The end of 2008

I can't believe 2008 is coming to an end. We have had an interesting year. It has been great! As always, I think December has been the most eventful. Christmas was a blast. Paul spoiled me this year. I kind of spoiled him too. His big gift was a new tv this year. You'll have to ask him what kind it is, but its a 47 in. flat screen.My grandma has also been in town this past week. Its been great having her around. I'm kind of bummed to have to take our Christmas stuff down, but i'm looking forward to the new year. We hope everybody had a wonderful Christmas. Happy New Year! Have a great one.

4 Years Ago Yesterday...

So, I really wanted to post this yesterday, but our computer was broken this weekend. Thanks for fixing it Dave! 4 years ago yesterday was the day Paul proposed to me. I can't believe we have been together for 5 1/2 years already.
So going back 4 years is really fun to remember. Our day was sort of ruined because Paul was wanting to have the whole day off. He had to work til late that night. Of course I had no idea what was coming. I wasn't in the best mood that night and it started snowing big time. Anyone who knows me knows that I don't love the snow. I hate driving in it and get really nervous. My sister had just been out in the snow storm and said its awful don't go anywhere. I was determined not to go out. I went anyways and was scared to death. Paul had a very old little blue car and we were sliding all over in my neighborhood. I kept telling him I didn't want to go out. So we finally stopped sliding and headed towards trax. The lights were out on State and everything was just a mess. It didn't help my mood. We went downtown and were unable to see the lights since we got there a little late. I was kind of disappointed about that but we made the best of it. We decided to take a carriage ride. That is when he pulled out the ring, got down on one knee (in the carriage) and proposed. It was way sweet and romantic.
Paul, we've survived 5 1/2 years, we still have eternity. I love you and am very lucky to have a wonderful husband.

Reception

Josh and Rachael's first dance
I thought is was way cute that he was singing
to her.

Daddy daughter dance





Mary dancing with Maclain

Becky dancing with Payton

Matthew, Aunt Lorna, Uncle Del


The beautiful cake.

Rachael's wedding was elegant and beautiful. She made one of the prettiest brides ever! Congrats!

Congratulations Rachael and Josh

My sister in law Rachael got married yesterday. These are a few pictures from her wedding. We just want to say CONGRATULATIONS Josh and Rachael. Welcome to the family Josh!



Bride and Groom with Brides Parents

Payton and Maclain playing astronauts while
pictures were going on.

Happy Couple walking towards the crowd waiting
to Congratulate them.

The first kiss coming out of the temple



Mary and Marquel at teh reception

Rhett and the boys

Salt Lake Temple

Paul and I

Teach the Children

This time of year as we celebrate Christmas and pull out the trees, decorate, bake, watch Christmas movies, listen to Christmas music, and the list goes on and on, one of my favorite things to do is pull out all the Christmas stories. Paul and I pull out our book and read through it every year. This year we have even started to read them together. I love every Christmas story. I could never really pick out a favorite, but one stands out every year. I have even used in my primary lessons, sharing time, and young womens. I even found out tonight, of all nights (since I was planning on doing this post) that this is also one of Paul's favorites. So I thought I would share this story tonight. Hope you enjoy.

TEACH the CHILDREN

Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened...I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree.

He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out. "What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat, and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone.

Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement. "TEACH THE CHILDREN!" I was puzzled; what did he mean?

He anticipated my question, and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood bewildered, Santa said, "Teach the children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days Christmas has forgotten."

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it before the mantle. "Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven."

He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. "Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise."

He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. "Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness."

Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. "Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection."

He then pulled from his bag and ornament of HIMSELF. "Teach the children that I, Santa Claus symbolize the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December."

He then brought out a HOLLY LEAF. "Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly represents the blood shed by Him."

Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said, "Teach the children that God so loved the world that he gave..." "Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. Teach the children that the wise men bowed before the holy babe and presented him with gold, frankincense and myrrh. We should always give gifts in the same spirit of the wise men."

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. "Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherds' crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper."

He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. "Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men."

Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL. "Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return."

Santa looked back and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship Him, our Lord, our God."

The Best Time of the Year!

This is my favorite time of the year. Christmas is definitely in the air. Have you ever noticed that there is a scent to Christmas? Its all the evergreen and fires burning and wintertime smells. You also have the smells of the wonderful baking going on. Everyone you see is happy and cheerful. It's the time of year when its about service, santa, decorations, etc. I have to say though its not ALL about santa and gifts. The main focus should be the birth of our savior. This is the time of year where we should reflect on the birth of christ and what his life was like. One good word to sum it up is Service.

I love this time of year. We can get out our Christmas movies and music. I've been listening to Christmas music since Dec. 1st. I love finding new music for the year. This year my favorite CD to listen to is Faith Hill's Joy to the World CD. It is amazing and if anybody is looking for a new holiday CD I reccommend this one. I've also been watching Christmas movies. I love Christmas Shoes and all the other movies. What do you do to get you into the season spirit?

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas. Remember the true meaning of Christmas. Have fun. Love you all.

Traditions and Memories

I so can't believe its already December! It seems like only yesterday it was the new year. This is my favorite time of year. So my husband and I have started a few traditions during our marriage. We have decided to get out and put up our Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving. The other day when I was pulling our Christmas stuff out of storage I also came across a few boxes of stuff from growing up. I set the decorations aside and went through some of those boxes since apparently this is the only time of year I really go through our storage. I think I'm kind of sentimental when it comes to this stuff but I love going through my stuff. It brings back a lot of great memories. Pictures are my favorite things to go through. I also had trophies from dance and many other little objects. In the past couple of weeks I have also gotten in touch with some of my old friends and people from my past. I have enjoyed getting reacquainted with old friends. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of my life. Putting up our decorations, also got Paul and I talking of our favorite Christmases and childhood memories. It was great talking about our first Christmas with each others families and things we have done before we were together. We definitely have things we want to take from our own family traditions and work them in with our future family. It will be fun to see what we can come up with, but that is something to look forward too. I think this time of year is when people start thinking about there pasts, families, traditions, friends, and hopefully they also remember the birth of our savior. After all, that is what Christmas is all about. It's late, i'm tired, and I'm rambling on. I'll bring this blog to a close. Happy Holidays everyone!

Simple Things

I like to think of myself as a happy person. I love to be happy and I hope everyone loves to be or wants to be happy. This past week, with preparing for Thanksgiving and the holiday season I've tried to come up with a list of things I'm grateful for. This list actually made me realize how happy I am and that you can find happiness in the simplest things.
An example of this is I just got new bedding and it is like my favorite thing in the whole world. Who knew that new bedding could make somebody so happy? It may sound funny but I think being able to pick out something new and completely different than what you are use to has it perks. Don't get me wrong, I liked my old one but I felt like it wasn't me, anymore. I didn't actually get to have the chance to get my own for my husband and I when we first got married. My sweet sister-in-laws actually had the key to our apt. when we first got married and were on our honeymoon. They brought all of our wedding gifts home. I thought that was amazing, but it didn't stop there. They actually put most everything away and made our home feel like a home. We didn't have our bedding or bathroom stuff. They went out and bought a new bathroom and bedding set. I think they did an amazing job knowing our colors and our taste. Anyways besides the point, I just wanted a new bedset. Ours was quickly fading , plus being in a small place doesn't allow you to do too much with decorating and all that. I think after almost 4 years its time for a change. I started with the bedroom. And i'm totally in love with the new bedding. Its completely different than what we had. I just think its amazing how the smallest things can make people feel happy. I know its totally random but oh well. Happy Holidays everyone!

Random November

Hey everyone!
This entry is totally random, but I thought since I have some free time I can come up with an entry. Nothing new is happening yet. I can't believe its already November. I'm so not ready for winter weather but I guess its too late. For me, this is the first snowfall of the year. I was in Iowa when the first one actually came. I have to admit though that its beautiful. I just hate driving in it. Its been kind of fun being here in our office where its nice and warm watching the storm come and go today. I just hope it doesn't continue. I've been thinking today, nothing really new, that this is the month of Thanksgiving. I love this time of year. We have a lot to be thankful for and to be honest a lot of us probably don't think much about it til now. I think I'll end this post on some of the things i'm most thankful for in my life. I'm thankful for my family, especially my husband. I couldn't ask for a better husband. I'm thankful for my religion and for the savior in my life. I'm happy to have the knowledge that families are forever. I'm grateful for our freedom. My list can go on and on but you get the idea. Anyways I hope you all have a Happy November! Enjoy the holiday season.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Happy Halloween everyone. Tonight has been a great Halloween. As most of you know i'm not that into Halloween, at least the scary side of it. I love the cutesy side of it. I love being able to stay at home and give out the candy and see all the little kids all dressed up. I also love the fun decorations and get most excited for it because its the start of the holiday season as far as all the holidays in a row. Paul, on the other hand, loves Halloween. He loves the scary stuff. I spent the night with my sisters and brothers. Here are some pictures of our night.




Paul as a Zombie and brother Joe as a Zombie Prom King


Hunter was a burglar. He didn't want to carry a pillowcase around unless he was something that actually used a pillowcase. Go Figure.

Joe and CJ. Don't know exactly what CJ is.

Sarah, Halle, and JJ

Zombie Prom King

I was kind of boring this year and just wore my Halloween scrubs. Next year I'll have a new costume. Promise. Halle was a cute witch.


Already tired before the fun. She wasn't in the mood to trick or treat.

Gotta love his costume. Any guesses on what he is?



Too cute!

OCTOBER

I can't believe it's already the end of October! Where has the year gone? Pretty soon we'll be preparing for the holiday season. Personally, that's my favorite time of the year.
This month has been kind of interesting. My husband would say its been uneventful and nothing worth mentioning, but we have accomplished a few things. Paul has just been busy with his school and work. This semester is half way over. Yea! He's getting closer. He is also excited for Halloween. I think thats his favorite Holiday. I had the chance to go to Iowa and visit my dad and his family out there. I went for 2 weeks. It was a long time away from Paul, but it definitely was nice seeing a lot of my family. It was also nice to be able to relax. I was able to go to sporting events and my favorite, shopping. Hopefully i'll have pictures to post soon. I left my camera there, but my dad is bringing it with him. That is some other great news! While I was there my dad found a great deal on flights and decided he had to come back here to see the rest of the kids so he is coming this week for a long weekend. I get to see my dad with in a week from leaving. I was kind of bummed to miss our Primary program though. For those who don't know i'm the secretary in the primary in my ward and have had the opportunity to work with all the little kids under 12. They are so amazing. I always learn something from them.
Some other things this month was Paul was able to enjoy a couple of weekends with the guys. I guess that was a benefit while I was gone. One of my best friends growing up found me on face book and got in touch with me. Its been nice catching up with her. Not much else. Hope you all have a Happy Halloween.

New Pics

So, Paul and I recently had new pictures done at Gardner Village. I put together a little slide show for family and friends to view. Hope everyone is taking care. Stay in touch. Love you all!

My Husband

I just wanted to let the world know that I have the best guy ever. I'm so thankful to have Paul in my life. I think he is the sweetest guy on the face of the earth. He is there to cheer me up and make me smile. He is probably one of the only guys who can put up with my many moods. I've just been thinking about him a lot today and am thankful that he was able to cheer me up last night. I was having a pretty good day yesterday but got a little down that night. When my husband came home from work he could tell something was up. Instead of asking me he just came over gave me a quick kiss and hug and pulled me to my feet and danced with me in the front room for a few minutes. It was nice just being together. There wasn't any music but I think thats how he got me to laugh by humming something for a while then began making up his own words. I love when he is romantic. It was something kind of cheesy but those are the type of memories I like to make. So thanks for being my husband and for always making me smile and laugh. I love you Paul.

House Hunting

So our last month hasn't been too eventful. That's ok though. Its been nice to have some down time. I did, however, find something that I definitely don't like doing, House Hunting. Paul and I have been looking to move and so far we havn't found a thing. We were supposed to be camping over the holiday weekend but due to bad weather we did some house hunting. I thought it would be enjoyable going out looking for your first house. I thought that going from house to house would be exciting to see what you want and don't want. Boy was I wrong. By the end everything looks exactly the same and we were both so tired and frusterated that I have decided I don't want to do it anymore. It gets tiring not finding what you want. Obviously we aren't going to give up but we are definitely not going to settle til we agree on something. I wish everyboy luck on finding your first home if you havn't already.

Pauls Universal Vacation

This past month Paul was able to enjoy a quick trip to Cali with his dad for some guy time. Paul left a couple days earlier than his dad and met up with my family who was also on vacation at the time. They went to the beach one day and DisneyLand for a day and ate at Paul's favorite place in the world... In N Out. He later met up with his dad and spent a couple of days at Universal. The pictures below are some highlights of the trip. Hope everybody is taking care. Have a good one.