New Year's Eve at the TAB

Dear Friends,

I will be spending this New Year's Eve on Temple Square hosting a variety of performers at the Tabernacle. You are each cordially invited to join me in celebrating the close of an old year and the beginning of a new. For my dearest friends, refreshments will be provided at our Usher New Year's Eve Bash in the basement. (Seriously, just come find me!)

Love to you all. Have a safe and happy New Year and hope to see you at the Tabernacle.

~ Chelsea

DINK-Hood

Dave and I have decided to label this banner year, "The last year of DINK-hood." (DINK = Dual/Double Income, No Kids.) Since getting married three years ago we've spoiled ourselves with fun and exotic vacations, going out to eat too often, and Apple-brand toys.

This Christmas certainly lived up to the nickname. Check out the stack of gifts we got to open from each other.



Next year we plan to focus all our spoiling on someone else and we can hardly wait!

We hope you had a Merry Christmas and best wishes for a prosperous New Year!

Christmas Party Update

I'm happy to report that our Ward Christmas Party was a huge success! Many have told us it was the best food they've ever eaten at a ward function. Thank you, thank you all you wonderful ward members who helped cook all that good food.

P.S. I still have rolls, butter, and sour cream left over if anyone is interested. :)

Ward Christmas Party

This year in our ward the Sunday School President (my husband) and the Ward Mission Leader (a brand new father as of three days ago) were put in charge of the Christmas Party this coming Saturday. Do you know what that really means? It means that Chelsea is in charge of the Ward Christmas Party. As if I didn't have enough to do already what with the insane number of Christmas events at work, my weekly Young Women responsibilities, two counselors on maternity leave, and a new secretary.

Last night we did about half of the grocery shopping (and ran into President Uchtdorf while doing it -- which made Dave wonder why a member of the First Presidency was out shopping on a Monday night when he should be having Family Home Evening).

Back at home, as I worked hard to get things organized -- so that tonight we can deliver all the ingredients to the sweet Relief Society sisters who volunteered to help cook -- Dave sat on the couch with a bowl of ice cream watching a National Geographic program. No joke.

I can't wait until Saturday is over. (And Dave better be coming up with a really nice Christmas gift to make up for this added holiday stress.)

Long Lost Photo

I tried to download the latest pictures from my camera but it was being temperamental and all that came up was this.



This is a photo from the day we first got the camera on Christmas last year. I haven't ever seen it before -- it's been lost on the camera all year long. Glad to finally have it back. :)

Burnt

After two-and-a-half years plus of marriage I finally burned a meal - or at least a portion of the meal. I guess 10 minutes in the microwave is a little too long for bacon. Luckily the hash browns and scrambled eggs were still edible.

Charcoal anyone?

Watch Out

This one is getting good with the sword.

The Upside

The upside to having a bad day is when your husband acknowledges your
sorrows and fears with beautiful red roses! What a guy!

Somber

Just once I would love to leave the doctor's office with excellent news instead of the bad or only half-good news that seems to come out of every visit. Is that too much to ask?

Watch This!

This is my new favorite video. (If you come to my YW class next time I teach you'll get to see it.) I just think it is so empowering to see so many young adults choosing to remain chaste -- young people that aren't even members of our church.

Way to go!

University of Utah vs Brigham Young University

We invited the family over for the big game the other night. While we all mostly enjoyed the final score I think we had more fun with the sideline entertainment happening live in the living room.

Our very own concert pianist. This baby loves to play and sing at the piano. I can hardly wait to see his talents blossom in the coming years.


(Sorry, I can't figure out why this wants to go sideways.) Here the young brethren of the family discussed the game, stats, score, players, etc. The future elders quorum.


She dressed up and staged her very own dance party. The keyboard, playing its pre-programmed songs, was her stereo. She stood on a stool and danced her heart out while telling all the younger kids to follow her. It was hilarious!

Love the Utah State Fair

I LOVE the Utah State Fair! I really don't know why, except that I have fond memories of Aunt Sherri taking me a couple of times when I was younger. So for the past few years I have pretty much forced my family to come with me. I think they are finally falling in love with it too!

It wouldn't be the Fair without trying out the big yellow tractors.


All the kids love the Little Hands Farm - maybe its because they've learned how to use the cow as a water gun.


If you're lucky you might end up at the Fair on the All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream day. $3 for Aggie Ice Cream, BYU Creamery, Farr's, Creamies, etc. As much as your tummy can hold.


This little girl's expression makes me laugh - look at those eyes.


Doesn't this just make every kid want to live on a farm.


Another great year at the Fair!

Aunt Linda's Carnival

We arrived just minutes before Aunt Linda's Carnival ended but we still had plenty of time to play on the big blow-up toys. So. Much. FUN!

How to Host a Labor Day Pool Party

1. Check a few days before that no one has the Clubhouse reserved.
2. On Labor Day morning arrive at 8:25 and stake your claim in the Clubhouse kitchen.
3. Wait for the family to arrive - they'll trickle in from 8:30-9:00am.
4. Enjoy a fabulous breakfast of bacon pancakes, quiche, fruit, and cereal.


5. Change into your swim suits and go swimming, despite the threatening clouds above.


6. Lots of Hinckleys together in the pool will intimidate all other people already swimming and before you know it you have the entire place to yourself. Awesome!


7. Swim your heart out for an hour or two. (It never does rain.)
8. Reluctantly get out, dry off, clean up, and head on to other activities for the day.

10-Day Road Trip

Our summer vacations are now officially over. In the last four months we've been to Disneyland, twice to Logan, twice to St. George, Cedar City, and our final journey was a 10-day long round trip to Boise, Great Falls, and finally Yellowstone. We visited with family and friends, saw the beautiful mountains of the West, relaxed, and enjoyed limited cell phone coverage. :)


This is the wonderful family who took us into their home in Idaho, Dave's best friends from dental school. We spent the weekend riding around in their Yukon, just like two extra kids in the family.

I didn't get any decent pictures but we went to two fabulous restaurants: Brick 29 and Pizzal Chick. It was definitely a Food Network experience dining at these places. Brick 29 is a delicious bistro in the basement of an old Masonic temple. (The upstairs has an event center - might be kind of fun to be an event coordinator in an old temple.) Pizzal Chick was actually featured on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri (I love that show). We got to meet the owner there who apologized for not wearing his tie-dye and said I looked really familiar - surely I had been in before. Nope but I hope to go back some day, it was that good!



After too short a stay with our friends we hopped on Hwy 21 and wound our way through the mountains to reach Great Falls. It took us nearly 12 hours to get there on all those back roads but the scenery totally made it worth the drive. We saw some really amazing views and passed through some quaint little mountain villages.


Our first stop in Great Falls was at the Air Force Museum. We received a personal tour of the inside exhibits from one of the servicemen. Dave had so many questions our 15-minute tour turned in to over 45 minutes. But it was fascinating to learn all about the work done in the silos of Malmstrom AFB.



Later that night we ate at MacKenzie River Pizza Co. There were so many enticing options on the menu my head was spinning. We settled on two pizzas that we shared but I would have loved to try one of everything. Then after dinner we played several rounds of Ladders with our lovely hosts. During practice Dave and I were scoring points with every throw but once the actual competition began we both froze. I lost every game. Sad.


We enjoyed a "junk food" picnic at Ryan Dam our last day there - cookies, pastries, and Capri Sun. It was as gross as it sounds.

(I know, I look like a politician holding all these babies.
They're my sweet niece and nephew and I'm trying to fill a void.)

The final stop on our 10-day road trip was Yellowstone National Park. We met up with my family and enjoyed a small portion of the wonders of the area. I forget how HUGE Yellowstone is. There was so much to do and so little time to do it in.

As we left the Park one day my little twin nephews begged to come with us in our car and it didn't take long before they were both sound asleep. Several miles before Madison Jct. the cars in front of us all stopped. We couldn't figure out what was going on. After being in the slow-moving pile up for over 45 minutes, we finally reached the cause of the problem - a small heard of buffalo walking along the road with the cars. They were so close I could reach out the window and touch them - but I didn't. We took a few pictures through the window (which are all on Dave's phone) and carefully passed by, relieved to finally be back at the speed limit. Before long the twins woke up and wanted their mommy. In an effort to console them, I showed them the pictures of the buffalo and told them how close they were to the car. Well, they took that story to heart and put their own three-year old spin on it. When we all arrived back at the condo, they ran to their parents telling them how the buffalo almost got in our car and how they had fought them off and saved us. It was hilarious. The next day, they both picked up big sticks to beat the buffalo if they came back. Oh, you gotta love three-year old imaginations.


We had such a great time on our road trip! We might have to do it again next year. Thanks to all our friends and family we met along the way who made it the best vacation of the summer!

L.O.V.E.

Yesterday I saw this great quote and today this video - all about love.


"Let us hope that we are all preceeded in this world by a love story."

Gem Theatre & Scoops from the Past

We read about this new little ice cream shop that just opened in Panguitch, Utah. So, on our way home from Cedar City, we took a detour to go check it out. It was totally worth the extra few score miles we put on the car.

Scoops from the Past ice cream parlour is actually in front of the Historic Gem Theatre. The Theatre was in ruins and a couple from Las Vegas bought it and spent money to rebuild. Now it is a quirky little oasis in the middle of small town Utah. Stop on by next time you go down that way.

Jill enjoying her double-scoop of homemade ice cream


Me and Dave enjoying the view from the VIP seats - they only cost $2 more than the regular ticket and you get to sit in the nice leather seats of the balcony


I think this was one of the ancient projectors once used in the theater


An old calendar advertisement from 1958 says that the Gem was showing Merry Andrew with Danny Kaye on July 13-14. (This darling movie just came out on DVD and I would like a copy of it for my birthday coming up next month. Please let Dave know since he doesn't often read my blog. Thanks!)

Utah Shakespeare Festival 50th Anniversary

We took our annual trip down to Cedar City this month and Played! We saw The Music Man, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Romeo and Juliet. We're going back down in October to catch Noises Off! and The Winter's Tale (which is my absolute most favorite play from the Bard so I have to make a return trip).

Here are some of the highlights...

Masquerade


Pay no attention to Dave's crazy eyes.


Jill looking very Persian


My knight in shining armor :)


As part of the 50th Anniversary celebration there are several exhibits around town featuring artifacts from seasons past and an amazing collection of old publications on loan from London. Dave is leafing through a book of some of Shakespeare's plays that is at least 200 years old.

Utah State Capitol

I have finally seen the renovated Utah State Capitol and it is beautiful! Seriously one of the prettiest buildings in Utah, especially when you know a little about its architecture.

Vera is standing on skylights that take in the light from the rotunda and filter it down to the ground level.



Here the docent is explaining about the Butterfly Marble found on several walls in the main rotunda area.



I remember having a family picture taken on these steps when I was a kid and we came to see the capitol.



Isn't Jamison a great photographer?



One of the beautiful white lions that guard the east entrance.

Free tours of the capitol are given daily on the hour and last about 60 minutes. Click here fore more details.

Continuing Education

Dave has been at a three-day dental course sponsored by Ultradent this week in Salt Lake City. The founder of Ultradent opened up his home to all attendees and their families the other night for a Western-themed party.


We filled up on fabulous food,



danced to a great band (Charley Jenkins and friends),



and ordered Sprites at the open bar -- though they definitely served much harder drinks.


I also met Dave's uncle Kelly for the first time and found out that Dr. Craven and I are 2nd cousins once removed on the Hinckley side.

Dave may not like all these continuing education courses he has to attend too much but I sure do have fun (remember St. George in April and now this). Can't wait to see which one he goes to next!