My Dinner Party

I have the most creative friends. This idea came from Denalee and was also done by Ashley, who have inspired me to follow in their footsteps.

If I could invite anyone, TV or book character or celebrity to dinner, my top 10 invitees would be . . .

1. Paula Deen--to teach me how to cook like she does.

2. Jillian Michaels--to kick my butt after eating Paula Deen's food.

3. e. e. cummings--to whistle far and wee. And write the place cards scrolly-wonderful.

4. Silas Marner, the title character from the book by George Eliot--to weave a table cloth for the occasion. Such a gentle, misunderstood soul could benefit from company.

5. Dumbledore--to make cryptic, wise observations during the awkward silences.

6. Mr. Humphries from "Are You Being Served?"--to inject a high dose of FABULOUS into the night, and to stage an dinner-guest fashion show / musical number!

7. Hyacinth Bucket (Boo-kay) from "Keeping Up Appearances"--just to get an invite for one of HER candlelight suppers with riparian entertainment.

8. Alicia Keys--to sing and play the piano at the same time. No one's ever draped themselves over my baby grand like that.

9. Napoleon Dynamite--to appreciate that "tots" would be on the menu, GOSH.

10. Hurley from LOST--Dude. Do I have to explain this one? To bring us all back to the island!

Double Decker Bus and the Bellagio

Have I mentioned that we give the children three gifts for Christmas? One is "gold", something they really want; one is "frankincense", something that is practical; and one is "myrrh", something that is enriching or educational.

For the last year Cameron has been fascinated with the double decker buses he sees going down Boulder Highway. He mistakenly called them "don daked" buses and I miss that! For their "myrrh" gift, we thought it would be fun to actually ride on a bus. So Bryce ordered a Hot Wheels double decker bus for each of them to open, and the promise that the next day we'd ride downtown.

So we did. 

This was our very bus! We started at Fremont Street and went down to the Bellagio.

We were very lucky to get seats on the top level on our first try.

There's Bryce's building!

And after a few stops, we got to sit in the FRONT ROW on the very top.

Mary was my seatmate and we a great time.

I'll bet you had no idea Mary had a flair for the dramatic, did you?

We made it to the Bellagio!

The conservatory was decorated for Christmas. Can you believe this is made entirely of flora and fauna?

By the end of the day, Mary couldn't handle Cameron's constant hugging and posing!

Man, was it crowded. Good thing Heather kept Cameron from being lost in the sea of legs, or whapped by his annoyed sister.

Mary and Harrison squeezed through the columns in the lobby.

And we ended the day with dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (Caesar's Palace) and a bus ride back to the car.

And now the boys have been on a real double decker bus, and as an added treat, got to stroll around the Bellagio. I think they had fun--I know I did!

Christmas Portraits

You didn't think I could possibly have more, but you were wrong.

Christmas Day

I'm the blogging equivalent of your neighbor with the Christmas lights still lit every night at 6:00. You're pretty sick of anything twinkling red-and-green, but what are you going to do, knock on the door and hand them the memo that January is here?

Are you wondering why I still have a Christmas background? You are? I knew it. The site I like to get templates from is down. I want to move on, believe me. I may be stuck with this cute little owl until Easter, but dang it, I am not budging.

So this is also my admission that I'm still posting Christmas pictures. And the fact that I'm going back later and re-dating these posts for December either makes me a cheater or a genius.

For your viewing pleasure (or ennui):

May I present to you OUR CHRISTMAS MORNING FUN FEST AND JUBILATION!!!!!

We had a family prayer, then the kids were ready to bound downstairs!

 

Santa brought a dirt bike, an art box, a Playmobile pirate ship, and a Lego space police ship. And the stocking gifts were particularly fun and practical this year! What a smart guy. Very, very smart.

"You want me off your bike? Bring it, tough guy!"

 

After enjoying Santa's gifts, we ate breakfast and then moved to the front rooms.

The kids were semi-confined to their blankets so that they didn't intrude on each others' space. (Marginally successful.)

Tyce was the gift passer-outer.

Tyce read Mary's card to him. As we were out shopping she said, "I don't really know what to give to a 13-year-old boy. I know he likes this AXE body wash, but who am I to care what he smells like?"

Mary got many gifts to put her creativity to good use.

 Cameron liked getting things that go!

 

Harrison liked getting to cheer with the best of them.

 

Heather dreamed of  a Jacob Black of her own. But even hotter, and less affected by the moon.

Bryce can't get enough of BYU.

 One cool gift was the personalized rock hammer for Al from the Ottosens.

I got some knives. Sharp, pointy knives.

 

Tyce read his new Monty Python and the rules for the holy hand grenade shirt.

 

Mary showed off her art supplies.

 

Ninja Cam. How can he grow up to be a ninja is he doesn't practice now?

Harrison loved his Leap Frog read-and-write from the Cooks.

 

The aftermath. This is only one small part. It took days to get things cleaned up and back to normal, but it was worth it!

Thank you so, so much to our family for the wonderful gifts. We loved them all and appreciate your thoughtfulness. We are getting thank-you notes out soon.