catching up....

Just like everyone else...

I've been really busy these last couple of days.

I feel like I am running mad, then when I want to blog someone else is on the computer!thursday the blogger moms had our annual Christmas luncheon & I made this-

The Pioneer Woman's Olive Cheese Bread

OH MY GOSH- heaven on a piece of bread is all I can say. My husband hates olives & i've been dying to make this for a year or more. This was the perfect opportunity. I do have to say that the olive cheese topping was over the top & a little too much for even me. Next time I make it

and I will make it again

-- oh yes--

I will use two loaves of bread or half the topping recipe, but it was fabulous!

I just cannot resist posting a picture of these gifts!
It's better than Christmas morning.
I love the blogger moms....

Thursday night we had company & went to the H.S. Christmas Choir concert. Hailey sang a solo- beautiful. We came home to marcus, brittany & brittany who stayed up & talked mission & Brazil talk with the kids, I went to bed. marcus served his mission in Recife, Brazil just north of where jack is going. They had so much fun talking & jokin around in Portuguese. Marcus can't wait for jack to come home so they can talk it up.

Friday morning all hell broke loose as I had my pre- Christmas melt down.
ya- it was ugly & ya- I pretty much do this every year.
It stinks to be my kids, well this year- my boys.
I woke up & jack's college stuff was everywhere- dishes & cups all over the counters- and I snapped. I had cleaned everything before I went to bed, then got up 1000 times during the night to pee into a strainer, when I came downstairs in the morning it all got to me. The kidney pain, constant peeing - having a kidney stone the week before Christmas is not nice and neither am I.


I headed out the door at 8:50 for an appointment with a Urologist down town, by myself. It's been a long time since I have sat in a doctor's office for 40 minutes waiting... I guess I shouldn't complain... but I am anyway...
When I finally gave my sample & headed to the exam room a nightmare awaited. the walls of the exam room must have been paper thin because the lady on the right was having lithrotripcy on Tuesday & the gentleman on the left was having trouble urinating but the catheter they took in & out was working just fine. Holy Hell. I was humming & tapping my feet because I was getting nauseous listening to this.

The doctor gave me three choices. I could #1 wait for the stone to come out & be uncomfortable, which could result in a passed stone or emergency removal. #2 I could have surgery & remove it through my uriter that afternoon or #3 Tuesday afternoon. I asked him to leave the room & started to sob. I had two Christmas events this weekend, plus church the Sunday before Christmas- I didn't want to miss it... and Tuesday Megan, Tony & Charlie get here. He came back in & I asked him if I could go in Monday.
Monday it is.


Saturday night (after finishing up our shopping) Brett & I went to our third concert at the symphony. It was the Holiday Pops concert.

this guy deserves a medal, being married to me... it's been a rough week.

the concert was nice, but definitely not my favorite of the series.

EXCEpT- they did play Sleigh Ride- one of my favorite Christmas songs. I love the percussion & dream of being the percussionist who gets to slap the boards together! How fun to watch that!! Brett bought me a small pair of binoculars after our last concert so my eyes were peeled & I was smiling big. Brett was sleeping. At one point he feel asleep so hard that he dropped his program & it hit the wood floor with a loud thud. oops. Like I said, it wasn't our favorite of the series but I really enjoyed it.

this morning this guy came downstairs and asked me "which jacket should I wear to church today?" one is his dad's - the other fit him in kindergarten, maybe? Well, I said... maybe a shirt & tie will do? Trent has NEVEr wanted to wear church clothes- it's been an issue with him for years. I figure what the heck, he's going to church- so I don't push it too hard. He wears dress pants maybe a sweater & dress shoes, but never a shirt & tie- heaven forbid a suit. Maybe all this missionary talk has changed his mind?

Good news tonight-

I haven't had had to go potty 1000 times a day today & NO pain! I'm thinking about canceling tomorrow... ya - I'm canceling :)

p.s. some of the photos in this post were taken by Chloe & I love them so here they are!

*are you glad you read this post, or was it just plain too much information?

what a great weekend!

I've been dying to blog about this past weekend for days now...

but I've been so darn busy I just haven't had the time!

so- I'm staying up late- getting it done- if it kills me....

drama?

I know I know

This past friday afternoon -

some of the blogger mom's got together & headed out of town.

We went to our dear blogger friend kristal's cabin.

do you remember kristal & the elmo cupcakes?

Kristal is "da bomb"- that's teenager - for really awesome.

She is an honorary blogger mom & guess what? she really blogs!

(serious deep conversation-- notice wende's finger pointing)

The blogger moms started because all us moms were on a community council together for our children's elementary school. One day we realized some of us had blogs- the others were curious ... and the rest is history. we had been on the council for over a year & had debated many issues, worked on projects, but weren't really close friends until the blogging started. We have been close ever since. it's funny because we are all so different, each of us brings something different to the group.

(kristy drove- she's got 4 wheel drive & snow was expected!)
I of course, bring car sickness & panic so I got to sit up front on the way.
Yes- I get car sick.
Well not really sick...
I just get really panicky & almost freak out & go crazy if I get stuck in the back of a car...
It's not pretty- but someone has to be the weird one.
I do what I can.

We headed up to Park City to do a little Christmas shopping at the outlet mall.
HOLY MOLY
we bought a lot of stuff!
Typically I am not an outlet mall kind of gal, but the deals were unbelievable!
seriously- I would tell ya about it but that would give away a lot of Christmas surprises. i was sure glad we came- as my Christmas budget will go much further this year- Woo HOoo!
Some grandma lady told wende she was a sexy "B" word while she was trying on boots in a shoe store. First we were in utter shock, then we laughed so hard the rest of the night about it that we nearly peed. Seriously who says that... ? and to a perfect stranger? so funny

AFter shopping- we nearly froze to death - it was 19 degrees!!!! 19 - wow was that cold. We had record high temps in the valley last week so this was a blast of arctic proportions that stung. Luckily we made it to the restaurant without slipping on ice or snow- yes there is ice & snow in Park City.
At dinner Kristal showed us the diagram her dad made up on how to turn on the furnace & fireplaces at the cabin- we had a good laugh - until we got there- we were glad she knew what she was doing getting the heat on!

Then Karrie did an impression of me & my lazy eye in photographs & I tried to get a picture of that but she is a coward-

going anywhere with the blogger mom's is so fun & crazy & we laugh loud & talk loud & then notice everyone is looking at us & we don't care. Well at least I don't.

Kristal's family cabin was gorgeous.

we watched movies late

slept in

ate pumpkin waffles

and candy

and played cards

and worried about the snow storm so we had to leave a little early- dang.

(wende all bundled up & snowed on)

Not all of us, but some of us could only stay one night.

It's a good thing we headed out. The snow was getting pretty thick.

It just doesn't seem like it's time for snow.

but I guess it is.

thank goodness kristy drove!

Even though I was sad to leave the mom's I was Thrilled to get home because it was time for our second concert at the symphony!!!

Bravo Broadway
if you know me- you know how much I love Broadway music.

I was so excited for this concert!

IT was amazing!

the voices & the symphony were fabulous

Three big names were there but my program is downstairs so I will fill their names in later.

The lady on the left - she was in Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway

the guy in the middle was the Phantom

and the lady on the right won a Tony a few years back.

wow

their talent was unbelievable

I had goosebumps & was crying- then goosebumps again...

I bawl like a baby every time I hear Bring Him Home from Le Miserable. It's one of my all time favorite songs & favorite shows. I saw it on the program & pulled out the tissue just in time... especially since my own boy will be coming home

IN FOUR MORE DAYS

oh goodness....

he wrote his last email home & answered the long awaited question:

what do you want for dinner Friday night?

in true Brian fashion he was indecisive... baked potatoes, salad with ranch or maybe burritos or Chinese? there is no chinese or mexican food in chile- definitely rootbeer - he hasn't had rootbeer in two years, brownies & ice cream, homemade rolls.... funny guy.

I have so much to do

so I better get to bed so I can get crackin' in the morning!!

*janae & lauri - we really missed you this weekend it just wasn't the same without you.

just a wonderful night

Last night my sweetie & I went downtown to see the symphony.

I bought season tickets to the Entertainment Series & our first concert was amazing!

There is a lot of construction & many changes happening downtown. It seems like it will never be done... I think the whole reconstruction project is supposed to be done in 3 more years. They started before the missionary left. It's going to be great when it's done.

One of my favorite things about Abravenal Hall is the Chihuly glass sculpture in the lobby. Oh, I love this. Salt Lake City is so lucky to have a piece of his art. It is stunning.

I took this photo going up to the second balcony where our seats were.

The show was nothing short of amazing- crazy really- the music combined with the

cirque performers was breathtaking. I took this photo from the symphony website, click on it to find out more about these two strongmen. There were aerialist & jugglers- it was really exciting & fun to hear & see the music combined with the performers, a brilliant idea, really.

It was a fabulous night-

On the way home we saw another show, a show of nature. It started to storm. The lightening was beautiful- and yes the rain- love the rain.

Thanks Brett for indulging me in buying the tickets...

I am thrilled to have them & a hot date to go with!