Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Harold Ned Snowman...yes that is his name!

Well, it started snowing two nights ago and it hasn't stopped. Literally. I think the snow around our house was at least 12 inches high this morning. It certainly will be a white Christmas. That being said, what a better activity than to build a snowman!! (Well, if you're talking to Bryan, he would say snowboarding, but some things are just not meant to be.) So to tell the story....

Bryan loves snowboarding. Me. Well, it kind of scares me. But I am willing to try again! I refuse to be scared of something that 5 year olds can do. So we got all decked out in our winter snowboarding attire. Got our passes to Sundance. Was driving up the road. And.....!! We weren't allowed up the Sundance road without 4x4 or chains. Which we had neither. And by the time we would have gotten back down the mountain, to a store, back up the mountain, put the chains on, parked, shuttled to the actual slopes.....we would have had no time. We go night boarding. Number 1 - because we work all day. Number 2 - it's cheaper.

So with a bummed husband and both of us sweating in all our gear, I had to come up with another idea! Apparently "playing" in the snow wasn't good enough, so I called Nathan and Korina and asked them if they wanted to go sledding. (We have some tubes that we "inherited" from Bryan's old apartment.) They both seemed really excited, especially Korina who has been wanting to play in the snow. We ate dinner together, got them dressed and headed to Rock Canyon Park. We had such a blast!! A few topples, but so worth it. Might I suggest trying riding down on a one-man tube (that's only supposed to hold 120 lbs.) laying on top of your husband (or spouse) almost completely by accident. You'll be in for a big laugh and a big tumble. The only problem....walking back up that ridiculous hill.

After that we decided that we just had to build a snowman. We didn't exactly know how it would turn out, but when you kinda start it out as a competition to see who can make the biggest ball, you get a pretty tall one. So I present to you....Mr. Harold Ned Snowman!!!!
We named him Harold because he just had to have one of those slightly awkward names. No offense to anyone named Harold. Then we added Ned because he kind of looks like Daddy, don't you think? Yep, he has pine eyebrows, pine cone eyes, a twig mouth and nose and stick arms. The baseball cap was provided by Nathan and the scarf by me. Isn't he amazing?!?!? And I swear, he almost did come to life!
When we were about to leave we were all so sad. All that hard work. So what does Bryan do....he gives Harold Ned a hug. Seriously how could I not take a picture of my hilarious husband?
So here we all are taking pictures with Harold Ned to prove that we are master snowman builders....and so that we always remember this day. And look at him! He must be at least 6 feet tall!
So, thank you Harold Ned for a wonderful time and the magic that you provided 2 couples on a snowy day when snowboarding didn't work out.

I really hope he's still there.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Burns

For those of you who have lived or visited Provo, this may come as sad or shocking news. This morning at 2:45am, the Provo Tabernacle was reported to be burning down. Perhaps burned down isn't the correct words for the four walls still stand, but the roof, inside and beautiful stain glass windows are all gone - perhaps also a turret by the end of this. And smoke billows from the top even now as I type this, as firefighters continue to try to put out the flames. It is yet unknown what started the fire, but it is believed it started in the attic.

I'm so glad that Bryan, Nathan, me and especially Korina, who had never seen the Tabernacle before, were able to go to our Stake's Musical Fireside in the Tabernacle last Sunday. The Tabernacle has been my favorite building in Provo since I moved here and I am truly sorry to see it in such a state. I hope they rebuild it, seems saving it seems more and more impossible as the fire continues to burn.