Christmas Coffee Table & Birthday Roosters

For Christmas, my folks bought us a coffee table that Kent and I picked out. We like it a lot and think that it matches things in the apartment pretty well. It's got a slate top, with pieces of blue and gray slate. Thanks mom and dad!!

Last Saturday, Kent and I went to dinner with my sister and her husband at Gardner Village in West Jordan. We got there a few minutes early, so while we were waiting for my sister we poked around the home furnishings store. We saw two chicken pictures that I really liked, so I pointed them out to Kent. I said "Oh, I want those chickens" and Kent grabbed them and said "Done. Happy Birthday!". It was really too sweet and I think I stood there stunned for a minute because I wasn't expecting to actually get them. :)

They are hanging up in my kitchen and I hope you like them as much as I do!!

Pixie Hollow

A little background ... when Kent and I got home from visiting his family in Illinois over the Christmas Holiday, Kent was sick and we were both uber tired and totally unmotivated (if you know Kent and I, you know this is entirely unusual and downright scary).

So the next two days were spent doing literally NOTHING but sitting around our front room, Kent in his pajamas and bathrobe playing Civilization, and me watching TV and trying to find something on the computer to keep me entertained (checking facebook and Gmail can only stay interesting for so long).

While watching Mulan on the Disney channel, I saw an add for Pixie Hollow (http://pixiehollow.go.com/). I was initially intrigued by the notion of designing my very own fairy, but once I got into it I discovered it's actually a game!!

The next hour or so was spent with BOTH of us generating random pixie names and laughing hysterically. My pixie's name is Isabel Daisyspirit. Kent's favorite pixie name was Daisy Rumblefluff.

David Archulleta Gloves (aka, the Governor's Inauguration)

Today was a fun (but totally crazy, run-up-and-down-the-capitol-steps-1000-times) day. It was Inauguration Day!!

A few highlights:

- I was out in the frigid cold for approx 3 hours and did NOT get frostbite!
- I shook President Monson's hand and said, "Hello President Monson"
- I gave the frosty school children my hand warmers in a futile attempt to warm their shivering ickle baby hands
- I gave David Archulleta my black gloves because his ickle hands were likewise shivering
- I heard David Archulleta sing the National Anthem and it was AMAZING

Upon giving Mr. Archulleta my black gloves, I assumed I'd never see them again. However, his father gave them back to my coworker. I was uber impressed. My coworker is going to frame them and put them up on our office wall with the title "Gloves Worn by David Archulleta at the 2009 Inauguration (gloves donated by Ginger Fairbanks, and her mom from whence she swiped)."

My wonderful boss got this photo (PROOF) of David Archulleta wearing MY gloves.

(*Editor's Note: Considering this is technically also Kent's blog I should mention his comments of my giving David my gloves. And I quote: "I'm glad you saved Mr. Idol's hands! Ask me if I'm surprised that he wears girl gloves!")

Cream Cheese Penguins

I ran across the DARLING recipe online a few weeks ago and thought I'd take a crack at it. I had doubts on how well I could execute this, but it actually turned out very well!

The penguins are simply:

• 2 olives (1 extra large for body, 1 small for head)
• carrot pieces (round slices for feet, itty bitty wedges for beaks)
• cream cheese filling (or soft white cheese, such as brie, goat cheese, etc.)
• toothpicks

Slice a big olive on one side, fill with cheese, assemble and you are done!!

I even made an igloo out of a cheeseball that I bought at Maceys! All in all, I'd rate this imparticular attempt at domesticity a smashing success. :)

I've Crumbled

So ... everybody has a blog. Everybody but me and Kent. After my sister, Debbie, revealed to me that SHE has a blog, I knew it was time to join the throng.

I fought it for so long, because it's just another thing to put on my 'To Do' list, and feel guilty about not doing if I don't find the time. But I do love reading other folks' blogs, so okay ... I've crumbled.

Begin the posts!!!