The End

Last day of 2011.
Time sure flies, huh?

I should be reflecting,
and making my "year in pictures" collage.
That's not happening until tomorrow.

Today is all about five things:


Tear-down
I'm always so sad to see them go.
My house looks so much cuter with holiday decor.

Delimmas
Once the Christmas village is put away, I need to figure out what to do with my fire place mantel.
It needs help.

Mountains
They are all over the house.
The price of a long vacation.

Packaging and Delivery.
I fell so behind before we left on our trip that I had to let this go until today.
I hope my friends appreciate a Happy New Year present
in lieu of a Christmas gift.

Napping.
I need to gear up for New Year's Eve.
Mexican food is on the menu.
What are you doing to celebrate?

Until next year,

A Merry Christmas

We made the decision to leave home for Christmas.
It's definitely not convenient.
My kids were not happy about it at all.
But something amazing happens when we leave the familiar.
We have adventures like this:

Listening to Hunger Games in lieu of television.
Talking as we drive.
Presents that sat around a Christmas lamp.

A Christmas eve dinner reminiscent of the  Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra scene in A Christmas Story.
Delivering treats to the people working at the front desk of the hotel.
Walking through Temple Square to look at the lights.
Make shift cookies for Santa.

Giving gifts to the homeless at Pioneer Park.
Opening presents by the giant fireplace at the hotel.

Playing games with extended family.
And skiing!

As much as my children complained that they never want another Christmas away from home,
 I know that this will be a year they remember more than others.
 It was more about giving,
than getting,
and spending time with people,
instead of technology.

It was worth it.

Breakfast

I met up with besties today for breakfast.
We haven't seen each other in a long while.
I miss these women so much.
We were joined at the hip when we were young.

We laughed about old times, and shared new stories of motherhood, and wifehood, and work.
It's like healing balm as I listen.
These women understand because they've been there too.
I know they love me unconditionally.

Girlfriends are the greatest gift.
I am thankful for an abundance.

The Search

The window of our hotel room reveals a bright sunny day, pefect for skiing.
Eden, Claire and Matt head for the slopes early in the morning, while I make ready for a day downtown.  It's full of life during the holidays -- shoppers, streets lined with trees that twinkle with tiny white lights.  I somehow forgot to pack a coat, stupid, I know.  So I don my heaviest sweater, load up a back pack full of pens, my camera, and computer and make my way to the Trolley station right outside the hotel.

I sit down on a  bench by a girl with a U of U letterman jacket.   It's cold outside which makes waiting miserable.  I feel so sorry for those who sit on curbs holding signs that say: Need Work.  How do they stand this freezing air?

Within minutes the Green Line pulls up and the doors open.  I hop aboard and ride to the end of the street where it stops at Temple Square.  Across the street from the Square is a three-story building that houses The Family History Center, one of my favorite haunts.  I've been frequenting the place for over 30 years now.

Funny that in the 80's a girl in her twenties would have the desire to visit once a week to look through reels and reels of microfiche searching for familiar names,  I looked so out of place with all the gray haired seniors wearing bifocals.  I don't know what it was that fueled the desire --maybe it was the deaths of my grandfathers, and father at a young age, or the fact that no one left a record, or journal about their lives.   I remember how it felt, the moment I found that first name (my 5th great grandmother), I cried.  I felt such a connection, and I knew that I had to keep going.    I'm now one of those gray haired seniors, and I'm still going, and still excited when I find more pieces to the family puzzle.

If you've never done genealogy work, it may sound daunting.   That was true thirty years ago, but not so now in this ever growing age of technology. Today, it's miraculous what you can find if you know where to look.

I walk into the building where a tiny woman with grey fluffy hair sits behind a desk.  She has twinkling eyes and a kind face and I image this is how Mrs. Santa Claus would look if she were here.  Mrs Claus hands me a name tag which I paste to my sweater.

She says Do you need help?
No thanks, I know exactly where I need to go today, I reply.
Good luck, she says as I walk into the computer lab which is surrounded by bookshelves that contain personal family histories.

I sit down in my front of a computer near my lucky spot -- the shelf where I found a personal history which lead me to my ancestors.  My fingers take their place on the keyboard and type Civil War Records.  My eyes scan several screens and look through lists and lists of records with the name Thomas Farish.   There are so many, but I am looking for a particular Thomas -- my 5th great grandfather.   Two hours pass by, but I am patient because I know it takes time to find what you are looking for, sometimes years.

Looking for ancestor's is a little like fishing, sometimes you get lucky, and sometimes you don't.  But, if you are passionate, you keep at it, even if you go home with nothing on a particular day.

Today was a good day, a bountiful day.  I finally see a record I recognize -- Thomas L. Farish, Charlottesville Virginia, and I whisper a triumphant YES to no one in particular.  The lady next to me whispers back: Sounds like you had some luck!   I smile at her and turn my computer screen in her direction -- a photo of amnesty papers signed by Thomas at the end of the civil war.

A few moments later, I find the name and death date of a another -- my 5th great grandfather whom I've been looking for for a long long time.   Tears come to my eyes as I learn that he died in an assylum at the end of the Civil War.   What must that have been like for his wife, to watch his mind leave because of the things that occurred during the war?   It makes me think of the millions of other women throughout the ages who have experienced the very same thing.

I pull out my family history chart and fill in a blank -- the name James Overland Harris.  It makes me happy to see his name beside the name of his wife.

The sun is low in the sky, so I pack up my things and leave.   I cut through through Temple Square to make my way back to the Trolley stop.   There temple casts shadows everywhere, which means the Christmas lights will soon shine in the dark.

On the way to the Trolley, I get a text from Claire who writes: We are at The Lion House Pantry. Come eat with us.  Perfect timing.  The Pantry is only a block away so I make my way in that direction.

I must tell you that if you ever visit  Temple Square, make sure you duck down the alley next to the J.S. Center and find the Pantry.  It's a fun place to eat.  Home-cooked food in a casual cafeteria style setting.   There are several places in town with better atmosphere, and fancier cuisine, but this place reminds me of eating dinner at Grandmas.   It's become a tradition to eat here every time we visit Utah.

As we make our way back to the car, we cut through the Joseph Smith Center.  Christmas music floats through the air as people bustle in and out of the lobby.   Claire sees an area where you can take a souvenir picture, so we stop to take advantage.

We spend the evening at a family party.  The cousins reconnect and swap stories of their adventures over the past years.

 
We laugh ourselves sick playing Charades and  Big Booty.

The night ends with Christmas carols, hugs goodbye, and promises to get together more often.

It was a perfect day with family, past and present.

P.S. If you are interested in learning more about searching for your ancestors, visit here, or email me at crystalbeutler@msn.com

Stories on the Road

We left for Utah late last night.
As we pulled out of the driveway, Matt said
I loaded Hunger Games on my I Touch so we could listen to it in the car.
You guys are going to love it.

This is amusing for three reasons:

1)  With the exception of magazines, Matt is not a big fan of reading, yet he read all three books in the Hunger Games series non-stop.  He LOVED them.
2)  I am a huge fan of reading, but for two years now, I've totally resisted reading Hunger Games,
mainly because it sounds futuristic, and I don't like futuristic books.
3) I'm usually the one trying to get everyone excited about listening to a book on tape during long road trips and I'm met with resistance.

An hour ago, we had just finished Chapter 10 as we arrived in Salt Lake, and unloaded our bags at the Little America Hotel.   I have to tell you that I really didn't want to get out of the car.  Neither did Claire.  We are hooked.  I think we might spend part of the evening in front of the big fireplace in hotel lobby listening to the end of the story.

Old Book Club, I should have read this last year when it was one of our monthly selections.
Matt, I should have listened to you when you said, that it's a four star and I would definitely love it.

Books on tape are the best.
Can't wait to see this movie.

Making a List

Can you believe that as of this post,
I haven't bought one Christmas gift!
{Except for Wheat Thins -- to accompany Jalapeno Jelly}

Yikes.
I'm a little behind schedule.

I did venture into Hobby Lobby yesterday.
It opened here in Temecula last month.
Super excited about it.
It's so organized!

And clean!
{JoAnn's looks sad in comparison.}

Although I did hear that the service is ultra slow - sku numbers are entered by hand.
What's up with that?
Strange, in this age of electronics.
It's torture for all,
especially if you want to purchase 50 different colors of embroidery floss,
which I didn't.
But, it was tempting.

I'm sticking to my list.

Twin Sons

We went out for fish tacos the other night.
I stood at the counter and ordered while my son found a table.
When I finished filling up my soda cup, I took a look around to see where Eden was sitting.

I started to walk in this direction . . .

Just as I was ready to sit down
I realized this wasn't my son.

I saw Eden waving at me from across the room.
He mouthed What are you doing???
I pulled up a seat in front of Eden
and said  That guy looks so much like you he could be your brother!!

Eden looked at his twin and rolled his eyes at me.
He thinks I'm nuts.

In looking at these photos, I think he might be right.
Maybe it was the hair.

Reindeer Games

It began with Debbie's annual holiday recipe exchange last week.
I make a cookie I found on Pinterest --
Gingerbread cheesecake bites.
Big fail, all three batches.
I had to resort to frosted gingersnaps using refrigerated dough.
Matt offered to put them in the car for me,
but he didn't realize they cookies were on a slippery plate.

Enough said.

The party was fun though.
LOTS of great food.
My favorite was bacon brittle.
Yes, bacon brittle.
If you use the recipe in the above link, try pecans instead of cashews.
Yum!

Next came the open house at the Green Thumbs.
Why did I have to lose my camera memory card that night?
Their house is stunning beyond words.
I need this upside down tree in my family room.

There were decorations everywhere . . .
rivaling Macy's in New York, and Roger's Garden in Newport,
but better because they were in a cozy house,
with good snacks.

I didn't want to leave.

I loved watching all of the little kids giddy with excitment.

And yesterday, Julie had her annual cookie exchange.
She was really nice and let me join in the fun
in spite of the fact that I didn't make any cookies.
{These days my time is consumed with jewelry and boutiques.}

We ate a delicious brunch that included Eggs Benedict, my favorite.

Then we played games --
 a Present Exchange using a deck cards to determine the picking order.
It's the first time I've done it this way.
I liked it.

There were several holiday Minute to Win It competitions.
Have you ever done this at a large gathering?
Hilarious with a capital H.
 I missed out on some great photo ops -- the memory card is still stuck.
But I did get a few with my phone camera.

Stacking bolts using a candy cane.
{Is that what those things are called?}

The Gingerbread Man Drop - my personal favorite.
Kids, this is what moms do while you are in school . . .

You can find the games  here.
I can hardly wait to play them with our extended family on Christmas Eve.
But beware,  someone might end up wetting their pants --
the laughter gets pretty intense.

Julie, Christine, Scott and Debbie, thank you so much for your hospitality.
You made my season very merry.
{Hey, that rhymes.}

Tis the Season.

I woke up to pouring rain,
which normally I wouldn't mind,
except today I had to move a bunch of stuff to a storage unit.
Moving boxes in  the rain is no fun.

I spent the afternoon taking photos of earrings to list in my shop.
I took the memory card out of my camera,
and put it into my computer,
but I put it in the wrong slot.
Now it's stuck in there,
which means I have to find someone who can perform surgery
and get that card out without wreaking havoc.

I should start doing something else,
but I'm having a hard time getting motivated.
I'm weary.

In reading several blogs yesterday,
I'm realizing that I'm not alone.

I think it's because women carry the weight of all that happens
during the holidays.
Three months of planning,
cooking,
shopping,
parties,
wrapping,
decorating
{sigh}.

All that can really get to a person
if they don't take time out to feel the spirit of the season.

I haven't been taking the time,
so I'm going to,
right now.

I need a blanket,
hot chocolate
and Handel's Messiah.

Maybe I'll even sing along.

Ta-Da

They are delicious.

Tonight I'm going to try making s'mores using
short bread cookies,
dark chocolate
and peppermint marshmallows.

Recipe here.

Candyland

Last night on a whim, Channin and I decided we should make candy.
The subject came up when she stopped by to pick up my new apprentice.

Channin said:  Hey we need to make Divinity.
I said:  We do!  But we better get going because I'm leaving for Utah next weekend.


We began mulling over dates and Channin said:  I'm free tomorrow.
I said:  Me too! {In spite of the fact that my house is a disaster and I should stay home and clean.}
The plan was made.

I went over to her house this morning armed with pans,
Karo Syrup and other supplies and gave a knock on the front door.
A little snowman was there to greet me -- an ornament I had made years ago.

I love visiting her home in December.
There is Christmas in every nook and cranny.

I especially loved this simple snow globe made by a friend.
So cute, and very easy to make.

Channin was busy chopping nuts as I set my stuff on the counter.
I put on my apron and we got to work.

Have you ever eaten homemade Divinity?
If not, it's probably because it's super hard to make -- very temperamental.
Conditions have to be just so, and you must follow the recipe with exactness,
which is both exciting and nerve wracking,
because you never know how it's going to turn out until the very end.

My grandmother made it when I was a little girl.  It was so light and airy.
I tried following in her footsteps, but all I ever achieved were dry crumbs.
I gave up trying about 20 years ago.

But Channin has made it successfully several times.
She learned the secret from an elderly Swedish friend.
The method is old school, but it works like a charm.

The sugar must be cooked to 252 degrees.
No more, no less.

Just to make sure, we used our digital thermometer and our standard thermometer.
Mainly because we've always wanted to know if there's a difference.  Both worked fine, but I liked that the digital beeps at you when it's at the exact temperature, which is good for me because  I can never see the mercury climbing on a standard.

The egg whites must be whipped by hand on a cold platter using a flat whisk.

If you are a weakling like me, you really need two people to do this right.
We tag teamed, and in no time at all we achieved soft peaks.
It was exciting.  I've never whipped whites by hand.

When the hot sugar is at the correct temperature,
you hold the pot high over the egg whites
and pour it in a thin stream
ever so slowly into the whites -- while whisking.
Have you every tried holding a hot pit in the air with one hand,
and whisking with the other?
Me either.
Good thing we tag-teamed.
It really does take two people to make good Divinity.
No wonder mine never worked.

Then you mix and mix and mix until the Divinity is smooth, glossy, and starts to set.
We were nervous there for a minute, but it all worked out just as it should.
The only part that failed ever so slightly --
we waited too long to form the candy into balls.
It got a little dry so they didn't look as pretty as they should.

But they tasted heavenly.

Then we made homemade peppermint marshmallows.
We had a little elf, dressed like a ballerina help us with that.

We have to wait until tomorrow to see if they turned out.
I'm looking forward to a cup of hot chocolate with a giant marshmallow.