Wishing you a Hydrated Holiday!

Happy Yule, everyone... and a belated Happy Hanukkah and an early Merry Christmas (I love that we are all such a beautiful collage of dynamic souls).

So - its officially, officially winter here in Utah and I learn something new every single day.

Hunter says that one of the side effects of this little adventure we've embarked upon is my tendency to fixate... I was prone to fixating before, but I'm pretty sure we're at a new level. To be honest, I don't think that its so much a side effect of being pregnant as it is the hormones have aligned and brought out what is a dormant and inevitable Glasgow trait. My fixations range from the weather, to food network (my DVR is 98% full because 'OH MY GOD PAULA DEAN IS COOKING MACARONI AND CHEESE IN A CROCK POT, I SHOULD DO THAT ONE DAY!'), to that rather bizarre waitresses we had last night.

I will admit (getting back to the winter in Utah thing) I have been checking and announcing the temperature, wind chill, and how it compares to the temperature in the North Pole every 15 minutes like clockwork for about 3 weeks now (I mean, there's a link on the blackberry weather channel application to see the weather at the North Pole every time you check the temperature.... how can you pass that up??). But seriously - there was an entire week there where it practically didn't make it to 20 degrees. If you're factoring in the wind chill, which I mean, who doesn't - we're talking consistently -12, night after night. All I can say about -12 degrees is, man... that's cold.... who wouldn't fixate???

One such evening, Hunter and I decided we'd head out for a little Salt Lake City winter adventure. I grew up listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas tapes incessantly. My mother was just in love with the Mo-Tab Christmas music (I can say Mo-Tab now because I'm a local, and yes, it makes me feel super cool). We have met some dear and wonderful friends here, who offered to try and help us get in to see the choir's Christmas concert. The concert was sold out, but our friend knew of a possibility to get will-call tickets and offered to meet us out there and give it a shot. The same wonderful city who beautifully coordinated and executed a tremendously successful winter Olympics thought it would be a great idea to schedule the Mo-Tab Christmas Concert and a Utah Jazz (professional basketball) game across the street from each other at the same time on the same night. We live exactly 4 miles/8 straight blocks from Temple Square, where the concert was being held. It took us over an hour to drive those 4 miles.... the concert was starting. As for our friends, she was standing outside waiting for us with two cups hot apple cider and he was looking for a parking space. About 45 minutes later we found a parking garage about 2 miles from the temple and started walking. I checked the temperature... -9. At the North Pole it was only -5. Eat your heart out Santa. About a mile and half into our trek to the concert our friend called. The tickets were sold out. He was still looking for a parking space. My cider was cold. We turned around and went to Wendy's instead. I guess I'll have to ask mom if I can borrow her tape... but next year - we have a game plan.... oh yes... there is a game plan.

The other fun fact that I am quickly learning about Salt Lake City - is that it is next to impossible to keep any sort of vegetation alive unless you are 110% committed. This means, ladies and gentlemen, that our Christmas tree is seriously dead. I mean dead. You see (and its taken me 6 months to resign myself to this fact) if you are trying to keep any sort of plant (or animal for that matter) alive you must water it every single blessed day out here. None of this 'every other week, okay fine - twice a week, omg, really... every other day???' business. No. Every. Day. Well, guess which delightfully round, disjointed pelvis, pregnant southern transplant did not get down on the floor and crawl around under the tree to water it every day. The good news is, at night, when its lit up, you can't even tell its dead... unless of course, it goes up in flames... then I suppose it will be rather obvious. So far, I've killed everything in our yard, a beautiful orchid and an unkillable house plant. I know its unkillable, because I had one in NC that I left in my car in July in 120 degreess and when I pulled it out it was a shriveled black skeleton... three separate times.... and it still lived. Same plant, here in Utah... Dead. (yes, I am having a child... what?) So I am ready to resign myself to this arid climate and my new year's resolution will be to keep my plants, my pets and my family hydrated every day, for better or worse, cross my heart....

I hope you're all warm and relaxed and looking forward to a long weekend filled with love and laughter. Know that we are missing you and thinking of you every single day and that you are in our hearts and thoughts throughout the holidays and beyond.

So very much love,

JEGB