THANKSGIVING!

For our Thanksgiving celebration this year we choose something different...we went to Zion Lodge! The most unfortunate thing about the 2 day adventure was the rain. But we made the best of it.

We stayed the night in the lodge. Zion Lodge was built in the 1920's and they try to keep it as authentic as possible. There are no TV's in the rooms and no swimming pools or hot tubs. We played chess and built puzzles in the lodge and played the family edition of Cranium in our room. That was crazy and fun! Later in the evening some of the kids went down to the lobby of our building and played UNO by the fireplace. I fell asleep.

We welcomed Thanksgiving day with breakfast at the Red Rock Grill in Zion Lodge. They have a menu full of healthy food. Since it was raining all day we bought ponchos in the gift shop and wore those while we hiked.

Hiking in the rain in Zion Canyon is a very cool experience! The water falls are wild and the rocks turn black when they are wet. It was wet and beautiful!

We decided to get out of the rain and headed to Zion Canyon Theatre for the 3D version of Journey to the Center of the Earth. This theatre is a cinemax theatre so watching any movie there is an experience in and of itself. The movie ended just in time for our dinner reservations back at Zion Lodge.

We ate thanksgiving dinner with lots of strangers...I'm not quite sure how I feel about that. The food was okay but the general consensus of the family is that they would prefer my cooking.

All in all, it was a good time with the family. Karamea had a friend come from Florida so she hung out with our crazy family. And it definitely was a couple of crazy days!

THIS IS MY CAT

Sammie is the laziest and most spoiled cat ever.

REFLECTIONS OF MY BIRTHDAY

MY BIRTHDAY!

Some days are perfectly pleasant and some days are painfully poor. This was one of those painful days where every random thing went wrong. This was a day to forget and I could do that except that today was my birthday. A day I am emotionally attached to.

So I am searching for the positive parts of my day.

Work was making me crazy so I went home early. I stood at the picture window looking across the golf course glanced down and saw the rose in the picture above. I found my camera, took the picture, and cut it off the vine. The rose now sits in a vase next to me.

The best part of my life...my boys. They decorated the house as only boys can do and sang Happy Birthday...as only boys can do. They make me smile!

But still there's something missing...

THE WRATH OF GOD

Fire in Southern California has consummed 700 homes and more than 35,000 acres of land. Is it possible to attack a temple of God and not suffer His wrath?

THE SOUND OF SILENCE

Ra is out of town and the boys are at the soccer arena. When I finish this blog I will snuggle with my cat my blanket and my book and enjoy an hour of peaceful bliss.

The pattern of my life - work and home - makes for chaos most of the time. I welcome moments like this...

Pictured above...the St. George skyline at dusk...today's gift from God. As the sun was setting in the west the moon was rising in the east. The sky looked as if it were on fire. It was completely breathtaking.

Do you question who you are? If a man owns a vineyard does he pick grapes from a neighboring vineyard? Maybe you were born with the answers...

WHEN I WAS YOUNG 3

My dad was a farmer, consequently when I was growing up we had a huge garden in the back yard. I spent a good part of my summers weeding, picking beans, peas, carrots, lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, raspberries and digging for potatoes. As I weeded and picked I was visited by the spiders and worms living among the leaves and stems of these various plants. This was not a welcome visit and sometimes sent me screaming and running from the rows of vegetables.

Let me also insert here that I am not a big fan of dirt. Even to this day if I get a spot on my shirt I will almost instantly change the outfit. So picking up the potaotes as dad turned the dirt wasn't exactly a bonding moment for me...

Now that I have matured and have the memories to dwell on I can honestly say that being raised in the garden was very good for me.

Lessons Learned
::fresh is best::
::my dad is brilliant::
::spiders are really not that bad::
::worms are::
::dirt is still not good under my fingernails::
::raspberries are worth it::
::daydreams in the garden are enlightening::
::gardening is a fulfilling activity and well worth the labor::

WEEKEND RECAP

I have accomplished a weekend of work. Friday night, Halloween, KCSG sponsored the Costume Contest at the downtown street fest. The party was fabulous. Lots of people all dressed up. Beautiful children parading up and down. And the entertainment was perfect.

Saturday night - a gala event for the local Habitat for Humanity. KCSG is sponsoring the Home for the Holidays. We created a video presentation to be shown at the gala. Theme for the gala was "An Evening in Paris". So I got out my Paris original and wore it. I think I have worn it maybe 8 times since I purchased it 20 years ago.The suit was made in the 50's. I love it!

The events were fun but tainted with the fact that I was working and that I am once again suffering the pains of my all too familiar migraine.

It rained in the night and this morning is beautiful.