Reaping & Sowing

"Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward." "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."
                                                                                                        -Doctorine and Covenants 6: 33 & 36

This is our theme for 2012. We can feel it, this new year will not disspoint. Sure, we know there will be trials and we have alot of growing to do this year. In fact, we feel the need to improve every dang aspect of our lives. That is why we have chosen this specific theme. We're ready for the hard work. 2012 will be a year of growth and I can't wait.

Dear 2011,

What great memories we'll keep from you, 2011. Thank you for the good times, and some of the bad. :) I'll do my best to learn from you and make this next year all that I can. Looking forward to more adventures.

Love, Sarah

Have a happy New Year!

Christmas 2011

On Christmas Eve, I put on my apron (for the first time) and started cooking while the Michael Buble Christmas CD played. It all felt very Christmassy. Jared was outside, cleaning the car and if you know him at all, this is no surprise.

My Uncle Cliff is a Pastor in Heber, Utah. We were invited to a Christmas Eve musical program. It was a very nice way to start Christmas Eve and great to be with family. We even had the chance to listen to a four-time Grammy nominee pianist. He’s amazing.

After hugs goodbye, we drove home and quickly finished dinner with my mom’s help and a friend’s oven (one oven just wasn’t enough!) When the rest of the family arrived, dinner was ready. I’m sorry to say that I didn’t take a single picture on Christmas Eve but, I think I was just having such a great time, I didn’t even think about it! It was such an incredible night. After we ate dinner, we talked, ate dessert (and ate and ate), and played games. We played our family game, Upwords, and Jared won! J (It’s always hard to beat my mom & aunt..) The family stayed all night and left around midnight. I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time and I sure do love my family. When everyone had left, our house was a disaster. Jared and I cleaned for the next hour and a half and fell on the couch when we were done.

Christmas morning came too early but, we were both excited to see what Santa had brought. We got all ready and then went downstairs to (quickly) open presents. Charlotte’s Web, The Brave Little Toaster, and Heavyweights for Jared. :) (He says he wants them for our future babies to watch.. ) Snowboarding equipment, slippers, books, and a skinny tie too. Hair products for me! –A straightener, curling iron, and a blow drier. (Do you think he was trying to tell me something? Haha.) When it was time for my last present, I was completely shocked to see that he had gotten me a new camera and photography equipment! It was such a surprise and I was so excited that I could have cried! I’m so excited to progress my photography in 2012 thanks to Jared and I appreciate that he believes in me.

We rushed out the door for breakfast at his parent’s house. They went all out and made every breakfast food you can imagine. The best waffles, cheesy potatoes, and strawberry drink I’ve ever tasted.. It was delicious. We opened presents and each of us got a stocking from Mom & Dad. Kaden & Jace were the stars of the day and we loved watching Kaden open presents.

We went with my family to visit cute 82-year old Aunt Maurine in Copperton. This is one of my favorite Christmas traditions. After our visit, we went to my Uncle Kent’s and Aunt Jody’s for our favorite Christmas dinner. Ham, Yummy potoatoes, green bean salad, and blue-berry muffins – A tradition started by my grandmother. (It’s also what I made on Christmas Eve) The girls talked upstairs while the boys watched TV downstairs. It was the perfect end to a great holiday season. Above all of the excitement Christmas brings, what I love about it the most is spending time with our wonderful families and reflecting on the birth of our Savior. We are truly blessed, Jared and I.

Thank you to my family and sweet friends. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.

Nephew Kaden with his new BB Gun.. "You'll shoot your eye out!!" :)

Scars and Stories

February 7th will be our 3rd Anniversary.. Turns out that it will also be the day that my favorite band is coming out with their new CD! What a perfect anniversary gift! (Jared) Too easy! (Hint) If a person were to include that CD with some roses, that just might be the perfect anniversary gift!


Alright.. Enough hinting. Hopefully that will do the trick.

The Fray speak to my heart in a way no other band has.. Their lyrics have gotten me through my most difficult times. Their songs have been sung and sung in the car with my girlfriends. On my 19th birthday, I sat front row at their concert. Oh, Fray.. I can’t wait..

Oh yes, also.. 3 years!? Wahoo! ;) I just booked our anniversary getaway!

I have some Competition

“I have a boyfriend and he has a shiny head but, he is wonderful.”

-Oaklee

Daytripper

On Saturday morning, we went to breakfast at Ihop before hitting the road to Manti.  On the way down, we listened to Christmas music (Josh Groban Holiday station on Pandora). The Manti Temple is so beautiful and I enjoyed learning about the history. Before leaving town, we stopped by a small town Pizza place that was delicious. It was a fantastic day with the Wiblers.. (Toblers+Witts=Wiblers).. J  

Deck the Halls

This is a picture from our first Christmas as the Toblers.

 Pulling this out each year will just get better and better. :)

Our matching Christmas slippers. When we were shopping last weekend, Jared insisted that we get them. He couldn't get over how cute they are.. I had to give in.



There's no better feeling to have in your home than the feeling that comes at Christmas.

 Here's to the best month of the year! Happy December!



Thanksgiving Weekend

 I didn’t take a single picture on Thanksgiving. Well, besides this one:

(This is Jared’s extended family with many people missing. Can you believe that? I can’t! I have 5 cousins, total.) This was our first stop on Thursday. After we ate and nearly everyone left, we played basketball as a family.. Me, Jared, and Jared’s dad played as a team against Jared’s sister, Jessica and her husband, Ryan. Jared is an amazing basketball player however, with me on the team.. we lost. They were so nice about my basketball ”skills” and I even earned us 4 points! ;) I haven’t played basketball in about 10 years but, it was a lot of fun!

We drove to my parents house and had dinner with them and the Hintons. Austin brought along his new girlfriend, Brittnee, and we all played games. Brittnee killed us at Last Word (beginners luck..) and Deanne, Jeremy, and I won everyone at Cranium. Games are my favorite tradition with my family.

On the way home, Jared and I decided last minute to go check out Walmart during their HUGE THANKSGIVING SALE. It was a madhouse. We mainly just people watched and couldn’t believe the crowds. Very entertaining.

On Friday, we slept in and lounged until we went up to Park City to take pictures for my Aunt and her family. I hadn’t seen some of them in 10 years so it was so great to see them. I am usually not fan of indoor photos but the wind was terrible and we had no choice. However, it worked out that we were able to find a beautiful location for the pictures and I really like how it turned out. Love them. They are all such great examples to me.

The rest of the day was spent eating Café Rio, shopping, shopping, and more shopping. Jared was spoiled at Abercrombie and Fitch and he insisted that I buy at least something so, I got a couple shirts too. He’s the shopper in our family and personally, I could care less about what name brand I’m wearing but, maybe it’s a good thing I have him around. Let's face it, I'm not incredibly fashionable.. But, I’m working on it. On Saturday, we just didn’t have enough Park City so, we went back! (Truthfully, Jared needed to exchange his jacket for a different size) This time we went Christmas shopping and got most of it done. I ate delicious Mac & Cheese from a Pub on Park Avenue and then we got Mrs. Field cookies and hot chocolate for the drive home. It was such an incredible day and a weekend with Jared is just what I needed.

After church on Sunday evening, and a visit to both of our families, we decorated our house for Christmas while watching the Grinch. When we were all done at 11:30, we sat on the couch and just admired our tree. I'm so happy the holidays are here..

Happy List from last week, Thanksgiving, and FAMILY PICTURES!

-seeing progress with our financial goals
-talking with Jill for couple hours
-being told I do "a good job" by a customer. Haha. It helps after being yelled at on the phone. :)
-Oaklee looking at a picture of Jared and quietly saying to "him".. "Jared, you're the best!!" :D Haha
-Cuddling with Oaklee while watching Pocahontas & her falling asleep on me
-a really incouraging email from a co-worker
-ChickfilA and Breaking Dawn with Whit, Chels, and Cami
-laughing histerically in the car
-beautiful winter photoshoot
-going on a double date night that included new underwear, pizza factory, Harry Potter, and "Truth or Truth"
-Walking to Stake Conference in the snow with Jared
-feeling the spirit at Stake Conference
-Justin's birthday party
-visiting my mom & dad
-playing Upwords
-getting our family pictures back :) :)

This last weekend was so wonderful. Besides getting smacked in the nose by the edge of my car trunk while putting away groceries, that is. :) (Yes, my nose is bruised but thankfully, not broken) Smooooth, I know. On Saturday, I had a photo shoot with an adorable family, cute hats, and fresh beautiful snow. Perfect. We lounged around, I edited.. Then we went with some dear friends to buy new underwear (and it was more exciting than it probably should be..), go eat at the Pizza Factory (just thinking about the bread sticks and salad bar makes me hungry!), and home to watch the last Harry Potter (I need to get those on tape so I can finally finish)..

On Sunday, we had Stake Conference. Jared and I put on our coats, I wore boots with  my skirt and it was officially Winter in my mind. We walked to the church holding hands. We had told ourselves we’d get there early but, getting there just a few minutes before the meeting began, we had a difficult time finding a seat. We lucked out and found a great spot. We sat and listened, back tickled, and whispered. We felt the spirit when our leaders spoke and when the choir sang and we were edified.

I couldn't be more excited that Thanksgiving is nearly here and my long weekend begins at the end of today. I am so blessed and have so much to be grateful for. I'm most grateful for.. The gospel of Jesus Christ, my family, my friends, and of course.. This guy. So grateful to have him forever.




Photos taken by Travis Buhler. :) Trav, I love them.

Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have a wonderful Holiday. :)

Attitude Adjustment..

You may have read in my last post that I have quit my job of 3 ½ years and found myself a new one! I had been looking for a while so, when the opportunity came a long, I was thrilled. I had forgotten how leaving everything familiar and becoming the clueless newbie wasn’t as glamorous and I had thought. (Weird.) Yes, starting a new job is hard. Change is hard. However, a month later, I’m grateful that the Lord blessed me with this opportunity with a fantastic company, with better pay, and more respect. But...One downfall.. No more 3 day weekends. I work on Fridays now and it has turned my world upside down (dramatic?). Okay, it’s not thaaattt bad but, a two day weekend is hardly a weekend! Am I right?! It’s crazy how fast it goes.. I’m not complaining because remember, I said I was grateful!!

Jared got a new schedule for the new year. I was so excited because, we had asked that he might get a day-shift so that we could spend our nights together instead of me staying up for him to get home and being half dead by the time he’s done with dinner. Yes, life was going to be great starting January 1st! When I got his text, I couldn’t wait to read the new schedule! As it turns out, the shift-bid gods were not on our side. He works the same hours, but now.. we have only one day off together, instead of two. Heartbreak. I shed a tear or two in the car and texted back positive thoughts. He wrote back that most others were even more unlucky than we were. So, I counted my shift bid blessings and I was grateful, kinda.

Truthfully, I am grateful for our jobs. I know so many long for work right now. Call me selfish or maybe even ungrateful.. but, I want to start being more honest on this blog because well, it’s mine! It’s my record of our life and I think that record should be the good and just a little bit of the bad. :).. and don't worry I’ll work on finding me an attitude change..

p.s. Stay tuned because I’m going to blog last week’s happy list to make up for this post! ;)

The busiest month of the year.

Happy List : October 2011

-babysitting the twins and successfully getting one of them asleep
-girls goodbye lunch with my co-workers
-a sweet e-mail from Jayme
-last day at POST
-girls night with Hannah, Whitney, and Chelsie. It seriously made my week.
-laughing and talking while cuddled in blankets
-having a dead phone and having to shout back and forth to Whitney while driving in separate cars. Hilarious.
-going to lunch with my mother in-law after a cousins sealing
-going to Midway with the Witts to do their pictures
-lunch at a small town pizza diner
-going to pick pumpkins at a pumpkin patch
-dinner with the Buhlers and Reimschiissels & bobbing for apples
-taking family pictures with the Toblers
-Nephew, Jaces’ first birthday party
-First Day at new job
-having Jared home on Monday evening
-finding out the Witt’s are having a girl by getting a call to come over and seeing a pumpkin carved, “it’s a girl!”
-the twins birthday party
-getting our family pictures taken
-going to Red Robin
-funny things Oaklee says
-going to the movies with Jared
-running into to Jeremy and then Jared’s parents at the theatre
-going to church
-visiting baby Fallen
-a neighborhood Pow Wow campfire in the front yard J
-taking Jake and Ashlie's pictures and then going on a double date
-going to the Haunted Village
-going on a walk with my mom and Aunt Jody
-visiting Whitney
-making cookies with Jared
-re-arranging our front room
-watching a movie
-lunch with my old co-workers! I miss them!
-watching old videos from high school! HILARIOUS!
-Jared coming home early.. happy day
-the Preisthood

The Weekend Song: General Conference Edition

This past weekend was just what I needed. We listened to our Prophet during General Conference and we were definitely fed spiritually. Also, I made deviled eggs, muddy buddies, pumpkin cookies, zucchini bread, and cinnamon rolls so.. we were fed in other ways as well. :) Between photoshoots and dinner to Texas Roadhouse, I was in my sweats all weekend. It was bliss. I've been inspired from Conference.. new goals have been made and I'm motivated. :)

As relaxing as that weekend sounds, I'm paying for it now. I've been stressed in every way possible. One thing at a time, Jared keeps saying. I'm trying to remember to keep that in mind.

Happy Wednesday!

The Weekend Song

This weekend, I had a five day weekend. FIVE. When it was finally time for me to go back to work, I was convinced I no longer had a job. (a girl can dream)  Things that made me happy this weekend:

-getting my hair dyed dark.. just how I like it.

-my favorite ice cream flavor of all time, Tillamook Mudslide.

-meeting Whitney's friend from England, Pam.

-playing with Kody, the puppy
-English chocolate. Divine. Normal Kit Kats no longer suffice..
-spending the day with Whitney and Pam.. going to Gardener Village and up Little Cottonwood Canyon
-listening to Pam's accent. :) I spoke with an accent to Jared for 20 minutes after being with her on Friday, just because it sounds so blasted cool. Haha.
-Fall leaves
-embarrassing Whitney at 7-11 by saying "Wowza!" to the the cashier :)
-Copper Hills Homecoming Game with all of Jared's friends
-snuggling baby Legend and making him smile
-dinner at Chili's & sharing divine desserts with Brian & Hilary
-staying up late & watching a movie with Jared
-a delicious Winder Farms BBQ dinner with the Witts (they split their Winder pancakes & bacon with us and we split our Winder steak & potatoes. Yum on all accounts.)
-a walk to the park & swinging
-playing games



I so (very much) look forward to this next weekend and I especially look forward to General Conference. I'm in need of some wisdom and direction and this is just the place to receive such things. :)

“If you trust God enough to listen for His message in every sermon, song, and prayer this conference, you will find it. If you then go and do what He would have you do, your power to trust Him will grow, and in time you will be overwhelmed with gratitude to find that He has come to trust you.”

-President Henry B. Eyring

Happy Wednesday!

the good.

On Friday, I had 15 of my very best friends come over. Friends I have known for at least 8 years but most of them I've known around 17 years. Let's just say, they're more like family and I love them to the moon. We played games, ate (a lot) of food, and laughed our heads off around a campfire. When the party was over and the house looked more disastrous than it ever has, I thanked the Lord for the 15 blessings that had just come over. I don't know why He blessed me with them but, I do know they have each been a rock for me throughout my life and I'll be forever grateful I have them in my life.

On Saturday, I surprised Jared with a date to the Dew Tour. We watch BMX and had a lot of fun trying to get some cool videos and pictures. On Sunday, we made beef roast and homemade mashed potatoes and had friends come over to join us for dinner. Like I said, this weekend was full of wonderful, beautiful moments. I am so happy the Lord blesses us with moments like that. That is what life is all about, the good.. and the bad, it's makes the good that much sweeter. :)

I didn't take too many pictures at the party and I didn't get a picture of everyone. I really wish I would've gotten a group shot with everyone but, the sun was going down so we had to act fast! ;)

The Buhler's brought along their three girls and after dinner, we played in the park. :)

This is the best picture ever. Talk about a thrill! Haha!



a welcome to the weekend

My weekend started 5 hours early today, thank goodness. :)
I'm looking forward to:

-going to the Salt Lake Temple
-being with family from Colorado
-photoshoots
-hiking
-a beautiful wedding
-a surprise date for Jared :)

I also have (a lot) of editing to do.. Fortunately, my desktop is being repaired as we speak and I can ditch my lovely laptop. I'm excited to turn on some music and edit my heart out! ;)

Have a wonderful weekend!

Be Still my Soul

"Sometimes God calms the storm...
Sometimes He lets the storm rage and
Calms His child."       


-unknown

an invitation

"We become what we want to be

by consistently being what we

want to become each day."

-Elder Richard G. Scott

I'm so thrilled about new goals, our dreams, and our future. So glad to have my love as my teammate and best friend. He's pretty wonderful..

Remember when I made a goal to read this book? I haven't been doing it as quickly as expected but, I have been consistent. My life has been so richly blessed ever since. Has it been perfect? No. Have I had trials? Yes. But, within these trials.. I see how they refine me and help me to grow. Life..every aspect of it, has been blessed.

I invite you to read this book. It's life changing. If you would like a free copy, please click here.