Thursday, December 30, 2010

2010

A good year for me!  It has quickly come and gone!

I completed the first year of my career!  Most days I love it, but some days I don't.

My family has a few new members: Ava, Zac, Will, and Brie

Christmas 2010





Christmas 2010

Enjoyed many cultural experiences for my small town notions: Superior camping, the Nutcracker ballet, Carmen the opera, and Phoenix Boys Choir.

I refrained from Facebook check-ups for over a month.  I'm back now.

Didn’t travel too far from Gilbert.  I visited San Diego, Lake Powell, Park City, and Delta.

Learning how to survive with my food allergies.

Loved hosting a few dinner parties!  The planning is just as much fun as the party!

Christmas Fondue Party

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I did not fall in love this year, but I had a few likes!

JimmyEatWorld

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Baxter

Welcome, 2011!  I'm ready for a new year to start!

Sunday, December 26, 2010

December

was a busy month with festivities, parties, cultural experiences, and time with family and friends.  It was a good month.

I saw "The Nutcracker Ballet," listened to the "Phoenix Boys Choir," and had a few dinner parties which put me in the Spirit of Christmas.



Christmas Fondue Party


Christmas Fondue Party


Christmas Fondue Party


RS Visiting Teaching Conference


RS Visiting Teaching Conference


I went home to Delta, Utah for the week of Christmas.  I was able to meet Brie for the first time, and see all my other cute nieces and nephews!


It snowed while I was there, making it a white Christmas.  Amie and I created a snowman.

Christmas 2010


The kiddo's did a great job at performing the Nativity while my oldest brother read the story of Christ from Luke.

Christmas 2010


It was a wonderful trip home.  I hope you all had a Merry Christmas, too!

As the year is closing, I am contemplating all those new resolutions to make.  Once I've completed my list I'll let you know what I'm going to work on this year!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Dinner with the Missionaries

Today during Relief Society we were asked if anyone could feed the missionaries tonight.  Well, it worked out that I had them over with a few sisters from the ward.  Since it was last minute planning, I decided to try a few things I typically don't make.  For dinner we had a spinach salad, asparagus, wild rice, chicken and codfish.  For dessert I made caramelized pears from Caroline's Bake Shop.


(I stole the picture from Caroline's blog)


Everything turned out very nice for being quickly put together.


I love shopping at Sprouts!  They always have deals and new things for me to try.  The last few times the same Manager has been on duty.  I'm always lost, looking for something, and he's great at directing me to the item.  He always gives me options of what I should use, and then to top it off he lets me try the stuff before I buy it.  It's amazing!  Yesterday, I was staring at the Lucy's cookies which Mary Ann was raving about at Thanksgiving.  The manager opened them up, let me try them, and then gave me the package for free!  It was the best day ever!  I love shopping at Sprouts!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Carmen, the Opera

I went with a few girls from the ward last night to see Carmen!  It was a fun, new experience.


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Georges Bizet’s opera, Carmen, is one of the most beloved operas of all-time. It is a French opera with a libretto by Henry Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy that is based on the novel by the same name, written by author Prosper Mérimée. Bizet found great opposition to the work, as many at the time found the plot of the opera to be “immoral.” Carmen, first performed in 1875 at the Opéra-Comique in Paris in 1875, broke new dramatic ground for French opera as it moved away from opera buffa, or comic opera, towards a more profound and tragic story. Bizet did not live to see that his work, once highly controversial, was to become one of the most often performed operas in the world. The Opera takes place in Seville, Spain and is in 4 acts. The original opera production of Carmen had spoken dialog rather than recitative. Sung recitative replaced the dialog after Bizet’s death by his friend Ernest Guiraud.



Act I - In a square outside of a cigarette factory in Seville, Spain, Morales, an officer of the Dragoons, is with his guards on watch. Micaëla, a maiden, arrives looking for her fiancé Don José, but is being bothered by the flirting soldiers, so she flees the square. Don José arrives with his captain, Zuniga to relieve the guard. At noon, the cigarette-girls come out of the factory to the square and Carmen appears. All of the men ask her for her love. She sees José, who at first does not notice her. She throws a flower at the feet of José, choosing him as a lover, and then flees. He is flattered by Carmen’s gesture, but is interrupted from his daydream by Micaëla, who brings a note from his mother reminding him to be faithful. As soon as Micaëla leaves, there is commotion from the factory. Carmen has attacked another woman. Zuniga orders José to arrest her. He goes to arrest her, but she seduces him to let her escape. He does, and is arrested.

Act II - A month later, Carmen and her friends are dancing and drinking at an inn that is a local hangout for smugglers. Zuniga and some of his men are there, and Zuniga attempts to woo Carmen. She refuses. She has promised to meet José there. The great bullfighter, Escamillo, enters the bar and falls in-love with Carmen. Two smugglers, Remendado and Dancaïro, enter the bar to tell Carmen and her gypsy friends, Frasquita and Mercedes, that their help is needed for a smuggling operation. Carmen refuses to go, since she is waiting on José. Having been released from jail, José arrives and the bar empties off all but he and Carmen. She entertains him with a private dance, which is interrupted by the call of bugles. José’s troops have been called to retreat. He is about to leave, which angers Carmen. He reveals the flower that she gave him when they met that he has kept with him in jail this entire time. He pledges his love to her. Zuniga bursts back into the inn and orders José to leave at once. José refuses the order and they both draw swords. They are both disarmed and Zuniga is taken away at gunpoint. José is forced to join the smugglers after openly defying a superior officer.

Act III - The band of smugglers is on the outskirts of town with Don José. He is disinterested in the smugglers and their intentions. Carmen, has tired of José, and she loves him no more. Carmen, along with Frasquita and Mercedes are reading tarot cards. Though Frasquita and Mercedes’ cards show wealth and happiness, Carmen pulls the death card. The smugglers depart, leaving José to guard over the camp. Micaëla approaches. As she comes near, José, who does not see her, he fires a shot in her direction, which is intended for Escamillo, who he has seen. Escamillo arrives and introduces himself as Carmen’s lover. They duel with knives. Carmen steps in and saves Escamillo’s life. They are to leave together, to spite José. Micaëla has come to find José and tell him to return home to his dying mother. He has to leave to go home, but before leaving, warns Carmen that he will be back.

Act IV - A parade is entering the bull-fighting arena through a square in Seville. At the tail of the parade is Escamillo who is joined by Carmen. The other smugglers tell her that she needs to go away because Don José has come to kill her. She does not listen. José pleads with her that he is still in love with her. He offers to rejoin the smugglers. She will have nothing of it, laughing at him, and throwing the ring that he gave her at his feet. She tells José that Escamillo is hers, and that she will live him until death. The crowd roars in the arena for Escamillo. As Carmen goes to join him, the jealous José grabs her from behind and stabs her in the heart. At the moment of Escamillo’s victory inside of the arena, Carmen dies.



Wednesday, November 17, 2010

London to Paris

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Chelsea is getting married!  It was the cutest bridal shower!

Tea Party

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My niece, Ava, turned one!  We all had a delightful time at her tea party to celebrate.  Great job Mary Ann!


I sure love having her in my life.


Sunday, November 14, 2010

back on

I missed FB!  How pathetic?  I only last about 6 weeks without it, so I'm back on that wagon.  I would call it more like a 6 week fast.  And I am trying to limit my time spent on there.  Lovely.

Monday, November 1, 2010

halloween

Hoo-yah Boo-rah Party

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Carving pumpkins at the annual Boo-Ya Hoo-Rah party!!

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Work theme - the eighties!  Rockstar!

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JimmyEatWorld

Jimmy Eat World came to Tempe for Halloween.  It was an awesome concert!

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Come Once, Date Thrice

My ward had their 3rd annual speed dating activity last week.  I was picked up by one individual, Wayne,  and enjoyed a lovely salad with him.  We swapped dates and I had a nice slice of gluten free pizza while others, including my date Jordan, enjoyed lasagna.  Again swapped dates and I had a nice gluten free chocolate chip cupcake while my 3rd date, Travis, enjoyed delicious looking pumpkin pie (that's what I really wanted to eat)!  Travis kindly took me home.  It was a fun evening!

Additional Dinner Party Pics

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Saturday, October 16, 2010

Welcome Fall Dinner Party

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Fall Dinner Party Fall Dinner Party


We were serenaded by "Sounds of the Season" from our tv.  It was very fitting for the array of topics we conversed on.

Guests: Kate Morley, Rachelle Babcock, Rachel Scoville, Sarah Scoville, Jenna Lathrop, Christina Contreras, Ashley Palmer

On the Menu: Butternut Squash Soup with a splash of cinnamon, Pear Cranberry Spinach Salad, Balsamic Vinaigrette Salmon and Chicken, Rice, and Homemade Pumpkin Pie with a dollop of Natural Vanilla Ice-cream

Entertainment: Removing Christina's suture s/p BCC

Fall Dinner Party


I believe the night was a success!  Great entertainment, great food, and great company.  A great way to start into the fall season.


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(now if only it would start to cool off and feel like fall!)

Monday, October 11, 2010

rainy days

One afternoon off, I went to JP and Mary Ann's.


rainy day


love!


adorable!


afternoon off


We had a down pour of rain, so we stayed inside and played legos!