The Twelve Days of Thanksgiving - Day Ten

Today I am grateful for Walt Disney.  He has brought me much happiness in my life.

 

 

Laughter is timeless

imagination has no age

and dreams are forever.

 

Walt Disney

Summer Happenings

Whew....I just got done uploading 392 pictures from my trip to Shutterfly.   Now I need to figure out which of those get shared here, but until then I thought I would do a very quick recap of my Summer up until the time I left on my trip.

These pictures are out of order also, sorry.   I wish Blogger had an easier way of managing pictures, but they don't, and I don't have enough time to monkey with them.  

I drove into California and my car registered 105 degrees.  I drove out in a torrential rain pour and my car registered 41 degrees (scroll down for pictoral proof of 41 degrees).   How's that for some extremes?   

On my way I decided to stop at Donner State Park.  It was so beatiful, that I had to take a little hike/walk around the nature trail.

Did you know that Walt Disney was the Chairman of Pageantry for the Winter Olympics held in Squaw Valley?  I didn't.   But this flag pole has taught me otherwise.   You just never know where you will find a little gem of knowledge.

This monument stands 200 feet tall (I think) and represents how high the snow was during that fateful winter.

Ahh, here it is.

I spent some time with my favorite girls.

Kylie Chillin.

Delaney dressed up. 

3 Cowgirls.  Yee haw.   I like the rakish angle that Kylie has chosen for her hat.

I finally learned the name of this sculpture in the Salt Flats.  It is not the Tree of Life as previously thought, but it is actually called - Metaphor: The Tree of Utah.  Yah I don't know either.  It is a bad metaphor if no one gets it...I am guessing.

My dear, dear friend Jenny got married.   Isn't she so pretty?

I attended my beloved Highland games.

I went to a few concerts.  

Keane

The Shins

I saw some baby ducks.

And a pretty tree.

The end!

(soon to be followed by too many pictures of Denmark and Sweden, rest up)

Out of the mouth of babes...

This past Sunday I was reminded of why it delights me to teach the children at church.

I taught the 5 year olds this week and we were having a lesson on how we can tell that Jesus loves us and how we can show Jesus that we love him.   I asked the question..."What has Jesus given us to show us that he loves us?".   Then we went around the room.   One little girl said "our moms and dads", the next little girl said "animals, especially baby ducks", the next little girl said "flowers", and bless his heart the one little boy said "Jack Sparrow".

And you know what?   I think he's absolutely correct and I too am grateful for Jack Sparrow...

and also 5 year olds.

A few of my favorite things...Autumn

Yesterday I woke up to snow on the mountains and when I walked to the gym I could see my breath on the air. Ohh how I love Fall and the colder weather. I really do. But it would seem that 90 % of the people who live in Utah do not love cold weather like I do. I have heard nothing but complaints for the past 2 days. Almost as if everyone is suddenly surprised that it snows in Utah. Umm...people...it snows in Utah. If you don't like it, move somewhere warm. But I suppose that isn't very charitable of me.

Anyway, here are a few things I love about Autumn.

Storms...

Fall Leaves...

Honey Crisps...have you tried these apples? They are like eating candy. I kid you not. I was so happy when I went to the store last weekend and saw the first shipment of Honey Crisps for the season.


Fall TV...New and Old....

Are you watching this?


Or this?

Or this?

Or this?

You should be.

Oscar worthy Film....

Have you seen this yet?

Or this?

I highly recommend.

Halloween...and Halloween Decor

I love my new Villains!

Happy Fall everyone!!!

To my favorite 5 Year Old! Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Delaney!!

Éire go Brách

Happy St. Patrick's Day y'all!



I love a lot of things about Ireland - especially after spending a little over a week there several years ago.


I love how all of Dublin smells like Guinness.

I love U2.

I love the Book of Kells.

I love that, when I was there, the government celebrated the grand opening of a new freeway with a round of free drinks for everyone.

I love that the sheep are sassy and think they can just go wherever they please, including the lobby of my hotel.

I love how all the signs are in both English and Irish.

I love that you can buy codeine over the counter at any pharmacy.

I also love that after a year or so of mourning, I recently found my missing Guinness sock that I brought all the way from Ireland and that I need to wear when I see U2 in concert in June.

I also have a confession to make about St. Patrick's Day.


I obsessively watch QVC all day on St. Patrick's Day. And I may or may not have been known to actually buy something.


It is the strangest thing, since I refuse to watch QVC any other day.

On a side note, I saw Alice in Wonderland last weekend. I thought it was very good. It was visually very pretty, and the storyline is well thought out and interesting. Having said that though… I didn't love it. I just really liked it. Part of that could be that I have never really enjoyed the Alice story; in fact it is one of my least favorite Disney movies. So perhaps I was biased going in. The movie IS very well done though, and not as scary as I thought. Although I am not sure my Niece would like it. Contrary to popular thought, I do NOT think like a 4 year old, so who knows. (More like a 14 year old)


Hands down the best part of the movie is Helena Bonham Carter. She was hilarious.

Oh and one more thing, as a post edit to my last posting. I finished my first crossword puzzle book last night. When I bought it I thought 5 dollars was not bad. But unless I pace myself this could become an expensive habit. I think I will search for some free ones on the internet perhaps.



And with that, I leave you with this...



May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing

P.S. Whenever they decide to have a day just devoted to Scotland, I will drop St. Patrick's Day like a dirty napkin. Just you wait and see.

"Freedom!"

Blurry much?

I did manage to do a few fun things whilst I was in California for work last month, as evidenced by these very blurry pictures taken with my Blackberry. (My camera decided it doesn't want to work anymore...I really want to get a new one, but the budget may not allow at this moment. Keep your fingers crossed that I don't get sent anywhere cool like the Czech Republic anytime soon, or else I will sadly not be able to provide any photographic enjoyment for y'all.)

First stop was Stone Brewery in Escondido. Both my Boss and one of my Co-Workers are Beer aficionados and Stone Brewery beer is some of their favorite. I suspect I was invited along to be the designated driver and not really because I am super cool like they said, but oh well.

My fun co-worker Rob.

Grounds outside the restaurant.


This is the cooler where they keep the vintage and "special" beers. There were alot of oohs and ahs and very excited looking men during this part of the tour.

The bottling thingy.

These casks are where they will blend different kinds of beers, including some from different breweries to come up with a new kind of beer. Also much excitement to be had here.

And here is where you get to sample the beer at the end of the tour. I may or may not have aided and abetted in some drunkenness by getting my glass filled and then letting other people drink my share.

I actually thought the tour was really interesting, and I enjoyed the food they served for dinner, but after 7 hours of watching everyone drink and not having anything else to really do - I was definitely ready to go back to the hotel.

Disneyland of course. I wanted this picture to look sort of surreal and all, but all you get is blurry.

Fun co-worker Colette from Ireland. This was taken at the Wild Animal Park. These little deer were such loves, and this one in particular would bare its teeth just a little when you petted it so that it looked like it was smiling at you. Awww.

We were going to go into San Diego, but somehow found ourselves 3 miles outside of Tijuana (don't ask). So we thought, what the heck and drove right on in.

As soon as we passed the border without being stopped, Colette started to get nervous because she didn't declare herself leaving the country, and she was only in the U.S. on a Visa. We decided that perhaps we should just turn around and go back. This was not an easy thing though. The roads are interesting South of the Border, and my rudimentary Spanish was not really helping me much with reading road signs. We seriously drove around for a 1/2 hour before we somehow figured out how to get back in line to cross into the U.S. Not before driving through some shady warehouse districts where they were trying to sell puppy mill puppies off the side of the road though. Sadness.

And then we had to sit in line to cross the border for at least an hour, while people walked up and down between the cars trying to sell things like fruit salad, and giant plaster turtles, which I didn't really get. I mean who goes to Tijuana for a giant plaster turtle?

There were also a lot of beggars. It was actually quite sad. I didn't really like that aspect of it all.

Other than the sad puppies, the weird plaster turtles, the questionable fruit salad, etc. I would say we had a great time on our adventure to Mexico. We laughed the entire time, it was ridiculous. It was especially funny when Colette was getting nervous about how long it was taking to cross the border and wondered if they would shoot her if she just got out and made a run for it. To which I responded that they would probably be able to catch her before they had to shoot her. And then she thought I was saying she was out of shape. And we honestly were laughing like people that were high on drugs, I am surprised they didn't arrest us.

That is all for today, if I manage to get my camera to turn on I will download my pictures of when I went to the Getty and share them next time.

Adios

Single Rider

So, I have been in California on business for the past 3 weeks. Not so much fun. But, originally I thought this would be a perfect opportunity for my California family to come celebrate the big birthday I had this year - we could all go to Disneyland. Because what could be more fun than going to Disneyland for your 40th right? But circumstances were such that it just didn't work out for anyone, no worries.

So instead...

I went to Disneyland by myself, I really didn't think it would be a big deal, I do things by myself all the time right? And I DID have a good time, but I will just say this, Disneyland is more fun when shared with loved ones. No offense to the couple I stood in line with at the Matterhorn, you were perfectly lovely but it just wasn't the same. (plus they didn't seem willing to take picture after picture of me from my good angle, like Kate would - hence no pictures - I "borrowed" that one from the internets)

The day after I went to Disneyland I did go with a friend down to Escondido, and possibly maybe Tijuana, but that is a story for another day. Buenos Dias.

Spring Babies

There are some new babies down in Holden.

Aren't they so fuzzy and cute?

Traditionally all the llamas get Disney names, i.e. Lady, Tramp, etc. But I think these two little cuties should be named Calvin and Hobbes. I don't even have any idea if they are boy or girl type llamas (I didn't think they would enjoy it if I tried to inspect under their tails), I just like those names. Besides they say you should give names that can be lived up to, what better names then than those of two famous philosophers? Or a stinker of a kid and his pet tiger? Either way it works for me.

Also, it snowed today, and that's all I have to say about that.