Red, White and Green

Our Christmas/Anniversary in Sedona

Another iteration there:

Red Adobo

White Elote

Green Mole

Merry Christmas!

Leaves

I loved these last few leaves outside the MOA at BYU.

5 Years

I'd still pick this one.

Fowl, Friends, Fish, Fireworks and Fluff

The first turkey I made wasn't enough for Noah,

so I made him another one last Saturday.

I met my buddies downtown and was lucky enough to enjoy the boat parade from a great booth at a fish restaurant (I got a fish-free salad). After dinner, we enjoyed the fireworks from three bridges-- coolest I've ever seen.

When I got home I fell asleep (too tired to take off that jacket) and my buddy came to cuddle (look at that position!).

Visitors

On Thanksgiving we had visitors we invited,

(is this really the only picture I have of our guests?? Michelle and the kids aren't even in it-- only Daren's legs!)

and a visitor we did not invite.

One of us was scared.

The rest of us had fun.

What are you doing with your leftovers?

Club Sliders

I need to know because I've got another turkey roasting.

Twelve Words

Dulce de leche and roasted coconut AND guava and cheese ice cream

Meet My New Neighbors

Does anyone know their names?

I'd Pay $300

I had the best day yesterday. I told Alicia my plans in the morning and she said, "I'd pay $300 to do that." I told her to put that money into a plane ticket so she could make her wish come true. Here is what she missed:

Totally Natalia: Coordinating warm apple cake (with antennae) and jewelry.

Cookie salad by Michelle; bless you.

The only lady-- she charmed the fellas but didn't touch them!

Say "hi," Marcus!

This is the only moment Tanner wasn't smiling.

My expert tailoring instructor would magically have the hard parts done when I'd return from cuddling a baby or some other urgent errand.

Noah took Caleb out to make up for lost home teaching time. Job well done.

It was so sweet to hear Michelle conversing with these little ones!

Natalia said it looks like "a trash bag!" Can't argue!

Pasta salad with Kayla's careful details.

I think we all felt like this!

Alicia and everyone else, you're invited next time!

The New Americans

A little birdie told me that someone passed his citizenship test this morning!

( I don't know if it's allowed to take a picture in the parking lot,
so we just got a quick one.)

NatGeo in the Backyard

These guys came by with a ginormous turtle (I'll spare you another pic) and a big, blue bird that kept flapping it's wings and scaring my cats.

My Life as a Novela

Call me Mili, Marichuy, or Paloma... This is how I imagine my life as a novela:

I live in an old mansion on the river with beautiful gardens and occasional rain showers.

I sometimes find my simple problems overwhelming, and I fret over them

in my elegant courtyard.

It's not a totally serious novela; I try to give viewers some comic relief.

After which, things are much clearer.

I have a handsome love interest who lives at a different elegant mansion

on the other side of the river.

Sometimes I wish for a different life...

...even though all the viewers see...

...that it's already perfect.

A Normal Drive to Work

Taken from the car in the parking lot. What do you think this is?

Can you tell that it's a kid covered in balloons with two girls leading him? THAT is a project I would LOVE to grade!

Kate

I visit teach Kate's mom, and whenever I ask, "What can I do to help?" Annette says, "We're fine." Well, my lucky day came up, and I finally got to help out.

Kate came over with her project ideas and materials.

She made a place mat bag (I only helped with the applique)...

and a pillow!

I think she's coming back to make more treasures!

Which glasses do you like the best?

We have been spending way too much time at the eye doctor lately. This is what we do for fun:

"Harry Potter"
"Child Molestor"

That guy from "So You Think You Can Dance"

??

I think he's cute in all of them!

I'm not dead,

but my laptop almost is.

Any recommendations?

(I've got lots of fun post ideas; hopefully you'll see them soon.)

A Lizard Called Roger

I went to Arizona for a week and a half and stayed at my parents' house. I left Noah and the cats in J-ville, but I still had to share my room with Roger. More about that later.

After I met Roger, I started reading a book. Have you read That Quail, Robert? You really should; it's the sweetest story. We had tons of quail at our last house so I felt like I had a personal connection with the, um, protagonist.

Roger made his first appearance in the bathroom as I was getting out of the shower. Florida lizards can be pretty cute because they're so tiny, but apparently they're strapping in the desert. I called for backup, but was met with, "Just throw your towel on him." That might have worked in my house, but not in my parents'. So Roger made his way to his quarters, which happen to be mine. I yelled for a flashlight and got down to look under the bed: cases of diet dr. pepper, socks, Skor wrapper, licorice, See's wrappers... jeez... I don't have a chance against my genetic sweet tooth, do I? Anyway, after searching, Roger apparently had hung the "Do not disturb" sign wherever he was and I resigned to staying with a lizard.

He made another appearance in the office, and this time I thought, "Camera, then lizard-catching contraption." I actually think he was sleeping here because he was reluctant to move. When I tried to scoop him up, he woke up and scuttled to safety/blue couch.

Meanwhile various questions about if Roger is okay and what he could be eating (is he the one eating all that chocolate in my room?) speckle our days.

A couple of days later Monty was making breakfast and saw little Roge-y. He said he was inspired to drop the dishtowel he was holding. The frightened little visitor had run for his life between dad's legs-- right at the moment the towel fell on him for some reason. Dad scooped him up and out he went. Everyone felt much better after that.

Ha! But that's not the whole story... the paradisaical backyard pool was calling one evening, so I opened the door and instinctively jumped. After making sure that no one had seen me, I laughed. "Crazy, Julie... wait... that was Roger!" He'd been waiting and complaining about the service around here and pounced on my leg as soon as soon as I slid open the door.

Oh, Roge-y. Why do we try to keep you out?

Garden Perfection

... no, not my garden. Funny.

But have you ever wanted to know what it would take to get your garden as perfect as this?


Here's the answer:

As in use them to edge,

prune, trim,

anything.

Now that's attention to detail.

Good job, Monty!