A classic Holiday activity

I ask you, what could be more holiday and festive for a date than outdoor ice skating in the Embarcadero to Christmas music? Christmas lights on palm trees. Bundling up in the winter coats and gloves. Drinking hot chocolate. All the while, songs like 'Christmas by the Bay' playing.... But that's not all! For the full California experience though, there were a couple added details:

First, the people dressed in various outfits, including Santa and Mrs. Claus, a girl in a blue cape, and a couple of girls in short skirts (dangerous for skating!). Always good people watching in San Francisco!

Second, halfway through the 'skating session' the Christmas music changed to hip-hop. I must admit I was a tad bothered, but then they played New Edition...awesome! What a blast from the past.

And finally, what is a picture perfect ice skating event without the snow... Oh wait, we are in California. Translation for here - rain! That's right, it started with a little mist. I initally thought it was a cute little effect, like the mist from fog or something, but within 30 minutes, I looked like a drowned rat! (and I think the skating rink was melting too!)

Not quite the event out of the Christmas movies I am shamelessly addicted to, but it was a definite adventure, nonetheless!!!

Is the Force with you?

I have no idea where I live, but check out my neighbors....
Some sort of Jedi training ground? Maybe Robin Hood is recruiting more Merry Men? Filming a training video? Maybe the latest YouTube addition?



Personally, I think it is fantastic that some kids still have an imagination and don't sit inside with the TV all day! (Did you check out the "helmets"... paper bags! Classic!)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

My house is looking like a winter wonderland.... and I LOVE IT!!!!


Our Christmas tree forest. Are you on the "nice" list? Maybe the gifts are for you...



I added my decorations to the already sentimental armoire. Do you see the Nissa men? (danish elves)



Of course, remembering the reason for this festive season.

It may be silly, but it just makes me happy to decorate and show my enthusiasm for the holiday season. Yahoo!

Delightfully delicious

My adorable niece had her ballet "recital". A bunch of 3 years olds in tutus..... adorable no matter how well they do. Trying to leap in the air, or doing ribbon dances are not super technical, but are soooo fun for 3 year olds. (and fun for us big kids to watch!)

Don't believe me??? Check out the adorableness for yourself!



Not my niece, but this little chickie in the giant tutu was too cute to not capture in photos!



Ballet bar work.



Stretching and floor work.... workin' hard.



You were just too cute Rini-roo!

Gratitude is an attitude

This was a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend. Nothing like good food, good family togetherness, and good friends. I truly have so much to be thankful for....


Cute girls in cute new aprons.




Delicious food for a Thanksgiving dinner (look at those candy potatoes!!!)




Dancing just because you can and you feel like it.




Dressing up like Pilgrims and Indians to tell the story of Thanksgiving. (that was sooo entertaining!)




And, topping it off with a day trip to beautiful Pinnacles State Park for a little climbing and hiking with Andy. Good times!



And my list could go on and on.... My mind keeps going back to the quote from Pres. Monson in the recent General Conference,
"Both abundance and lack of abundance exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend. When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present....the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth."

I choose to see abundance, and there is so much of it!

Beautiful fall colors

I went to Yosemite last weekend. Not only did I have great company, but I also had great weather and scenery. I love to try and capture all that beauty in just one picture... here are a couple of favorite attempts:

Thievery and Inequality for all

(Or at least that's what I think their signs should say!)

Ok, so I decided to put up a couple Prop 8 signs in my neighborhood to offer the opposing view to the "No" signs popping up everywhere. Got a few at church today, and wasted no time in putting a couple up. And guess what.... within 3 hours, they were gone! Shameless!

Now that it gets dark so early, I felt so sneaky and stealthy going back out there to put another one right back up! You think stealing a sign will change my vote? Hah! I will just keep putting them back out. I have more where that sign came from!!!! Just try it, punk.... :)

Thank you, thank you, thank you Mike!

Okay, I have been dragging my feet for a while about getting our bathroom redone. It definitely needed it, but I was selfish in not wanting to be without a bathroom (since we only have 1 1/2). But I must say, it was so worth it!!!
Okay here is a before picture:





are you ready???

no really...

is the suspense killing you yet?

Okay, here it is....





Our cousin Mike is the greatest! Our bathroom now feels like a spa. :) You can't tell from the photo, but the tile goes all the way around the bathroom like a wainscoating (it that how you spell it?).

Heavenly...delightful...joyous!
(P.S. the shower curtain is not permanent. We are still searching for the one we like!)

What time of year is it?

According to the tree outside my office window, it is offically Fall! I do love all the things about this time of year: the crisp air, the need to break out sweaters that I have missed wearing for a few months, feeling the need to snuggle under blankets and read books, and staying more indoors and doing projects.

However....I really dislike the fact that I get up when it is dark, and now leave work when it is almost dark. So depressing!

But on a happier note, fall means that it is one step closer to the holidays. I am a sucker for the holidays. Can't wait!

Run like a Girl....

FOR 13.1 MILES!!!!
Yahoo! Yesterday I did the Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco. I have to thank my sister-in-law for convincing me to sign up, when I would have never done it on my own.
Was it hard? Yes
Were there hills? Yes (a few more than I expected!)
Was it still worth it? Heck yes!


We started at 00-dark-hundred. (7am but it was still dark when we got there at 630.)




My good friend Suzanne ran it with me. She totally helped me keep on going!

It was well-organized and super fun. There was even entertainment along the course like bagpipes, and a gospel choir, and a couple groups of cheerleaders. The time went by surprisingly fast. I will not lie, I was very tired at mile 11, but I hung in there. And I love my new specially-made Tiffany's necklace for the runners. Yeah!

Up in the air...

Today, I went to San Francisco to see the airshow for Fleet Week. There were a few exhibitions flying through the air: Fat Albert, F-16's, a fighter plane from the Korean War, the Snowbirds, and the finale..... the Blue Angels!!!
It is really hard to take pictures when the planes are flying 120-600 miles an hour, but the show was fantastic! So amazing to see them flying in formation and so close together. Wow!
I think I love watching airshows even more because my dad loves airshows, and my grandpa loved airshows. Oh how sweet memories make current events more memorable.

I love, love, love Yosemite!

If you don't already know.... I LOVE Yosemite!!! We had a fantastic getaway to Yosemite this last weekend for the last time before the weather might turn to winter.
We had a great cabin (thanks Melodee!) and went to spend a day in the Valley. We went up to Glacier Point for another beautiful view of Half Dome.


Suzy and I "went green" and all matchy-matchy for the 9 mile hike down and around to the Valley floor.


Beautiful views along the way.


Cool view of the side of Half Dome!


So the next day, my friend Andy and I planned to stay another day and play hooky to go climbing. This is the view we had as we pulled out to the first viewpoint... ummmm, looks like no climbing, but gorgeous picture opportunity! We changed our camping plans, crashed at the nearest friend's house, and climbed elsewhere the next day. It was still a better option than work!!! Yahoo!

Friends make the world go round

Or wait... is it love makes the world go round??? In any case, friends definitely make the world more fun. I have had lots of fun, and recently, I have remembered to take out my camera to capture some of the moments.



Take me very seriously in my sumo suit otherwise I will fall on you with my big self!



A group of us went to the Mid-Singles Conference in San Francisco. So fun! This was on Sunday at Oakland for church (and obviously a tad windy!)


Birthdays all need to be celebrated. Good food, and good friends for Andy's b-day were in order.


Old friends (not that WE are old, but our friendships are old) that know us the best are truly precious. Love hanging out and laughing with my friends that feel like sisters!

Off and Running

These shoes are getting a lot of use lately. I have signed up for the Nike Women's half marathon in San Francisco in 5 weeks.
WHAT WAS I THINKING?
Well, too late now. It is time to suck it up and go for it. Feet don't fail me now!!!!


And, by the way... I have not gone vegetarian, I just didn't think anything resembling cannibalism should be done around infamous Donner Lake (hee hee).

Tag, I'm it???

Alright Kate, here is my response to the tagging... (I am totally guessing at this so here is goes!)


My living room right now.


My favorite place in the house. A comfy seat, my computer, and I can either look out the window or watch tv. (of course, that is where I am sitting right now)


The bathroom. (by the way, consider this a "before" picture, since our bathroom is getting totally redone next week... yea!)


My lovely kitchen...


And me, after a long day at work.

Notice no picture of my bedroom.... that is the one place right now that is off-limits for pictures! Well, my motto is that everywhere else needs to be presentable, but no one else sees my room, so it gets cleaned last....

The beautiful out-of-doors

What did you all do for Labor Day?
I went outside Lake Tahoe for a little camping and a little climbing. The view of Donner Lake was beautiful (as you can see). And no, there was no meat eaten of any kind! Fruits and veggies only :)

Happy Birthday Tami!

For a birthday, we are supposed to do something special and different from any other day. So, for Tami's birthday, we went for afternoon tea at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. Wow! Fancy and delicious! Bite-sized sandwiches and desserts- amazing how you can still feel full after bite-sized meals (well, I guess it depends on how many bites you have...)
All and all, a very fun experience. I highly recommend it. And next, time, we will dress for tea with our big Easter-type hats and speak with our English accents!

There is beauty all around...

That is the phrase that came to mind, but I was not thinking of my home (which can tend to look cluttered sometimes, and not so beautiful)
I haven't taken any pictures lately, but thought I would share some past favorites that help me to remember when I have seen something beautiful.


The Delicate Arch


Buttonmallows. They're orange!


City by the Bay


Gate into Incan ruins


a serious, but cute, painted face