Dare to Dream {Big}

monday musings

For Today...January 26th

Outside my Window...it's finally snowing again.  The yard looks like a winter wonderland again.  This morning I took Asia out and the trees were so heavy with snow that they reached the ground.  It was gorgeous.

I am thinking....about our trip to California at the end of the week.

I am thankful...Keaton's cough is finally starting to sound better.

I am going...to take Jacek to school later because he slept in and then to the grocery store.

From the kitchen this week...mom's making stuffed peppers today and I'm making chicken lo mein noodles.  I think I'll make some homemade chicken noodle soup with the leftover chicken.

I am wearing...my green pajamas and snowflake robe.

I am reading...nothing right now, but I should find a good book to take with me on our trip.

I am hoping...we all have a great time in California.

I am creating...a check list for packing so I don't forget anything.

I am hearing...Keaton making a car out of a big box.  He's very intent on coloring and creating.

Around the house...laundry, putting clothes away, and packing.

One of my favorite things...the day after a huge snowstorm where there is blue skies and crystal white snow everywhere.

Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...No basketball this week.  YIKES!!  It will be weird not to be focused solely on basketball.  I have a hair appointment tomorrow.  Jacek and Cory are going to the Utah/BYU basketball game tomorrow night and I'm going to book club at Natalie's house.  Wednesday, Jacek will go to school in the morning and then we leave around noon to go to the airport.  The only definite plan for California is to go to Sea World one day.  The weather is going to be in the 70's and sunny.  YAHOOO!!!!

A picture thought I would like to share

Bon Voyage!

girl's night at deer valley

A condo at Deer Valley opened up unexpectedly on Thursday, so I was able to use our last night we had with Exclusive Resorts on Friday.  We thought about just our family going up for the night, but Jacek and Cory had a game at 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning so it made more sense to have a girls night.  I can't believe I got my four friends to commit so quickly.  By 3:00 Friday, everyone had said that they could go. We didn't end up leaving until 6:45 and arrived around 7:30.  I picked up Ruth and then met Sandra and Darlene at the school.  Sandra took her car because she and Ruth needed to leave earlier than Darlene and I.  We had a nice, simple dinner of Greek pitas, turkey, hummus, olives and a yummy salad.  Then we played bridge for a while enjoying gin and tonics and each other's company.  We laughed, giggled and talked until 11:30.  Then we braved the cold and went into the hot tub for about an hour.  It's too bad there was significant cloud cover because we would have loved to see the millions of stars the mountains have to offer.  We showered and dressed in our jammies and then some did facials.  We didn't go to bed until 2:30 a.m.

Ruth and Sandra were up and ready to go by 7:30.  I got up to say goodbye and then went back to bed until 9:00.  Darlene and I made french toast, scrambled eggs w/cream cheese and chives, and coffee for breakfast.  We decided to go in the hot tub one more time before we had to check out.  It was snowing the entire morning and it made everything clean and white.

I didn't take one picture of the four of us the night we got there.  I got one of Darlene the morning we were leaving and it wasn't the best photo.  So here are some random shots of the place we stayed.  We were right on the Deer Valley ski run and it was fun to watch the skiers gliding down the mountain.

There were four bedrooms so we each got our own room and bath.  Sweet! 

*(I love that the clock says 11:11)

I was worried about going out in the hot tub because we only had 30 minutes before we needed to get ready to go.  I was pleasantly surprised to see my own private clock across the way to keep us on time. 

Thanks to my peeps for dropping everything so quickly and going with me on our little adventure!  

 

flashback friday

This is one of my favorite pictures of me as a little girl.  

a peaceful transfer of power

I loved this picture of the completed transfer of power from one president to another one.  I was a little emotional as I watched in awe of how simplistic, yet power this moment in time was for our country. So glad I was able to capture that particular picture this morning on the television.  I saw another photo that was taken from the view point behind the four electives looking out to the helicopter which was even more dramatic.

Goodbye George W. Bush!

Hello Barack Obama!

Keaton wanted to do a "Cheers" for our new President with Cold Duck!  Jacek's friend Eric was here so he joined us.

happy 45th anniversary!!!!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!  What a great milestone!  WOW how time flies?  I remember celebrating your 25th anniversary at my wedding reception 20 years ago.  I love you guys so much and am so happy I was blessed to be your daughter.  You are both my inspiration and I aspire to live my life as you have~full of family, friends and fun. Have a happy day together!

flashback friday

This is a picture from 1974 and I was in the 2nd grade.  I love the fashion style I had to layer flowers and checks.  :)

my new year's quote

I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind.

~Neil Gaiman

monday musings

For Today...January 12th

Outside my Window...the skies are heavy, dark and grey.

I am thinking....about my new 2009 one little word.

I am thankful...for a brand new year and the opportunity to make good intentions and resolutions for a productive, happy, fulfilling 2009.

I am going...to Jacek's last wrestling match today.  Keaton's tummy isn't feeling 100% so he's going to stay home from school today.  I also have to take Jacek to basketball practice.

From the kitchen this week...Jacek wants me to make clam chowder, so I'll do that tomorrow.  I've been wanting to make white chicken chili too.  Those are two of my culinary goals for the week.

I am wearing...my yellow pajamas.

I am reading...Red Water

I am hoping...Keaton feels better today.

I am creating...a Project 365 on my old Poga blog.  To see it go here.

I am hearing...Cory talk on a conference call from his office.

Around the house...I've started to put my Christmas away.  If you know me at all, this news will come as quite a shock.

One of my favorite things...White Syrup.  My friend/hairdresser Jana gave me her family's Christmas traditional white syrup recipe and it is so yummy.  Dissolve 1/2 cup of butter and 1 cup of sugar together in a pan over the stove.  Stir in 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and bring to a boil whisking constantly.  Turn off heat and add 1 tsp. vanilla.  It's a heart attach waiting to happen, but it's yummy on pancakes, waffles and french toast.

Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...wrestling match, orthodontist appointment, cleaning people, Jacek's Jr. High basketball tryouts, Jacek's dentist appointment, field trip to see the dinosaurs at Thanksgiving Point, short day on Thursday and then a 4 day weekend with a basketball tournament thrown in just for fun.

A picture thought I would like to share

One of my intentions for this year is write and journal.  I bought this fingerless gloves and decided they are my new writing gear.  I love to wear them so I'm hoping that will motivate me to write more.

this one is for grandma sharon

When we went to Vernal a couple of weeks ago, Grandma Sharon had a pan of this on her stove.  I had never even heard of toffee made from saltine crackers and I have known this woman for 27 years.  I don't know if this is the recipe she used, but I found it on someone's blog right after we came home.  It was surprisingly good!

Saltine Toffee Candy

1 C Butter
1 C Brown Sugar
1.5 C chocolate chips
1 Sleeve (about 40) Saltine Crackers
1 C chopped nuts
Non-Stick Cooking Spray

Line jelly roll pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Lay crackers out flat on foil. Melt sugar and butter until foamy (3 minutes). Pour over crackers and spread to coat. Bake 10 minutes in 350º oven. Remove from oven. While hot, sprinkle with chocolate chips, let soften and melt, then spread. Sprinkle with nuts. Let cool. Refrigerate until hardened. Break into pieces like peanut brittle.

mario/ute christmas

Looking back at the photos I took on Christmas Day, I noticed a theme, or rather, two themes that dominated the day- Mario and University of Utah.  

It started the night before Christmas when Christmas Eve left her one gift for everyone and also a family gift.  Jacek got a University of Utah sleeveless shirt and pajama pants and Keaton got Super Mario Brothers pajamas.

At the crack of dawn, the boys came downstairs to punch through the annual wall of wrapping paper in their new jammies.

And inside the room were where the other theme related gifts lay waiting to be claimed. 

Jacek got a Ute bag, hat and banner.  I think the hat was one of his favorite gifts along with his new gold ipod.

Jacek also had another theme going on in his stocking!  SOCKS!!!  Lots and lots of socks!!!  I love the look on his face in this next picture. 

"Oh great!  

Another pair of socks! 

Thanks Santa!"

Keaton got Paper Mario and Donkey Kong games, Mario pillow, hat, pants, tin and two shirts.

One of Keaton's favorite Mario gifts were these wristbands.  He loved them and took them everywhere for the whole winter break.

He also loved his Mario Sunshine shirt.

And his Mario Brothers slippers.

I love this next photo because before Keaton ate his breakfast, he had to change into his new Super Mario pants, shirt, hat and wristbands.  And I love that he's listening to his new Luigi green ipod.

So that's a wrap on our Mario/Ute Christmas.  We'll have to wait until next year to find out what the new theme(s) will be.  

:(