Along the path...

How fast this year has flown by! I can hardly believe the new year is just around the corner. It seems like only yesterday we were welcoming 2009 and adjusting to its shape. I had hoped to post a few highlight pictures from this year, but alas, I inadvertently deleted the pictures on my SD card. Anyone know how to retrieve them?

What a fabulous way to spend Christmas vacation!

New found love in MLIA : Last night some friends and I went to Toys R Us at midnight with about a thousand other eager Black Friday shoppers. Except we weren't there to shop. We were dressed as Spartans, and we walked up and down the line, and shouted out a speech encouraging our fellow warriors to stay strong and take heart in the upcoming battle for their children's happiness. MLIA Sure wish I would have heard about this sooner. It would have been awesome to try.

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas (I haven't been able to upload this video. Please follow the link .)

Renee posted this video on her family's blog the other day and I really appreciated her sharing it. You can view it below, from her blog or on youtube .

Courtesy of Conan and the Tonight Show ... Eight Days of Hanukkah from Tablet Magazine on Vimeo .

(To both of my blog readers:) Feeling the spirit of the season? Need somewhere to give? Remember setting up your first home or apartment and all those things you went to your "Old Mother Hubbard" cupboards for? My sister-in-law , Rebekah, and her family are collecting items for "Apartment Start-Up Kits" for a United Way organization to give out to needy families during the coming year. Items can be gently used. Needed: dish clothes and towels cooking utensils pots and pans vacuums brooms mops buckets sponges cleaning products sugar flour spices If you would like to donate anything before January 4th, let me know and I'll help get it to her.

Today I received an email: S. Claus (HelpSanta09) is now following your tweets on Twitter . Guess I'd really better watch out now!

Happy birthday, Mike!!! Hope you have a super awesome day full of all your favorite things. Like playing dress up with your daughters and football with your son and hanging out with your wife. I'm so glad you're a part of our family.

I found these cupcakes in a random blog stalking and fell in love. So holiday-festivish! They look delish.

More info here and here

Happy birthday, Karyn!!! Thursday was a blast. (Thanks, Melinda, for sharing your pics)

This spoof is hilarious! Tom , you rock my world. Twilight Years from Tom on Vimeo .

Happy, happy birthday, AJ, dear. Happy days will come to you all year. If I had one wish then it would be--a happy, happy birthday to you from me! I am so glad you are a part of our family you darling, lovable girly-girl! Thanks for hanging out with me at the zoo and the fair and for going fun places. I love our "dates" and playing hide and seek. Hope your fourth birthday is full of happiness and many wonderful surprises. Love you girl!

Nathan, Even with as much as you protest, you know you love it! Hope you have a great birthday and that this year brings the best of everything your way! Love you.

My friend Andrea sent me this picture along with the following message. I'm not sure where it originated... The good news is that I truly out did myself this year with my Christmas decorations. The bad news is that I had to take them down after only two days. So many people came screaming up to my house. All great stories, but two things clinched it. First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents--they almost wrecked when they drove by. Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder and almost killed herself leaning it against my house. She didn’t realize that it was fake until she climbed to the top--and boy was she not happy. She was only one of many who attempted the feat. Also, my yard just couldn’t take it either. There are more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard.

Guess who is finally FOUR! Yeah, RD! I'm so glad to have you as a nephew. I love your wit and charm and intellect. No one could ask for a better nephew. And I love the way you speak Spanish. Thanks for your kisses--where ever they happen to land! You're the best!!!

This recipe came from a co-worker at a potluck Halloween luncheon. It was Yummmm! 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 lb. Velveeta cheese 1 med. onion, chopped (or 2 Tbs. dried minced onion) 1 pkg. Doritos (we usually use ¾ of the bag) Bake or boil the chicken and cut it up into bite-size pieces. In a saucepan, slowly heat the tomatoes, soup and cheese. In a 9x13-inch pan, put 1 layer chicken, 1 layer chopped onions, 1 layer Doritos. Pour cheese-and-soup mixture over the top. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Sing on!

This is a thoughful story my cousin sent me. A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about father," he said. "I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor." So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl. When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the coup...

Everybody is kung fu fighting .

Love their costuming and formations .

Happy Thanksgiving!!

This cooking tip is way cool .

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. William Arthur Ward

Saw "New Moon" this weekend with some girl friends. Much better than "Twilight". Love the book-Edward and not so much the movie-Edward. Definitely like the movie-Jacob. Wow!

Simply marvelous

Love this stuff . I saw Stomp live in concert once. It was one of the most entertaining concerts I've been to.

Earlier this week, I hit the Thanksgiving Point theater with Dilee, Emily, Julie and Nikki for a late show. We let Emily choose the flick; but never again. The movie she chose was " The Box ." It was creepy and confusing. The characters weren't well formed or believable. What was their motivation? I kept feeling like there should be (or would be) something more. I wanted substance and meaning. There wasn't. When the movie ended, I kept thinking "That was it?" The best part was hanging with some friends and laughing at inappropriate places in the nearly empty theater. (If you happened to hit the show the same night we did, I apologize for our obnoxiousness and for laughing in the tense scenes.) No recommendations. Not even for dollar flick or a there's-nothing-better-to-do-let's-get-a-movie night. At least I didn't throw my water.

I've always wondered why the Irish dance the way they do. Now I know .

Several months ago, my team at work visited Sp^rk (Spark) for lunch in Provo near the Wells Fargo building. Delish! Then for my birthday three dear friends took me to Guru's for dinner and indulged my whim to hang in the lounge and sip fancy drinks at Sp^rk. A few days later, I hit the joint again with two other darling friends after Gypsy Tapestry for dinner and drinks. Every time I've gone, the staff has been attentive and fabulous. The food is amazing and their non-alcoholic drinks are wonderful. Did you know that Wednesdays are ladies night? Ladies get a free dessert with the purchase of a food item. Try the chocolate mousse. It's a mini trip to heaven.

Summer at the ranch. The old family home and bunk house with the Cockscomb in the background left. Sigh.

Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much. Oscar Wilde Irish writer

Somebody's having a birthday today ... Somebody is turning SIX (6) !!! Hooray! Great guess--it's IC! My life was forever altered the day you were born. Thanks for being so dear and for having me as a first-time aunt. Happy Birthday, Ladybug. Love you much!

Cream: 2/3 c. butter 2/3 c. butter flavored Crisco 1 c. white sugar 1 c. brown sugar Incorporate: 2 eggs 2 t. vanilla 3 1/2 c. flour 1 t. salt 1 t. baking soda 1 bag chocolate chips (dark, milk, or semi-sweet) nuts, optional Bake: 375 degree oven for 8-9 minutes

Check out a Borders near you - tomorrow!

What is Gypsy Dancing

The Unknown Soldier by Billy Rose There's a graveyard near the White House Where the Unknown Soldier lies, And the flowers there are sprinkled With the tears from mother's eyes. I stood there not so long ago With roses for the brave, And suddenly I heard a voice Speak from out the grave: "I am the Unknown Soldier," The spirit voice began, "And I think I have the right To ask some questions man to man. "Are my buddies taken care of? Was their victory so sweet? Is that big reward you offered Selling pencils on the street? "Did they really win the freedom They battled to achieve? Do you still respect that Croix de Guerre Above that empty sleeve? "Does a gold star in the window Now mean anything at all? I wonder how my old girl feels When she hears a bugle call. "And that baby who sang 'Hello, Central, give me no man Can they replace her daddy With a military band? "I wonder if the profiteers Have satisfied their greed? I wonder if a sol...

The other day I found two rare and interesting journals. At first they were difficult to read, but with a little effort I was able to translate them. Following are excerpts from each of them: Excerpts from a Dog's Diary... 8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing! 9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing! 9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing! 9:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing! 12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing! 1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing! 3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing! 5:00 pm - Milk Bones! My favorite thing! 7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing! 8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing! 11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing! Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary... Day 983 of my captivity - My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make...

On Thursday morning, my dad called to tell me that my uncle had passed away. He had been struggling with leukemia and his funeral is today. Eighty still seems too young. Wenzle is my dad's oldest brother, a kind man with an easy smile. He and Aunt Millie returned to Utah a few years ago from Connecticut and have been living near the ranch. Such a good man. We'll miss you! (There were a few typos in the online obituary that I corrected in the version below.) Wenzle D. Morrill 1929 ~ 2009 Wenzle D. Morrill , age 80, passed away November 5th, 2009 at the Dixie Regional Medical Center. He was born April 4, 1929 to Dellos and Pearl Covington Morrill in Salina, UT. Wenzle spent his early years in Grover, Wayne County. He moved to Pleasant Grove in 1940 and attended Pleasant Grove High School. He enlisted with the US Army and was stationed in Govener's Island, N.Y. He resided in Staten Island for four years. Wenzle married Mildred on January 20, 1949 in Winsted, Connecticut. The...

A man’s reach should exceed his grasp. Robert Browning

This Saturday Nov 7 is the Gold's Gym Worldwide Burn-a-thon! In honor of American Diabetes Month, Gold's Gyms across the globe are opening their doors in an effort to burn a world-record 180 million calories for diabetes awareness! (the equivalent of 50,000 pounds of fat!) The event is open to the public so you can bring friends and family for free . Come on in to burn some calories for the cause and help support the fight against diabetes! Event and free workouts at participating gyms. Contact your gym for details. For more information, visit http://www.goldsgym.com/ or www.diabetes.org/tour-goldsburnathon . http://www.goldsgym.com/ - 800.99.GOLDS © 2009 Gold's Gym International, Inc. 125 E. John Carpenter Freeway, Suite 1300 • Irving, Texas 75062-2709

My friend Amy Peterson Anderson posted this video on Facebook. A little English cartoon short. It reminded me of warmer times and warmer days. Sigh.

A friend at work emailed me the following message by Dr. Vinay Goyal about the H1N1 flu. It's pretty interesting and may help us all stay more healthy. Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS, DRM, DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years and has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital, Bombay Hospital , Saifee Hospital, Tata Memorial, etc. Presently, he is the Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W). The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is. While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most o...

The first annual Gypsy Tapestry performance will featuring dancers from the Covey Center for the Arts Middle Eastern Dance program and Desert Gypsy Dance Company along with local professional dancers. Revel in the gypsy spirit. When: Wed., November 4, 2009 Where: Covey Center for the Arts Doors open at 7 pm. Show starts at 7:30 pm. Tickets are only $5.00! Click here to buy tickets!

Clothes make a statement. Costumes tell a story. Mason Cooley college professor

This is something I wanted to save to read later . When it's not dark and there are people around. LOL

I was much better at this whole posting thing while I was on vacation. (Love the scheduling feature!) I'll post more about vacation later, but here is an interesting site you might enjoy until then. Have you ever been somewhere out and about and needed to find a toilet? STAT! SitorSquat is for just such an emergency. It helps you find and catalog public restrooms, wherever you are. You can rate, favorite and feature facilities. The site also shines a humorous light on a basic human need--but I can't vouch for all the humor you might find. While in Mesa Verde, I was a bit of a potty prima donna. I admit it. Openly. Freely. Sure wish I'd have known about this site then.

Our Department Director first showed this clip to me. It is hilarious!

The other day, I was talking with a coworker about cake. After thinking about it for a while, I decided my favorite cake is Best Ever Apple Pudding Cake. I don't have my mom's recipe handy, but this one looks similar. Ingredients 2 cups packed brown sugar 1/2 cup shortening 2 cups whole wheat flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 cups grated apples 1/2 cup chopped nuts SAUCE: 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup light corn syrup 1/2 cup evaporated milk 1 teaspoon vanilla Cream together the brown sugar and shortening in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Add apples and nuts. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan, and bake in a 350° F. oven for 45 minutes. While pudding is baking, prepare sauce by bringing the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and evaporated milk to a boil in a heavy pan. Remove from heat, and add vanilla. Serve warm sau...

Last night my entire family and I went to Gardener's Village in Salt Lake for dinner in the old mill ( Archibald's ) and to walk around the village. It was such a surprise to have us all there together--even my sister and brother-in-law and their kids were able to make it. By the time we had finished with dinner, the shops had closed. It was still the witching hour as we walked around the shops to meet the witches. So much fun! Thanks for coming and for spoiling me rotten. At work my coworkers took me to lunch at the Thai Chili Garden , provided cake and ice cream, and were way too kind all day long. Thanks to everyone for their calls, emails, Facebook notes, etc. I appreciate your thoughts and wishes. It was a good day.

This weekend, I hit the Cheesecake Factory and then a movie theater with some fabulous friends ( Andrea happy birthday! , Karyn , and Melinda ) for a good ol' chick flick. It was hilarious. Both heroines were endearing, and I admit to being one of those obnoxious movie-goers who laughs out loud. Julie & Julia is based on two true stories and was a pleasant surprise. Julia Child brought French cooking home , so to speak, and Julie Powell's blog is famous. Someday mine may be too. LOL Here I sit, a servantless American cook with an unexpected craving to try my hand at Boeuf Bourguignon . But, no desire to work my way through an entire cookbook of 500+ Julia Child recipes in a year.