Seasonal Festivities

Here in pictures is how we prepared for the big holiday.

We gorged on chocolate:

We made goodies for the neighbors so they could gorge on chocolate and amazing gingerbread cookies:



Made a gingerbread house with their Dad:
Attended holiday school programs/sing-arounds:

Got together with old friends:
Visited the candlelight Christmas and the Pioneer Village:

The Spirit is Willing...

What I really, really, really want to do is run a marathon. (The London marathon? Yes please). I think I can do it. I can run for a long time and it doesn't kill me. In fact the other day I ran my entire gym length, 90 minutes, then I had to go pick up Clara from the daycare. But I felt good. I fwanted to keep going. My only problem is in the past I push myself and wind up with shin splints. And then I can't do a thing. I can't even begin to tell you how upsetting and frustrating this is. My goal is to do big runs at the gym on Mondays and Fridays through February. Then when it warms up to do a long run on Saturdays. I just really want my body to co-operate. I read the book Born To Run and feel like this is an achievable goal, even for little old me. (You should read the short interview I just linked. It is a good summation of some of what the book is about and is really interesting if you are in anyway interested in distance running) I may invest in some of these:

They are called five fingers and after some rudimentary reading I am convinced that our feet provide all the protection from injury we need when we run. The stronger our feet are, the less injury prone we are. Our typical running shoes weaken our feet making us more vulnerable to running injuries. "Barefoot" runners, statistically, experience a much lower rate of injury. Running injuries skyrocketed in the eighties when Nike came up with fancy running gear and we bough into the myth of pronation correction and all that kind of stuff. Even Nike, reluctantly concedes, that perhaps hi-tech running shoes are a mistake. Anyway, by hook or crook, I want to run a marathon. Any tips from you serious runners?

Timpanogas

I don't know if my Dad made this up or not, but we used to sing (to the tune of alouette) "Timpanogas, mighty Timpanogas, Timpanogas mountain that I love. Mountain with it's lofty peaks, mountain with it's lofty peaks, lofty peaks, lofty peaks, lofty peaks, lofty peaks, oh-oh-oh-0hh...." I always felt like this was "our" mountain. It is where we spent happy hours playing running wild at the cabin at Brickerhaven. It towered over our neighborhood. Timpanogas is the majestic backdrop for life in Utah Valley.

Anyway, lately as we prepare to leave Utah, I have been feeling like I need to look at the beautiful mountains every day and really soak them in. I want to remember what they look like. I want to appreciate how fortunate we are to live next to some of the most stunning scenery I've seen anywhere. I feel like our little family has really taken advantage of the mountains with lots of hikes and skiing and snow shoeing and picnics. Now it seems like this may just make it all that more difficult to leave them behind. Don't get me wrong. I am excited about Virginia and know we will have plenty of exploring to do when we get there. But these mountains, especially on days like today when they are white and crisp with snow, are so majestic and stunning. Anyway, I'm rambling. Here are some amazing pictures mostly of Timp, stolen from my Dad's blog. What a place. It gets in your blood, and becomes so much a part of who you are. You can take the girl out of Provo, but you can't take the Provo out of the girl.

The Upside of Snow

I am not going to focus on all the things I don't like about snow (messy, cold, slippery, oh wait I'm not going to focus on it). Yesterday we got our first major snowstorm of the season. So the kids bundled up after school and had some fun. I love snow in December, it is so festive!

I think Dogwoods may be prettiest in winter.

I love the red bark!

He is a good sport about wearing his

patch. He hates it, but does it anyway.

Kicking off the Season

The day after Thanksgiving we got busy kicking off the Christmas season. We started by meeting up with the cousins for a viewing of this. I enjoyed it, although I don't know if everyone did. I had no expectations and Jim Carrey didn't bug me, which is unusual. It was pretty close to the book. Too scary for Clara who kept her head burrowed in my shoulder for most of the movie. I kind of liked that. She isn't so snuggly these days. After we drove over to Grandview and bought our tree at Baums. The next day we had our annual deck the halls party. These pictures may be pretty indiscernible from years past, but that's the idea behind traditions, right?

"To Twismas" a traditional toast:

Lucy leading the charge?

Rob lit a bonfire, which really did quite the job heating

the house up. I was toasty!!!

Trimming the tree

I think we should use this for this years Christmas card

Now we are ready for Christmas. The advent calendars are going, the ward Christmas party is behind us, most of the shopping is done. The pine boughs are on the mantle. And tonight we are supposed to get a heavy dumping of this stuff:

Thanksgiving 2009

This Thanksgiving was, like the one's before it, perfect. Family and good food. Who could ask for more? (Some pictures stolen from my Dad's blog. I was too busy eating to remember to take pictures). While I made roll's the kids and Rob played Clue. Then we drove down to Provo for the festivities. I wonder where we will eat turkey next year!

Clara, Clara, Clara

Clara was laying on the floor in front of my parents swivel chair, where Tucker was sitting. He was twisting around in the chair and Clara with a completely exasperated, victimized tone says, "Tucker, why are you doing this to me? Why?"

Lucy got in the car yesterday when I picked her up from school and Clara said in her chipper voice, "Hello Mrs. Lucy."

Clara was looking at the Christmas tree yesterday and said, "It is really scary."

(just so I don't forget)