Happy Birthday Honey Buns!

I have the most amazing husband and today is his birthday! A day to spoil, smooch, and pour out love for him all day long! Derek you are the greatest and are perfect for me! I love how you...
always make me laugh,
love to hang out with me no matter what I'm doing,
spoil me with kisses,
think you are hilarious (you are funny, but you get an extra big kick out of yourself sometimes)
tuck me into bed each night,
are a worthy priesthood holder,
can be OCD at times,
help me around the house,
are always so warm, you are a great personal heater,
think and tell me how pretty I am (even with the extra pounds as of late)
let me park under the carport so I don't have to scrape my windows,
always take the trash out for me,
love to snuggle,
how you tell me you love me each day,
listen to me complain and vent if needed,
want to spend as much time with me as possible,
how you think going to bed is boring cause we aren't talking (though a girl needs her beauty sleep)
how excited you get when it snows,
how you always try to keep me warm,
are always willing to go on photo shoots with me,
how you don't whine about watching my chic flics with me,
And the list goes on and on! You really are the greatest and I hope you know just how much I love you! Happy Birthday Derek!

So I've kind of been in a rut lately. A scrooge like rut.

It all started when I wanted to put the Christmas tree up Thanksgiving night! I was super excited and feeling all the holiday cheer, I love Christmas time. BUT the tree wasn't at our house, we had forgotten that we stored it at my mother-in-laws. No worries right? She was coming down the next night to go to dinner and could bring it down with her, and she did.

So Sunday night we finally go it up and then went to get the decoration box...MISSING! I can't find my Christmas decorations anywhere! We checked Derek's Mom's again and opened each and every box in our entire house looking for them. Some time-probably during the move-they dissappeared! We didn't have a lot but did have the cutest stockings ever and some sweet ornaments that I'm way bummed about. We went to the store and bought some cheep basics to decorate with, but even those have sat on the floor and still aren't hung. So 2 weeks left til Christmas and I still have a bare tree sitting in living room and not a hint of Christmas anywhere else in the house.

GOAL-This weekend I am going to get them up and see if that doesn't help me feel more "Christmas-y"

On a higher note, we have gotten the chance to go to multiple Christmas events that help me forget about the missing decorations (at least until I'm back home with a bare tree.)

For my birthday Derek took me to the Utah Symphony concert. It was so nice to get all dolled up and have a night on the town. We ate at the Garden in the JSMB on temple square and enjoyed the beauty of the Christmas lights below. Then we headed to Abravenal Hall to the concert. It was Handel's Messiah, as a sing along. Now we don't have the music so we sang the songs we knew and sat back to enjoy the sounds of the symphony for the rest. It was a beautifully magical night. Thanks Honey!

Then our dear friends Samantha and Steve invited us to join them for The Forgotten Carols. I had heard the songs but never seen the entire production. It was great! Michael McClane was quite entertaining. Always nice to have a reminder of the true spirit of Christmas. Thanks Wayments!

We also got to go be in the conference center to see the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. What a magnificent production they put on. So many people piling into that building and beautiful Christmas trees and decorations everywhere. My brother and his girlfriend joined us for the evening. Always an honor to be the same building as a Prophet of God.

Maybe I'll make my Christmas cookies this weekend and continue the festivities...

Merry Christmas!

You'll have to ignore the the "Taylorsville Branch" Derek made this for his work, he's pretty funny like that! Thought I'd share cause I thought it was hilarious! Don't forget to use your best broken english.

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!

I spend most of my days dwelling on my problems and drama and forgetting that the Lord has truly blessed me. Oh how very grateful I am for this time of year to have extra reminders of all the blessings I enjoy each and every day. The list is never ending and hard to formulate into words, but I want each of you to know that I am grateful for you and your friendships. Thanks for loving us. Know that we love each of you! Happy Thanksgiving!

Now bring on the turkey!

Veteran's Day Quote

Remain true to your beliefs and the best of how you envision America for our children, but don't live in fear and hate. Pick your battles for that which you hold dear, but remember that we are all brother and sisters and that certain realities never change over time, namely that "A house divided against itself cannot stand." On Veterans Day, please remember why we are here, and for the cause that we serve—the cause of freedom. We are the most powerful force for freedom on the planet, and it's because of the American family that we hold dear. Keep the light on for us, we'll be home soon. Remember the words of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, "As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free…" We are proud to be your American Soldiers.

God Bless America. MAJ DEAN ANGELBUER CAMP TAJI, IRAQ

Happy Halloween!

Hope everyone's Halloween was as fun as ours! We were having a casual get together with a few friends, play some games and watch a few spooky movies. Derek doesn't like to hand out candy or dress up so costumes were optional...Like I said very low key. So when Derek got home from work we picked up the house and prepared some treats. Then suddenly a giant masked panda came running out or no where! Hahaha I was dying! "Mr. I don't like to dress up" had borrowed a hilarious over the top costume and surprised me. It was really funny! And everyone who came over ended up dressing up too! We had some great fun playing Apples to Apples and Outburst! Thanks everyone who made it so fun!



So we have here "Kung Fu Panda," an Indian and a Cowboy, A 70's B-ball player (with much too short shorts!) and a Boyscout (again look at those legs!) a Boxer, an 80's girl and an Identity Crisis (she used to have a bunch of "Hello my name is..." stickers) What funny costumes!

Check out those kung fu moves!

Hard to see but the tatoo is a replica of Mike Tyson's...drawn on myself (talented I know!)

Sumo anyone?


Watch out or you're going down!

Happy Hauntings!

Let me also note that those carving kits are fabulous. I had never used one, why pay for a cheap plastic saw when I have a knife at home that'll probably work even better. Right? Wrong! Those little things were amazing-cheap yes, they bent quite easily. But with the pattern and the little saw they turned out better then I've ever done with any regular knife. I was quite proud of our creations myself :)

Tis the Season!

As most of you know I hate winter and snow-but I don't really hate is as much until after Christmas. I thought yesterday's snow storm was actually beautiful with the giant snow flakes. Right now they are putting the Christmas lights on the trees downtown, and with a little bit if snow on the ground from yesterdays storm I have had Christmas songs stuck in my head all day! I love Christmas time with all the lights songs and generally happy people (at least if you stay away from shopping malls) I can hardly beleive it is creaping up on us so quickly but I am all for it! Now don't over look Thanksgiving in all the hype of Christmas for it is also a very great holiday, full of family food and birthday presents (for me at least) and did I mention the food-MMM!
Wanted to be the first to wish you all a very merry holiday season!

Hit and Run

So the other night Kandis and I were talking to my dad in his driveway. While we were standing there, a car pulled up behind our car, which was parked in the street. Nothing unusual until the car pulled up and stopped so close behind ours that there was no room to walk between the two cars. This caught our attention. As the three of us watched, the car proceeded to smash into the back of our car sending the sounds of smashing metal and breaking plastic into the night air. This really caught my attention. I walked calmly (stormed) over to the convertible car and asked politely (screamed) what they thought they were doing. As I'm yelling at them to back up, the driver puts the car in reverse and backs up about an inch, then asks if that was ok. "No!" I yelled, "back UP!!". They finally did move the car... right into the back of ours AGAIN!


Finally, with both guys in the car running complex math to figure out how to put the automatic car in reverse and after hitting our car three times, they backed up. As I tried to talk myself out of pulling them both from the car and beating them (can't give Kandis another excuse to think I'm crazy), I bent down to look at our poor car...

Apparently the smashing metal and plastic came from his car but if you look closely you can see two little scuffs in our bumper - basically no damage but still annoying. "No big deal" the passenger says as he gets out of the car trying to shake my hand... there were words exchanged until the guy was in my face reeking of alcohol. I pulled my fist back and smashed him in the face knocking him on the ground... Ok, not really but that's what I wanted to do but I didn't feel like possible spending the night in jail. We yelled at each other for a while asI tried to get him to throw the first one and give me an excuse. I know, I know, there wasn't even any damage to my car but he was really annoying me. His car was smashed pretty good (he he he). It was all getting a little out of hand until my dad stepped in and calmly (for real, he was calm. Good guy) said that we could always call the police and have them sort it out - especially since they seemed nice and drunk for their evening drive. This got their attention. I said that it was a great ideas and walked to my car to get my phone as the guy followed me trying to stop me. I called 911 and told them what happened - two drunk guys driving around had hit my car - and gave the operator the license plate number as the guy tried to take my phone and cover his plate. I couldn't reach the keys to his car either, bummer.

Eventually the guy got scared and and jumped in his car. I had to move out of the way when they sped off, almost taking my door with them. When the officer arrived they said they hadn't found them yet but if they did they would let me know. Still nothing unfortunately. Since the license plate was from California the officer said they didn't have much to go on but they would send a California trooper to the address down there.

Most of the scratches buffed out and we're going to replace the bumper anyway so we can have an integrated trailer hitch, but it was still annoying. I'm just glad the back bumper on the Xterra seems to be nice and strong. This makes the third time in 2 years that we have been hit - twice we weren't even in the car and the third time we were stopped at a stoplight. Looking back, I should have had some fun and punched him or something so they didn't leave. I guess I know better for next time.

I think I am just going to buy a tank.

Blog Design Giveaway!

http://creativeblogdesigns.blogspot.com/

Hey all! My friend Becky designs super cute blogs and is giving away a "Blog Makeover" for free. Check it out and enter yourself! Here's to hoping I win! (or one of you special people that I know so I can see the end result)

Where are all the mothers...

So random thought but these are the things that go through my head. I must be watching to many Disney shows, or maybe it was the radio ads for Princesses on ice coming to town....

How come there are no mothers in the Disney Princess stories? The only one I could think of was the "Evil" Step-mother. What about all the other princesses? Didn't they have good mothers somewhere in the story? I think we need a good story that includes a mother. :)

Mo-town Philly back again!

So my Manager at work had these tickets to the Boys II Men concert at the state fair that he gave to Derek and I! Totally awesome! I know, I know, you are thinking "I didn't know Boys II Men still existed" but they do! It was a sold out show! They are in their 19th year as a mo-town group and there are now only 3 of them but they have an album releasing in November or something. Anyway it was totally awesome! I had a blast dancin' and singing along and acting like a crazy teenager again. Derek didn't dance with me, but assured me he still had fun. It was like I was 10 all over again. I'm pretty impressed I still knew the words to many of their songs-just another testament that, though I can't sing, I'd still kick butt at "Don't Forget the Lyrics!" 3 middle aged men doing the same choreography and dance moves they learned when they were teens, quite entertaining!

Oh the excitement!


There they are...

Sweet moves yo!



That was awesome!

Even the Questar Gas man was there to join in the fun.
You know the tall skinny guy from the commercials?...The tall one middle top in the white shirt. He moved and I only had my camera phone but it's totally him!


Afterwards we stopped by the fair and saw the pigs...

This guy was HUGE!

Ahh the three little pigs...I wonder which one builds his house out of bricks?

For the beauty of the Earth

I've been noticing lately just how lovely the earth all around us is. (Maybe its due to the fact that my camera is currently broken :( so I can't take pictures) But it just dawned on me the other day how many sunflowers there are in Utah. I know, I know-Derek tells me they have always been there, but I was driving down the freeway the other day and was amazed at how many there were-and everywhere! Made my traffic time a little more bearable and actually pleasant.
Have you see the sunsets lately?! From our old apartment you could not see anything but now we are higher up on the hill side and we often get to catch the sunsets on the way home. The other day it was "fruit punch" red, I had never seen it like that! Absolutely beautiful. I made Derek drive around the neighborhood to find the perfect viewing point.
And then yesterday just after the rain stopped I was staring at the majesty of the Wasatch Mountains. They tower over our home, and I see them everyday, but there was no smog and I felt like I had just walked out of an eye doctor with an updated contact prescription. They truly are beautiful and can't wait to see the colors change this fall! God truly blesses us each day with beauty and love all around!
Here's to hoping we all take a minute out of our day to take notice of this blessing and thank God for it.

Thank you!

Kandis did a wonderful job planning our anniversary activities. We went go-cart racing at the Miller Motor Sports Park and then enjoyed some pampering with massages at a spa. Thanks Kandis for planning a wonderful anniversary. You did a GREAT job and it was awesome to be able to spend some time with you. I love you!

So in love!

Happy Anniversary Honey! I just wanted everyone to know how extremely in love I am with this man...


Two years of more love and joy then I ever thought possible! I can't wait for an eternity more!

Lions and tigers and BEARS! Oh my!

While we were in Jackson we had a lot of fun seeing all the wildlife. We then got a little too close for comfort with a few grizzlies! It was totally awesome! Ok, scary at the time but since we survived, pretty dang awesome!

So each night we took the kayaks out just before dusk and did a river run. One night, just after pulling the kayaks out and heading back to camp, we noticed a lot of people pulled off to the side of the road looking at something. Of course we pulled off to look, we didn't want to miss out on anything exciting. So we pull off and Kathrina (Derek's sister) and I hop out to walk up the road and ask what everyone is looking at. As we are walking up the road I see something out of the corner of my eye running across the street, and honestly not that far from where all the group was standing. It was large, brown, and furry! Luckily everyone was looking the other direction or I'm sure panic would have followed. Kathrina and I immediately turn to each other and go, "that's a bear!" So we head up to the group of about 8 or so people, all gathered around talking and they are all looking out over this field at a second bear. Then you see the first bear (that we saw heading across the road) running full speed out of the bushes to where the second bear is. The 2 of them are out in the field, I'd say about 250 yards away, just playing with each other. They are chasing and rolling around and teasing each other. While all of us tourists are standing on the side of the road taking pictures and discussing how awesome this sight is. Well, it was getting dark and my camera was having a hard time focusing with very little light and no tripod, plus it broke a few days later so that probably factored in, so unfortunately I have only blurry pictures.

Suddenly the two of them turn and start running full speed at the road where all of us are standing! I know the one who crossed the road was like "Bro check out all those dang tourists, lets really give them something to talk about!" Suddenly Kim (Derek's step-mom) screams, "Run! Everyone get in your cars!" So the entire group scatters, my car is closer to where they are running than where I'm standing but I don't want to be there all by myself. The adrenaline is pumping so I run toward the car. Next thing I know, Kim is hopping in someone else's car - we don't know these people at all! It was pretty funny, she just hopped right in. So I'm running to our car run around the back of Wade's (Derek's dad) car (parked directly in front of ours) and suddenly I freeze between our car and Wade's. I can't see the bears any more! I don't know where they are because our car is blocking my view. I'm standing there trying to figure out if I should keep running to our car and hop in then I see Derek motioning frantically to me to get in Wade's car! I hop in the car and turn around just in time to see the bears come bounding around the back bumper of our car and turn to head in the bushes we are parked next to!! If I hadn't of stopped I would have run into them face-to-face!! Holy crap!

Now these bears weren't after anyone, just playing around, but still, if I had run into them and startled them or whatever I could have been a goner! IT WAS AWESOME! Hahaha trust me, I know I'm lucky and had someone watching over me but I survived and have a dang awesome story to tell now! Well, we watched them for a while longer (from the safety of the car) as they crossed the road one more time and headed down to the river. We found out from the ranger that those 2 are brother Grizzlies and their mom had just turned them out the year before. So they are young enough that they still tolerate each other and share the "turf", But give it another year and that encounter wouldn't have been as "playful." To see to Grizzlies play together and run around like that is not something many people ever see.

The next night we saw a black bear, but after the Grizzly encounter, this wasn't as big a deal (but they're much cuter, more like the kind you'd want to cuddle with). We saw moose and elk and eagles and all sorts of wildlife! Went up to Old Faithful one morning and the entire 6 hours we spent in Yellowstone we didn't see ANYTHING! Seriously, the only bird we even saw was dead. Hot pots were cool and all but nothing compared to running from a grizzly! It was an awesome and much needed vacation! Thanks Wade and Kim!

Jackson Lake

And this is the beautiful lake where we spent the next week. Don't worry that I was SUPER sunburned after only the first day, and I was wearing sunscreen the entire time! Even Derek got red. Guess we haven't been spending enough (or any) time at the pool this summer-dang school and work!

Vacation part one...

So before Jackson we headed up to Idaho and visited Grandma Esplin and few of the cousins...

Then it was back to the road on Monday for the rest of our trip into Wyoming.

This X-terra sure is coming in handy :)

We got slightly distracted when we saw signs for the National Oregon trail center and stopped by and ended up spending an hour checking out all the fun historical artifacts. Hey it was educational and appropriate for Pioneer week. Any one wonder why it took us like 7 hours to get to Jackson?!

Home sweet home

Ok so getting unpacked and situated in the new place took a while but its finally coming together! Here are a few shots of the front room. This is the first time I've had the guts to hang my own art work on the walls so we'll see how that goes. I'd post a few more pics (like of my beautiful flowers out front which I had oh so much fun planting) but my camera is on the fritz and so we are sending in the lens for repairs, yet again :(

Still a few touches needing to be made, like repainting the hutch and coffee table. But it's starting to look like a home. Feel free to come by and visit anytime!

Trimmed and hemmed those curtains all by myself-aren't you proud?

Vacation

Hello everyone (if there is anyone who still checks our blog), sorry we haven't updated in a while. We haven't really had anything exciting to write about... until now... Once we get the pictures, we'll put up a new post, but thought we should give you a preview of things to come. Keep checking back for stories and pictures of our nightly meetings with beavers, escaping death on the snake river, hugging black bears, and running from grizzly bears!

Moving time!

Well I know I haven't posted much lately but I keep saying that I'll get my pictures from our Arizona trip all ready and post some (but I took hundreds, literally, I think I had over 300 pics!), and pictures of this and that because that's how I best express myself, Derek is the one who is good with the words. But that sure hasn't happened, its been a super busy few weeks! So hopefully someone still checks our blog!

Well our lease on our first married couple apartment came up at the end of April. We started looking for a place in March and tried and tried for 2 solid months! I was about ready to sign another lease- Dreading another year of hearing our neighbors blow their noses and the "elephant" who stomps around upstairs at all hours of the night, not to mention no one can ever get ahold of me cause there is zero reception in our place! But then just 3 weeks ago we found the perfect place! Ok maybe not perfect but as close as you can get and still be renting. It's a duplex in the Milcreek area where we have a TON more room and no one above or below us! We are so excited and will have everyone over as soon as things are put together. So after two years in the basement and a tearful good bye with my Young Women and ward we are moving on to bigger and better. Pictures to come soon.

Also wanted to remind everyone about RELAY FOR LIFE! Its this Friday night (12th) and into Saturday morning at This Is the Place State Park. We have put together a work team and will be there all night so come down to support donate and have some fun and food for a good cause. All funds raised go 100% to the American Cancer Society to help fight cancer. Please come down and support us if you can, or donations are still being collected online (see post below) Appreciate it!

Fight Cancer with Relay for Life!

Dear Family and Friends,

I've decided to take a stand and fight back against cancer
by participating in the American Cancer Society Relay For Life® event
right here in my community.

Please support me in this important cause by making a secure,
tax-deductible donation online using the link below.

To donate online now, click here to visit my personal page.

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09National?px=11359158&pg=personal&fr_id=14933

Relay For Life® is a life-changing event that brings together more
than 3.5 million people worldwide to:

*  CELEBRATE the lives of those who have battled cancer. The
strength of survivors inspires others to continue to fight.
*  REMEMBER loved ones lost to the disease. At Relay, people who
have walked alongside people battling cancer can grieve and find
healing.
*  FIGHT BACK. We Relay because we have been touched by cancer and
desperately want to put an end to the disease.

Whatever you can give will help - it all adds up! I greatly appreciate
your support and will keep you posted on my progress.

Sincerely,

KandisEsplin



CELEBRATE and Double Your Money
Many employers offer matching funds programs. Your $50 donation
could turn into $100. Inquire with your personnel/HR
department to complete the paperwork required to get your gift
matched. Visit our Matching Gifts page.
http://www.matchinggifts.com/acs/

REMEMBER loved ones through Mosaic Of Hope
Create a moving memorial tribute to your loved one lost to
cancer or an inspiring honor tribute to your loved one winning
the fight against cancer. Visit the American Cancer Society
Mosaic Of Hope web site to build your own memorial or honor site
dedicated to your loved one.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/DON/DON_2_Mosaic_of_Memories.asp?from=RFLFooter

FIGHT BACK by becoming a member of ACS CAN

ACS CAN logo

http://www.acscan.org/

You have the opportunity to make a difference and save lives by
becoming a member of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action
Network (ACS CAN). ACS CAN is the organization that allows the voice
of the cancer community to be heard. ACS CAN is a national
grassroots movement of people just like you - cancer patients,
survivors, caregivers and their families and friends who who are
dedicated to changing laws and policies to help people fight cancer.
You CAN take action. We CAN save lives. Together, we CAN
make cancer a top national priority. Join CAN today, at
www.acscan.org
http://www.acscan.org/

Check out the new ride!

So Derek and I have been wanting an off road vehicle for a long time now.  Well we found one that was too good of a deal to pass up, and so our Xterra was born!  And of course we had to go check out the off road package this weekend.  Thought we'd share some of the fun with you.  You can hardly tell because she handles so perfectly but these were quite the rugged trails!  She's a champ!

A hard lesson to learn

So a few of you remember the night before my wedding-I was kind of a mess.  I had been working non-stop on this cute DVD of Derek and I's baby pictures (you know the standard reception ones)  I had scanned all the pictures and put it all together myself-I was quite proud.  It looked great on my computer.  It was going to be used for the luncheon and the reception.

So I had it done like 2 weeks early and didn't think twice about waiting to burn it.  So around midnight the night before the wedding I put the DVD in and waited for it to burn, well much to my dismay (I hadn't ever used my DVD burner) I got an error message after waiting the 45 minutes or so.  So I tried again...same error.  It would take the time to burn it and go through the process but said error open completion and it was no good.  

So at this point I am stressed to the max-taking it out on my poor dear brides-maids and soon to be husband. Who were all quite patient with me that night-thank you all! I was quite crabby! NO ONE could figure it all out.    Well we ended up getting little if any sleep.  Anyone who knows me well knows sleep is very important to me-my best friends had an interference plan for how they were going to handle it when I got ornery at the wedding.  Which I am please to report didn't happen-even without sleep I was a delightful bride.  

Anywhoodle, the other day I was doing a few things and figured it all out!  Can you believe it-a year and half later!  Well it was all in the type of DVD I was trying to burn it to, I had purchased DVD ram and I needed DVD-R.  I had mixed emotions when I figured it out, I was peeved that I was that stupid and all the stress could have been avoided, and delighted because now I can at least take it off my computer and have a copy in my home.  So anyone need a DVD? Cause I now know how to use my computer!

Picture Tag...

Here are the rules...

Open your Picture folder on your computer.

Pick the 6th Folder

Select the 6th picture in that folder.

Post that picute on your blog...and the story that goes along with it.

Tag 6 others to do the same....

I was tagged by Kyra!  Thanks-this was a fun one.  Everyone that knows me knows I have a TON of pictures-I am a photographer after all.  Though I recently have been burning all the photo's to disks so that other families aren't taking up my hard drive's space-so mostly they are my personal ones and one's of Derek and I. Can anyone even imagine how many pictures our future children will have taken of them!  Wowser!  So of the 5 or so picture folders I have I randomly picked on and followed the rules.  So here it is...

Not to exciting of a story, for the rest of you but it is for me. This is Derek and I on our honeymoon!  See that would be why I am beaming with excitement-I get to be with that adorable face of his for eternity!  We were on a cruise of the Mexican Riviera aboard the Paradise vessel.  Cruises are the way to travel-tons of food and a new destination each day!  We had a blast.

I tag...

Samantha

Jessica

Charity

Heather

Kassie

Melissa

& everyone else who would like to it is quite fun!

Car Show!!

I look forward to the car show every year, and this year was no exception. I was a little bummed that BMW wasn't there, but there were a couple others that kept me plenty busy. You know those surveys that friends send you sometimes, the ones that ask you what your biggest fear is or where you would like to retire? Well, I would retire to Germany so I could drive on the Autobahn all day and my biggest fear is that I will never own a Porsche. Here are a couple pics from the car show:

This is our next car so we had to see how we looked.

What do you think?

Someday... Me, the Autobahn, and this car.

Arizona Here We Come!!

Hey friends and family in Arizona! We're planning a trip to Arizona in March and we want to see everyone. We're so excited to get away from this snow and into the desert sun. After visiting with everyone we plan on going to see the sights. We need some suggestions on what we should do/see while we're there. We know we want to see where Kandis grew up in Flagstaff and then the Grand Canyon; but what else is a must-see?

Blog slacker!

So I know I've been a giant slacker and not updated forever, but things have finally gotten back to our routine so hopefully these will begin to be more regular.  I hope everyone had a fantastic Holiday season and got to spend time with family and eat tons of Chocolate!  Here are a few pictures from the last few months to catch you all up...

First off we can't forget about those amazing UTES!  This picture is from the GIANT tailgate party our work threw for the BYU vs UTAH game.  That was an awesome game in which we totally dominated!  We then went on to prevail in the Sugar Bowl and become the only undefeated college football team.  They even threw the team a parade yesterday (which happened to go right down the street in front of my work)  with hundreds of people-I was impressed by the turnout...

My Birthday was the week of Thanksgiving, that's right I'm a whole 25 years of age now!  I had been doing tons of pictures on every day off I had and just wanted a day of R & R.  And that's what I got-yay!  We slept in and lounged around for most the day and then to top it off with perfection Derek took my out to the Cheesecake Factory!!  Yummy Yum Yum...

Here's us at the restaurant

Thanksgiving!  If you know me well you know this is my ultimate favorite holiday!  I love Turkey (LOVE it) and I always get presents-food family and presents, what more could a girl ask for?  We had Thanksgiving with Derek's Dad the Sunday before, thanksgiving morning at Derek's Grandma's in Idaho, Thanksgiving day at my brother's and the Sunday afterward we had MORE turkey at his Mom's-I'm such a lucky/over stuffed girl.  But I enjoyed everyone of those meals.

My Nephews and I played "Super Heros" all Thanksgiving evening-check out the rad capes-that's right my big head did fit, thanks spandex!

Oh Christmas tree! Oh Christmas Tree!

We of course can't invade Thanksgiving with Christmas like all the retail stores do, but as soon as I've had my Turkey, lights are green and its a go for putting up the Christmas Decorations!  Not a lot of room in our apartment but the tree turned out fabulous (if I do say so myself)! 

Next came more Birthdays!  Colby's was the 2nd, Kassie's the 8th and Derek on the 15th!  "Celebrate good times come on!"

Kathrina and Bea came down and made us dinner cause the poor birthday boy had to spend the entire day studying/taking his finals.

The three hole punch he was so excited to ask for!

Crazy People...

The other two birthday kids!

Gotta stick out the tongue if Mr. Potato Head does

These two were here for the cake

The Young Women and I celebrated the Holidays Utah style and went down the Temple square-just in time too, a week later it was stormy and FREEZING

Finally Christmas!  It was a fun filled crazy day!  Christmas Eve was spent in Park City with Derek's Dad and family-but unfortunately this photographer didn't have her camera with her :(

Christmas Morning was with Derek's Mom and Sister.  Then we headed down to my brother's house-and hit the snow storm down there-wow that was a lot of snow, we watched 3 cars get dug out by tractors and then decided our next car needs 4 wheel drive!  But once we made it to the house it was fun filled with food and gifts!  

This was the first year in a LONG time that I got a Barbie in my stocking!  I was 8 all over again and immediately had to get it out to play.

Bea left the next day for Italy so we got her a photo book to show off to her family

Kas and Tyson showing off the loot!

Brody was so excited about the new PJ's that he didn't care that he was tipping over his Batman chair-luckily Grandma was there to save the day.

Brody was in heaven as cars raced all around him-Derek was a little jealous.