Not a creature was stirring (except for the mouse) **mom don't read this post!

Monday started out as a very normal day for me.

I even had visions of a special Christmas Family Night with my strong silent mysterious man reading the scriptures of Jesus birth.

But my dreams were very quickly squished and my nightmares began with an announcement from my man that he has seen a mouse in the kitchen.  

WHAT????  

WHY?????? 

WHERE DID HE COME FROM???? 

HOW DO WE HAVE A MOUSE???? 

WHAT IS HE DOING IN OUR HOUSE?????  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GET HIM OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After my brief mental breakdown, my man took charge (clearly I was in no frame of mind to deal with that information in any resemblance of calm). 

He was quite sweet about it at first... and it was evident that he was on a mission!  "The Mother in Law" was coming to visit in a few weeks and there had better not be any sign of a mouse when she arrived.   

He is a smart boy!

Our family night would now become a Consumer Reports type quest on the best mouse catcher on the market.

After much deliberation in isle 12 at Walmart... none of which I was able to give any input on what might be the most humane way to dispose of a corpse vs. the easiest with the least smell vs the safest for the dogs vs the best way for me NOT to see a dead critter... because I was all but moved into the master closet on the far other end of the house on top of the rickety six foot ladder, far from where any traps might be set to catch the waskaly waskal.  Avoiding the kitchen at all cost.  And only entering said last sighting area of kitchen with loud clapping, stomping and or making as much noise as I could upon entry, with an occasional scream in my highest pitched girl tone from fear I MIGHT have seen something out of the corner of my eye.  (my strong silent mysterious man HATES screaming girls... so this created a few arguments on top of the mach V tension in our house from the alleged intruder)... I digress....

after much deliberation he decided on "the sticky traps"

ewwwwww!

Much to my disapproval...

"So you mean they are still alive.

On the trap.

Screaming for their life when I come home for lunch????

What if they are big and walk off with the trap on their feet?"

Okay this was much more than I could handle emotionally... so I have spend the last weeks lunch breaks at work, while my strong silent mysterious man... aka "Elmer Fudd" comes home and checks the traps.

He has really been so good, he has been on trap watching duty overtime.  

It is exhausting waiting to get out of bed until he checks the traps... then leaping from my bed to the bathroom 10 feet away in a single bound while still on the other side of the house from the kitchen. 

And I have been living on clementine oranges because they are the quickest thing I can grab and run with out of the kitchen with my eyes shut, half squeeling with the biggest adrenaline rush EVER.

I am so dehydrated because I can't even bring myself to go into the kitchen for a drink when I want/need one.  

Once I am spooked, I have learned I turn into that 6 year old little girl that was afraid of the dark, scary monsters and anything that might touch me. 

I am sure I look like a freak in my own home, because my man tells me it's ridiculous.  But hey, fear is fear, and it's real!!

I was so happy when he reported to have caught the mouse. Oh phew, I can return some sort of normal once my heart stops pounding.

But oh no... the nightmares returned when I asked him to get rid of all those creepy traps all over the kitchen and he said no I am leaving them out to make there are no more.

WHAT????  
WHY WOULD THERE BE MORE?????? 
HOW DO YOU KNOW???? 
HOW DID WE GET THEM???? 
WHAT ARE THEY DOING IN OUR HOUSE?????  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I was seriously considering selling and moving before the end of that conversation.


However, it is Thursday night and while there have been 3 corpses total,  I am happy to report they were all caught before Wednesday, so there hasn't been a sighting for two days, and all the traps are empty.  But my Strong Silent Mysterious Man is still in "Hunter Mode". 


Needless to say, I barely cooked dinner before the intruders, now I am REALLY squimish in my kitchen.  But my courage is beginning to return.  No thanks I might add to my lazy no good dogs who I think also might be afraid of mice, because they go in the kitchen to eat and won't go back in there by themselves either.


So, there will be no almond roca Christmas candy this year, due to what we will fondly call the
"kitchen renovation".


Mom, I told you not to read it... if you did.  I promise, it will all be back to normal by the time you get here!!
I promise!!!

Road Trip...

Saturday my strong silent mysterious man and I took the challenger on a road trip...

to Twin Falls :)

It was a multi-functional trip...

1) A great excuse to check the fuel mileage on the car and blow it out (what ever that means).

2) A Trip to the Temple (Mom-Jim did some work for Uncle Alton League, it was really special the day before Mama's birthday).

3) Serve some of those missionaries we love so much.

 It was a great drive down, music up, wind in my hair (not really, but it sounds more adventurous somehow)... sunny and cold, but the roads were dry and dusty.

(What is that sparkle of reflection on the top?  I didn't notice it in the photo until we got home. Cool.) The Temple was so beautiful and peaceful inside.

The back problems I have been dealing with for over a month now, totally quit hurting for two hours straight while we were inside the Temple... what a tender mercy.

 And Jim even stopped and let me take a quick photo from the front... he is usually Mr. impatient with my photo journaling.

 Then over to nearby Filer, ID to pick up a couple of local missionaries who made the trip to attend a baptism for an investigator they taught when they were serving in this area previously. (this is them squishing into the back of the car... which is not very conducive to passengers... but they were just so happy to be there)

I love how they come to know and love the people they teach enough to go through all they did to attend his baptism.  It was a big deal, to get permission (that almost never happens) and get rides lined up both ways, and figure out splits for their companions.

I love their dedication.  It was so worth the effort, they talked half way home about how amazing the man's testimony was and how good he was doing.  It really was a boost for them to see him enter the waters of baptism.

One of them could still be here in a year when he plans to go to the Temple and he is already talking about trying to be there for him then too.  So sweet, you gotta love missionaries. 

♫ Dashing Through the Snow....

Thursday night was my work Christmas party.

We went to Bogus Creek for a dinner sleigh ride.

We were all beyond excited!!!

We met at the office to ride together.

I followed my strong silent mysterious man into the very back of the Suburban... with NO other thoughts than "Doc will not crash us, he's a good driver!" (not sure why those were my last thoughts, I had never been in a vehicle with him before... but they were thoughts of comfort and joy at the time).

In good company, we got acquainted and laughed... then on the first turn I reflected back on my first trip to Bogus Basin   IT WAS A CURVY ROAD ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP.

Yikes!  I don't do great on curvy roads.

What felt like a hundred miles (probably only 8) with the window down and freezing cold air blowing on everyone in the car.

We made it to the top... let me OUT!!!

PHew!  Land!!!  Sweet land!!!

(just kidding, I don't know what I was doing here... but my strong silent mysterious man was kind enough to take the camera so I could be in a few photos... he get's me, I love him)

 And a beautiful sunset!!

 I was all good.  

 Our initial hopes of going inside the cabin to wait for the one horse  open sleigh and sipping on cider were squished.  There is almost no snow, so the lodge was closed, dark and empty.

So back in the car, to snuggle so we don't freeze to death!  It was super cold.

 Cowboy "Dex" I think was his name, picked us up in the 3 horse open sleigh, even better than one.  (But try not to get a complex if you are super concious of your weight, that it takes 3).

 We snuggled under our blankets and rode back into the woods.

The sunset was amazing!

And the jingle of the sleigh bells on the horses almost brought tears to my eyes!!  For real! 

It's one of my favorite sounds now, there is nothing else like it, it evokes the spirit of Christmas!!!!  I can close my eyes and still hear them!!!

 We sat down for dinner created by the crew of 3 men behind a couple of swinging doors they referred to as "the kitchen", but from the inside of this "cabin" it almost looked like they were going out onto a porch and cooking over an open fire out back.  

We started with hot cocoa on the table and immediately served with huge bread bowls of broccoli cheddar soup.  It was warm and so yummy good.

Marlana and her firefighter, John.  See the bread bowl on the table, it was the softest amazing bread ever!!

The one time you give yourself permission to eat the bowl and everything!!

We were serenaded by the most beautiful guitar music and the singer... I can't remember his name. 

But he was really really good!  His voice was so easy to listen to and he had perfect pitch, and stayed in tune all night.

He joked about being "the one guy" in the cowboy movie that didn't wear a cowboy hat.

We also randomly knew another couple on the trip.

I really believe everything happens for a reason, not sure why of all nights we were on the same trip, but I this is what I secretly hope to have a glimpse of at the end of my life... the purpose of all the things that happen in our lives and how they fit into God's plan for us. 

Meet the Taylors... he is also the Dad of one of our missionary's really good friends.

After the bread bowls, we had an amazing course of perfectly cooked steak and smashed potatoes and prawns with tender baby carrots.  Wow!  From the camp stove out back, really?  I so wished I would have asked to go into the kitchen.  I was so curious.

Then during a homemade chocolate molten brownie dessert, Cowboy Dex told some cowboy stories.

I giggled under my breath because that I didn't think REAL cowboys wore "teal" shirts and silk scarfs, and every time he talked about wanting to be a cowboy when he grew up, I hoped that dream would someday come true for ol' Dex, but not happening in the silk bandanna.

I asked Marlana the next day, and she said it was true,  Real cowboys wear silk, its super warm.  Her Dad wears one.

I believe her, but I might have to ask a Real cowboy one day.

My missionary nephew in Brazil has a grandpa from Cody WY, he's a Real cowboy, I'll ask him!!

I want to hear it in person from a Real cowboy, so I can tell my kids.  ha ha ha

So he went around and we tried to find any birthdays or anniversaries to celebrate.

Boss and his wife are on their 34th year, awesome!!

(somehow they both even look surprised about it here, but it's no surprise to me... they are a great example of how to be charitable and loving and kind to your spouse)

And Marlana and "the firefighter" are celebrating 8 months!! 

 So they all got an anniversary potato.

I thought 20 years was doing pretty good, but we have to keep working at it to get an anniversary potato.

(a potato sliced in half with a candle stuck in it... not edible, not sure what the point was other than some extra heat in the room, ha ha ha)

So, about the room.  Yes that is a plywood, make shift hunting type temporary cabin.

But it was decorated so beautifully, you almost couldn't notice.

I always wondered how a bachelor cowboy would decorate his cabin in the mountains for Christmas?

Well with evergreens, pine cones and animal furs hanging from the rafters of course!!

What says "warm and homey by the fire at Christmas" more than that?

You know, snow shoes, cowboy hat, evergreen swag, fox... check!

My favorite was the big lit wreath, the flash really enhances the plywood effect, but in the darkly dim lit room, it wasn't like that.  It was so beautiful!!

  

 It was really a wonderful night, such great company, we could hang out with these four anytime!!

I have mentioned how much I LOVE my job and this is partly why, all of them!

Doc and Marlana are a given, we just click.  I still just know enough to be dangerous at work, but they hold my hand and help me along the way and boost me when I need a little confidence, and laugh at my knowledge knocks when I learn something the hard way.  I couldn't ask for anything better.

 I get to see boss's wife all the time, she is one of my dearest friends.  She completes me.

And I get to hear about all the adventures of living with a fire fighter because, well they are still newlyweds, so she swoons over him and rightfully so, he is a hunk and a really good guy!!

 The ride back to our cars was just as cold as the ride in.  But Somehow I didn't seem to mind.  It was really romantic and fun and I didn't want the night to end.

 Cowboy let us take pictures of the horses, they were the real stars of the night.

And remember I said things don't just happen out of coincidence?

Well the two horses on the outside... all dressed in their "black".

Well one was named Jake, and the other Jack!!!!!!!!

Yep, I could have cried!  The names of my two favorite missionaries!!

And it was a real sleigh... not wheels like we thought when we saw how little snow there was.

It was such a beautiful night, a really delicious dinner, I mentioned the wonderful company and the atmosphere was amazing.  

A super good time was had by all!!

  

I will leave out the details of the windy curvy ride back home, where we DID indeed have to pull over and get out of the car for the sick and weary.  But at least I wasn't alone... see what a good friend I have to work with :)  Yeah, I won't mention that part, it was still an awesome night!!

**Update... it was "Cowboy Stew" (not joking).  And the musician's name was Dan Costello.  Thanks to my strong silent mysterious man with the steel trap memory :)