Knit-Twit

This is my first knitting project ever! I have played around with knitting a few times in the past and was a little familiar with the basic knit and purl stitches. But, I have never actually made something from a pattern.

I probably should have started with a more basic pattern that did not require use of 4 knitting needles (at a time), stitch markers, stitch holders and attaching a thumb. But that just wouldn't be me. I find what I like and adjust my skills as necessary. Of course, I consulted my mother-in-law and youtube. I love that you can type in knitting terms and get a little tutorial from your home computer. Amazing! I actually thought the pattern was fairly simple once I got into it. I am sure I could do a better job were I to do a second pair. But, I am not a perfectionist. I am perfectly content with my cozy wrist warmers. They make me feel frilly and feminine while simulatneously feeling like a rough & tough boxer. Who could ask for more?

Christmas in Park City

This Christmas we wanted snow. We decided to go light on gifts and spend some money on a trip to Park City. We stayed in a small condo near the SLC Winter Olympic venue sites. We headed up Christmas Eve day not truly knowing where we were going to be staying. Luckily, we got it sorted out during the drive up and stayed in a condo we found on Craig's List. We were in a one bedroom condo with 2 queen beds, a small kitchenette and bathroom. We opened our Christmas Eve gifts which were pajamas for the kids and Star Wars Lego PS3 game for the family. So everyone got to play the game in their new pjs. The kids went to bed while Dad & Mom played the PS3. While asleep, Santa came and strung lights all across the condo and made a Christmas light tree to put our presents under. That must have been tricky considering all the kids were asleep in that room.
Christmas morning we ate spinach quiche and then had fun opening everyone's gifts. Favorites included: Payton--remote control truck, Ash--life-like kitten, Logan--pack of hot wheels cars, Taylor--play phone. After the thrill of opening Christmas gifts had subsided, we bundled ourselves for an afternoon of sledding. We found a steep hill that fit the bill, but Payton was the only one tough enough to trudge up the hill more than just a couple of times. The other kids became chilled and spent half the time in the car. That evening, we snacked on guacamole and chips, sausage and cheese and crackers while we watched the Chevy Chase Christmas movie. Saturday we spent at the Gateway in SLC. We took the kids to the Discovery Gateway where they were able to experiment and play in many different areas. After a lunch break, we explored the Clarke Planetarium. Our last day in Park City, we had to get some more snow time in. This time we found a back road with almost no traffic-perfect for sledding. The kids had more fun on this hill. We also pulled the sled behind the car for Daniel's benefit; a throw-back to his younger days. We visited my sister and brother for a couple hours before driving my brother to the SLC airport on the way back home. It was definitely worth the trip We may have to do another away-from-home Christmas next year as well.

Dance Recital

Ashlynn was in a pre-jazz dance class offered by Dixie College. She began in October and basically had 2 months involvement. Ash loves to dance so I thought this would be great for her. I have to say I was a little disappointed with the class. The instructor was trying to teach them too many things too fast. The performance was to the song "Let it Snow" with Christmas pjs as their costumes. It was a cute idea but the kids were just all over the place. Obviously I don't expect perfection in this age group, but I would expect the instructor to tone down the requirements to fit the age group and abilities of the dancers. So, starting tomorrow, Ashlynn will begin a dance class with a different group and instructor.

Christmas at Home Depot

While looking for some Christmas decorations at Home Depot, we came across some fun accessories. Luckily, I had my camera with me to document the fun looks.

A Quiet Thanksgiving

It may have been when we lived in Tulsa that we last had a quiet Thanksgiving with just our immediate family. So I was looking forward to the holiday.
Since we were going solo this year, I decided to use the opportunity to experiment with our dishes. Nothing too crazy, mind you. I really enjoy the traditional Thanksgiving menu and look forward to eating dishes we only eat at that one special time of the year. That being said, I feel you can always improve on a classic.
I prepped much of the dinner the day before to avoid some amount of the havoc that Thanksgiving preperation brings. I don't know if it actually reduced any havoc or just spread it out over the two days. This was our menu...

1. Maple-brined turkey
2. Spinach & artichoke stuffing
3. Mashed potato puffs
4. Famous Dan's Yams
5. Rolls
6. Confetti Corn
7. Deviled Eggs
8. Stuffed Celery
9. Lime Tart
10. Apple Pie

I was a little disappointed in the potatoes, the rolls and the corn which were nothing special for the added effort. I won't be making them again. Everything else was good. My favorite was the stuffing which was an Emeril recipe. I liked that it was different and had a great flavor. Of course I love spinach.

Overall, the holiday was a success. I must admit, however, that I missed the big family event that Thanksgiving should be. We'll see what happens next year...

Black Eyed P

The school called me to tell me my son had been involved in a 2nd Grade Stampede. Apparently, all the kids from 2 second grade classes were trying to rush out of the building at the same time with pushing and shoving being the mode of exit. Unfortunately, Payton was unable to avoid the onslaught of elementary verve. We begin dodgeball training tomorrow...

Sand Dunes Campout

Our trailer has been occupied by Dan's parents for the last year, so we have not been able to enjoy our typically camp-packed summer. They were able to finally get their own trailer just at the tail end of the camping season. So, we quickly cleaned it up and took it out for one quick campout before winter set in.

We camped near the Coral Pink Sand Dunes. The dunes are made of loads of beautiful red sand. The kids enjoy playing in the sand. They took turns burying each other in the sand. Payton enjoyed riding his four-wheeler and giving the others (including Dad & Mom) rides. We also explored a small underground cave. Most of the cave system was gated off to protect the hybernating bats that reside in the caves.

Little Fishermen!

This beautiful weekend, we decided to take the kids fishing. Each of them got to pick out their own fishing pole. Payton got a Cars pole, Ash got a Barbie pole and Logan got a Spiderman pole. We found a cute little reservoir and had the kids learn to cast. Of course, most of the time was spent helping the kids so there was not alot of actual fishing by Dad & Mom. No surprise---no fish were caught in this attempt. Maybe next time. Mainly, it was just a fun activity and something different for the kids to do.

Home Depot Workshops

The first Saturday of each month, we like to take the kids to Home Depot to participate in their kids' workshops. They have little wood kits that the kids can put together with wood glue, hammer & nails fairly easily. They wear their HD aprons and get a certificate when they have made them. We've had fun making little toys, calendars, etc. Of course, Dad likes to shop the store while we are there as well.



This workshop was actually done in Hurricane at the annual Peach Days. It was fun to do it outdoors for a change. This was our 1st Peach Days attendance. The kids had fun and there were many activities going on. We will definitely have to make this a regular event.