Afternoon Delight

We went searching for ghost towns a few weeks ago in the Oquirrh Mountains, and here is Sammi, freaking out to be out of the truck and into the wilderness.  (Note the 'No Trespassing' sign in the background.)

It feels nice to be out in the mountains enjoying the fresh air and the fall scenery before winter finally surrounds us.  Usually I'm excited for fall to relinquish its brief and tenuous hold on Utah, but this year I'm nervous for winter to come around.  I don't feel like I'm ready to make the decisions that winter brings with it, I'm unprepared to face the snow and the holidays and the changes.  Winter seems like a snowball, deftly gathering speed as it rolls, until it has grown larger than life and is ready to engulf us all.

But maybe it is like many things in life, the anticipation is the worst part of the game.  Perhaps this year winter will mean only pleasant trips to sunny places, perfect powder days, and hot cocoa at the close of it all.  I'm trying to be optimistic, is it working?

Regardless, I am thankful for all of the love and support I feel on a daily basis.  I'm grateful for my life, my loved ones, and my gifts; and though I may wish for some things to be different, I would never want to trade places with anyone.

Happy Ho Ho Turkey Day!

Adorable Fix

Isn't this the cutest picture ever? Bob and our friends' son Grant at a wedding we attended recently. It's your adorable fix for the day.

Tagged

Fine, fine. 6 quirky things you didn't know you didn't know about me.

1. I am interviewed on talk shows all of the time.... in my head. I have been interviewed by all sorts of people on the majority of the major networks about my recent bestselling book, a friend/family member's recent medical breakthrough, or giving my opinion on some recent news event. Lately most of these interviews occur during my commute to work, luckily I no longer carpool with anyone as I usually conduct my side of the interview out loud.

2. I love to watch television on my iPod or laptop while I'm doing anything; gardening, cooking dinner, cleaning the bathroom, folding laundry. I watch a lot of shows...

3. I am currently growing my hair out until it is long enough to cover my chest like in those jean commercials where the girls have no shirts on and only really awesome jeans. I'm getting there, but I still have a few months to go. At this point I have no future plans for my hair.

4. I cannot set alarms for round numbers (ends in 5 or 0). If a recipe calls for something to be cooked for 30 minutes, I'll set a timer for 28. My alarm this morning went off at 5:27.

5. I talk to my dogs. A lot. Especially when Bob is out of town. I discuss with them what to cook for dinner, what they thought about the latest Gossip Girl episode, and whether or not they think that it will rain. If Sammi is in a particularly quirky mood, she will howl back at me while Maggie squeaks her 'Wubba.'

6. I love hanging out with people, but I have severe hermit tendencies. I'll get huge anxiety before any party I'm about to attend and when confronted with new people, my default is to close up on myself and go AWOL. I feel like a huge introvert, though I do my best to hide it.


Ta da! I don't really feel like tagging anyone right now. Maybe next time...

Halloween 2008

My work goes all out for Halloween, so some friends and I rose to the challenge.  This year we won the group costume competition for our rendition of the Seven Deadly Sins.

From left to right: Wrath (Haleigh), Pride (Sarah), Gluttony (Jamey), Sloth (Kaylyn), Lust (Kelly), Greed (me), Envy (Kiki).

A close-up on me as Greed!  I was repeatedly mistaken for Paris Hilton.  Close enough, I suppose.

Is this the cutest little Frankenstein you have ever seen?  He enjoys bossing around the dogs, and they enjoy trying to steal his candies.