Christmas Eve

Mum cooks

Asha sets the table

Of course someone needs a haircut

Everyone eats :)

Then...
Sargent Santa Came to recruit elves.


He had to test if we were elf worthy, then we got a gift.

Happy Christmas

Temple Square.

Right on this very spot is where Boyd proposed to me. They have moved the statue but we come here often to remember that special day.
This place looks beautiful any day of the week but magical at Christmas time.

My new Pj's

Now that the secret is out that I love all things fuzzywuzzy, I can proudly show off my new Christmas Pj's from Boyd :)

Onesies with FEET!!!



How stinking cute is that.
So for the record you can't actually sleep in them as, aside from being boiling hot, every time you move, you feel like you got strangled by a hot towel. Just a tad claustrophobic.
Who needs a snuggie! You know you want some ;-)

Christmas Bears

Ever since my first visit to Utah back in 1995, Boyd has bought me a white Christmas bear with the year embroidered on it's foot. Most traditions seem to start later or you have a few missing years but this one has held true and now my bears go all the way up the stairs.


I have these weird attachment to soft toys, as if they are all my personal friends.
One year I actually picked up one in the store, noticed his ear was all bent, put him back, started to walk away and then thought of that poor little imperfect friend being left homeless and of course I took him home. I know I'm a lunatic!! Just ask my Mum who threatens every time I visit, to get rid of my gorilla who sits, glaring at you in the spare room. His long arms hugged me all through high school heart breaks and I wuv him vewy much.

On the first Day...

We went to Zoo Lights.
Not to be confused with the zoo that has animals for you to look at. They, of course are unaware it is Christmas and their corperate heads are trying to raise a few extra bucks and have people come at night when it is dark and they are all sleeping!!
So with plenty of lights to look at and warm enough clothes we wondered about in search of the few animals not effected by daylight savings and this is what we came up with.


the first species, described in my best David Attenborough voice are indeed of the human variety. My hat did spark a little curiosity with a cougar though.

The big Cats were out enjoying the weather.

This Cub was about 3 foot from my face with just a chain link between us. AWESOME!!! There were 3 baby cubs and an enormous mother who was giving us her best "Gosh you people are boring" look.
We saw 3 bob cats totally enthralled by a families "seeing eye dog" in training. They hunched down and stalked about like they were hunting it. The dog of course didn't bat an eyelid.
Then the cougar and me had a good chat about the state of the U.S. Health care system.....oh don't go there.
That was about it for me.

All my peeps spent some time in the Reptile and small animal enclosure while I opted for Brickbreaker, getting a new highest score, thank you very much :)
I was mostly entertained by peoples gasps and facial expressions and comments due to the stink that hits you when you open the door. Many less refrained younglins had words like potty and poopy to describe there new discovery and parents scrambled to respond in a loving, child like, way whilst thinking.
"What a *&^%$# smell, *&^%@#4"



Anyway it was a fun first night out although our expectations of seeing more animals was a little high. Next time we'll know we are going to look at lights and MAYBE see an animal but the kids had fun, we had hot chocolate and a ride on the merry go round and went home smiling.

Festive Dressing.

I love the holiday season because we seem to get to go to more parties in one month than we do the rest of the year combined.
I don't know about you but as I hurry through the mall, shopping. My eyes are drawn to the glamorous cocktail dresses, all blinged out and shiny and I wonder, if in another life, and proposing I had the figure, I would ever have cause to wear a decorated hankie in public. I mean really, who wears these other than the stick insects posing as hosts of glamor award shows. Do you really want your husbands boss to see that much skin?
So what does a thirty something, size- FEMALE wear to: the family white elephant, the church social or the hubbies company party AND how do you do Christmas festive without breaking the bank on a wear once outfit.
So as a service to all my sisters in fashion and a warning to all my sisters who could use a visit from the "what NOT to wear" crew.
I give you, my take on festive dressing and you need not thank me but send your Christmas reindeer sweaters for me to donate to the local charity shop. They offend me to the very core.
First: Take a basic outfit you look and feel great in.

For example, A Great, Dark Jean, no holes of whiskers, classic, dressy, can be skinny, straight, boot or flare.
A neutral under shirt or blouse, I love the downeast T's with a strip of lace. They are long enough to not worry about showing any crack :) There I said it, crack!! surely people can feel the draft.
A great, fitted cardi or jacket. This one has a ruched long/short sleeve, your best friend if your bicep fell off the top of your arm and went under it (you know what I'm talking about)Enough to cover imperfections but leave you comfortable and put together.
All these items are already in my wardrobe so no cost so far.

Then start to add the festive.

I see these multi strand necklaces all over so be bold and load up.

Then go for Christmas colors in accessories , red, gold, any metallic.
The red bag I have used all month for my Christmas shopping, makes me happy and is big enough to hide a small child in. The silver bag was from last Christmas and I still love it and the clutch is a classic for dressing up any evening look when all you need is cash, gloss and a key.
You could get brave and go sparkly on this item but I like multi use, that's why I opted for black.


don't be too matchy, that is not "IN".

Then finally go bold with the shoes.

Don't hate me, but these shoes love me back.

Another great tip I read on "how not to dress like a mom" blog was:
If you are going to a home party where heels would be unkind to there wood floors (say, mine for example) then make sure your jeans aren't overly long and pair them with a delicate, flat. The hosts will have no problem you keeping them on. I mean who wants to walk barefoot while sporting that much festive flare.
and for the love of all things Holy, have nicely painted toenails, if your showing them through your gorgeous sandals.

So there you have it. This is a tried and tested look, I have worn it twice so far this December and got many complements.
I got the basis of the look from people magazines dec "style watch" issue page 142 good article.