{The rush of December...}

So I am gonna be honest. The beginning of December was a blur. A MAJORITY of my time was spent studying, doing projects, studying or packing. These are a few pics of our last days in our place before we moved...

{picture accidentally deleted :(...}

 yummy southwestern chicken cups

 my baby sleeping on the opposite side of the bed...I love his weird quirks :) keeps me smiling

This picture has nothing to do with our place or moving...I just saw it and remembered how silly/crazy my husby is for PICKING up a lobster out of the tank at Red Lobster. 

Once finals were done though {and BOY was I glad when they were done!} the fun began :) We moved from our place in the basement to our own humble abode in Orem! I was beyond excited...it was our first LEGIT place. {I say "legit" because our 2 places prior were both furnished and we spent 4 months in each...} Though it is had been a process...I feel like we are finally making this place our home :)

 Before pictures:

After pictures:

coming soon {once I have complete my nesting}

this is my husband being beyond excited he got our washer & dryer working :) I am proud of him as well.

I still have a ways to go to be "nested" but I am enjoying it :)

Another thing I enjoyed this holiday season was the parties and family time.

Erica & Matson's Christmas party. Gingerbread house competition. My artistic husband always does us proud :)

right before a Richard's game time sesh 

watched this movie to put myself in the Holiday spirit. it worked. look how cute she is!

 My sister-in-law, Ashley is a very crafty person. She made this. I LOVED it. I made one for my mom :)

Taken on "Little Christmas Eve"

Little Christmas Eve is a new family tradition I was introduced to this year.
It is a Danish tradition that Tyler and his family would celebrate with the Richard's side of the family.
Their families would open one gift on Little Christmas Eve and then all the rest on Christmas Eve.
So now since they moved to Utah they still celebrate it by opening a gift, having dinner, playing games and usually doing some sort of Secret Santa. It was a great experience :)

Another thing we did that I really liked was ice skating. I had never been before.
I was beyond scared. I had no idea what to expect.
I won't lie I wasn't fond of the part where my toes froze but it was fun learning how to do something new and we went with other couples so that made it entertaining. {Mostly because all the guys were chasing each other around, no worries of breaking their bodies if they fell haha}

the girls

the boys

CHRISTMAS DAY:

Christmas this year was on Sunday so the plans changed a bit.

We woke up, ate, looked at our stocking, opened a gift or two then got ready for church. They had a great speaker in their ward Donny Osmond. 

He shared a great story and his testimony was beautiful.

Then the had a musical number. I thought it was great...

The little boy in sitting in front of us thought otherwise...hahaha :)

Ty opening his presents...sorry wish I would have taken more pictures of Christmas present opening.

My mom and sister came up north for the Forbes Christmas party.

population: 65+ and counting...{aka babies always on their way}

The party was awesome. 7 new babies in 2011 ALL were there. 

As my husband said "it was like being in a club" haha.

A lot of people. A lot of talking. A lot of loud sounds.

I loved it.

I told him to prepare himself...that is how Lake Powell is ;)

Then we headed off to St. George to celebrate Christmas with my family.

We are both very blessed with great parents who love us.

We were given many things needed and many things wanted.

 sisters <3

 silly husband. always making me laugh. love him.

 facial time. OH YEAH.

HAHAHA these are my Christmas pajamas worn by Marissa. we had NO idea they said that when we bought them...look over the entire product before purchase FYI ;)

 this is me being "artsy" haha

 Christmas in St. George :) loved it. 

love the family time.

It was an incredible Holiday season. 

We feel very blessed with all the family time and love felt and given.

It was great having Christmas on Sunday to spend the sabbath day celebrating what we should be doing each Sunday, being grateful for our Lord's birth as well as his sacrifice. I am also very grateful for my husband. He shared with me on our way back from St. George what I really mean to him and I will lock it in my brain forever. I am very happy I chose to go to my cousin's birthday party that day in 2009. Well I have one more post for December...coming soon :)