9 - Christmas is coming and the goose is already fat...

Catchy title, right? hahaha

I distinctly remember the trip to one Christmas Eve family party driving diagonally up a very steep and very slippery hill because the car had no traction on the ice. We slid all the way UP that hill. As previously mentioned, snow driving = evil for Becky.

Had I been my Dad, the driver, I would have thought of nothing else during the party but how the heck were we going to get back down that hill at the end of the evening without crashing??! He's much less dramatic than I and probably didn't do that. As a little girl, while it scared me, I did not quite comprehend the peril we may have been in and probably slept the whole way home, waking after a peaceful night's rest the next morning to presents galore.

Thanks to my parents and four very loving and generous grandparents, that drive is the only slightly negative memory I have of all the Christmases in my whole history. Most of my happiest Christmas memories are of family parties.

On Christmas Eve, we always went to my grandparent's home. We exchanged gifts, sang, performed, re-enacted the nativity, and ate spectacular meals. They served the best food made all year at Christmas - amazing statement given that they had already pulled out all the stops at Thanksgiving. But at Christmas, they must have found a few hidden stops and that food was sheer ambrosia. (Can you mix organ and food metaphors?)

My expectations for Christmas food is simply off the charts because of those parties, so when I tell you that I have found a recipe that to me is worthy of Christmas dinner, you know it is quite a statement. My friend, Claire, posted these amazing cookies on her blog in 2009. I made them last Christmas Eve and absolutely LOVED them. They are very Christmassy and really do melt in your mouth. I totally stole her post from last year for my day 9:

Peppermint Meltaways
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1-1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
Cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Shape into 1" balls. Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are very lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Frosting:
2 TBSP butter, softened
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 TBSP milk
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
2-3 drops red food coloring
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies/candy canes
Beat butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, milk, extract and food coloring and beat until smooth. Spread over completely cooled cookies. Sprinkle with crushed candies.

# 9 on my list of Favorite Things is this recipe for PEPPERMINT MELTAWAYS. Thanks, Claire!!

10 - Ships

Have you ever sat and pondered what you would do if you won the lottery or the sweepstakes or just suddenly came into a substantial amount of money? Well, I have.

It would be a dream come true. After writing the biggest check in my tithing history, I would:

- Buy houses/pay off the mortgages for my family (and me)
- Buy a big cabin on Hebgen Lake
- Set up a charitable organization doing something great for children where the now mortgage-free family could spend their time
- Buy a car for any of the family who needed it (and four new cars for me – Black Convertible Boxster, Big Jeep, Super Big Truck, and a CRV like the one I have now only black and with a few extras)
- Undoubtedly go to the spa once a week and spend a few weeks buying a ridiculous amount of clothes, shoes, jewelry, purses, luggage, and organizing bins, etc.
- Fly first class to Australia and spend two weeks driving down the Great Ocean Road
- And best of all, I would buy whatever gifts I wanted for family, friends, coworkers…whomever

Can you imagine? Not being constrained by a budget when purchasing gifts for people? THIS would be nirvana for me. I absolutely LOVE giving gifts. It is not because I am a wonderful philanthropist or benefactress (what a cool word!)…I just really get a kick out of seeking out and giving gifts that are special for people I love. I am sure it has more to do with loving shopping than anything else. OH….and, think of the stuffed animal lions I could get for me and my nieces and nephews. Life-sized. What fun!

The thing is, I can’t wait for my pirate ship (with Orlando Bloom captaining it) to come in. Albert Einstein said, “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” So – I am going to have to be worthwhile now. I am pretty sure the Budget Master would frown on increasing the 2011 amount budgeted for gifts, so- people who I love: get ready for non-monetary gifts….whatever that is. Oh Mr. Pirate...where are you?

#10 on my list of Favorite Things is GIVING GIFTS (which I prefer to call PRIZES).

17 - People Without Faces

As we were traveling home from work one blizzardy day - just after I had gotten my driver's license - my Dad counseled his strong-willed teenage daughter, "I'm an experienced driver, and I wouldn't go out in this snow tonight. I think you should stay home from the high school basketball game."

I didn't stay home, and he was right. Two good friends and I were in an accident - no injuries, thankfully - and, the other driver was cited for failure to yield. To this day, I regret not listening to that advice for two reasons. The first - despite having gained some experience and snow driving skill, I am terrified of driving in the snow. Still.

The second reason - I lost my brilliant collection of key chains that night. I'd been collecting key chains on vacations for several years and somehow, my keys were lost during the mayhem after the accident. Tragic.

I love my collections...stuffed lions, movie soundtracks, trip sweatshirts, Authors card games, earrings, and Willow Trees.
My nephew calls them the people without faces. Somehow, these little people without faces speak to me (in the figure-ative sense - get it, Dad?) and I love them. Above is most of the collection minus my Willow Tree Nativity set and a couple of figures I have at work.

I love giving Willow Trees as gifts and getting them as gifts too...like my other collections, many of the pieces have been given to me by people who know me well.... and to each of you, I say THANK YOU!

#17 on my list of Favorite Things is my WILLOW TREES.

20 - 80’s Night at the Oscars

One summer, my brother and I spent many nights eating Cheetos and Ranch dip (very delicious) and watching an 80’s classic film: North Shore. Now, some might say we were losers with nothing to do, but I think it is more to do with the fact that we enjoy good food, good movies, and having a good laugh.

North Shore is a “B” movie, if that, but it is very fun to watch and quote (“Nobody listens to turtle…”). There are several other 80’s movies I would throw into the “B” category – all movies I loved (and still love) to watch over and over; they might not merit an Academy nod for Best Picture, but I would give them other awards like….

Some Kind of Wonderful – Most Awkward Kissing Scene to Watch While on a Not Great Blind Date Award (in addition - a bug flew onto my lip while we were eating and I ate it)

16 Candles – Sweetest Red Porsche/Just Like the Boy Next Door Award

Top Gun – Top Volley-Ball Game I Like to Watch (what girl doesn't?) Award

Pretty in Pink – Greatest Soundtrack to Listen to While Lying Out Award

Always – Best Last Movie Seen with College Sweetheart Award

Footloose – Classic Movie My Grandma Didn’t Want Me to Watch on the Airplane Ride to Hawaii but Had Already Seen with My Young Women’s Leader Award

Fletch – Most Quoted Chevy Chase Line Award (also my favorite comedy film ever)

Karate Kid – Most Reminiscent of Neighborhood Boys Award

Superman II – Craziest Movie I Wish I Hadn’t Watched with My Mom and My Friend’s Mom Award

Princess Bride – Most Quoted Movie by Missionaries in Australia Award

The Outsiders – Best Book My 6th Grade Teacher Read to Us Award

Now – this is all just a silly walk down memory lane, to be sure, but in fairness to the brilliance of the 80’s, there were also some absolute classics produced– certainly worthy of a real Best Picture Oscar, like:

Somewhere in Time, Out of Africa, Dead Poets Society, On Golden Pond, Driving Miss Daisy, The Mission, Gandhi, Chariots of Fire and Rain Man.

#20 on my list of Favorite Things is 80’s MOVIES.

Bonus Prize: Which of these were either nominated or DID get the Best Picture?

23 - Simple Signs

Remember the scene in Sleepless in Seattle where Meg Ryan’s character, Annie, is trying on a wedding dress up in the attic with her mother and the dress rips? She sadly cries out, “It’s a sign.” And, her mother replies, “You don’t believe in signs.”

Annie might not, but I do. I believe when I get a great parking spot by a store or mall that it is a sign or harbinger of good shopping ahead. I have been known to happily exclaim, as I pull into a great parking spot, “It’s a sign!” I proceed into the store of choice, fully hoping to find just the right thing, or get a great deal, or spend a lot of money.
My great parking place excitement applies in non-shopping situations too though. I just think it is fun, and when I am running late (which is often), very helpful to get a great parking place. I once had an intern who told me my joy over finding a great parking place was a simple pleasure for a simple mind (needless to say – not one of the interns I hired full-time).
The workings of most female minds certainly aren’t simple. It can get pretty complex in there. I choose to characterize my parking pleasure as finding joy in even little gifts and events in life. Like putting a reserved parking sticker on my car this week. Pretty great perk!
#23 on my list of Favorite Things is GETTING A GOOD PARKING PLACE.

Five Friday Favorites - Fancy Females on the Freeway

I know - dumb title, but I was in an alliterative mood today.

My parents live in a pretty quiet little neighborhood. A couple weeks ago, I stepped out onto their porch to look at the garden - a bit after 9 pm.

Suddenly, from the upper part of their street, two cars came CAREENING down the hill at freeway speeds, side-by-side and nearly crashing into each other. They barely made the turn onto the cross street and 3 seconds later I heard a loud crash. It was like a scene from Bourne Identity or something.

One of the drivers was female. Not surprising to me because over the last few months, nearly every time a driver near me has done something stupid on the freeway, it has been a woman. I never believed men when they said we are, umm...less than brilliant drivers, but wow. they might be right.

Here are my favorite fancy female driver moves:
1. Not signaling a lane change or turn
2. Turning into the far lane rather than the one they are supposed to turn into
3. Suddenly speeding up once I pass their sorry slow Subaru
4. Insisting on staying in the fast lane at below-freeway speeds (usually Idaho plates)

And my most favorite:
5. Speeding up to ensure I cannot possibly pull in front of them despite the fact that my lane is exit only and I am about to plow into the cement divider and they only need to slow 1 mph to allow my entrance.

Men: Any more you’d like to add?

What’s up girls? Why do you wish to cement in the male psyche the incredibly negative view most of them have of our driving skills? As one of my co-workers says, “Stop it! Do you want people to think you’re a freak?”

Disclaimer: Let it be known that this female, from time to time MAY have used stop lights and the time at the on-ramp yield lights to apply make-up. But, hey – a girl gets bored just sitting there, ok?! hahaha

Mistaken Identity or Grand Theft Auto

I am a person who absolutely requires plenty of rest and relaxation in order to function properly (at least that is the excuse I am going to use here). A few weeks ago, I worked some very long hours and late into the evenings three days in a row.

At the end of the third day, I slowly walked out to my car thinking about sleep. As I neared my car, I noticed that the lights didn’t blink when I clicked the key fob to unlock it. Hmm…interesting – wonder if I left a light on inside and the battery is now dead. I got in the driver’s seat plopping my purse, etc., down on the passenger seat. As I did so, I noticed a soft black coat sitting there.

Why did I leave my coat in the car, you ask? Well, maybe you weren’t asking that, but I was because I didn’t remember bringing a coat that day – nor did I remember buying this particular coat. Oh, wait – that’s because I didn’t buy this coat. Nor did I clean my car to look this nice. And where is my car seat that sits in the back?

Yikes!!! I am inside someone else’s car.

I leapt from the vehicle that could be my car’s twin (except that mine has a bike rack on the back and isn’t quite so clean), and walked a few feet to MY car – whose lights did blink in response to the key fob.

I laughed most of the way home – slightly hysterical probably.

What are the chances of a car the same make, model and color as mine being parked so near to mine at the precise time I went to go home? This is one of those great moments I would love to see replayed on a big screen someday.

By the way – if the car I “accidentally” got into had been a black Boxster, the end of this story MAY have been slightly different. (I designed this one at Porsche.com - very cool site!)