Nothin' like bein a kid on Christmas..

I love this time of year, the hustle & bustle and all the warm fuzzies we feel as human beings; but there is always a part of me that feels sad that I'll never be a kid at Christmastime again. I am very thankful that I have wonderful memories from that time in my life, I'm lucky to have such memories to miss. But there really is just nothing like it. I don't know if it was because I was a kid or if it has something to do with Global Warming but I swear we always had a ton of snow when I was little, it never failed to dazzle the streets in white. My mom would always tell me to pick a snowflake and watch it fall to the ground, I still enjoy doing that now. Growing up has a way of sneaking up on you, which at times I really hate, but I am so grateful for my family, their health and well being. I would be lost without them.

I guess I was deserving enough to have the most wonderful parents and siblings to carry me through where and who I am now. I have inherited the most amazing in-laws, I don't even like calling them that. They are my second family of which I've even gained best friends from. It has always been extremely hard for me to move on, but I guess I'm just pointing out that I am so very happy for the blessings I have received in the now and for my future.
Even though I'm an old fogue, soon to be 24 (ugh, that's painful), there are some traditions that I just simply refuse to give up. I have had Christmas music (the very best of Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Gene Autry, The Carpenters, & Dean Martin) constantly blasting through the house since two days before Thanksgiving, the tree and decor was up on Nov. 25, on my list of must watch movies I've crossed off the classic Frosty the Snowman, Home Alone, Charlie Brown Christmas, & the classic Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer-of the ones I have left-A Christmas Vacation, the cartoon How the Grinch Stole Christmas, & Home Alone 2. Last week we went and saw "Nutcracker: Men in Tights" @ the Desert Star and it was incredible, then last night we went to see the lights at temple square (it was beautiful and spiritual despite the crowd) and I'm planning on making the caramel puffpopcorn & a mint & peppermint bark chocolate layer cake! I decided to take off the week inbetween Christmas & New Year's and I'm really looking forward to some downtime and creative time to myself. Jon's birthday is Dec. 26 so we're going down to P.F. Changs, we haven't been there since our honeymoon, so I'm pretty excited.

Well I hadn't written in awhile so I just wanted to post a little update. :)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone I love!

The Living Dead *Update

So I realized that I missed a zombie movie that I enjoyed even though I didn't think I would. So folks an update for those insane movie brains:

Quarantine-I was afraid this movie would be too shaky because it is filmed by a hand-held camera. I almost get sea-sick when I watch movies like Cloverfield or anything that's sort of jumpy like that, but I am glad that I sucked it up and watched this movie. It was really scary! A zombie must see.

Color

Bits of yellow, bits of green, and speckles of red showing inbetween-fall is in the air and it's perhaps the most beautiful sight I've ever seen!
Fall is a wonderful time of year, a lot of people claim it is their favorite season; I might agree although I've found something in each season that we experience. My favorite part of all of them is the change, you get the feeling of something new yet also something very familiar. I have grown up in Utah all my life so it's for me to notice fall creeping through as early as the end of August. Fall is the most noticable season change and definitely the most beautiful. I love the color, last night I was loading my groceries into the car and i just happened to look up at the mountains and they were burning red. I was taken back by the majesty and beauty of it all. Fall started a little early for us this year because we got our first snow on September 30th, i was a little disappointed to see it come so early but that soon went away and the weather the last few weeks has almost felt like an indian summer, it has just been so beautiful.
Logan Canyon is my favorite ride to take, we use it often going back and forth from the condo in bear lake, we went up there for a fall getaway on October 2nd through the 4th. The trees were so vibrant and beautiful in color, between the snow at the tops of the mountains and the leaves below it was quite a sight to see.



I am thankful for Utah, it's a beautiful place to live.

And that is dying...

Jon's grandfather has been struggling in the hospital for the past 6 weeks. It's unfortunate that the inevitable has sort of been riding on everyone's back. He has made it obvious that he's spoken to past relatives on the other side, and I fear his time is close. I have lost not many, but a few in my 23 years; I have tried my best to be a listener and a comforter throughout this experience for Jon and his family members, especially my mother-in-law and his youngest sister Sarah. My hopes are that they can be comforted during this time, and that whether grandpa Udie makes it out alive or not, death is not final. He has made it very clear that he will be going to a place where he will be extremely loved and greeted by family with open arms. I can only hope that one day when it is my time, that I will be shown the same affection from loved ones that I have lost. Throughout all of this I wanted to share a poem that reminds us that death can be beautiful and it's never goodbye.


I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: 'There, she is gone!''Gone where?' Gone from my sight. That is all.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: 'There, she is gone!' there are other eyes watching her coming, and the other voices ready to take up the glad shout 'Here she comes!' And that is dying.

*To those I have loved and lost, I miss you and I will be happy to be greeted by you again someday*

The Living Dead

So since October is finally here and I'm feeling uber festive I thought I'd talk a little bit about good ol' fashioned zombies. In my teen years I loved scary movies, now that I'm a little older they tend to scare me more. I still watch them, I'll always be a fan-but I'm just a little bit more careful as to which and when I watch. There is one particular scary film genre that I still love and am not afraid to watch, z.o.m.b.i.e. films! No, I'm not talking Rob Zombie, his movies are good-a little off the wall crazy...but no, I am talking about the flesh eating characters who walk around aimlessly looking for their next victim. Since I'm in such a great mood and feel like sharing I've compiled a list of my fav zombie films, and given the holiday we are about to celebrate it might be fun to participate in scary activities.

1. 28 Weeks Later

The first oh, maybe 15 minutes of this film will have you on the edge of your seat crazy. It's very intense.









2. Resident Evil

Not the greatest film ever, and in my opinion they've made way too many but I like Mila Jovovich so I'm gonna throw this on my fav. If you don't mind stepping out of order, Apocalypse is my favorite one.








3. Land of the Dead

Gruesome, typical zombie film.










4. Shaun of the Dead

If you love Simon Pegg like I do, you'll love this film. Nick Frost does a spectacular job, and this film is laugh out loud funny. (I sound like a movie critic don't I? That's because I am one.) It's the perfect comical twist to a world being taken over by zombies.







5. Zombieland

The latest and greatest. Woody Harrelson is hilarious and Jesse Eisenberg is becoming a favorite of mine. This show has a little bit of everything. I could have handled a little more action, but the action it had was incredible. It's really funny; a definite must.

Jackson Hole

This trip was short, but sweet. The best part of it all was that we were able to spend the time with Jon's entire family, minus only one sis. Which if you know Jon's fam, it's a rare occasion that we all get together; let alone on a vacation. Molton Ranch is a beautiful place to stay. I recommend that anyone who wants to travel to Jackson Hole/Yellowstone stay in these cabins-but make sure you plan your reservations a year in advance! The drive up was beautiful, it brought back many memories for me-my G-pa Lambros used to have a cabin in Alpine, WY and I have recollections of many times spent up there with my family as a young girl. The nature and vibe in Jackson Hole is a priceless one. It's a great town and somewhere I wish I could have lived or worked for awhile in my youth. We spent quality time at the cabin, playing games, reading, visiting, eating good food, and taking walks. We took a boat ride across Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park, and we also hiked up to Hidden Falls, and back around the lake. It was very, very beautiful. I can't wait to go back.

Our View from the Cabins

Hiking towards Hidden Falls

Jenny Lake

Antler Arch in Jackson

Everyone that went

Hannah Montana Pajama Party

Ok, I know what you're thinking. But it wasn't as bad as it sounds. I promised my nieces that I'd take them to see Hannah Montana when it was in the theater; I didn't get around to that so I had them over to my house for pizza, goodies, and to watch the movie. I can't believe that I haven't done something like this sooner. We have been in our home for well over two years now, and family has been in and out of our home but I've never had the little girls over just to hang. I was nervous at first, that they'd be bored or wouldn't enjoy it, but it was a blast! They all came so hyper and excited to be there and it made me really happy that they felt so comfortable in our home. I shoveled them with pizza, popcorn, & candy. I took them home at about 11:00p.m.-hyper and giddy for their parents. It was great. Here are a few pictures to share the experience.

Summertime and the livin's easy

This summer has been a hectic one for Jon and I; it seems like we've been going non-stop. We were originally blue that we weren't going to Lake Powell this year. I have been going to Powell every year since I was little, but every year guaranteed for the past ten. The very first time Jon went with us he was 18, so he has been with us the past five years that we have gone..anyway point being we're used to going, we love going, and we were sad that we weren't going to make it this year. haha. So we decided to keep busy doing other things-more family time, more camping and quick weekend vacations. I can say that since April we have gone on at least two vacations a month. Now that summer is winding down I am feeling tired of being away from home, but I am so glad that we kept busy and created memories with eachother and our families along the way. Just to share a few of the things we've done:
April: Bear Lake & San Diego

May: Moab & Bear Lake


June: Celebrated 6 yrs together, 2 of those married & Browne Lake


July: Bear Lake & Fish Lake


August: Bear Lake Raspberry Days (geeze you could say we like Bear Lake!)
In September we'll be going to Jackson Hole with Jon's family for four days and that'll be the end of it all. Just in time for the holidays that we love celebrating at home. As you can see we've done a lot of things outdoors this year; no five star hotels or spa-like retreats for us this time. I think that the way both Jon and I were raised adds to how we choose vacations and such. Both of us truly feel in our element when we are outside experiencing nature and all it has to offer. We have seen some really beautiful things in our lifetime-all of which we can thank Mother Earth for. We have also had a lot of BBQ's on our new deck & had friends and family over a lot. :)
Um as for other updates Jon has been gone a lot this summer for work. Starting July 6th he's been gone every week, returning only on the weekends. We are hoping that this week will be the last like that. He's getting tired of being away from home, and I'm tired of having him away from home. Gage was driving the neighbors crazy with his barking and we figured it was due to his Dad (Jon) being gone so much and not being able to spend time with him. So Mom (me) has been taking him out on nightly walks, we have really bonded during this time and although we are still trying to smooth out some rough edges he's minding me better and getting more used to me as an authority figure. Attika is still as cute AND as lazy as ever. I can't believe she's already five years old. I was out shopping for dog food the other day and Pedigree has food for "seniors" and it said ages 6+ on the bag!!! I was like Atti is going to be considered a senior in a year? No! All I know is that she better live forever or I don't know what I'll do. Both our extended and our immediate family is doing well so we can't really complain. Life is good. Jon and I went to Weber County Fair last Saturday night and that was fun. It's nice having it so close to home. We loved the animals and we were able to steal some glimpses of the derby. I remember going to the fair as a little girl, so it brings back good memories.
Anyway-now that we're all up to date. :) I am a little sad that summer is winding down but I am looking forward to fall and the holidays too. I love this time of year, it's perfect.

Are you willing to believe?

A few weeks ago the Standard Examiner had an article promoting the book "Mysteries and Legends in Utah" by Michael O' Reilly; this book is filled with our state's true stories of the unsolved and unexplained. The Standard chose to touch on two of the book's topics Bigfoot (Yeti, Sasquatch) and UFO's (unidentified flying objects). I am typically superstitious and almost always gullible when it comes to things of this nature. I've always been drawn to such mysteries because it makes me feel adventurous and excited inside about the world we live in. I know many, me included, believe that we are blind to so many things in this world, much is left to discover and much of it we probably never will. Upon becoming aware of the article and reading it and learning that there have been 17 sightings alone in North Ogden, Jon and I discussed it freely with my mother and father-in-law. Denice and I were all for it, the article made us believers and we are jumping at the chance to purchase Mr. O'Reilly's novel, Jon and Okey on the other hand with the lack of a better term bashed the ideas and complained about numerous, understandable points. I might mention that both are avid hunters and have "traveled and explored" nearly every mountaintop in Utah-there wasn't an ounce of sarcasm in that I promise you ;) Their points were:

1. Why have we not found a carcus of this supposed bigfoot?
2. Why can't anyone capture a picture of him?
3. Why can't anybody shoot him?
4. Why is it that when others have "sighted" him in an area-nobody can ever seem to find him there again?

There are many unanswered questions that plenty of people have on the matter. A gentleman who shared his story with the author was also printed in the Standard's article. He was an older man who seemed intelligent and sane. He came into contact with "bigfoot" while camping with his two grandson's in the Uintahs-he felt that this creature has a mystical power and can not be shot or captured on film-which slides in another direction that many believers think that it's possible that bigfoot could in fact be Cain from 'Cain and Abel' the story of the first murderer in our holy bible.

After the casual discussions I shared with family about it I couldn't help but become highly interested. The next day I did some research on our dear friend Mr. Bigfoot and I couldn't believe how much I found. Magazine and newspaper articles, published books, huge conventions held for men and women from around the world who gather search teams who have a career in and spend their lives trying to find this unobtainable creature. I know I mentioned I was gullible earlier but it is hard for me to believe that there would be so much out there on such a creature that isn't real. I am positive that there are the types of people who get a kick out of playing tricks or those that fabricate stories for their socialites justto get a rise out of them, but according to some of the articles I read, there have been tracks found in such desolate places that would make you question why anybody would take the time and bother to create such tracks when there is a 90% chance they'd never be found. So that is my question why bother?

I don't know if it's bigfoot, I don't know if odd lights in the sky are aliens, but I do know that there are still mysteries in this world and it wouldn't hurt to start believing in some of them. There are plenty of stories that we can talk ourselves out of, but I believe in this situation there is too much evidence to call it a hoax.
Next time you hear a bump in the night and before you tell yourself it's just your imagination, open your mind up to the possibility that it could be something real.



Call me crazy, but I'm a believer.

My true happiness

The Arnell, Larsen, & Bingham family, all together.

time to shop for a better attitude!

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, or a home. The remarkable thing is, we have a choice every day regarding what attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.

My 'stay'cation blues

Jon and I got back late last night from a 3 day trip to southern Utah with my family. It was a struggle to get it planned and to make sure everyone could meet and make the time we had picked out. It's difficult gathering 4 families and a total of 15 people together-but oh boy, was it worth it. We had such an amazing time; it really brought each and everyone of us together again. We had kind of lost that family touch but I feel like the last three days mended what had been taken from us. I am amazed by God's country and the opportunities we have to view it and experience it as a whole. The sights we saw were truly magical. It was fun for me to reminisce back to times when I had seen these areas before and an honor to show Jon Utah's playground for the first time.
Goblin Valley State Park, Utah
I love this place. I remember being a little girl climbing around in the formations pretending they were my houses. Jon had a heyday here; his legs were sore the next day from all the jumping and leaping he did from rock to rock.

The kids thorougly enjoyed climbing all over Goblin Valley. It was really hot and they didn't last long. We were able to get all the boys minus Dad & Ethan up on this Goblin and I stole a picture of them being silly. Kirk, Jaden, Jon, Nate, & Codey.

Here is an opening to an old uranium mine just north of Temple Mountain. It was discovered in 1898 and there are still remnants of the town and people that once lived there. It is almost eery looking into these old mines, most are fenced or gated off now because of the dangers one could face if they entered these 100+ year constructions.
Dead Horse Point, Utah Here's Mom, Dad, & me standing on the legendary Dead Horse Point, where once cowboys herded mustangs onto this 2,000 foot high rock cliff ledge. They picked the ones they wanted and left the others to die coralled there without any water. The views were amazing from this height. This was my favorite part of the trip.
Here's Jon being a smart ass on the very top of the 2,000 ft. high rocky cliff ledge. Jon pushed me to the limit by getting as close to the edge as possible. (He likes to live dangerously or prove he's macho) Everytime I'd catch him pulling these types of stunts my own knees would get wobbly. At one point I heard a lady yell "Suicide, what are you doing?!" I looked at my Dad & said "Let me guess, that's my husband she's yelling at..." & sure enough it was. Turns out he was hanging off the edge on his belly throwing a huge boulder over so he could watch & hear it fall.


'Double Arch' @ Arches National Park I couldn't believe how many arches there were in this park. This was my first time experiencing this recreation. The process of how they form this way is incredible. I noticed while passing others how many different languages and accents I heard, it left me feeling big headed because I live in such a beautiful state that has much to offer. Lucky me.
Jon in the opening at 'Double Arch'. He made me very nervous by being up there but I am so glad I was able to capture this shot.

'Delicate Arch' of the most famous at Arches National Park. We weren't able to hike the treacherous 2 miles with the little ones so we decided to take the smaller hike up to the "Upper View Point" We spent some time up on the rocks and it was peaceful.
Jon caught me gazing at the landscape from the rocks at the "upper view point". Like I said it was very peaceful. I gathered my thoughts here and thought about how thankful I was to have my whole family with me.
We stopped on the way home at Nine Mile Mountain and rode the four wheelers for a bit. It was fun going from hot weather and redrock to fall-like weather and pine trees. I drove Atti around on the machine and she didn't like it very much. She was shaking, but I made her tough it out. I'm a mean mom, I know.


Jon & I after going up a neat canyon in Nine Mile. I love him so much. He blends in w/ my family so well, he was meant for us.


Just the 5 of us as we started out. We have grown tremendously but every once in awhile I like to showcase just the 'roots'.


All in all the trip was a success. I had a great time and I'm looking forward to going again sometime in the future. The most important part to me was spending the time with my family and creating an everlasting memory. Hopefully this summer I will have much more to come!