Pre-Christmas Festivities

I can't believe how fast the year has flown by. It was our first Christmas in our new home. It was fun to figure out where all of the Christmas decorations should go, and to put up Christmas lights on our house. I have been so horrible at taking pictures this Christmas. I hardly have any pictures of the events. I always love the excitement leading up to Christmas. Looking at Christmas lights is one of my favorite things. I can't wait until I am finished with my master's degree and can mail out Christmas cards, and go to more pre-Christmas events, it is just always hard as finals fall the weeks leading up to Christmas. Some of our pre-Christmas festivities included a gingerbread party with my family, the White family party, the Nutcracker (the picture above) we missed some of my extended family that wasn't able to make it this year. My mom is taking the picture. This is one of the rare instances when my dad is not hiding behind the lens of the camera. After the Nutcracker is delicious Benihana's and the lights at Temple Square.

Preston's family (the White side) celebrates Christmas Eve with a delicious breakfast. I got to bring my French Toast Casserole, which was a real treat because Preston doesn't like it, and so I hardly ever get to make it. We all brought our dogs over to play. I think there were eight dogs over at his parents. That night we went to the Roof for dinner. The view of the temple is just phenomenal. We tried having someone take our picture without the flash, so that we could see the lights of the temple, but it was too blurry.

This picture of Preston's sister April and her husband Nate is a little blurry, but I love the temple in the background. It is so beautiful! Later that night we got to open presents with his family. We got a bbq! I can't wait to use it in the summer! Now we just need patio furniture.

It's Christmas time!

It's come again, and I finally have a little time to post something about the Holidays. We have been pretty busy with school and Miss preparing for her recital. Here we are just a week until Christmas so here are some pictures from our Christmas tree hunt.

Here is Canyon enjoying himself, I think he ran up and down the mountain a hundred times. Poor guy made himself sick he had so much fun.

Here is Miss carrying our tree. I didn't want to get sap on my hands, jk I helped carry her parents tree down because it was bigger

Here we are with our tree.

We got a big tree this year thinking that our ceilings were taller than they were. We had to cut it a little shorter, but it looks good in our new home. As soon as I am able I will post a picture of the tree in our house.

Thanksgiving

As I reflect on the last year of my life, I realized how much the Lord has blessed my life. It has been a trying year, but I have received an abundance of blessings. Preston got into business school and graduates in less than a year. We were also able to purchase our first home without any financial assistance from family. We couldn't feel more happy about the neighborhood and the home. I feel safe to raise my children here. We also were blessed to rescue our dog Canyon. He has brought us so many smiles everyday. Last of all we are grateful that after trying for over a year to get pregnant that we were able to even though I had a miscarriage. I can't wait until the Lord blesses us with one of his children.

Pumpkin Season!

Fall is one of my very favorite times of year. I love pumpkin and so I have been experimenting with pumpkin recipes. I made my first pumpkin pie which was yummy, as well as muffins, and a frozen pumpkin dessert. My husband also thinks I am crazy because I love to eat it plain right out of the can. Let me know if you have any good pumpkin recipes!

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Mayor

I just had to put this picture on here! It makes me smile! Apparently I won too!