First Christmas

Here is our first Christmas tree! Not bad for a first!




After you get married you really learn to appreciate things that you once took for granted. Well at least I know I have fore sure! I am so very grateful for the things and blessings I do have because I have learned that other people don't get to enjoy those blessings. I am grateful for my family. All of them. They always show love when the rest of the world doesn't.

I have learned to be more grateful and need to do better on expressing that gratitude. On the other hand... I for the first time have a lengthy Christmas list ha!!! Luxuries that I enjoyed before I got married are much more appreciated:
Charmin Toilet Paper
Rolling Pin
Good knives

A new oven
Shoes/Boots
A Watch

A rice hot pad thingy for our toes!
Soft Lotion Puff's Tissues
...

I definitely don't need most, if any of these, but if Santa is reading I just wanted to make him aware ;)

Thanksgiving

Brian had a week off of school for Thanksgiving break and went home a few days. He was supposed to go home monday after I went to work but it didn't work that way. We had to speak in church the Sunday before Thanksgiving and on our way to church it really started to snow. After Sacrament it was really coming down and after he taught the lesson in Nursery he decided it was best he went back to Filer before it got worse. He said cars were off the road right and left. I was so nervous! It is a three hour drive from our house on a good day and it took him like five ours to get there. I am really glad he left when he did because that night it got really windy and continued to blow for three mores days. It was a horrible snow storm. All the roads we closed and you couldn't see the house across the street. It would have been a lot more enjoyable getting to stay home and watch movies like everyone else. :( I was so worried that Brian would not be able to make it home for Thanksgiving! I told him he couldn't miss our first official holiday as a married couple or he would be in trouble. We had thanksgiving at my aunt's house and the next day went to Island Park. I don't believe in Black Friday! We watched football all day long and it turned out to be the worst day in college football history! None of my teams won. I needed Alabama to beat Auburn. I needed Arizona to beat Oregon. Just so we might have a shot at the title. It was such a horrible and sickening feeling the Boise lost. A lot of the people watched the game and said oh that is so sad. Well those people only watched that one game of the year! For the rest of us True Bronco fans it was much more horrible. We knew what was at stake and the consequences. We played bad and didn't play to win. It sure shows that it is not always the best team that wins. Hopefully Oregon St. can upset Oregon next week to make me feel better. I doubt it will help calm my spirits though...

Pre-Snow

We went shotgun shooting literally the day before it started to be winter. The boys didn't wear their jackets for most of the time and it was so pretty outside. I have to say I am by far the best shooter :) Brian may disagree just a tiny bit.

Fall Update

In the house we are living in we do not have cable or anything so we are stuck to watching movies. Well that would be a lot easier if we had more that one movie. We have been borrowing movies from family members to give us something to do. Well, me something to do. Well, ME something to do. Brian has been so busy with school that I see him for a couple minutes when he gets in to bed at night. I have been on an Anne of Geen Gables kick. I have watched all of them over the past couple weeks. Brian makes fun of me for it but secretly I know he likes it! Today was our second day in Nursery. The kids are very sweet but it is very new to us. We haven't been around kids that age in a long time. It will be good for us and a challenge at the same time!



I have had a goal since i was like ten to have family pictures taken. It was my New Years resolution to get them done. This fall my mom's friend took some for us at the nature park in Rexburg. I don't know what I am going to have my goal be now!




Where to begin!? Last month Brian had surgery on his nose to fix some things that were causing him major headaches and wasn't able to sleep through the night. The surgery went great but that night when we got home it wasn't very fun. I had to call my mom and dad to come sit with me for a little while so I didn't cry. We made it through it and he is feeling better and better every day.

Boating

We were down in filer a few weekends ago after we got back from our honeymoon and went to the fair and rodeo and a lot of really fun things. I have taken a swimming suite to Filer every weekend I have been down there since I met him. I have never needed it but once. So this one weekend, I didn't bring one and that just happened to be the weekend that I needed it. I still had fun watching Brian. He loves boating!! Then I helped him pack up all his stuff to bring it back. I had too much fun :)

Surf City

We spent some time at different beaches from down in San Diego, Coranado, Laguna, Newport and Hunington beach. We had a lot of fun and wish we could have more time to play at the beaches.

Midway

We went to the Padres game one night. We didn't have very good tickets but we were just standing in the front by where all the food is and Brian started talking to one of the isle patrollers and said we were on our honeymoon and talked about this and that and our new friend let us sit in awesome seats! He came back ten minutes later with a little gift bag with two jerseys that we could both wear. It was so nice! Every time we scored he would come over and give us a high-five and cheer. It was funny to watch during the game that other isle patrollers would let people sneak down and get closer seats. Not our friend! By the end of the game he was still checking everyone's tickets to make sure they were supposed to be there. If not, he sent them packing. His section was by far the emptiest by the end of the game.




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Padres!

We went to the Padres game one night. We didn't have very good tickets but we were just standing in the front by where all the food is and Brian started talking to one of the isle patrollers and said we were on our honeymoon and talked about this and that and our new friend let us sit in awesome seats! He came back ten minutes later with a little gift bag with two jerseys that we could both wear. It was so nice! Every time we scored he would come over and give us a high-five and cheer. It was funny to watch during the game that other isle patrollers would let people sneak down and get closer seats. Not our friend! By the end of the game he was still checking everyone's tickets to make sure they were supposed to be there. If not, he sent them packing. His section was by far the emptiest by the end of the game.

We had a blast at Sea World! It was a perfect day to go. It wasn't very busy and the temperature was perfect. We tried to see all of the shows and ride all of the rides. I think our favorite show was the sea lion show. It was a spoof off SNL and they did the funniest things! It was a hoot. Shamu is GINORMOUS... There is like 25 rows of 'soak zone.' We figured that we could sit at the top of the section and we would not get wet. luckily we didn't but the people next to us on the top row had a shower! Brian got a kick out of it. We went to this dolphin show and they are so fast and jump so high it is crazy! Penni and Chad got us dolphin interaction tickets for our wedding gift. At the end of the day we got to go in this big training pool and meet the dolphins with a trainer and play with them for a little bit. It was amazing!

2 months 4 days

Well tonight Brian asked me for my... OUR blog address. Bad idea to tell him... Well this coming Monday will be my two month mark.. Brian is way more excited than I am ;) We have everything planned and ready to go. Even Brian has his address labels done! So I am still working at premier and Brian is home working on the farm back in Filer. I have put a lot of miles on my ole' lil car going to Filer most weekends. Let's see... we are both super busy right now with everything going on. Brian is in the middle of planting and I have a lot going on here. The good thing in all of it is that it makes the time go by faster!! So we did end up finding a house! What a relief that is. We will live in this basement of a house out in Liman. I am really looking forward to it. The only downside of it is that there is no oven :( Oh well. For the price we are getting it i will cook every meal out of a crock-pot!

LATELY

WELL LATELY I HAVE NOT BEEN VERY GOOD ABOUT KEEPING UP ON MY BLOG. I NEED TO DO BETTER. WELL LAST WEEKEND I WENT TO FILER. I WAS SUPPOSED TO GO DOWN TWO WEEKENDS AGO BUT BRIAN'S TRUCK WASN'T DONE... SO I DROVE THE TRUCK DOWN LAST WEEKEND AND WE HAD A GREAT TIME. WE WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE PICTURES WITH MARIE A FEW WEEKS AGO BUT HAD TO CANCEL BECAUSE OF THE TRUCK. WE DECIDED TO TRY THEM AGAIN THIS WEEKEND.... DID I MENTION THAT WHEN WE WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE THEM THE FIRST TIME IT WAS LIKE 70 DEGREES AND THIS TIME IT WAS 35 AND WINDY AS ALL GET OUT?.... YES, IT WAS HORRIBLE. IT WAS SO WINDY ALL DAY LONG BUT WE DECIDED TO GO THROUGH WITH THE PICTURES ANYWAYS. MARIE DID SUCH A GOOD JOB!!! WE LOVE THEM! WE CAN'T WAIT UNTIL SHE CAN FINISH EDITING THEM. THIS WEEKEND BRIAN KIND OF SUPRISED ME AND DECIDED TO COME SEE ME!!! YEA! SHOULD BE LOTS OF FUN!

Boyfriend/Husband Instalation

I showed Brian this email Judy sent me and we really laughed hard

NSTALLING A HUSBAND

Dear Tech Support,

Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a distinct slow down in overall system performance, particularly in the flower and jewelry applications, which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0.

In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such as
Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5, and then installed undesirable programs such as

NBA 5.0,
NFL 3.0 and
Golf Clubs 4.1.

Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, and Housecleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system.

Please note that I have tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail.

What can I do?

Signed,

Desperate.

DEAR DESPERATE,

First, keep in mind,
Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while
Husband 1.0 is an operating system.

Please enter command: ithoughtyoulovedme.HTML, try to download Tears 6.2, and do not forget to install the Guilt 3.0update.
If those applications work as designed, Husband 1.0should then automatically run the applications Jewelry 2.0 and Flowers 3.5.

However, remember, overuse of the above application can cause Husband 1.0 to default to Grumpy Silence 2.5, Happy Hour 7.0, or Beer 6.1.
Please note that Beer 6.1 is a very bad program that will download the Farting and Snoring Loudly Beta.

Whatever you do, DO NOT under any circumstances install Mother-In-Law 1.0 (it runs a virus in the background that will eventually seize control of all your system resources.)

In addition, please do not attempt to reinstall the Boyfriend 5.0-program. This is an unsupported application and will crash Husband 1.0.

In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot learn new applications quickly.. You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and performance. We recommend
Cooking 3.0 and
Hot Lingerie 7.7.

Good Luck!
Tech Support

Funnies

Judy always sends me some funny emails every week. She sent me this one and I really got a kick out of it :)

AN IRISH BLONDE IN A CASINO

An attractive blonde from Cork, Ireland arrived at the casino. She seemed a little intoxicated and bet twenty-thousand Euros on a single roll of the dice.

She said, 'I hope you don't mind, but I feel much luckier when I'm completely nude'.

With that, she stripped from the neck down, rolled the dice and with an Irish brogue yelled, 'Come on, baby, Mama needs new clothes!'

As the dice came to a stop, she jumped up and down and squealed...'YES! YES! I WON, I WON!'

She hugged the dealer and each of the players and then picked up her winnings and her clothes and quickly departed.

The dealers stared at each other dumbfounded.
Finally, one of them asked, 'What did she roll?'

The other answered, 'I don't know - I thought you were watching.'

MORAL OF THE STORY -

Not all Irish are drunks, not all blondes are dumb, but all men...are men.

Oh Boy

Well, a couple weeks ago I went to run an errand after work one Friday afternoon and came out and my car wouldn't start! I called my dad and he and my mom said they would come get me. I also called my fix it man and he came new exactly what was the problem and fixed it in like two minutes. We all went to dinner and when we got back to my car it wouldn't start until Brian did his little trick. The next morning Brian just shows up with the parts and fixes my car for me :) Well all was well and fine until tonight. It wouldn't start again! This time he says it is the starter and not just the cylonoid (spelling?). AND.... my muffler is falling apart. My little car with 169,000 miles on it is starting to get sick. And I get on to update my blog and my background is gone! What the Heck!! What a day. Time for bed!

It's not Stealing?...

I am now a blog steeler. I was on my friends blog today and she had this and I loved it so I am also putting it in mine. Sorry Hil :)

45 Lessons in Life

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step

3. Life is too short to waste time hating someone

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick, your friends and parents will, so stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement. Starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate. Resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with the past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret. You shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath, it calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a second childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, and then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age, wear purple now.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words. "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone and everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business...

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.

37. Your children only get one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you are loved.

39. Get outside everyday. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we threw all our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time; you already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, get dressed, and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

MY BEST FRIEND!!

Well.... Many of you haven't heard the news about my best friend. We met in the beginning of November. It should have been sooner tsk tsk NICHOLE!!! :) Well over this last summer my really good friend Nichole was telling be about her fiances best friend "fuzzy." She kept saying that she wanted us to get together and go out and she was going to get things hooked up and we were going to be going on a double date soon. Well that never happened. With as stubborn as I am I was going to have my way. So here is the story... After much anticipation of meeting this boy I took matters into my own hands. At Nichole's bridal shower we got talking about him and so that very day I went home and did the BYU-I thing and wrote on his facebook wall. Let's just say he isn't very good at that. My friend Melissa was in Brian's (Fuzzy's, but I NEVER call him that) ward so I decided I would go to church with her :) I am so sneaky. I met him and from the first time I saw him I knew that he was the one. So we went to sunday school and we strategically sat by him and his roommate Anthony. Brian just walked right out after sunday school and didn't even say anything that lil' booger! I was hoping for a phone number or something! Tuesday night I got a text from an unknown number saying that it was Anthony and his brother was coming up this next weekend and wondered if I would go on a blind date with him. I am really not a fan of blind dates but I thought it would be a great way to see Brian again.( No offense to Anthony or his brother :)) So friday came and I saw Brian in the MC and he said he was coming so I was all excited. When showing up at their apartment Friday night, Brian and Jason were in shorts and sandals and needless to say they didn't go with us. Brian said he got stood up and I wanted to say well that's what you get for not asking ME!!! The date was fun and I got home pretty early. I get this text saying how was your date and how come you didn't come back and say hi. It was Brian.... We talked all night long and the next day. Anthony's brother was still in town so we didn't think that it would be kind to go out with him still there. So the next day we made sugar cookies and played games. I knew from the very first time I saw him, the first time we started talking, and our very first 'hang-out' that I wanted to marry that boy. Since then I have seen my best friend, at least for a few minutes, every day that we have both been in town since we met. ANYWAYS... saturday Brian took me snow biking. I was so nervous. I thought he would see the way I handle motorcycles and be like no way can I marry this girl. But it was really fun! I actually feel way more comfortable on a bike than a sled. So he gave me a little riding lesson and bailed off the back and I did my own thing. Hope I didn't break the bike haha. I got back and I was ready for a break! Brian always records things when he goes riding, so when he started playing with his helmet cam I didn't think much of it. He was like hey come here, and you can imagine what happened next. My ring is absolutely beautiful. I love it. I am so happy to marry my best friend. I could go on and on about all the amazing things he does for me and why I love him, but I wont. :)

Let there Be Cake!

I saw this cake and it is so cute and looks so easy to make. I need to make one!

Can't Believe I forgot!

I think I had the best new years ever. Brian and I went down on the Thursday after Christmas to Vegas. We stayed with his brother Chad and his wife Suzie and their two cute kids. On New Years Eve we went out to the Hoover Dam. It is so big! They are making this new bridge that really is amazing to see how they build it. We went to this fun little lunch place that was on the Food Network Channel in Boulder City. We kind of just hung out that night and stayed home. Brian didn't even give me a New Years kiss.... That boy... The next day he and I spent the day with Chad and Suzie and went to lunch. After that we went our separate ways and the two of us spent the day on the strip. It was not what I expected it to be. I still wouldn't want to be left alone at all, but it wasn't as 'dirty' and 'scary' as I thought it was going to be. That night was amazing!!!!! We went to Phantom of the Opera with his mom and dad and sister Steph and Clint. I thought it was absolutely AMAZING!!! Mmmmm I was in love! Saturday Trent and Cheri got there and the girls and the boys separated and did our own thing. We met up and went to the Bodies exhibit at the Luxor. Brian got a lil bit queezy :) It was really cool to see how the body really looks and works. We went to this really good BBQ place that night. Way good. Sunday Brian and I spent a lot of the day at the strip and came home to play the newley wed game with all of his family.... We did pretty dang well! It was a little awkward with his mom there not going to lie. But monday is when the whole reason for the trip started. We drove from Vegas to Glendale to go to the Fiesta Bowl. It was so so so fun!! We were on the 12th row by Boise's band. I can't even describe how fun it was! Then all 6 of us piled back into the car and went back to Vegas and then back to Idaho. It was seriously the best time ever!!

Same Ole' Stuff

Well it is only three weeks into winter semester and I am sick of school already. Shocker there huh? No actually it is not that bad. The homework load never seems to cease. We have been getting a ton of snow lately and in the mornings it is really slick. I am always late to my 7:45 class because the road to the school is backed-up from Main Street up. I COULD leave five minutes earlier, but that would mean I would have to get up five minutes earlier... and that is just NOT going to happen :) I have made it a better goal to step up the exercising again. Winter is so hard on me! Not to mention Brian... I keep telling him that I was extremely in shape until he came around. That's ok. Life is much happier with him! But as of Monday, I am going to work out everyday! Someone hold me to it...please. It has been so fun to watch Logan's basketball games. Last week he had 22 of 38 points and probably had the assists for the rest of the points. He is so fun. He bricks lay-ups quite often. But you know him, he is always full steam ahead. We try telling him he has to come in slower but that only happens like 1/10 tries. For his age he pretty good, I think. It is fun to watch him, he will get a steal about every other time down the floor and he makes some really good passes! I am ready for spring. I am sick of the snow and it is just now getting here. Brian loves winter so he can go snowbiking... We are opposites when it comes to the whole 'winter' thing but that's ok, I will still keep him :)