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