Festival of the Nativities

At one of our chapels in Wasilla (near where Sarah Palin lives, actually!), the community brought many of their nativity scenes together. These scenes and set ups combined with live music, and our church art, it was quite event. They closed off the chapel, but as to not let it remain a mystery room, they opened the accordion doors to peek in. It was nice, I thought.

In each of the classrooms around the church, there were elaborate set ups and themes; many themed around other countries and cultures. Entire rooms were swathed in cloth, ornaments and lights. Below is a Chinese Paper umbrella from one of the prettiest rooms. 

Here is a really interesting nativity from Germany:

And my very favorite nativity is below. It is so elaborate. The wise men were riding a horse, elephant, and camel. Everything about it screams 'don't touch.' The person who allowed this to be on display was very trusting:
They also had cute ones where the entire scene was portrayed by families of black bear, moose, or little mice. The animal families even had little angels. Here is one of the black bears.. notice the bear-mule? The little bear-angel on the right, looks like he's straining so hard not to slip, and then the little bear-sheep? I couldn't get enough. 

I'm glad I went this year! I don't remember the ones from when I lived in Las Vegas, by my mom said they do this in lots of areas. It was great!

Christmas from WA

When Mark went on my 'special trip' to hand-deliver my parent's Christmas present, they gave him something for him to hand deliver to me!  How splendid! This is a lot of my own things from when I was growing up; dolls, blankets, clothes, books (lots of books), and other keepsakes. When Mark said how much stuff it was, and that the other members of his crew kept laughing, I was so embarrassed!! They said that Mark has the new record of bringing things home for his wife. AH! 

Unloading all of this, Mark had to ask the help of our friend Josh Q. It wouldn't even fit in our suv - and we have moved a lot of things with that car. Goodness!

strange

We are under 6 hours of daylight now, so it is dark when I drive to work and home from work. But I actually have been enjoying it; it's really relaxing and it makes things seem extra Christmas-y. 

What's weird has been that the last several weeks it has been snowy and foggy, but the last couple of days, the snow and ice have been melting! The Chinook winds have blown in from Hawaii and it has been raining in Alaska, in December! It's just too strange, but it happens every year, so I guess it's nothing out of the norm. 
Though winter is still looming, it hasn't been as biting as it has been the last couple of months. 

*the snowflake-picture were snowflakes that had fallen on my windshield before the glass warmed up. The car is freezing after work. So much so I have to wear gloves and touch the steering wheel as little as possible (just like a hot steering wheel in Las Vegas). 

gifts

The first of the gifts are wrapped, shipped (hand delivered, by my hubba-husband, a pilot-perk I suppose!), opened, and eaten! I sent some of the best caramels to my mom and pop. 

With the little black bear ornament for their down-sized tree. Happy Christmas, Mom and Dad!

who's got it?

The button(s)? I have them! And I used them...To make this cute little guy, today! At quilting, Jodi C. (C standing for the Creative genius that she is) came up with this 'mystery'. She gave us the measurements and the fabric, we just brought the embellishments. Little buttons and ribbons. I didn't use the ribbon, but I sure used the buttons! Most people doing this snowman did an entire face of small buttons or x-stitches. Jodi found these two antique buttons for me; they didn't even have holes for the needle. I just poked it through the fabric to stitch to the fabric. I LOVED their Wallace & Gromet effect they had when I put them on just a little crooked. So that's how they stayed. I skipped the nose and smile because they were just too charming by themselves. 

More buttons are on our tree! This year we skipped the shiny balls and only hung our shiny bells and all our cute, comely ornaments. It is so cozy...

Who's got the button? Yours truly!

a mighty change of hair

Yesterday, I went here: 

To do this to myself: 

After moments of panic, laughter, more panic, relief (when Mark saw it and said he loved it), then sobbing (after scary thoughts of showing up for church and work) and then finally acceptance... here is the proof that I did away with my brown trusses and exchanged them for some very golden locks. And oh my goodness, are they gold. 

 

What? you want a closer look? here you are... be nice: 

Then we went to see the Nutcracker in downtown Anchorage, featuring the Oregon Ballet Theatre: 

It was beautiful. I would have taken pictures during the performance (no flash, of course), but it was not allowed. All the costumes and stage pieces have strict copyrights, unfortunately. I love the names given to the different sequences of dancers in the Palace of the Land of Sweets. Here are the cute little candy-land names: Spanish Hot Chocolate (my favorite), Arabian Coffee, and Tea from China. These cute and 'magical' numbers were followed by the Candy Canes, Marzipan Shepherdesses, the mighty Mother Ginger with her Polichinelles, and the beautiful Dewdrop and her flowers (Mark's favorite). The ballet company were guests from Oregon, and my friend's daughter was one of the little angel fairies (too adorable for words). 

mother nature

is freezing: 

After running out of room in our refrigerator for 2 liter sodas, we had to resort to alternative options. Thank you, Mother Nature. 

Sidenotes: 

1. This magnificently dynamic and artistically advanced photograph is the first one to be posted on my blog from The Beastly Camera! Good to know that it's living up to it's potential, right? 

2. It has snowed almost 9 more inches since this picture was taken on thanksgiving day. I love it!

NPR

Breakthrough: I FINALLY found National Public Radio up here in Alaska. It took me a ridiculous amount of time and searching, asking and googling. Even when I'd ask someone up here what station it is, they would never be able to give me a straight answer. When I looked it up online, the station was not what it said it was. When I searched through the lower digit stations, I found lots of Christian Talk Radio, and even a Celtic channel, but no NPR. It was uncanny the way I could never find the station. I thought I found the station once a few weeks ago, but when it completely faded to static as soon as I reached the city limits, I didn't know what to do. 

Turns out I was just a couple of clicks too shy. What a joke. Maybe it really is only for smart people. Because I think I must have been going through IQ deprivations for the last long while. But now I am feeling intelligent again; filling my mind with current news updates and Car Talk hysterics. hurray for strange patients who give straight answers and love radio. Hallelujah!

Thanksgiving Day

Today was spent in the company of 9 families. 

All from different backgrounds. 

Some new to Alaska (us).

Some who have lived in Alaska for many years.

Some are military. 

Some are retired military. 

One is a full-time seminary teacher.

One is even FBI. 

One is a chiropractor. 

And many are parents.

All are wonderful. 

All are thankful, and very giving. 

Sitting around the living room, 

I listened to two grown men 

try to persuade me to try cross-country skiing. 

One gave me a book about the real Wolf-man,

Frank Glaser, to help me overcome my fear. 

If it works, I may give this a try:

Skiing on the Eagle River at night. 

Tom just goes down to the river from his house, 

and skis with his wife after ten when the kids are asleep. 

Listening to these two men, 

one, Peter, a Retired Colonel from the Army, 

and Tom, a big-game hunter, and prior Navigator in the Navy

tell me about how sensory it can be. 

Listening to the R. Colonel explain the snow as 

"glittering flakes falling from the misty clouds," 

I giggled internally as I imagined him using the word

"magical." 

Then he DID say it, 

"It is just magical."

When I heard it, I didn't laugh like I thought I would.

It actually awed me into a reverence.

Looking back at all that I have seen and done 

in my short 9 months here in the Last Frontier 

has opened up my eyes to a new understanding of 

Thanksgiving. 

Living in a location where people and animals 

coexist with a safe fear of one another, 

where men and women join together

to supply water and food when electricity goes out,

where you can hear wolves across the valley 

and mushrooms form toadstool circles,

I have learned  

it really is pretty magical 

*picture taken with Mark's iphone on a local flight around Alaska

turkey

Doesn't this look so delicious?? I want my turkey to turn out like THIS one. Tomorrow I'm not cooking my own. We've been invited by some friends of ours to enjoy their probably delectable turkeys. But I WILL be cooking my very own, very first turkey on Friday; solely for the purpose of left overs and midnight snacks for the next week... or five. 

If you have any tips for easy, yet delicious preparations, please share! That is, if you have ANY time for blog-surfing on this blessed Thanksgiving Day. If I don't post again about my turkey, just know, it probably did not turn out like the one above. Here's to dreaming of drumsticks!

needs

This morning, after being at work for about an hour and a half, I got a drink of water. After drinking the water, I reached down into my right pocket for my chapstick. My chapstick that I never leave home without. The chapstick that I always have with me. 

Always. All ways. If I don't have pockets, say, when I wear a dress or any other crazy, unheard of reason, I ask Mark, "will you please hold this?" And he does, because he knows me well enough to just go along with it. 

After reaching for the chapstick, my heart skipped (okay, it only felt like it) a beat and I started the pat down. Then I searched my purse. After a sorrowful realization, I was beat. My chapstick was missing. Lip gloss did the trick until I could go down to the hospital's gift shop and prayerfully search for chapstick. I found this:

Cute, right? It gets cuter. I hope you can enlarge the picture, because it's kind of cute. 

"Break here to smooch-urize." I don't know how to spell smoochurize, but I'd probably spell it "smoochErize." 

After giving in to my need, I realized all my other "nonsense needs" that really just stem from comfort. Driving home I had a whole list of them. But here are a couple that are along the same lines. 

1. non-snagging fingernails (files, clippers, I've even used band-aids or scotch tape until I can get home to a nail clipper). Tessa, you know all about this. I can't STAND fingernail snagging. It makes my smoocherized lips tight and my eyes water. 

2.  non-snagging, dry skin! This is a HUGE reason why I have hated silk for so long. I am slowly getting over this hate for silk or satin. Lotion and cream is my need when this problem arises. UGH. More watering eyes... 

Okay, that's enough. I'm done torturing myself! I need more chapstick. 

high school was just like the movies - and no, not like the musical

Name of your high school and graduating year: Palo Verde HS 2004

Did you marry someone from your high school? nope!

Did you car pool? only when people wanted a ride in the way cool Silverado (it even came with its own movie, which is actually my favorite western)

What kind of car did you have? I drove my dad's white 1996 Chevy Silverado

What kind of car do you have now? Lexus GX-470 and a Toyota Corolla (both silver)

What kind of job did you have in high school? I worked for my dad's law firm as a runner in down town Las Vegas *made for some crazy experiences

Were you considered a flirt? Nope, but I was

Did you get suspended or expelled? nope! But I did do extra credit!

Can you sing the fight song? I don't even know the first word! I made it a point to avoid looking at the huge banner hung up in the gym 

Where did you sit during lunch? Freshman year I would escape back to the lockers and eat my sub. Every day. I hated the awkward standing around that was unavoidable if you were in the Quad. no thanks! I promise I got better at socializing the next year.

What was your school mascot? the panthers. raar!

If you could go back and do it again, would you? mmmm maybe, I really liked my english and history classes. maybe not though. Too much competition and hot tennis practices.

What do you remember most about graduation? The guy I was dating (who was 23 - I know, I know!) showed up and I was so excited. I had been to his graduation 4 years before when he graduated as salutatorian to my cousin Christina, and so heck! It was only fair. I also remember feeling SO excited for BYU that fall. 

Who did you take to the Prom in your Senior Year? I went with Cameron Parker, our class' pride and joy. Let me brag about my prom date for just a second. He was valedictorian, won State Tennis Champs 2 years for individuals, he was voted "most likely to be president" AND he went to Harvard. woowoo for my choice in guys! I think that says a lot about Mark. :o)

Do you still talk to the person you went to prom with? We're friends on facebook, if that counts. HA

What a strange place to end the tag, but oh well. I didn't ask the questions! Now I get to tag a few. I tag: Nicole Peterson (who I went to high school with), Melanie Willis (who I wish went to my high school), and Tanya Wonderly (who went to a rival school!) 

birthday pictures

Time for the pictures I promised. Here's Mark and me at the Squadron Thanksgiving party in one of the C-17 hangars (and YES "Mark and ME" is the appropriate phrasing because we are the objects in the sentence thank you!) It was surprisingly warm in there! Still a little chilly, but a lot of yummy food to keep us warm. All the tables in back of us are empty because they were in line filling their plates. There were a lot of people there for the auction.
Drumroll.... my new camera!! ooooOOOOOoooooo... thank you, Mark! Thank you!
One of the roses....
The silly card that made me cry. I love 16 candles. Mauri, does the magnet look familiar??
My mom and dad's card is a HULA HOOPER! I loooove hula hooping. In fact, I still have one and practice often. I came in 2nd place in my office hula hooping contest last month to a pregnant woman. She didn't even have to try to keep it above her belly. laaaaame.
My Grandma Judd sent me JELLIES for my birthday. It was the greatest!! I have already dug into the raspberry pomegranate (I loooove all things Raspberry minus seeds). 
A mystery loaf from my Visiting Teachers. It was pound cake. Yummy, soft, pound cake. 
The 4 ... okay, 3.5 loaves of bread from Jodi C. The yummy bread was a great base for my heaps of jelly. 
More Birthday cards from this year I have loved. This "Yo Adrian" card is from Mo and Tory (my bro-and-sis-in-law). I love the Rocky movies and even have a "Philly" shirt with the victorious Rocky silhouette on it. Anyway, this card with the snazzy boxer has been on our fridge since August when they sent it to Mark. 
This is the card I sent to my Dad in October. I love it... or "lob yoy long time," as Michael Scott would say. Lob... fits well, right? Right?? Cute lobes, kid.

Till next year. Thanks for the great birthday and nice comments, everyone!

turning 23.. isn't so bad after all

Today was a fantastic birthday. I couldn't have imagined it any better. I will have to upload pictures this weekend sometime. 

I was woken up at 5:00 by a call from my fun Grandparents. I knew they'd feel bad they woke me up, so I called them at 7:00. 

My mom and dad called me at 6:30 and sang beautifully to me. It really did sound great!

Both Tessa, my little sister, and my good friend Mauri posted specifically for my birthday. I loved both posts and appreciated them more than I thought possible. Thank you, both. 

After a calm morning of reading, a warm shower, and cozy fires, I went to quilting class where I worked on some pj bottoms. 

Then I went to Qdoba for lunch. mmm!

Then I went to the BX and picked out a cute 3-ring notebook for all my primary piano music for the program this weekend - yikes! I still have a lot of practicing. ... oops. 

After the BX errand, I went to 'refill' on my Vitamin D stock at the tanning beds. I know I know, but you have to admit that Alaska really is the only place that tanning is GOOD for you. I noticed that my pale skin has started to look normal to me because I saw tan people recently and thought, "how strange they look." It was a shock to realize just what that meant. I'm pale. Bella-type pale. 

After talking to Mark's family, and being sung to, I talked to my Grandma Judd who sent me jelly for my birthday - it was perfect, and just what I needed for a nice breakfast this morning with my toast. 

Then I finally came home to my cute pup. He had fun outside and needed a bath when he came in. When I was cleaning up after the cute pup was all fuzzy and free, Mark walked in! He was supposed to be flying! He had pink roses and a chocolate cake in his hands. He received a kiss from me and I received trick-candles. My first ones, and I was so frustrated! 

Then he pulled out a box - a box that contained... MY NEW CAMERA!! I am so jazzed bout it. It will have to be another post entirely. He helped me decide which one will be perfect for me. I'm so anxious to start pushing buttons. 

After all the sweet tears were dried after reading his sweet card, he swept me and Buckwheat (and his pillow) off to my favorite Anchorage restaurant: Pad Thai for Kung Pao Chicken. So yummy. It's what I'll be eating for lunch tomorrow. 

I came home to Christmas Lights Galore, and a call on our home phone from Jodi C. saying she was on her way over. She brought FOUR loaves of my most favorite bread ever and a cinnamon wall-flower. I am so delighted. 

I have 1 friend (Kristen) and 1 cousin (Brittany) to call back tomorrow! I am so excited to talk to them. SO many people emailed, called, and texted. I am truly blessed to have so many good friends and family members. I love you all. Thank you for thinking of me on this 'normal day' that turned out to be extraordinary. 

Frop

I dubbed this friendly, look-like-he's-a-porridge-eating-bear Frop. He just looks so floopy. Beautiful, but floopy. I have never seen a more jovial looking grizzly bear. It almost looks like Disney got a hold of the taxidermist and said, "I have a vision, do this." He just looks like he's loping over to give you a hug or to share a picnic with Yogi and Boo-Boo!

Just don't be looking at those claws when you picture a nice warm hug! I just had to put a picture up of this friendly looking creature. Frop one more time: 

magnets: how to

For last month's Super Saturday, I chose to do three sets of magnets; ideas of Jodi and Stephanie! In Hawaii, at Cinnamon Girl, each tile-magnet costs $3. For this set of 60, it cost me $10. Maybe you'd like these too; so just in case, here's your own personal how-to: 

1. Grab your Mod Podge:   *please ignore our 40 lbs of rice waiting for a bucket 

2. Set of 1x1 inch tiles, I think these were from Lowe's. 60 total: 
3. Clean off the back of the tiles as best as you can. Some paper won't be able to come off, and don't break those nails trying! Just leave what doesn't come off easily: 
4. I didn't make these, but if you're good with a computer, you could do your own zip file, or if you're bad with a computer, like me, then just save, enlarge, and print this off: 

5. Cut the strips with a rotary cutter and board. Then use scissors to cut across since they didn't line up in that way:

6. Lay them out and decide which 30+ you are going to not use. I know, it's a tough decision: 

7. Score the magnet-sheet. Press hard, but it's not necessary to get all the way through. With just a little pressure, you will be able to score the magnet and just bend and pull the magnets into the squares. Cut 3/4"x3/4":  

8. Be sure to buy the sticker-backed magnet sheet. Stick the magnets to the tile-backs: 
9. Mod podge once directly on the tile face, then stab the paper with the sticky brush and lay it on the tile. Apply more mod podge, doesn't have to be much: 

10. ta-da! They won't be perfect because of the rough backing. But aren't they fun??

I just love magnets. My next project with these will be to make a magnetic-framed-board. If I'm any good at making the framed magnetic board, maybe that will be your next how-to from this blog, to you. 

election day in Alaska

Here is my sticker. I voted about an hour ago, and the Alaska polls closed 7 minutes ago. I think I voted after most of the polls had been closed and the election called. But oh well, I voted! 

Anchorage temple

Before we 'smashed pumpkins' (see last post), on Saturday morning, Mark and I were able to go with the youth to do Temple Baptisms at the Anchorage Temple. Since 3 months after we were married, we moved away from Las Vegas to a land far away from our temples. Both places we lived, both Del Rio and Altus, were at least 3 hours from the temple. We have loved being so close to a temple again. 

I think I'm actually grateful for the distance that we had between us and temples before, because now we really have been able to make the most of it. Mark is so good at getting us to go to the temple at least once a month. I love him for his efforts, even when I wake up early and grumpy on those Saturdays. He understands, and is never frustrated. Probably because he knows I'll be smiling the rest of the day. 

I took this picture Saturday morning at 8:45 before the sun rose. The sun had been raising at 9:30 the last week or so. But since day-light savings time that happened last night, now it rises at 8:30. But now it sets at 5:30. It's so weird! But I do love it. We still have 2 months to lose daylight, but then again, only 2 months before we start gaining it back! 

hello, November!

I love November, and not only because it is my birthday-month. It is such a cozy, comfort-food-filled month... but not if you're outside like these pumpkins were for 2 straight weeks. Let me introduce to you, pumpkin ice: 

Like "every other boy" (as Mark reminds me), Mark loves to break things. In fact, when we were dating and talking on the phone, even before we met in person, he had mentioned that when he has kids, he wants to have an "Annual Break-Things Day." Sounds glorious, right? Sure. If you're not the person cleaning up. And I told him this from day one. So here he is launching his pumpkin from the third story deck:
The fall; notice the 'lid'? It's near the bottom of the photo: 
The aftermath of both broken pumpkins. Mark is hoping a Moose will do the clean up, but if not, he will be. ha!
Even Buckwheat was enjoying the show. This is his usual look-out spot from the balcony. It took me a while not to be nervous about this; his shoulders won't fit. And if you go up behind him, he still gets scared like a good little boy. It's a healthy fear, right?: 

Goodbye October, and hello, November!

happy halloween

I now present... our costumes. I was Elizabeth Swann, without the beautiful curly hair. Mark was Elvis! Complete with boots, leather wrist straps, leather pants, and all. Oh my. He had to take off the huge sunglasses for the picture. 

Tonight before I went to the Ward's carnival and trunk or treat, I had to spread the word to the non-members! I think it helped. There were a lot of non-members there. That's what we had hoped for!

We have so much candy left... I was prepared for both trunk-or-treat and neighborhood trick-or-treating. Looks like I will just have to indulge... Happy Halloween!