Merry Christmas 2010

Let's begin with Christmas Eve...

I have driven past an empty shopping cart with a sign that says "Need Wood" for almost 2 years on my way to and from school. This particular evening as I drove past it was OVERFLOWING with bags of goodies and there were more bags on the ground everywhere surrounding the cart. At this moment is the first time this season I have really felt the Spirit of Christmas. I was amazed at the generosity that people had to give this homeless person things that he probably desperately needed. It almost brought tears to my eyes!!

We enjoyed a great meal and beautiful nativity at Ryan's sisters house and then headed out to his other sisters to play games, build the toys from Santa, and help with some other family members presents. Needless to say we were exhausted and ready for bed by midnight but the presents weren't finished so we had to stay up later and later... When we got home we put together Stockings and opened them up because we knew we would be cutting it close in the morning. Our presents this year (and probably for many years to come) are the POOL and a new dining room set. It looks great and I'm so excited to have them both!!

Christmas morning came way too soon. It was off to breakfast at Ryan's parents with his family. Sausage casserole- YUM!! We were spoiled with some new lounge chairs for the pool. Thanks!

Then, a stop by my parents house to exchange presents and enjoy a second breakfast of Eggs Benedict- my favorite!! But, I was so stuffed that I could only eat one :( Once again, spoiled with gift cards so we could buy more patio furniture or chemicals for the pool. Thanks!!

Every year my brothers and sisters that live at home make shirts to wear on Christmas or dress up in twinner outfits or something fun like that. This is the first time Ryan and I were included. We all got black sweatshirts and decorated them... Mine and Ryan's were decorated by my sister, Michelle, since we were busy. They were super cute and we had a lot of fun modeling them!

Presenting: The A-Team!!!

The backs- minus Mitch

That's my hand, LOL

We all got socks for Christmas- I didn't have mine on yet but I had some just as good

SuperStar!!

The Fronts

We finished up Christmas at my grandparents with a nice dinner. Then headed back to Ryan's sisters to play more games. No rest for the weary. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Graduation trip to Vegas

We stayed at The Signature at MGM Grand
I was practicing the self timer on the camera so here we are in our hotel room

The Main Event: Utah vs Boise State in the Las Vegas Bowl

Opening Kick off. Some Fighter jets flew over the stadium before it began and it was the LOUDEST thing I have ever heard!!

Here are Ryan and I at the game. See that guy in the yellow coat next to me? He was my drunk buddy who talked my ear off the entire game. He migrated from England to Las Vegas to get out of the cold and snow and thought that the game was FREEZING!! He was so cold in his coat and snow pants that he had to go buy a hat. This was nothing compared to the BYU vs Utah game!!!

Swoop came right up to us and Corey was ready for a pic

The last time the Utes would lead...

Taking a knee for an injured opponent

The very sad but final score...

It was so fun for me to go and be there!! What a great man I have that will take me to do the things that bring me JOY!

Once again, Best husband ever!!!

Oh, I almost forgot... Ryan surprised me with a trip to Vegas to see my UTES in the Las Vegas Bowl. Someday I hope I can be that good of a wife. He loves me ;)

And, my family got me a brand new Utah Sweatshirt for the occasion. Yay!

gRadUaTeD!!!!!

The Before Party... We had our own special IHC Cohort 11 Luncheon

An opening slideshow at graduation where we could thank those that helped us out along the way... Mine said "Thanks for all the words of encouragment! I love you! Hopefully I won't be boring anymore..."

My cute family who were able to make it + Ryan's parents who were taking the photo

We picked the best background in the whole place!

Couldn't have made it through without Char!!

So Close!!!

We put water in the pool!! It took 31 hrs to fill it up with our hose and we were so paranoid about going to sleep with it running... No need, it still took till 4pm.

Hot tub

The baja shelf to set chairs on or for kids to play on

A look at the planters and lower deck with the shed and all the pool equipment

The bench that you can sit under the waterfall on

Thanksgiving

So much to be thankful for... An amazing husband, a wonderful family, parents that would do anything for us, a job, health, the gospel, and the number one reason I am especially thankful this season, drumroll please,

ONLY 22 DAYS TILL GRADUATION!!!!!

We always hit both families for Thanksgiving. We started off at my parents, left before dessert, then hit our second dinner at Ryan's parents. I made pumpkin pies... BE IMPRESSED! Ironically this year I didn't have any pie, which I am quite sad about...

Then we decided we would do a little Black Friday shopping beginning at Midnight. The girls went to Old Navy while the boys went to Walmart. I did wait in line for 1 hr 10 min in the FREEZING cold but was able to be one of the 57 people who got the free Dance Central game from Old Navy. I swear the line to check out was longer than the one outside the store.

Got back to the house at about 2ish where Ryan was waiting. The first thing I saw was Ryan watching TV, Tom asleep on the couch and Savanna (she's almost 3) just staring at Ryan. I promise you she wasn't blinking. I asked Ryan if she had been sitting there watching him the whole time they had been home. "Yes." Then I looked a little closer- It appeared that Tom had peed his pants while sleeping on the couch... He woke up and saw his pants all wet and I was practically rolling on the floor. IT WAS HILARIOUS!!! Apparently Ryan had poured a small amount of water on Savanna's dads pants and she had been angry with him for about 20 minutes, just staring him down. I can't believe he didn't wake up, he said the water was just barely starting to soak through his pants, then fell back asleep. HaHaHaHa.

Debated about stopping at Kohls on the way home, and drove past the line at Target... too tired. Needless to say, we didn't get the great deal on a new TV but we had lots of fun and it was a perfect ending to a perfect day.

More progress... getting closer

The retaining wall we had to build so we could have a level patio

and an in-ground pool

This shows the infinity edge, planter, waterfall, and hot tub

The rest of the concrete goes in tomorrow, fence gets started on Friday!! Pray for good weather so we can hopefully be done in 2 weeks. YAY!!!

Waterfall

This will eventually be a waterfall spilling over into the pool and there is a little seat where you will be able to sit behind it.
How it looks now...
Can't wait to see the finished product!! They are almost finished with the tile work and have started the rock work on the infinity edge. Sooo excited!!

Freedom!!!

I have the best feeling in the world today... I finished my last clinical for nursing school EVER yesterday!!!! It feels so good to be done and I'd like to have a burning party for my scrub top. Anyone want to come??? One more care plan and I am home free. Then just a few more weeks... 45 DAYS to be exact. YAY!!

Pumpkin Carving Contest

My mom decided to have a family pumpkin carving contest the Sunday before Halloween. We had soooo much fun!! Hopefully this becomes a yearly tradition!

Ricki really got after cleaning his pumpkin out!

Russell thought he was really tough...

Melissa and I

Cute Mitch!

Michelle and I

Everyone was concentrating so hard

I was supposed to be the official judge but everyone was having such a great time that I had to carve a pumpkin too

Becki

More concentrating

Dad and Melissa

Kristen and Christian

Everyone with their finished product
Becki, Ricki, Anna, Mitch, Russell, Melissa, Michelle, Me, Christian, Kristen

Scary... or not so much...

Russell and Melissa's pumpkin and Michelle's

Becki and Ricki

Mitch and Anna

My pumpkin and Kristen and Christian's

I won co-grand prize with the Pirate pumpkin and also the "whopping scariest"