new job but I have considerable down time. So here I am trying to figure out how to blog...help...anyone...Bueller