The Next Day

The snowman in Brian and Susan's front yard today! (We ended up getting 8 inches of snow at Railroad Pass between Henderson and Boulder City. It took Brian and other people returning from work in Vegas an hour-and-a-half to two hours to get through the Pass last night!)


But the kids thought it was worth it! For the first time in 29 years, Clark County School District called a "snow day" and the kids got to stay home! It's not every day you get to hug a 7-1/2 foot snowman in Boulder City!


It took a lot of cooperative effort (mostly on Brian's part!) to build this guy.

Maddie helped too...


Zach the Handyman gathered snow all over the neighborhood so the kids could build this fort and castle in his yard down the street from Brian and Susan.


Maddie and her friend Savannah in front of the fort. Plans were being made for a huge snow fight when the fortifications were finished...


Our poor olive tree lost a good-sized branch to the snow load.


Maddie's snowman in our front yard may be small, but he has personality! What a great day!

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

This is what is going on at our house. Right now. In the desert. Yes, the picture is in color. It is just GREY outside. And...it is snowing! We have about an inch on the ground and it is still coming down! Some of you may not think this is too exciting, BUT! I can only remember five times it has snowed in the twenty years we've lived in Boulder City. And two of those were the very first year! So it is big news here!


A "closer-up! " Ever see an olive tree with snow on it before??


Our little "light-up" Christmas trees look more real now!


Tyler was thrilled and didn't care that he was freezing to death in the snow.

How exciting to have a snowy day-especially since the elementary school kids are home today! There were children all over the streets and yards!

Adam and Heather

Our nephew Adam got married December 5th. We made a quick trip to Santa Ana and back in one day to attend! Sydney kept wanting to see "the princess." Isn't Heather beautiful? And Adam is such a handsome young man. They are beautiful inside too...


We loved seeing our niece, Jenny, just recently back from her mission to Palmyra, New York.

Sydney was very well behaved at the wedding.

She even danced with her Papa.


The cake was very simple and elegant. We had to leave before we had a piece. :(

Congratulations, Adam and Heather!

Christmas Concert

Maddie's junior high orchestra played beautifully in their concert last night. Maddie was the concert mistress for the advanced orchestra.

She looked so cute in her new orchestra dress and Santa hat. I was impressed with how well all three orchestras sounded-beginning, intermediate, and advanced.

It's nice to have children that are more talented than I am.

Candle Giveaway

We are now going to see how blog-savvy I am...I've never done this before, but the prospect of owning a handmade candle smelling like cinnamon AND pine is leading me to attempt new heights.

My daughter's friend Andrea's friend Lara is hosting a candle giveaway on her blog. The candle is made by Audrey who sells them here. You can enter her drawing by going to her blog and following instructions. But I really want that candle, so I won't be hurt if you don't...

Good luck to all!

December Ramblings

Wow, this background is sure easier to read, isn't it?

I can't believe there are only seventeen days till Christmas and I am NOT ready! Usually I start preparations in August and spread the cheer over a few months! This year I am lumping the cheer ALL together...in one big marathon!

I have been making a few gifts this year. Do you ever have one or two presents you are just REALLY excited about and can't wait to give??? This year it is my project for Julie. I'll have to post a picture AFTER December 25. BUT! I think she is really going to LOVE IT...I think Ally will love hers too...

In the meantime, sometimes I just have to do something creative...This is the stitchery I did for our gift exchange at the scrapbook retreat in Fairview in November. I'm so glad Kimberly got it. She loved it and will appreciate it, being a stitcher herself!


This is the cute garland my friend Michele made and gave to each of us in Fairview.


This is the garland Allyson made to go with it so I had one for each door to the patio!

I'm making a little something for each of our kids' families too. More pictures will have to wait till after Santa comes...

Long Time, No Post

I have a list a mile long today, but David finally got my photo program back working, so I'm going to begin my catch-up. I just transferred 395 pictures to my computer-since October Conference weekend! I'll try to post every day for a while and get "caught up."

(Just for your info, I wrote that first paragraph five days ago and it has been in my drafts folder since then. I guess I'm just going with the flow now. Whatever happens blogwise...happens...)


Jeff, Maddie, and little Ally decorated this gingerbread house last week for Family Home Evening. Sydney found the candy ornaments "DEE-LISH-us!"


Does she look guilty or what???