Where in the heck did 2011 go?!?

Can you believe another year has flown by!? I sure can't!! 2011 was a wonderful year for us hence it's when we got married but 2012 will be full of many adventures!

To wrap up the year we're just on semester break right now, mostly working and also catching up with some old friends as well. A few of the girls I went to high school with got together this week and it was so much fun! Sometimes I swear my friends think I have cooties now that I'm married, or most of us I guess now. So when we do get together it's usually a good time. A few of Kevin's friends will be down for New Year's and we'll be hanging out with them doing who knows what.

To start 2012, I have my LAST semester at Dixie State College, and probably college in general. I'm having a really hard time trying to decide if I should get my Master's or not. I thought I had my answer but I've been second guessing a lot. Kevin has his last semester at Dixie State as well, unless he decides to work full-time before we end up moving up to either Salt Lake or Logan so he can attend the U or USU. Moving itself will be an adventure for me. I've moved once and that was 5 minutes away from my parents. I don't think I'm too scared of moving away from them, but I'll miss St. George. I love it here and I know once we move we probably won't be back to stay long-term. Moving involves getting a job where I'm a newly grad in communications and could go anywhere, but not sure what I want to do and jobs are pretty scarce still. Moving involves getting to know a whole new area and worst of all, moving means we'll be in the snow. Luckily, one good thing about moving is we'll have friends and family close by and it's really not that far. If we had to move across the country then that would be a whole other story. I'll be okay, I know people move all the time and they survive but that doesn't mean I'm still not scared out of my mind.

So far that's really our only plans for the New Year, hopefully our plans to welcome the New Year will be very exciting :)  Here are some of my new year resolutions since it's always helpful to write/type them down and let others know about them as well. They're pretty generic though.

2012:
1. Personal scripture study
2. Attend the Temple no less than every other week-not to brag but we have done pretty well at that except for December.
3. Learn how to crochet- I need to learn how to be crafty before I  have kids or we're all screwed.
4. Go to the gym no less than 4 days a week.
5. Maybe start digital scrap booking.
6. All A's for my last semester
7. Read more leisurely books :)-Love how 6 &7 totally will not work from January-April but it's okay!!

That's all I have for now, but if you have any in mind for me let me know :)

Our First Christmas

Yes, it's true! We had our first Christmas as a married couple. Christmas, in my mind is a way bigger holiday than the other holidays because it is such a huge time to spend with family and giving to those around you. Our Christmas was spent up in Bear Lake with the Larson's and Maughan's. So yes, it was my first Christmas away from home... and I survived! I didn't have any doubts that I wouldn't, I was just expecting tears at some point but I was perfectly fine. I missed my family and everything but I loved being with Kevin and sharing Christmas with his family so it balanced out my feelings quite well.

Our time was spent like most Bear Lake times sleeping, watching sports, playing card games, talking with the family and playing with the cousins and our adorable nieces, going sledding, riding the snow machines and some of the guys did a polar plunge-Kevin included. The lake was maybe 20 Degrees at best and in the summer doesn't get much higher. Sadly, I really didn't take any pictures or videos like I normally would have so sorry this is just a post with words and no pictures of blood, or people flying out of sleds...which they did...a few times :) Or one of me falling off of the snow machine.

It's been kinda fun as Kevin and I discuss what traditions we want to start as a family. I'll let ya know a few but you have to promise not to steal them! Just kidding, they are pretty good ideas so you can borrow them if you'd like. What we're going to try to do every year is give to another family, kinda of angel tree sort of thing. We're not going to tell our children about Santa since that takes away the whole purpose of Christmas and we want our children to know the real meaning and not all the commercialization. They'll still get presents, and somehow, I don't know how but somehow it'll work out and they won't tell other children there isn't a Santa or something like that. Once we have a Christmas tree, or at least a bigger place to even put one of those little ones in then I want to put ornaments of Christ around our tree and maybe have our children pick their favorite picture and decorate some paper around it or something. Hopefully you get the drift that what we want to do is to always keep the spirit of Christmas and Christ's birth in our home so our children and us as well, can have a firm testimony in the Gospel and feel the joy of giving to those in need and they can always feel Christ's love for them and others as they serve those around them. I think that's every family's goal for Christmas, but everyone gets so caught up with Black Friday, and presents and getting the kids excited for Santa that the real meaning of Christmas gets pushed to the back burner. Hopefully we can keep our traditions and our hearts and minds always focused on Christ and the true meaning of Christmas.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and will have a wonderful New Year!! Since the New Year is closer than Christmas now :)

The BIG 24!!!!!!

Happy Birthday to THE most amazing man I know!

He is my best friend for eternity,  the one who loves to push my buttons, warms up my cold hands, always puts a smile on my face and makes me laugh, hugs me when I need him most, pushes me to be and do my best, always has a joke to tell, loves the Denver Bronco's like crazy and more importantly he is the most amazing, loving, and handsome husband I could have ever asked for!! I'm so blessed to have you in my life Kevin, and I love you for all the eternities and future birthdays to come!! Love you!!! XoXoXo!!