Christmas 2011

We are back in Boston getting ready to ring in a new year after spending a lovely week in Utah. Even though a lot of my Utah peeps were somewhere up the Amazon I still felt like I was coming home.

I have two confessions: I am not a blogger...if blogging means you are brief and to the point in posting. This is long. But they are the things I want to remember and you don't have to read it if you don't want to. Confession #2: I apparently do not know how to use a camera in that I don't take pictures. I took my camera and the only pictures that we took were of the new Natural History Museum. Now, I know nothing says "Merry Christmas" quite like pictures of the foothills of Salt Lake in December, but it is what it is. Maybe these will be two of my New Year's Resolutions. As it is, I'll try to scrounge up some pictures from Kathy or Grandma Pedersen who I know have some pictures..

It was my first Christmas with the Miller's and it was lovely. We flew in Tuesday evening (yeah for direct flights) and headed up to Park City. It was strange to have it be so cold with no snow. The higher we got up the canyon the more snow I expected to see but really there was hardly any. Mark and Kathy had about a foot in the yard but the streets were clear. We got settled and caught up with Kathy and Erin and then crashed for the night. (The week prior to leaving was crazy busy with Eric's finals, my teaching and performances, and Christmas with my family--not to mention last minute things we needed to do before heading out of town so we were slightly sleep deprived.)

Wednesday we headed back down the canyon for some shopping and a hair cut. (Yes, I do go to Utah to get my hair done. The only Boston hair I like is typically transplanted from another state and I'm terrified to have it done here. I know it isn't a long term solution and a little ridiculous...whatever...) At 1ish we met up with my grandparents and Suzan, Bill, and the boys for lunch. It was so nice to see them! I loved it. Thank you to Eric, Kathy, and Erin for indulging me.

Thursday Erin had to work so we headed up to Layton to see Grandma and Grandpa Pedersen. We had a lovely meal prepared by the early to rise Kathy and I got the tour of the war room (where she does her genealogy work) and the wall of pictures. We watched the David Archileta Christmas special with the Tabernacle Choir (which I didn't really see much of last year...) and then Eric and I headed to salt lake for some last minute Christmas errands and to meet up with Erin. There is a new natural history museum up by red butte garden that she wanted to check out and, even though it ended up being closed it was a very cool building. I think next time around Eric will want to check it out. The final activity of the day was Music and the Spoken Word. I had talked with some of the orchestra people a while ago about playing the rehearsal and broadcast while I was in town and they were more than welcoming. Eric dropped me off while Kathy picked up Mark who was flying into town at 7:30 and then we all met at the conference center. It was so nice to see all my friends in the choir and orchestra and to catch up a little bit. It is amazing to me how much life can change in a year's time! I think it had forgotten some things...

After the broadcast we met up with Lorin, Brenda, and the boys on temple square and then we all made our way back up to PC. Friday was all about the boys playing in the snow, walking around downtown Park City (where I had probably one of the best Rice Krispy treats of my life), and playing hand and foot. So fun. Those babies are just plain beautiful.

I was surprised at Eric's desire to start Christmas shopping in October but it began to make sense when I realized all the Millers were done with their shopping and wrapping well in advance leaving Christmas Eve for prepping and eating a big meal, card playing, and whatever else we wanted to do. It was nice to not really have anything to worry about, especially the last minute wrapping that I am used to every Christmas Eve...

Christmas morning began quite a bit later than I was used to--waking around 8. I had heard tell of orange juice coming to get me out of bed. After patiently waiting, I didn't know if Erin was a little nervous coming into the basement with said orange juice so I got up and headed to the kitchen to help (only to find she wasn't up yet...) Gradually all interested parties emerged from the various corners of the house and since we had to be at church at 10:15am, our time was limited to stockings and breakfast (which was fantastic). At church, Erin, Kathy, Grandpa Pedersen, and I sang in the choir. I played my violin (Eric has taken full credit for the strangeness of the music selection) and was accompanied from a lovely sister in the ward. Post church, we hurried home and changed into appropriate Christmas morning attire. And then we began.

Opening presents is something to be savored at the Miller residence. It is not just one present per person at a time. It is one present for one person at a time. And depending on the person, the paper was not to be ripped (a la Bert in Christmas on Sesame Street). After several breaks to stoke the fire, find sustenance, and play with the occasion toy, we made it through everything, around 6pm. We are so blessed! Post presents we called Boston and talked with my family to check in on their day...somewhat forgetting they were two hours later (probably could have called while waiting for my orange juice). It was good to check in and made me glad we have another holiday next week to spend with them.

Monday, our last day, was made up of running errands, packing (yuck), trying out Kathy's new wok, and yet another game of Hand and Foot. What a wonderful way to spend the holiday. I suppose while some might view the lack of snow as a tragedy, it was really nice to simply hang out and be together.

Thank you Thank you to Kathy and Mark for a lovely week!