Valentine’s Day, Denver-style

February 17, 2011 By

This is a big week chez nous with Valentine’s Day, our anniversary and my birthday all crammed into one lil’ ol’ week.

Just call February, Ambruary.

Our day started with heart-shaped pancakes.

And a girl donning her Valentine’s Day outfit from Grandma B.
She’s reenacting a heart, just in case you’re not up on your shapes.

In a move that can only be described as ambitious, I made Valentine’s cookies for all the neighborhood children and we topped off our day with a fancy fondue and Valentine cake dinner, along with handmade love notes and chocolates.

Well, at least I thought it was ambitious until my sister-in-law Jane said her menu consisted of Sambuca shrimp, potato skins, shrimp cocktail, chicken parmigiana, grilled veggies, lobster tails, coconut creme pie and creme brulee.

Note: I only complain about her overachieving gourmand tendencies when I am unable to enjoy her spoils.

But really, the highlight was an anonymous Valentine that Haddie received from one of her classmates. It read:

Be my VP. Jast kidig. And dont get sick on me agen.

Sounds like true love to me.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Hadley, holidays, Humor

Christmas in pictures

January 4, 2011 By

As chaotic as it is to travel for Christmas, our vacation was surprisingly low-key. We spent a few days with Grandma and Grandpa, which, of course, included Christmas morning.

The pillage of the stockings.

We opened most of our presents before flying to Utah but Santa was in charge of bringing the most desired presents. A Criss-cross Hot Wheels Track for the boy.


And Zhu-Zhu pets for the girl.

These battery-operated hamsters are about as close as I’ll ever get to allowing rodents in my home.

I am remiss I didn’t get more pictures of Jamie’s family, especially these darling cousins.


Though getting them to pose together was nearly impossibly because Berkley kept rubbing in the fact that she can crawl.

Of course, a trip to Salt Lake City over the holidays would not be complete without visiting Temple Square, arguably one of the most beautiful places on earth at Christmastime.


Our Christmas miracle is that not one of us got sick. However, we somehow still got blamed for infecting Jamie’s sister’s family when she came down with strep the day we left for Park City Mountain Resort. I mean, just look at this clan. Do you really think we’d be capable of such a thing?

Then again, don’t answer that.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Family, holidays, Utah

Good ’til the last drop (of 2010)

January 1, 2011 By

We arrived home Thursday after a frenzied Christmas vacation in Utah. Normally, we plan New Year’s Eve get togethers with our friends but this year we decided to lay low.

Waaaaay low.

I spent the day unpacking and duplicating Jamie’s sister’s glorious New Year’s Eve meal: Pork Tacos with Avocado Poblano Guacamole. I made the most amazing wassail ever and we topped off the evening with homemade chocolate chip crumbles, ice cream and dulce de leche. New Year’s morning, we had waffles with fresh blackberries and whipped cream.

Forget partying. New Year’s festivities should be all about the food.

We finally got our 84″-inch HDTV fixed ($350 later) so that evening we snuggled in the basement watching The Lord of the Rings. When we emerged, it was 8:30 p.m. and I announced, “Let’s watch the ball drop.”

Of course, it was too early but in my early-bird opinion, waiting ’til midnight is highly overrated. We found the countdown to 2010 on YouTube and did our own.

The kids didn’t know the difference.

Neither did I, really.

They went wild, chanting “Party Party Party!” as we jumped on the bed and did the bunny hop. At one point, Hadley interrupted our festivities and said, “Wait. This is a lame party. We don’t even have any friends here.”

And then she went back to her lame party.

To demonstrate just how lame it was, I even tried to spruce it up at dinnertime.

Me: “Should I set the dining room table with the nice China?”
Jamie: “No, I don’t want to have to do dishes. Let’s just do paper plates.”
Me: “You never do the dishes. I do.”
Jamie: “As always, I’m just looking out for you.”

Here’s to more glorious lameness in 2011.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: holidays, Humor, Jamie

This Mommy Blogger’s Holiday Confession

December 27, 2010 By

I have systematically and unconscionably bitten the heads off every single gingerbread man in our house.

Psychopath?

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: holidays, Humor

It’s Christmas [Eve] in the [Salt Lake] City

December 25, 2010 By

Since we’ve been married, Jamie and I have alternated spending Christmases with my family and his. Unfortunately, plane tickets are $800 to the Motherland so we were relegated to spending them in Utah. In so doing, we missed my brother Pat’s epic Christmas sweater with battery-operated lights.

Oh wait. This is it.
Though they’re pretty much the same thing.

Jamie’s sister did a fantastic job hosting Christmas Eve. You know that one chick…what was her name again? Oh yeah: Martha Stewart. Well, she has nothing on Tammy Porter who got her start working at the global interior design firm, Gensler.

I’m willing to bet Martha didn’t dine on Pork Tacos with Avocado Poblano Guacamole, Mexican sodas and Sticky Pudding with luscious caramel sauce.

And let us not forgot our darling twin cousins. During our previous attempt at cousin pictures last summer, Bode let Ava do a face plant.

They fared much better this time around.

Back in Canada, Christmas Eve is THE MAIN EVENT with a compendium of appetizers, a gift exchange, the left-right game, playing the bells, a Christmas story and more irreverence than I care to admit.

The year bum darts was introduced was definitely a low point.

Wanting to integrate some of our family’s traditions, Jamie’s sweet sister suggested we do a gift-exchange game at the last minute, which sent Jamie and I scrambling to local stores for just the right gifts. We decided to do a repeat performance of the White Elephant Gift of the Year we introduced last week: a picture of The Great Pumpkin.

I explained the rules and because we had a much smaller group (eight people), I declared we would only do two trades per round. Well, bless their hearts, that crazy Johnson clan misunderstood and thought I meant a gift could only be traded twice and then it was off-limits.

Such corruption of my beloved games is equal unto my reaction when, shortly after Jamie and I got married, they declared the Rook is to be played high and not low.

I have not been able to play my beloved card game with them ever since.

Turns out the joke was on us because Jamie’s pumpkin picture was the very last picture to be chosen and in a twisted turn of fate, he was the one who ended up with it.

He said it was the very best gift exchange ever.


Merry Christmas!!!!!

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Family, holidays, Humor, Jamie, Utah

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

December 24, 2010 By

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

It started with Bode’s stellar performance at the ward Christmas party. When he wasn’t jostling for position, he was doing this:


At least he showed up. Hadley was M.I.A. for the performance. Her exact location still has not been accounted for.

Speaking of whom, she is DELIGHTED she is finally old enough to wear the coat that Cousin Emily passed down to her years ago. Never mind that the weather has been snow-less and balmy in Denver.


Of course, climate is secondary when it comes to high-fashion, as was evidenced at the Nutcracker a few years ago.


And finally, I may be biased but the Christmas outfits my mom bought Hadley and Bode may be quite possibly the cutest ever. I mean, a TUX? His girlfriend Abigail (featured biting her nail in the top photo) was all over him at church.

OK, it could be because his mom Eva and I were trying to push the two of them together.

It’s never too early.

Hadley and Bode before church on Sunday….



You’ve come a long way, kids.


Let’s hope that rings true for us all.

======

As many of you know, I attended BYU, which is located in Provo, UT. The city’s beloved Provo Tabernacle was ruined by fire last weekend. But this painting “The Second Coming” by Harry Anderson was the only thing that was salvaged from the ashes.


A burn pattern like that is no coincidence.

Let’s remember what the season is about….

Merry Christmas!!!!

XOXXO

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, holidays, Humor

Spreading Holiday Joys

December 23, 2010 By

At the very last minute, I decided to send out our annual Christmas newsletter yesterday.

Only it hasn’t been so annual as of late. It’s the first time I’ve sent one in a few years. The reason is simple: I have a blog. And anyone who loves me reads this blog.

Or isn’t online.

Or is a loser.

I’m kidding but only kind of. :)

I did it partially out of guilt. We have received an onslaught of Christmas letters and cards, which have brought joy to my mailbox this month. But, then I realized that many of the people are not active on Facebook, which is the primary way I keep in touch.

I designed the newsletter using a nifty holiday template from Microsoft. Here’s a little shout-out for them. This week, I’ve been reflecting back upon 2010 and when Microsoft Office selected me as their winner of the Winter Games Contest after so many of you voted me to the finals.

It was one of the highlights of my entire life. Putting my foot in my mouth when I met Wayne Gretzky and having Matt Lauer steal my moment in the spotlight are second-to-none experiences.

I got home from the Olympics and then nothin’. I heard nothin’. It was like Microsoft and I broke up in a text message but without sending an actual text.

Then out of the blue, I got a Christmas care package with Microsoft Office ’10 (on the exact same day my Beta expired), a How to Train Your Dragon DVD, and fun miscellaneous games for the kids.

I mean, really what are the odds I’d receive the package on that day of all days?

You’ll find Microsoft & me under the mistletoe this Christmas.

Wayne Gretzky might be there, too.

===================

On another note, I have fallen in LOVE LOVE LOVE with this family’s Christmas video and have already told the Lord of the Gourds we need to up our game next year:

[vimeo 17455653 w=400 h=225]

Here Comes Santa Claus – A Christmas Video Greeting from Jared Foster on Vimeo.

Talk about making my “Elf Yourself” efforts pale in comparison.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: holidays, Humor

Confessions of a Desperate Mom

December 22, 2010 By

It is tradition for us to visit Santa at our ward’s Christmas party but this year, the organizers declared it a Santa-free soiree.

I’m betting they will be getting coal in their stocking.

So I was faced with quite possibly the most dreadful possibility of all:

Braving the mall in December to see Santa.

And I would have done it two for those darling kids of mine but let it be known, I really really really really didn’t want to to make my semi-annual pilgrimage to the mall during its busiest season.

So imagine my delight when I arrived at the church last Saturday to help decorate for our ward’s Christmas party, only to discover I went to the wrong building.

OK, that wasn’t the delightful part. The delightful part was another congregation was there celebrating and the kids were bouncing off the walls waiting for Santa.

Frustrated over my navigational error, I slumped out to the car where I found Jamie and the kids patiently waiting. But then, what to my wondering eyes should appear but a miniature sleigh beat-up clunker pull up with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

“Jamie, THAT IS SANTA.”
“I’m well aware of that, Amber.”
“We HAVE to let the kids visit with Santa. THIS IS OUR CHANCE.”

We were pressed for time and it would have been impolite to invite ourselves to another ward’s party, let alone cut in the front of the line. And so I did what any mall-phobic, stressed-out mama would do as her husband rolled his eyes in exasperation:

I hijacked Santa outside the building.


No worries. I’ll return him by Christmas Eve.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, holidays, Humor

Quite possibly the best gift exchange prize ever

December 21, 2010 By

Since Jamie and I landed from New York City, we have been involved in a non-stop frenzy. I high-tailed it over to this girl’s holiday party at school.
As you can tell she was very happy to see me. Really.

A couple of hours later was our dinner group’s annual Christmas party. We had a delicious dinner, followed by a gift exchange. This has been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. Everyone brings a wrapped gift and we draw numbers to determine the order we select our gifts. Those with the lowest numbers are pretty much stuck with their gifts while the higher number can trade for the best gifts.

A few years ago, Wendy bought some Bronco’s fuzzy dice that got passed around and then resurrected each year for the gift exchange.

This year, we have the ultimate replacement:

Wendy unwrapped a picture of Jamie and The Great Pumpkin in a “Love” frame.
I still can’t figure out why it became the ostracized gift of the year.

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: holidays, Humor, pumpkins

The Greatest Gift of All….

December 16, 2010 By

…Is not Fat Kitty, whom we found snuggled up like a present under the tree.

But rather, my mother-in-law Linda whose selfless service has helped us time and time again. As you know, we were in mourning when my in-laws moved to Utah last year and there isn’t a day that goes by that we do not miss them.

Linda recently flew to Denver to watch our kids for 10 days during our cruise. Jamie and I have been on-hold with an important trip to New York City. At the very last minute, it was confirmed we needed to fly out there Wednesday (yesterday) through Friday (tomorrow).

Ever tried to find someone to watch your kids during the day and overnight the week before Christmas?

Ain’t happening.

While I had several friends offer to help during the day, nighttime was a battle and only Linda came forward.

OK, so we begged, pleaded and were just short of bribing her. None of it was needed because she graciously offered to help us.

I feel horribly about inconveniencing her during such a busy time of year. We’re spending Christmas at their house in Utah and had planned to fly in the day prior. “Linda, I can come out a few days early with the kids to help you prepare for Christmas,” I offered. It was the least I could do.

She called me back a few minutes later. “You know what, Amber? The biggest favor you can give me is by staying at home with your kids and NOT coming early to ‘help.’”

Touché :)

© Crazy Bloggin’ Canuck–A Denver Mom’s Blog
Filed Under: holidays, Humor
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