I Adore Snow

It is truly a shame that so many Utahans have never experienced the magnificent slopes for which we are most celebrated. There is a reason vacationers frequent our mountains so readily this time of year. In my opinion there is no other activity so pleasurable. Few words can adequately account for my well-disposed sentiments when I am engaged in my favorite pastime: snowboarding, with my most-beloved companions: my family. My grandmother was an avid snow-skier; she passed away shortly after her last ski-trip, at the age of 66. I anticipate our family will continue this amusement together for many future winters.

The kids sat patiently at the top of our first run, waiting for me to board down and video them individually. This was done at the request of Grandma and Grandpa Hep, who sadly could not join us, as they are currently showcasing Dad’s art in Arizona.

Tyler “Going Toe-Side”:

Tyler “On the Half-Pipe”:

Carly “So Meticulous”:

Travis “Speedster”:

My Talented Trio:

The bunny hill is only a few years away for you my dear!

Etiquette and Propriety

One of my favorite paintings: A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte (1884) by Georges-Pierre Seurat, a 19th century French artist who utilized a style termed pointillism.

For those of you like me who love classic prose, I recently found a fantastic website that highlights a hundred or more complete novels and short stories by some of my favorite timeless authors: Austen, Carroll, Dickens, Dostoevsky, Eliot, Joyce, Jerome, Kipling, Swift, Twain, Verne, Wells, and Wodehouse. http://www.everyauthor.com/writing

Most of these authors lived during the Georgian and Victorian eras. I have a persistent fantasy in which I imagine myself in this time period. Maybe as a principle character in one of Austen’s narratives- certainly there is nothing better than a good novel that implores social manners and literary realism. I admire the stanch etiquette and propriety that is today so uncommonly exhibited. The 18th and 19th centuries are often characterized by excessive displays of wealth and opulent extravagances by upper-class families. However, this time period also marked a rise in philanthropy, endowing thousands of educational and medical institutions, museums, performing arts, and religious and other humanitarian charities.

Cool Kid

Travis asked for some “Jump Man” basketball shoes for Christmas and was surprised to un-wrap two pairs. Thanks to Footlocker’s buy two and save $25 he is now the proud possessor of a blue and white pair and a black pair. He loves how his new shoes make him run faster, jump higher, and look so much cooler!

My All-To-Eager Snow Shoveler

Without any asking, Tyler keeps our walks and driveway clear. He does an exceptional job too! Tyler never seems cold- he LOVES the snow. Several times this year I have caught Tyler shoveling in just a tee-shirt and jeans.

C & C

Carly and Courtney shed a few tears on Saturday night. It might be awhile before they see each other again. They have been so cute together this past week. Courtney tells everyone that Carly is her very best friend!

Cutie-Pie

Nutcracker

The Nutcracker was magical! This year’s rendition was the best I’ve seen- Ballet West put on an exceptional show. Eric and I took the girls (Carly, Quincy, and Kalia) to see this holiday ballet performed at the Capitol Theater… in all its red velvet glory (it has been a few years since I was last entertained before this stage). The ballerinas were all so graceful and elegant- the control they maintained during multiple pirouettes was phenomenal and their piqué arabesques and échappés sur les pointes were so perfectly balanced. In contrast, the danseurs flew with such power and strength- their tours en l'air and grand jetés towering above their female counterparts, yet they made everything look so effortless. I just love classical ballet! The highlights included the wind-up doll presented to the young girls at the Christmas Eve celebration, Clara’s passage through the land of the Snow Queen, the Arabian princess, and of course the grand pas de deux performed by the breathtaking Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier. The girls were mesmerized throughout the performance, except for a few stifled laughs from Carly and Kalia each time a danseur in tight tights entered the stage.