MLK Breakfast

General Mills makes it a priority to be involved in the community. Along with the United Negro College Fund they host an annual Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast. This year's speaker was General Colin Powell, former Secretary of State. Once that that got out, tickets were flying out like hot cakes. The Meals Division, composed of Progresso, Green Giant, Hamburger Helper and Old El Paso, was able to secure a table. I was lucky enough to get a ticket and be 4 tables away from Powell. It was very exciting. He was a great speaker, funny, thoughtful, and a bit inspiring without being preachy. They also recognized 3 people that belonged to the community that through their service represented MLK's vision. It was a great event.

Bob

General Mills is partnering with "Pound for Pound", Feeding America and Biggest Loser for a campaign. People can log on to pfpchallenge.com and for every pound they pledge of weight to loose General Mills will donate a pound of food to a food bank. As a result we had a special guest at Headquarters, Bob Harper. He gave an inspirational speech and divulge some interesting information about The Biggest Loser. It was a total blast, I went with a coworker and we both squealed like girls, which is ok for me because I am a girl but maybe not for him. Bob is a very handsome man and unbelievably fit for being 40-something. I couldn't help but try to get a pic with him. 

Snowboarding

Before I left Utah in August I informed everyone that I wanted to go snowboarding. Now mind you I had gone skiing several times before but never snowboarding. I decided that it was another activity that I had to cross off my bucket list (it's never to early to start one really). I didn't want time to pass by, get too old, too scared, or miss the opportunity. We (Brothers, Sisters, Sister-in-laws, and Brothers-in-laws) gathered at Sports Authority on the 26th to rent our equipment so we could head to Sundance the following day. 

We took snowboarding lessons for the 1st 1/2 of the day then went on our own. I would say the lesson was invaluable. I learned more and by the end of the day I felt I was pretty proficient. (My falling leaf is awesome) Most of us had a hard time with S turns but to give credit to us we did that last and our thighs were burning. It was like doing a roman chair all the way down the mountain, the thighs were on fire.

After the lesson we felt we were doing pretty good and decided to go up further on the lift. This is when got too big for our britches. The "Maverick", a blue run, had Dan and several of us nervous. Basically if you didn't stay on the path you were going to tumble down the mountain. It was prayer time. We survived unscathed but had a scare when Iris fell down and hurt her knee. Both Jeffery and Dan had to unclip and go up the mountain to see if she was ok and she was though she felt that knee for a while. I had scare myself, what I'm calling a small self diagnosed concussion. Soon after my head got acquainted with the floor my vision got weird, had a huge headache, and started to get nausea. Looking back on it I should stopped but we had paid for an all day pass, lessons, and rentals. I didn't want to quit to early. 

Picking up our gear

I kept hitting this sign. Don't know why, other that I knew I didn't want to hit which made me gravitate to it.

Dan, Iris, and I.

Shredding the slopes

Dan "Shaun White" Colyar

Me, Kirsti, Dan, and our instructor, Eli, riding the lift

Taking a break

It was a beautiful day to snowboard.

Chad, Kirsti, Kristi, Me Dan, Iris, and Jeffery

Christmas

Christmas Day was amazing. The previous day my mom, Zaida, had flown in from Florida as a surprise and was able to spend a week with us. On Christmas Eve we stayed at Iris' house so we could wake up w/ the nieces and nephew and celebrate all that Santa had brought. He brought some really fun games including a DVD Dance, Dance Revolution game (courtesy of Zaida) and a Hannah Montana Guitar Hero. You see Dan with it here but I was absolutely in love with it. Not that I'm a HM fan but I love Guitar hero and with only 3 frets how could I go wrong. Samson, the Wiseman's great dane, was not left out and got the biggest bone I've ever seen for Christmas. I guess he was a good pup this year.

Mom and Garret DDR'ing away

Santa also dropped off a bone for Samson. He's up to 160 now.

Dan chanelling a great dane

Everyone getting into DDR

Iris and Dan

Our nieces and nephew (Garrett, Eva, and Alexandra)

Drums and Cymbals, what is Santa thinking?!?!

Dan and Alexandra

My 2 best friends

At the original Colyar's (Dan's parents)

Dan diving for presents

Dan loving Hannah Montana Guitar Hero

Winter Games

We had tons of snow and I decided to cross off building a snowman from my bucket list. Even thought there is no proof I did help shape the snowman, Dan helped out the base, I did the shaping and got the decorations together. We also discovered the game Sequence. It had been a game that I had seen around for years at Dan's parents house but never played. It ended up being really fun and we played a lot during the winter break. My mom liked it so much that she bought it and brought it back to Florida to play it with my nephews.

Dan building the bottom of the snowman

Playing Sequence

My angel ;)