Christmas Chronicles: Final Installment

And how do you end a wonderful Christmas holiday? With sushi and friends, of course!

In true Requilman fashion, my family and I went to Sushi Ya to have all you can eat sushi. I think we put away about 13 rolls between 4 of us.
Saturday night, Ryan's core group of friends that he grew up with had a reunion at Los Hermanos, followed by frozen yogurt at Red Mango. I've decided that Red Mango is now my favorite dessert place due to the fact that they have little mochi balls as a frozen yogurt topping. I think that was by far the best part of the entire Christmas holiday! Thumbs up to mochi!

The Christmas Chronicles: Christmas Afternoon

After spending all morning with my mom, we went over to Justy's apartment to meet up with Ken and the Schoenrock sibs. We all gave Grandpa Ken our presents and watched him rip them open. We ended up giving Ken like 60 movies, which will be just perfect for him since he's gotta go on bed rest. So, hopefully he won't burn through them too fast.

After the gift exchange, we trucked up to Thanksgiving Point to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. If you plan on seeing it, I suggest you take a box of Kleenex. With that being said, my Christmas surprisingly ended in tears!

The Christmas Chronicles: Christmas Morning

Christmas morning, Santa was good to us!
This Christmas held a couple milestones: for some of us, it was our first Christmas as a family and for others, our first Christmas in general!


We finally got around to opening presents.


Lolli got a school bus from Daddy



And a wagon from Grandpa Ken
And I got some way
cute dishes from Ry
J ended up with some protein
























And somehow, the BINGO douche was resurrected!

Lili got so excited with her presents that she decided to do a break dancing routine to show her enthusiasm!




After about 4 hours of opening presents, this was the aftermath: a huge rubbish pile, and happy faces!

The Christmas Chronicles: Christmas Eve

For my fan club that has been DYING to know what I did over Christmas break, I'm gonna start off slow. I'll document the events in chronological order, and just take one day at a time. We'll start with Christmas Eve.

In Ryan's family, it's traditional to spend Christmas Eve and Grandma and Grandpa Taylor's house. So, we dressed Lolli up in her party dress and headed on down to Salem.

To wait for everyone else to arrive, Ry and I headed downstairs to Grandpa's bar, which I like to call The Ol' Barge.

FINALLY, everyone showed up and met us downstairs for dinner.

Even Quasimodo made an appearance.







But seriously, dinner was DELICIOUS! Ham never tasted so good! Thank you HoneyBaked!!



We finally ended the evening with Grandma Taylor telling the story about the white stocking, and all of us writing down a goal to place in the stocking, in hopes of completing it by Christmas next year. My goal was to stop hating stupid people so much...like that'll happen!!!!

Mele Kalikimaka is the Thing to Say

To all of you who haven't received our Christmas card yet, and to those who obviously weren't that important to me or my family to receive one in the first place...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!


BTW, if you didn't receive one, it's not that you're not important. It's probably 'cause I didn't have your address and I was too lazy to ask for it. So don't get your panties in a bunch.

Icon and APX and Pinnacle, oh my!

I recently spoke to one of my good friends and learned that she had just been laid off from her job at Icon Security. While I was shocked to hear that my friend was out of a job, I wasn't surprised that Icon would do such a thing. In fact, this type of ruthless behavior is customary Icon form.

I worked for Icon Security for about a year and a half. In retrospect, that was a year and a half too long! Never have I been treated so poorly at a job before. Don't ask me why I stuck around for as long as I did. I guess I was just lazy. Either way, I will NEVER work for a summer sales company ever again!

The entire company was filled with liars and con artists. Even the owners were unreliable and untrustworthy. The owners would bend over backwards for their blessed sales reps, but would treat the operations team like crap. I had finally had enough after a sales manager went off on me and told me that he was so much better than me and that I was incompetent. Incompetent? Really? That's why you're the one screwing up all the paperwork and lying to customers, leaving me to clean up your messes? That's why I'm dealing with hundreds of Better Business Bureau complaints and even law suits with your name tacked all over them?? He was just pissed because I had finally called him out on his shady business practices.

After the rep went off on me, I took the matter to the operations manager, who in turn, took it to the owners. The owners didn't say one thing about it. And you know what? That's fine. The owners can let their reps walk all over them, but I had no loyalty to them or to their corrupt company. I had been backing these lying reps for way too long. And what was my reward for cleaning up these dishonest business deals? By getting yelled at by a hothead college drop-out rep that thinks he's cool 'cause he drives a BMW. Get a real job, you freakin' douche bag.

And let it be known that Icon Security has jumped on the emergency bailout bandwagon. Since they couldn't manage their money well, they didn't have the funds for another summer and the bank declined their request for a loan. So, the company is being taken over by Pinnacle. HAHAHAHAHA!!! Serves them right!

To further emphasize Icon's malfeasance, check out the investigative report that KSL did on them. And take a look at the reader comments, too. They're hilarious!

Christmas Favorites

And yet, another list. This time, some of my favorite things about Christmas.

• decorating the tree
• gift wrapping
• chili stack-ups
• Christmas lights
• wire trimmed ribbon
• reminiscing about Grandma and Cheryl's tap dance routine
• opening stockings
• Christmas music
• spending the night at my Mom's
• watching Christmas Vacation
• scourging TJ Maxx for hours
  
• peppermint bark
• the sound of bells, jingle jangling
• our Christmas Eve talent show
• the excitement of Christmas morning

Musings: Christmas Presents

I've decided that it's time I start asserting my opinion...as if I haven't been doing that already. Therefore, I've created a category of my blog entitled Musings. As one would expect, this category will contain all my thoughts on a particular subject. You don't have to agree, or disagree with my opinions. Shoot, you don't even have to read! I don't need your approval to feel validated! I just wanna write!

So, to get the ball rolling, I thought I'd start off by talking about Christmas presents. Tis the season, ya know?!

The main thing I struggle with is this: why do people throw themselves into debt each year just because it's Christmas? Why is Christmas the time to start spending? Why not just accrue debt all year long? That way, it'd be like Christmas everyday! I mean, I get the fact that Christmas is the time to be generous and giving, but isn't it more important to be giving of ourselves rather than giving of Xbox 360s? I'm pretty sure that the true meaning of Christmas is supposed to be focused on Christ's birth, not centered around Juicy Couture purses and plasma TVs.

Yet every year, I find myself maxing out my credit card just so I can get Ryan that perfect present. But, I think this year I've finally reached my limit. Sorry, Honey. No surprise rims for your car hiding in the closet this year. Mama Toot is way too far into debt to buy you anything more than a hoodie from TJ Maxx.

Besides, like I said, we should be giving of ourselves anyways, not of our wallets. So this year, I'm gonna give you unconditional love and adoration as a gift. Now isn't that more satisfying than a new Range Rover? We're already in it for the long haul, time and all eternity. So instead of buying you any gifts, I'm just gonna remind you of the most important gift you could ever have and wish for...ME!!! The woman who bore your child after a miserable and whiny pregnancy. The woman who has worse bawdy humor than most men you know. The woman who bought massage oil, vowing to give you a back rub, but who has yet to live up to that promise. The woman who forces you to play board games with the family.

For your gift this year, I'm just going to shower you with those memories and experiences. Little Baby Jesus will surely approve of that instead of some frivilous material good. And since it's from the heart, I'm sure you'll enjoy it more than a new laptop, don't ya think?

You're right. I guess I'll just open up another credit card and head over to Best Buy.

I Love to See el Templo

Just as I was late posting our Deer Valley adventures, I'm getting behind on posting our trip to Temple Square. Bare with me.

This last Saturday it started snowing like crazy! So naturally, we thought it'd be a great day to try and four wheel it up to Salt Lake and then freeze to death while we looked at the lights at Temple Square. Luckily, our friends the Poulsens drove their huge 4x4 truck and we got up to SLC safe and sound. Too bad the same can't be said for the 4 cars we saw flipped over and along I15. Sucks for them!!!!

But before we actually went to Temple Square, we stopped at Chipotle for some dinner. Man, if there's one thing I miss about California, it's Chipotle being only 5 minutes away. I love me some beefy burrittos!!!!

Ry sure did devour his food!
Candice and I
posed the whole time.
And the babies
just sat and looked worried.


Once we finally got into SLC and actually found a parking space, we were quickly smacked in the face by the weather. We were absolutely freezing!!!

Poor Lollipop. She was bundled up like the kid from A Christmas Story

But even though it was cold, we still walked around and got some fun pictures for blogging and Christmas card purposes.



And we so badly wanted to get a picture of all of us, but didn't know who to ask.
Then, we saw some professional photographer with his million dollar camera shooting pictures of the reflecting pool behind us.

So we asked him if he would mind taking a picture of us with our own little crappy cameras. He was nice and said yes.

And let's face it. This was probably the best shot he got all night.

Anyways, once our butt cheeks had gone completely numb, we decided it was about time to head back home. Thanks again to Pokey and Candice for the fun night!!

Deer Valley Extravaganza!

Since baby and I are at home sick with the death flu, I thought I'd muster up all my strength and blog it out. Actually, Nikki inspired me because as I was reading her blog, I realized that I hadn't posted anything about our Deer Valley adventure.

My aunt Cheryl and her husband Mike had won a little vacation package to Deer Valley at a silent auction. It included some lift passes to go hiking and mountain biking, tickets to the Egyptian Theater to see Music Man and a two night stay in a condo. As Ryan and I LOVE to take vacations and play, Cheryl and Mike handed this awesome package over to us, and we couldn't have been more grateful! And apparently Lālea was just as excited to head up to Deer Valley because she was going CRAZY in her box as we loaded up the car!



We finally hauled up to our condo and realized how deluxe it was. There were 3 floors with 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 3 balconies, a hot tub, robes, an entertainment system, flat panel TVs, a fireplace...I could go on and on about the luxuries!! But our favorite luxury by far was cable TV! Since Ry and I canceled our DirecTV, we completely vegged out and just watched as much Discovery Channel as we could!!


When we weren't vegging, we were eating.
Lollipop enjoyed the table
while Ryan and I enjoyed a tastier fare.



And since the Huntsmaniacs are our best buds, we invited them to come up and party with us, too. Lolli was so happy to have her Keizya baby with her...and all of Keizya's new toys!


On our final day in Deer Valley, one of the best things happened to me; I saw Twilight.


And I was pleasantly surprised at how hot Cedric Diggory appeared in this movie. But I didn't fall in love with just him, since I'd prefer it if he'd have been a little more beefier, but I did fall in love with James. I mean, come on. Who wouldn't love this?!?!?


But honestly, I didn't think the movie was that great. I enjoyed it since I had read all the books, but I think it could have been a lot more epic and amazing. As a little treat, I found someone's husband's rendition of Twilight. And I must say, while I'm a fan of the saga, this rendition of the story is pretty dang funny!!!

Edward: I hate Bella.

Bella: I love Edward. Oh his eyes! What should I do? Whine, whine, whine.

Edward: OK, I don't hate you, I just have no self-control (typical guy), oh, and I want to kill you.

Bella: I love Edward. Oh his eyes! What should I do? Whine, whine, whine.

Jacob: I love Bella too, but I want to kill her. And Edward.

Edward: I want to kill Jacob.

Bella: I love Edward and Jacob. Oh their eyes! What should I do? I know, I'll lead both of them on and just whine the entire time.

Edward: Look, I'm shiny!

Jacob: Look, I'm strong!

Bella: Whine, Whine Whine.

Oh, and while Nikki and I were watching Twilight, the boys were watching Quantam of Solice. I bet their movie didn't have anyone sparkling and climbing up trees like freakin' spider monkeys. I'm pretty sure we picked the better movie. Either way, we had an AWESOME time and are so appreciative of Aunt Cheryl and Mike for the great gift!