My Apologies!

So I haven’t been the best blogger lately, as I am sure anyone can attest.  I really have no excuse.  Lots has been going on with plenty of pictures to be included.  Blogging has just not been at the top of my to-do list.  I guess I better start from the top.

Christmas and New Years!

I went home for the holidays and I was able to take a full week and a half off work.  I can’t remember the last time I didn’t work a single day during the holiday season, but it was so nice.  This year was the first in a few that all six of us were home together.  It was filled with traditions, food, stories, music, and each other’s company.  Santa was rather kind to me this year and brought me a sweet Nikon SLR Digital camera.  I have to admit, it was love at first sight.  For New Year’s Grandpa and Grandma Hales as well as Aunt Pam and Uncle Kerry came to visit.  It was so much fun to see all of them.  Mom decided to prepare a Chinese New Year’s feast for everyone, and believe me when I say it was delish.  It wouldn’t be a family holiday with a few competitive hands of cards.  It was so nice to be able to escape to Southern Utah and recoup and recharge for 2010. 

 

  

 

 

Birthday celebrations with the girls

My dear Hali-Friend turned 24 just after the New Year, and we always love excuses to get all the girls together to have fun and eat!  So we all gathered at Hali’s favorite Olive Garden and celebrated life!  Happy 24th Hali-girl! Love ya!

Pine Tree Bon-fire

One of the great things about post-Christmas festivities are the fabulous bon-fires .  Some of the students at BYU who live around the corner from me gathered as many tossed out pine trees as they could find.  What ensued what a pyromaniacs fantasy.  Tons of people gathered on the frozen Utah Lake to behold one of the biggest bon fire that I have ever seen.  We drank our hot cocoa, danced around the fire, and had a great time.

Olympic Snowboarding Grand-Prix in Park City

The adventure of January had involved LOTS of snow, the amazing Shawn White, slippery roads, Joe’s trusty Suburu, and a snowy night stranded in Heber City.  Toward the end of January, one of the Olympic snowboarding half-pipe qualifying competitions was held in Park City, so Amy, Joe and I headed to the slopes to join in the rest of the spectators.  It was so much fun to see these snowboarder who are so talented and have  worked so hard get ready for the Olympics.  Well, more fun came on the snowy ride home.  Despite Joe’s careful driving at one point we ended up sliding all over the road and eventually in a snow bank.  After we dug ourselves out we slowly made it to Heber where we decided we might not make to back to Provo that night.  Thankfully, my friends’ mom lives in Heber and she was incredibly gracious in letting us bombard her place for the night.  Thanks Hi!

January flew by and I can already tell 2010 is going to be a great year!  I am taking an Abnormal Psych class at BYU as a pre-requisite for a master’s program. (baby steps!)  I have been doing some volunteer hours at the Utah State Hospital as a class requirement.  It has been a new experience, but I am enjoying it so far.  Monday is my first test, and I have struggled figuring out how to be a student again.  So let’s hope I figure it out before then!  I am home for the weekend with big plans in store.  I applied for a passport today, and plans are in the making for a trip to Guatamala.  Tomorrow is going to be a special day at the St. George temple with my family.  Great things are in store!