Ummm . . . I really haven't posted since December?

Wow! I was surprised to see that my last post was all the way back in December. Where has 2009 gone already? These last few months have been eventful - though most of those events are not good. To make a long story short, we're unemployed, currently trying to sell a house that is worth less than half (yes, half!!) of what we paid less than 2 years ago, navigating the world of health insurance outside of an employer, and we're likely going to move sometime soon though we're not sure where. I'm sure all my friends think I've abandoned them because I don't like to talk when I'm in a funk. It feels like wallowing and I hate that.

Anyway, we're really trying to focus on our blessings. I'm confident that faith is the only good way out of this situation. What we don't or can't understand will somehow fit into Heavenly Father's grand plan for making us stronger.

I do love keeping up on my friends via their blogs during all of this. It's great to see lots of thriving going on in the midst of all the yuckiness in the world around us!!

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.