Talk about a major "whoops!"

Okay everyone, get out your address books, look under Shawna and see what address you have....if I gave you a directional of east please change that to west (the numbers are all correct). Luckily the patient occupant on the eastern side of town has been nice enough to put my stuff back in the mail with a note of "try the west side" on the front (I need to run that gal some cookies!) Mom, your present arrived yesterday and I loved it! More later!!!!

Merry Christmas and all that jazz....

Well, its actually a mix of music here at Jase's....we're downstairs and Yancy and I are playing with our blogs while Jase is playing various tunes on his roommate's guitar (his is in his classroom right now). A peaceful end to a long, but satisfying day. We stayed up late last night watching "White Christmas" and then we slept in this morning. Made a delicious breakfast of bacon, eggs, french toast and hash browns before finally hitting the living room to open presents.

For those in the know we almost didn't have a tree this year. Jase insisted that mine was a "Charlie Brown" tree (its a thin tamarack) and didn't want it up. Well we didn't end up getting one elsewhere so yesterday evening he drove over to a friend's and borrowed theirs (they are in Hawaii for the hols so its not as if they would even miss it!) Anyway, we sat down to open presents and yes I did have some stuff....my presents from mom and my "secret santa" family member have yet to show but Yancy bought me a calendar and Jase gave me a gift certificate for a local movie theater. My roomie even got me something....a gift certificate for a craft store that will be selling a pair of scissors I really want at a great price tomorrow (Jase and Annie both complained that I own too many movies and neither one knew what else to get me--I need to develop more dimensions!)

Anyhew, by the time we were done we came downstairs and watched a documentary on Zions National Park and then it was time for me to start cooking dinner (which turned out to be not half bad!) Jase's friend Melanie came over for a little while and that catches you up until now. Its nice to be able to sit and really do nothing. You'll notice a couple of changes coming to my blog over the next little while as Jase showed me how to add images to my header, etc. Oh, and I learned to link! (try to contain yourselves out there in reading-Shawna's-blog-land).

Impressions of this holiday: I don't want to cook anything again for at least the rest of this year....I've made fudge, several batches of cookies, rolls, breakfasts, dinners, literally a ton of "munchies" and several italian sodas. Actually its not that bad but I don't plan on anything elaborate for the next week or two that's for sure!

All-in-all it was a fun holiday but at this moment I feel as if I need a holiday to recover from my holiday!

Oh the things we find when surfing the net...

Stumbled across this picture today on the internet and the blog that went with it on an architectural site...apparently this is not a manip or even planned but what was left behind in Sweden after a clear-cut took place...amazing. The site didn't list any other additional information regarding the image but its wild the patterns and images we find in nature that others might not even notice.

"The Hobbit" update!!!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071218/ap_en_ot/film_the_hobbit

One of these years I will learn how to actually insert a link but the article above simply states that Peter Jackson has agreed to produce The Hobbit...but not direct. He will work with the director however so The Hobbit should have the same wonderful feel of the LOTR. The story will be cut into two films--filmed simultaneously--and will go into production in 2009 with part one released in 2010 and part two in 2011...and now we wait...

Interesting article online today regarding Mormons and fasting....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071211/ap_on_he_me/diet_skipping_meals;_ylt=AifqCE6sOMMRd3DvDFjSlxeKOrgF

Check it out....hmmmmmm, think maybe there's some truth to this "Joseph Smith was a true Prophet" stuff we've been spouting????? Maybe he really was talking to God, who really did know what was best for us all along???? You gotta love it when the medical world suddenly comes up with some new "oops....that's bad for you" news flash when we've been avoiding it all along!

Is anyone else excited?

May is going to be a busy month for me....trade shows, school starts at the end of the month...and not one but TWO anxiously awaited for films.

Prince Caspian

Hey everyone.....I have no idea how to put the vid clip in here so go to this address to see the trailer for Prince Caspian, coming to theaters this May! Its going to be amazing!!!!!

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809244324/video/5318792/

Additional note on the power of prayer....

Just talked to Dan this morning and he says that by ten in the morning Salt Lake had over a foot of snow with more falling over the afternoon. Wow..... all I can say is a hearty THANK YOU LORD for sparing us from that and letting us have decent moving weather!

Moving moving moving...with the flu

What a weekend! Friday I wasn't able to get out of work until just after four and I booked home and started packing. Took one load of stuff (mostly foodstuff) up to Annie's and then packed some more. Two a.m.....still freaking packing. By this time I was roasting hot and had the door open to cool off (realized a little later that I was running a fever but hey, the thermometer was already packed!) I laid down from about 4 to 6 in the morning (it was that or fall over--I was feeling pretty lightheaded and nauseaous), took a shower, and started packing again. George and Joyce showed up just before 9 and I made them follow me in their truck to the U-Haul place rather than ride with them (hey they're both old--they do not need to get sick from me!) and then I scuttled back home to wind up the packing. Sure enough I was pretty much done by the time Jason and friends showed up to help me move...I quickly stripped the bedding off my mattress and chucked some last minute items into boxes while everyone carried my crap out. Cynthia showed up about half an hour later to help wind things up and then we headed up to my new digs in Orem.

It was supposed to have snowed all week, with 4-5 inches coming down friday night but I was sending massive prayers skyward all week for the snows to hold off until I was moved and all involved made it home safely...and it did! The snow started lightly falling while we were packing, and there were flurries as we headed up the Interstate but nothing stuck to the roads until later that evening (and according to the accumulation on top of my car we got the full five inches!) Kuddos and thanks all around to everyone who helped and did most of the moving...THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! Everyone involved was amazing and thanks mucho for setting up my room for me. An especially big thanks to Jase who not only helped after being up all night at a school function, but actually brought some friends along to help! After everyone left I started unpacking and began my first of 18 billion loads of laundry. Annie just laughs over how much I am washing but doesn't have a problem with it...honestly, after living with mice you want to wash EVERYTHING that can be washed! I unpacked until around 8 and then collapsed into bed...my sheets weren't done yet so I just laid my matress pad on top and pulled a quilt on top of me. Bed never felt so good!

Sunday I admit I skipped church and continued unpacking and, as of this morning, most of my boxes are unpacked....well, the ones that went to Annie's anyway...I haven't touched the ones in the office yet! My room is tiny, completely packed, but actually very nice now that it has more and more of my familiar items all over it and the duplex isn't bad either...it just needs some serious dusting! Really like the new roommate and I think this place is going to be great for me. I even feel pretty good this morning...I think the flu has run its course. Now just to finish that laundry.....

Christmas parties and first dates.....

Doesn't this place look amazing?

I should have pulled a Jason and brought my camera to capture all the wonderful food that was at dinner last night...but let me start at the beginning....

Okay, I got off work at three so I would have plenty of time to get ready. Ran to the bank to cash my check and stopped by the storage units to pay for the small unit I reserved and didn't end up getting home until four. Eeps---George and Joyce were picking me up at five so I jumped into the shower long enough to wash my hair, dried it and did like the worlds fastest makeup job before zipping into my room to get dressed. Found out that washing my patchwork black skirt at Jase's the other night ripped a lot of stitches and there was no way I could wear it so I frantically dug through my wardrobe, trying on and discarding half a dozen get-ups before going back to my original maroon sweater and a different black skirt. Now this skirt was one I had never worn before as I was a little too big for it when I bought the thing on sale and never really fit into it. Well, I fit into it now with a little room to spare and even though it is miles shorter than skirts I like to wear (mid-knee) it actually looked great on me. George and Joyce pulled up and we drove over to Bill and Kris' to all carpool up together when I realized I hadn't brushed my teeth since that morning! I really hadn't eaten anything that day so I wasn't tooooooo worried, but I admit I grabbed a paper towel from Bill's place and gave my teeth an impromptu scrub before we piled into Bill's new Cadillac (oooohhhhhh....leather seats!) and headed north for Salt Lake.

We didn't find out what happened but the traffic was at a crawl from Orem Center Street until Lehi so we were definately running late by the time we got to the restaurant...Dan and Lori were there on time and my date was there as well--apparently they were having a pretty good conversation with eachother until we showed up. Surprisingly, I still wasn't nervous but I had no idea what to do when I met Richard for the first time--I ended up shaking his hand! We all headed up to the table and the fun started. Richard seems fairly shy but was nice talking to (and was very nice looking!) and I had a lot of fun talking and laughing with him and the crazy bunch I work with.

Dinner started off with appetizers--I had a veggie neopolitan which was a slice of portabella mushroom with other veggies stacked on top (yum!) George and Debbie split a seafood medley and we all laughed to see this 4 layer tray come to the table stacked with oysters, crab, lobster, scallops, salmon and sushi--the thing was a meal in and of itself! Debbie's husband ordered Escargo (I'd joked to Dan about ordering it but chickened out!) The idea of eating some slimy snail just repulses me... Next was salads--I had wilted spinach (servers recommendation and it was great) Dan had an avacado/crab/grapefruit ring that looks delicious though I didn't sample it. Richard had stepped out for a moment to take his insulin and George started laughing when Richard's "salad" showed up--it was a long leaf of romaine, a slice of tomato on the side with one soggy onion ring in-between. The laughs turned on George though as his salad showed up and it turns out he'd ordered the same thing!

Next I had rare lamb rack with mint jelly...and when they say rare they mean rare...chunks weren't even cooked but oooohhhhhhh it was delicious...I can't believe I managed to eat it all! I didn't think I would be able to but one minute I was starting to eat while talking with Richard and the next thing you know it was gone and the dessert menus were being handed out. I didn't even bother to look--if creme brullee was on the menu then that was all I wanted and they didn't disappoint. Oh... I only wish I'd had enough room left to eat it all! Yes, I finally found the top of my stomach.... I don't even want to see the bill... Dan ordered bananas foster flambe and it was wild watching them pour this burning liquor over the top of his dessert (with Dan and I leaning well out of the serving wenches' way!)

Richard and I left while everyone was finishing up to walk around the building-- ice had formed on the fountains outside, turning them into crystal stacks and I stopped to pet a huge gray cat that came trotting up. He followed us a few feet down the driveway and then jumped into the open window of a car sitting alongside the driveway. I can only think that the cat belonged to the car as it was drizzling outside and no one would be insane enough in that cold weather to leave a window completely unrolled! We stood outside talking for a few minutes before heading in out of the rain and then explored the turret--climbing the stairs up to the second floor and balcony--before heading back to see how our party was faring. Lori said we should check out the view out the back windows so we went over to take a peek. Old french doors led out onto that patio and Richard dared me to go out--so I did. Outside a large raised fire pit was merrily blazing so we stood out there for a few minutes warming up while admiring the lights that spilled across every tree in the yard down to a detached summer porch (boy would I love to see this place in the summer!)

Then it was time to go...we all headed out to give the valets our parking stubs and headed our separate ways (Richard got a hug this time). I settled in for a peaceful ride home and listened to the chatter in the car all around me. It was just after eleven by the time I got home...I had no idea it was so late...happily brushed my teeth and tumbled into bed...only to wake this morning at 5:30! Actually I set my alarm for that early because I had to be at Sam's Club before 7 to be sure I'd be the first in line to get snow tires on the car....I didn't want to be late for work! So here I am, still happy, tires on the car, first date out of the way and perhaps a second date in the future. sigh. Even if Christmas turns out to be nothing special I still feel all aglow and about as far from "Bah Humbug" as a girl can get!

Moving, music and Christmas parties....

The move goes on....I still have stuff to pack and will probably only work a half day tomorrow (Friday) to be sure it gets done. I have discovered one nice thing about moving though....I find things I forgot I owned and fall in love with them all over again! Speaking of finding things...I found a cd binder tucked in a corner of the spare room that held my copy of "Plans" by Death Cab for Cutie....listened to it this morning on the way to work and then brought it inside for another listen. Dang I forgot how much I love that cd--I haven't listened to it since August when it got packed. (Btw--thanks Yancy for getting me into these guys!) And now the Christmas party... its tonight at La Caille in Sandy and this place looks amazing! No idea what I am going to order yet because it all sounds so wonderful but I will let you guys know tomorrow how it went. Oh, finally get to meet Richard tonight as he's meeting me there. Funny, but I am not the least bit nervous....