Random things

Llama Collection
I have a *slight* obsession with llamas.  I've been in love with them ever since the movie "The Emperor's New Groove" came out in 2000 (that's almost half of my lifetime!).  I'm sure most people thought the obsession would wear off after the movie wasn't so new anymore, but they were all so very wrong.  I plan to own a real llama some day, and Machu Picchu in Peru is at the top of my list of places in the world to visit.  In the meantime, I'm just enjoying my llama collection, which is slowly growing (I received 3 out of the 4 for Christmas and the other one for my birthday last year.  My family and friends know me well.)

Pretty Sunrise
I wake up at 6:45 every morning, just in time to see the sun rise!  Some mornings it's really pretty.

A very warm January

The last half of this month has been extremely warm.  There were a few days right after Christmas that the high was below 20 degrees, but ever since then, it's been in the 50's and even the low 60's a few days!  I had to roll down my window in the car a few times to cool it down!  It's so weird, I feel like we're back in Arizona!

And...... some very exciting news! (No, we're not pregnant)
MY BROTHER GOT HIS MISSION CALL!!  This is the first one in my immediate family, and it's so exciting!  The call came pretty unexpectedly (only 10 days after he submitted his papers), so I was pretty surprised when I got a text from Jake on Friday asking if we wanted to Skype that night.  It was fun to see him open it, even through Skype - I felt like we were really there.

He got called to the Everett Washington English-speaking mission, leaving May 22!!!  I am so proud of Jake.  I know he'll be a great missionary and that he'll learn a lot from doing this.  I'll miss him tons during those 2 years, but I'm so excited to hear about all the neat experiences he'll have.

{If there's anyone reading this who isn't familiar with the LDS religion, you can click here to find out more about missions}

New Years

New Year's was a little different this year since Brody was in Fort Collins, and I was in Logan.  He went to a party with some of our friends in CO and I went to a party with some friends in UT.  But, despite the fact that we weren't together and that I was the odd ball of the group that night, I still had fun.

New Year's Eve
We spent the night eating lots, playing tons of fun games, watching the ball drop and sending off lanterns (definitely the best part!)

While everyone was getting ready to smooch their significant other when the clock struck midnight, I stood in the background like a creeper taking pictures..... ha ha!

The lanterns were such a fun and different way to ring in the new year!

New Year's Day
The next day, I went snowshoeing with my family, and some extended family (the Skeens and the Bundy's).  It was a lot of fun, but since I didn't have any of my proper snow gear, it was a little cold.

It helped though when we got to our destination and made a fire.

That night we had a yummy dinner with everyone and played some games.

We had a wonderful 2012 and I'm excited to see what 2013 has to offer!

Christmas Break

Here are some details and pictures of the rest of our Christmas Break (minus Christmas Eve and Day)

I had two weeks off work, so we headed to Utah on Friday the 21st after I got home from work.  I was lucky enough to be able to stay for the whole two weeks, but Brody wasn't as fortunate.  He went home after just one week, in order to study for the QE's which will take place on January 14th.  He's been really stressed about this test (he only gets two chances to pass, otherwise he can't continue in the PhD program. Only 50% of students typically pass), so it was good for him to be able to study for a whole week with no distractions.  He took Sal home with him in the car and I'm flying home later this evening (Sat. Jan 5).  Here's a look at some of the things we did both when Brody was here and after he left (this will be everything except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day)

Hair Cut:
We both got a hair cut and chopped quite a bit off.  I didn't take a picture of Brody, so you'll just have to look at his hair in other pictures, but I did get one of me.  I cut about 6 inches off, and I love it!

Family Pictures:
We had family pictures with Brody's side.

Hot Tub:
My parents got a hot tub this summer, so we sat in it almost every other night!  It's the perfect winter activity (especially when you're sick, which I was for a few days... it was so relaxing!)

The boys thought it would be fun to do the polar plunge (getting out of the hot tub, rolling around in the snow, and then getting back in).  Crazies!

Back-country Skiing:
Brody was able to get in some back country skiing while he was here with his buddy Nate.  He loved it and said the snow was awesome!

Games:
We played a lot of games and came up with a new fun thing to go along with each game we play, and that is: whoever loses, has to eat a handful of the yucky flavor of jelly beans (like popcorn, coffee, black licorice, bubblegum, cinnamon, etc).  It was pretty funny to watch people eat them, some of those combinations are NOT good together.

Brody's trip home & week of studying:
Brody sent me this picture on his way home and I just laughed because it's soooo typical of Sal.  We put a barrier up in the middle, but he still sneaks in through the side.

Here's a picture Brody took in the library at school. . . . . he's just studying his brains out!

(If you're really observant, you'll notice that this was actually taken before our trip, because he still has long hair - but it still counts as a studying picture!)

When I was here by myself, I just had fun relaxing, shopping and hanging out with my family.  It was great to be here for so long, but I did really miss Brody.

I went to visit my niece and nephew one day (on Brody's side)

They're such cuties!

Another night I had a "sleepover" with my two nieces (on my side).  They were so excited about it, even though it was a school night and they had to go to bed early.  We had dinner, played games, (including hide and go seek - their favorite), then I helped put the girls to bed (we brushed our teeth together and I read them a story).  Then me, Jess and Linny stayed up late talking and painting our toenails.  It was a lot of fun!

Went to the new Brigham City Temple with my parents

A few more pictures of the snow, because it snowed so much while we here and it was just sooo pretty!

Details about New Year's to come!

Christmas 2012

We had a wonderful Christmas this year, as always.  We spent Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas Day with Brody's family.

My family:

Me, my mom and my sister Jessica the Sunday before Christmas

The morning of the 24th, I went with my mom and sister to the gym for a special holiday "aerobithon" where they have a few fun, quick 30 minute work out classes.  Then we headed to Jump Zone with the rest of my family as well as the Bundy's.  This place was AWESOME.  The whole floor is just covered with trampolines and there are multiple pits to jump into, a basketball area and a volleyball/dodgeball area.  It was so much fun.

Doing our best tricks into the pit (even my mom did a flip!)

Linny, Me, Jess

It was really hard to get out of the pit, so we had to help each other

Playing dodge-ball and basketball

Random pictures

I love, Love, LOVE this picture.  We had just done a train where we bounced from one trampoline to the other following the person in front of us.  It was a lot of fun, if you can't tell by our faces.

After that, we had a delightful breakfast (but it was more like lunch because it was 1:00 by this point) back at my parents and then we all got cleaned up and ready for the day.  During the afternoon we ran a few errands and finished up a couple last minute gifts.  It snowed the entire day, which I was very happy about.

Then that evening, we went to my grandma's (on my dad's side) for their annual Christmas Eve dinner.  She always has such yummy food.  This year, it was ham, roast beef AND crab legs, along with other delicious sides.  We played the present game and just had fun being with extended family.

Oh, and we also took some pictures, a serious one and a silly one, of course!

The whole fam

The siblings

To end the night, we went back to my parents and played our traditional family trivia game and had a little Christmas program.

Also on the subject of Christmas activities with my family, (although not on Christmas Eve), a few days later, we had a progressive dinner with relatives in the valley (from my mom's side) and had the wonderful opportunity of listening to my two nieces: Emma (age 6) and Lydia (age 3) recite (from memory) the entire story of "Twas the Night Before Christmas"  It was the cutest thing I've ever seen!

Oh, and while they were at it, Lydia recited the Preamble from memory as well!  It's so funny to hear someone so small use such big words!

Brody's family:
We had lunch at Brody's dad's house and a yummy dinner at Brody's mom's house, played a new fun game and opened presents.  I said this last year, but Christmas is so much fun when little kids are around!  I just love my niece and nephew.

Dishing up our Christmas Dinner

Devyn & Dylan patiently waiting for their dinner

Yummmm, broccoli

Devyn was really snuggly that day

Dylan being a goof ball

She was especially snuggly with Brody

Cuuuute!

I was soooo happy that we got a white Christmas this year, because last year we didn't.

Oh, and one last thing...... I have finally made it to the world of smart phones!  I got an iPhone 4s for Christmas and I absolutely love it!  I can't imagine how I ever thought I didn't want a smart phone.  The phone itself isn't even that much bigger, but the screen is almost double the size.

Now everyone in my family has an iphone (except for Brody - he's an Android fan)

That's a lot of iPhones!  (Some better taken care of than others.....)

I'm sad Christmas is over, but I'm really happy that I still have another week to spend with my family in Utah.  Another post is to come about all our other Christmas Break activities!