WHITE STUFF

We are really getting our share of snow this year. After the Blizzard of 2010 in November (aka. The Big Disappointment) I really thought this year was going to be a bust as far as a water year, but NO! We are already 180 percent of normal for this time of year and this morning have already gotten at least 6-7 inches.

Monday, when we were in Fairview canyon, I snapped this photo of my kids. Keep in mind that they aren't even standing on the road, but on a snow mound. None of the parking lots were plowed, and there was no room to park. Now we are getting more!!

This is my back yard this morning. My boys are headed out to shovel more. This year is going to be a GREAT water year, which means great river running for spring and summer! We are cheering at our house (well, maybe not my boys right now...)

FAMILY SNOW PLAY

Yesterday we went up Fairview Canyon for 'Family Home Evening' -Gordon Style. It was our turn to be in charge, so of course that's what we wanted to do. Since most of the extended family was here, it was very fun! All the cousins being together is one of my kids' favorite things.

Grandma and Grandpa ended up cooking the burgers and dogs. They tasted so YUMMY! Why does food always taste better in the mountains?

Here is Princess P drinking hot cocoa and cousin B holding cousin L. Check out B's hat!

D with Uncle C eating a burger and having a chat about snowboarding.

Behind all the stuff on his face is A getting ready to be towed up to the top.

The boys went up and built their own jump. Here is D trying it out first. Not a great photo. He went way higher than that...

This is cousin K catching some serious air!

Little C got into the action and had a couple of good runs.

They even talked S into it. Do you really believe she has a torn ACL? Hmmm...

It was a FUN day for all! No injuries, nobody got too frozen, and we stayed 'til the sun went down. That's just the way we roll!

JOYEUX NOEL

Here is the traditional Christmas-morning-on-the-stairs-before-all-the-kids-can-come-down photo.

The boys checking out all their loot. We actually didn't do much because Disneyland was considered the major present.

S was thrilled with her pink lifejacket.

Princess P was VERY happy with her Tinkerbell Cafe. We have been 'ordering' honey cakes and jam tarts since then.

That afternoon one of the uncles pulled all the kids behind the truck on the tube and everyone ended up with some serious ice rash on various parts of their bodies. Big C took S kiting. It was a great Christmas!

CHRISTMAS EVE ACTIVITES

We had a good day passing the time until we started the celebrations.

We put together a 1000 piece puzzle. That was fun- I love puzzles.

Big C and I also went on a ski tour up our canyon. The snow was bullet hard, but we still had a good time.

Here is Big C. His skis actually broke through the crust because he jumped down off the trail.

These are frozen cougar tracks we followed half the time. They were stalking a deer. It was cool (probably because I knew they weren't fresh tracks).

That night we went up to 'The Barn' for the Gordon family festivities. This year everyone was there except for one of Big C's brothers, so there were lots of kids and we all had a ball.

Here is the Nativity with all the younger cousins. The older kids organized, dressed, directed and read the story. Princess P was thrilled to be Mary this year. It was a great production, even though Little C looks like a rock star in his costume instead of a king...

The Gordon tradition is to open presents on Christmas Eve (which my kids love), so we went around the room from youngest to oldest this year. It took a lot of time just for one, so then everyone just opened after that. FUN! - Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE Christmas??

A NEW FAVORITE

FIRST SNOW DAY

None of the teachers that teach at our elementary school remember ever having a 'Snow Day.' Yesterday was our first. We got over a foot, maybe a foot and a half, of VERY heavy snow over night. The power was out for many in town (not us, luckily), and it was a mess- a plethora of trees in town bit the dust, thus, no school. My boys cheered, Princess P started to cry (I wish all of my kids felt that way about school). They played and played, shoveled and shoveled, as snow just kept falling all day long. There were lots of snow ball fights, snow forts, snowmen, and snowboard jumps built. They had a ball! (pun intended)

'Calvin and Hobbes' Snowman built by A the night before. The snow was too heavy to get the balls up on top of each other.

One of the first times shoveling the driveway.

This is our view from the front porch. You can see all of the tree branches in our neighbor's yard. By the time the day was over, there were three times as many!

Princess P and Little C in their Christmas finery. The elementary school still held their Christmas program. Can't go to school, but we can sing! The show must go on!

FACULTY PARTY

I know most people can't think of anything more boring than a faculty party, but our art department is full of my friends and I love hanging out with them.

The theme for last night's food was Mexican. We had a traditional stew called pazole and authentic tamales with a yummy green chile sauce. It was VERY GOOD! Then, of course, we had our traditional original-work-of-art-gift exchange. I didn't struggle this year. I just used one of my etchings (with a bit of aquatint) from my printmaking class.

This is the print I used. I know it is strange for me to do nuns, but they were so creepy, I just couldn't resist. This isn't the one I used, this one is the practice, but it was similar. I hand-tinted it with watercolors.

This is a black and white version. I call it 'Conspiracy at the Convent' because they look like they are up to no good. It actually traded hands 3 times last night because people kept taking it from each other. I was flattered because I thought that in a group of Mormons no one would want it. I guess they are all as quirky as I am (probably why I like them).

HOLIDAY ENTERTAINMENT AT ITS FINEST

I know I have mentioned my love for the Christmas season, it's music and David Archuleta's Christmas album previously, so you all must know how much I enjoyed the Mormon Tabernacle Choir concert last night. It was absolutely amazing and a wonderful way to celebrate this special season of our Savior's birth.

We got up there in plenty of time, found a decent parking spot and enjoyed our little hearts out! The dancers, the set, the choir and orchestra (esp.) were fabulous! Oh, and did I mention David? (We are on a first-name basis now that I've seen him in concert). He is so talented and I was continually in awe of him. I am so thankful I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Everything they do is inspired. (I am also grateful for a sister who is willing to share her tickets).

MOTHER/DAUGHTER BONDING

Nothing like a quick road trip to enhance a mother/daughter relationship. S had finished with her finals, so we took a run to Salt Lake yesterday to pick up my artist's book from the U and do a little Christmas shopping. (We were going to hit an art gallery too, but ran out of time).

After a bleu bacon burger here...

...we, of course, went to Target- a shopping staple in the Gordon household.

The Orem mall was next...

...followed by another very fun place to go.

And last, but not least, the mall in Provo.

I have to admit that I bought more than Christmas presents and spent more than I should, but that is not much of a surprise for a mother/daughter combination. We had a great time and...

...enjoyed a peppermint twisted frosty (which were VERY yummy) on the drive home. What a perfect day!

CHRISTMAS BALLET

Last night was Princess P's Christmas ballet recital. I always love to go to her recitals because she loves it so much. I am very impressed with her ability as well as her enthusiasm.

Here she is doing a pose for mom.

Here she is during her performance.

This is her with her girl cousins. They are so lucky to have each other.

d

This is her with two of her buddies in her class. So much pink/girl/flowery stuff. How could they not love it?

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

I have a dream- and that dream is to go to New York City this March with the Snow College Art Dept. The only way that is going to happen is if it is my Christmas gift. I haven't been able to share this desire, because I didn't want to jinx anything by telling my wish...

...but I think it has come true! Big C gave me the go-ahead and I am SO excited!!! My daughter, S, is going as well and it is going to be amazing! Can I say again that I am EXCITED!!! Merry Christmas to me!

THE MESSIAH

My honey and I went to see Handel's Messiah tonight. Our community gets together with Snow College to perform it. I couldn't believe how crowded it was. There were people sitting on the stairs all over the concert hall. Sanpete has way more culture than I knew!

I haven't been for about 15 years and it was great to see and feel and hear it again. My mom used to perform in it every year (most of the time as a soloist). It made me miss her, but in a good way. It also reminded me of my desire to be in the choir some time. Maybe next year?

YULE BALL

The dance finally arrived and D went on his first date dance. He had a great time too. They had to go to a thrift store and buy each other outfits. (He came home with pink pants and a bowling shirt on). Then they went on a scavenger hunt around town and ate hamburgers.

Here is his date (we'll call her M) pinning his boutonniere on.

Here is the happy couple on their way to the dance. Don't they look nice? I think it was a great first date for D. Going out with friends is such a great thing. Very successful!

I BELIEVE

I have strong convictions about giving blood. I almost died 14 years ago and required 5 pints of someone else's blood to fix me. I felt a terrible sense of guilt at the time because I had never given blood before. I used to pass out just being in the same room with someone giving blood. I am a HUGE wimp when it comes to anything involving blood and/or gore, but that day I promised myself that I would give blood every chance I got.

I have kept that promise and give blood regularly, and I have had some very interesting experiences doing so. For some reason they have trouble finding my veins. Many times I have left the building with two holes in my arm, but I gave my pint! Other times they won't even take my blood because I don't have enough iron in my blood. And still others, I can't give because they never do get it right. And still, I go.

Today I had a new experience. The technician found my vein initially, but then the flow stopped. While he was jiggling the needle around in my arm (creating a fantastic bruise) air got in the tube, thus contaminating my offering and rendering it useless. Bummer. Gave the hole, the pain, the effort, the sacrifice- but without anything useful to show for it. Better luck next time...

I challenge you to give blood at the next opportunity. Eat and drink well that day and you won't regret it- even if the tech misses your vein. At least you'll know your intentions were good and you tried.

CHRISTMAS CARD DRAMA

I am not sure why, but I have the hardest time choosing a Christmas card. I agonize over it and it's ridiculous, because most people look at them for 10 seconds and then throw them away!

Nevertheless, I still strain my brain every year trying to decide what photos to use and what design looks best. Here are this year's selections:

First Runner Up was this design from Costco.

I didn't linger over this one very long because I felt it distracted from our photos too much.

Second Runner Up, from Shutterfly, is this little number.

I really liked it because our photos are black and white and work well with the colors, but ultimately it was twice as expensive as Walmart, so it got ix-nayed.

Third Runner Up was this card from Walmart.

I ended up not choosing it because I didn't want to include my husband and I this year.

Drum roll please! This is THE CARD- The Winner- from Walmart.

Very Christmas-y and fun formats for our photos. I am very happy with my choice and it only took me 3 hours to decide...

TREE HUNTING

The many traditions of our holiday season begin with getting our Christmas tree.

The snow was pretty deep (about 2 feet) and Big C loves to make us hike. We only had two kiddos go with us this year. Everyone else was occupied.

We found the perfect tree! It is so pretty it looks fake! Here is Big C chopping it down.

Hauling the tree out was quite a job, but it was very beautiful up there. I'm so glad we live close to the mountains.

DAY 5- BEACH DAY & HOME

Q: How do you know if you are from Utah?

A: You go to the beach in December and SWIM!

The locals all gave us the see-the-freaky-tourists looks, but we had so much fun!

The kids started out in coats...

...but ended up in swim suits and wets suits.

I LOVE THE BEACH! (I don't know that many people that don't). We had a blast and then drove the nine-plus hours home. It is simultaneously sad and nice to go home.