So, today I start back at the lodge in Island Park. I am excited about it, I learned a lot working up there, and as I found out it wasn't the train wreck that working at The Horseshoe was. It actually runs smoothly.
Yesterday afternoon we went and saw Sherlock Holmes, aaahhhh! It was really good. The previews made it look tawdry, and I thought it was going to be filled with all kinds of innuendos, but it wasn't. I liked it very much, and will buy it when it comes out on dvd. Also Robert Downey Jr. played a very good Sherlock Holmes, I think, even though not british, pulled it off. Jude Law as Watson was really good too. I think the movie was well done, and hope they do another.

As you can see, Sir Arthur Conan Doyles Sherlock Holmes isn't anywhere near as good looking.

Merry Christmas

It's snowing on my blog, how cool is that! I just watched Julie&Julia....LOVED it. I watched Julia Childs on tv when I was young, along with Yan Can Cook! HAHAHA! That was when we just had basic cable. I didn't appreciate her when I was 12 years old, didn't think she was a very good cook. Oh my heck though, now, I have such a better understanding, and can appreciate her.
We are having a movie fest at our house tonight, that doesn't include any christmas movies. I know, I know! But we don't goto movies all that often, we wait for them to come on dvd...saves money, and you have the comfort of your own home. So tonight is movie night. We are, however, having what is sure to be a SCRUMPTIOUS dinner....which will be Slow Roasted Prime Rib, Baked Potatoes, Green Salad, Mixed veggies, and for desert we will be having Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes with Vanilla Ice Cream YUMMY, huh?! I have this recipe for a prime rib rub, but it is more like a crust if it's done right. Oh my, makes the prime rib very flavorful.....the very best thing about this dinner is the cost of the prime was only $3.88 a pound. How cooly cheap was that. I was able to buy more, 5 lbs. We'll only eat about 2 lbs, and can food savor the rest and have prime rib another time. Dinner for 2 for 3 days, at later dates of course. And if the prime is cooked about rare or just a tick under, then it can be warmed in the Au Jus to medium rare and be just like it was the first time. AAAHHHHH! I love FOOD! I will also be going to the DI to get myself a wide belt! Merry Christmas to all!

Sometimes when I goto the D.I. I get so lucky with what I find. Yesterday, I found my baby bundt pans. They are Nordic Ware, and to buy these pans new, they are $30+ bucks a piece. The best part, besides actually finding them at the TS is that they were only $4 each, and in super good condition. There was 2 of them. Here's what they look like.

I am planning on making cakes today for christmas presents.

No matter how old they get

I've decided this: No matter how old boys get, they should never be left unattended for one single moment. This is a before picture of the kitty, notice how pretty orange he is all over....bad picture I know

Now look at kitty after Jade has taken our clippers to him.....



So, I guess the cat just LOVED having his hair cut, purred the whole time, until it was time to do his belly, then he got a little on edge. Still the point remains.......boys should never be left unattended, no matter how old they get!

Back from Utah, and, it wasn't a complete disaster. Jade got moms bathroom all together just fine, without any problems at all. And it's lovely. I didn't take one dang picture while I was down there, I don't know whats wrong with me. It snowed 6 inches over night saturday, which caused a bit of a problem for more than one person, but the world around was just beautiful. I love fresh fallen snow, and how it blankets everything. I am very lucky to have Mercy Otis as my sister. She is the most amazing woman in the world. Again, no pictures, but she stitched me this awesome sampler for my friend, late the night before we were leaving to come home. Cindy loved it by the way, a gift from the heart. She told me to tell Mercy thank you very much. She also sewed me little santa hats for my santa ball decorations, and a cover for my christmas story book for a friend. Mercy is one of the busiest people I know, and she made time for me, and all my projects. I am so very grateful for her, and her family. Thank you to her and all she does! Sorry again, and again, and again about the car. We can make it right ya know.
Anyways after a trip to my moms, my christmas tree is complete. My other sister lives with my mom, and she gave me all her old crocheted decorations, my mom crocheted them, and their highly sought after, also I high-jacked decorations from my mom. Jade says the tree is now "cluttered", and he doesn't like it, can you believe that?

Anyways, I love it, and think it looks wonderful. These little snowmen figures have been a part of my christmas for a long time, and my mom gave them to me 2 years ago. I love them. My mom made them in Relief Society and Mercy embellished them on a break from her attending beauty school. So they are.........31 years old? They are in excellent shape, as you can see.

Family Christmas Party

It was the "Family" christmas Party in small town Utah tonight. It was so much fun. I love, love, love my nieces and nephews, and their prospective spouses and children. How very blessed I am! So there were some really fun games, and prizes. My favorite thing though, was the ornament exchange. HE HE! I had been at my nieces house and had seen what she was making...I know, I know, kinda like cheating, but as you can see, how could I pass it up. Whether everyone was kind and just let me keep it, or everyone was too scared to take it from me, I got to keep this handmade, and when I say handmade, I mean she made everything herself, little apron. It fits perfect, as I'm a cook, (and I like to cook). I think this my favorite ornament ever...even better than the ballerina I got when I was a young teenager. Kim, you're amazing and people really would spend some money on these, put a little shop on your blog and sell them! Merry Christmas my wonderful family and thank you for a new christmas memory.

Congrats to KJ and her little Evie. I am an Aunt once again, it never gets old, can't wait to get down there and see/hold/kiss her! Anyways, when I gave my 2 weeks notice on friday, sunday, they just let me go. Said they didn't really need me. I would say thats a truism, but, now someone else is going to have to bake, along with working their scheduled shift, and thats hard to do them both at the same time. Also, I was the only person who cared if that place was clean or organized. Anyways, The Silver Horseshoe isn't going to stay open for very long. I'm very glad I left when I did, so I didn't fall when it does, cuz it will. How sad!
I am going back to work at the Anglers Lodge in Island Park. This year however, I won't be living up there. I am excited about being back up there. I will start sometime after Christmas.

Durango and his mamma

So way back when it seems, I replied to an ad on Craigslist for a young lady looking for a home for her dog, while she attended BYU-I. Her parents live in Washington and didn't want to keep her pit bull mix dog while she was at school. So come January, Durango will come to live with us. Not sure if this will be for 4 years or not. We are so very excited. Here is Durango with his mommy Brittany

Doesn't she kinda look like Bella from Twilight? And here is Durango all curled up in hims bed.

He looks like Abby, doesn't he, except his has short legs, and he's a bit more portly. Oh yeah, I gave my 2 weeks notice at work. Whew!

Simple Instructions

Okay, I'm not a very good teacher, usually someone ends up crying.....but.....here goes....I have a mac...so I opened up pages(same as microsoft word) and inserted a shape (which was the star), then made them 5", you can make them whatever size you want. Then printed them off.

I then cut the stars out.

Then I folded the stars in half along all 5 points.


Waalaa, you have a barn star.

Then I spray painted them. This way was WAY easier than Chars way, for me anyways.
The Merry Christmas ribbon was eay too. I bought glitter glue, and a spool of ribbon from the dollar store, then just used the glitter glue and wrote Merry Christmas on it, and cut a v in the ends.

I'm not the craftiest person in the world, so I always try to find the easiest way to do things.
The cat found the candy canes on the tree this morning, and commando raided them. It was the funniest thing ever. I tried to get pictures of him, but he was to fast. He did end up right in the middle of the tree, on his hind legs, stretched to his full height of almost 2 1/2 feet trying to climb the tree. Very funny!

Decorating

The other day ago, Jade and I made barn stars. After a few done on card stock, Jade decided that we should just use plain old paper. This idea to make barn stars came from the pickled pepper patch blog, and I just love the barn stars. Anyways, I had some neon green paper, and it's just a little heavier than plain old printer paper, so we made some. I took them out to the garage and spray painted them silver, and then we put them on our tree. Also my niece has this cool merry christmas ribbon on her tree, and I loved that as well, but in my trip to the big city, couldn't find one. So to the dollar store I went and made one my own self. I don't like it as much as hers, but it'll do. With some candy canes, and the few decorations that we had, our tree is complete, for now anyways.
I went into Roberts Crafts, and was assaulted with christmas cheer. I haven't been into a craft store in quite some time, and never at christmas I think. it was so fun, and everything christmas was 50% off. I didn't buy anything, but took lots of pictures.


I LOVED these, and want to make some for my own self, and maybe for presents. I hope everyone is having a happy holiday season so far. I LOVE this time of year!

Christmas Come early

So this morning I got a phone call from my SIL and she said she had an early christmas present for us. Wahoo, I love presents. So over she came with this little treasure. I am so excited to put him on my porch with the rest of my decorations. He is slightly scary, and was somewhat of a "puzzle" to put together, thats what Jade is for, but here he is all lit up and ready for my porch. I have wanted the light up deer to put on my lawn for years, so maybe this year, after christmas when they are on a deep discount I will buy some. I love this little frosty! Thank you very much Elk.....