I Bid You Farewell 2010

The year of 2010 is coming to a close.  In most cases it was a good year, of course to spice things up there were some days, weeks that I could have done without, but I am generally a positive person so I list here some of "My Favorite Things" for the year of 2010:

1- January - I got new tires on my car.

2- February - My sister Nancy came through surgery A-OK.

3- March - My Dad, Mom and I visited Cannon Beach with the Clark family and I turned the beautiful age of 55.

4- April - My son Andy married his sweetheart Jennifer.

5- May - I received my very first Passport and my daughter Amanda received her Bachelors Degree.

6- June - I was a Dutch Oven Judge for the Coalville County Annual Pig Roast event.

7- July - Ali moved to Utah, there were several weddings, funerals and babies born and America celebrated another year.

8- August - I listed my house for sale.

9- September - I enjoyed some lazy vacation days and my California Cousins visited - D.E.L.I.G.H.T.F.U.L.!

10- October - My sister Ruth came through surgery A-OK, Andy and Jennifer's adoption is complete and Dad, Mom and I stayed at beautiful Zermatt Resort.

11- November - Thanksgiving Day and Family.

12- December - We had a successful Price Family Annual Christmas Party, Snow, Snow, Snow and Christmas Day was full of surprises and family gathering.

So I bid farewell to 2010 and welcome the New Year of 2011 with open arms!

End of Year

It has been way to long since I took a few minutes to reflect upon the simple happenings going on in my life and with the end of 2010 fast approaching (in just 2 days) I thought it best that I catch myself up and those who "check in" on me.

 Thanksgiving was a wonderful celebration!  This year my little family gathered at my daughter Amanda's home.  I drove up the night before because we needed to get up bright and early to make my yummy dressing to stuff the 24 pound turkey Amanda purchased.  I got up at 4:30 am and went right to work to get things prepared and done.  I told Amanda that the rules are to get up early, make the dressing and stuff the turkey - throw that bird in the oven to start cooking and then YOU MUST GO BACK TO BED for just a little while longer.  This way you wake up to the sweet smells of turkey cooking. 

Everyone showed up at about 1:00 and the kitchen was bustling with happy faces, laughter and getting everything on the table for our family meal.  As I sat at the table and the blessing of thankfulness was said I looked around the table with joy in my heart and soul and said a quiet thank you for everyone around this table because they bless my life every day with their love.  I have so much to be grateful for!

 Our annual Price Family Christmas Party was held on December 4th.  We always have a "Visitor" come by and this year was no exception.  My Dad always knows people from far and near and so many also knew my Grandpa Price.  Well our visitors were Giecko and Bellorina from "a town with no name".  They are pictured above.  They had bells and streamers on their clothes and the funkiest hats I have ever seen.  They taught us to place our feet forward and walk to the top of every hill with determination.

My Grandpa Charlie Price said the following words
to my Dad in 1943:

These feet which have carried me to the top of this lowly hill

will surely carry me to the top of the highest mountain

if I will but turn them in that direction,

trust in the Lord, and urge them on and on and on.

We had 63 family members attend this year.  We had breakfast together, exchanged gifts, laughed, enjoyed all the little children and had such a wonderful time together as a family!

 The Christmas season is here!  I really minimized this year!  I didn't get all stressed about shopping, making lists or decorating.  It was so nice!  My focus was on family and the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Savior.  I have this little miniature Nativity I keep out all year long.  It stands maybe 2 inches high, but I love the reminder it gives me year round.  Amanda and I spent Christmas Eve with Dad and Mom.  We had such a fun evening.  We had little individual pizza's, watched "It's a Wonderful Life" and topped the night off with individual Creme Brule'.  Oh so yummy!  Christmas Day was delightful - filled with gathering of family, excitement, opening gifts and so much laughter.  I loved every moment of the day.

So in just 2 days we will get to celebrate the close of 2010 and welcome in 2011!  I am excited for the New Year!  I know and feel that there will be some positive changes for me!  I want and embrace the start of new adventures, changes and positive paths that I will encounter and trails to walk.  My wish for all of you is happiness and joy for 2011.

Going to the Library!

Are you old enough to remember during those hot summer days when you were out of school and the Bookmobile would come on a specific day so you could check out books to read until the next week when you anticipated the arrival once again?  I remember those days fondly!  Oh how I would love to run my fingers against the spine of the books stacked neatly on the shelves until I came to the one I wanted to choose for the week.  Oh how I loved the smell of those books as I stepped into the bookmobile.  This was a magical escape for me.  I loved the treasures I could choose from the shelves.

Bookmobile - The one that came to our house in Draper

was NOT this fancy but it was M.A.G.I.C.A.L.!

 I haven't spent much time at the library in my adult years.  But I still love to read.  I have a dear friend Chris who also loves to read and we trade each other books.  I knew I had a lot of books but didn't really realize that all they really did was take up space on my book shelves so I re-read a whole bunch of them and then took them to my local library and donated them.  It was on one of my "donation" trips that I realized how much I missed the feel, the smell and the excitement of pulling a book off the shelf.  And I realized that I missed all of it! 

My new shiny Library Card!

Well . . . the other day I decided to change that!  I have obtained a new Library Card!  I am so excited!  I can either go to the library or I can go online and reserve a desired book or I can just go sit in the comfortable chairs and read magazine's or the newspaper.  My adventures are just beginning!

Hot Cocoa

Hot Cocoa

I was talking on the phone the other day with my sister Bonnie and we both mentioned how the air has turned so cold this past week.  The snow we received in both Utah and Idaho will do that. It was just a light snow fall but it is cold during the month of November.  We finished our conversation and I emailed her the documents she was requesting.  I got an email back that suggested I make a cup of hot chocolate - and that is exactly what I did.  I made me a hot cup of cocoa and sprinkled mini milk chocolate chips in the dab of whipped cream.  Ohhh, Yummy!  It warmed my soul!

Veterans Day

Today is a very special day!

It is a day when we can reflect upon our lives, the lives of those who have gone on before us and the sacrifice so many have made.  Our Veterans!  My Dad is a Veteran.  He served in the Navy.  My Dad loves this country with all his heart.  As a young girl I recall the day my Dad put a flag pole in our front yard and every single morning (except of course those days when the weather did not permit) he put our flag up that pole and every night he took it back down.  And my Dad has done this every day since.  You always see the American Flag waving in the breeze at my Dad and Mom's home.  It is beautiful and it is an honor my Dad respects!

My daughter Amanda loves both her Grandpa's who served in wars.  She has such respect for the sacrifice they both made in serving their fellowmen and their country.  Ever Veteran's Day Amanda honors her grandfathers with some kind of gift, a remembrance, a token of her love of them, of freedom and this land of America for which they fought.

Thank you to those who have gone on before, those who are still here and those who are now serving the United States of America!  May you always be blessed and honored.

Be sure to VOTE!

Have you voted yet today?

GO

Zermatt Resort

My sister Ruth is the director of the Spa at Zermatt Resort.  This beautiful place is nestled in the mountains and in the city of Midway, Utah.  The setting is spectacular and gives you the feeling you are in the Swiss Alps.  If you are looking for an elegant place to visit, this is the place to "get away"!  Ruth and Konny gave my wonderful  parents the gift of a few days at this beautiful resort in celebration of their 60th Wedding Anniversary.  And here is the story of their few days at Zermatt Resort, Utah.

The perfect white robes provided in every room along with cushy slippers wrap you in the warmth and cosiness of the comfortable rooms.  As you go about your day your mind wanders to the time when you know you get to go back to your room and take that hot shower and then slip your arms into the comfy robe and your lotioned feet into the slippers and r.e.l.a.x.

Mom in the "Grotto".  This is the hot tub in the pool room.  The pool is divine!  And then you walk across to the hot tub which has this great water fall pouring hot water over rocks.  A very relaxed setting

The Robert Duncan studios are located in Midway, Utah and we stopped in for a visit.  This art studio is just a huge great room with a fire place, comfy couch with all his art scattered about so you can look at and enjoy the calmness, beauty and loose yourself in the story of his art.  Robert Duncan uses his family and close friends as his "subjects" when painting and creating a scene. I couldn't find his web site, but if you google Robert Duncan paintings you will find his Art.

Mom was a hit with the front desk boys.  And once they found out she is Ruth Price's Mom they were like putty in her fingertips.  Lee (in red) took special interest in both Dad and Mom and told them stories about Zermatt, took us on a personal tour of the grounds and made sure they were having a wonderful time.  EVERYONE at Zermatt loves Ruth and now they also love her parents.  Ruth's son Terry is a waiter at the adjoining restaurant Schnietters Fine Dining.  We were treated to an evening at Schnietters and Terry was our personal waiter.  The place, the setting and the service are all top notch.  If I was a food critic I would give all 3- place, setting, service a 10!  

Lee made sure Dad and Mom got to go on the Carousel.  Is this an adorable picture!  I love it!

Our stay is over and the bags are packed and on our way home. 

 Dad and Mom had such an enjoyable, relaxing time.

Thank you Ruth and Konny for your kind gift of love!