A visit from the Crystalline Entity

On a recent morning, I saw we were being visited by the Crystalline Entity.

OK, this is the real Crystalline Entity. That was just all the snow we've been getting (turned upside down).

Christmas morning 2008

Thought someone might like to see some photos of the boys on Christmas morning!

And here's the Christmas tree!

New Year's Eve

It's the last day of 2008. I can't say it's been the worst year but it certainly hasn't been the best. With Alex being laid off a few weeks ago and jobs looking pretty scarce. We know folks who've been looking for months!

Christmas was nice this year. The kids said it was the best ever. My favorite moment was caroling (in garb) at the Cove Point Retirement Center. The folks' eyes lit up as we sang and many sang with us. It gave me the feeling I was looking for, that I could do something positive for the world at a time which is usually more depressing and stressful for me (the holidays). It made all the difference and even though we have done "Sub-for-Santa" for many years, this was much more emotionally fulfilling. We went to four different care centers on Christmas day with a total of 12 in our group all dressed in our medieval garb. After we went to IHOP which was the only place open. We did a good deal of visiting over the holiday but I think I could have enjoyed even more!

Tonight is up in the air for plans. We could go to the mall for "First Night" or stay home and play the new Wii or maybe some friends will call...

Here's hoping that 2009 is a good one!

Things come in threes?

Last week Alex was laid off. It was a new job he was hoping would turn into a new career in construction. He was learning building skills in preparation to learn to be a project manager. The contractor had 4-5 jobs lined up in September but one by one, they all decided that the economy was too unstable to go through with their plans. For the first time ever, this contractor had to report all his employees for unemployment. Needless to say, we are pretty upset. The job market is poor right now unless you want to work for $8.00 an hour or you are highly skilled.

We also found out a friend has bone cancer so I'm waiting for the final blow. Will it be a car break-down or the furnace goes out? I'm prepared cuz I know if it'll happen, it will happen to me. I'm living a Murphy's Law life.

Friday, my company gave away $25,000 in cash and prizes. I couldn't even dare hope to win (and I didn't) but it really hurt my Christmas spirit. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled to be working for a company that can afford to give away $25,000. It really means job security for me. I know that many people are in worse shape than us BUT it stings none the less.

Keeping the magic alive...

Why is it so hard to keep the magic alive? Our favorite Santa (the REAL Santa) stopped coming to Provo Town Center a few years ago. We heard he went to University Mall but I don't know if that is true, we haven't been able to verify it. We went yesterday to see his royal red roundness and found he had just left for lunch (at 3:30pm) and wouldn't be back for a hour. The boys begged to stay and look around the mall, promising not to ask for anything, so we did. Of course they both asked for things and then we waited another 30 minutes in line for Santa once he was back. It defintiely lowered my Christmas spirit but here's a look at the visit.

Annual Christmas Tree outing...

I have never had an artificial tree for Christmas, never! We have had a tradition every year of cutting down our own Christmas tree. Out first Christmas together we cut a beatutiful tree from a tree farm in New Jersey. The only year we didn't cut our own was the first year we moved to Utah (1993). We bought one from someone in Payson who cut trees from their property and sold them. It will forever be kown as the "Christmas bush." We picked it in the dark which as you know in Utah starts about 5:00pm around Christmas time. They had spot lights and we had a flashlight. We thought we'd picked a good one... not!

Our tradition of cutting continued at Riley's Orchard in Payson until they sold out to development (boo, hiss) and now we buy a permit and cut trees from Forest Service land. It has been an adventure most every year including the year we went to the area south of Tooele which the kids refer to as "the desert."

This year we returned to Ephraim Canyon and here are the results:

We posed on a log fence as we looked for a few good candidates.

Here's one possibility (this was my choice).

...and here's the next.

And finally, here we made the choice!

Halloween, better late than never!

Here are some photos of the family in costume for Halloween this year, taken at the local Mormon Church's "Trunk-or-Treat." (That's where you go car to car instead of house to house.)

Alan is Van Helsing and Benajmin is a Blaze (arena football league) football player.

You want candy? You'll have to fight Death to get it!