Home for the Pseudo Holiday

I am currently the lucky passenger of Mama Mae and Papa Kay's vehicle on its way to Idaho. Back to Chesterfield!
The snow is laying around all pillowy and fat. Luckily the roads are great and we should make it home safely.
The few days at home have been amazing! I got to meet my niece Lydia who is a darling and smiles like Buddah. Her whole face is full of a smile and the cutest squinty eyes.
Some of the big events were the pie contest, visiting the Utah Natural History Museum, and the graduation celebration for Robert AND Mom, and Mom's 50th birthday. She still looks 30 though, so it's ok to say her age.
The Pie Contest was a very close race. We had 11 entries. Dad was the defender of Best Tasting and Best Looking awards from 2011 and we were all determined to not let that happen again. Alas, we err all surprised when an interloper, an intruder, a non-Landes took the first place prize with an amazing tangy, creamy, fruit jelly and raspberry topped pie curiously named Georgia White. An undeniable winner.
An evening of music was in order and we had quite the array of music. James blew our socks off with a swinging, bluesy, floozy version of Jingle Bells. Wowzers, impressed. Robert of course serenaded with his most sweet and elegant violin playing that left us silent. Papa Kay and Ryan pulled off a thick voiced rendition of Old Man River. Russell has one amazing voice that is still hard for me to believe and sang If Ever I Would Leave You.
Thus, the fam is doing well and it was a most lovely weekend. We all missed Adrienne and her family if course, but there is always next year.
Merry Christmas!

New Mexico by Highway and Byway

We woke up this morning in Early, Texas. I woke up at about five to a very rumbly tumbly and spewed the last of my Stubb's BBQ into the shower. Sad day for the BBQ.
Luckily we made it to a much better place. A REAL hotel in Albuquerque.
Today was amazing! New Mexico is pretty gorgeous, even when it is flat as a pan. We stopped in Rosewell, land of aliens and government
Conspiracies. We saw lots of pretty horse farms, along with lots of aliens either painted on the windows at Arby's, or 15 foot tall wood carvings painted neon green sitting in random fields.
We also went to the grand International UFO Museum and Research Center. I am more confused about how I feel about aliens now than ever. We did learn that throwing a hub cap in the air and taking a picture was a solid enough hoax to get published nationwide. Oh how far we have come.
The most interesting part of the day can when we visited out great-great aunt Mary. So, my grandma Diana's aunt. Aunt Mary is a lovely, talkative, beautiful 97 year old who has been living in a rest home for the last 10 years or so. Robert played Danny Boy, God Bless America,, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and Silent Night. Aunt Mary sang along as best as she could, and was very moved by Silent Night. One of the nurses had to leave because she was crying so much. After hearing Rob play at church, and now for Aunt Mary, I am convinced his time at Rice was well spent. His playing is more elegant, clear, and moving than ever before. And I thought he couldn't get any better, psha! She was a very sweet woman and it was nice to visit with her and very hard I leave that tiny body and crying eyes alone in her room.

Texas Time and Traveling

Left Chesterfield, Idaho 5 pm on a Thursday to arrive in Houston, Texas at 8 pm Friday. Woowee. At least I got to stop over with some besties from Aspiro with whom I was able to witness the fancy Christmas lighting, enjoy the Jackalope, engage in stimulating conversation and dance, and sleep comfortably on a futon. How lucky an I to have such amazing friends who will drop everything to pal around town with me! Lucky girl.
Houston! My sister and her absolutely BEAUTIFUL family are a hoot and a hollar to be around. They all officially know my name now which is good. Those kids are so smart, cute, fun, polite, helpful, and sweethearts. Our family as kids fought one whole heap more than her kids ever fought, for sure.
We went to the Houston Zoo!
I wish I could take those kids to the zoo all the time!
Ok, more could be said about that family but I would just blab excessively and that would be boring. Overall, LOVE them.
Then Rob and I packed up and moved out. Spent the day in the weird city of Austin. I am a huge fan and could undoubtedly live there for a season.
Currently we are sleeping in a cheap not too dicey or divey motel about to squeeze in an episode of Downton Abbey. My brother is the coolest!