What's On My Happy List?

It's looking a lot like Christmas.....

Especially since our big snow storm!

I don't think there is anything more

beautiful than freshly fallen, untouched snow

against a blue sky!

When you see the whole covered deck

blanketed with the white stuff ya know

it was quite a blustery storm.

And it was. 

Enough so that schools were

closed and moved to remote learning

for the day. 

YAY!!!!

dogs and snow...so cute! 

💙

Until they bring the wet indoors. 

😝

Go Poppi!

Kate, out in shorts, measuring how many
inches we got.
😂
At least 8!

She has enjoyed sledding a couple

of times with her best friends. 

******

In other Christmas-y news... 

Emma, Kate and I took a jaunt

uptown to one of my favorite bakeries. 

It's been around for ages....

and has even been featured 

in a Hallmark movie!

They decorate it so festive for the holidays. 

We visit once a year... specifically 

at Christmas time

to get my favorite cookie...

the molasses!

I was somewhat panicked when 

I walked in...and saw just one left! 

So I nonchalantly stood in front of 

this case below so no one else could see 

and take it before it was 

my turn to be helped. HA! I had visions

of the scene from the movie

"Christmas with the Kranks"

and the honey baked ham. 

😜

{Luckily there were more underneath.}

At home I whipped out my vintage looking plates

for our vintage-esque goodies and classic 60's 

Christmas movie watching...

{which may or may not have caused us 

to fall asleep.😴}

These babies are the bomb diggity!

*****

We had another little celebration

a few nights later when us girls

gathered to watch the Miss America pageant.

With Kyleigh having competed with the 

reigning Miss Utah

it was extra fun to watch.  

Sasha even made the top 10!

We were hoop'in and a hollering for her!

Emmsie made her famous hot fudge 

recipe for the occasion. 

*****

Another enjoyable gathering was our ladies

neighborhood Christmas party.

There was fantastic food! 

I took Bruschetta {thank you Costco} 

with toasted baguette slices that the 

hubs helped me prep with

olive oil & garlic, sprinkled with

Pramasean Romono cheese. 

So tasty!

We played a fun Christmas trivia game
{my team won! 🙌}
and had a gift exchange.

To be a little cheeky my gift was 

bare vanilla body spray

{that my older girl's happen to love} from VS

with a gift card!

So thankful to live among such good people.

*****

My girls and I had a Christmas outing 

uptown visiting Kyleigh at work 

at the Church Office Building. 

She loves the missionary travel department!

Fun seeing the beautiful trees there. 

But the tree at the Joseph Smith Memorial...

takes the cake for me. 

One of my favorite Christmas sights.

{We missed Hannie with us, who was at work.}

Just gorgeous.

We went to the Nauvoo Cafe for lunch.

After we headed to City Creek 

to Light the World. 

*****

In yummy food news....

I was able to try Aubergine for the 

first time on our 

dinner group outing. 

Fun to try, but I like Zuppa's salads 

much much better!

The hubs great find at the Trader Joe's.

If you LOVE almond flavor

this is a must try.

and then WHOA!!!

The Tres Leches pancakes at IHOP!

*****

Tis the season for gifts...

Had to share Emmsie's gift for one of her best 

friend's and her family. 

For the little girl.... 

{fun fact: this is one of my very favorite

children's books}

Emmsie always wraps their gifts 

sooo cute before 

mailing it off. 

{She and Kate even dried oranges for it.} 

Gifts I gave my co workers...

{printable from TidyLadyPrintables on Etsy}

We gave out Jesus ornaments for 

our Neighbor gifts...

{printable from BillbyDesigns on Etsy} 

It's become tradition to deliver 

the neighbor gifts

early on a Saturday morn 

and then go to breakfast.

We love the Original Pancake House, but it

was an hour and a half wait. No way man. 

So we headed to IHOP. 

*****

In other news...

The hubs took the kids to see 

the new Spiderman movie while

I played Mrs. Claus. 

I had 3 and 1/2 hours to wrap my heart out. 

*****

We had our annual family Sugar Elf Party this 

past Sunday.

Cereal for dinner wearing ugly 

Christmas sweaters. 

We played Christmas song Pictionary.

Our team names this year were the

 Rapapapapums and the Fa la la la la's.

Each team is given 20 seconds to draw

and guess...

Brie answered 

Deck the Halls in the nick of time.

She was stoked!

We also played Psych.

A phone app game. 

SOOOO fun!

Here's a sample question....

then everyone gives an answer

and votes on the best one.

After game playing we started watching ELF.

SO...while watching the movie I got 

the most heartbreaking news to me.

Carlos Marin from IL Divo, 

my favorite music group...whom I've 

adored for almost 17 years now

DIED that day from Covid complications!

I seriously have never been so shocked

at such unexpected news in my life. 

I was HOT MESS. Bawled. 

😭

He was only 53 yrs old. {and vaccinated} 

Such a tragic loss. 

Gone way to soon. 

It guts me to think I'll never see the four

of them perform together on stage again.

Devastating to me. My sisters, nieces, and 

even Kyleigh have such happy memories from the 

concerts we have attended together over 

the years. And I was anticipating many more. 

Just still can't even believe it. 

Darn it to heck! 

IL DIVO will never be the same without Carlos. 

His vocal talent and onstage presence is irreplaceable.

Between THAT news, 

BYU's loss in their bowl game,

and the news that one of the

 young women in our ward

tried to commit suicide... 

there have been a few back to back days 

that have

stinked stanked stunk.

*****

In happier news...

this PBS special made my heart happy.

I've so missed the Tabernacle Choir 

Christmas concerts

these past two Christmases. 

This made up for it. Almost. 

Beautiful music soothes the soul...

This is one of my favs....

Well...only two more sleeps till 

the big guy comes.

YAY!!!👏👏👏

From our house to yours

Hope your day is Merry and Bright

filled with lots of love and joy!