Christmas Morning

I know it is two days later but I have to tell you about Christmas morning here at the Hamberlins. We woke Christmas morning to our beloved pet Guinea Pig, Tucker, dead. We have known for several months that he was not doing as well as he had. He was nearly 6 years old and had lost a lot of weight. But did he have to die so early Christmas morning? He did. It made for a very sad beginning. We had to "take care" of getting him in a box before we could enjoy opening presents. Needless to say it took a few presents before some of us felt a little joy.

Challah (Hall la lal lah) Bread

Challah bread is Jewish Holiday bread made when there are celebrations. We puposely make it around this time of year for our treats to our friends and neighbors. My kids call it "Hall la lal lah" bread because of the time of year. I get a kick out of that. Because my list of loved ones keeps growing and I wanted to make a mess out of the kitchen only once (it ended up being twice) I borrowed Ann's 6 heavy duty cookie sheets and went to work. When you make Challah bread you make the dough and let it rise for an hour and a half and then you roll it out and braid it and let it rise again for an hour and a half before you cook it. One batch of dough makes four nice sized breads. It took me all day but I accomplished 40 breads on the first go around. Alan and the kids delivered. I like them to be delivered warm. Here are a few pictures from our Challah day.

Here is a picture of the dough rising after it is braided. It is just about ready for the oven


Here they are just out of the oven. Aren't they pretty? I love the look of them.


I love the look of them so much that I had to show a close up. Is your mouth watering yet?


While I made and baked the Challah bread the kids were working hard at making their own gingerbread house. We were kind of dissapointed that the house was already stuck together and too hard. They did enjoy the candy and the frosting. I am sure that they all licked their fingers at least a dozen times. This is how it looked when they ran out of candy. :)



Needless to say, we do enjoy making and baking to let all of our friends and neighbors know how much we love having them in our lives. To all of you we wish you the happiest of Christmases. May the memories you make this year be some that you remember in years to come. The Hamberlin's love you. :)

The Dogs Life

We have an outside dog named Tia (It means "Aunt" in Spanish). She is a Weimaraner. Here are just a few funny pictures of her.




And here is her profile.



We have had her three years. Since we have done quite a bit of work on beautifying our back yard, she has had to stay in a pen on the side of our house. She is a little hyper but we love her. I was thinking about her this morning at 3 something AM. Why? I don't really know. Because she is in a pen for a good part of the day, she is always very happy to see any of us. She literally dances at the gate and whines if you are in the yard and she is not out of her pen. She is almost spastic about it.

I want to be like my dog. I know you are all chuckling about now that I would say that. You are all wondering if I would want to lounge around all day and be lazy. That is not how I want to be like her. I want to be like her in the fact that she can't remember the bad things that have happened to her or who did those "unpleasant" things to her. She loves (sometimes too much) anyone that pays attention to her. She is always happy to see someone she loves. She dances with joy at the prospect of just being in our presence. I need to be more like my dog.

Sometimes I am too quick to slink back into my dog house and play hermit when the opportunity presents itself to meet someone new. Sometimes I am like a neighbors dog that doesn't let anyone in by barking and snarling and snapping. Sometimes I can't forget an unkind word that was spoken or that I heard from the "grapevine". And sometimes I am more like "an Elephant that never forgets". I for one would do better off to be more like my dog.

I wonder what kind of dream I was having or state that I was in when I woke at 3 something and thought about these analogies? Let that be a lesson to me. There is never a set time to learn something. Even from the life of a canine. Happy day today. K8

Friends

We had a lesson in Relief Society today on Unity. I have thought a lot about it lately. I didn't add any comments because I was holding sleeping Adi Halbert (I love the feel of a sleeping baby in my arms only because mine are so big that they don't sleep in my arms any longer). I am grateful that I was in attendance today.

I have been thinking a lot about unity because of my wonderful friends. You know, there is nothing quite like the neighborhood I now live in. I can't imagine leaving it. The people are genuine, friendly, supportive, loving people. They are true friends living in harmony and unity. They are not clickish or exclusive groups. Most are concerned about you and your life and are willing to go out of their way to help you out. They are certainly the kind you can borrow a cup of sugar from.

One of my wonderful neighbors was concerned that Alan and I might have to move because of his current "unemployment" status. I was touched that she would have those concerns. It would be very devistating for me to even think of having to move. We are so glad that we moved into this neighborhood and I want to live here until I can't climb the stairs anymore. By then.... I don't want to think of that far ahead.

So to all my friends out there in cyberspace and around the corner, I love you all. Thanks for being my friends and my strength, even when you don't know it. Thanks for the kind words and the hellos and the how are yous. Your warmth and care mean the world to me and I appreciate you. I love you. My world would not be the same with out you. Now I must go wipe a tear and blow my nose. K8

Let Go....

I didn't think I would be blogging again so soon. I have a lot of different feelings going through me right now. Alan was "let go" today. Although he will still go to work until the 30th of January, he will no longer be connected to the company. He has "seperation papers" he has to go through and sign.

Its an odd feeling. You know he has been with Starwood in one form or another for 16years and a couple of months. That is along time to be with a company. Co-workers become a community of sorts. I know that the Lord will provide, still I am woman and worry about finances, insurance, and all that accompanies it.

I am grateful that he has had a job this long. I am grateful that he and I will be able to spend a little time together (they gave him the rest of the week off). I am grateful that there is a possibility that his next job will be closer to home. I am grateful that we live in a great neighborhood and have such wonderful friends. I know that when a door is closed a few windows are flung open and a fresh breeze comes in. You might all have to remind me that I am grateful a couple of months from now when my sight might be a little narrow. Alan sees this as a chance to do something new. In a way I am excited for that as well. But only time will tell.

Alan did ask me at about 12:45 what should he do now. I mentioned that the garage always needs some attention. He went to it. I can't lie, I will love this aspect of the time off. Thanks for listening. K8

Chrissy's Wedding

I had the opportunity to go to Utah shortly before Thanksgiving to my niece's wedding. I was their photographer. We had a perfect day. And the weather wasn't bad for November (65 degrees) in SaltLake (just look at the short sleeves on Chrissy). I loved being there and the ceremony was fantastic. I felt my mother's presence while in the Temple. One of the other highlights in the day for me was to look around the room and see all of my siblings in attendance. Each and Every one of them. It has been awhile since we were all together in the Temple. I think, where you can be with all of your loved ones in one sacred spot, is truely Heaven.

I thought I would add some of the pictures I took of Chrissy's wedding. K8

First Blog

Okay so I thought I would jump on the bandwagon. It always takes me awhile to see something good in new things. For instance I just receintly got an ipod as an anniversary present and it has changed my life in so many ways. I love it. Like my ipod, I am thinking this blogging would be a great way for others I love to know what goes on in my life. I see this as an opportunity for others to see into my world. I love reading other's blogs and getting to read their insights and observations. Hopefully I can share a little more of me. I think that everyone has a story to share and so... here is mine. It may not be grand but it is mine.