With each telling, the flames get higher!

I'd like to publicly apologize (again) to the Santaquin City Firefighters for making them suit up and leave the comforts of home on Christmas eve to respond to a frantic 911 call about our holiday bonfire. My intention was to start a new tradition that was both memorable and didn't involve money & gifts. Well, this is one Christmas eve I'll never forget!

Grandpa Dick (who passed away on August 3rd) used to tell stories about the Christmas Eve bonfires they used to have when he was a kid. It was all very nostalgic and since I have grown a bit cynical about gifts as of late, my goal has been to do things at this time of year that create memories. A couple years ago we went cross country skiing at Soldier Hollow where Brad set up phone communication for the Olymics in 2002, one year we saw A Christmas Carol at the Hale theatre... you get the idea. So in memory of Grandpa, Linds and I thought it would be sweet to sing some carols around a little bonfire. Then the Henders got involved (they add excitment to any gathering) and donated some cookie palets, Brad got the back-hoe, and another neighbor showed up with some gasoline. Can you see where we're going with this? By the time I realize this is gonna be a BIG fire it's too late to notify the authorities because they were already on their way over. Good sports that they were, when they saw that it was 'under control' they asked "where's the marshmellows?" Funny thing is, this fire was so hot, you'd need a roasting stick fifteen feet long to avoid singeing your eyelashes.

Good times... they're already talking about next years bonfire and how it's going to be even bigger. Heaven help us [and someone get the proper permits!]

Christmas is Creeping up on us again!

I'm so glad it snowed! I love snow. It really feels like Christmas now. Maybe it''s because I moved to Kanab in the winter of 1974 and saw my first icicles and snow when I was eleven that I really knew what I had been missing!

I just got back from Idaho where I attended the Rexburg Idaho temple (my niece's wedding) so Utah feels downright balmy. I got to drive up with my sister and her family and they actually like to sing Christmas carols while driving in the car so I was loving it. We got bored with just singing them so we started using special sound effects like 'the opera voice' or 'under the sea'. We sounded pretty bad but it was a riot.

Well, it's less than a week now and I still haven't thought of a good present for my hubby (any suggestions? I'm desperate). I know I can just get something boring like a corduroy shirt but that would just be.............................. boring. Help. What he really wants is to be in Hawaii with the Jones but that ain't gonna happen (man, it's tough trying to keep up with the Joneses!). Haylie got a pricey gift this year. I'll give you a hint... they are silver and shiny with red & green elastics on them.

Well, have a Merry one everybody and remember; you won't get it all done before Christmas eve but you will get to the most important things becasuse somehow they always get done!

Turkey Leftovers!

Aaaaaaaah, Thanksgiving. Blake came up from Cedar and brought his girlfriend. All I can say is... if he breaks up with her, we're all gonna clobber him. She's that nice. After stuffing ourselves, we watched a Holiday Classic: Chevy Chase in Christmas Vacation. Giggles all around. I have an edited version in case anyone wants to borrow it. Saturday morning we left before daylight on our annual adventure to pick out the perfect tree and I was so happy -there was even a little snow up there! Campfire, hot dogs, mud, four-wheelers... you get the picture. I only wish I'd brought the camera! We found a beautiful, but very prickly, evergreen and put it up today (since it's Sunday, we tried not to curse too much). I love this time of year. Ya, it's stressful and we all eat too much, exercise too little, spend too much, and get on eachothers nerves, but I still love it! Here's to TRADITION... stuff you do whether you want to or not! [Ha Ha]

Movie quote: "They want you to say grace! Grace?... she died thirty years ago."

I know, it's a goofy movie but it really tickles my funny-bone. Other holiday flicks that are a must this time of year...
The Grinch
It's a Wonderful Life
A Christmas Carol
A Charlie Brown Christmas

***Dad had open heart surgery and I think he's breaking records healing up so quick. He went to the annual feast (80-plus people!) less than a week after getting 5 bypasses! Whoah.

I had a request for the picture of my gingerbread house from the festival. Here goes...

Are you a fan?

I just loved the Carol Burnett show when I was growing up! Classic TV, I say.... Silly to the bone and sooooooooooooo funny. But when they did the spoofs of Nora Desmond (a.k.a. fading film star who's koo-koo) I really didn't get it because I never saw the movie. Well, last weekend I did.

I don't think it's for everyone but if you are a fan of old, campy movies, you will love it. For the last few years I have been watching all the old flicks I can get my hands on and it is so much fun! Of course, Hollywood churns out garbage-- then and now-- so you have to be choosey. Even so called 'classics' can be dissapointing and pointless, not to mention morally bankrupt. Breakfast at Tiffany's & Dr. Zhivago are two examples. If any of you have recommendations for me, let's hear 'em. I'm always looking for good entertainment.

Here's some of my fav's:

Daddy Long Legs (Fred Astaire!)
Funny Face (Audrey Hepburn!)
The King and I
Gone with the Wind
Mary Poppins

I love my Netflix membership because they have all the oldies and documentaries. Here is a good quote from the movie Sunset Boulevard:

'Norma, you're a woman of fifty. There's nothing tragic about being fifty.... unless you try to be twenty-five!'

I haven't seen Twilight yet so if you have... let me know what you think. I'm not crazy about vampire stories but curiosity will probably win out.

Seussical !

I'm happy to say that when I walked into the Red Barn at Thanksgiving Point with my newest gingerbread creation, the first person who saw it said "oh it's the house from Horton hears a Who". I actually watched The Grinch for inspiration, but close enough.

This is the sixth year of the Festival and I haven't missed a one. I LOVE making gingerbread houses! Playing with fondant is just like playing with play-dough, and when you plug in the lights you get that Christmas morning feeling. Brad was a real good sport, putting up with the mess in the kitchen and I did actually manage to still feed the family while this was going on.

I had my doubts about this one, probably because I started so late and didn't really have a plan until last Saturday, but it turned out really cute. The best part is that I think it will really appeal to kids (or the kid in all of us!). Nicki had the idea to put the car up high on the wires... so fun. I want to do more with lights but it was a pain to hide all the cords, so keep your eyes peeled for mini lights that are spaced 1 inch apart!

The Gingerbread House Festival is this Thursday & Friday 1:00 to 9 pm and Saturday 10:00 to 6:00
GO CHECK IT OUT!

Now... on to more important things: 'Solve world hunger... tell no one!'

Trip to Sunny California

Well, this picture of Nicki on the beach says it all. It fits into the Happiest DAY EVER category! We went to several beaches but my favorite was called "Crystal Cove" and yes, it was as idyllic as the name sounds. Mom & dad taught us how to boogie-board (these are my parents! & they're great-grandparents... how cool are they?) and it was so fun. I will treasure the memory of catching a good one and gliding in right next to Helen, laughing all the way.

Nicki survived almost a solid week of 'old-folks' (myself included) with her sanity in-tact. Her i-pod battery died so she was stuck listening to hours of The Carpenters and Frank Sinatra and she didn't even complain but yesterday when she was in charge of the radio it was anything but oldies.

Good Stuff

Have you had your dose of 'positivity' today? It's way more important than your daily multi vitamin. For health we need the following each day: goosebumps, laughter, sunshine, up-beat music, puzzles, and love! I didn't mention the other obvious stuff like sleep, exercise, and good-food because those are already much discussed. Yesterday I saw a thing on the news about how to keep your brain sharp into old age. They said that surfing the web can keep your brain active and keep those neurons firing! (That's not the scientific description, but you get my drift) Here is one that falls into the category of puzzles... colorstrology. Sounds intriguing! It was on Hiedi's blog. I want to know more! I have a friend who sees the days of the week as colors in her mind. Anyway, my favorite daily uplift came from youtube. It's a quote from a talk by F. Enzio Busche with some pictures and it is amazing... you will love it. I was going to paste the address here but I don't know how, so just go to youtube and type in his name. Of all the funny and inspiring things that my in-box has held, this one is my favorite. (sorry Tad, I really do love all the 'redneck' jokes too)

This is the collage we made at Lindsey's... and the before & after pics. It is about 1/3 done.

The Sisterhood of the traveling collage

Wow, what a fun week. I get so creative when I am trying to avoid a job! So my progress on the antique Conoco sign has been a bit slow but I do have a picture to show you the before and afters. Any encouragement would be greatly appreciated since I am in a Slump, and as you know "Un-slumping yourself is not easily done." (Anyone know where that quote came from??)

Thursday was especially fun since a bunch of the girls (all young at heart!) in my family got together to eat & talk, two of our favorite things to do. We also did some artwork, Hiedi was our muse. It was a great day and while we were reading some histories about some of the great ladies in our family tree, I like to think they were smiling down on us! Here's a couple of tid-bits: Grandma Dorothy, when she was a young girl used to save her pennies to buy flower seeds... and Grandma Helen loved the month end sales at Robinson's department stores. I heard those sales (unlike our perpetual 'fake' sales) were like an Olympic event. That would have been in the 1940's and 50's in Pasadena, California. Man I wish I could go back in time and watch, don't you? You really had to keep you wits about you. It's good to know that frugality is a feature in our family tree! I sure did miss all of you that couldn't make it. XOXO

To end today's blog I will quote from one of the most inspriational books of all time:

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things athat scare you right out of your pants.

It's October so.... Nicki made me watch a scary movie with her last week (it was called Shutter, I don't recomend it) and that night it was scary when I had to get up in the night to p.
Serves me right.

Come what may... and love it!

This last weekend was conference and we were in St. George. I missed the Saturday afternoon session because we went to climb the red rocks above the city. There is a slot canyon just above St. George that many people don't even know exists! It is amazing. I love the challenge of doing something that scares me just a little, something that proves I can overcome the fear in my mind. Sidestepping through this claustraphobic space where in one spot you can feel the rock pressing in on you from the front and back simultaneously, is mind over matter! But when you do it, it feels like a victory.

So today I got on line (lds.org) to watch some of the talks I missed and wow! I found a good one. Joseph B. Wirthlin gives an amazing talk on life's challenges and disapointments and tells of the advice of his mother after losing a football game... she said "Come what may... and love it!" He also tells a little story about his daughter and a blind date that is probably the best laugh of the whole conference! Look it up and smile. It only takes about ten or fifteen minutes of your day but it's so worth it.

I think the reason I loved his talk so much is that as you get older... (and I am sooooooooooo old now!) there are some things YOU JUST KNOW. And one of those things I know is that every person experiences disapointment in life, and days that are just awful. Brother Worthlin says that you can learn to laugh at yourself and that is huge for me. My precious daughters are always reminding me that I am too serious and it is so true. I've already written down this little nugget of wisdom to stick to the fridge: "the next time you are tempted to groan-- you might try to laugh instead!" Thank goodness for all the funny people in my life who are coaching me with their wit. This one is from Becky: "in our house, we keep it a little more loosey-goosey!" (and aren't we all glad for that, or else they wouldn't tolerate us all hanging out there all the time!). Well, if you watched Elder Wirthlin's talk, the next time you are driving in traffic and someone cuts you off... you won't be tempted to act as if they insulted your dog!

Ode to Mom

Today's post is dedicated to my mom (who Brad affectionately refers to as
"Oh my Helen!"). Without her.... well, I wouldn't be here. Among other sterling qualities, my mom was a whiz at making scrumptious meals out of the most basic of ingredients. She was too cheap (remember, from here on out, this is the highest praise!) to buy Betty Crocker cake mixes like other moms, but we did have a Bettty Crocker cookbook and I had a huge sweet tooth soooooooo... by the time I was about 16 I knew how to cook a number of delicious desserts - from scratch. Some of my favorites were cinnamon rolls, cream puffs, German chocalate cake, and of course, apple pie. To my husband's dismay, I never mastered meats, but I'm still working on that. Mom was extrememly patient about the messes I created along with the goodies. I wish I could be more like that.

Moms out there: can any of us imagine cooking for 12 people day in and day out?! Amazing! So mom, hats off to you. For keeping us well fed and letting us make a big mess in the kitchen while we were learning to cook, I will be forever grateful.

Some of my favorite food momories: Mom's stir fry rice with yummy morsels of meat, tamale casserole, baked chicken & potatoes on Sunday with a crispy salad, and who can forget the whole wheat waffless topped with peaches and whip cream... YUM!

Mom's famous words: "DON'T THROW THAT OUT!.... it's still good!"

Today's quote
"Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has it's stages of drudgery and triumph; a beginning, a struggle, and a victory." Gandhi

ps... the reason I picked that quote is that I am in the 'drudgery' stage of a painting project (preserving an old Conoco sign on Payson Main Street) and I keep finding busy work to avoid it. It is outdoors so I need to finish it before the cold weather hits! Help. Anyone want to come over and crack the whip?

Thrifty Mom's Unite!

All morning I was watching the Today show because of yesterday's failed attempt in the Senate to pass the 700 billion dollar bailout. And I have to wonder; is this going to get bad? The words 'Great Depression' came up a couple of times and it was pretty ominous. Only time will tell, I suppose. But for now, I am not feeling panicked. Reason #1... what good would that do? Reason #2... I am a cheap mormon mom. Yes, I waste money as good as the next girl but I have some really great role models. Women I know who can stretch a dollar till it begs for mercy (you know who you are!). Sisters who have so much common sense and creativity in being frugal that when I am in their presence I just soak it up like a sponge. And I am the one who, anywhere I go, looks at something and says "I can make that for half the cost!". Famous last words. Being creative is what I live for so naturally I loved Elder Uchdorf's talk last Saturday night (that can't be how his name is spelled?). Maybe this whole recession thing will get us all thinking more creatively?

SO, I thought it would be fitting to begin this blog today, the day after "wall street's blackest day" (today's Salt Lake Tribune) and the largest stock market point drop ever recorded! Can you hear the doom? But don't despair! Cheap mormon mom's can unite and weather this storm together! We will be victorious and yes, Christmas is coming but we are not afraid . Economic downturns aside, we are blessed to have a Prophet's wisdom, and that gives me a lot of peace. So here is a place to share advice and laugh about life's little victories, like calmly telling your teenager that you no longer give 'pay-day' loans.

Here is a quote by Dolly Parton that makes me smile:
"You'd be surprised how much it costs to look this cheap!"

Keep your spirit's up and remember... "we're all in this together!"