Happy Nued Year

or something like that. As this year rings in I hope for a healthy, happy, comfortable, adventurous, beautiful, surprised filled, surrounded by unique people and satisfying 2010. If this weekend is any sneak peek into the year it will be all of those things and some. Spending a weekend in Lava is a great break from the busy life we lead on a daily basis. You don't have to know what time it is. The bar is always open. You can always find a pool to sit in. I sit and wonder what life is like here on a day to day basis. If you go to the grocery store, it's like stepping back 20 years or so. Reminds me of the old grocery store in my home town. It's no longer there. The store closed years ago and just a few months ago they tore the building down. Sledding down a very large, steep hill in a fresh layer of snow and sliding clear across the highway that runs like main street in town. You can meet the "locals".A very diverse group of people. Most are happy to sit down with you and converse or have a jam session with you. And then you have the tourists. I guess some people come here to let it all hang out!! Maybe that's how it is at home too. We think about how nice it is to have this small town feeling and then we remember, what things we are thankful for back home. Makes going home feel good. Happy New Year. Here's to a great year full of things that happen based on our choices and thoughts.

Mountain People Party

Once in a very blue moon

When you have two full moons in the same month why the second one is called a blue moon.

Happy Blue Moon. It's a great time to break out the blue moon, eat cheese balls and crakers, have blue cheese and buffalo wings.

I found your letter in my mailbox today. You were just checking if I was okay And if I miss you, well, you know what they sayIt's just Once in a Very Blue Moon Just once in a very blue moon Just once in a very blue moon And I feel one coming on soon No need to tell me you'd like to be friends And help me get back on my feet again And if I miss you, well, it's just now and then Just once in a very blue moon It's just once in a very blue moon Just once in a very blue moon And I feel one coming on soon.

Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Wow, it is here, the moment we have all been waiting for. Now take the tree down and get rid of all the holiday decorations its time to ring in the new year.

Happy Solstice

The solstice happens twice a year. Once in the summer and once in the winter. Winter solstice seems to be the one we love to celebrate. Possible because everyone else is celebrating at this time of year. The winter solstice is when there is the least amount of sun. That makes for a great time to gather as friends and family inside and eat, drink, enjoy the fire, sing a few songs and visit. You seem to forget that it gets dark early and who can be glum and gloomy when everyone is around you. Sometimes we start the bonfire out back and burn the "yule." This is usually just the beginning of our Christmas Holiday Celebrations. They seem to go on for 10 days.

Israelsen Field Day

We have decided that the second Friday of each month we will get together and make a craft and have a pot luck. Starting in January we will meet at Lori's. Come over @ 6:00pm. She will make a craft and the rest of us will bring dinner items. If you are planning on coming let us know so Lori can know how many craft things to prepare. If there is a small charge she will let us know. If you would like to host us one month we will be planning and getting that all put together in January. If you have questions please let me know. You are all invited. All of the girl children will dig this the boys will think we are crazy. Husbands will again roll their eyes and we will still meet and have a great time.

Upcoming events:
February- Mandy's


Upcoming Craft Ideas:
Snowmen 2x4's
Angel 1x1's
Christmas cards
birthday cards
stands
birthday plates
St. Paddy's hanging
advent calendar
sugar scrubs
peanut brittle
cookies

National Chocolate Covered Anything Day

Today is "National Chocolate Covered Anything Day. I am not a huge fan of chocolate but I do think I will celebrate the day by dipping anything and everything in chocolate.

*After our Thanksgiving dinner this year we dipped a few chocolates. We even dipped bananas and fingers and Carmel. It was a lot of fun.

*Christmas wouldn't be Christmas if we didn't dip pretzels. Matt's girls are the best dippers ever. They have the stick to itness that you need to get it done.

* We went to KRCL's birthday party and ate chocolate covered bacon. It was ok but not my favorite combinations.

*I love almond Rocha and English toffee put on chocolate and even double dipped peanuts.

So if today you find yourself daring, try dipping anything you wish and enjoy.

Here are a few of our favorite things

* When the dog doesn't bark
* Fires in the fire place
* Guitar music with family or friends
* Snow angels
* Laundry fairies who do the laundry while we are gone
* Nice dinners at home
* Longer days
* Working in "wood shop" garage
* Animals in bed on a cold night
* When the plumbing works
* Spur the moment activities
* Going to the movies together
* Waking up early thinking you have to shovel and finding out it didn't snow
* Church rummage sales
* Second Hand Stores
* Nice neighbors
* Clean kitchens
* Thursday and Friday mornings
* Kids
* Family
* Getting into bed together on a cold night
* Finding time for lunch dates
* Jazz games
* Good Sport spouses that humor me for the "Holidaze"
* Three day weekends
* Moms and Dads
* Kids who are self sufficient
* Karen's for breakfast
* Sleep overs
Here's hoping you all have a wonderful holiday season!!!

Snow Day

Today was another great snow storm. This snow was so heavy I thought it would make me have a heart attack while I was shoveling. Lucky for me our neighbor Sam wanted to go to church today. He came out to help shovel and that saved me. We only had to shovel three times today. Hopefully we will be ok in the morning. Mom is waiting for a package to come and it won't come in the snow. We had a great day finishing up on some Christmas stuff. Who knew you could get so many projects done in just one snow day.

We didn't just sit home either. We went to lunch with some friends. The roads were ok until we hit Davis county. I don't think they pay taxes and so they don't have snow plows. Even here in Ogden our roads were cleaned up much better, and we got way more snow.

Here's to three more storms that are heading our way.

Christmas Dances

The week of Christmas Dances is over. We had fun. We danced until we couldn't any more. Everyone had a great time. Saw Santa three days in a row. Who knew. I hope he makes it back. Merry Christmas.

How lovely are thy branches

We have a cute Christmas tree this year. Bella and Snowflake were happy to help point out the branches that were in their reach. We may need a picket fence around the tree to keep the critters out. It is so fun to put all of the decorations on the tree. Now if only I could find the Christmas Box that has the tree skirt in it. Otherwise I guess I will have to make a new one. It was so much fun to have a fire, trim the tree and now to sit by it and read Christmas novels or stories.

When I was small we had a little "Nisse" elf that lived on the tree. I think my Dad thought of that because that is a little troll like guy who is the protector of the farm in Norway. The Nisse would watch us to make sure we didn't peek at the presents. He also had a direct line to the North Pole. If we were bad he was sure to tell the big guy. Once Santa made his big appearance the elf was tucked away and put in the attic until next year when he was needed to watch over the presents under the tree. This year I have a perfect tree for the little guy to live in. It has a little hole right down low. I guess it is time to look for a new elf.

The Christmas tree is a very important part of Christmas in my family. We love to gather around it and sing Christmas carols. We also like to sit and talk about all of the collection of ornaments that are on the tree. Christmas Eve was always filled with visits to and from the local relatives and then sitting in the front room with the tree lights on singing and visiting and having a little something to eat. I will guarantee there will be ham and mashed potatoes and then my favorite....rice pudding topped with red fruit sauce. Inside the rice pudding is hidden an almond. Who ever find the almond in their dish wins the prize. Usually a chocolate bar. MMMMM good. When I was older and not living at home my mom would always make me my own pot of rice pudding. She would include the almond and even the chocolate.




My mom loved collecting Christmas Village houses. When we lived with my Grandma Israelsen Teresa and I made a dangerous trip to Logan so I could pick up the next addition to the Christmas Village. I have my own village and it comes out at Thanksgiving time. Each time I see it I have fond memories of helping my mom set her village up. When I didn't live close to home I would get the detailed report about how she set it up and arranged it.



Now days we try to celebrate solstice with a big party and celebration with our friends and loved ones to celebrate that the days are getting longer....Coming soon to a blog near you.





Here is the part of the tree we didn't use. Next year I think my tree will be a flat top:)

Makin' Tamales

Hard at work



Saturday morning we started making tamales for the Mountain Man Christmas party. Greg, Jill and Nash came over to help. It was a lot of fun and we had a blast the night before trying to get the chili just right. It was a lot of fun and a lot of hard work.


Greg and John BS 0ver chilli

The Chili was so hot that Jill had to wear sour cream lip stick!!


Sunday morning Nash and Pam came over to help finish up the tamales. 14 dozen give or take a few we had to eat. They are delicious and will be great in a few weeks. Finished up now, dishes are done and tamales are packed and in the freezer. What a lot of fun for the weekend. Can't wait to do it all again on the 19th with the rest of the Garcia Clan

Why wouldn't this make you happy

Over night the Christmas Cactus decieded to bloom. Wow, what a surprize to wake up and find this in your window sill. Happy Holidays!

Bath time for Bella

Bella decided yesterday that she needed to dig in the composts pile from last year. That was fine and fun until she wanted to climb up on our bed and snuggle during the movie. She stunk!! Rex didn't even want to be near her.





She was immediately banished to the basement for the night. You guessed it that meant tonight before she could come in our room she had to have a bath. She doesn't seem to mind them. She does like to shake all of the water off the whole time she is in the shower but over all she does fine.

It was amazing to see what she left behind her in the tub. The usual ton of fur and about a ton of dirt.





Oh well, now she is clean and happy and has fuzzy hair.

Today the tree came down

The Christmas tree that is. We went out to the little tree farm in West Warren or someplace like that. "North Pole Pines" to be exact. The man who owns it looks like Santa himself. He gave us the instructions and told us how to get the best deal on a Christmas tree. The weather was nice and warm and we set out to walk among all of the lovely pines. It was amazing to see how many trees were missing this year compared to last year. It's not quite like going into back country to get your tree but it beats the heck out of going to a tree lot at the supermarket.

There it was....


She is beautiful on top. Her bottom is a little sparse. That's ok. She has plenty of boughs to make beautiful mantel pieces and even a yule log if we please. After John worked really hard to cut her down, we had to team work to get her out of the forest. She is HEAVY. That's good, full of sap and very green. When we went to pay Santa he told us why the bottom branches leave a lot to be desired. We loaded her into the truck. I lost rowshambow and had to get into the back of the truck. It's really hard to get into the truck while the 50lb 12' tree is trying to get in there too.

Well I kicked my shin into the tail gate and held in the bad words I wanted to yell at the top of my lungs. We got her strapped in so she would not fall out on our way home and off we went.

It's really hard to take a picture while you have gloves on so I took them off and shot a picture. I didn't realize that you all could see my glove hanging out of my mouth until I had taken the photo...OOOPPPPSSS

Now to trim her up and put all of the jewelry on her to make her into a beautiful 2009 Christmas Tree.