Festival Of Trees 2012

Every year I take my AVID students to volunteer as hosts and hostesses at the Festival of Trees, an annual event to benefit Primary Children's Medical Center.  Christmas trees, wreaths, centerpieces, and gingerbread houses are all made (usually in honor of someone), donated, auctioned, and then placed on display for the general public for several days and thousands of people come to view them.  My students basically guarded the display areas to keep items from being touched or stolen.  Each shift lasted for three hours and it is quite boring to stand in one place for that long, especially for energetic high school students, so I am always very proud that I have so many students volunteer every year (see 2011 here and 2010 here).  Here are some of my wonderful students with the beautiful trees and centerpieces.

I loved this tree because of the elephants!

The tree was called "Pinkilicious."

Many of my seniors have been working on their applications to the University of Utah to meet the priority deadline this week so this tree was very appropriate!

"The Mad Hatter" was a very popular tree.

"The Princess and the Frog" was also very popular.

This tree was called "Mia's Dream."  Mia was a four year old little girl and her dream was to meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse.  The Make-A-Wish Foundation sent her to Disney World but she died before she could meet them.  This one made me cry.

Some of my students have gone to the festival all three years.  This particular student randomly posed with pink trees every year.  Of course we had to carry on the tradition so we went looking for a pink tree for him to pose with.  We found "Pinkilicious!"

This was my favorite display!

 

It is a little bit stressful arranging these events (and making sure that 50 students are where they should be and doing what they are supposed to be doing) but afterward I am always glad that I made the effort.



Gilded Cage

My book club chose to read The Awakening by Kate Chopin in November.  I have a rather lengthy list of books that I feel I ought to have read in college but didn't.  This novella was near the top of that list, particularly since it is touted as such a groundbreaking example of feminist literature.  I hated it!  Edna Pontellier is married to a successful turn-of-the-century businessman and is the mother of two young sons.  While vacationing at a luxurious seaside resort one summer, she finds her life unbearable and begins an affair with a young man named Robert.  First, I found Edna to be an incredibly unsympathetic character.  Even though she has minimal talent she abandons all of her responsibilities (including motherhood) in order to paint.  Even though she loathes the idea of being owned by a man she immediately replaces her indulgent husband with an unsuitable cad.  Next, I disliked the pace of the narrative because events are laboriously foreshadowed before they occur.  To be sure, there are many beautifully descriptive passages but the plot moves so slowly that I found my attention waning on more than one occasion.  Finally, I could not have been more disappointed in the resolution.  When Robert ultimately rejects her, Edna decides that she cannot live without him.  This is groundbreaking feminist literature?   I suppose that this story achieved a sort of notoriety at the time of publication because of the salacious nature of the affair (which seems pretty tame by today's standards) but I found very little to recommend it.

Reindeer Pops

Do you remember the Bunny Pops I made for Easter?  I found a Christmas version here.

You will need some chocolate covered mini donuts, red peanut M&Ms, mini pretzel twists, a little bit of chocolate frosting, and some sucker sticks.

Use a little bit of chocolate frosting to adhere the M&M to the center of the donut.  Break a pretzel twist in half and insert the pieces in the top of the donut for antlers.  Insert a sucker stuck into bottom of the donut and package them up.  So quick and easy!

Give these a try!

Monday Motivator

"In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich."

- Deitrich Bonhoeffer

O Christmas Tree

Last night I put up my Christmas tree.  As I was bringing up the boxes I realized that I lost about two thirds of my Christmas decorations due to the flood in my basement.  I was a little bit sad because I lost my tree skirt, table cloth, table runner, all of my childhood stockings, and many decorations that I've had for years but I decided that they are only things.  Christmas is about more than just things!  I now have an opportunity to get some new decorations!

I'm really glad that the cleaning company was able to save my Christmas tree because I really love it!  Even though I lost a few of my ornaments I still had enough to fill my tree including all of the hockey player ornaments and the hand carved ornaments from Germany.  I will have to start collecting some more.  My house might not look like it usually does but I am still really excited for Christmas!

Note:  Yesterday was the first time I fully realized the extent of what I lost in the flood.  It was very upsetting for a little while.  But I think I learned a valuable lesson on attachment to things.  Things do not really make you happy!

Ornament Wreath

I am so excited!  All of the boxes are up from the basement and I'm about ready to put up my Christmas tree and all of my Christmas decorations.  I always like to make something to add to my decorations every year and this year I decided to make the ornament wreath that I found here.

I absolutely love how it turned out!  I can see my front door from my computer desk and I keep looking over at it!  It was also really easy to make.

You will need quite a few glass ornaments.  I bought a giant container of 50 red, green, and gold ornaments at Walmart for $16.98 and I used all but four of them.  I also bought two containers of miniature red and gold ornaments for $3.50 each at Walmart.  They contained 20 ornaments each and I used all of them.  You will also need a wire hanger.  I don't use them but I had one from some dry cleaning.  Finally, you will need some wide ribbon.  I used ribbon that was wired.

Untwist the wire hanger and bend it into a round shape.  Bend the two ends into loops so you can connect them.  I found the wire to be fairly pliable and easy to work with.  You may want to use a hot glue gun to glue the tops to the ornaments.  I didn't do that because my ornaments were very secure.  Start stringing the ornaments on to the wire, varying the size and pattern as you go.  I used two large followed by three small.  Once the wire is full, connect the two wire loops.  Attach a length of ribbon and tie in a double knot.  Tie another piece of ribbon around the loop in a large bow.  Adjust the ornaments so the the wire doesn't show and place the ribbon on a wreath hanger.

I love how the light in my foyer makes it sparkle!  Give this wreath a try!

Richard Parker

Tonight I went to see Life of Pi.  I read the novel by Yann Martel several years ago and it totally blew my mind!  I have been eagerly anticipating the movie for months because I was intrigued about how filmmakers would capture certain scenes.  I was definitely not disappointed!  This movie is visually stunning and there are some images that are so incredibly beautiful that I had both tears and goose bumps.  I was even holding my breath during the opening credits!  Pi Patel's family owns a zoo in Pondicherry, India.  Because of political unrest his family decides to emigrate to Canada.  They travel on a Japanese freighter along with the animals they hope to sell once they reach North America.  During a terrible storm the steamer sinks but Pi manages to release a lifeboat and escapes with an injured zebra, an orangutan, and a hyena.  Unbeknownst to Pi, a Bengal tiger has stowed away on the lifeboat as well.  The hyena begins eating the zebra and the orangutan, much to Pi's distress.  But soon the tiger eats the hyena, leaving Pi stranded in the lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a full-grown tiger.  They need each other to survive so they forge an uneasy alliance and, eventually, a friendship.  I was crying my eyes out when the tiger places his head in Pi's lap when they are both on the verge of collapse.  Ultimately the lifeboat reaches Mexico and Pi tells his story to officials from the Japanese freighter company.  There is an incredible twist...  Most of the actors in this movie are unknown to U.S. audiences but I was very impressed with their performances, especially Suraj Sharma (in his first ever movie role) as Pi.  Again, the cinematography is spectacular.  Definitely see this beautiful movie!

Thanksgiving 2012

This year we actually stayed home and had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with not only turkey but also honey baked ham!

My sister Marilyn made this amazing relish tray in the shape of a turkey!

Everything tasted wonderful!

It was a fabulous dinner and the best part was being with all of my family!  I especially love spending time with Sean and Tashena.

After dinner we all took naps and reconvened for pie and other goodies as well as a mean game of shanghai rummy.  My Mom won!  It was a really nice day.  After a year that has been both difficult and amazing I have so much to be grateful for!