Christmas Questions!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate except when I am at home drinking egg nog with my mom
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
He wraps them in different paper than my mom and dad use...and his handwriting is different too
3. Colored light on house/tree or white?
White lights
4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No
5. When do you put your decorations up?
The day after Thanksgiving
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?
Ham
7 . Favorite holiday memory as a child?
Ok, probably when I opened a present on Christmas morning, and it was actually my sister Stephanie's present. I was so confused...how could Santa confuse us? And my mom's attempt to cover it up went something like, "Santa must have been really tired!"

Either that or when we got ginger our little puppy. I opened the box and screamed, "Is she real?" As she is like barking and wagging her tail.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Hehe, Kirsten...
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Always the PJs from grandma or mom
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Lights and ornaments
11. Snow. Love it or dread it?
Love it for one day, and only if I don't have to go to school or work that day
12. Can you ice skate?
No
13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
Probably the diamond necklace Dave gave me that he picked out on his own
14. What is the most important thing about the holidays for you?
Family
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert?
Canadian butterhorns!
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Sausage, cheese and crackers tray followed by a Christmas movie
17. What tops your Christmas tree?
Star
18. Which do you prefer - giving or receiving?
Hmm...both!
19. What is your favorite Christmas song?
O Holy Night
20. Candy Canes. Yum or Yuck?
Yuk
21. What do you want for Christmas?
A new straightener!
22. Do you attend an annual Christmas party?
No
23. Do you dress up for Christmas Eve or wear PJ’s?
The new PJs that I just opened
24. Do you own a Santa hat?
No
25. Who do you normally spend Christmas with?
Switch between my family and Dave's family

Cream Cheese Chiken Enchiladas

6 chicken breast halves (cooked and cubed or shredded)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese
1-2 can(s) diced mild green chilies (small can)
1 t salt
16 flour tortillas

• Mix soup, cream cheese, sour cream, chilies, and 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese

• Add chicken to the mixture

• Spread mixture into tortillas and roll

• Place in 9x13 pyrex with fold facing down

• Top with left over filling and the rest of the cheese

• Bake 350 for 30 min uncovered

Serve with salad and fresh fruit

Traditions

Hi everyone. Sorry we haven't blogged in a while. But get ready, because we have 2 or 3 posts brewing.


First I wanted to talk about traditions. Last year, Dave and I started a Christmas tradition of our own. We make a yummy dinner and watch White Christmas together.

Last night it was Cream Cheese Enchiladas (see recipe in next blog post)

What are your favorite Christmas traditions?
(Upcoming Blog posts include Thanksgiving Cruise and Greatest Tv Music ever = Terminator)

Photography at the Wedding

My best friend from elementary school, Kirsten Lyons is now Kirsten Thoming. This is because she married Mr. Joe Thoming in August of this year. I was asked to take the pictures at their wedding. It was so much fun to follow them around and see how happy they were! It was also fun to force their family and friends to stand still and smile, even when they were trying to escape from me and my camera.

Here are a few photos from the wedding.

Off Roading and Colorado Beauty

Dave and I went off roading with some friends of ours, Kirsten and Joe Thoming. We had tons of fun going up and down all sorts of terrain. Also, Colorado is beautiful.

The Mighty Mighty Cougars

This past weekend, Dave and I went to Fort Collins for the BYU v. CSU football game.

We had to make a stop and try some gelato at this cute place downtown.

 Approved.

Chocolate Peanut Butter...mmm...

It was gone so fast

On our way to the game now

 The stadium is gorgeous

We were pretty much the only cougar fans in a sea of green. 

We had many bad looks thrown our way because...

BYU won!  45-42!

At first Dave and I tried to cheer quietly so that no one would notice, but seriously -- this game was intense.  So the secret high fives and whispered, "Go Cougars" didn't last long.  Towards the end of the game, Dave had both hands high up in the air in a fashion that can only be described as:

STEVE HOLT!

Why I Love Colorado

Hello and this is why I love Colorado:

8:30 a.m. - Lady on the news: "It is going to be a blustery day with temperatures in the 20s and a chance of snow."

8:31 a.m. - Me: "Well that sucks." I then proceed to literally suit up with long sleeves upon long sleeves, my thickest gloves, and a long pea coat.

8:35 a.m. - I walk outside my apartment door and walk down the stairs, prepared to face the harsh "blustery" winter day. Sunshine greets me with his smiling face, a light breeze brushes gently against my cheek. This day is anything but blustery. This day is beautiful and calm. It is sunny and light.

Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Indiana anymore.

The Grand Opening

This last Saturday was the grand opening of the store I manage, Chiaroscuro.  It went really went considering everything that goes along with a grand opening (credit card machine not working, receipt printer not printing)...but you know, other than those few things, the day was really fun actually.  People really liked the store and complimented the style and the products.  These pictures were taken on Dave's phone, so they aren't the best, but they kind of show the style of the store.  I will get some pictures that are more clear and put them on here soon.  We are always updating the store and doing fun things.

Here it is!  The polished concrete floor was my idea and I picked the pendant lights. :)

                                 
                               I designed the metal sign that is hanging in front of the store

The new project now is to work on the online store!  We are supposed to have it up and running in 3 weeks.  Always something to work on!

This Is My New Classroom

Today we have a special guest post by Dave:

As most of you may know, I started yet another masters degree, this time in audio production at the University of Colorado Denver. You've gotten the jist of life back in the Rockies from Jessica's postings, but I'll give you a little taste of what school has been like so far.

Awesome.

No, seriously, last week I recorded gunfire for Transformers 2 and Wolverine.

School rocks.

The above pictures are 1) the school's new $150K Neve console, 2) the field recording setup for the Transformers/Wolverine session, 3) recording the "action" sounds of a variety of big, burly weapons, 4) the 10 microphones we set up to capture the sound from every angle, and 5) catching some of the amazing echos bouncing off the mountains.

This is school? Count me in.

Who, me?

I have my own business cards with my picture on it! Our grand opening is this Saturday so wish me luck!

Most Wonderful Thanksgiving Ever...

Some of you may wonder why Thanksgiving is on my mind already.

Well, this is why:

We are going on a cruise with my family to Cozumel!! We leave Thanksgiving day.

Do you think they'll have turkey on the ship?

Labor Day Weekend

Dave and I had a really fun Labor Day weekend. Friday was a wedding of a close friend of mine. My family (minus Brandon, Amber, and the boys) were all in town for the occasion. My sisters, Stephanie and LeAnne, and my parents all came to Littleton and stayed with us at our apartment. The weekend was tons of fun complete with pool time and yummy food.

Employed

Someone is putting their faith in me and employing me as their store manager. Last week I was hired to be the manager of a new store that is opening up in historic downtown Littleton (coincidence that I blogged about that street 3 postings ago...I think not).

The store opens in October and it is a little photography/memories related gift shop. It will be called Chiaroscuro.

Brace yourself for some possible UI (unwanted info)

Chiaroscuro (Italian for light-dark) is a term in art for a contrast between light and dark.
In an effort to make my art history teacher proud...here are 2 of my favorite examples of chiaroscuro shading:

Caravaggio "The Calling of St. Matthew"

Bouguereau "The Knitting Woman"

So right now I have been shopping and buying (a lot) to get the store stocked and ready to be cute. It is going to be really eclectic and funky. Cement floors, exposed piping in the ceiling, silver tin tiles for the walls. I will post pictures sometime in October when the store is up and running.
In other news...my best friend from elementary school is getting married this weekend! We have stayed friends for 22 years (since we were 2) and now I get to attend her wedding this Friday. So fun!

Pool Days

This is what Dave and I have been doing most days (besides looking for jobs and getting ready for school)!

Historic Downtown Littleton

Dave and I went to downtown Littleton on Saturday night for some good food. It is such a cute and artsy little downtown! There was this store called Willow that had the most amazing homemade creations.

Cute Street, Cute Dave