TODAY IS THE LAST DAY

of a terrific year.

I won't say that 2008 didn't have it's challenges and trials because it did - and actually still does. But we know we are very blessed and we are definitely counting our blessings.

I have many New Year's Resolutions, like I always do, and at midnight I will be opening a very welcoming door to 2009....

I hope you have a very safe, incredible, wonderful evening and may 2009 have many, many wonderful blessings in store for us all...

Love you!

A PROMPT HAND WRITTEN NOTE

is one of my many 2009 resolutions.
A phone call and email are great but they just don't cut it.
I'm going to be johnny on the spot showing my gratitude and appreciation...

I'm going to need to start with good stationary, like these letterhead printed correspondence cards with hand drawn monogram by The Paper Moon Project...

WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I WANTED TO

be a dancer, but I quit ballet classes so I could watch Captain Caveman... If I was a dancer, I'd wear these sweet lace-up ballerinas...

FOR RUBY TUESDAY

STOP and ponder your New Year's Resolutions.....

If you would like to participate in Ruby Tuesday. Click here for for details.

MY FRIEND HEIDI SHOWED

me hand painting today by Italian artist, Guido Daniele.

Aren't they amazing! To see more, click here.

I LOVE THIS QUOTE...

"Mend a quarrel, seek out a forgotten friend, dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust, write a letter, give a soft answer, encourage youth, manifest your loyalty in word and deed, keep a promise, forgo a grudge, forgive an enemy, apologize, try to understand, examine your demands on others, think first of someone else, be kind, be gentle, laugh a little more, express your gratitude, welcome a stranger, gladden the heart of a child, take pleasure in beauty and wonder of the earth, speak your love and speak it again."

- Howard W. Hunter

WHILE HE'S BEEN LIVING ON HIS OWN IN ALASKA, STEVE

has become quite the chef.

He's been telling me about his homemade flour tortillas that he has been making, so I told him when he came down to visit he'd have to show me how to make them. They are so delicious and EASY!

We made dinner for the family tonight and had so much fun!
The recipe Steve uses is low fat and delicious and found here. It's a keeper!!

I WOULD LOVE TO GO GREEN, I

really would, but why is so much more expensive?Look at these - made from 100 percent recycled rolled newsprint, these pencils are green to the core at treesmart.com. BUT, they are $9.50 for 24 or $18 for a pack of 48. That's a lot of mula for newspaper!

I think they are really cool, but as for everything I find that is "green", shouldn't it be cheaper?

WHEN MY BABY BROTHERS GET TOGETHER

sometimes they are naughty...

Chocolate covered SPAM balls were made...

to look like peanut butter balls...

The kitchen smelled like cat farts....

and they were giggling like little school girls...

Mom and Stephanie were the victims...

The funniest part is that our father asked them to play the practical joke!

If you'd like any ideas for April Fool's Day, I can give you his number....

MY BROTHERS DECIDED

to take my boys hot tubing... It went from six....

To five....

To three...

They crack me up!!!

A FAMILY TRADITION OF OURS IS TO HAVE A WHITE ELEPHANT PARTY THE

day after Christmas with our family, the in-laws and the in-laws' in-laws.
We have so much fun and, as usual, eat way too much...

I'm stuffed and tired. Our Christmas celebration is officially over....

MY BROTHER IVON

is an incredible uncle and an absolutely incredible artist and graphic designer.

Some of his artwork is on his myspace account. These are two of my favorite that he has on there. They were done on Photoshop, completely from scratch. He amazes me!

To see more of his work, click here.

WHEN MY PARENTS WERE ON THEIR CARIBBEAN CRUISE

at the beginning of the year, they bought these gorgeous necklaces for me, Stephanie and Sarah, and gave them to us for Christmas...

These necklaces are inlaid with fragments of ancient glass, discovered in an archaeological excavation in the Holy Land. The patina was created by chemical interaction with the earth over the course of 2000 years.
They are handcrafted by the artists of Saphirim at Kibbutz Revadim.

MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND BOUGHT ME THIS

incredible perfume. I love it so much it has replaced all others... Herve Leger is my new signature scent...

CHRISTMAS DAY WAS FULL OF MORE

spoiling. First from Santa and then at Grandma and Grandpa Joan's house...

One of the first presents Larry opened was from our boys.
They bought him tickets to WICKED to take me on a date this March. They are so thoughtful! (ok, I might have helped them)... One of the other highlights was this AWESOME autobot longboard with Optimus Prime on the bottom that Larry built for Landon...

When we got to Grandma and Grandpa Joan's, everyone was there...

Landon and Spencer did some hardcore wrestling. They had SO much fun together!

Grandma Joan taught us the proper way to make her famous rolls.

Next time I make them they will be so good.

I know the secrets now!

We have had the best Christmas. We know we have been spoiled and we are so excited about our gifts, but even more, we are so thankful for each other. We love our family so much.

We hope you have had a wonderful Christmas also.

OUR CHRISTMAS EVE CELEBRATION WAS

wonderful with our wild and crazy family.
We laughed, ate, played, opened presents and got spoiled.
It was a great night in Mike and Sarah's home...

Landon, our budding photographer, took this picture of us...

As the evening wore on there were testosterone surges and push ups and arm wrestling began...

Then, of course, the naps. They have to get rested for the celebration tomorrow!