Happy New Years!!!!!

2008 was a good year for us. Michael and I didn't send a Christmas letter this year (we just sent the photo) so I thought I'd do a blog letter thing about our 2008. Maybe it'll give me some incentive to get a letter out next year before the Holidays. I certainly enjoy reading everyone else's letter that comes in the mail. 

We started out 2008 by heading to the mountain every other weekend. Michael helped on several calls with the ski patrol and Stacey kept trying (over and over again) to learn to ski. In the end, I had improved greatly - I could get my ski boots on, pick up my skis, hike them up to the path, and ski down about 200 yards without ending up in the patrol room. It was quite the accomplishment. 

After ski season ended, we started preparing for our trip in April to New York and Italy. I had never been in New York City so I was super excited. We divided up responsibilities for the trip - I had the food, packing, and daily agenda and Michael had the transportation. It was a great learning experience for us. New York City was busy and expensive but we still had a fantastic time- we saw the Lion King, strolled thru Central Park, shopped China Town, toured the United Nations, and were on the TODAY Show- OK not really, but if you DVRed the episode we were there for, and paused while the camera turned, you can almost see my shoulder. We then headed to Italy and spent a very relaxed time in Florence and a very busy time in Rome. Once again, shopping, sight seeing and playing. We toured the Vatican and saw the pope. 

Once summer began we were busy every weekend from June - August. We went to Seattle, we saw family, we worked up at Sea Fair, we, well, we did many things and I can't remember the rest of them. Crazy!!!

For our one year we went to Sakura Lodge at Hood River. It was beautiful and we ate the best food. We plan to continue to go back next June and pick strawberry's and then back again in September for the apples and peaches. I made the best peach pie I've ever had - really- it was the fresh peaches, not me. 

Our Fall started with refreshers for ski patrol and then we had 16 inches or so of snow over Christmas. 

2009 will be an interesting year. I can't wait to see what happens with it. 

i lost my tiffany's bracelet

I lost my tiffany's bracelet a few weeks ago but I thought I would find it at Michael's parents house. We just got back from their house and I didn't find it. It's still missing. I don't want to buy a new one because I feel like I'll find it once I buy a new one and then that will be annoying. I hate that I lost it. I just want to find it. I wore that bracelet everyday. Michael is letting me pick out a new piece of tiffany's jewelry for christmas so I don't know what I want to do now. I might just get a new bracelet because I really miss it, but I hate to do that. O well. I hope that I find it. 

we got it!!!!

We got six inches exactly and then it stopped snowing. I am so excited about it. I love being home bound and just hanging out with a good excuse for not going out. Our house is covered in the snow. We're just hanging out today, keeping warm and trying to figure out what to do for the work day tomorrow. 

Here's the house. We took this picture without the flash. Also, we took it at 10:30 pm, so I don't know why the sky looks so bright. Maybe the snow is reflecting or something?

Here's the house with snow in front of it. We took this picture with a flash. This picture was taken at the same time- 10:30 pm, it shows it a lot darker which is more accurate. 

Here's me and my ruler. Michael didn't think we would get 6 inches, so I had to go measure and see if that was what we really ended up getting!! It was! We couldn't believe it. 

i'm hoping for 6 inches

I LOVE the snow!! I think it is so beautiful and I love looking at it from inside my warm house. I am quilting today by a fire, with the snow falling outside. Kinda cheesy, but man, I love it!! We finally have 2 inches of snow and I am hoping for at least another 4 inches. Our house is stocked with food and our video store comes in handy on days like this. We took Hester out in the snow for a walk. She lasted about 2 minutes and went running inside the house. What fun!!

recipes

I love to eat and I lately have been trying new recipes. I found a few good ones and wanted to share. This one I made tonight and we loved it. I didn't think of taking a photo until after we eat half of it but yum, it was so good. 

TATER TOT CASSEROLE
2 lb ground turkey cooked, seasoned, drained
3 2lb bags tater tots 
2 cans cream of mushroom
2 cans evaporated milk
2 cans cream of chicken
Brown meat & place in large cass. dish.
Cover with tater tots. Mix soup & milk together.
Pour over top. Bake at 350 for 1 Hour.
(One of Daddy’s Favorites!) Makes 2- 9”X13” pans

I got this one from the Duggar recipe on their home page www.duggarfamily.com 

Winter Smores' 

Another recipe I found that was super easy was baking a box of brownies and pulling them out 5 minutes before they are done. Crumble 6 chocolate bars, lots of mini marshmallows, and 8 graham crackers on top and place it back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Serve Warm.  

Other Recipes

I found a website with wonderful vegan recipes, I think I might even order their cookbook. 

http://www.thetwosisters.com/home.asp

I love the Wild Rice Soup recipe. I was a little hesitant because it sounded so vegan but it was awesome! Try these and let me know what you think. 

Our Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving Turkey - delicious!! I got to cook it. I had to cook it longer than normal because I accidently had it cooked upside down at first. 

Here I am before I realized that I had cooked it upside down. It was beautiful. 

My bird- darn- I can't believe I cooked it upside down. 

Our Thanksgiving table for mom, Kyle, Jenny, Michael and I, Dale, Judy and Heather. 

i don't know what to call this entry, so here it is

I think part of being a Christian means surrendering your will.

Last Friday night Michael and I went to see the Batman movie – The Dark Knight. (It was playing at a second run theatre.) I was so impressed with Heath Ledgers ability to act. I think he should get the Oscar. But anyway his character the Joker was a fantastic portrayal of a villain. The Joker is chaotic, without a plan, out to just cause chaos (kind of like most middle school students- just kidding). I’m about to give away the movie, so please stop reading if you don’t want to know… One of the main things the Joker tries to do is to expose people. There is a new District Attorney who is loved by all and is a great public servant proving that he can bring down all of the city scum. The Joker then kills his girlfriend which turns the district attorney into a monster trying to track down anyone who assisted in her killing. The Joker seems to be able to expose anyone, showing that the best people can be still be scum.  

God’s light has always been something that scares me a little bit. God’s light will eventually expose us all which I don’t particularly like because it means that it will expose me to. I guess this movie showed me the difference between the Joker (Satan is referred to the angel of light in the Bible) and God. They both expose people but God does it for good and Satan does it for evil which takes me back to the surrender your will thing. Our will is going to be exposed one day and whether our will is saving sex traffic victims, building our own business, being a CEO of a Fortune 500 country, raising a lot of money or whatever it is (and however good it may sound), it is still our will.

Bono the lead singer in U2 tried to leave the band several years ago. He wanted to follow what he felt was his calling to do- become a pastor. His will became stronger and stronger and he just wanted to leave the band so he could become a pastor. Then one of his mentors said ‘Stop asking God to bless what you’re doing and start doing what God has already blessed.’ I think Bono is one of the most incredible Christians I have ever seen and he is still in the band. His work with red campaign and African orphans is incredible. His will, even though it sounded like a good will, was exposed and when he surrendered it, it was as if he was born again.

I used to figure out a plan and try to executive it, often by suggestive force in my voice. It never worked, not even when my plan was to share Jesus with students or provide service projects for others. Not that these things are bad, there just things like everything else- they must not be forced. A few years ago I surrendered my will in my occupation and I am so much happier today. God has given me a wonderful job, a loving husband, and good friends. I still have to surrender my will – it’s kind of a daily thing, but I no longer feel the pressure to get my will done. I have freedom to surf life and just live. It feels really good and shows me continually how good God is.