Thanksgiving in Texas

We had such a fun Thanksgiving this year. We drove to Texas to spend time with Alan's family for a week. His whole family was there so it made for a fun week! We ate delicious Mexican food, played games just about every night, did a little shopping and had a great time!

On the big day I helped my mother in law cook. Mainly because when we are with my family, I cook the same things every year and wanted to keep up that tradition. My mother in law was really great to let me take over party of the meal and cook what I love to cook. All the food was so good and we had a great time just chatting. We then went to see The Blindside. What an amazing moving!!! If you haven't seen it, go see it! Amazing movie!! We later ate pie and played games. Such a fun day! I love Thanksgiving because I love being with family, eating good food, focusing on all I am grateful for and have in my life and of course I love this time of year! I love the holidays!

I love the holidays so much that I just had to decorate my house for Christmas before Thanksgiving. I just couldn't wait! Here is my tree. The picture just doesn't do it justice. It really turned out so pretty and I am in love with my creation. ;)


This was on the drive down to Texas watching Swiss Family Robinson. Remember that movie? What a classic. I can't believe how well Justin did! He asked 3 times in the first hour if we were there yet but luckily didn't ask again until morning. Then it was every 3-5 minutes, "Are we there? How much longer? I just can't wait! Why is this taking so long!" But my favorite part was when he started to sing, "I love Texas! I love to come to Texas!" And on and on. It was really cute. He loves going to see his grandma and grandpa. (He rode with his cousins the whole way home. Apparently they are more fun than we are. I guess 16 hours in a car is more fun with other kids.)



Justin and his cousin's played video games probably half the time we were down there.

We had family pictures taken because who knows when we'll all be together again. The girl next to me is Yoonsung. She just married Alan's little brother, Dustin. We love her! She is from Korea and you know what the whole world thinks of Americans? We are so obnoxious and sarcastic. She picked up quickly how sarcastic we were and I think got used to us being so obnoxious. She held her own and I was impressed how well she did! Jen is the little one who is married to Kyle (Alan's brother) and then Audrey. Alan's only sister. I had a great time with all of them!

One of my purchases on the trip. I just loved them so much I had to take a picture of them. I have a shoe problem but what girl doesn't?!

The whole family

Just the girls

My sister in law took these pictures. Justin and I wrestled a couple of times on this trip. Justin loves to wrestle and I've learned that when he wants to wrestle, it is his way of wanting to bond with me so of course I am all about it! I had such a fun time with him on this trip. He's such a great kid and I love our "wrestling" moments.

(Gage trying to save his cousin.)

What I am thankful for this year:

1. Family. I LOVE my family and Alan's family and love spending time with them.

2. My marriage. Being married to Alan has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. He's been so good for me and I just adore him. One of the things I love most about him (and what he brings out in me) is the fact that he can so easily admit when he's wrong (as can I) and always validates how I feel. I love that about him.

3. Justin. Our relationship continues to grow and I am so grateful for how well he handles having to share two families.

4. Being in the Young Women's Presidency. It has been such a neat experience to work such amazing young women. My calling keeps me pretty busy and I love it! I love our whole presidency. We all bring out the best in each other and I love working with them. I also love the spiritual aspect of it. I work beside such spiritually strong women who have been an amazing example to me.

Of course I am grateful for many, many more things but those are the top for me. I love my life and am grateful for the road it has taken me on.

Our 2nd Wedding Anniversary

Yesterday we celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary. 2 years goes by so fast but on the other hand, we feel as though we've known each other forever! Marriage has been better than I ever could have imagined. We have had a great two years. Alan is so good to me and I couldn't ask for any better. Love you so much, Alan. Here is to many, many more years. It just keeps getting better!

We spent the day together just hanging out. Then last night we went to dinner. Great (amazing) food, great company and great conversation. We talked about what we felt were our strong points in our marriage and where we felt we could make it better. We ate so much good food that we ended up home on the couch with stomach aches but it was all worth it! ;)

Grandma Melba

September 4, 1914-October 24, 2009

My sweet grandmother passed away last night. She was 95 and had a great life. I didn't think it would be so hard to see her go. I was headed to dinner with my sister when my mom called and told me she wasn't expected to make it through the night so we rushed to go say good bye to her. She died not 10 minutes before we got to her bed side. When we got there she had only been gone for 10 minutes and I couldn't believe how different she looked. It was the first time I realized that your personality is all in your spirit. Once the spirit leaves the body, the body automatically changes. As we walked in my Dad kissed his mother on the forehead and then we kissed her and said our goodbyes. I just kept waiting for her to wake up and talk to us. What made me feel so bad was that I went to see her last week and as I left, I promised I'd come back and see her soon. I didn't think that would be the last time I would get to see her. I regret not spending more time with her.

My best memories of my Grandma were growing up. We were raised in South America so her and my Grandpa would come visit us. I remember when we would go places she would have to take a picture of everything! A rock, a cow, anything! She was always so thoughtful to us. We didn't really have TV in S. America so she would record episodes of The Cosby Show and made for TV movies and send them to us. What made it so funny was half the movies she recorded would be cut off at the end. She loved us and she always showed it by doing thoughtful things for us.

Her and my Grandpa lived in California and we would go visit them every summer. I remember getting into town late at night and my Mom would want to put us to bed but she would pull out the mint chocolate chip ice cream and want to stay up and visit with us. Then the next day she would take us to all the garage sales. Those were some fun summers!

My Grandma had such a sense of humor and was very social. She loved peopled. She loved to write and ride horses. Most of all she loved, loved, loved to talk and would talk to anyone who would listen. Her favorite story to tell was of how she met my Grandpa. They both loved to danced and that is how they met. Of course, the story always changed a bit when she would tell it. Her and my Grandpa danced every Saturday night. Even when their kids were grown. That was their thing. My Grandma always describes their dancing experiences with such enthusiasm. My Grandpa would carry a towel with him. My Grandma, wearing high, high heels dancing the night away.

My Grandpa died 17 years ago. So my Grandma had been alone for so many years that in 2003 my parents decided it was time for her to move to Utah and live with them. I was a flight attendant at the time so I flew out to California and picked her up and flew her to Utah. I will never forget the flight back with her and just being able to visit with her. Since she has been living here I think she has gotten more and more lonely and her health has gotten worse and worse but she kept on going. A few weeks ago they submitted her into the hospital and that is when I went to see her. I remember telling her she was one stubborn women and she replied, "I'm not stubborn. I'm determined!" That she was!

I can only imagine what her reunion must have been like with her husband, family and friends. I imagine her dancing around, being the center of attention (which she loved to be!) and talking every one's ear off. We all met at her bed side last night and talked for hours sharing our favorite memories of her. I didn't think I would be so sad because I really am so very happy for her and for her new opportunities to come. I guess I'm just sad to have to say goodbye to such a funny, loving grandma. I love your Grandma! You will be missed!

(My Grandpa and Grandma)

Justin

Isn't my stepson so adorable? Too bad I can't take credit for his good looks. ;)

The excitement.....

....of hAllOwEeN....

...... is in the air!

Girl trip to Cali!

My sister, girlfriends and I took a little trip to California to see one of my best friends (not pictured) who lives in Huntington. The plan was to spend some time with her and then go spend time with my cousin, Kyle, who lives right on Newport Beach. We were pretty disappointed when he got called into work 20 minutes before we were supposed to meet up. He's a firefighter in LA and I'm sure you all heard of those huge fires that broke out just a few week ago. He was stuck fighting those fires for over a week! I was really sad I didn't get to see him BUT we had such a fun girls trip! I love hanging out with my girls! We laid around at the beach, stayed up late talking/laughing/reminiscing and going to our favorite places to eat. I was planning on staying a few days longer than everyone else but decided to head home early since Kyle was stuck at work and Daniella had a crazy busy week at work. I decided to ride into LA with my sister and friends and catch a flight home that night. We had plenty of time before our flights left (I was on a different airline than the others) so we went into Beverly Hills and had dinner and hung out and lost track of time. My sister raced me to the airport and I checked in 5 minutes late so they wouldn't let me board. Being as it was the last flight out for the night I was so upset because Alan wasn't expecting me that night and I wanted to just show up at home and surprise him. Instead, I got stuck in a hotel that night and took the first flight out the next day. I called Alan on the way to the hotel and we had a pretty good laugh over it.
Since I just admitted a dumb moment I had, I might as well admit another dumb moment I had on that trip. I'm a pretty clumsy person. Alan is always laughing at me because I do things like fall going up the stairs. Ya, I'm that girl some times! I will literally trip over nothing or drop a glass on my foot that requires stitches. Yep, that's me! Well we went to the beach and I know myself too well to know I can't be trusted with anything expensive that can be ruined. So I decided I'd be smart and leave my phone in the car. Later that afternoon we went to lunch and I was on my phone checking facebook and every one's status updates. (Yes, I have issues!) I saw that my cousin was at the same beach that day. So my sister and I decided to go over and see them. I had my phone on me so I could call them to find them. My cousin was standing about knee deep in the ocean so I took my flip flops off and walked in to talk to him. Just then, a huge wave came and swept my flip flops away. My first reaction was to save my flip flops not realizing my cell phone was in my hand! Yep, picked them up, cell phone in and you can guess what happened! Phone, ruined! Are you kidding me?! Luckily I got a new one for free but seriously! Who does that?! I can't be trusted I tell ya!
All in all it was a great trip and I had the best time with my girlfriends! I'm about to say something really cheesy but every time I spend time with my girlfriends it makes me appreciate Alan so much! I LOVE LOVE LOVE being married to him and am reminded of that when I have a girls weekend. Thank you Laralee, Daniella, Ashley and Bryn for an unforgettable trip and thank you Alan for making it happen!

More Pictures...

We had a professional photographer shoot pictures of us when we were filming our workout video. She did such an amazing job and her shots are so much better than the ones we took so I wanted to post hers.