chris & daneile

Christmas Countdown

2012-01-26T20:37:00.003-06:00

The start of this new year brought with it for me a huge feeling of being overwhelmed. The next few months are so packed full of personal opportunities and professional obligations that I'm struggling to figure out how it's all going to fit together. And that's when I slowly inhale then exhale and remember to take it one step and a time.

So, as I work towards marking this blog off my to- do- list I will simply start where I left off. Enjoy.

Our countdown to Christmas was in full swing. After the company party we were left with about a week and a half to get the rest of our traditions in before we were set to embark on our journey home. And then out of nowhere I. GOT. SICK. It was awful. The whole week could have been a dud. Except for the one day where Chris forced me to stay in bed, I managed to drag myself around in a haze and slowly cross items from my Christmas to- do- list.

All the presents were bought and wrapped (a first for us), the cards were sent out, we shopped for our "Angel" and hoped he had as much fun with what we got him as we had finding it for him, we started watching our favorite Christmas movies (the above, shows me crossing two items off my list at once),

we listened to Christmas music nonstop, made delicious Christmas sugar cookies (I warned all who ate them they may be contaminated with my sickness and to eat at their own risk),

visited Bellingrath Gardens to take in all the light displays,

and had Christmas #1 with my brother and his family since we were both headed in opposite directions of the country for the holidays. We celebrated with a delicious dinner, a gift exchange, and topped the evening off with another Christmas movie.

Our spirits were high. With the conclusion of this week we were all set to drive home for 2 full weeks of Christmas fun.

Party Time

2011-12-18T21:44:00.000-06:00

The next task at hand was getting the preparations for the company Christmas party completed. I can honestly say that besides placing a food order for the catering and making the party invitations, I was zero help in making this party come together. The whole effort and success of the party goes to Chris. He did it all. He wanted something fun, where people could laugh and relax and not be too serious, so he decided to have a casino night and managed to pull it all together. We had a white elephant gift exchange, a "Dundie"award ceremony, and throughout the night prizes were given out. We ensured that nobody left empty handed. The casino portion consisted of 3 tables, a roulette, a black jack, and a poker table. Each person was given the same amount of chips and given one hour to get their pot as big as they could. If they happened to lose all their chips they had to do something embarrassing in order to get back in (fyi- watching grown men do kart wheels is hilarious). At the end of the hour first, second, and third place winners were awarded with gift cards.

All the time and energy that went into this night was worth it. The evening was a blast! Chris got so many compliments on how it was the best company party they had ever been to. Needless to say I was pretty proud of him. He knows how to throw quite the party.

The office transformed.

Chris announcing some winners.

Casey enjoying himself and proving you are never too old for bunny ears.

Slumber Party

2011-12-18T20:33:00.000-06:00

As we considered ways to bring the Spirit of Christmas into our home we knew we needed a kid...... so we borrowed one. And the lucky kid was Mya of course. We planned on a little sleepover and while she was here we talked about what she wanted from Santa, listened to Christmas songs, ate dinner and played with the new toy from her meal, watched as she decorated a ginger bread house for the center of my table, devoured a big bowl of ice cream, and right before bed we watched the Mickey Mouse Christmas Carol dvd that I had recently purchased. Chris and I love it because it takes us back to our childhoods and it was fun to be able to introduce Mya to it. This dvd has 4 short stories on it, one of them is call "Small One". Have you seen it? I never had and either had Chris, but it is so good for a Christmas cartoon, I was in tears. I mean I was actually sobbing. It had such a good story line. Chris couldn't help laughing at me and Mya was so confused as to why I was crying. But anyway...... She seemed to enjoy the stories because as soon as it was over she requested to watch it again.

She threw a fit when she had to go home the next day, so I am taking that as a great sign that the sleep over was a success.

Oh Christmas Tree

2011-12-18T17:41:00.001-06:00

The Saturday after Thanksgiving was our official kickoff in our attempts at squeezing all of our Christmas traditions in before our journey home. It didn't leave much time considering I was overloaded with church obligations and Chris with work obligations, but none the less we dove in head first and have had a blast celebrating Christmas here.

My excitement for putting up a tree was high, considering all of my Christmas decorations are still in a storage unit in Idaho, but I knew what it felt like to go without a tree and refused to let that happen again no matter what. So off we went and loaded our arms with balls, gift tags (that I would convert into ornaments), lights, and ribbon. The next stop was Lowes, where we found the cutest little 5 footer. We took it all home, set up the tree, strung up the lights, and as I looked around at our sad little collection of ornaments I knew it was missing something. It was missing that something that takes a tree from just any ordinary tree to "your" tree. And so I pondered and thought and pondered some more and finally it came to me..... I asked Chris to pop me some popcorn, I grabbed the needle and thread, put on a Christmas movie, hunkered down on the couch and off we set to make our popcorn garland.

The pictures are awful. The only reason I am putting them on here is to show proof that Chris and I strung each one, it was a little tedious, but Chris once again proved that he is amazing at the most unexpected tasks. If he was in a race to string popcorn he would win hands down. He is so speedy. Me..... not so much, I am way too much of a perfectionist.

But boy was I right about the garland. It was exactly what the tree needed. Chris even commented that he really liked the tree this year and so do I. So even without all our sentimental ornaments the tree still shined.

I'm totally smitten with the popcorn garland.

Burrup Family Christmas Tree 2011

Thanksgiving Festivities

2011-11-28T19:45:00.001-06:00

Our Thanksgiving was fabulous as expected. For me it is always kicked off by watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, it's one of my favorite traditions, and for Chris it is playing in the Turkey Bowl. Chris and I played host and hostess to this years dinner, but we ensured that everyone participated in making it extremely special. We had a total of 10 guests which included: Vince, Ashley, Mya, Jake, Casey, Kari, Nixon, Jordan, Erin, and Hayden. Early in the week I had created a menu and had delegated certain tasks and food prep to individuals. Everyone pulled their weight and by the time Thanksgiving day rolled around we found ourselves seated in front of the most delicious Thanksgiving feast. Every inch of our table was filled with rolls, jams, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, cheesy green beans, stuffing, deviled eggs, relish and veggie trays, bottles of sparkling cider, and center stage was the prime rib. We all must have been ravenous because not a single person brought out their camera for a picture. How sad because the table was set beautifully.

After our tummies were stuffed to near full capacity the desserts were brought forth, and boy were they aplenty. Ashley out did herself again with 4 pumpkin pies and I focused on the apple, pecan, and pudding pies and then I also threw in some pumpkin bars. We sort of got a little carried away, but when you have a husband like mine, who is constantly in your ear about ensuring there will be enough dessert for him, it's really easy to go a little overboard. Case in point: He has already asked me when I plan on making our traditional Christmas cookies. It can be a little exhausting. He's just extremely lucky that I really enjoy baking.

So besides the massive amounts of scrumptious foods, we enjoyed a full day of relaxing, playing and watching football, learning new card games and playing old ones, laughing, talking, and simply enjoying each others company. Chris and I have been so lucky here. We have managed to center ourselves around some amazing people and it is just great that we all get to experience living here in the south together.

Chris and I enjoy participating in the absolute chaos of Black Friday. We find it completely entertaining. We love laughing at the insane people who take shopping way too serious and we find quite the rush in venturing out and fighting our way through the crowds and nabbing the last of a certain item. I guess our sense of humor is a little weird. This was our 4th year to do this and with all the stores opening at midnight we were a little frustrated. We were in no way going to sacrifice our holiday to go wait in line at Target, so when the last of our guests left around 11:00 Chris asked, "Are you ready?" and I simply answered "Yep." I hurriedly threw off my flats and slipped on my running shoes and off we went. We knew our odds were very slim that we would get anything we wanted. The store opened at midnight and we got in line around 11:30. The line was seemingly endless, but at long last we made it in the store and somehow managed to get everything we wanted and then some (we were trying to stock up on prizes for our company Christmas party). Everything went so smooth, that we were in bed and fast asleep before 3am. Couldn't have asked for anything more.

And what would Thanksgiving be if you didn't mention what you are Thankful for?

I am Thankful for..........

a selfless husband, who I know loves me more than anything

all our experiences (even the trials), they have strengthened us beyond comprehension

my healthy body, it's not perfect by far but it's mine (if it was up to me I would have 2 babies already)

all our travels, we have seen so many parts of this country

a good book, nothing soothes me more than cuddling up to a great story

food, I love food, let's just leave it at that

family, they keep me grounded

the gospel, it helps keep me humble

our company, it provides not only for us but many families

my animals, they listen better than anybody

you, for coming back and ready my silly stories and thoughts

I am thankful for Thanksgiving.

Boo!

2011-11-27T18:21:00.001-06:00

The Halloween season was "spooktastic" as always. With all that we had going on in October we were a little rushed on all our Halloween festivities, but none the less we were able to squeeze them in. First up was the traditional carving of the pumpkins.

Vince, Ashley, Mya, Chris, and myself all set out to decorate our perfectly picked pumpkins.

Ashley carefully carving detail into hers.

I am adding a starry night to my bat design with the assistance of a drill.

Mya with her beautifully painted pumpkin.

The line up. Somehow mine turned into the Bat Signal, followed by: Chris' spider, Vince's moon, and Ashley's zombie hand

This Halloween I attended a little get together put on by our friends Jordan and Erin. Unfortunately Chris was unable to attend, but he didn't mind, he found entertainment in his Monday night football and handing out candy to our neighborhoods trick-or-treaters.

The girls. We were told to pose like our character. Ashley- the sweet elderly lady, Mrs. S (face blurred due to job reasons)- the purrty cat, Erin- the scariest Wednesday Adams, and Daneile- the nicest cowgirl.

Say Cheese!

We all had a blast. We ate way too much, suffered from sugar highs, played a serious game of Apples to Apples, and had fun taking the kiddos Trick-or Treating.

These next outfits just had to be mentioned.

My Sister- Coolest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle

Tay and Kelsie- Letting us know we are missed and loved.

Hayden and Erin (dressed as a geeky teenager) at our wards trunk-or-treat party. Best costume of the season goes to little Hayden- Best Nacho Libre Ever!

Down By The Bay

2011-11-23T23:34:00.001-06:00

One of Twinkee's favorite past times is going for walks down by the bay.

Making our way to the water.

Twinkee wondering why we are walking so slow.

She loves to fetch sticks out of the water.

Chris and I like it too. While she's off exploring, it gives us a moment to enjoy the beautiful sunsets.

Shrimp Festival

2011-11-21T19:25:00.001-06:00

At the return of our trip, we found ourselves just in time for the Gulf Shores Annual Shrimp Festival. With all the many things we sampled last year, there was only one thing that stuck out among the rest, and that delicious morsel was the oh-so-yummy Cajun Pistol. We bought about 20 of them this year. They are so good, and in our eyes the only reason to go back to the Festival at all. The weather was so hot, and the event is always crowded. But we were in good company with family and friends, so they, along with those little "Pistols", helped make it fun and bearable.

Mmmm...... Fried Food.

So many choices.

Fighting through the masses.

Mya, Ashley, and Vince

Our friends Jordan, Erin, and Hayden

The little ones patiently waiting for their balloon animals.

Smoky Mountains Continued

2011-11-20T16:53:00.001-06:00

On the last day of our Smoky Mountain Getaway, I found myself in still a lot of pain from the previous days adventures. Our intentions were to hike a couple shorter trails, but I knew that with the condition I was in, that there was no way that was happening. So instead we referred to another area of the park map and decided to do a tour of the Mountains from the comfort of our car.

This took us to Clingmans Dome. You drive for quite a while then simply park and hike on a paved one mile trail to the top of an observation tower. Sounds simple enough..... but take a real close look at the description. That final little word that sort of blends in and doesn't fully register..... STEEP. And while we are at it, "moderate" in no way describes the difficulty..... they need to change it to "near impossible"...... okay maybe I'm exaggerating, but I took more breaks on this one mile then I did on the other hike. But the views from the top were worth the pain and return of my leg spasms. They were very pretty.

Views of the Smokys at 6,643 feet. Clingmans Dome is the highest point in Tennessee.

That face gets me every time. LOVE him!

Next we drove down to another popular area of the park. And that's were we stumbled upon this entrance to the Appalachian Trail.

Anybody up for walking to Maine?

We walked the trail for about 10 minutes and then called it good.

Then after a little snack we headed to our last little excursion, Cades Cove. This was an 11 mile car loop that we had heard great things about.

The scenery was great and the loop provided you with opportunities to get out and explore original old cabins and read the stories of the people that lived there. It was really fascinating to walk in the cabin and see how they lived.

It was on this loop that we got to experience what, until now, had only been a rumor to us.

We saw BEARS! Da "Real" Bears!

A Mom and her cub just eating some dinner.

And then all of a sudden we stumbled across 4 more, a mom and her 3 cubs. We were so up close and personal that I could have hugged one if I wanted. Well, I did want, I just really know when it's appropriate to resist the urge. They were moving a lot so the pictures are awful. When they were crossing the street Chris was just steps away from them. It was really cool.

After our awesome encounter we left the park and went back to prepare for our drive home the next day. The trip was in no way a rest and relaxation trip. But we knew that going into it. We had a blast and it was nice just being able to get away.

Smoky Mountain Getaway

2011-11-18T16:16:00.001-06:00

After our very short stay in Chattanooga we continued to our destination of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. To be honest we did not do much research when planning this little trip. All we knew was that we were going to the Smoky's and intended to do nothing but hiking. So you can imagine my surprise when we pulled into Pigeon Forge and all I could see around me was something that was kind of comparable to that of the Las Vegas Strip, except way more centered around kid entertainment than adult. It was a mess and I was honestly sickened at what they did to these beautiful mountains. It was so commercialized it really disappointed both of us. We knew that the mountains were where we wanted to be, so we set out to find the best trails. This took us into Gatlinburg, TN (about 10 miles outside of Pigeon Forge) which is basically the entrance into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

We were a few weeks too early, so the foliage hadn't really begun to change into their fall hues, but that didn't stop the drive from being breathtaking. It was exactly what one thinks of when you think of the Smoky Mountains. We located a visitors center and hunted down a hiking map. But then we sort of faced a predicament. We were only there for 2 full days, so we had to choose our trails wisely in order to maximize our experience and time.

But with so many options we were a little overwhelmed and didn't know where to begin, so we sought the advice of a true professional....... a Park Ranger, and kindly asked, "Out of all the trails on this map which one would you most highly recommend?", to which he quickly responded, "Ramsey Cascades."

So we took his advice and planned to hike it in the morning. We still had a couple hours before nightfall so we headed out to find the beginning of the trail, and to do a little off map sightseeing of our own.

This is like the "Pride Rock" of the Smoky's.

The water was so clear and beautiful. I just had to put my feet in. The water was cold, but I adjusted to it fast enough.

The next day Chris and I woke up early, packed the backpack full of the essential (map, water, flashlights, food, camera, and a gun), and set off to the trail head. The trail itself was 8 miles round trip. It's difficulty level was labeled as strenuous, but we knew it wasn't anything we couldn't handle.

This is why we felt compelled to bring a gun with us. I was told that the chances of you seeing a bear in the Smoky's is much higher than not seeing one. They are only aggressive when provoked, but we just wanted to be prepared.

When I saw that this was the trail my heart dropped. I was thinking that there was no challenge here. I was so naive.

Chris searching for his little friend the newt.

Oh. There he is!

You've got to love self timers. Prop it on a rock, set the timer, run, pose, and smile.

The picture above was basically one mile in. That mile, I would soon find out, was basically a very kind warm-up for the next three miles. It was literally, all up hill from there.

It was very "Strenuous" indeed. I get exhausted just looking at these pictures.

Finally, we made it to the Falls. When you have seen the grandeur that Mesa Falls presents you with it is easy to take little falls like these for granted. It wasn't quite what we expected, but it was really beautiful and peaceful. When I was able to catch my breathe and really look around, I was able to appreciate the scenery fully for what it was. It was very lush and full of life. There was nothing there that would compromise the view, no buildings, paved walk ways, or information posts. We were truly secluded deep in the heart of the Smoky's. It was a beautiful realization.

After that hike I was ravenous. A sandwich has never tasted so good.

Lunch with a view.

Then came time for the descent. I felt like it was way more tiring to go downhill than up. It was a great 8 mile hike. One I'm proud I was able to accomplish. But by the time I reached the bottom my legs had had it. I was experiencing the worst spasms. And to top it off, I tripped over a root and fell. It was sad but it also gave Chris a good laugh. Needless to say that once we got back to the room we were beat and pretty much didn't move the rest of the evening.

Chattanooga, TN

2011-11-07T22:51:00.001-06:00

Our fun days started back up at the beginning of October. We embraced an opportunity that came our way, and planned a 6 day getaway to the Smoky Mountains. To break up our 9 hour road trip we spent one day in Chattanooga, TN. We both instantly fell in love. It kind of reminded me of a much smaller San Francisco (and I LOVE San Francisco).

The town is nestled along side the Tennessee River.

Chattanooga has a very artsy vibe to it. It is all very cool.

The architecture of the buildings and bridges is something anybody can appreciate.

This bridge has sections where you are walking on glass panels. It was kinda eerie looking down at the free way when crossing over it.

Doesn't this look like Lombard Street in San Francisco? You can guarantee that I sought out the entrance to that baby and walked it, just to say I did.

Chris and I had a blast wandering the streets without any destination in mind. We loved the town so much, that at one point we both even entertained a thought of how incredible it would be to live there (hmmmm.... ;)). One day was really not enough time, it went by much too fast. I know that we will be back there. We just left way too much unexplored. Until next time Chattanooga, until next time.

September Came and Went

2011-11-07T21:46:00.000-06:00

September was filled with work, work, and more work. It also contained a Saints vs. the Bears game for Chris and his friends. And then the rest of September was this.........

A whole lotta nothin'.

His/ Her August

2011-11-07T21:27:00.003-06:00

If you ask me what I remember most about August, I would respond with a simple answer such as, "It was so unbearably hot," and leave it at that. Now if you were to ask Chris the same question his answer might be a little more fun filled and detail oriented. And the reason for that is simple...... His August consisted of a nice little 10 day vacation. 10 days that were made up of friends, camping, casinos (Jack Pot), and family time.

Every year, his friends and him, plan a camp out. It's in the same location and really only has one rule that has to be abide by at all times....... No Wives Allowed. It is and will always strictly be a time for the guy's to get away from their ol' ball and chains, and do what boys do. The location of this annual camp out is by Mesa Falls. After you hike in about a mile or so off the trail you will come upon a beautiful, secluded location (Chris has taken me their a couple times) that sits on top of some cliffs, that overlook a blue river that leads to a series of falls. Their activities there include (but are not limited to): fishing, cliff jumping, hiking, cooking dutch oven meals, shooting guns, and many more guyish things. Chris loves it and looks forward to it every year.

The difference between girl trips and boy trips?......... Girls take pictures, boys don't. The few pictures I have were sent to Chris from a friend that just happened to snap a couple with his phone. So please excuse the pictures....... or lack there of.

Some of the beautiful falls.

Chris jumping off the cliff.

I'm assuming this is a guy thing, but Chris loves to throw things into water. Rocks, logs, people.......... really nothing is safe.

Cannot tell you who this is jumping off the cliff.

Ryan "Rooster" Shuman and Chris

So it's not that Chris is an evil dictator who likes to hog all the fun. He asked me multiple times to come back home with him and then seriously almost made it a requirement, but I kindly declined and told him that I was more than happy to stay back and rule the roost here. I really don't mind being alone, I am a very independent person and sometimes we really like giving each other space. It really does help the heart grow fonder. Plus, I have a hard time handing over the reigns when it comes to work. I have ways I like things to be done, what can I say. So while he was off having a blast, I added his responsibilities onto my own and may have almost had a nervous break down once or twice. I'm talking 13 hour days sometimes not being able to eat until dinner. I knew he did a lot, but I never knew it was to that extreme. It made me appreciate him a lot more. I think the first thing I said when I picked him up from the airport, while giving him a big hug was, "Thank you for all that you do." And then I collapsed from exhaustion ;).

(Sorry, this one is really blurry)

Why am I putting these pictures on? Because, when Chris was gone and I had gotten back from church I had decided to send him a picture to let him know I was thinking of him and missed him. Chris is Twinkee's best friend and she misses him terribly when he is gone, so I decided to try and include her in the picture. I just had to say his name and she went crazy. I was getting licks all over my face and she was fighting to get out of my arms to go and find him. I was laughing so hard. I guess you would have had to been there to appreciate it. It's just one of those memories I don't want to ever forget.

Exhausted But Elated in July

2011-10-31T00:34:00.000-05:00

Well, technically this is still part of my July catch up post, but seeing as this is the reason we made this little move to the south I figured it was worthy of its own post. It's that special.

Back in February, we were on a mission to find an office space that fit our needs but also fit our monthly budget. It was a pretty frustrating experience. Everything that we found was either too small, needed construction work, or was simply out of our price range. Then one day out of pure curiosity, we stopped at a little vacant building and took a peak in the windows and immediately fell in love and knew that we had found the place. It was a middle suite that had a newly built Little Caesar's on one side and a new restaurant nearing its completion on the other. So in mid March, we contacted the leasing agent and signed on the dotted line.

It was a slow going process. The office needed work. Mostly just paint and displays, but everything cost money so we just continued to work hard and do everything on our own. We were at the office a lot for long hours each day. It was just great to have a place to go to work instead of running it out of our house. So even though the doors weren't officially open we were still able to set up Chris' office and work out of it while painting or assembling in our free time. Let me tell you...... The painting took forever! Ugh. You never realize how big 2,000 square feet is until you have to paint it. We listened to a lot of Mumford and Sons during this time. With the days ticking by we slowly completed the paint, ordered and assembled the furniture, set up the displays, and cleaned every inch of the place. It was exhausting. But so worth it!

And then, on July 6, 2011, we opened the doors to the very first AXIS office. It is set up so customers can come in and play with the equipment, cameras, and home automation features to get an idea on what they would like to purchase and have installed in their homes.

The office space was a Citi Financial before.

Welcome to AXIS. Please allow me to take you on a little tour.

The view walking in through the front doors.

The reception area is on your left.

Loving our color scheme. Light gray walls with a bright sky blue accent wall on the left with big bold white letters.

And a darker gray accent wall on the right that allows the displays to pop.

This is our display wall. Every piece is fully functioning allowing you to see what each piece is capable of doing. Kind of weird when you are sitting at the receptionist desk and all of a sudden you see the camera moving on the wall. Sales Reps are able to control it when they are out in the field, to show customers its features.

Office one is behind those windows.

Chris' office is the back one. I love, love, love, the world map.

This is the training room that also doubles as the conference room.

The tech area is in the back. Gotta love the motivational posters on the wall. Somebody found them and just slapped them up. Not my favorite choice, but now I just don't have the heart to take them down.

And also the little kitchenette. We since have added a fridge and microwave so Chris never really needs to leave the office. I make him though. Somebody is a work-a-holic (I won't name names ;)). I'm really kidding. Chris' work ethic is like none I've ever seen before. He is so determined and he makes me proud each and everyday.

Well, that's it. Our little pride and joy. It's exciting to see our growth and progress in the short amount of time since we have been here. It will be interesting to see what else we will be able to complete in the next year and a half.

Joyous July

2011-10-30T22:28:00.001-05:00

July started out with a bang (or a boom?) for Chris and I. We faced quite the decision when thinking of how we would like to celebrate America's Birthday. We could watch the fireworks over the USS Alabama Battleship, drive to the ocean and watch them be shot off over the water, or catch a small local show. We decided on none of the above and simply opted for a BBQ at our house (it has a never ending back yard) with our friends and tried our darnedest at putting the "Biggest Show in Idaho" to shame. So off to the fireworks superstore we went and loaded our carts full of the goods.

This huge warehouse is full of any kind of firework you could imagine.

Love the expression on his face in this one. He's just like a kid. He's just walking down the isle thinking, "I'll take 4 of these and 6 of these. 5 for $10? Don't mind if I do." What you don't see in this picture is me following behind him and pulling out most of what he's putting in his basket and setting it back on the shelf ;).

Ashley doesn't mess around. No wussy stuff for her. Look at Mya's face....... Even she's impressed with her Mom's choice.

We decided to have dessert before our firework show and I took this opportunity to show off my master pieces. My American Flag Cake, every time you cut a slice it was a flag. And then the most American dessert I could think of, an apple pie with a little red, white, and blue action of it's own.

Then, after dessert it was time for the show. Here is our lineup. Chris was still convinced it wasn't enough. I assured him it was.

Our friends, Casey and Kari

and Jake.

Look at that smile. This guy was loving every minute of it. He even found a second use for my creme brulee torch. He's so smart.

10 points goes to you if you noticed Chris and I rockin' the red, white, and blue. Corny or just awesomely patriotic? You decide. Seriously, what a great day!

Juggling Work and Play in June

2011-10-11T23:43:00.001-05:00

June is where our fun started to begin. We found ourselves in the home stretch of the completion of our store. At this point it was just a waiting game. Everything was ordered but it was taking it's sweet time getting to us, so we found distractions elsewhere. We pushed hard during the work week and once the weekend came we were in relax mode. By this time Summer was in full swing and the temperature just continued to climb.

June weekends were spent at the beach for the most part. I accompanied a group of girls from church for a beach bum day. And it was then, with the help of these body boarder girls, that they assisted uncoordinated me into catching my very first big wave with the body board. It was thrilling. Then the weekend after that we had our ward's Annual Beach Day. Jellyfish were aplenty this day. Their little tentacles were everywhere in the water and those things don't have to be attached to the body to sting you. But, it didn't matter...... The sting was just a mild irritation, unless you happened to get stung by a jellyfish and not just a tentacle, then it was a little more painful. I found out that vinegar helps take the sting away. So as I would look around at other members of the ward you would see people with mustard and even toothpaste all over their legs, arms, and faces. It was pretty comical to see. A jellyfish got Chris around his calf and I stepped on one on the ocean floor. It was so painful. It's tentacles wrapped around my ankle and in between my toes. I still have a small scar on my ankle from it. Thankfully we were close to a life guard station and he had a spray bottle full of vinegar that he cleaned by foot off with. Needless to say, I didn't get back in the water that day.

When we weren't at the beach with the members of our ward, we were there with family and friends. Playing in the waves, soaking up the sun's rays, playing Frisbee, and simply just appreciating the freedom and relaxation that the beach helps provide.

Just relaxing while watching some of the men play Frisbee.

Cute.

Mya building sand castles while her Dad takes a dip.

June also brought with it not one but two great visits. I knew my sister was coming out to visit and I was so excited and grateful for that. She works so hard for her money and to know that she was willing to spend some of her savings to pay us a visit meant so much. But when we went to pick her up at the airport I wasn't only blessed to see her smiling face but also the face of my Mom smiling back at me. I had no idea and was in complete shock. It was such a great and much needed surprise. The visit was short but so very sweet. We celebrated Ms. Mya's 3rd birthday, went shopping, ate yummy food, went to the beach, saw some alligators, took a trip into New Orleans, played games, and simply just enjoyed being together.

My Mom trying crawfish for the first time.

The birthday princess telling us how old she is.

Mya couldn't take her eyes off of the new Tangled doll her parents got her. It was her only birthday wish. And of course Twinkee just had to check it out too. She's such a helper ;).

Playing in the waves. Vince is bobbing around in the background.

This time in New Orleans we decided to tour a cemetery.

It seemed like the wrong place to take a smiling picture hence, the sad face picture.

Moving Onward in May

2011-10-10T23:07:00.002-05:00

Well, May was a lot of the same ol' same ol'. We were still progressing on the store and got our most exciting upgrade....... The arrival of our sign. It made things feel so official. We just stood outside and marveled at it. That evening when it was all lit up we would drive back and forth just to see it in all its bright glory. It was thrilling. We were so proud that day. It's hard to top that feeling of seeing your name in lights for the first time.

Ignore the gross canopy. It would be getting a cleaning very soon.

Unfortunately, late April and early May also brought with it strong winds, many tornado warnings, and lightning storms. I remember one evening as Chris and I were taking Twinkee on her evening walk, that the wind was so strong that it made walking difficult. We were very fortunate though. Our warnings never developed into anything but a warning. Sadly, our neighbors to the north in Birmingham were hit by an EF5 tornado. That following Sunday our ward was getting briefed on the situation and what was being expected by each member of the ward to assist in the relief efforts. Each ward was assigned a weekend that men were told to report to assist. A couple weekends later Chris and a small group of men carpooled up to the area and volunteered in the clearing of debris. The size of that man's heart never ceases to amaze me.

Pictures taken from Chris' phone driving through the area.

Stressful April

2011-10-10T21:57:00.000-05:00

April was a stressful month for Chris and I if I remember correctly. So much was going on that tensions were very high between us. We were still in the process of working on our store. So our time consisted of painting (so much painting), researching furniture and displays, watching unexpected costs come up (one after another after another), all while making sure that our sales goals were still being met. And as our luck would have it, our lease on our house was up, so we decided to move into a little house a little further out into the country. So between the pressures of the move and the store, Chris and I were just moving from day to day. Just trying to keep our heads up and not lose our tempers. It was rough. It was one of those times where you tell yourself continuously throughout the day to just keep looking forward. To forget all that is going on in this exact moment and just keep reaching for that picture in your head....... That goal that you have been striving for. And that's what we did. One foot in front of the other...... and ever so slowly we started to emerge into a place that allowed us to breath a little easier. Where things were a little less scary as each day continued to take the form of what your hopes and expectations were.

As I reflect back on that time now, I see why that trial was put before us. It has blessed Chris and I, in a time where that trial could have easily pushed us apart it in fact helped Chris and I to once again strengthen our marriage in an area that I didn't even know needed strengthened.

During this time Chris and I found our "happy song". We would seriously just sit in his office, close our eyes, and hit play. As I sit here typing this, it brings a smile to my face as I recall upon those memories. It's dubbed our "Happy Song" for a reason...... with just the click of play on our iTunes our anxiety would slowly start to melt. I invite you to listen to it....... This little gem is called, "Send Me On My Way" by Rusted Root.

Hola!

2011-10-10T20:37:00.002-05:00

HI THERE!!

Fear not, for both Chris and I are alive and well. I enjoy a lot of things and to be honest when I put forth the effort I'm pretty good at those things. But when it comes to blogging it usually takes more effort than I am willing to give most of the time. Alas, at some point during an hour long phone conversation with my Mom yesterday I sort of committed myself into updating this here blog. So here I am, kind of stumped on where to begin, but none the less I'm here.

Finally, Fall is starting to arrive here in the South. It's starting to cool down. I am sick of the summer heat and humidity. I'm sick of wearing summer clothes and trying to act like the frizzy curly mess that I call my hair was an intentional hair style choice. Not so good when you're trying to keep yourself looking pretty for the husband. Needless to say I have been anxiously awaiting this beautiful season. The weather, the food, the clothes, the holidays, the football (had to throw that one in there for Chris) ............. all things that I have been yearning for (all but the last one- just thought I'd make that clear).

But if I started things here, I would be denying you the pleasure of seeing how we spent our Spring and Summer ;). So now, if you would be so kind as to join me on a little trip back in time............

Another Very Happy Birthday Indeed

2011-04-23T15:03:00.008-05:00

Well, another birthday has passed. I can't believe that I am 26. Seriously time... slow down! This year was a little calmer than others, but that didn't stop me from having the best time possible. Once again I got spoiled by birthday wishes, cards showing up the whole week, presents, and birthday wishes coming true. Chris spoiled me by taking me to my favorite food spots and letting me fill up on my favorites. Does anybody else have their life revolve around food? Well, mine does and I don't mind one bit. Enjoy the simple things, right? Don't worry, I do.

All I wanted this year was to go to the ocean, and Chris saw to it that my wish came true. We and everybody else that we know down here packed up for a relaxing afternoon spent enjoying the warmth of the sand and the coolness of the water. The waves were very active so we all had a fun time playing in those and then we moved the party to the sand for some games of frisbee and football. So much fun and such a great way to ring in a birthday. After that we headed back to the house where Chris whipped up some mini sliders for everyone and then presented me with the cutest little birthday cake I have ever seen.

He knows my love for anything cupcake and made this little gem for me all by himself. I mean come on.... how sweet is that? Love that boy.

Quick fact..... this is the first time in all my 26 years of living that I have had a chocolate cake on my birthday. I am not a chocolate person, but for some reason I was craving one and that's what I got. So good and seriously.... is there anything better than cream cheese frosting?

Haha, Chris took me shopping for my birthday and since I picked out what I got I had just hung them in my closet, but I guess he felt bad that I didn't have anything to open so he threw them in a Target bag, hanger and all. Thanks babe!

Enjoying some birthday cards and a root beer float.

Hmmm, what did I wish for this year?

Guess we are just going to have to wait to see.

Mardi Gras

2011-04-23T13:05:00.011-05:00

Don't get scared... I promise there was no chest baring from Chris or myself (and we never saw anyone else's either), lets just get that out in the open from the start. Living up north I never fully comprehended all that encompassed Mardi Gras. It's HUGE here, actually it's more than HUGE. I can't even explain the magnitude of what this holiday means to the people of the South. It is such a big deal that businesses consider this a paid holiday for their employees. Businesses and schools all over the cities here close down for the day. People and their organizations take the year to prepare for the festivities that last for about a week or more. I still don't really know all that Mardi Gras is suppose to represent, but this is what I was able to take from it. Mardi Gras (or Fat Tuesday) was a celebration that originated in France and was brought over here by the French settlers. The first celebrations here in the US actually happened in Mobile and it is something that they are very proud of. From the elaborate floats a dozen or so people throw trinkets, food, beads, stuffed animals, small toys, anything really, out to the crowd. This is suppose to symbolize ridding yourselves of food and extravagance in order to prepare for Lent. So begins the 40 days of fasting, starting on Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter. Like I said I am not 100% on those facts this is just what I had picked up from a sweet old lady and her family.

What I do know, is that Chris and I had so much fun. We were able to catch two parades this season. The first being in the small town next to ours. We were lucky enough to stumble upon a group of people in our ward and had a great time with them, they did emphasize that while we lived here we had to experience Mardi Gras, New Orleans style. They said there is nothing like it and it's not all that the media plays it out to be. We'll see, just the two we went to here were pretty overwhelming. But anyway...... this is Mardi Gras, Fairhope, AL style.

As you can see, Fairhope's floats had a music theme going on. The floats were amazing.

Then all you had to do was raise your hands and catch whatever was thrown your way.

Chris, catching me some goods.

It's very important to keep your eyes up. Some things they throw off those floats are not soft. I got hit in the head with a jumbo thing of beads and it hurt so bad. It seriously brought tears to my eyes. And the sad thing is somebody stole those beads from me :(.

I know it's hard to look past these two faces ;), but check out the hands in the back ground. It was insane.

We walked away from our first Mardi Gras parade with enough stuff to open up our own dollar store. I wish that I had taken a picture of the amount of beads I had hanging around my neck. I had so many that my neck was sore the next day from all the weight.

Next up was the final Mardi Gras parade in Mobile. It was crazy. Within 10 minutes of being there we are quietly standing around waiting for the parade to begin when out of nowhere I get hit from behind by a girl that probably weighed around 200 lbs. I was seriously being crushed by this lady while trying to hold back Mya's stroller that she was standing in front of so that she didn't get trampled over, while trying to scream to my brother to grab Mya. So confused as to what was going on and why this lady was trying to hurt me I managed to turn around and at that same time I here somebody say gun and just as I hear that I see a man holding up is shirt threatening somebody else with the gun that he had stashed in his pants. Then it registered that the woman crushing me wasn't trying to hurt me..... people were scattering to get away. My brother had seen the same thing and with Mya in his arms he was off with Ashley right behind him. I looked and Chris and Jake were so confused because they had no idea what was going on and all I could do was yell, "Chris move! There's a gun!" Like I said before it was just a threat and nobody got hurt. But we booked it and went to a much less hostile place that a nice police man just happened to be standing by. It was intense.

I will title this picture "What Just Happened?" This picture was taken about 10 minutes after the scare. Haha! Nobody looks like they are having fun anymore. Aww, to be a kid again. Look at that girl. She had no idea what just happened.

Well, we pushed on and found a much nicer spot, next to a sweet family with kids, we also got some funnel cakes, and some hand dipped corndogs. Funny how food always seems to make things better.

Ms. Mya all ready for the parade to begin.

Our first Mardi Gras was just a teensy bit scary but mostly amazing. We walked away with a new experience or two to talk about and got to really be a part of the culture that the people here take such deep pride in. Loved it and look forward to next year.

An Apology

2011-04-23T12:09:00.006-05:00

Wow. I can't believe how bad I have gotten at this whole blogging thing lately. Honestly, most of the time I view it as a chore and it takes all my will to force myself to sit down and actually write something. I love love love to read other people's blogs though and have no problem staying on top of that, so please carry on and continue doing what you do. My being absent for so long has been for good reason and to put it simply both Chris and I have been busy busy busy. Half the time I feel like a zombie, wake up, get ready, then off to face the day and all that it feels like throwing at us, try to come up with something edible for dinner, lose myself in one of my weekly shows to relax, then off to sleep, just to start all over again the next day. It's been a rough couple of months, but hopefully with all the hard work and long hours Chris and I have been putting in we will soon start to see the fruits of our labors. But, the point is I am sitting here now and I want you to know that we are alive and well. We miss you all terribly and think about each of you often. Just a couple of shout outs...... Kelsie, again thank you for that DVD that you had sent us (I'm sure you know which one I am referring to). It seriously brought a much needed laugh to us when things were getting just a little too serious around here.... it meant so much. Melissa, thank you for staying so on top of things and keeping your blog updated. I love to see sweet Maddux and how big he is getting. Mom, thanks for the long chats on the phone and the little texts I receive from you letting me know what's up in your part of the country. I have to apologize, I know I am absolutely horrible at keeping in contact with people. I don't like Facebook, I am horrible at sending out emails, weeks can go by before I think to actually call somebody, and I rarely leave comments on blogs. But I do like to write letters, you know the old fashion way, so don't be surprised if you see one of those in your mail box. I am really going to put an effort into trying to stay in contact with everybody. Again we love and miss you all. Now I must go and actually blog about something. Loves!

Chris' Big Day

2011-03-31T16:51:00.011-05:00

On February 24, my sweet husband turned 30! He couldn't believe it! It made him a little nervous but he handled it like a champ. I tried my best to make his birthday week the best ever and I think that he enjoyed it. From impromptu back scratches and massages, to being awakened in the morning by the sweet aroma of doughnuts and breakfast sandwiches, life couldn't have been better for the guy. He never takes advantage of the birthday week, so I do my best to read his mind and do the things that I know he wants but doesn't ask for.

His birthday always starts out the same, a delicious birthday breakfast of crepes. His mother started that tradition for him when he was a kid and happily past the torch on to me when we were married. It's such a fun tradition and one that I have no intention of ever stopping.

The night before Chris' birthday I had all his presents wrapped up and placed on the couch. He walked in and said that he was filled with so much anticipation and excitement to open his presents that he honestly felt like a kid on Christmas Eve. I couldn't believe it. I had brought the kid out in him. I couldn't have asked for a better reaction.

Chris opening up the memory book I made him with the help of all our family and friends. He loved it and was shocked. It turned out so good.

Mya helping Uncle Chris open his presents.

On his birthday I usually let him pick his birthday dessert. Sometimes it's a cake, other times it's been cream puffs. Whatever the birthday boy wants he gets. So this year his birthday dessert was an apple pie. So I set out to make the most festive 30th birthday apple pie I could. 3 hours later this is what I had created.

Not too shabby if I do say so myself.

And no 30th birthday pie would be complete without a 3 and a 0 sparkler candle. It was like the 4th of July in our kitchen and I will probably never use normal candles again. They were so much fun! (The picture doesn't do them justice).

Chris making his birthday wishes. Love that face.

We had our traditional birthday dinner for Chris the following night so that everybody was able to attend. All he wanted was some crawfish. At this time of year they are a little hard to find because the aren't in season, but with some help we managed to locate a little restaurant on Mobile Bay that had them shipped in fresh everyday. He was in pure heaven.

I don't know if you know this about me, but birthdays are a pretty big deal to me. I know that I take them a little too seriously, but after all, a birthday is to celebrate the day that one is born, and I don't know about you but to me that is a huge deal.

Plus..... I just love to see my man happy.

Happy Birthday My Love.

U R SWEET

2011-02-14T21:41:00.004-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sorry you couldn't be here to share these delicious Valentine's cupcakes with us.

But don't worry. Ms. Mya will eat yours for you ;).

Sweet 6

2011-01-15T15:45:00.007-06:00

Oh Happy Day!

The Mr. and I are celebrating 6 happy years today.

Best 6 years of my life.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY BABE!!!!

Here's to forever.

xoxox

Christmas Moments 2010

2011-01-14T18:20:00.006-06:00

Chris and I drove 30 hours in less than two days to ensure that we would be home for Christmas. We just couldn't imagine a Christmas without family, friends, or snow. So we gave ourselves two weeks. Two weeks to make our Christmas a winter vacation others only dream about.

To get into the holiday spirit we sang Christmas songs on the drive up and I must say we mastered "Baby It's Cold Outside", we reminisced about Christmas' from our pasts, enjoyed tons of Christmas goodies, snuggled up close while we watched all of our favorite Christmas movies, fought the crowds to do some last minute Christmas shopping, I wrapped a lot of presents and topped each one with pretty little bows, and last we kept with our Christmas tradition of looking at the little amount of Christmas lights that Pocatello and Chubbuck had to offer on Christmas Eve.

Christmas Day was perfect like always. Chris and I let the trip itself be our gift to each other, but Christmas morning we were both shocked to see that Santa remembered us and that he somehow knew where to find us. So we just had a quite little family stocking opening of our own in the guest room we were staying in. Once again we got spoiled.

Chris and I showing off some of the presents that Santa brought.

One of the things I love most about Santa is that he is always up for a good laugh. Take fruit cake for example. I see it in the store every year and every year I turn to Chris and ask "who would actually buy that and eat it?" Well Santa must have heard me because guess who got a nice little brick of fruit cake in her stocking on Christmas morning...............

This girl did.

And it did not go to waste. It was taken to my Mom's where everyone including my Grandma and Aunts tried it. It was absolutely disgusting. Seriously, it tasted worse than it looked and it looked horrible. But the reactions of everyone and the expressions on their faces was priceless. Thanks Santa!!

Even Twinkee and Marlo had some fun opening their gifts too. No Santa didn't bring Marlo a bag, sadly she just preferred it.

We all worked up quite an appetite from all the present opening but luckily we didn't have to wait long because next thing we knew it was time for our Christmas dinner at my Grandma's followed by our traditional Christmas BINGO. Family, food, and BINGO.......... Life is good.

Showing off our Christmas spirit with our Christmas sweaters.

Next up........... More eating and family visiting at Chris' Grandma's house. We had one more stop after that and that was at my Mom's for our gift exchange there and a few rounds of games. By the time the day is over we are exhausted but we wouldn't trade it for anything.

The rest of our vacation went as follows: Hung out with friends, poker nights, went to movies, sledding with the nieces and nephews (SO MUCH FUN!!), Chris went on his yearly snowboard trip with friends, said Goodbye! to 2010 and Hello! to 2011 with some of our best friends, and visited with our families as much as we could.

Our trip went by much too fast and before we knew it it was time to pack up and head back to Alabama. But our Holiday Season was exactly what we expected it to be.......... 2 weeks full of fun, family, and friends.

Family Cruise

2011-01-13T20:30:00.029-06:00

From November 28, 2010 to December 5, 2010 Chris and I were aboard the Carnival Valor

with 28 of my loved ones.

This ship took us to 4 beautiful destinations.

First up...........

The Grand Cayman.

We did nothing but snorkel all day. Pure happiness.

We then spent a fun shopping day in Cozumel, Mexico.

My sexy Senor Burrup

and his sassy Senorita.

Next up on the itinerary was a day in Belize. Unfortunately there was a huge storm so it rained out our excursion. Boo :(

But no worries. The next day presented us with bright blue skies and sun.

Just perfect for a day on a catamaran

and snorkeling in Roatan, Honduras.

And when we weren't off the ship exploring, we could be found

soaking up the sun on deck,

playing BINGO and card games,

enjoying all the delicious food,

hanging out on our balcony and enjoying sunsets,

and trying to squeeze in as much time as possible with our family.

We had the best time ever and we owe it all to these two.

My mom and stepdad.

Thank you both so much. It was the best family vacation ever! Love you guys!

Who Dat?!

2010-12-15T22:11:00.006-06:00

Holy Cow! I had so much fun with the Mister this past weekend! He took me to the Saints vs. Rams game in New Orleans, and it was hands down the best sporting event that I have ever been to. Yeahhhhh, I know, I've only been to maybe 5 games in my life, but that's just because sports and me have never really seen eye to eye. But seriously, the pure love, devotion, and pride of the Saints fans for their team was truly inspiring.

Before the game begins there is this moment where one of the Saints walks onto the field and stands in the middle of the fleur-de-lis. At this point the whole stadium is absolutely silent. I mean you could honestly hear a pin drop...... Absolute silence. Then as he bends down and touches the fleur-de-lis the crowd erupts into the Saint's chant which goes as follows:

"Who dat?! Who dat?! Who dat say they gonna beat them Saints?! Who dat?!"

They then repeat that a couple times. I really wish I had gotten it on tape because it was intense. I have never seen anything like it. It honestly took my breathe away. By far my most favorite moment of the game. Oh yeah........ And it didn't hurt that the Saints beat the Rams. :)

Chris and I in front of the Super Dome.

Go Saints!!!

Thankful for Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T19:30:00.013-06:00

Sweet relief. That's all I feel right now. Relief. Our first Thanksgiving away from home couldn't have been better. All the preparation and work that went into it was so worth it. And I love that this day wasn't the effort of only one person but of everybody in the house.

Our Thanksgiving Day menu consisted of:

Prime Rib (prepared by Chris)

Lobster Tails (Chris and Vince)

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy (Vince)

Stuffing (Ashley)

Clover Rolls (Daneile)

Making these dinner rolls is what worried me the most, but they turned out so good and with the homemade jam, I could have skipped dessert all together. So yummy and pretty too.

Strawberry Jam (Daneile)

Deviled Eggs (Daneile)

Cheesy Green Bean Casserole (Daneile)

Cranberry Sauce (Ashley)

Pumpkin Pie (Ashley)

Ashley made the most beautiful homemade pumpkin pie ever.

Apple Pies (Daneile and Ashley)

The spread.

Dinner was perfect. There was 7 of us total and we couldn't get over how good everything was.

I am so Thankful for days like today, days that open my eyes and make me realize how blessed I truly am.

I amThankful for the love of our family and friends,

for the opportunity that we have to be here in Alabama,

so Thankful that Chris and I both have jobs and steady incomes when so many people do not,

Thankful for the food in our cupboards,

for the roof over our heads,

for the companionship of our pets, Twinkee and Marlo,

Thankful for the gospel in our lives,

and for the incredible members here in our ward,

I'm Thankful that I have goals and dreams, they keep me moving forward,

Thankful for our trials, they have truly made us stronger,

and I'm Thankful for my sweet husband, I love that man and don't know where I would be without him,

I'm Thankful for all our many adventures, we have truly lived an amazing life thus far,

I'm Thankful for my bed that's calling my name. It's been a long day.

Good Night.

and

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Man Date

2010-11-25T17:28:00.005-06:00

Last Sunday Chris and his friend Jake took a dude's trip down to New Orleans to watch the Saints defeat the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Dome.

When I asked what some of the highlights of the day were this was their reply:

They had amazing seats. They were one row from the field and got to see views like this.

An unexpected Seahawks fan showed up. It's hard to tell from the picture but that's Will Ferrell. That story basically goes like this........... Initially he ignored the crowd and his fans, that made the crowd mad so they decided to start heckling him by screaming his past characters names at him (Frank the Tank, Ron Burgundy, and so on). And finally he looked up at the crowd. That's all they wanted. Mission complete.

Only having one row separating them from the Saint's Cheerleaders. (Jake's biggest highlight).
Getting to experience the intense admiration and devotion of the Saints Fans. I guess it's pretty insane.
Watching the Saints win.
And last but not least, after the game they went to a celebration dinner at the all too delicious restaurant, Deanies, in the French Quarter.

What a day.

Accomplishment

2010-11-14T16:51:00.006-06:00

Awwww......... I have finally did something that has intimidated me for years. Something that I have always wanted to do but have never gathered the nerve because it has always seemed so daunting and complicated. I, with the help and assistance of my sister Ashley, have made an apple pie from scratch. Crust and everything. I couldn't be more satisfied with our little pie and Chris was so proud of me. It was so cute. He insisted on taking a picture of me with it and even commented that it was blog worthy. So here it is.

My pride and joy. It tasted as good as it looks and believe me when I say that. I don't even really like pie ;)

Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T18:48:00.016-05:00

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I love being scared. I always have. So Chris indulges me with midnight scary movie premieres, lets me watch endless Sy-Fy channel movies (no matter how corny they may be), and even volunteers to take me to at least one haunted house. Is it his thing........ not really, but I know that he is slowly starting to get into it.

No Halloween would be complete with out a pumpkin carving party.

I made a big pot of chili, had a warm pan of peach cobbler ready with a side of cool vanilla ice cream, and away we went bringing our pumpkins to life.

Chris is coming up with something good.

Even little Mya got in on the action. Although she was more interested in coloring the back of her pumpkin then she was in Dora.

Our completed pumpkins. So spooky.

Chris did a bunch of stuff on his pumpkin. Ghosts, a spooky tree, a moon, but the big show stopper was the Saints, Fleur-de-lis. GO SAINTS!!

I, on the other hand, kept it a little bit more traditional. Don't get scared.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Camping in Pensacola

2010-10-31T16:22:00.014-05:00

Last weekend Chris took me on our annual camping trip. It's a strange thing going camping in the middle of October, but the weather couldn't have been more perfect. The site we camped on was actually where a house once stood on the banks of this river, but then when Hurricane Ivan came through it destroyed the house. All that's left is a foundation and the docks out on the water. The land belongs to a friend of a guy that works with Chris. They said its a great place to camp so we took them up on their offer to let us use the land.

When we got there the first thing we did was go take a look at the water to see if it was swimable. It was swimable............. if you didn't mind getting your feet snapped off by an alligator. Well............ I'm sure it wasn't that bad, but the water was jet black, and there was no way I could muster the courage to just jump in. So that was a little disappointing, but we still made the most out of our camping trip.

Chris and I set up camp and while he got the fire going, I prepared our tin foil dinners of baby red potatoes and salmon. It was delicious. We stayed up late that night, talked, made s'mores, and listened to the sounds of the wildlife around us. It was so loud. Raccoons getting into fights, something getting in the water and making splashing noises (an Alligator?), ducks quacking, and fishes jumping out of the water. Somehow, we slept good that night, huddled up in our sleeping bags, and managed to even sleep in till about 9:30. That's amazing, because when I camp I am usually up at the crack of dawn.

The next day my brother and his family came up to spend the day with us. It was hot that day so we tried to stay as far away from the fire as possible and just stared at the water that we couldn't get into. It was torture to be so close to water and not be able to get in. But we made our own fun. We played a couple rounds of this dice game called Toss Up, and then even brought our inner kids out and played a few games of hide and seek. So much fun! I must say that I am an amazing hider.

Then as night slowly started to fall we prepared another delicious tin foil dinner (Chris and I seriously have a talent for tin foil dinners) and sat around the campfire talking about ghosts. The scenery was fitting, the Spanish moss hung from the nearby oak trees creating a good backdrop for such a discussion.

Twinkee, our little camper, she hated all but about 10 minutes of the whole trip. She does not enjoy roughing it.

A lot of the animal noise we were hearing was coming from this area. This is all that's left of the dock the hurricane took.

It was a fun time, but I always look forward to getting back home and taking an actual shower and sleeping in my bed.

**** Something I forgot to mention........ Chris and I got attacked by bugs. When I say attacked, I mean even bug repellent couldn't keep them at bay. We didn't realize how severe the damage was until we got back home. I fortunately wore pants the majority of the time, but Chris wore shorts and got the worst. He counted over 100 bites on his legs alone. I felt so bad for him. The itch was so irritating. I never want to experience that again and I couldn't even imagine how he was feeling.

A Little of This and A Little of That

2010-10-31T14:51:00.004-05:00

I can't believe that it is fall already. It doesn't feel like fall here at all. While other parts of this country get to experience the leaves changing colors and significantly cooler temperatures and in some places even snow, us here in Southern Alabama get to experience nothing of the sort. The only indication that we have reached the fall season is the temperatures have decided to go down to a beautiful mid 80 degrees and that all the stores have decided to bring out their holiday decor. The weathers been perfect, but I have to admit that I do miss the transition from sweaters to jackets to coats.

Life has been so good for Chris and I. The last couple months we have really pushed ourselves to work harder than we have ever worked and we are finally starting to see the fruits of our labors. Its been exhausting but so rewarding and we have finally started to reach that point to where we feel like we can start breathing a little easier. I love my husband so much. I admire his hard work and perseverance. No matter how difficult things may have gotten, he has always remained optimistic in achieving his goals and has never wavered from them. He is such an example to me to never give up on hopes and dreams no matter how hard things may get. He has taught me so much and I fall more in love with him everyday. He is truly an amazing man and I am thankful that he is all mine. (Just thought I'd share :))

But with all the mushy stuff aside now......... I mean, don't get me wrong...... Yeah, Chris and I have been working hard, but we have also embraced those opportunities to go out and have a little fun too.

The beaches finally reopened after the oil got cleaned up and was deemed clean enough to swim in. We didn't waste anytime going back. We missed it so much. The day was going perfect..... Perfect weather, perfect water, perfect company, but as we were playing in the waves and splashing around I suddenly had a little voice in my head tell me to look down. At first I couldn't tell what my eyes were trying to focus in on. Then all of a sudden the slimy, clear, bluish, purplish blob sharpened and I screamed out loud, JELLYFISH!!!! It was terrifying. It wasn't even a foot away from me! I have never ran out of water so fast in my life and the feeling of sand beneath my feet has never been more welcomed. So.......... Yeah............ I may have overreacted, because it wasn't like a swarm of jellyfish, it was just one about the size of a basketball. But I partially blame my reaction to the fact that maybe a week before I watched the documentary on the Discovery Channel about "Killer Jellyfish" and it may have had a bigger impact on me than I originally thought. So anyway, as I'm on land yelling at Chris to get out of the water he's in there TOUCHING the slimy thing! I couldn't believe it! He was actually disappointed that I didn't let it sting me! He said it would have made an awesome story, and then I said, "No thanks, but please, help yourself." I eventually did get back in the water, but I was a little more cautious of my surroundings. Ugh, I just gave myself chills again.

Next up............ The "GULF SHORES ANNUAL SHRIMP FESTIVAL!!!!" I was so excited for this. I talked about it for weeks, and didn't leave it up for discussion, we were going. It was so much fun. We ate:

Alligator on a Stick

Shark-Ka-Bobs

Crawfish Pies

Jumbo Grilled Shrimp

Fried Shrimp

Hushpuppies

and Cajun Pistols

Weirdly, the Shrimp dishes were a little disappointing, but the Cajun Pistols made up for all that. This delicious little concoction was a mixture of shrimp, crawfish, and crab in a sort of cheese sauce all baked into these little rolls. They were absolutely scrumptious. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. Totally worth the trip alone.

Well, that's it. Our last couple months in a nutshell. We have just been living life and loving every minute of it.

Our First Visitor

2010-08-15T14:02:00.031-05:00

Over a month ago my Mom blessed us with her presence and was officially crowned our very first visitor. She has taken a "vacation" of sorts in almost every place that we have lived so we knew it was only a matter of time before she came knocking on our door here in the dirty south.

She flew into New Orleans, on the 4th of July, and Chris and I couldn't have been more excited to play tour guide in one of our favorite cities. So off we went to explore the city that we love oh so much.........

You can't start your day off without breakfast, so we took her to the famous Cafe Du Monde for some authentic beignets.

From the horse drawn carriages lining the streets, to the jazz duo on the corner playing some upbeat patriotic music on their tuba and trumpet, the atmosphere couldn't have been more perfect while we ate our little french donuts. While we were sitting there we started to experience some sporadic rain showers and figured that our best bet was to head over to the aquarium to escape the rain and the impending heat. So off we set for a nice little walk along the Mississippi River when out of no where buckets of rain starting pouring out of the sky. So we had no choice but to sprint in a desperate search to find shelter. When we finally came to a covered awning we were all laughing so hard.............. I love moments like that. So there we stayed until the rain slowly let up and we decided to continue our journey on the banks of the Mississippi towards our destination.

Next stop..................

Captivating.

I cannot remember what was so intriguing about this small exhibit. It must have been good to draw in this crowd.

The aquarium doesn't necessarily have the cultural aspects that you would expect to find in New Orleans, but when the weather isn't being so friendly it's a great retreat.

So once we left the aquarium we all grabbed a quick bite to eat for lunch, and then decided to split up. My Aunt Robin was in New Orleans at the same time we were for a work conference, and sadly she was tied up in meetings the majority of the day we were there but she kindly gave us a key to her hotel room, and while my brother and Ashley went back to put their daughter down for a nap, Chris, my Mom, and myself decided to explore the streets of the Big Easy.

We walked the beautiful grounds of the St. Louis Cathedral,

strolled through the French Market,

and this is where we talked my Mom into trying alligator. It was in sausage form so it hid a lot of the texture and flavor of the meat, but I was still proud of her.

And then we wandered through the streets of the French Quarter.

A short time later after the rain clouds had moved on and the heat of the day started taking its toll on us, we too decided to head back to the hotel for a little rest before dinner.

That night my Mom treated us to a spectacular dinner at a restaurant, that was recommended by my Aunt, in the French Quarter. It was so authentic and good, that it has had Chris and I dreaming of it ever since. After dinner, we were finally able to meet up with my Aunt and her friend Sherry and get ready for the firework show over the Mississippi. Her hotel opened up its top floor and allowed people to watch the show from there.

Now just imagine that darkness has descended and the lights of the French Quarter below are all aglow, and that two barges slowly make there way down the Mighty Mississippi and stop and suddenly your eyes are feasting upon two spectacular and simultaneous firework shows. That is the way we celebrated our Country's Birthday. It was incredible.

A little while later we had to say goodbye to my Aunt and head back home so that we could be refreshed for the activities that awaited us the next day.

The next day we decided to take my Mom to see the ocean. The key word there being "see." With the oil having washed up on the shores about a month back the water wasn't safe to swim in. That was the first time that Chris and I had been back in a while and we were amazed to see that the cleaning crews had cleaned the oil off the sand, but there were still chemicals in the water that could be very harmful to your health, so "No Swimming!" It's always a relaxing experience to just sit on the beach or play in the sand so we still enjoyed ourselves.

Over the course of the next few days I had to return to work, so my brother and his wife took over as tour guide and showed her some of our favorite spots. But when night fell and after dinner all our game faces came on. We had many laughs over our games of Uno, Skipbo, and Life.

There are two things I have to comment on about this picture. (1) Ashley has a scary game face. And (2) I think I caught Chris cheating.

The last night that my Mom was going to be in Alabama we treated her to our favorite local BBQ joint down by the bay. Moe's.

And after dinner we went down the street and caught a beautiful sunset over the Bay. It was a perfect sunset on her last night there.

The next night we had to say our goodbyes to her, but since she was flying out of New Orleans we had one more dinner and enjoyed dessert at Cafe Du Monde.

We had so much fun with her here and enjoyed showing her the new place we get to call home. If I know her I'm sure she's already planning her next visit, and we already have some new things to show her.

Thanks for the visit and come back anytime. Love you Mom!

White Sand and Blue Water

2010-07-11T16:24:00.012-05:00

The white sandy beaches and clear blue water gently lured Chris and I to a little beach town on Alabama's coast line called Gulf Shores. Every Saturday, through the months of April and May, you could find us at this beach, laying in the sun, frolicking in the water, or combing the beaches for seashells. It was our perfect little weekend getaway that was just a short 45 minute drive from our house.

Gulf Shores, AL

Me and my handsome hubbs at Gulf Shores State Park.

The sand felt like powdered sugar under your feet and the water was so clear that you could see the wildlife that swam with you. It became a regular occurence that as you played in the waves you were joined by a few stingray that wanted to play with you. At one point when Chris and I were swimming we looked around us and there were at least 8 stingrays swimming with us. It honestly made me a little uneasy and occasionally I would scream really loud when one would swim right up to me, but I stayed strong and never ran out of the water. Chris on the other hand was in love. He is fascinated by the ocean and all that dwells in it, and while I was nervously giggling and shrieking, I would find him chasing after these things trying to catch one and holding his hands out trying to pet one. The funny thing was I think they enjoyed playing with him because he would swim after it, the stingray would swim away, but then come right back up to him like it wanted to be chased again. It was amazing. He was totally in his element and I loved seeing him so happy. He had the biggest smile on his face and spent quite a bit of time swimming with his aquatic friends.

At one point though Chris won the chase game.

Chris and his new friend.

Ooh La La! Sorry ladies....... This boy is all mine ;)

This is at the next beach over called Orange Beach. As you can see I was a little obsessed with this board walk there. It was the longest one I have ever seen and I love how it glided over the sand dunes.

Us two love birds at Orange Beach.

Awww....... Sand love letters. Now that's cute.

Are You Feeling Hot Hot Hot?

2010-06-20T14:29:00.003-05:00

Well.... we are.

Sweet Home Alabama

2010-06-19T21:12:00.004-05:00

Hi Everybody! Miss me?.................. Well I have sure missed all of you. Sorry it has taken so long, but I am finally here and ready to give you that sweet little taste of the place that Chris and I now get to call home. Chris and I have lived in so many amazing places, Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Jose, New York (both the City and Long Island), Kansas City (Missouri), Louisiana (him), Texas (me), and of course Idaho. Besides from Idaho none has truly felt like home to us (New York was the closest), mostly this is due to the simple fact that the majority of these places were never meant to be long term and the lives that we led there were always cut short when the summer selling season came to a close. But now for the last 2 1/2 months we have been living our life together in Alabama and I can truly say that it feels so much like home to us. Maybe it's knowing that we will be here for more than a few months, but I think it goes even beyond that. Most places that we have lived we always had a period of adjustment, where we had to get used to our new surroundings. There was none of that here. We immediately felt in our hearts that this was home and we love it here. Not many people can say that they love where they live, especially when all your family and friends are in another part of the country, but Chris and I do love it here and we say it quite often to each other and to anybody else that will listen.

Here are just a few things that we love about Alabama:

You always hear about Southern hospitality and the people of Lower Alabama (or LA like the locals like to call it) have taken that phrase to heart. From strangers on the street, to the people of our ward, to my coworkers, they all have embraced Chris and I into their little tight-knit community and we have never felt so welcomed in like this before. They are a huge part of what makes this place feel like home and for that we will forever be grateful.

Most questions here are answered with a simple response of either Yes/ No Ma'am or Yes/ No Sir in a strong Southern tongue. Chris and I have quickly adapted to this (minus the Southern accent) and even in conversations just between us, have found ourselves responding with Yes Ma'am and No Sir. So don't be surprised when I talk to you and that is my answer, it has already become a habit and I love it. It's really only a matter of time before we pick up on the Southern drawl. It's just too strong here and I had it once when I was little and I have caught myself already on the verge of letting it almost slip off my tongue before I reeled it back in.

We love that we are surrounded by water. We live right on the Mobile Bay, have areas in our town that have swamp and marsh land, and are just a short 45 minute drive to the ocean. And when your not by water you are then usually in the presence of huge old oak trees. On my way to and from work I have to drive through downtown Mobile and they have oak trees lining the streets for miles that are so big that they have overtime created a canopy of sorts over the road and it is so beautiful to pass through. It is almost dreamlike.

And lets not forget the food. Oh my goodness, the food here is a little bit of heaven it is so good. Between the seafood, that is always local and fresh, to the BBQ, that is beyond words to describe, lets just say that Chris and I are always torn between where to go on our weekly date night. There is so much that we haven't even tried yet, but just give us time. We are so spoiled when it comes to the local cuisine.

I can't even begin to describe the enormous Southern style mansions that line the streets of downtown Mobile or the way french culture has influenced not only the food, but also the spelling of words like go to geaux. And honestly this list could go on and on, but I think you have gotten the point. Alabama is fantastic, and Chris and I couldn't be happier. But if you find that you would like to experience all that Alabama has to offer, just know that our doors are always open (you know.... that whole Southern Hospitality thing ;).

Mmmmm

2010-06-06T17:57:00.008-05:00

Crawfish Boil

and a Shrimp Po' Boy..............

Yes Please.

Our Journey

2010-05-16T14:26:00.007-05:00

After all the goodbyes were said, Chris and I finally left Pocatello around 6:00 that evening. A big difference from our goal time of 10:00 that morning. My brother and his family had left on time so our intentions were to drive through the night in order to meet up with them and travel the duration of our trip together. We figured it wouldn't be a problem since Chris and I are such night people so off we went. Chris and Twinkee drove the Jeep and pulled the U-Haul while I followed behind with our cat Marlo in our Honda. Not even 10 minutes into the trip, I see Chris passing a truck and a gust of wind causes the trailer to start swerving behind him thus forcing the Jeep to start swerving uncontrollably. To be in the car behind his and see all this happening and knowing that there was nothing that I could do was truly terrifying. In my head I was thinking this cannot be a good omen, but after Chris regained control of everything and a quick conversation over the phone of him ensuring me that everything was fine we pushed on. About 6 hours into our trip the chaos and emotional tolls from earlier in the day just hit me and it became near impossible for me to keep my eyes open. So I gave Chris a quick call and told him I needed to pull over and take a quick nap. So at the next truck stop that is exactly what we did, Chris laid the back seats down in our Jeep and got out some blankets and pillows and despite the fact that neither of us could totally stretch out our legs we slept like babies. We slept so good that by the time we woke back up it was already 7:00 the next morning and we were still about 4 hours from where my brother had stopped for the night. And to top it all off we woke up to our car windows completely covered with snow. Anybody that has driven through Wyoming knows that it is a horribly windy stretch of road. Add that into icy, snow covered roads while following behind a husband pulling a trailer that you just witnessed lose control the day before, and you can only imagine that I was an extreme nervous wreck. But 3 hours later we thankfully made it out of the worst of the situation and were able to make it to the hotel my brother was at to take a quick shower before checkout and continue on with the rest of our journey.

It is a totally different experience driving by yourself for long periods of time, but it was nice. It was just me and my thoughts and it was nice having that alone time to ponder on my hopes, dreams, and aspirations for this move. I got to sing songs at the top of my tuneless lungs and I had control of the song selection so naturally it wasn't half bad and I know that Chris enjoyed his alone time too. And when we would get lonely we enjoyed a nice game or two of the highway alphabet game via text. Was it safe...... no. Would I condone it again....... probably not. But we had fun.

That day we made it through Wyoming, Colorado, and a portion of Kansas where we enjoyed an Easter dinner at a Denny's on the side of a highway that was served to us by a grumpy waitress (who could blame her though, it was Easter, she should have been with her family).

Chris and I goofing around at a rest stop in Kansas.

The next day we made it all the way through Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and finally stopped in a town in Louisiana. Chris and I both have such soft spots in our hearts for the south. Mine being brought about by the most incredible memories of being a little girl with a southern twang growing up in Texas and Chris' being the deep love that came about from the two years he spent there on his mission in Louisiana. For both of us it felt so good to be there.

As soon as we entered Texas I got a little text message from Chris that simply said "Welcome Back", it made the biggest smile spread across my face.

As we stood outside of our hotel in Louisiana I would catch Chris taking in gulps of air and he commented on how sweet the air was in the south. And it may sound funny, but it is totally true. The Southern air has a definite sweetness to it that just fills your lungs and lets you know that you are somewhere special. And then there are the sounds that come alive when night falls in the south, sounds that the insects and animals harmonize to perfection and create such unbelievable music that once you hear it you will never forget it. That was the good omen that I was in search of that just set my heart at ease and let me know that we were exactly where we should be at this time in our lives.

Our last day of our travels took us through the rest of Louisiana. A landscape that was hidden from me the night before was bright and sunny that morning. No matter how great Chris' descriptions were they could not do justice to the true majestic beauty of it. We drove by fields of yellow and purple flowers where in the middle sat the most perfectly placed white house. Then the landscape would change into the marsh lands and its beauty though completely different was so inviting. All I wanted to do was take a swamp tour. Then we crossed the border into Mississippi and smelt the salt from the ocean in the air. And then finally.......... 4 days, 30 plus hours, and 9 states later we made it to Alabama.......... our new home. The sign welcoming you to the state said "Welcome to Alabama the Beautiful". And it couldn't be more right, it is so beautiful here. But I will go more into detail on that later. As soon as we saw our new house and the area in which we live we immediately agreed that it felt like home. And it does. We are so happy to be here. Don't get me wrong......... we miss our family and friends so much, but loving where we live makes missing all those things just a little bit more bearable and makes the missing part hurt a lot less.

Goodbyes

2010-04-24T15:23:00.003-05:00

Well we have been in Alabama now for a little over 2 weeks. We had quite the adventure on our road trip getting here and just tried to make the best of the opportunity that we had. But for this story lets start at the beginning................

Chris' and my intentions were to leave Saturday morning on 4/3/2010 but it took a little longer than we anticipated to pack up our whole house and prepare it for our real estate agent and a possible renter. That day was hectic and stressful and my emotions were all over the place. I had mentally prepared myself that this day would eventually come and it would be hard but it shouldn't be sad. Yeah Chris and I were packing our lives up and moving to a completely different part of the country away from all our family members and friends but we have dreams, big dreams, and we were taking the steps that we thought were necessary in order to reach those goals and fulfill our dreams so we would never have to look back and say "what if." You just can't be sad about something like that. But the day that I thought I had prepared for snuck up on me faster than I ever could have expected and I suddenly found myself unprepared. We had to say goodbye to family members and friends, and I found that with each goodbye I had to say it just kept getting harder and harder to hold back my tears. Eventually the dam broke and it was near impossible to stop them. Anybody that knows me knows that I grow extremely attached to worldly things. I can place a memory with almost everything that I have and because of this it is hard for me let go of things, I always do if I have to but I still feel a pinch of sadness when I let it out of my grasp. The last goodbye that we had to say was to our house. It wasn't just any house but our first house. Our house was nothing but bones when we first walked into, but in that instant we fell head over heels in love with it. I remember as we walked through that first time we were all by ourselves and we were planning the layout of our furniture and what Twinkee would think of the house. We couldn't wait for it to be ours. All of this came rushing back to me as I stood in the middle of our kitchen crying in Chris' arms. I mean shoulders shaking and can't catch your breath kind of crying. The reality had hit me that that could be the last time that I ever stood in that kitchen and that any day it could possibly become somebody elses home. I know Chris felt the same way. So we just held each other and took comfort in the fact that it would always be ours first. After all the lights where turned off and we checked that all the doors were locked, we walked out the garage door and as Chris took my hand and asked if I was "ready for our next adventure" I knew that everything was going to be okay. I know that it is true no matter how corny it may sound, but as long as we have each other we can make it through anything.

The Best Birthday Ever!

2010-04-17T22:07:00.008-05:00

I honestly don't know anybody that is more in love with their birthday than me. And oh how I love it. I turned 25 this year, and truthfully I could not have wished for a better birthday than this one. I think that I actually have Chris convinced that a birthday week is a real thing. The days leading up to my big day were fantastic! Chris would volunteer to give me back rubs, he took me shopping, we went for nice walks with the dogs, went to the Spring Fair where we drooled over camp trailers, went and got soft serve ice cream (more than once), he took me antiquing at my favorite local spots, surprised me with breakfast, took me to an awesome birthday dinner, and simply made the week all about me and the things that I enjoy doing. He makes me feel special all the time, but he really out did himself this time. A couple weeks before my birthday he had asked if there was anything I wanted to do to celebrate. I thought about it and for my 25th birthday I knew a regular party just wouldn't cut it, I wanted to feel like a kid again. I said my birthday wish was to have a Roller Skating party with all of our family and friends. And surprise surprise, it came true! 30 people showed up to make my birthday the best one ever. And to make it even more memorable all but 6 of them skated! It was such a blast. I didn't have many pictures taken, it was more important for me to just be in that moment with everyone, but I will happily share the ones that I do have.

This is the only picture that I have of Chris and me on our camera. I love it though. My two supporters making sure I didn't fall.

Family and Friends

Trying to blow out 25 candles on two different cakes in one breath. Nearly passed out after this. I really wanted my other wish to come true.

People getting their skate on.

The best part of the night was when they pulled me into the center of the rink and put the spot light on me while being surrounded by family and friends who sang Happy Birthday. My smile never left my face that whole night. See......... Best birthday ever.

December

2010-01-17T14:23:00.014-06:00

Has it really been so long since my last post?! I know that I need to get better at this, but in my defense our lives have been pretty chaotic, and right when I think I may have a moment to document our lives something comes up to draw my attention away. But here I am ready to conquer what at times seems impossible. So since this blog is mostly for me I am going to travel back to the great month of December and journal all the wonderful things that make me love that sweet month.

DECEMBER

Chris and I are always like two little kids filled with so much anticipation on the days leading up to the BIG day............... Christmas Day. Discussions are always started early on what our plans are going to be to help us get into our child like selves and we set forth on ways to make the most of this holiday season. The first thing we did was go and pick some names off the Angel Trees, one small little girl, a young boy, and a teenage girl. We had the best time shopping for these little "Angels" and our hearts were soaring when we were finally done and went to drop all of our gifts off. Our only regret walking away was that we couldn't be there to see there faces when they were opening them.

The next fun activity planned was our traditional going to pick out the Christmas tree. We haven't given in to purchasing a plastic tree yet, and I hope we never do. Although every year we go through some sort of struggle with our real tree, I would miss not having the fresh pine scents floating throughout our house, and the simple memory of being bundled in our winter clothes to find the most perfect tree to bring home and decorate in our most precious ornaments. We go back every year to the same place we bought our very first Christmas tree. Our first tree was the cutest little 4 foot tree ever and ever since the purchase of our house we have come back with monster size trees. I think our biggest ever was 9.5 feet and this year we scaled back a little and got an 8 foot tree. It was perfect. Full and beautiful and the most brilliant shade of green. We nestled it right into our corner in the living room and prepared to dress it in our finest, green, red, and gold decorations. I love our Christmas ornaments! Besides the green, red, and gold balls (most of which are from our original tree) I don't have very many other ornaments. But all the ones I do have all represent something in our lives together. When we pull them out to place on the tree it ignites memories in us that then spark conversations of our past travels, our very first Christmas together, and the first Christmas spent in our very first house. In a way it is like looking through a photo album. I love it and wouldn't trade it for anything.

Next up for our pre Christmas celebration was a wonderful weekend spent in Salt Lake. This was part of my Christmas present and I couldn't have asked for a better one. Chris got us a room at the Hilton which was a couple blocks from Temple Square. And we filled our days with shopping and our nights with wonderful dinners and a trip to Temple Square to take in all the lights. And then before we settled in for the night we would go down to their huge pool and swim, swim, swim, to our hearts content. It was a perfect trip, spent with the man I love and I couldn't have asked for a better getaway. Thanks Babe!! XOXOXO

Something that I have been wanting to do for a while was build OUR house out of gingerbread. I have never made homemade ginger bread and I just didn't think that I would have the stamina to do it. But with Chris' gentle coaxing he finally got me to take the first step and get the dough made. While I was busy in the kitchen doing that, he was at the table designing the cutouts. So a full day later, the cooking and the assembly was finely complete (Chris' favorite part). Now the fun could begin.............. it was time for decorating (my favorite part). The process was long and hard, but it was so worth it. Chris and I had a great time working on it together while watching Christmas movies and I must say it turned out so awesome. We even went a step further and made ourselves and Twinkee into gingerbread. How "sweet" is that?

The final Christmas tradition we have is on Christmas Eve we go and look at Christmas lights. We started this tradition the Christmas before we got married and have done it every year since. We put on some Christmas music and drive to find the most impressive houses ever. Sadly though, it seems that every year more and more people turn into Scrooges and don't even bother to put out lights and so our little tradition is being cut shorter and shorter. But we still enjoy it and will look forward to doing it again next year.

I loved our Christmas Eve night, it is usually spent with Chris and I in separate rooms scrambling to get our last minute items wrapped for each other. Then with the tree illuminated in all its glory and the all the presents nestled underneath it, Chris and I settle into a little make shift bed on the floor by the tree and fall asleep while snuggling up close and watching one of our favorite Christmas movies.

Then finally, the day has arrived. Oh, what a glorious day it is too! Chris and I love it! This is where the little kid comes out of us. I have to say, Santa has to be in love with us, because he gets us the best things ever! It is glorious! Our stockings are always overflowing with little goodies and sweets and he always knows exactly what we wanted because it is sitting there wrapped in its pretty ribbons and bows and everything is just perfect. Christmas is just perfect.

Chris and I are lucky enough to have both our families here in town. It seems hectic at times going back and forth, but we still love it. We had a simple, quiet Christmas morning at Chris' parents. We enjoyed the lively tunes of Christmas music from Chris' youth, while sipping hot chocolate, and slowly unwrapped the presents that we all had. Then it was off to my mom's house for our little family gift exchange. It was nice in much the same way as the one previous, wonderful Christmas music filling the background and a cup of hot chocolate warming between our hands. Next up......... Christmas "lunch" at my Grandma's. We go over there for every holiday and I love it. I love that no matter how many people she is serving we always have our dinner on her fine china and that we are all set at one table. Well, it is more like 5 tables set end to end, but none the less, it is one continuously flowing table. It is always such an elegant set up with delicious food and wonderful conversations. After a few rounds of games there, we said our goodbyes and set off to finish the evening at Chris' Grandma's house. I had never been to her house for Christmas dinner so I was very excited to try it this year. And it did not disappoint. The food was fantastic and the hostess and other company were so sweet. And again, after a few rounds of games, we set off to go finish our Christmas night in the comfort of our house.

It is always a sad time when Christmas day comes to an end, but I am always set at ease knowing that it will come back again next year. I love our Christmas traditions and I love having a husband that gets into the season almost as much as I do.

BEWARE!!

2009-11-22T00:05:00.002-06:00

This game is so addictive. My mom bought this game for some good family fun, and I am obsessed with it. Case in point........ Last night, Chris, my sister, and myself played this game for 4 hours straight! On a Friday night people! Lets just say it wasn't our proudest moment. And to really top it off, just two days before that my brother, sister in law, Chris, and I, all played it for 3 hours in place of our weekly card games. And lets be honest, I'm not even mentioning all the time I've spent alone playing this game (I know, that is embarrassing). You would think with all those hours of play we would have beaten the game by now....... so not the case. We are only half way through. So if you want a game that will make you laugh and cry (out of pure frustration) at the same time, play this game. But beware! It is extremely addictive and you lose all sense of time. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Midnight Movie

2009-11-21T23:55:00.003-06:00

Yay!! My mom, little sis, and I went and saw New Moon on Friday at midnight. And it was so worth the wait. We did the same thing last year with Twilight, only to leave the theatre disappointed. Not the case this year though. They did a fabulous job bringing my favorite book in the saga to life.

Taking It Easy

2009-10-30T17:29:00.005-05:00

The most common question that Chris and I get asked, after we return from our summer of working is "What do you guys do now?" To which I always reply, "Not much." There is no better way to put it. In the past, Chris' job has always allowed him to take the winters off and relax until the arrival of the next strenuous summer. But with him owning his own company now, things have changed......... a little. He works, but nowhere near the amount of hours he did in the summer. As for me, in the past I have always gotten some sort of temporary job, that was basically there to help keep me busy and bring in a little extra spending cash. I didn't mind it. But this winter I have opted to stay home and continue my duties that I did in the summer. Right now, our focus is working on getting everything ready to possibly expand our company to another state. So we are keeping our fingers crossed that all will work out with that goal of ours. And between all of that we are just having the best time being with family and friends, catching up on all of our favorite TV shows, and I have made it a huge goal to finally conquer my little to do list.

See. Like I said. We don't do much. But this is the way we like it. Our summers are always so crazy and hectic that the time just flies right past us. But, when the fall/ winter seasons roll around it gives us the opportunity to slow time down........................ just a little.

Home Sweet Home

2009-09-19T23:46:00.008-05:00

One of the best parts of leaving for the summer is knowing that at the end we always get to come back HOME. To a place that is ours and has only been ours and no one elses. To a place that is filled with such worldly things, but things none the less that spark memories of past adventures and experiences. I love walking into our house for the first time after being gone all summer and smelling the stuffy air, knowing that it hasn't been lived in and has anxiously been awaiting our return just as much as we have been anticipating the return to it. I love removing the covers from all the furniture and seeing the dust gather in the air, and with every new unveiling of what lies beneath it slowly brings our house back to life. Now almost three weeks later, the sweet aromatic smell of my Scentsy enhances all the background smells of my cleaners and fresh laundry. Smells that are so familiar, and oh so welcoming. With all the hard work done, it is so refreshing to just plop down on the couch and take that sigh of relief, and while looking around, just simply realize just how good it is to be HOME.

Goodbye California

2009-08-31T01:09:00.004-05:00

WOW!! I cannot believe how fast time passes us by. It seems like it was just yesterday when Chris and I pulled into California with big dreams and anticipated success. But lets face it......... this summer was hard............. harder than Chris and I could have ever fathomed. We have been in this industry for five years now and I don't think there was any way we could have prepared ourselves for the trials that laid ahead of us. But I can truly say, without a shadow of a doubt, I wouldn't trade them for anything.

These last four months were filled with long (oh so long) work days, being on the phone and computer constantly (I don't think my eyes will ever fully recover), dealing with all the rules and regulations that California had to throw at us (believe me there were a lot), and having to share my time with my husband (the hardest thing to get used to). But with any trial we go through in life, Chris and I walked away from this experience with our heads held high and with an extreme realization................... That together we make an awesome team, both in marriage and professionally.

So now as we say our goodbyes to California, we look ahead to our future, and know that together we can conquer any dream that we dare dream up (do I hear Louisiana calling?).

Lazy Days of Summer

2009-08-31T00:20:00.015-05:00

For the last week and a half we have taken advantage of every free moment we have had and have.........................

gone swimming at Folsom Lake,

went and did some rope swinging, and

jumped out of some trees.

We couldn't ask for a better way to spend the last few days left of our Northern Cali Summer.

Lunch Date

2009-08-29T22:44:00.006-05:00

About a week or so ago, Chris took the whole office out for a lunch date to say thanks for all their hard work. The lunch was filled with many laughs and reminiscing of summer events, places, and activities, where the conversations were dominated with "Remember when ..............." and "Wasn't it so funny when .........." It was a perfect way to bring Axis Protection's first summer to a close.

Taco Tuesdays

2009-08-13T20:38:00.008-05:00

Something that has remained constant and reliable in our fast- paced and hectic lives, has quickly bumped Tuesday up to my favorite day of the week. Since Chris and I don't really have a lot of time for just the two of us, we specifically set aside this day....... every week....... to have a little "lunch date". But we don't go just anywhere. We go to our favorite fresh Mexican restaurant, RUBIO'S, and we order the exact same thing, every time. Over the last couple months of doing this, we have started to be recognized by the staff. I think that officially makes us, "regulars." How cool is that!

They have the most unbelievable fish tacos (the reason for us going). So every Tuesday, we just order a tray full of these and nothing else. Es Muy Bueno!

I know........ what an attractive picture of me stuffing my face. But it was so good, I just couldn't resist. Delicioso!

We only have a couple weeks left to carry out our summer tradition.

We are sure going to miss our Taco Tuesdays.

Adventures At Lake Tahoe

2009-08-06T22:43:00.019-05:00

This past weekend I did something huge........... something that took me completely out of my comfort zone........... I went camping!

Chris' little brother, Ryan, and another sales rep. , Jason, invited Chris and I to the south shore of Lake Tahoe to rough it with them for a night. I was extremely hesitant to do this because I can count on one hand how many times in my lifetime that I have been camping, and to top it off, none of us were equipped with the items that I deemed necessary for this sort of expedition (i.e. tent, propane lanterns, clothing). But after I saw how excited Chris was to have the opportunity to take this adventure, there was no way I could say no. So after gathering what items we had, we all jumped in our cars to head up into the mountains.

Our campsite was a little patch of dirt, nestled up into a mountainside, in a RV park called Zephyr Cove. It was extremely crowded with campers that came prepared for such an activity. So I felt a little silly when we got out our beds (a couple rafts and one queen sized air mattress) :). That night after a delicious dinner of salmon (one of my favorites) we all headed to the lake, so the guys could go catch some craw fish. I forgot my camera at the campsite, but it was fun watching the guys wade around and catch these things with their hands. After about an hour or so of that, we headed back to camp so that they could cook them up. I didn't wait up to taste the fruits of their labor (I unfortunately came down with a horrible headache), but I did wake up to see them hunched over the picnic table laughing and enjoying their hard work.

For the rest of our outdoorsy adventure I will let the pictures do the talking.

Our sleeping quarters.

As you can see, it was an extremely rugged experience. I was very impressed with myself that I made it through the night, and didn't resort to sleeping in the car.

This is the view I woke up to. It was completely serene.

These were our surroundings.

After we cleaned up our campsite. We packed up and headed to the other campground. My brother and his family came down to spend the day with everyone so it was fun having us all together.

Everybody helping to prepare lunch at the new campground.

Mya was quite the little explorer. Ashley had a heck of time keeping up with her.

Twinkee lounging.

After lunch, we all suited up and headed to the closest public beach.

Three shades of blue.

The first beach we went to was a little too much of a public beach. It just wasn't something that got you excited to swim in it. So we then went in search of another beach that was a little bit more up to our standards. After some help from a local, we found a beautiful beach. The disadvantage of this beach was that no dogs were allowed. So much to my disapproval, Chris and the guys snuck in Twinkee. I was a nervous wreck the whole time. I was for sure we were going to get busted. But, as soon as we walked upon the beach, all worries disappeared. It was perfect.

Baldwin Beach

Me taking in the scenery. It was overwhelmingly beautiful.

While Chris relaxed, I took the opportunity to build him a new pair of legs :).

Chris and I frolicking in the water.

Twinkee even got the chance to play Frisbee with the guys.

Love that man.

Well, finally it was time to go back. But Chris just wasn't ready so he decided to stay over one more night with Ryan and Jason while I went back with my brother. The day was long (just like this post :)), but filled with so much fun stuff. I couldn't have asked for a better place for my first experience of truly sleeping under the stars.

I Finally Did It!

2009-07-28T01:06:00.003-05:00

I just wanted everybody to know that I DID IT!!

What did I do, you ask?

Well, I finally swam from one side of the swimming pool to the other in one breath. Now it isn't exactly the longest swimming pool, but that is beside the point. I have been working on this goal since my sister in law and I started working out in the pool. I love swimming, but I am not a very strong swimmer. So this little accomplishment means a lot to me. I couldn't be more proud of myself. Sad thing is I failed my attempt at this so many times that when I finally did make it, I wasn't paying attention and ran head first into the pool wall going as fast as my legs would let me go. OUCH!! But no worries, it didn't stop me from rejoicing in the fact that I DID IT!!!

A Day Of Rest

2009-07-28T00:13:00.004-05:00

This last Sunday, was one of the most relaxing ones that we have had since we have been out here. It was utterly perfect. We did absolutely nothing that pertained to work. It was filled with only things that we fully enjoyed. He napped..... I read....... He lounged on the couch ....... I cooked. That night, we had my brother and his family over for dinner. On the menu was pot roast and homemade peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. I was so excited for this because it has been so long since I was able to cook a full dinner. I haven't seen Chris so excited for a meal in a long time. After dinner, we all gathered around and played a friendly game of Hearts, where Ashley walked away the victor. Our Sunday just wouldn't be complete without some sort of card game.

The cutest part of the whole day, was when everybody left. Chris couldn't stop thanking me for such a delicious dinner and dessert. It was so flattering.

After such a refreshing and relaxing day, that night when we laid our heads down, I couldn't help but truly think that this was a good day.