Glimpses of Christmas 2009

The Problem I have with blogging or journaling or scrapbooking is when life gets busy I feel all this inner pressure to catch up on writing or blogging before I can write what it is I came to or wanted to...

So, for my sanity I'm going to continue putting up some highlights from this last year.

Speaking of highlights- treats!!! I went a little crazy last year and started making cookies for neighbors and employees (not the crazy part) and then I just got so excited I kept thinking of delicious things to make. In one- yes ONE night, I made: cinnamon rolls, sugar cookies, chocolate crinkles, peanut butter cookies, snicker doodles, fudge, carmel... ok that might be it but I was so delighted---- they each were delicious!! and I usually have a baking disaster every three times I bake.

I broke one of my favorite ornaments last year... I was really sad. I got a 4 pack of these while at Utah State at Walmart and can't find any like them.
Our fireplace for Christmas Eve--- on TV. ha

Cute Uncle Brandon with cute new nephew.

Happy New Years. Yes, he's asleep. We were really exciting as we wished in the New Year. :)
Actually, it was fun, we were house and dog sitting for some good friends and played games for hours and because he fell asleep I got to watch my chick flick. It worked. So, Temple Square in Utah is one of my favorite places to be in December. This isn't quite the same but pretty awesome. The Washington DC Temple has lights and last year they had a collection of Nativity Scenes from all different countries.... this one is from Australia--- how cool is it...look closer. All of the figures are made from pears and sea shells. Love it!

Making Gingerbread houses with Pat and Melissa. LOVE lOVE this time of year--- and love that it is about that time of year again. :) Already started listening to Christmas music.

Dear Mr. Neighbor (Still catching up from last winter)

So, we don't know our neighbors out here so well. We've tried to say hi and things but people aren't as receptive of welcoming strangers around here I guess. Not even with plates full of Christmas goodies. (We tried to give our stair well neighbors plates of yummies and the tenants above us were obviously home since we heard them above us and outside their door and even with a peep hole to see our delicious offering and kind faces we didn't get a hello, or even an open door)

Anyway, this wasn't an encounter that was quite as friendly.

In the previous posts you can see the snow snow snow that we had that winter. Well, it took Brandon, his dad and I were out for 3 hours shoveling out our two little cars. And then we shoveled multiple times. Well, usually you can reserve a spot in the lot but other neighbors had been putting folding chairs out to save the spots they spent hours digging out. Well, I did this too. I'm all about following parking lot rules, but saving your spot seemed pretty fair considering the time it took to dig it out.

So, imagine how irked I was when I got home at 10:30pm in the cold to find my spot taken. SO TICKED!!!!!

Fuming in fact!!

I left a nice but disappointed note on my little "friends" car.

So, neighbors dear, as the snow falling time approaches, be ready to dig your own spot! Or else.... you'll get a note too.

Thanks.

Snow Snow Snow

Last winter Maryland got the snow storm(s) of it's life.

Even growing up in Utah this was a lot of snow. So snowing this much here was CrAzY!!! Maryland doesn't have the plows for this time of weather, so when the weather man says snow schools shut down (before they even see the snow), grocery stores are bare, and this winter the snow was SO intense, even Massage Envy closed for a few days.

Busy Busy-- Time to Catch Up

Wow, a lot has happened. I guess I'll just give some highlights...

Once upon a time, many moons ago Brandon and I got to go home to celebrate a late Christmas with both of our families and meet our favorite nephew!

I got to see Jana and Stace
Had so much fun with my family!!!


Traditional girls trip to DQ. We really missed Jen!

At Jade and Tim's we ate delicious food and spent a lot of time playing Super Mario Brothers, or as we like to call it Bubble Up. (Mostly I spent a lot of the time "bubbling up" so I didn't die. I've never been a Nintendo guru but back in the day I would play a game or two with my cousins. I'd play for 35 seconds and die and then they would get to play for 20 minutes. I love that with the new game you almost never die out).
We tried to take a family picture with a timer. I made it in the frame. :)
It was so much fun to see everyone!! and we LOVE this little guy!

Currently Craving Fried Deliciousness

Once upon a time...

Back when I used to blog, we went to the Maryland State Fair. Do you know what wonderfulness we found. Fried deliciousness. Do you know they fry everything?? There's the stuff we already know and love...spring rolls, french fries, scones but do you know what they fry here? desserts-- fried oreos, fried candy bars and like all fried things they were DELICIOUS! Can't wait to have some more!! I just want to figure out a batter and try my own.

This beauty is a fried milky way

And then we saw a baby calf being born. It was pretty amazing... Brandon didn't think it was as awesome as I did, he doesn't handle bodily fluids very well... not even on tv. Let's just hope that one day if I break a bone really bad or bleed I have the strength to drag myself to a phone to call someone and that Brandon doesn't hurt himself when he faints.