A Tale of Two Parties...

Yesterday (Friday December 7th), was my company's Christmas office party - it was held in Mexico at a local event center near the factory. No Joke - the invitation read "you are cordially invited... bla bla bla from 9:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. Now I'm a 35yr old father of three... I don't do 2am anymore, and probably haven't since college all-nighters studying for finals.

For those that haven't heard, my boss is Scottish, has worked in Mexico for more than four years, and his Spanish vocabulary is limited to si, no, and grassyass... yes, no, and thanks. So, was he going to represent Finance at the Party? Nope... that job was left up to me... Picture if you will, a big wedding hall, 300 dancing Mexicans, and one Lil ol white guy out there attempting to 'fit in'. Good times... good times indeed.

Not that I'm complaining, because Mexican parties are a hoot! Lots of dancing, loud music and laughter. Add an open bar and the fact that the factory is closing next year to the scene, and it can get downright hilarious. The Site General Manager even got heckled during his speech.

Back to my original complaint... I couldn't stay until 2am because I had to be at our Ward Christmas Breakfast the next morning at 7am. I was asked to be a narrator for the program that would accompany breakfast.

When crossing the border on my way home from work that day, I asked the border agent what time the border got busy on a Friday night. She informed me that not until 2am, because that's what time the clubs started closing down, and all the people are trying to get back into the US.

So I figured if I got home early from work, took a little nap, left home around 8:30pm I'd arrive at the FIESTA at 9:30pm (nothing starts on time in Mexico). We'd have dinner I'd listen to the band play, then around 11pm I could make my exit - I'd have to wait in line to cross back into the US for 30-45 minutes (according to the Border Customs Agent I mentioned earlier) another hour drive, and I'd be home by 12:30, 1am at the latest. Get up at 6am for the Ward Breakfast, and I'd be fine.

Well, dinner was finally served at 11:15pm... then I got pulled onto the dance floor and, not wanting to be labeled as the "guero (white guy) that's no fun and can't dance" I went a long. Surprisingly, I still remember how to dance, and actually had a blast. I kinda felt like I was in high school again. I stayed on the dance floor until about Midnight - when the band took a break, I made my exit. I hit the line to cross the border at 12:10am - at 2:10 I am still in the line cussing the LIAR OF A BORDER CUSTOMS AGENT! who said that I would only have to wait 30-45 minutes. After 3am, I finally made it home, fell into bed, only to be awakened by my blaring alarm clock at 5:45am (I didn't feel like ironing a shirt at 3am, and honestly, I still didn't feel like ironing a shirt at 5:45am but got up to do it anyway).

The Ward Christmas Breakfast was hugely successful, and despite some rain, and cooler weather (I can't actually say "cold" for fear of being ridiculed by the Canadians, Utahns, and Idahoans that read my blog) was very well attended. I think we had just under 200 people there. Somehow, I still had lots of energy, and felt great all through the morning.

The Program consisted of me and another guy from the Ward narrating the Christmas story, and between each part of the Nativity story, we would all sing Christmas hymns. It was spiritually uplifting, and really helped drive home the true meaning of Christmas. I can't say that all felt as strongly as I did, but reading the Nativity story, and singing meaningful songs of praise celebrating the Birth of our Savior was the moment for me this year that kicked me into my normal love and excitement for this Season.

So in the span of about 11hrs (of which 2.5 were spent sleeping), I drove to Mexico, partied like a "RockStar", drove back to the US just in time for one of the more spiritually uplifting Christmas experiences of my life... Talk about your tale of two parties... just see for yourself!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I love my Life!!!

Merry Christmas to All!

Standing room only...

Our Ward Christmas Relief Society Dinner was a big hit! Sheri set up 14 tables, with eight table setting at each table. So we expected 112 Sisters to come and eat and enjoy the evening together. More than 120 showed up - there was standing room only!

At last years Christmas Dinner, we only set up eight tables, so we have almost doubled in attendance in just one year. Our ward is growing, and more and more people are excited to come out to the activities.

The program was wonderful, with great music to help get everyone into the Christmas Spirit!

Below are a few of the pictures we took - stay tuned - I might put together a little montage later, when I get some pictures back from some of the others that were taking picture that night...

This is the stage, with the Christmas Floral Sheri put together at the center - turned out good didn't it!

Last year when we had Sheri's family here for Christmas and New Years, Sheri and her Mom and Sisters saw these hanging snowflake chandeliers in Target, being used as their Winter decorations. They asked what they do with them once Christmas is over, and they said they just get rid of them. They asked if we could have them, and they said we could, but that if they got any other requests for them it would be first come first serve, on this specific day. So on that day, my Mother-in-law and I went to Target and waited at the front doors before they opened... as soon as they opened, we rushed in and scooped up as much of their Winter decorations as we could - and all for FREE! Sure made for a wonderful environment on Tuesday night... the pictures can't really do the decorating justice... it really looked amazing!

This time from another angle, and with the lights on... during the dinner, they just used the hanging lights, and Christmas tree lights for the actual lighting... which made it very cozy.

On a side note - hanging those Chandeliers sure was an adventure. The hanging part wasn't so bad, but getting the appropriate hooks in the ceiling... that part was fun! Those scared of heights... need not apply!

Sheri asked for volunteers to bring china, silverware, and nice goblets for each table setting, then used Nativity Scene's as the centerpiece for each table.

There were two food tables on either end of the gym, with the boards behind them decorated.
"For Unto Us A Child is Born"

"Holy Was The Night"

And finally - a closeup of the Christmas Floral Sheri put together...

A special thanks to Lillian for all her help! She worked right along with us through thick and thin... It was great having her and Jane stay with us for those extra two weeks after Thanksgiving. THANKS LALAL!

And to Sheri and Momma (Lathen) Thanks for making me go to Target with you that early January morning... even though I didn't have a very good attitude at that time, I'm sure glad we did it! It really set the stage for a wonderful Christmas celebration!

Once again my bride never ceases to amaze me with her vision, and effort to touch the lives of the Sisters she serves. I'm more proud of her than I can adequately express on this page! She's simply AMAZING!

(for a close-up of any of the above pictures, just click on them and you will get a much bigger view)

Oh no... this tastes like SHOUT!

Tomorrow Sheri has her Relief Society Christmas dinner. We have been working hard to get everything ready for it.

Yesterday after Church, Lillian, Sheri, and I started working on Pumpkin rolls. We needed to make enough rolls for dessert for 120 Sisters. So, we figured, 10 cookie sheet sized rolls, 15 slices per roll, would be 150 servings - taking into account scrap, damage, and personal consumption, we should end up just right. One of the steps in making Pumpkin rolls, is to lay the pumpkin cake layer on a dish towel that is sprinkled with powdered sugar, then roll it up to cool.

After finishing our sixth or seventh roll, we unrolled one that had cooled to add the cream cheese frosting layer - and because we had taken into account the "personal consumption" factor, we could each take a nice little sample - sadly, much coughing, spitting, and even some mild profanity ensued...

Turns out that when you roll the Pumpkin cake layer in a freshly washed and dried dish cloth, the roll takes on the flavor of the dish cloth. Nothing like biting into a freshly baked pumpkin roll, only to have some laundry detergent bite ya back... Personally, I didn't think Fresh Scent Gain tastes that bad... it was kinda like eating pumpkin cake in a bright freshly scented spring meadow...

Unfortunately, after investing six hours in the project, we ended up just scrapping the whole thing. This is one of those moments that you know you will look back on and laugh, but that really wasn't funny while it was happening... Oh well!

Costco cheesecake to the rescue!