Making rather merry in December

Oh, December. You were so good to me! Due to some rewiring at the office, I worked from home for an entire week (not usually my favorite way to work, but I'm proud of the fact that I showered and got dressed every morning regardless of whether I saw anybody). I also relished at 12-day vacation from work wherein I mostly read The Wise Man's Fear (an excellent fantasy novel), watched various movies and a lot of Doctor Who and Sherlock episodes, ate delicious food, and slept as much as possible. I also taught my last Relief Society lesson (in this ward, at least).

Carrie moved to Las Vegas and a bunch of us threw her a surprise good-bye party. I'm very proud of the fact that I didn't ruin the surprise, especially since it was my job to get her there and let everyone know we were there so they could hide (seriously, how did we function before cell phones?). She was definitely surprised, and we all had a blast. I miss her. I'm glad she's going to visit from time to time!

Carrie is in the middle, holding everyone's arms/hands.
Yes, most of us girls are wearing tiaras. Yes, three of them are mine :D

Phil was a wonderful Phil Davis in CenterPoint's White Christmas

His dancing was gorgeous, as one would expect from someone who has competed in ballroom competitions!

Kate was a sweet, strong, loving Mrs. Cratchit in HCT's A Christmas Carol.

No wonder they keep inviting her back year after year!

The office Christmas party was at Tucanos this year. YUMMMM!

This chocolate cake was as big as my face, so of course it was photo-worthy.

Ginger Dudes from Les Madeleines 

(I put the bobby pin there to show you how tiny they were!)

Kristen and I had a fun time shopping and supporting our friends at The Dickens' Christmas Festival. We started off speaking with British accents... and then forgot about them. Oh well, next year, ok Kristen?

I also had the pleasure of hearing her and our friend Stephen sing Christmas carols at This is the Place a few weeks later, but sadly none of my photos turned out.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dickens
He was taking a break from writing The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Can't wait to find out how it ends ;)

Lovely Andrea. I didn't get to see her perform, but her direction for Scrooge was wonderful!

One of several crazy snow storms. I feel pretty lucky I only had to drive in one.

(I have new tires now, so hopefully future snow driving won't be as frustrating or scary.)

Larissa's annual A Christmas Story pajama party is always a highlight!

Wendy invited me to see A Christmas Carol with her, and I jumped at the chance to see her again

BTW, this is what I look like with straight hair :)
Look as much as you like, 'cause I don't know when I'll do it again...

Fun socks and cute boots are two of my favorite things during winter

(the other is warm scarves)

Liz's Black-Tie birthday party

The birthday girl

So fun to see Maddie and Connor there. It was like a tiny Little Women reunion!

I lit a fire in my fireplace for the first time since I have lived there.

It never did blaze. It burned so slowly that the coals were still smoldering the next morning.

I discovered this during a post-Christmas visit

Cookies, M&Ms, and a cheese plate for a girls' night/sleepover 

Trust me: the cranberry cheeseball was delicious. We tried it on celery and it was amazing!

Possibly my last Butterbeer of the season. It's been really fun seeing the barristas's reactions when I ordered it.
I might swing by Starbucks on Saturday to see if they still have enough toffee nut syrup for one more...

 I made myself go to the mid-singles dance at Rice-Eccles Stadium for New Year's Eve.

I even went to an after-party and met some new people. Are you proud?

Katie and Kirsten made sure I didn't feel lonely!

 

We had the best view of the fireworks :)

Happy New Year!

Ring out the old and on with the new. January is likely to be a somewhat quiet month, since I'm saving money and rehearsals may or may not keep me busy. That's okay. I wouldn't mind some time curled up with a book and another attempt at a fire on the next snowy day!

Happy 2014!

Happy New Year!

Enjoy whatever may come, and whatever you create this year!

New Year's Eve!!

Tonight's December thirty-first,
Something is about to burst.
The clock is crouching, dark and small,
Like a time bomb in the hall.
Hark, it's midnight, children dear.
Duck! Here comes another year!

- Ogden Nash

Have a happy and safe New Year, everybody!

The Sweater Christmas

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were everything I hoped they would be: full of family, fun, and traditions. My mom gave all of the men a sweater in varying shades of grey and blue. I think Peter got two or three; enough that he quipped: "I call this 'The Sweater Christmas.'"

Christmas EVE!!

A new tradition: A white elephant game. We had fun seeing what items Lindsey had come up with, and stealing Slinkys, Princess puzzles, and bungee cords away from each other!

A small, yet stalwart, cast for the Nativity

This screams "I'm doing this not because I want to, but because you asked me to." I appreciate them being good sports. They were so cute as Mary and the Angel!
(I love Dad videotaping in the background. Hope to see the video someday!)

Talent show!
The G-child's piano skills are growing!

"Christmas Bells are Ringing"

"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

"Twas the Night Before Christmas"
I love hearing my mom read out loud. Truly one of her most valuable skills!

"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"
(Speaking of growing skills)

Dave recited a cool Shakespeare-era poem about the resurrection. Impressive and lovely! 

Singing carols and ringing bells.  You haven't heard "Jingle Bells" until you've heard my siblings clucking and mooing their way through it. Funniest thing I've heard in a while!

Lime slushie and a beautiful couple in flannel. That's the dream!

Christmas DAY!!

Dad surprised Mom with a new diamond ring. She cried.
"I thought someone would get a ring this Christmas, but I didn't think it would be me!"

Old (not really) blue eyes
(Doesn't his expression remind you of the official photos for the General Authorities?)

 The calendars were a hit! Better yet, my mom's exact words when she saw the cover photo were:
"That's the best picture of me, ever! Let's put it on Facebook!"

The latest from Mom's campaign to steer Aaron away from his stylin' printed t-shirts ;)

I admit, I totally cried when I opened this pass for the Salt Lake Comic Con FanXperience, and my brothers all slow-clapped.
I am BEYOND excited to meet most of the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation in April!
It's my fifteen year-old dream come true!

"The Frozen castle!!"

Zonks and Breezy could not have been more excited about their new dollhouse. They reacted very differently...

...Here is Zonks quietly hugging it before it is entirely unwrapped :D

Breezy fell down a lot trying to thank Grammy and Boppa. As Aaron said: "The ability to walk is overrated when you get a good present." When she couldn't get close to Boppa because of all of the gift, wrapping, and footrest obstacles, she kissed his foot. Dad laughed, "A lot of people have had kissed on their lips and cheeks today, but I'm the only one who got it on his feet!"

Lindsey and I both received this fancy trash can, and we were both thrilled! 

In Lindsey's words: "It might be sharing the bed with Adam and I tonight."

Haha!

(Now we see where Zonks inherited her quiet reaction ;-) )

Everyone had fun with the Dominoes set the kids received. Unfortunately, we haven't quite gotten the knack of how far apart to set them. It was still fun!

Our resident engineer/med student builds a crazy-tall tower

My friends and family were so generous this year. I don't deserve them!
(But I will keep them ;-) )

I know I take it for granted how well my family gets along. I watch movies and t.v. shows where families yell at each other, and I can't relate (I loathe those kinds of shows). I won't pretend it's all happiness and understanding all the time, but generally we appreciate and support each other and enjoy being together. I am so lucky! I sure do love these people.

It was a little bittersweet knowing this is the last year of our family the way it is now; the way it has been for the last three years. Next year, we'll have a new baby and a wedding (dare I hope for two or three of each?)! Good changes, for sure. We have enjoyed being a family of twelve. Looking forward to the added love and fun the new family members will bring!

God bless us, everyone!

My sentiments for the day are summed up in the immortal words of Fred from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol:

There are many things from which I might have derived good by which I have not profited, I dare say," returned the nephew, "Christmas among the rest. But I am sure I have always throught of Christmas-time, when it has come round -- apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin, if anything belonging to it can be apart from that -- as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passangers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys. And therefore, uncle, though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket, I believe that it has done me good, and will do me good; and I say God bless it!

Happy Christmas, my friends. I love you, and I hope the day is full of family, friends, and fun!

Jury Duty

This month brought a new experience for me:

Jury Duty

This phrase strikes fear into the heart of a lot of U.S. citizens, and I confess that I wasn't thrilled with the timing of the initial notice (right before my birthday and Disneyland trip) but by the time they actually called me in I was kind of looking forward to it. I was definitely looking forward to a change from the regular work day!

Fortunately, I was called to a less-severe court than those that do murder trials and such. One of the cases I was called for was for theft. I arrived bright and early and waited in a room with about 20 other people for an hour. During that time, nearly everybody complained about how inconvenient it was. I mean, sure, none of us asked to be there, but do you have to whine the whole time? It doesn't change anything... it just makes me not like you :P Although, I admit I felt a little sorry for the woman who had been called in every two years like clockwork for the last 16 years. That would be annoying (knock on wood)!

Also, I noticed quickly that I was overdressed. I had on a sweater and heels and a sheath skirt... most other people were wearing jeans. Nice jeans, but they definitely looked more comfortable than I. That's what I get for dressing like I'm on an episode of Drop Dead Diva! Now I know for next time.

Finally, we were called in to meet with the judge and we assumed to be vetted for duty. That's when the judge said that not enough witnesses had shown up for either case, so we could go home.

Oh. Okay.

She gave us a chance to ask questions, and a few people did, but I was out of there by 9:30. Since I had the day off from work, I went home and took a nap and it was awesome!

So, my first foray into the world of justice was a little anti-climactic. Ah, well, at least I won't be called for at least another two years!

Have you ever served on a jury? What was it like? What was the case like? Are you excited to do it again?