Merry Christmas from our big happy family.

We had a really nice Christmas 'vacation' although it went by WAY too fast. Maybe that is because at least 25 hours of it were spent in the plow truck. Gotta love the wind. We had xmas eve dinner at my moms and we got our traditional xmas eve gift....pjs. Everyone but G; he got a remote control airplane. We spent xmas morning with my bro and sis at the ranch and had a great time eating, opening gifts and laughing our asses off. Then we were headed back to the 'other' valley to open more presies and eat more food. G got me an amazingly luxurious couch blankie from Italy to replace the old raggy one that is pretend; you have to pretend that it is keeping you warm. Three beautiful scarves and some other fun things. He got (from me) a new rock tumbler. We will be famous in no time with all of our rocks!! My mom got engaged!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We spent Friday in Big Sky at Gs project working and Saturday doing returns/exchanges and getting more drift fence which seems to be a lost cause. Sunday was clean up day and the evening was spent up Cokedale at a post winter solstice holiday party with friends. All in all a good time... I am ready for another long weekend!

Holidays are for parties.

Christmas can not pass us by without a little bowling action. Tradition at G's firm is an afternoon of bowling extravaganza followed by dinner and dancing. Bowling trophies, white elephant gifts and now bowling shirts are also included. I always look forward to this evening....great food+great friends=tons of fun

The CMA bowling team. All dressed to impress.

At Treasure Lanes showing off my bowling skillz. Good thing I took bowling in College.

Cheers

The men looking dapper.

At LBG for CMA Holiday bash.

Trav got a Quesadilla maker. If anyone needs a machine to make quesadillas it would be him.The awards ceremony.

Love at first sight.

I have been waiting and waiting for 6 weeks to be exact to be able to meet Karmella. She is beautiful and I am in love with her.

I mean really....who could resist this sweetness.

I am really excited to spend some time with Karmella and of course Ashley while they are here and even more excited to get to spend a whole week with them in Vegas next month.

20 below

This is what 20 below looks like for all who have not had the pleasure to really take it in...for days and days and days. What do you do when it is 20 below you ask. First, you pray that the cars will start, when they do you let them run for a looooong time before you try to drive. Head into town with a list of EVERYTHING that you might want or need for the next few days. This will be the only trip into town until work on Monday morning. Eat lunch at a warm restaurant by a fire. Pick up movies and the projector. Stop at the grocery store to fill the kitchen with food. The hardware store for a pipe heater for the horses water, a new kitchen faucet and plastic covering for the old ranch house windows. Remember to keep the truck running the entire time and head back to the ranch. Cut enough firewood to last for many days and get into the house where you catch up on cleaning, laundry and inside chores that have been put off during nice weather and hunting season, watch plenty of movies and cook good hearty food. All in all it is not so back. Makes for a pretty fun weekend.

We should have won!

Friends gathered from house to house around good ole Livingston to judge; yes judge everyones' Xmas spirit. That's what it is all about right? Being the best and having the most? LOL Anyway, there were 3 categories... 1) Tree 2)Decorations 3)Drink. We had short notice and had to buy our tree, decorate and clean in two days when we were both working and tied up until late each evening. But I H-E-A-R-T our tree and I learned from Martha Stewart how to tie big bows out of pretty ribbon for the wreaths. Spiked Wassail and yummy snacks were prepared and the house was clean for our guests on Fri night. We did not win but I am pretty sure that is because we were first on the list and people forgot about the booze factor that was discussed in the beginning as the winner was our last stop and I am pretty sure that my candied pecans and pumpkin apple dip (thanks Brooke) beat out the grilled cheeses. I will admit that the hot buttered rum was tasty tho. So congrats Trav, Molly and Kurt. Maybe we did just save the best for last.
Notice George pouring his hot buttered rum on his wifes head.....

She was SUPER pissed. Can't blame her.

I H-E-A-R-T horses.

An outfitter who lives in the creek bottom near the ranch is doing sleigh rides this winter and needs to keep some of his horses around rather than ship them out of town to graze for the winter. He is grazing 2o horses in one of the fields. I saw them this morning as I drove by coming into town. It was really fun to see a group of such amazing animals in the morning light....way better than a bunch of cows. We take care of only 2 horses. It is nice to have more beautiful animals around. And I am really hoping to go on a sleigh ride this winter.

i want i want i want

I want a subscription to The Sun magazine...for all of you wondering what to get me for xmas. Oh, and also The Food Network mag.
Thanx

....this just in....

The snow finally came....the roads were really shitty last night...can't wait for enough snow in the fields for xcountry skiing....i am done with ALL of my holiday shopping....i know, i'm strange that way....i want to go to the xmas stroll....i am thinking about going a little dark with my hair....i CAN NOT wait to see Ashley and Karmella....i also CAN NOT wait until i go to Vegas for a week of nothingness in Jan....i finished my online course today....YAY me....i am getting better at my job....i had fun hunting this year....i missed my sister on thanksgiving....holiday girls lunch will be fun....secret santa and gift exchange games are strange to shop for....i heart my studded tires!

No matter what the outcome......

No matter what the outcome, daffodils will bloom in the spring. Men and Women will fall in love, and, sadly, out of love. Inconsolable grief will still be inconsolable. A broken heart will nonetheless keep beating one hundred thousand times a day. No matter what the outcome, writers will write. Painters will paint. Three in the morning will still be three in the morning. The door in our psyche we don't want to walk through will still be down the hall. No matter what the outcome wife will hand us invisible thread that connects us all; love will hand us the needle.