Feeling Blue --- From the Cold!

Aloha from the coldest state on earth! According to the thermometer... it is a blazing 45* in my kitchen right now and only 21* outside. The joys of a wood furnace. I have been gone to a stake activity all day and this is the joy of coming home. So... to catch some of you up! Dan has been out of town this week (sob) and won't be back until the 29th (Big sob). So I have been left to man the roost... or woman it.
It has been quite the week. Luckily I have been able to successfully start a fire when I need one. And for those who are in the know on starting a fire or combustibles... without lighter fluid. Yeah, I know. It has been a miracle and I give all the credit to the man who must also be freezing upstairs!
Since we are talking about colors... not only am I blue but I am green too. We have finally gotten to the paint part of our project! It has been a long 4 months, but we have made it to paint! I even went and picked out the carpet yesterday! Our big hallway will now be used as an actual living room. I was telling my mom this past week that I look back at the photos of what the room used to look like and it doesn't look too bad. However, the photos don't do enough justice. My photos aren't scratch and sniff. There isn't enough "sniff" in this world to share that smell with you all. Thankfully, it is all gone and you don't have to be educated! Much, much work! I will post photos when I do the finishing touches and the carpet is in.
I was able to go with my YW to the Stake Winter Splash today. What a great experience! We had to drive 2 hours to get to the building in our stake in which it took place. We were blessed by the Lord to have just enough snow to do snow sculptures! And for those that know the weather out here... it didn't look like we would be that lucky because the snow blows away or gets rained on constantly. The snow sculptures didn't start out too well! It was mainly a colorful snowball fight as my girls thought it would be cool to take the food coloring to their mischievous plans on the boys (may I remind you we have no YM). It took a great leader (oh I am sure prideful) to get them focused on the branch president... just kidding. Actually they decided they wanted a fort... but brought no shovels, pails, or buckets. So in my greatness, we gathered the garbage cans from all over the building to create blocks. Thanks to the Quinn's snow castles... my idea was sparked!
We enjoyed an afternoon of laughter, friendship, and human fussball. Thankfully the weather held out until our drive home!
I liked the drive though because of the nice heater! And we come full circle to the idea of the weather. With a forecasted high of 10* tomorrow, we are sure to feel that deep in the bones.
On the more spiritual side of life... which I am learning is the way to peace and happiness... I have really felt the power of personal prayer with the Lord this week. In a blessing that I was given a couple of weeks ago, I was advised to drop on my knees in all my pain and troubles. Not that I needed to complain to the Lord, but to tell him all. I have really tried to take that challenge upon me, and I have noticed a greater desire to want to speak with my Father in heaven and at any time of the day. Not just morning or night. Not just that but I have had God, in the most powerful and special way, turn into my Heavenly Father. I can now bear testimony of that too... take care. -C-

Home Again, Home Again Jiggity Jig

You know you have good friends that will last your lifetime when you haven't seen each other for an extended period of time and yet, you magically seem to pick up right where you left off. And in those reunions, the bond of friendship strengthens ten fold with the comfort and warmth that radiates in the room. That is how Dan and I have felt in the past 3 weeks. Our adventures out west were the best we could have asked for. Even with the lost luggage, long drives, missed flights, and illness passed between us.
Christmas at the Thomas' home was great this year! Relations were good and all seemed to be in somewhat of good cheer, as long as you don't discuss the things of not good cheer. Dan must have been a good boy this year, coming away with an iPod Nano, camping gear, a GPS unit for his car, and a bunch of Smart Wool socks to keep him warm. Not only that, but he enjoyed a day in the "Greatest Snow on Earth" at the Canyon's resort in Park City. To my surprise, I was a good girl this year. Dan had tricked me into believing that what I asked for, I wasn't getting. Ooo... sometimes I just have to give into the humor of it all. There is not much use in fighting a good prank. I did get the new digital camera I dreamed of! I also received a Bosch mixer (so excited!), a whole tote of jewelery tool and beads to give into my deep-set creativity, cute PJ's and a new battery for my lappy.
Colorado with my family was one we like to call, "The Bed and Breakfast experience." For us to go to Colorado is so nice because we don't have ten billion people to see and can just hang out with my family. We enjoyed Papa Murphy's pizza (of course) and some great 4-wheeling New Year's fun.
We ended our stay out west with some friends from Hawaii that we haven't seen in almost two years. We stayed in their cabin and have a wonderful time freezing, playing with rubber duckies and snowmobiling. In all the excitement, we missed our flight by 5 minutes. So I guess you could say that we ended our trip out west in the Salt Lake City Airport for 6 hours. We flew to Albany, NY and there we stayed for two days to celebrate our two year anniversary. It has sure flown by!