Happy New Year!!! 2009 Baby!

I must say that I am so very excited to say goodbye to the year 2008 and start fresh. 2008 was definetly a year of trials for Dru and I. Despite all of the heartache we have learned to rely on one another so much and I feel that our marriage is much stronger. I am so grateful for him and for his love and support through very difficult times. I am very grateful for fresh starts and for the hope that they bring!! Yay for 2009!!!

Spoiled Rotten

Dru and I had a great Christmas and were both spoiled rotten. Between new purses, new miter and table saws, clothes, DVDs, and a sweet watch we both received much more than needed. We enjoyed the morning with my parents, Lindsey and Rob, and Robbie. Then we went to Dru's parents' for some Christmas Turkey and it was so good. Dru's brothers Ryan and Brandon were there with their families as well as his sister Heather with her family. It was quite a full house. The only downside to the day was that I was so sick. Despite all of the family and things to do all I wanted to do was sleep. I spent most of the day lying down and sadly did not get to see many of the people that I was looking forward to seeing.

Dru's new table saw that I bought him

Dru's new miter saw from my parents

Dru got me a sweet Louis Vuitton purse! (He is so thoughtful. I'm impressed that he remembered!!!)

This watch is from my parents. It's a Tissot and I have wanted one forever!

Christmas Time

For some reason it has not felt like Christmas time and I have been procrastinating anything that has to do with Christmas. Dru and I finally got our tree on Monday and I just finished decorating it tonight. It feels good to have some Christmas Spirit and enjoy the holiday season a little bit. Now I just have to finish my Christmas shopping and I can relax and enjoy.

Here are some pictures of my efforts.

This is my poinsetta that Dru bought me the other night. I wanted one very bad so I was excited to finally have one!!

Since we don't have a fireplace I decided to hang our stockings on my entry table (one of my Christmas presents from Dru last year)

My Nativity Scene courtesty of my wonderful mom who has 500 of these things

My Christmas tree. This is take two. I decorated it once with different decorations and hated the way it turned out so I ripped them all off and started again.

Yeah for Christmas!!!

Layton and Boise

The last two weekends have been very eventful for Dru and I. The weekend after Thanksgiving we drove down to stay with Dru's brother and his family in Layton. We went to Temple Square and saw the beautiful light display they had there.

It was such fun to spend time with Trent and Sarah, their three boys, and their dog Cocoa (a boxer just like Maddie). Other than our trip to see the lights we spent most of our time at their house just enjoying their company. We do not get to see them as often as we would like so we took advantage of the time we had. Their boys are so cute and full of energy. They were all the entertainment we could ever need. Maddie was in heaven playing with Cocoa and the boys. I wish we had pictures but our camera ran out of batteries.

This last weekend Dru, my mom, and I headed over to Boise to watch Robbie (my brother) play basketball. Their team really struggled last year so it was nice to watch them win both of their games this weekend and their game at Hillcrest last Thrusday. Rob pointed out to us that that is half of their winning total last year (they won 6 games) and so far they are undefeated! It is still the beginning of the season, but they are looking very good and working very hard to play like a team. Rob did very well in all of the games and is quite the little rebounder. He is playing a different position than normal this year. He is used to being a guard (which he is very good at) but this year they needed him to be a forward because he is one of the bigger boys on the team. I must say he is doing a very good job with it. We are so proud of him and were glad that we got to watch him play! GO HILLCREST!!!!!!!

Christmas Tag

It's been a while since I posted and really have nothing exciting to say so I thought I would do a Christmas Tag since I get tagged all of the time and never do them.
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?I love the convenience of gift bags, but at Christmas time you definetly have to wrap everything that you possibly can.
2. Real tree or Artificial?Artificial trees are very easy and last much longer, but I enjoy real ones so much more. They smell so wonderful. Dru and I had a real one last year and I think that will be a tradition that we hold on to.
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the week after Thanksgiving, but sadly we have not put our tree up yet. We were out of town last weekend and will be again this weekend so I plan on getting it up soon. I am so excited to decorate it again.
4. When do you take the tree down? We take it down right after New Year's.
5. Do you like eggnog? I don't think so but it's one of those things I refuse to try so I guess I'll never know.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Any of my barbies. I loved when Santa brought me those.
7. Hardest person to buy for? My dad, my dad, my dad. What else can I say? You can only give one person so many books.
8. Easiest person to buy for?Dru and my brother. Dru always tells me exactly what he wants so all I have to do is go and get it. The hard part is surprising him.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? I have a beautiful one that my mom gave us last year. She has about 500 and didn't need them all so I gladly took it from her.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards?Mail them of course, all though I don't usually take the time I love to receive them.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Maybe an ugly shirt or something I don't really remember receiving anything that I didn't really want.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I love Miracle on 34th Street and of course the classic cartoons like Santa Claus is coming to town.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? usually around Thanksgiving but I'm really slacking this year. I think it's the lack of snow, it just really does not feel like Christmas time.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?Nope.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Turkey and Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Ham is good too.
16. Lights on the tree?Of course! Ours are white.
17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night, without a doubt.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Staying home. Dru and I are so lucky that our families are so close.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?Of course! Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and Rudolph (my favorite Christmas Character of all time if you can't tell by the picture of my dog).
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? I love a star, but we actually have a big Santa Claus.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Growing up we always opened 2 on Christmas Eve these included one present from the sibling of choice and Christmas Pajamas!! The rest on Christmas Day. Last year Dru got his present 2 weeks before Christmas because it was his TV and he was WAY too excited to wait. Trust me, I tried.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?The stress.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color?I just love red on a Christmas tree. I love my mom's Christmas Tree she has a candy cane theme going on and I think it's about the cutest thing in the whole world, but ours are Gold and White and I love those too (my mom's old ones I love hand me downs).
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?Turkey and Mashed potatoes and Gravy.
25. Favorite family Christmas tradition? Looking at the Lights and all of the Sweet Christmas stories we would read.
Happy Holidays!

Service

Dru and I teach a primary class and this week is was my turn to prepare and teach the lesson. The lesson was on Service. Each week I try to think of the topic as it relates to my life. I realized that this past week I was the recipient of such great service from friends and family members. I had a very bad week last week and was not feeling well at all. I received many sweet phone calls from friends and loved ones who were concerned. My mother also came over to my house and took care of me. She went to far as to do some of my laundry and my dishes. What a sweet mother! My husband took a day off of work to stay with me and take care of me. He has been very sweet about things this week and did not expect me to do anything around the house. He cooked dinner and made sure that we had something to eat every night. On Saturday Lindsie Curtis (my cousin and close friend) came over and took me out of my house for the first time all week (other than car rides and appointments). She took me to lunch at Johnny Carinos and then took me for a manicure. That meant the world to me. How lucky I am to have all of these people who love and care about me and are willing to serve without expecting anything in return. Thank you all for looking out for me! I love you!

I am thankful for the Sabbath Day

I know it is not even November yet, but I have been thinking of the many things that I have been blessed with and that I am thankful for. I am so grateful that Dru and I were able to find one another and marry in the temple. I am thankful for loving family and friends who are always there when they are needed. I am grateful for our home and our sweet little puppy, the jobs that we have and the promise of a family.

Most of all I am grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and for His Atonement. I feel so blessed to have been born with the Gospel in my life. I had the opportunity to finish reading the Book of Mormon a few weeks ago. Each time I read this amazing book I am touched by the faith of those righteous people, and I marvel at the strength of those who were persecuted or who endured much to have the Savior in their life. My favorite person in the Book of Mormon is Alma the Younger. He was so wicked that he led many away from Christ but was able to repent and to become such a great leader in the church. What a sweet example of how the Atonement can change our lives if we will just turn to Christ.

Today in our ward Dru and I had the opportunity to help our class put on the Sacrament Primary Program. As I listened to the children speak and their voices as they sang about beautiful Gospel truths I was touched and felt so blessed to be apart of that program. This is a wonderful time of year and our little family has much to be thankful for. We appreciate all of your and the love and support you have given us. We love you all.