BC = H.O.T

I'm really quite certain that Bradley Cooper could not possibly be hotter than he is right now.

That's all.

I promise.

Taking a Moment

I rarely watch commercials but the other night while I was re-watching a favorite Modern Family episode and busily wrapping gifts I saw a Dove candy bar commercial that had some really great advice for all my women friends out there...

We're only human but we try to be perfect. We pretend that high heels are comfortable and that waxing just takes getting used to. We pretend that we can manage anything that's thrown at us and sometimes we can and other times we just have to cut ourselves some slack and take a moment.

Here's to a great 2011 of being honest with ourselves, acknowledging that we are real women and taking all the moments we need to be happy healthy and wise.

Holiday Summary 2010

This holiday season has been wonderfully filled with all sorts of activities: cheesy holiday movies (even the Lifetime TV/ABC Family ones), holiday parties, baking, looking at lights, shopping for people I know and some that I don't. Work fundraiser for Food Bank (yay) which I got to happily drop off and see the good in action, Hot Coco and homemade pretzels and walking around temple square with friends, an actual christmas tree in my living room, the bestest ever 'Friends Christmas Dinner', and all kinds of other fun. I'm super excited to celebrate the actual day with my family tomorrow and to look forward to an even better 2011. Many Christmas wishes to all of you at this the 'Most Wonderful Time of the Year'.

My tree. Yes I actually have a tree this year.

Nick Dani Patrick at Brunch before

Craft Sabbath December

Mel Jeff Ang

Mel and Jeff

Leslie Brandon

Casey Sarah Tory

Mel and Dani at Ramstack's Holiday party

Yum yum in my tum tum.
Bake Fest 2010

RHC and Jess at Bake Fest

More goodies

and more...it is really quite disturbing how many treats we made.

Ang and Ju at White Christmas

Mel and boys at party

Ang and Nick at Party

Ang Kenzie and JoJo at Cousins Party

Gorgeous lights at Temple Square

Nick and Jeff

Tory Patrick Mel Nick Dani and Jeff

and then there's me.

So much to be grateful for. Happiness and love all around.

Cookies for Jesus

Today was an incredibly busy but exceptionally wonderful day. I saw lots of friends and loved ones wished many a Merry Christmas and even saw a couple of movies: one with my friend-family and one with my real family. Right now I'm curled up on my sofa watching Love Actually which I consider to be the best Christmas movie ever and eating my delicious homemade bread pudding. I'm quite sure that life can barely get better than this. I've been fortunate to be able to spread joy and cheer in different ways and to celebrate this holiday with so many of the wonderful people in my life. I feel more blessed and loved this holiday season than I ever have in my life.

Earlier this evening after the tiny humans did the traditional Nativity story/scene Grandma asked each of them what gift they could give to Jesus this year. The big kids all said that they could show love to their families but one of the tiniest looked at her and said he could give cookies to Jesus. So for everyone out there in their own special way give cookies to Jesus this year and keep him in your thoughts.

Prayers for Mia's Family

I have this friend. Her name is Lori and we've been friends since we were four years old. For those of you inclined towards math that's a really long time. Our parents are super close, most of their kids are the same ages as ours, Lori's big sisters used to be my babysitters and her sister Ami was meant to marry my brother Mike. Sure they were kids but still it was a big deal. Our friendship has definitely had its ups and downs but we are the kind of friends who will always have a bond--Lori is that friend for me that helped define my childhood. When I think of Tallahassee I immediately think of Lori and her family and thanks to the goodness of Facebook we've all reconnected in the last few years. On Saturday afternoon after my major meltdown-post-failed photo shoot-disaster I sat in my car trying to avoid bursting into tears and checked my E-mail and found a whole different reason to cry. One of my messages was from Lori telling her friends about her cousin Mia who had been kidnapped and was still missing. She was asking for those outside of the Florida area to be on the lookout and also to keep Mia in our prayers. All weekend I checked my E-mail and Facebook constantly waiting for updates and good news. I read an article about the search and Mia's mom was quoted as saying that she was so stunned that at a time when gas prices were so high and people were so busy that thousands of people were out driving and looking for her daughter--that they'd already had their Christmas miracle of seeing their community come together.

Unfortunately this story ends terribly and this morning my mom called to tell me that they had found Mia's body and were able to identify her via dental records. My heart aches for my friends and for their loss and I wish so much I could be there to wrap my arms around them and to help take away their pain. I can't run away to Florida but I can do one thing. I can pray for their family to have peace and I can pray for other kinds of Christmas miracles. If you read this and are someone who prays maybe you too can pray for my friends and for some of their pain to be lifted.

The Dress

Several months ago I borrowed a dress from my friend Z for a wedding I had to attend. It was an awesome dress and looked spectacular on me. After the wedding I looked all over for it and finally found it in a size smaller on e-Bay. Brand new. Tags still on and so I bought it and I love it -- there is only one problem: it doesn't quite fit. I can wear it (I did wear it to a funeral in May) with a jacket but the zipper doesn't go up all the way. I hate that even though it is my actual size it doesn't fit so I've been desperately trying to rectify the situation. Last month my colleague LD and I joined a gym and I've been working out five days a week to reach my goal of wearing my dress to a special dinner party on December 23rd. 10 more days. I have 10 more days to do what I've got to do to get into that dress.

Trying to stay motivated.

Trying so hard to avoid treats.

Trying to kick butt at the gym so that my actual butt gets smaller.

Birthday Bash

This had been a really great year and so to celebrate I decided to throw myself a party at my favorite place in The UC --The Chocolate Dessert Cafe. I invited everyone and asked that instead of gifts they donate a can of food for every year that they'd known me as a donation to the Utah Food Bank. It was amazing to have so many of the people that I love in the same place at the same time and was a wonderfully overwhelming and yet fantastic evening.

Tiffy and Nick (he's a really good egg)

Cherie Wendi and Ang

Mmm Mmm Good!

Spouse (not mine) won a prize.

Becky and Paul

Mike and Kacee

Bob

Brenda Mom and Kris

Casey and Brandon

Cali and Geoff

Stacy and Dave

Jess and RHC

Ju Kim and Tina

Kim and Steph

The adorable Larsen's

Me and Ju

Ang and the only Tiny Human invited to my party.

Me and Shane

Ang and Tina

Mikey and Susie

Mom and Mike

Dani Tory Patrick Casey Brandon and Nick

(Dallin and Jeff seem to be missing)

Gorgeous Adri with her prize

m.i. Dubb and Bob

My favorite Pickle's

Steve Lesli and Kacee

Just some of the food (there was a ton) that we were able to donate to the Food Bank. When Adri dropped it off on Monday she told the guy my story and he started crying and she started crying and then she told me and I started crying. Good times. Great party.

Amazing friends and food. I am so blessed.


P.S. I'm having trouble uploading a couple of my pictures. Will try back later.

MonkeyMonkeyMonkey

Stuff I learned today...

*Screaming "MONKEY" in my head is a great F-word replacement.
*One should not watch The Walking Dead while eating dinner.
*It is really great to sit in my dark living room with the lights on the Christmas tree.
*Christina Aguilera has amazing power to help me finish that last two minutes on the monkey stair master. Who knew?
*Work stress may actually drive me insane.
*Friend Jeremy was on-line today so I know he is safe in Iraq. Modern technology is amazing.
*After making my list and checking it twice I really should not be sitting here blogging and watching TV. I should be shopping.
*Telling my mom that I want 'Peace on Earth and for People to be Nice to Each Other' for Christmas probably made her very frustrated with me.
*I love my tree.
*Someone I know (who is my age) died today of monkey cancer and I'm feeling so sad for her family.

That's all.

I'm back!

Okay, I know I haven't blogged in a very long time but I promise to be better. I promise. I do have some news...my "I wish he was my boyfriend Justin" will be back on the next Amazing Race.

Yay!