Merry Christmas!

Remember the reason for this season. A great video by my alma mater . . .

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful . . .

We were at 5+ inches by 3:00PM







Well, the flip flops are officially retired for the season, much to my dismay. Yesterday Vegas got the biggest snowstorm in 30 years. Lucky us!! It was truly crazy. Nate has been joking about getting a blizzard for months - little did we know, he was predicting the future. Snow shouldn't be this big of a deal, but in a city with a total of 10 snowplows (all positioned on the mountains west of us), no salt or sand trucks, and thousands of clueless snow drivers, you can imagine the chaos. Note to all Vegas drivers . . . if it's slippery and you're having a tough time with traction - whatever you do, DON'T STOP!!! Stopping means no momentum and thus no hope of ever starting again. Our neighborhood is up on quite a hill/mountain. This means 2 things - we got more snow than the rest of the valley and it's harder to get here when you're battling the incline on slippery roads. The streets on the way up here were strewn with cars. It was every man for himself last night and driving on the middle, or sides, or wrong side of the street was A-OK if it meant you could get home. Thank goodness for some kind samaritans who helped those less fortunate with rides, tows, etc. Nate made it home just fine - it just took forever and was quite frustrating - given that he's a seasoned Colorado snow driver.

All in all, it looks like about 8+ inches, all falling between 8 in the morning to about 11:00 last night. We bundled up and took a winter wonderland walk at 12:30 last night. There were actually people out snowboarding on the roads. Snow in Vegas really is exciting!

A funny video of Chloe here. I tried to get her to go in the snow. That dash of claws and feet you hear is her making a beeline for the doggy-door (behind our outside couch)

Someone's Confused!

I know my mailing address says Nevada, but someone's confused. This is what I find out my window today . . .

And yes, that's a sago palm covered in snow . .






I guess it really is Christmas!

On a Kristin Chenoweth note . . .

I said I love this girl. In case you weren't sure you did - watch this!

A Music Break

Good music is always uplifting in times of worry and uncertainty. It can change a mood in an instant. There are two recent releases that have caught my attention and I want to share. The first:



We heard Jason Deere and the Nashville Tribute Band perform this at a recent Time Out for Women. This is the second CD in a series, the first being called "Joseph". I'm not normally a huge "mormon music" lover because of the sap level, but this CD is so fun! It tells the story (through music) of the pioneers' decision to trek across the plains and the hardships (and fun!) they faced along the way. There are some uplifting songs and some touching songs. It's a great mix and even kids would like this one. The beats are catchy. It's a great way to teach them about the pioneers. You can read about the history of the band and music here and listen to clips here. I highly recommend "Crack of a Whip". Fun!

The second:
I just love this girl! You may know her as Glinda in the Broadway show Wicked - she was right in her element singing "Popular"! You may also know her as Olive on the very quirky Pushing Daisies show. A reviewer described her as "what happens if you cross-breed a Barbie doll and a kewpie doll and breathe bubbly life into the mix". It's true, in the the most flattering way. Her voice is amazing and somehow just "happy"- if a voice can be happy :) Anyway, this is her new Christmas album and I MUST have it. I've already been listening to clips. You can too here.

When you can't have spa days everyday, you must have good music to pull you through.

Escape

For Christmas last year, Nate gave me a gift certificate to the Bellagio Spa. Yum!! I've been putting off going for almost a year now because I kept attaching conditions to get the treat - like when I lose those 10 lbs, I'll make the appointment or when I complete that project I'll go. Well, the 10lbs are still here and the project's not done - so much for motivation - but the spa certificates are expiring sooo . . . when I made the appointment two weeks ago, I purposely made it for the day after the election. I figured that if the news was good, it would be a little celebration. If it wasn't so good, the spa would be a good escape. A good escape indeed!!

Seriously, the Spa Bellagio is beautiful! 65,000 sq. ft beautiful, I might add. A huge place with some great features. I was scheduled for a hand, foot, and scalp massage, but I got there early to enjoy the relaxing environment. This is what greeted me in the women's spa lounge:
Had I thought to bring my suit, I would have enjoyed these 3 warm to hot whirlpools and 1 cold plunge pool. They are clothing optional, but naked in public's just not my style. I did sit in the relaxation room and sip a warm cinnamon tea as I waited for my treatment. This place is just luxury - from the robes to the lockers to the general surroundings and amenities.

After my treatment, which was glorious but never long enough, I sat in the amazing meditation room.
This was, perhaps, my favorite part of my spa stay. This picture doesn't do the dim, relaxing room justice. I was the only one in the room, so I picked a chair right in the middle and spread out. There are blankets on each chair, so I snuggled under and just closed my eyes. Thinking, pondering, dreaming. We don't get enough time for this stuff in our day to day. In a place like this, time sort of stands still.

Spa Bellagio was a wonderful way to spend a morning. I wish I could go more often. But alas, life calls and responsibility weighs. Thank you, Nate, for a great gift. I put it off too long, but in hindsight, it was a great escape at just the right moment.

Today

My Facebook Status tonight: "Wendie is feeling sad for the USA. People have been fooled. Change is coming, but I'm pretty sure you're not going to like it."

Now, I wonder, when we look back on this day one year from now, how many will wish they'd chosen differently? When taxes aren't lower, jobs aren't more plentiful, and our constitution is being attacked at its very heart, will we wish we'd chosen differently? When all the eloquent speeches are a distant memory, will we all be able to see the real truth we missed? The radical world around us is cheering today. They want a different America than we do. Will we be cheering with them next year?

I can only say what I feel today. I don't "know" any better than any of you. I just feel that we, as a country, have stepped away from God today. It feels like more than a political choice. I hope I'm wrong.

I Know!! A New Post! Shock!!!! Happy Halloween

This year's Halloween was quite busy for two people in a no-kid household. Chloe is really our "kid" now, so I focused on her outfit early. As you might recall last year, her outfit was quite embarrassing to her. This year we decided to go with something far more flattering. Funny thing is - she loved it! Every time I put on the dress she pranced around like she was the queen of the ball. Dogs are just hilarious sometimes.

I found her dress on Etsy. I love that place - some really cool stuff. The lady who made the dress was so impressed with Chloe's modeling, she made her a feature picture on the ad. Maybe I can work on sending my "kid" into modeling to make some extra money for the household :)

Friday night we headed over to the District, an outdoor shopping area here in Henderson that does a Halloween event with all the stores handing out candy. Music, lights, soooo many kids, adorable costumes, and food. It was a fun time and super, duper crowded - way more than last year. Chloe enjoyed eating candy off the ground (much to my dismay) and we enjoyed sauntering and costume-sighting in the beautiful weather. If I didn't appreciate Fall before we moved here, I certainly appreciate it now. Days here are still in the 70-80s, but evenings are fabulous high 60s. Amazing! One of my very favorite things about living here is that I rarely have to wear real shoes - flip flops are my constant foot companion and I love it!

Saturday night, Nate and I were invited to a Halloween party. The party was planned for Halloween night, but because of lack of babysitters the host moved it to the next evening. That's actually a great tradition - the kids have their fun first, then the parents get to have a fun night out. Anyway, Kari (go check out her amazing planning here) went all out and was a wonderfully creative host. Nate and I debated and debated over costumes (he's more Star Wars, I'm more "not so geekified") but finally landed on our costume idea out of desperation - the party was starting in 2 hours :)


We were Costco demonstrators - complete with sample trays not shown here. As I expected, Nate totally pulled out the design skills and pulled off a sign that everyone thought we stole from Costco. So funny!

Hope everyone had a great Halloween. I'm totally ready to pull out the holiday stuff now. I may even blog about it!

Just Plain Cute!

Say what you will about your own kids, but I've got the market cornered on the cutest niece and nephew. Seriously - Gerber babies! Here are a few shots I got a couple of weekends ago when we were all together. Do you not just want to eat them up?!

One Year Ago Today . . .

It's hard to believe that we moved to Las Vegas exactly one year ago today - June 17th. This year, despite its myriad of hard times, has flown by. As I contemplated life on those 11+ hours in the U-haul by myself, I don't think I would have ever imagined that I would be unemployed but contemplating a totally new career path just one year later. I would not have imagined that this year would be as hard as it was, yet so rewarding. I would not have imagined how much I would enjoy living closer to family and how much we would rely on them for support and fun - and mom's cooking! :) I would not have imagined how blessed we would be by a loving Heavenly Father who is forever watching over us and somehow making things work out.

I know I imagined the gargantuan task of moving in and decorating a new home - which is STILL not complete - surprise, surprise! We've got some curtains up and paint in the kitchen, but job searching and other priorities have made the rest a task for the future. Boxes still abound in the extra bedrooms, but we'll get to them someday.

It's been a year of ups and downs, but we've learned so much and are really beginning to feel more settled here. I don't know if Las Vegas is the end to our moving journey (I'm sure it's not). We've got lots more options to explore someday. For now, we are enjoying our home, the mostly warm (and warmer) weather, quiet suburbia, family, our giganto ward, access to more interesting entertainment than we could ever need, and the prospects of new and exciting things to come over the next 12 months.

When you can say, "It works!"

It would be an ideal world if all things functioned just the way the way the advertisements and product packaging said they would. We are bombarded every day with the latest and greatest tool, cleaning product, gadget, face cream, etc. Sadly, many disappoint, and we quickly realize that our hard-earned money was lost to another clever marketer in the quest for quicker, better, and best. This whole scenario makes the moments when our latest purchase actually works just the way "they" said it would (or better!) all the more exciting. My latest product love affair is one I've been itching to share.

I will fully admit that I'm gadget-curious, but I'm also a very critical shopper. This is especially true when it comes to cleaning products. The truth is, most don't work as well as they say, many let off enough toxic fumes to choke you, and I often leave my cleaning experience, whether it's in the kitchen or the bathroom, feeling a little dizzy and less than satisfied.

Mopping, oh mopping! I've been able to escape it for many years because I had very little hard flooring. I used to clean my bathroom and kitchen floors on my hands and knees with paper towels and a little cleaner. That did the job much quicker and faster than hauling out a mop. Besides, don't you always feel like the mop just spreads the dirt around? Even if you change the water often, you're putting the dirty mop back on the floor and ugh! I just hate it. In our new house here in Las Vegas, we've got a lot more tile to deal with. That means mopping. I set out on a quest for the best solution. I started with the Libby mop with washable head. It sounded good that I could just throw the head in the washer after a mopping. What I quickly learned is that there's a lot of annoying squeezing and bending. It does the job, but it's not fast and it's not perfect. The dirt-spreading factor is huge here. Next came the Method Mop. The cleaner that comes with the mop smells divine and the Micro-fiber cloth does actually pick up a bunch of dirt and it's washable at the end of the job. This is a great mop if your floors are just lightly dirty or you need a quick once-over at the end of the day. Still, though, not perfect.

That brings me to my new love. The Monster EZ1 Steam Mop. It's a steam mop made in heaven. This thing is not easy to find. I set out to find a steam mop of some sort, read a lot about the domestic brands that are commonly available at Target, Wal-mart, etc, but came away wanting for something better. I sort of stumbled upon a vacuum site that was featuring a video of the Monster. Being a gadget-lover, I was intrigued, though skeptical. It's made in Italy and not regularly available here, though you can find it at said vacuum store, Amazon and on ebay. After seeing just a few good reviews and bargaining with a guy on e-bay for a great deal, I made the leap. What a great leap! This thing is, as they say, "the bomb". You put in the water, let it heat up, then steam away. And when I say steam, I mean steam. This stuff is hot! That's great for sanitizing your floors, but not so great when you're mopping right next to your foot. I fried a few toes early on. Now I wear shoes or at least socks. The micro-fiber cloth seems to suck in the dirt and I really like that the steam is sanitizing. No choking chemicals either! The real test for me was to mop my kitchen floor with the Monster then wipe a section with a wet paper towel to see what other grime comes up with a little up close and personal scrubbing. Nothing! Not a speck or hint of dirt. I love it! I've found my eternal mopping companion.

What's your favorite cleaning tool? I've got mopping down, but what about toilet cleaning and shower scrubbing? Those are still a work in progress. Share if you've got a great solution to these ever so mundane problems.

An Opportune Moment

Parker (my sister Kellie's son) and I have become real photo buddies lately. He's my model of choice when it comes to practicing my portrait-taking - and who wouldn't want this cutey as a model? Anyway, Chloe is insanely jealous of Parker. It could have something to do with the fact that we talk to Parker in the same voice we use to talk to Chloe. Parker is a real damp rag on her "all the attention on me" parade, but nonetheless, she enjoys him and I think she's just secretly holding out until Parker begins his food dropping/throwing/spitting phase. Then all the negatives will be outweighed by the veritable feast that awaits her. For now though, Chloe finds great joy in having a human down at her level, especially one that doesn't know enough to protect himself from the incoming tongue. Poor Parker. I was taking his picture today and he was being so pleasant . . . . then THIS happened . . .
Now I know all you very clean moms and non-pet lovers think this is SO gross, but I have to tell you that I think it's seriously funny. I see the beginnings of a beautiful relationship - and I mean that in the most innocent "boy and his dog" kind of way. I love this dog. I love this boy. I'm glad they're forming memories to keep. I hope there are lots more to come.

Look Who I Found in Vegas!

No, I'm not dead, contrary to assumptions based on my lack of blogging for 2+ months. I am out here, and I have fun story to share. My Denver friend, Chalyce, called me the other day with a surprise! She was in Las Vegas! Though you may assume that we'd get lots of visitors since we're in the hub of western tourist travel, it's not really true. I guess we don't have a lot of gambling or conference going friends :) Anyway, Chalyce was here for a conference as it turns out and had her evenings free. Nate and I were able to go pick her up at her hotel last night and go out for a fun sushi dinner at a new place we'd wanted to try. Chalyce was then kind enough to give us a tour of her hotel room. What a cool place! It's a relatively new casino hotel, called Red Rock, that's part of a chain of local casinos here called Station Casinos. We fell in love with the room and decor. As funny as it seems, it's quite the "thing" here in Vegas for locals to go stay at a casino for a night or two as a getaway from regular life. When we found out that the prices are quite reasonable on weekends, we quickly added this to our list of things we'd like to do someday. Thanks so much, Chalyce, for thinking of us and giving us a call. We had a fun time seeing you and catching up! For those of you out there who have some reason to be in Vegas anytime soon, call us!!! We'd love more visitors.

Here's a quick view of the Red Rock Casino's rooms, in case you're curious:

I LOVED this tub! It has to be more than 2 feet deep and just looks luxurious!

Have You Seen This?

Super interesting and entertaining. I would have liked being one of the freezers, but how did they keep from laughing? That's what I want to know . . .

Book Tagged

Oh Goodness! I've been tagged by my dear friend, Melissa, so here goes. I'm supposed to grab the closest book, turn to page 123 and read (and type here) the 5th sentence. I'm also then supposed to tag 5 new people. Well, hmmm, the closest book right this very minute is a Photoshop instructional manual by Scott Kelby. The boring news is that on page 123 there isn't even a 5th sentence - only 2 with big instructional pictures included. Since you don't want to hear about that, I'll choose the next closest book - one I picked up at the library today based on a book list provided by Melissa and her fabulous book club girls in Colorado. The book, which I just carried up the stairs with me before sitting down to check blogs, is The Diary of Mattie Spencer, by Sandra Dallas.

I think I remember Melissa saying something about how she really liked this book. Then again, maybe she said she hated it and that's why it sticks out in my mind . . . Either way, it looks like my kind of book - Depression days, living on the prairie, etc, etc. It gets 4.5 stars on Amazon, so I'm looking forward to it!



So let's see, page 123 . . . 5th sentence . . . "Poor Sallie survived months of inhuman treatment, only to die within an arm's reach of freedom, but perhaps there was some mercy in this; Sallie was enceinte."



Sounds uplifting . . . "enceinte" - am I the only one who had to go to dictionary.com for this one? The sentence is much more intriguing when you know the meaning of the word. It's true what they say . . . you learn something new every day. Thanks for the tag, Melissa, and for the exciting new read I have ahead of me!

I tag Monique, Kellie, Julie, Brittany, and Jen.

OK, She's Sung for Mitt, but not for America

Mitt's out. It's official. I'm sad, but after watching his speech, I know he's still got the right idea. He absolutely "gets it" and if you don't agree, go find his speech on the internet. It's not about politics or money or anything else that he's been accused of. It's about the heart of our very lives - families, safety, security, and freedom. For now, we have to do what's right for America. In another 4 years, there will be another chance at bringing our focus back to the place it should be.

Mitt is a real class act. Maybe people will realize that now, more than they ever did when they had a chance to vote for him . . . .

The Fat Lady Has Sung - Almost. . .

I'm feeling very sad tonight - the election results show a real disappointing trend in America's judge of character. Oh well. Maybe it will save me a trip to the polls in November. I don't know how I'd choose between the arrogant liar and the crazy woman. Hmmm . . . .

The Big Day!

Politics

OK, so I'm not sure that politics is a subject for a family blog, since it incites so many varied (and heated) responses, but I'm firey mad right now and need to say something. We are a country of lemmings - really! People, get educated. Take a look at this exit poll data from Florida. Perhaps you won't find it interesting, but I did . . . .

http://youdecide08.foxnews.com/2008/01/30/florida-republican-exit-poll/

Notice anything about who voted for McCain?? Yes, generally liberals and independents, fairly well educated, pro-choice, pro-amnesty, and a huge portion of hispanic and cuban decent. Any conclusions we can draw from this?

My conclusion is that the bedrock of this country's values is being undermined by a candidate who "says" he's republican and people are going along with it because the media says "McCain good" . . . "Romney Mormon" and all the illegals and their families will benefit from the amnesty that is sure to come for them if McCain wins. These illegals (or at least their family members that are legal and registered to vote) are what took McCain over the top. Some may view this statement as a racist one. It's not meant to be. It is simply a fact that life for them is better here than where they came from and they'd do pretty much anything to stay, even it means that the rest of the country's quality of life (and particularly medical care) is sent straight down the toilet since we don't have the resources to take such a hit all at once. Immigration is good and is what made America what it is - illegal immigration and sucking off every government program out there without a care in the world is not!

I, for one, want something different. Not a president that will promise me something (and probably not deliver), but a president who shares my values and will stand up for and fight for the values that made this country America in the first place - strong families, respect for marriage, a love for hard work and competition, a respect for God and his laws, a good work ethic where everyone earns what they sow, freedom of speech and worship, and as little government intervention in our lives as possible. I can promise you that McCain won't do that. He's more interested in compromising his values so we can all "get along". Look at the writing on the wall, folks. The liberals of this country LOVE McCain. Of course they do! He'll help them get to the "free-thinking" "do whatever you want with your life and your body" world they're seeking. If they can't have Hillary or Obama, at least they'll have McCain.

I think this election is a sad case of giving up what we want in the long run for what will give us immediate gratification (supposedly). It makes me very, very sad.

That's my soapbox for the day . . . and don't even get me started on the lemming lovers named Obama and Hillary!

A Fond Farewell

Tonight we say goodbye to a beloved man - our prophet, Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley. He died with his family around him tonight. We had a good idea it was happening today as his son was supposed to be our presiding authority yesterday and today at Stake Conference but was called away suddenly by way of a phone call from Elder Packer. As a result, many of the talks last night and today focused on stories of Pres. Hinckley. Did you know he didn't like spinach? Apparently when his daughter recently told him it was good for him and it contained lots of iron he told her he'd rather eat a horseshoe. What a funny man! When his doctor asked him how he stayed so positive when things were hard, do you know what Pres. Hinckley told him? That he would just think of a couple of swear words (I'm sure they weren't bad ones) in his head and get a chuckle and move on. He was an enduring optimist and such a wonderful example of a human man, with all his foibles, transformed through faith and hard work into a powerful leader that was able to touch so many lives. He will be sorely missed, though I know the legacy he leaves will continue on for years to come.

I loved this picture of him with his wife, Marjorie. I know that he missed her dearly and now they get to be together again. That's what it's all about, right? Thank you, Pres. Hinckley for being such a beacon of hope for all of us. At a recent conference for regional authorities, Pres. Hinckley chastised the men for looking so frowny. He told them how wonderful our world was and how much better it was getting - better and better every year. As the wicked get worse, the righteous get stronger and the gospel light gets brighter. I believe he's right. And what a great perspective he leaves for each of us. This moment is sad, but I know he'll be watching our work from above and cheering us on. Thank you, dear Prophet. We will never forget.

Parker

Took this shot of Parker today. Isn't he cute!!!!

Digi Scrap

I've become completed fascinated with the "digi" world, as they call it, of scrapbooking. I can't say I've ever gotten into scrapbooking - I've tried and lost interest - but because digital scrapbooking allows me to be creative and capture memories while still using my favorite tool - my computer - I'm starting to really like it. I can't say I'm good (and this layout is a copy of a template) but I'm starting to feel more comfortable. If you're ever interested, the queen is Jessica Sprague (jessicasprague.com). She'll teach you everything you need to know and more. Here's a fun layout of Parker that I did for my first assignment.

Christmas 2007

We had a fabulous Christmas with the whole Williams clan this year. It was nice to all be together, but it was even nicer to have two new additions - babies! - Parker and Clementine. We are never great at taking pictures, but here's a couple of us on our last day together. I kept telling everyone to "lean in" for the picture. Apparently I was the only one who took my advice. Nice! :)