Holidays? Bring it on!

I am starting to feel the stress that is December. Starting next week, I have secret santa, family parties, work parties, secret santa visiting teaching style, weddings, bunco, white elephant/ham parties, and obviously holidays. Christmas Eve parties, Christmas Day visits, New Years Eve/Day parties..... Soooooooo needless to say, it's going to be interesting to see how it turns out.

Along with all these parties and what nots, I've applied for a new job. I really do love this job more than anything, but my brother in law informed me of a job at his work where they offer benefits, 401k, PTO, and an actual salary. At this point in time, I have to be more realistic than anything. Seeing how we're not insured... Benefits would be AH-MAZE-ING. It would definitely be a big weight off my shoulders. Always worrying about what if this happened, or what if that happened... and when your family has a history of kidney stones, and you yourself have had one.... yeah. Then there is Justin.... I don't even know what to do about him. Kidney diseases, back problems, he's just a big stressball. So, I applied, and I'm hoping to hear back from them soon. I guess that I didn't add my resume to the application online, even though I know I did... so I had to send it in again on Thursday. Oh well... fingers crossed!

Well, I hope everyone is having a great holiday so far! Happy shopping to those who have yet to finish. I'm done, but Justin is not. I told him that if he has to go out on Christmas Eve, he was going by himself, which he said that was okay with him because he'll be done faster. So, whatev.

I'm really excited for Christmas, because I got Justin an awesome present. I'm really excited to give it to him, and I think that he's going to love it. I've had it for a couple of months now. That's just how excited I was about this present. I think I'm a genius. I can't tell anyone what it is yet, seeing how Justin doesn't even know, and this could ruin it for him. If he chose to read it. Which he probably won't. BUT JUST IN CASE.

I had one of those moments where I was set on something, and couldn't think until I got it done. I told Justin that we needed stockings. So, I went out and bought some. Well, like a week later, I asked him to pull out my bin that has my Christmas books in it, and surprise! there were two stockings in there, that I had bought the year before. I laughed a lot more than Justin did. =)

Anyway... I'm going to try and update again before Christmas, but if I don't.... Thennnn....

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

And in the occasion I don't update after that...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Good News and Bad News...

We'll start with the good.

Halloween was fun. It wasn't a typical year, though. When my family went to the witches at Gardner Village, it was just Christy and her kids, Lori and Jack, my mom, and then me. It was still fun, we just missed everyone else. It was also a different year because ... drumroll ... Justin and I dressed up! WHOA! We actually went out to a party, instead of sitting home and watching Ghost Hunters, which by all means is a sacrifice.

Here are some witch shots... BTW, it snowed whilst we were there. Yeah, snow.

And then here are some Halloween ones!

This is Jess, Justin, and Braden

Even Auggie dressed up, though he wasn't too happy about it.

Kerry and Sarah, haha best costume ever Sarah!

The donut game

It was a fun party, so thanks Scott and Mel!

Okay, so now for the bad news.

Something is wrong with my dog. Auggie has been limping around, and he's shaking, and won't eat or drink... it's really upsetting me. Jake and Spike (my old dogs) both were put to sleep because of things with their spines... and I worry he has the same thing. His back legs have no control it seems. He trips, and stumbles, and my parents have tried to prepare me for the worst... We're taking him to the vet tomorrow. So... I'm going to put some happy pictures up, and think positive thoughts, and hope and pray for the best.

He loves me, and sleeps next to me

He has the longest tongue ever...

Haha he's just putting up with me here

And he's sitting.

And then he's wrapped up in my blankie.

Sigh.

PLEASE be okay.

A real update

Well, it's been hard to get on the computer, sit down, and actually get this done. But I'm doing it. Oh I'm doing it. So I think I need to go back all the way to Thanksgiving... We started out at my family's house. So... meal #1. Naturally there was turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn etc. Then about an hour or two later, we went to Justin's family's house. Meal #2 was the same. Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn etc. We then went on to have Thanksgiving dessert at their house as well. I can't remember if I had any or not, because I was in a state of total fullness. Anyway, it was a really good holiday. Our first 'major' holiday.
Once December hit though, the real fun started. We were studying for finals, getting homework done, birthday parties, and attending family parties. One wednesday we had the "Ham Dinner" or whatever it's called at Eric Smith's house. Friends, Ham, and white elephant gifts. Then, the Friday before Justin's birthday, his friends met us and we ate at Lanikai Grill. It was quite tastey. Then we had the Jex family party the following Saturday afternoon, and then the Greenwall family party that evening. It really wasn't that bad. Lots of presents, and yummy food. The next day, we went to Justin's family's house to have his birthday dinner. More food, more presents. Monday, which was Justin's birthday, night we went to dinner with Justin's parents to Ruby River. Naturally, more food. By that time, finals were done, and we were relaxing as much as possible. For Christmas Eve, we went to my parents house. We had our traditional steak dinner with artichoke, and for those who want them, king crab legs. After dinner, we had our book contest, in which Lori took 1st, Christy took 2nd, and I took 3rd. We're awesome. Then we had the nativity, and we all got presents from my mom and dad. Nighttime came, and we all went home. Justin and I wanted our own Christmas, so we had a tree with presents under it and everything. That morning we got up at about 8, opened presents, and then went to his parents. We had a big breakfast, and got even more presents. Then we went home to recover, and then went to his grandma and grandpa Larson's for some lunch. There we got some more presents! I swear, we were taken care of this year. After the lunch, we went to my parent's for our last gift exchange with my brothers and sisters. After that, we were done. Totally full to the brim from eating ALL THE TIME, and exhausted from running around everywhere. I'm pretty sure everyone knows what that feels like.
Then New Years rolled around, and we started it off at my brother Bret's house. We ate pizza benders and salad. Yummmmmmm. Our original plans were to continue the night with the Best's, but we were full, and we were tired. Unfortunately we backed out, and just finished the night at Bret's.
We had a nice little break from things to do and special occasions. But then my birthday came around, and we went to my parents, then to dinner, and then to his parents within that week. Again, more presents. It's been an awesome year, and I wouldn't change it for anything. Not because I got so many awesome things, but because I really felt loved and accepted into my new family. I really appreciate everything that they've done for me, and continue to do for me. They are a wonderful example of what I want to be.

Ohhh the holidays

There seems to be no time in December. Between finals, work, family parties and gatherings.... it just takes up all of our time. But nonetheless, we have fun, we laugh, and we love. We enjoy life.

Fun, relaxing weekend

HALLOWEEN

Halloween was spent at home with the sniffles. We both are getting over a cold, Justin more than I, but we're feeling MUCH better. Saturday Justin went to his parents, without me seeing how I was under the weather, and when he got home our marathon started. We watched Ghost Hunters for hours. We had a little intermission when we ran to my parents house. Justin sat in the "library" while I went trick-or-treating with the kids and some family members. Fun times.

After the intermission, we continued our marathon until roughly midnight. We got in bed, talked a little about scary Halloween things, and haunted things. Then we were down for the count. Primary the next morning was a little out of control. It was insane! Kids were off the walls, talking NON-STOP! They got a good talking to in sharing time, a little bit of a guilt trip that was felt by few.

Anywho. Got home from church... napped a little, and then about 20 minutes before we had to go to Justin's parents for dinner, he decided to do a little haircut. It started out like this....

And proceeded to be this....

And ended with this.

Needless to say, he's cooled off a lot, and now weighs less.