I was naive to think that a "mild winter" wouldn't be sub-arctic...

I will admit, I never knew what cold was until I moved to Colorado. Yes yes, it IS a "different" cold. It is dryer-humidity wise, so 30 is an okay temperature, It is Christmas Eve, we are returning to Colorado after our trip to Cali for the pre-holiday rush around..currently we are somewhere in the middle of the state of Utah, it is snowing (hello snowplow-men... where the F are you!?!?) Mr. Wonderful is doing an amazing job driving, and here I sit, updating you fine people on our adventures. Every time I look up, all I see is white- we can hardly see the car in front of us. This is a little scary, but i have faith that Mr. Wonderful will get us through this mess and home safe.
We had a lovely trip home & spent lots of quality time with our nearest & dearest & crammed them all into 4 days, next time we will take more time- we have learned. To everyone we didn't get to see, we will see you when we return.. not sure when exactly that will be, but I've got a pretty good idea. During our visit to Cali we had chillier than usual weather (last Christmas we were on the beach in summer attire) and it rained for a few of the days we were in town, everyone was telling us how cold it was there, we agreed! With 90% humidity it is freezing at 40. But mark my words, 26 in Utah will make you shake like you're being electrocuted until your muscles figure out that you are in fact NOT going to die. I'm sure it sounds a bit dramatic, but lets be serious, I'm a 100% Cali girl who migrated to a state with "weather" and to me, this might as well be the frozen tundra of Antarctica!

Right now, I'm very thankful for our Patagonia cold weather gear and a good heater in the car.

Ever changing traditions

As I've grown older, I've noticed that certain traditions have changed, especially in regards to Christmas, things like stockings- just stopped happening; I was never worried about what was in it, it was more the tradition of hanging them up . Decorating for Christmas was always so fun, and in the last few years the novelty of Christmas has been thrown to the wayside. Mr. Wonderful and I have had 3 busy Novembers and it has sort of nixed our Christmas spirit. In 2010 we bought our first house and come Christmas were moving in & partially covered in paint & drywall dust from our overly ambitious renovations, in 2011 we said "I do" and went to Maui, by the time we got back we had a new puppy and Christmas spirit had passed us by. And here we are in 2012, freshly transplanted to Colorado and still there are boxes to be unpacked, and we are in limbo, but again the Christmas spirit has evaded us despite the holiday baking I did in the new place at the new altitude.

As my grandparents passed certain traditions died with them, my dad and I stopped going to Chicago for Christmas and as I got older; mom and I stopped doing the "cutesy" Christmas things.

Here I am 30 years old; wishing I'd hung stockings up before we left so my house would feel like Christmas lived there, wondering if this elf on a shelf business may bring back my Christmas cheer for next year (yes I know it's meant for children and we don't have them- don't judge me).

A few of the traditions that I refuse to let die are; watching Its a Wonderful Life & How The Grinch Stole Christmas & the reading of my favorite Christmas poem:
'twas the night before Christmas, it really just fills me with such happiness I almost cannot put it into words..

'Twas the Night Before Christmas
A Visit from St. Nicholas
by Clement Clarke Moore

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

Xoxo

Going home for the Holidays!

Its the strangest feeling... I might call it homesick, I might call it nervous.  As we prepare for our first trip back home since the big move; I almost find myself worried about how it will be.  To be back and not have to go to a job, just be tourists, how strange will that be.. I am getting my hair done while we're home, I refuse to go try to find someone new, now that I found the most amazing person a year ago, I know it seems silly, there are plenty of salons out here, but if you've ever had a bad haircut, you know just how important a great one is. It will be wonderful to just spend time in the place I grew up trying to squeeze as many friends and family as possible into the short amount of days without running ourselves ragged.  I can honestly say I'm more homesick this week than I was last week but less than I was the first week.

 I am looking forward to fresh strawberries more than I can say, and I've already warned Mr. Wonderful that we will be bringing some back with us, since the strawberries out here are... simply put: SAD.  

I'm very excited to see my mom, I miss her terribly even though we talk frequently.  I'm anxious to catch up with my girlfriends, Face-time is great don't get me wrong (thank you Apple) but nothing compares to being in the same room sharing stories, and catching up on life for a bit.

I can't wait to go for a walk in the harbor one evening and see all the boats still decorated from the Annual Parade of Lights, that is California Christmas .. boats & palm Trees all strung up with Christmas Lights.  I'm sure if I had a light up palm tree out here the neighbors would have me committed.   Don't think I didn't seriously consider it.

 Weather update: we are on our 4th day of snow, Augie has cabin fever since he hasn't been able to go run on the field like he wants to since Mr. Wonderful has been working these last few days.  I heard its raining at home, I'm really hoping it quits before we get there so we can enjoy a typical Cali Christmas; you know, 80 degrees and sunny.

Its SNOWING!!!

Please excuse the giddiness, this is our first snow, and while its a mere 22 degrees outside, I will admit that I've gone outside a few times and just to touch it.  Augie puppy is loving it, he keeps trying to eat it, but mostly just sits there and watches it fall from the sky.  Oh to see things from the point of view of the puppy.

Being from SoCal, we had to drive quite a distance for snow so it's sort of a sacred, magical thing to me.  While I'm sure that everyone who already lives here is thinking "oh GREAT... It's snowing... again!!" They will end up hating me for doing my little happy dance whenever this happens, and I'm sure, in time I too will settle into the "oh GREAT... It's snowing... again!!" attitude, but for now I will relish in the magic that is Snow.

Thanks to Pinterest, I can now find a ton of fun things to do in the snow.  Starting with Snow Ice Cream (whatever that is).

Well it's official... We're Coloradoans now.. Errr well we're residents!

We have officially exchanged our California drivers licenses for Colorful Colorado drivers licenses! Part of the motivation for doing this so soon is to get our ducks in a row for next years hunting season! With all the deer in the field behind the house, it's a constant reminder for me of what next year holds for us... Camo print & blaze orange- lots of blaze orange! Even Augie-puppy has his!

Sooooo much Blaze Orange, it even has its own section at Sportsmans Warehouse

Deer prints in the dirt in the backyard, with Augies prints for size comparison.

Try not to laugh too much, it makes him self-conscious.

Happy Thanksgiving!! Playing a bit of catch up

This was our first Thanksgiving away from all of our family. This was also the first Thanksgiving that we got to stay in one place the entire day; rather than making the usual rounds to all of the parents places, and finally arriving home at around 9pm not wanting to even hear the word Thanksgiving until next year. Don't get me wrong, we love our families so the journey is worth it, but its exhausting!

I am so thankful for all of our family & friends, not just on Thanksgiving but everyday. Thank you for being supportive and keeping this move a positive experience for us. Thank you for the random texts to check in and make sure we aren't Popsicles, for the cards to let us know you are thinking of us.

Here are a few pics of our Turkeyday adventures! Yes we fried a turkey, no we didn't burn the place down (So 10 points there). I attempted baking for the first time since we arrived and I can say the brownies were great! We bought pies since I wasn't brave enough for that BUT I created Macallan whipped cream, which I will say is the best discovery including sliced bread.