One of these things is not like the other...

So what do these three pictures have in common? Well...my husband Scott is actually the key factor. You see, we've been craving sea food and seeing how we live in the middle of the DESERT, Joe's Crab Shack was about as good as we could find. We had never been before but COME ON, crab is good no matter what right? We go to order appetizers and he insists on calamari--I'm not a fan, ever since dad tried to tell me "it's just an onion ring, try it" when we were in Spain, I've never liked the chewy little buggers. The meal was delish! Crab galor: crab cakes, hot cheesy crab dip, crab legs, coconut shrimp...mmmmm good! We get home around 8pm and by midnight Scott is kissing the porcelain! That's right people, the calamari that I REFUSED to eat gave him food poisoning and he has been miserable for at least the past 12 hours.

Is it twisted that I want to call up Joe's and demand a gift certificate instead of a refund (Scott would never go again but I loved my food--might as well get more right?)

The moral of this story is not to avoid sea food or Joe's Crab Shack, JUST DON'T EAT CALAMARI! Hello, yuck!

My Nose Knows

I woke this morning expecting our typical 90 degree weather but something was different. I opened the front door to walk Scott to the car, took a deep breath of cool, WET air and did a little jig in our driveway! The scents that hit my nose were vaguely familiar--a little dust, wet pavement, a damp musky blend that left me euphoric. You see, we don't get rain here--EVER--and this morning I opened all the windows wide as I could, inviting this welcomed smell to permeate the house and stick around as long as it pleases. And now I sit here, wishing I could capture the plinking sound of the tiny drops I hear tapping on my tiled roof, the water running down the rain gutters. It is refreshing and invigoratingly unique for us. Even Jason knew something was different as he crawled up on the couch watching and listening as our dusty little town is being given a much needed shower! I love the smell of rain!

Christmas in May???

In case you haven't heard (I hadn't) there is a new Christmas movie coming out in November--Dickens' A Christmas Carol. It is created similar to Polar Express (has the same director)--and you all know what a huge Polar Express fan I am. Jason would watch it year round if I didn't show a little restraint. Back to Dickens--Jim Carrey plays Scrooge and many other characters the same way Tom Hanks played the conductor etc.

Sooo, Disney is hosting a "train tour" to advertise for the movie. It was totally free--here's a link to the tour web page (you'll probably have to copy/paste) http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/christmascaroltraintour/ They are stopping in OGDEN on June 16!

My friend Morgan knew about it, invited me and the boys and we headed out for an all day Christmas adventure--just what we needed in the middle of our 90 degree weather! The tour stop was in Williams, AZ at their Grand Canyon train depot which was completely decked out for Christmas--carolers, wreaths, big red bows--the whole shebang!

We got to tour a train that they had turned into a "rolling museum" all about how the movie was created with movie clips, costumes, figurines, scale model buildings etc. We even got to take our pictures and then morph them onto pictures of the characters (put our faces in place of the characters). Disney is having them printed and will email you when done so that you can pick them up at any Walmart! After the tour we headed on an actual 40 min. train ride. The kids were in heaven! We went up into the mountain--pine trees and all--we even saw deer. The conductor came around and took pictures with the kids. They let everyone roam around the train during the ride, we even could walk out the back door onto the platform and watch the tracks zoom behind us. Last they had a mini-theater set up in a hotel meeting room next door to the depot. The kids all got 3D glasses and watched a 15 min. intro & trailer for the movie. It looks like it will be great. We can't wait.

We wrapped everything up by letting the kids play under the fake snow machine--actually we moms realized it was just blowing clumps of suds into the air but the kids thought it was snow (it was meant to be snow) and so they all got their Christmas in May. Now I just need a cup of Stephen's Hot Chocolate (mint truffle please) and I'll be all ready to wait up for Santa and open presents in the morning.

Merry Christmas Everybody

Wedding Weekend Photos

Just a few photos to document the weekend. There were so many I wanted to show--hope the collage style works out!


FAMILY & FRIENDS


AT THE TEMPLE


OTHER IDAHO FUN