Easter 2013

Easter was unlike any I have had in the past.  For weeks leading up to Easter, I thought of the traditions I grew up with, talked with Jared about the traditions that he had in his family, and thought of what I wanted our new family to do for Easter.  It really helped me reflect on Easter for not just the weekend, but for weeks. It was neat as I really pondered on what this holiday means to me and why we celebrate it.  However, not one of the family traditions that either of us have had in past years happened, nor did we start any new ones.  We just thoroughly enjoyed a wonderful Sabbath filled with Easter messages and a gratitude for it's true meaning.  I don't want to be without traditions in the future, but I actually am grateful that this year, all I had to focus on was the glorious reason for which we celebrate: that Christ the Lord is risen.  Easter hymns filled my mind all Sunday along with the Easter Program I participated in with the NAU Institute called "He is Jesus Christ" by Rob Gardner.  One song is titled "Woman, Why Weepest Thou?" stood out to me all day.  The first verse reads,

Woman, why weepest thou?  

Know ye not that angels now surround thee?  

Woman, why seekest thou the living among the dead?  

He is not here, for He is risen.  

Woman, why sorrowest thou?  

Know ye not that Heaven's eyes are on thee?  

Woman, the Savior's come.  

He lives.  

The Redeemer Lives. 

That is the true meaning of this holiday.  Not the easter eggs, not the chocolate, not the baskets, not the jelly beans.  It is that Jesus Christ lives.  He lives.  That is the greatest message this earth has ever heard, or ever will hear!  He lives that we, too, may live. 

Happy Easter!

I.... ski

Remember this post about me being a snowboarder and Jared a skier?  Or what about this post about my first season snowboarding?  Well... Jared's family skis.  He wants to raise our kids on ski trips.  He has named tons of reasons why skiing seems better... usually while I'm strapping into my board or while I'm jumping/scooting/hobbling down a catwalk with my board.

So...

I caved.  I gave skiing a shot.

Our ward had a night-ski trip and so it was the perfect time for me to try it out.  (Have I mentioned that we have one awesome ward!?) Another couple in our ward was doing the same thing.  She was a skier.  He was a boarder.  He tried skiing.  It was fun to have others trying it out for the first time.  Let me just tell you, learning to ski involves a lot less falling than learning to snowboard.

I really enjoyed it!  I only fell once.  I am a pro "pizza-stopper" but I didn't get much further than that.  The Sundance Resort is so beautiful though!  

When Jared's family came up to Utah for Spring Break, they spent 2 days skiing.  I was lucky enough to get one day off from work and go with them.  I can't say that I am any good still, but I really like skiing.  I feel so much more in control and it's true, I never have to strap in or hobble/jump on catwalks.  You just go.   

Jared was so excited that he even found me boots online for $30.  Oh gosh.
I think I might be converting...

Random Moments

I have had a lot of random thoughts lately...

• Dear New-Years-Resolution-ers: You can't just sit in the gym and hope it counts as working out.  I commend you for getting yourself to the gym, but unfortunately that isn't merely enough so thank you for finally fizzling out or actually using the machines you are sitting on! 
• Dear lady that dances with the Little Ceasar's sign on the street corner, you are always smiling like you have the best job in the world.  Your happiness is contagious.  Thank you for your daily reminder that life is good.  
• Dear Utah, thank you for winning the bronze medal for coldest winter on record this year.  Next year, can you avoid winning a medal please?  It's a bit chilly!  Although, you have conditioned me so well, that the 41* day felt FABULOUS!  I didn't even wear a jacket! 
• Dear Subaru, you make some mighty fine snow-handling vehicles.  I am so grateful to have a vehicle to drive that doesn't try and play bumper cars on the freeway.  
• Dear Taxes, you took 20% of my first paycheck.  Rude.
• Dear BYU Library, I love that you have ALL the books I love to read and that I actually have time to read them.  Yes, I have read about 4 books this year already! (That already doubles how many I read last year.)  I forgot how much I love reading! 
• Dear (Warm) Sunshine, I miss you.  
• Dear Kids-at-work, your endless charity to your friends is amazing!  Thank you for teaching me so much. 
• Dear Sunrise times, thank you for beating me to the day!  It's nice to be able to drive to work without my car lights on! 
• Dear Life, you can be uncertain, but you really are good. 

Our 1st Valentines Day

We had heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast made on our new griddle (I've never had a griddle until now, but I LOVE it!).  We covered our pancakes in strawberries and yogurt that we blend in the blender!  It's so much healthier than syrup and SO delicious! So our pancakes were cute, red hearts... I forgot to take a picture.

At work, I asked all of my kids what their families do for Valentines Day.  It was fun to hear all the traditions, but I really liked a few ideas.  Many mentioned that they had red and pink meals (either breakfast or dinner).  Ours was so fun, that I want to keep that as a tradition.  Most of them mentioned how they write valentines cards/notes to all their family members.  Many of them also do heart-shaped pizzas and a "red"box movie.  One of my little first graders told me that I would make my husband really happy if I rented Hotel Transylvania and watched it with him.  He was so sincere.  He said, if he had money, that's what he would do with his mom.  

That evening, we had plans to go out to eat, but so did EVERY other person in Provo.  Everyone here is practically a newlywed, dating, or engaged... so we had a pretty good hunch that every single restaurant in town would be PACKED.

So, what did we do?  We got a "red" pizza and a "red"box and we watched Hotel Transylvania.  It was actually a very cute movie that had us laughing and it was a really fun night.  I think I like the red breakfast, redbox, and red pizza, and writing valentines-for-those-we-love traditions.  Of course, I had to get Jared his favorite candy.... red vines.  And he got me beautiful red flowers.

Our entire day was 

RED. 

What a fun day to honor, remember, and serve those that we love.

Oh, The Weather Outside is Frightful

Let's not talk about how the average high this month has been 20 degrees.  No need to mention that our 60 degree apartment feels fabulous - honestly!  It's been so cold that when I was walking out to my car after work on a 40 degree afternoon, I was so warm that I didn't even turn my car heater on.  People keep telling me this has been the coldest winter here in Utah in a long time!  Well, thank you Utah, for the not-so-warm welcome!

Despite the bone-chilling temps (I was perfectly fine with never having been outside in -7 degrees), we have tried to enjoy it as much as possible!

Jared and I went to Brighton Ski Resort the day after finals ended last semester.  It was the perfect day to be on the mountain.  A constant light snow kept it nice and powdered for us the entire afternoon.  It has taken me some time to adjust to snowboarding on "real" snow but let me tell you, it's way better than ice!

When we came back from our holiday break, we met up with the Horlachers who were in Utah for the holidays.  We went sledding and it was seriously SO fun!  The parks around here are designed with sledding in mind.  It made it way better than always trying to dodge trees and rocks!  It was so fun to see those kids and play with them!  I miss seeing them more often and I can hardly believe how big they are getting!

Just a couple days later, Jared and I went to the Canyons Ski Resort.  That place is more like a village than a resort.  It was such a big resort with so many great runs down the mountain.  It is exhausting to go out all day!  I was used to only being out there for half days, but we don't like to waste which means our all-day passes get put to their fullest use!  I had to take a break both times, and I accidentally fell asleep even!  I was SO tired, but it was so fun!  Both times, we ate out afterwards because we were positive that we were going to starve or fall over before we could even make ourselves the simplest of meals!  We hope we can make it out a few more times this season!

Moral of the Story: I like playing in snow.  I don't like living in snow. 

Our First Christmas

Christmas was wonderful!  We enjoyed the warmer weather (in the low 60's) in Arizona.  I LOVED the mild weather! We spent Christmas eve day with Jared's family.  Then we ate with our family and opened presents with my family.  It was a late night filled with lots of tradition - both his family's and mine.  We then finally crawled in bed to be woken up a few short hours later to see what Santa brought.  The little kids (Jared is #2 of 9 kids, the youngest being 3 years old) were so fun!!  I've missed seeing little kids on Christmas morning.  After breakfast, we went to my family's house and opened presents, enjoyed family, and saw what Santa brought there too.  We took our usual mid-Christmas-morning nap and then went back to Jared's Grandma's.  Then we went to my Grandma's.  Next we went back to our family's house and then back to Jared's house where we finally crashed....  Whew!  I can't even begin to tell you how busy it is to always be bouncing between both families for the fw days we have with them, but it's so worth being able to spend time with them!  We are blessed to have two very wonderful families!

I imagine that First Christmas being a bit more calm.

I am thankful to our Savior for His birth and life.

What a wonderful reason to celebrate!

Other Highlights 

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-Buying and decorating our very own tree

-Talking to my brother David who is now in Italy

-Doing the family puzzle(s)

-Caroling with Jared's extended family (around 30 of us)

-Watching lots of Christmas movies
-Going to "A Christmas Carol" at Hale Theatre with Jared's family

-Going to J's basketball game that ended with a 3-point buzzer shot by J's team to tie the game... and then they WON in over time
-Going to the Phoenix Zoo with our siblings

-Jared and I finished reading Percy Jackson #1 on the road trip down and watched the movie.  It's been really fun to read books together on our road trips

-Eating lots of good food

-Going to my Grandma's Christmas party and seeing all the talents

-Attending church with both our families

-Sharing our traditions with each other

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

My Handyman

I married a handyman.   

We moved into a place that had a few things that needed fixed up:

-new shower heads installed

-new calking around the tub and kitchen counters

-a bathroom medicine cabinet needed installed

-new towel rod (one that isn't 10in. above the toilet - seriously, who does that?!!?)

-closet door tracking - the sliding doors were more like just sliding immovable doors

-new sink faucet installed

-putting together a t.v. stand

-putting together a coffee table

Poor guy, had a honey-do list longer than ever should be legal, 

and all before we were even married!

After we got married, he helped hang all our wall decor, hung a ton of storage hooks and... replaced our dishwasher AND microwave. (P.S. I'm really grateful for BOTH those appliances!)

He was able to do all of it!! 

I can't even tell you how grateful I am for having that all taken care of!!

It really is such a blessing!
I'm so grateful he has taken the time to learn those skills
and use them to bless us!

How did I end up so lucky?!?

I am so thankful for that handsome handyman of mine!