Saturday, December 20, 2014

Thanksgiving 2014

Our Thanksgiving was a little bit different this year, and that's okay.
We spent a few days in Provo with my parents and my brother's family.
My sister-in-law Anne was due with baby #3 the day before thanksgiving so she wasn't up for travelling.
We got to do some really fun stuff and spending time with family, wherever we are, is always the best.

We ended up staying four days/three nights in Provo (Mark surprised me with the third night!
so, of course, we swam in the hotel pool as much as we could!
Even though, in this picture, Sam looks a little freaked out, he absolutely LOVED the water.  
It was so hard to keep him safe.  He wanted to jump right in with the rest of them. 
Thanksgiving Dinner...was eaten at Sizzler!
Kind of different!  It tasted great though.
The only problem....NO Leftovers!
You could order off the regular menu, but they did offer a more traditional Thanksgiving Dinner.
Most of us ordered that.  Mark ordered Shrimp.  Silly Boy!
After Dinner, we drove to my Aunt's house and visited with her and her kids for awhile.
We don't get to see them that often so it was great to see her and my cousins.

On Black Friday we joined the herd of people shopping (although definitely not the midnight crowds).
We explored Cabela's for a couple of hours.
The kids enjoyed seeing all the animals, real or stuffed!    
After Cabela's we drove downtown to Temple Square.
This is the reason Mark surprised me and let us stay another night.  
He know I really wanted to see the lights.  Sweet huh?
It has been a REALLY long time since I had been on Temple Square, for more than just a wedding ceremony.
and the kids haven't been, really, ever.
So I was grateful my family was willing to humor me and go visit.  Even Anne who was two days over due!
The lights, of course, were gorgeous.  And I absolutely LOVED the spirit I felt as we explored the grounds.
It was definitely a perfect way to kick off this Christmas season.
The next day we drove around Provo, reminiscing about all the fun times we have had there.
For never living there, we sure do have a lot of memories.  It was really surprising.
And then we stopped by the Temple. 
Afterwards we went back to Cody's house to say one last goodbye!
Silly Kids! 
And then we began our journey home!
Somewhere between Malad and Pocatello, I mistakenly gave Sam some chocolate.
What was I thinking? 
Thank you Cody and Anne for letting us come for Thanksgiving.
Thank you Sizzler for being open on Thanksgiving so that we could enjoy a yummy turkey dinner.
And thank you Mark for letting us stay another day, 
so that we (along with everyone else in the Salt Lake Valley) could see the lights on Temple Square.
This was a Thanksgiving I will never forget!

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Happy 10!!!

So we were actually in Boise the weekend BEFORE the weekend before Thanksgiving.!  Whoops!
But the "real" weekend before Thanksgiving was just as special!!!
Mark and I celebrated out big 10 year anniversary!
Can you believe it?  I sure can't!

TEN years married to this Hunk!!!  OW OW!!!
How did I get so lucky!?!
Look at our baby faces!
So for our anniversary, Mark let me choose what we were going to do!
I had about a billion things I wanted to do.
But I finally decided I wanted to go back to where it all began.
We went through a session at the Idaho Falls Temple, ate in their cafeteria, and then did a little Christmas Shopping. 
It was great!

We haven't changed that much, have we!?!  HA!!!
I heard on the radio today that most couples feel that their tenth year together is the worst!
It use to be the seventh, but I guess it's changed.
I would DEFINITELY have to say they were wrong.
I've never been more in love and happier than I am now!

Babe, I love you more than ever before, and I didn't think that was even possible.
You are the perfect one for me and I am so blessed to call you mine.
Happy 10!!!  Love you! 

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving!

We were in Boise the weekend before Thanksgiving.
Mark had a class and the rest of us couldn't resist the opportunity to visit family.
It was great, because Mark's parents drove up from California to be with us too.

Boise is usually an escape from our Rexburg winter, but believe it or not, it was more winter there than at home.
It pretty much snowed the entire weekend.
Thankfully I had packed the girls winter clothes.  The kids spent A LOT of time outside!
Uncle Tyler won the award for coolest uncle that weekend!
He hitched up not one, not two, but like FIVE sleds to his four-wheeler and pulled all the cousins 
(and most of the neighborhood kids) all around the local streets.
Just look at all that snow!!  ....In Boise!!!
I seriously LOVE this picture!
When they weren't on the sleds they were playing in the snow!
Grandpa and Grandma arrived Friday night and brought with them one of Grandpa's Giant pumpkins.
Grandpa and the older girls harvested the seeds and shared them with us so we can grow our own giant pumpkins.
After they harvested the seeds, one of the kids (or maybe it was grandpa) had the idea to draw on the pumpkin.
They kids had a ball.
On Saturday we had a delicious thanksgiving dinner.
Grandma and the kids were in charge of centerpieces.
They did such a good job, didn't they!?!
After church on Sunday we packed up our things and headed home.
The weekend went entirely way too fast, as usual.  And the girls keep asking when we can go back.  Soon.... hopefully!
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am truly grateful to be a part of such an incredible family.
I couldn't have asked for better in-laws!!!
And I am so grateful that my kids have cousins to play with and that they get along so great!
I am very blessed!