HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Disclaimer: lest any of you wonder if I broke the law and set fireworks off my balcony for New Years and then grabbed my camera so I could take a picture mid-burst for the very purpose of posting it on the blog... let me come clean. I found this picture online, and copied/pasted it - right before I put in a movie (that I know I'm bound to fall asleep during) and brought in the new year ... passed out (in a deep sleep, the kind brought on my copious amounts of chocolate and/or Martinelli's) on my couch. Yeah, I'm a party animal. Wooooooo!

I'm pretty much the luckiest girl in the world

I mean... I don't want to brag, but I really am. Pretty much, anyway. Do you see this? Do you see the fabulous sunset, and the twinkly lights reflecting in the lit pool? I get to see this FOR FREE every night of my life. I. Am. Pretty. Darn. Lucky. (And because I'm also pretty darn nice, I thought I'd share it with the rest of you.)

The End.

The Christmas present that just keeps on giving

Yeah, I love this movie. I really, really do. As we all know, I loved it enough in the theaters to watch it three times the opening week. And when it came out on DVD, it was all I could do not to rent it, not to buy it. But I kept telling myself "Laurie... no. Wait for Christmas, someone will get it for you." And Santa did, bless him. I watched it this afternoon (in the full light of day, lest I get all freaked out again by The Joker... don't judge) and.... fell in love with Bruce Wayne all over again. Seriously, I do love him. It KILLS me that youtube doesn't have my favorite scene (when he's walking down the hall, dismantling the gun... yumma-dabba-do), but what's a girl to do? (Besides push pause and then freeze-frame that part?)

Anyhoo... you know I love it. This is truly a gift that'll keep on giving... for years to come. Yay, Santa! I love you!!!

A very nearly perfect day...

So, this morning I woke up thinking "there are so many movies out right now that I really want to see" ... and I didn't have to work today ... so I checked the schedule at the theater around the corner, found that the first showing of Benjamin Button was at 10:30, and hit the road. It turns out that working 12 hour days has been good for me. A sort of training for sitting for extraordinarily long periods of time. I had a triple feature, with a yummy lunch between movie #2 and #3, and then went ahead and treated myself to gelato afterwards... just for kicks.

Movie #1 --- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button



I'm a fan. It was kind of slow moving... but not in a boring way. More... in a slowly unraveling story kind of way. Like I said, I'm a fan. The clothes were FABULOUS, the story intriguing. Cate Blanchett is flawlessly beautiful, as always. In this movie, she reminded me of my cousins. She was very much a hybrid of Lisa & Shelly - in all the right ways. She had the willowy dancer thing going on (Lis), with a sheet of silky hair (Shell). PLUS, there was the element of time being bent. We all know that I'm always a fan of anything with an unusual timeline issue going on. Oh, right... AND it's been a good 12 hours since I saw the movie, and I'm still thinking about it. Oh, it was fabulous!


Movie #2 --- Seven Pounds



Again, I'm a fan. Of the movie. Not sure how I feel about the storyline (I'm still trying to process it). It's one of those weirdie Will Smith movies where the end is definitely not clear from the beginning. (Mind you, I am not saying "weirdie" in a negative way. I'm just saying that it's a mind bender.) I did figure it out about 20 minutes before the big reveal, so I am pretty proud of that. It's good, but not for the feint of heart. It almost gave me a headache, trying to figure out what the devil was going on. Overall, I'm a fan... but I'm not entirely sure why.



Insert my lovely lunch break here... I ran over to the gyro place (thanks, Myra, for showing me where it was when we went to Australia) and helped myself to a little lamb & cucumber sauce piece of heaven. (Seriously - the best dang tatziki sauce IN THE WORLD.) And, apparently, the short & round little Greek man who owns the place is a fan... because he brought over a free piece of baklava (that I later snuck into the theater so I'd have a snack in my next movie). Why is it always the short & old dudes who want to fawn over me & give me gifts? Whatever, I'm not gonna complain. I mean, who am I to look a baklava giving horse (or old man) in the mouth?


Movie #3 --- Marley & Me

Okay, I'm just gonna say it... the puppy was cute. But I'd have KILLED him. I mean... KILLED THE THING DEAD. For the first half of the movie I was torn between thinking Jennifer and Owen (love them like I do... and I really do love both of them, but... I still kept thinking that they just...) looked too much like they were in their 40's to be believable as a young newlywed couple. Not to mention, I'd have killed that damn dog. Lest you judge me for being a heartless woman, let me say that I did get all verklempt at the end (I'd have to have a heart of stone not to), but when it was all said and done... I've never been more happy to come home to Frank in all my life as I was after seeing the damage a D-O-G could cause. (As much as I threaten her - weekly - with taking her back to the pound if she doesn't stop being naughty, she's so much better than a dog would be.) It was okay. Good, I mean. I'm glad I saw it and all and I liked it okay... but I didn't love it. Don't know that I'd ever see it again.

And then after the movie... I went and got a gelato (1/2 mixed berry and 1/2 orange). It was divine. I mean D-I-V-I-N-E. My favorite thing about getting gelato? The mini shovel they give you to eat it with. Seriously, I do love the mini shovel. It makes me giggle.

All in all, it was a nearly perfect day. The only thing that could have possibly improved it for me would have been to have someone at the theater with me all day... And no, not only so I would have had to pay. (Please, I'm not that shallow.) I mean, I would like to have someone else pay for the tickets, the coke, the popcorn, the junior mints, the gyro and the gelato (I'm telling you, I went all out on me today) ... but even more than that, I'd like to be able to talk the movies over with someone. (At least the two that required thought and didn't make me want to kill dogs.) So, if any of you all saw Benji (yeah, I pet-named it) and/or Seven Pounds, let's talk.

So... uh... anyone wanna loan me a movie?

Hey kids... I'm hoping that one of you fine blog readers has a copy of Wall-E that you want to loan me this weekend. I've been told that I need to check the movie out by my girl Tiffany, and, well.... I'm too cheap to waste my netflix on it (esp if I can borrow it from one of you who have little rug-rats around who'd put this movie on their Christmas wish lists). So, does anyone have a copy they want to loan me? Anybody? ... Anybody?

Letters to Santa

So, remember how I've told you that I have the best mom ever? Not only has she been super cool & super smart since circa 1974 (and probably before then, it's just that that's when my own personal experience with her started)... but she's kept evidence such as the Santa Letter above as proof that once upon a time, I dictated letters to Santa. (And, you'll note, I'm sure... I was a bossy little thing, even when I was 5 "we are a good family every year - give us toys every year". Hey, at least I knew to be good, okay? And I knew that The Big Man was a mutual fan of Egg Nog.) Too, too funny.

This year, maybe a little bit more than in years previous, I'm incredibly grateful for parents who encouraged me to believe. Not only in Santa, but in Christ and in the Atonement, and in the basic goodness in humanity. It turns out that, once again, Mom is right... there is magic everywhere, if you're willing to look for it. :) I'm incredibly grateful for the childhood that I had, for the life that I have had. I am one of the most blessed people I know... my mind reels, really, when I try to figure out why I have all that I have. I know that I'm a little old to write letters to Santa, but if I could... I'm pretty sure that, this year, all I would say is "Thank you." Oh, right... and "the Egg Nog's in the fridge"...

Merry Christmas, ya'll....

I've been tagged by an elf! (or something)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? This is a toughie. I want to say "gift bags", because they're so much easier to peek in. (Yup, I'm a peeker - even at the age of 34. I can't help myself. I HAVE to know what's in there!) But, honestly, I prefer paper. You can make a paper-wrapped gift so much more... festive or something. I don't know. Like I said, it's a toughie.

2. Real tree or Artificial? I'm not gonna lie. I dig a fake tree. (for myself) Real trees smell DELICIOUS, but I like to have my tree up for about 6 weeks (maybe 8, depending on the year/mood) - and a real tree just can't make it that long.

3. When do you put up the tree? It depends on the year/mood, really. I've put it up as early as the weekend before Thanksgiving on years that I leave for Thanksgiving (so it'll be "Christmas" when I get back to my place). If I stay home for Turkey-Day, I do it that morning as the turkey cooks.

4. When do you take the tree down? There are two possible answers to this question, and it depends on how I'm feeling about the tree on New Year's Day. If I'm ready for it to come down - then it's down that day. If I'm still loving it... it stays until MLK weekend.

5. Do you like eggnog? Uhh, yeah. I drink it. I also bake with it and/or make ice cream out of it. LOVE THE STUFF! (My fav is an eggnog/sprite mix - 2/3 sprite to 1/3 nog makes a fizzy, delightful holiday treat!)

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Wow. I don't know. There were so many fab presents. The two that stand out most in  my memory are the year we got beds and the year of the unicorn. Oh, that unicorn was something else. I'll have to see if I can find a pic of it and I'll do a whole unicorn-themed post. (There's a little goodie for you all to look forward to.)

7. Hardest person to buy for? This year? Nature Girl. But, as that was a once-in-a-lifetime thing, I'm pretty sure, I'll go ahead and give the real answer - my brother Brett. He's a toughie.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Uhm... me? (Do I count? I cannot go out this time of year and NOT buy myself all kinds of stuff. Seriously, I budget for myself. You never know what Uncle Remus will want to buy me, you know.)

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, I have two. And I love them both. One is a little tiny guy - there are about 7 pieces, they're all clear glass and sit on a 5 inch round mirror. I got it from my friend Jo my first Christmas in Utah, when I wasn't going to be able to go home. My other is just Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus - also from Jo, my first Christmas in my apartment in Mesa. I'm SUPER LUCKY to have them (both the nativities AND Jo)! :) 

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Wow. There are people who email Christmas cards? Oh, that's horrible. I mean - HORRIBLE. (Mind you, I haven't actually sent cards - of any kind - for a few years, but if I did, I'd be UPSPing it)

11. Favorite Christmas Movie? Oooh, another toughie. I'm gonna have to go with It's A Wonderful Life (followed very closely by White Christmas, Holiday Inn, Miracle on 34th Street (the original) and Christmas Vacation - it's very nearly a 5 way tie)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Where is 12? Oh well. One less to answer. Um, it depends. Pretty much whenever I see something I want to buy. I've been known to pick stuff up early (this year I picked some things up in Mexico in October) - but there are always a couple things I have to run out and get on Christmas Eve.

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Probably fudge. Or divinity. Or maybe sugar cookies. Or peanut brittle. Or maybe Sees'  chocolates. Or pumpkin roll. Honestly, there are so many delicious things to eat... I can't pick just one. 

15. Lights on the tree? Yes, please. And on the walls. And around the roof. And on the bushes out front. Anywhere we can get them, actually.

16. Favorite Christmas song? Oh, this is a toughie. Favorite to sing? Christmas Waltz. Oh, I love to sing that one... I sing it year round in the car and in the shower. Favorite to hear, and sit and ponder? O Little Town of Bethlehem. I love the words in that one, the promise in the 3rd verse is the most humbling thing to me. I love it!

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Define home. Home in my apt, or home at my mom & dad's? Both, actually. I'm here at the folks' until Christmas Eve mid-day, and then am headed home to my house for the actual day.

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Thanks to Deano's version of Rudolph, I sure can... "You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen... Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen... but do you recall the most famous reindeer of all...?" (Oh yeah, I'm totally singing it now. Hope you are too.) 

19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Always a star. I have a wood star that my brother Kirk made me back when he was in high school. It's the sweetest little 6 inch wooden star - and I love it!

20. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Both. We grew up doing one present Christmas Eve (not the jammy thing... we could pick whichever gift we wanted) - and then we'd get Santa and the rest of the presents on Christmas morning.

21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? People get annoyed this time of year? Really? Who knew?! ... I can't think of a thing. I'm not even kidding.

22.Favorite Ornament theme or color? Red, hands down. "She likes red!" (1o pts to anyone who can name the movie reference there)

23. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Hahaha... okay, you're gonna love this. The Christmas Tree Pizzas. We make them on Christmas Eve every year. Mom does bread dough in the shape of a tree and then we "decorate" pizzas. Pepperoni, ham, onion rings and olives are ornaments, pineapple and/or tomatoes are the star at the top of the tree, different colors of bell peppers are the garland, with more pineapple and tomatoes to spruce it up. Yum!

24. What do you want for Christmas this year? Organic, Eco-friendly, and Sustainable. HA! I'm kidding, of course. I don't want to save the world, I'm more the type that diamond earrings - a new vacuum - Christian Bale and/or Hugh Jackman - a pampered chef choppie thing - a barette big enough to hold ALL of my hair - lasik surgery - some yummy hot chocolate - a new book - and... to have a peaceful and happy day. :)

Merry Christmas to every one of you! My blog and I appreciate your traffic and your comments, esp at this merry time of year!  

Adding new meaning to "special musical number"...

So, here's a funny story for ya'll. I got home (to my mom & pop's) yesterday right as they were getting out of church. Katie and I were sitting at the table eating leftover enchiladas (seriously, anyone who's an enchilada lover out there... I'm gonna go ahead and say it... if you LOVE enchiladas, you need to have my dad's - they're the best EVER! ... but I digress ... so, Kate and I were eating enchiladas when my dad walks in). 

Dad walks in, grabs a plate and says "welcome home!" to me. I say "thanks - nice Christmas tie, Dad" to him. (My dad has about 20 different holiday ties - they're pretty cool. He's been wearing holiday garb for over 30 years. We love it!) He holds up his tie, laughs, and says "so you want to hear my story from church today?". (Do you love my family? We're ALWAYS telling stories about our days.) I,  of course, tell him "I totally want to hear it!". 

As it turns out, my parents' ward did the usual Sunday-before-Christmas thing and had this big musical production, interspersed with testimony, ending with the Bishop's Christmas Address. (Enter my dad - as he is the bish.) So, they had this fabulous meeting (apparently my  mom got to sing a solo with organ, piano, cello and violin accompanists ... I really wish they'd let me know these things so I could have made it home earlier - but whatever) ... all the music was BEAUTIFUL, everyone's totally grooving on the Christmas spirit, and my dad gets up to share some thoughts and give the closing address. He's mid-talk, and gets a little emotional (yeah, we're all a little sappy) and leans in too close to the podium. Which would usually be a problem - like, if he hadn't been wearing a tie that SINGS when you press the bottom of it - but, the thing is... he was wearing one of those ties. Of course the tie starts singing "Hark the Herald". Does Dad address the fact that he suddenly has back-up music? No, he just talks louder into the mic to cover it. EXCELLENT! So, we had a little giggle and set back to eating the enchiladas.

Mom gets home about 20 minutes later and Dad says "Jude, did you hear the tie go off during my talk?" (like he thinks there's a remote possibility that she didn't ... because, you know, he talked really loud to cover it). Mom bursts into laughter and says "Dennis, you were standing in front of the mic ... did you really think the whole ward couldn't hear it? Yes, I heard it." It was pretty hilarious - the look of surprise on his face, when he realized that everyone had heard it. And then he pressed it again, so the tie'd start singing, and did a goofy chair dance sitting at the table.

Seriously, my family is the funniest! ... I only wish I'd come home 3 hours earlier than I did, so I could have been there to hear it myself. (Both Mom singing, and Dad's tie.)

You know that person who's IMPOSSIBLE to buy for?

Yeah, usually my hardest person to buy for is my friend Jo. Well, Jo or... my brother Brett. The reasons being that Jo has everything she could possibly need/want and Brett... well, how many pairs of extra long & thick socks and/or a basketball can one 26 yr old brother need/want?

But this year? Yeah, this year I have a new IMPOSSIBLE person to shop for. Seriously, this HAS to be a joke. (Except that I know this girl, and I'm pretty sure she wasn't kidding when she filled her "wish list" out.) We're doing a Secret Santa exchange at work (yeah, I know... I didn't start until Dec 1st, and found out on my 5th day that we were doing SS with a $20 cap). Since not everyone knows each other equally, they passed out a "wish list" form that you could put your name and 3 gift ideas on. (You KNOW mine had Dark Knight at the top of the list.) I got the fruity nature lover/yoga girl. And this is her list:

1) Organic
2) Eco-Friendly
3) Sustainable

Uhm... WTF?! So, I guess I'm gonna have to actually buy her something. Clearly, one of my back-up stash of Gold Canyon candles won't work for her. Neither will any of the back stash Bath & Bodyworks lotions & potions. Everything I keep on hand to give the person that I wasn't expecting to have to shop for won't due. (I mean, the reason those gifts are great is that they're so chock full of chemicals and preservatives that they'll keep FOREVER.)

Organic, eco-friendly & sustainable, huh? Maybe I could get her a fruit basket? Some bottled water in a biodegradable container? I'm fresh out of ideas. Help me, please!

Making Merry

I was going through some emails and found this little treasure. For my birthday last year, I asked for professional pictures. (I'd asked for pics in the pirate hats. Since we had the appiontment, my mom went ahead and brought the Santa hats so we could do a two-for-one.)

Holy cow... I do love my mom & sis. We have a ton of fun! (As the picture above shows.)

Merry Christmas... Happy Holidays... Ho-ho-ho... and all that jazz.