Christmas with the Carters

This is what happens when you combine lots of frosting, sugar cookies and the Carter boys. We had so much fun doing all kinds of Christmasy things. But watch out for frosting on your face.

I feel bad that I don't have more Carter pics on this blog... They are the greatest! So here's Doug, Chris, Steve and Sean. Sitting are Markelle (and baby Jackson), Brent, me and Blaine.

Isn't our table pretty?

Yankee Swap '07

So ever since my parents moved to Washington, I have never been able to make it to the Christmas gift-exchange fiesta ... until this year! We were pumped to hit Cheesecake factory but decided we couldn't wait until 9:30 at night to eat, so we opted for Texas Roadhouse instead. Red meat and girlfriends; could a gal ask for anything more?

Haley, me and Rochelle
Dottie and Ange
Liz, Dot and Ang
Janelle and Emily
Janelle, Cho, Lizzy and Dot

Haley, me, Em and Anna

(Check out Em's cute belly. She is ready to pop with little Cash)

Ang is going to kill me for this picture. She just looks like she having such a great time! (I swear we don't drink... just diet coke!)

The Genius of Dickens

I LOVE the story of A Christmas Carol: I grew up watching the George C. Scott version every year, I wrote a paper on it in college, when I really read it and understood the satire and "foreboding doom" Dickens was warning society of in the 1840s, and now I teach it to my sophomores at Christmastime.
I just love this story! It has such an amazing moral to it that I think sometimes gets lost in the many, many, many versions and variations out there. It's a story about redemption and change. Dickens presents the notion that selfishness and the love of money will only lead you to a sad, lonely demise. There are also some very cool Christian inferences that can be made, like when Scrooge is trying to put out the light that is streaming from the Ghost of Christmas Past's head. He cannot put it out; he cannot deny the light and love he had witnessed... So cool.
I know I'm a really big nerd. Most of the time when I'm teaching this stuff to my students, they look at me like I'm crazy. I get so passionate and excited, and they just look at me... "seriously, she's really THIS excited?" Oh well.
For the last three years, we have seen A Christmas Carol at Orem's Hale Theater. Their rendition of it is awesome; lots of traditional music and some really powerful and beautiful original stuff too. The guy that plays Scrooge has been doing it for years and is fabulous! I cry like a baby every year when Bob Cratchit goes to Tiny Tim's grave, when Scrooge is begging forgiveness, and then when he says that he "doesn't deserve to be so happy" at the end. (Actually, I'm tearin' up a bit now.)
Check it out! And "God bless us, everyone!"

Edible Homes...

This was my second "Gingerbread House Extravaganza" as a Carter, and it was fantastic. We don't really vote on the best each year, we just nod in silent agreement. I love being a Carter!

So which do you all like best?

Here's Mine and Blaine's beach house. Check out Blaine's palm tree. We can't wait for Newport Beach this summer!
Here's Sean and Doug's treehouse. I am amazed by their bridge and campfire. So cool!
This is Steve and Chris's train. I love the conducter!
Brent and Markelle's cabin. Markelle was dissapointed that she couldn't "live here"

...aren't we all?
And finally, Carl and Judy's Jungle Cruise tour boat. Check out the detail on the fruit. Yeah-- those are made out of Starburst. They are not Runts. I'm not kidding.

STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!

Alright, so this is the second post in just two days (a scary side-effect of procrastinating grading), but after watching yet, more re-runs on what used to be my favorite TV night of the week last night, I need to ask the following question: Is this strike working? I mean, really, is it effective? Are the writers making their point or are they just pissing us all off? 

I'm not anti-strike or anti-union; I think that history and Disney movies starring Christian Bale:) have proven that striking has its merit. But really, is this working?

Christmas Music

Is it just me, or is there a lot of really crappy Christmas music out there in the big, wide, world? Now, don't get me wrong--I LOVE Christmas music--to a perverse degree. I have even been known to throw it on mid-year if I'm feeling a little down. (If you haven't done this, you should try it. It will do wonders for those August blues! Trust me.)

I think that I could really live the rest of life never having to hear "The Little Drummer Boy", or "We Three Kings" again. The same goes for "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" by Bare Naked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan. Yesterday, on my way home from school, I heard a version of "Last Christmas" that made me want to stab out my eyeballs... it was some new-poor-excuse-for Punk music band. Ugh.

So what do you all think? What are your least favorites? And if you think this is too negative for the Holiday Season, you can list your favorite versions too. :)

Shiny Decor

If you all are like me, you actually get sad when Christmas is over... My house just isn't as happy looking anymore... It takes forever to put up, but doesn't it look pretty and shiny?

In a New York State of Mind

I HEART NY...
This may sound crazy, but I always knew I'd fall in love with the Big Apple. I just never knew how much until now. Seriously, what is it about this city that makes me giddy? Well, I had the greatest time in NYC, and a majority of my time was spent alone. Blaine was in training all day, all week--and you know, I loved being on my own. I could be very selfish: do what I wanted, see what I wanted, shop where I wanted... you get the idea. It was just me and my iPod. Good times, man. I even happened across a free Alicia Keys concert. Perfect timing... Well needless to say, I took a butload of pictures. When Blaine and I were together, he was mostly laughing at me pulling out my camera every 3 seconds. I have no shame. Oh well, eh? Here's a very small portion of what I got... Enjoy.

Times Square!!!

I love this guy.

This is the Rockefeller Christmas Tree... veiled. I thought it was worth taking a picture of though.

Stupid strikers. We missed out on a Broadway show. Boo.

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Awe... :)

Me... with Central Park in the background.

Handsome Blaine.

This building is where Cary Grant hangs out until midnight.

Empire State Building. This may make it to the Christmas Card '07.

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The Columbus Memorial.

Just a cool street. Don't you think?

This is Central Park West. The second most expensive street in America to live on.

I always found myself looking up in this city. :)

I can't tell you what the name of this church is. I just thought it was beautiful.
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So Blaine and I took this great dinner cruise around Manhattan island. It was so cool seeing New York City from the water.

Here's the Brooklyn Bridge. Love photoshop!

Another bridge shot.

City Lights.

Blaine and me out on the deck.

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Oh, how I fell in love with Central Park! I took a few trips through this "wood within the city".

Here's a bunch more...

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I completely lost myslef in the Met for a good three hours. I had such an amazing time wandering and staring. It was really incredible.

Yup. That's a real Mary Cassat at the end there.

So the part of the Modern section I REALLY wanted to see was closed. Panic! I've waited my whole life to see Klimpt, Monet, and Renoir and those idiots had it closed the day I was there. Frustrating. Oh well, at least I got to take this illegal picture of the famous shark. Cool.

I was enthralled with the sculptures here...I loved this one. I took MANY more pictures, but am trying to hold back. "Trying" is the key word here.

Thanks for placating me everyone. I heart NY.