Busy busy busy. Christmas is so magical. I love that. We drove the bus down to Vegas this weekend and had a riot. Plus it only cost $22 in gas! With the Mr. Buddy heater on the back seat, set on Medium it was a very comfortable, enjoyable drive. I can't wait for Jason to surprise me with a trip to the beach one weekend in the bus!
Saturday morning we had Christmas breakfast with my mom and Larry. Waffles with peanut butter, ice cream and syrup-very hard to beat it for breakfast! We exchanged gifts and I got a bunch of orange kitchen stuff, LOVE IT! It almost makes me want to spend more time in the kitchen. We also got a new dutch oven, we will enjoy the heck out of that! Thanks mom and Larry. Love you.
Saturday afternoon Jason's cousin Adam had the Eckel Christmas party at his house. It was fun getting together with family. Santa even showed up and I was impressed with his laugh and jolly looks....Gotta love cousin Jeremy! We enjoy the heck out of these cousins and are grateful to be reconnected with them the last couple of years.
Sunday we went for a jeep ride at the Hurricane dunes- Sandra came along and laughed the whole way. Kelly and Rob came along in their nice newer jeep that made things that were rocking our world look easy! Never a dull moment- both doors kept flying open, at times I had to retrieve the door with my foot. Jason got one monster slide that he can't quit talking about. Frost the dunes with a layer of snow and the fun factor just goes up, up, up.

EXCELLENT DAY!!

• Watched an Elf dance with me, Jas, Brent and Alicia, laughed out loud and enjoyed it thoroughly, thinking of paying the $5 to keep it forever!
• Lunch with friends at Durango's, no wait at noon, small portions (still full) and next time it is free!!
• 1 gallon of Paul Mitchell Color Care Shampoo and 1 gallon of Paul Mitchell Color Care Conditioner. This will last at least 6 months. They smell delicious and make my color last a bit longer...
• Barnes and Noble Cafe with Alicia and Elizabeth. We all love books. Plus the cafe has delicious drinks (I had peppermint Hot Chocolate). I spent a lot of my $5o Christmas gift cards! So many books and so little time. (forgot my coupons at home, bummer, will have to go shopping again!) Bought- The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau, Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella, The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson.
• Learned how to spice up the background to my blog, do you like it? Thanks Alicia, blogger extraordinaire.
• Dinner at Chilli's with Alicia and Elizabeth and Jas. Good food, laughter and snow!
• It has been snowing for hours. It is sticking. It is silver and shimmery and beautiful right now, live in the now Tam Tam, don't worry about the drive to work in the morning....
• Reading Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra- love it!
• Herc is so cute. He has the top half of him on the couch, maxin and relaxin right now. Watch and learn Tam Tam.
• Jason has built a fort around the jeep in the driveway. There is plywood in front and on both sides of the jeep and the diesel heater is blowing in from the rear of the jeep. He is putting in the drivelines. He is almost done with this project!! The jeep will be completely fixed within 2 weeks of destroying the transfer case- that has to be a record recovery time for a Fullerton project! Way to go Jas! Just in time to go play in the snow...snow in a jeep does sound fun.
• Eating the butterscotch snacks from Niccita The Banana's Christmas snack tray- oh so tasty.
• Playing fetch with Herc with the tennis ball- he is still soft from his bath on Saturday, I love my puppy and he loves me.
• Gonna be in bed by 10pm- 9 hours of sleep sounds just about right. Good night and God Bless Us Everyone...

Unapologetic Flatulator

This says Unapologetic Flatulator. And for only $29.95 I know where you can get one of your very own! This was what Jas and I gave Kim B. For her birthday. She loved it, clapping and laughing are good in this case, right?!

WCYCC did our Christmas potluck to celebrate today. I think it turned out pretty well. Excellent food! I hope staff enjoyed themselves, I had to eat and run, to attend a hearing in court at 1:30 and we started at 1pm...best laid plans and all that. The hearing ran 2 hours, but it was an encouraging hearing where several players in the community are coming together to try and help preserve a family and help some kids with some very significant needs. I could blog a lot more about that but a lot of it doesn't fit in with the gratitude theme...suffice it to say cooperating agencies is the upside.

Christmas Cheer

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.... Snowed all day in Sunny St. George.
The whole reason I live here is because it does not snow here! Of course it is merely slush, doesn't stick, so we don't even get any of the beauty of the snow, just the cold and the ugly. And that has been my mood much of the day cold and ugly.

Wait a minute, this is the gratitude blog.
Switch gears.
Thanks to my friends, both at work and in my personal life, I do have eversomuch to be grateful for, even on this miserable snow day.
We had a Christmas luncheon today at Melinda's house. She made DELICIOUS food. White Chilli, ham and cheese rolls, stacked salad and a juice drink that was succulent. It was a really nice get together and Melinda's house is so festive it put me in the Christmas spirit.
Then this evening my bffs and I went to Starbucks to exchange gifts. I as a slacker did not have all of the gifts yet, 3 are in the mail, so not a great gift giving experience for me today- in fact the snow mood matched my gift giving skills of the day. However Kim's gift made me cry. She has a picture in her bathroom that was drawn by her sister in law Sunny Belliston- A very gifted artist, that I LOVE! It is a fish riding a mountain bike. I have long thought that this picture belongs in my living room, I mean come on, our bikes are the living room decorations, not to mention that I have feminist tendencies so the "A Woman Needs A Man Like A Fish Needs A Bicycle" analogy fits to a T. I have vocally admired that picture for a long time, but it is one of like 5 in existence, not to be reprinted so I also knew that it was not to be.
Well, Kim got one of the precious 5 and gave it to me for Christmas. She has had it since March. She knew it was the perfect gift and that I would love it. I think she even got the reaction she was looking for. I am so blessed. I also got $50 total in Barnes & Noble gift cards from Cindy and Sharlie so I can go shopping to my heart's content, and their gifts will keep on giving and giving as I get books that I can read and share!! I love reading almost as much as I love to ride my bike (more on days like today). It feels so warm and fuzzy to have friends who know me so well and love me so much.

To top off the day I was able to get a room at the Courtyard in Vegas for $44 for this next weekend, so we will be comfortable for cheap...can't beat that.

Are Toes, like Ice Cream ruined after freezer burn?

Have I mentioned that I love to ride my bicycle? Yes? Oh well today was a bit of an exception. I went for a ride with some friends this morning at 9:30am. 37 degrees, plus I haven't ridden much since October (I know I can't believe it either, how did that happen? I still don't get how it is mid December already...)
SO today was a bit different for me. I thought I was adequately clothed. bandanna, ear warmer, helmet. Long sleeve jersey, short sleeve jersey, windbreaker. biking gloves, cheapie cotton gloves. Biking shorts, leg warmers. 2 pair of socks, shoes. NOT ENOUGH, especially on the feet. One of the other girls was gracious enough to turn around with me about 1/3 of the way into the ride. We hadn't even made it off the trail system yet. But I was done! My toes were completely numb and I thought for sure they would have freezer burn! (I wonder if toes, like ice cream are ruined after freezer burn?) I think freezer burn must be one step from frost bite...and I was there! To top it off my arms were soaking wet under the wind breaker because it would not allow the water out...no wind in=good, no sweat out=bad. I was huffing and puffing for all I was worth as well, the fitness and stamina on the bike is hard to come, easy to go-you'd think I would remember that and keep on my bike!!!

Anyway, I'm back on the bike. I thoroughly enjoyed the company and conversation on the ride. I am planning to give Utah Hill a try tomorrow, despite the freezer burn of today. I'll let you know how it goes.

Birthday Girls

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TARA!! It is my sister in law's birthday to day. 33. Just a baby, except for the part where she is a mom with a baby who is 5! How does that happen? I am not old enough to have a 5 year old, how does my baby brother have a 13 year old and his baby is 5? Anyway, it sounds like Tara had an awesome birthday and I once again scored with the perfect gift---1st Jason's Birthday, now Tara's...don't get your hopes up if you are on the birthday gift list, but I am improving. I got Tara a darling pink, white, and black Timeless Trinkets watch. If you'd like more info on them email Jennifer Johnson at dxjjohn3@ihc.com. I have the most fabulous orange, blue and green watch that I am in love with! When I get my digital camera I'll have to post a pic!

Also on the Birthday list for this week is BFF of many, me included (don't mind sharing), Kimmi B. We went to lunch today for her B-day at Samurai 21 and were entertained by the Hibachi chef! Great food, awesome company, just an all around good time. I am a slacker and assumed I could find the gift I was looking for at Kohls, but nooooo. It was Kohls.com and won't be here until possibly 12/24! Slacker. Loser. Procrastinator. Oh, well- better late than never I always say and if you don't want to hear that then we will have to agree to disagree. I try, genuinely try (not the Yoda brand "Do or Do Not, there is no try"), and I have intentions of gold, but to be honest quite frequently my timing turns into pewter. Banish me, exile me, I'll still probably be a bit tardy. It is nothing personal, it is just the story of my life--and ask Jas I am better than I used to be and I come by it honestly...

Twilight!

I finally watched the movie this afternoon. Much anticipated, much debated, much enjoyed! There were only 2 things I would have changed- let me cast it-some characters were perfect (i.e., Charlie, Jacob, Alice, Vanessa and a few others) and some were just not what I pictured at all but still I was able to adjust and live with it and love them anyway (i.e. Bella, Edward- to be fair, no one could have played Edward to my heart's content, except maybe my Jas as a vampire.... and I wanna be Bella.) I also would have kept the cameras off of the legs as Edward was running and done some "flash" sort of movement stuff rather than trying to make the fake speed look real. OK, OK, THREE things- I wanted his skin to be much bigger diamonds and much more brilliant, almost to blinding- I was picturing 5 carat diamonds all reflecting off tinfoil or something, not just a diamond rub.

Overall though I would have to say that I will buy the DVD and though a movie can never compete with a book (or I have yet to experience it) this stayed true enough that I still love the story and the characters (even though I hate vampire movies- I wonder how Stephanie Meyer came up with the perfect "good and pure" vampire as an idea? I personally think vampires may be the next stage in our evolution to perfection!)

Your thoughts?

BBBS 5 Year Celebration

I was privileged to attend The 5 Year Anniversary Celebration for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah-Southern Utah tonight and even convinced Jas to go with me. It was an excellent event. Awards were given to people who were instrumental in getting BBBS going in St. George (over 5 years ago--5 years since we got an actual office, the fight to get that was actually some of the hardest work!) I saw a couple of people who I haven't seen in quite some time and it was a terrific reunion. What an honor to be recognized as a "Big Legacy Member". The Big Brother and Big Sister of the year were honored and spoke about the unbelievable experience they have had with their match. It was uncanny the similarities between the Little and the Big! There was a slide show that highlighted the matches that have happened over the last 5 years and that was nothing short of magic! I so believe in this program--it is one of the things that could lead to putting me out of business--which would be a miracle I would welcome. If we can prevent ANY kid from going through the juvenile justice system it is worth every effort...let alone becoming friends and spending time with a great kid- it is amazing that so little can result in such BIG differences. I LOVE BBBS!

We had some delicious tri tip steak and asparagus for dinner last night, it was mouthwateringly delicious! I had a very productive day at work today, I love when that happens. Am I a scrooge for not putting up any Christmas decorations? I just don't want to get it all out, only to put it back away. Christmas just came too fast this year. I am in awe that it is 1/3 of the way through December of 2008, where has the year gone? Not that we wasted any of it, we have had an incredible year, full of friends, fun, laughs and of course bicycling!

I am so grateful for the assistants at my orthodontists office, even though I got hurt today they make it as easy as possible and they are such fun women!

All of my teeth are now connected to the braces, that must be a step in the right direction!

I rode to Kanab with my boss today and it was a great experience. It is so nice to have someone express confidence in your abilities and affirm your competence! Malcolm's confidence in me made my day.

Back on the Road Bike

Bicycle, bicycle, I love to ride my bicycle, I love to ride my bike. Jas and I got back on our road bikes today! It has been over a month, way too long. We were running out of daylight (damn the daylight savings) so we only went 6.5 miles but oh boy it was fun! (OK, OK we may have been tired after the first 2 miles after the long break, but also Jason's back is seizing...he should have known better than to lift the transfer case into the back of the truck by himself, he's not 25 anymore, but he forgets!)
Anyway the point is that we rode the road bikes today and we liked it!

I also got to go look at and buy a couple of Timeless Trinkets tonight- Tara is going to love hers!

I am eversograteful. Grateful for my life. Grateful for my health. I have continued to lurk on the desmoid tumor list serve for the past 3 1/2 years and occasionally see posts that remind me how very lucky I am to have those tumors behind me and to not have FAP... Most people with desmoids have FAP, it is a genetic disorder that leads to early colon cancer if the colon isn't removed. Tumors from hiking are much easier to handle than tumors from FAP. I am also grateful that I only had to have 2 surgeries and that radiation has kept me from a dreaded recurrence. I am also grateful for Jason and the strength and comfort he brought when I needed it back in the year of the tumors. We were talking on the way home from Vegas after Thanksgiving and he mentioned how hard he took it when we learned that the bumps I felt post surgery #1 was another tumor. He didn't even let on to me, but it terrified him. Oh, to never deal with something like that again will be too soon.

On the bright side for today, we have decided what we will be getting for Christmas...a new transfer case for the Jeep. That was the casualty from Dumont and Jas will be taking it in for a rebuild tomorrow. The good news is the 4 wheel drive shop is slow, so it won't take long and we can be back on the sand again! Next time we will just stick with 4 tires of all the same size!

We also enjoyed some excellent steak at Ja son son's restaurant last night with friends we are enjoying very much, hopefully we will hang out again soon, even though I made an idiot of myself last night...