GPA

I am like a proud momma.

My baby had EIGHT classes last semester, and he walked out with a 3.82!!!

6 A's and 2 B+'s!!

This is the same boy who barely graduated high school.

He's the most amazing husband ever.

And I love him.

CHRISTMAS AT OUR HOUSE

For the first time in the three Christmases we've spent together, we did December 25th solo this year.

I was so excited: we could sleep in as late as we wanted, take our time, open our gifts, and lounge.

Right.

Have you MET my husband??

First, to kick off the week we watched Christmas Carol at the Hale theater with Phil's cousins...pardon the blurry...our photographer had a hard time...

Then on Christmas Eve we went to my Grandparents' house for dinner and a Christmas program (sorry I left my camera at home, but it was GOOD). Then we slept on the couch downstairs, after watching the "usual" Christmas movies like Snowman, Christmas Carol, Rudolph (clay-mation), and even a little bit of Babes in Toyland.

Then at 5:45 AM Phil decided he couldn't wait any longer.

We each had some gifts wrapped under the tree, and then a few that we couldn't wrap. So we hid them in each others' "rooms" and had them off-limits for the two days before Christmas. So we started out downstairs.

I made Phil hunt for some of his presents on the tree.

Look at that cute wrapping job! I was so proud of him!

Fabric fund begins...

I can't remember why he made this face

Phil wanted an iPad for Christmas. Naturally, being students, he wasn't going to get one.

But we did get him started on his iPad fund.

Pokemon box. NOT Pokemon inside. OBVIOUSLY.

Smallest present ever.

More money.

Rotary cutter. NICE.

Money folded into an airplane. I'm not going to say if it flew or not.

An air mattress pump!! Save that boy's back!

The Goods. A GREAT start.

Phil's Goods.

Then we went upstairs. Did NOT see this coming.

My stocking stuffers as I sit in my new rocking chair next to my new sewing machine.

I feel like an old lady. :)

Then on to Phil's new and improved "man cave" with gaming rocker chairs and a new entertainment center.

In heaven.

It was such a good Christmas!

We both got what we wanted and had a great day together!

Love you all!

SUCCOR

It's been a long while since I've felt truly and deeply disappointed and heartbroken. Usually when things don't go as planned, I just pick up my boots and keep walking.

Not today.

Twelve hours.

Count 'em.

That's how long I spent preparing the most awesome Christmas lesson ever.

A SILENT LESSON.

Each young woman would have a packet and scriptures. Read some verses, a quote or two, and answer a question about the Christmas story that she can apply to her life. Listen to hymns about the Savior and think about her relationship with Him.

The only Christmas lesson I can remember from when I was in Young Womens.

So twelve hours. Including staying up until three o'clock the night before to finish up the details.

$6 off my iTunes account for the perfect acoustic songs by Michael Dowdle.

Totally worth it.

I was so excited.

Time for lesson to start. My two youngest Beehives and dear Tori are the only young women in the room (I have eight). Peek out the door, down the hall, no one's there. Wait five more minutes. Peek out the hall. No one's there. Walk around the whole building. Find five young women huddled in a dark corner whispering, trying not to get "caught."

These girls aren't trouble-makers. They come to activities and participate without too much arm-twisting. They're good girls.

So this is heartache. This is how the Savior feels when He offers us the world and we say no thank you. After all He has sacrificed and suffered for us, and we are too busy or distracted to care.

Thank you for understanding, Birthday Boy.

DEAR CAR DOOR HANDLE REPLACEMENT

You have also been fired. Two weeks is not a sufficient term of service. Our clients deserve better.

If only you had been purchased and, consequently, could be returned for full refund.

Too bad you came with the car.

Expect coal as well.

Sincerely,

Boss

LETTER TO SANTA

I have no idea what I'm getting for Christmas.

This makes me nervous.

For some reason I have a feeling I'm NOT getting what I asked for.

This makes me nervous.

Sigh....

Men.

BUTTERFINGERS

This is what I get for doing the dishes.

I will learn my lesson.

DEAR CAR DOOR HANDLE

You have been naughty.

I mean REALLY naughty. Like so naughty I'm going to have to replace you. That's right, you're FINISHED. You've been so bad, I would pay MONEY to get rid of you. I already have a replacement, actually. It's been sitting in my trunk since the summer when we first met, and now I'm calling in the chips. I mean, it's pretty ridiculous when I have to climb through the back or passenger side door, stick my butt out and crawl on in. Your duties have been shirked. You are unfit to perform.

Consider this your last notice. I will look for your resignation on my desk first thing. Expect coal this year.

Sincerely,

Boss

FRIENDS, FOOD, FOOTBALL

We seriously have the coolest friends. I'm so glad that Phil gets along with "my boys." I met Jeff and JD at the beginning of my sophomore year, and we've been inseparable since. Lucky for me, I love their "girls" just as much as I love them! We decided a reunion was in order, so we had a Chinese night and caught up with each other!

Then our OTHER cool friends Derrick and Deanna invited us to go with them to the BYU football game and sit on the, wait for it, WEST SIDE. I felt like I was living large.

 We dressed warm

 love that guy

and LOVE THIS GIRL!!

THE TREE

He wants a fake Christmas tree.

WHO IS THIS MAN I MARRIED???

NETFLIX

So, since we haven't hooked up any tv at our new place, we decided to try out Netflix for a while.

IT WAS A BRILLIANT IDEA.

Anyone who knows me knows I hate commercials.

There are none.

Anyone who knows me knows I hate scrolling through hundreds of channels to find something worth watching.

Problem solved.

Our most recent obsession is Prison Break. Kind of an old show, but we LOVE it! We usually watch an episode or two before we go to bed every night, and it's driving us crazy trying to find out how it will turn out! It just may be a while before we set up any "real" tv...

On a side note, our ward's primary program was yesterday, and OH. MY. GOODNESS.

SO HILARIOUS.

Highlight of the program: "There is safety in coloring the prophet."

HALLOW-GIVING and THANKS-OWEEN

We've been having lots of fun this fall! We had four different rounds of pumpkin carving - with Phil's mom, my cousins, Young Men/Young Women, and our friends, the Hansen's! Phil paid tribute to his childhood pet duck Pong, and I made a fisherman/fish-in-a-pond scene. Then at the Hansen's Phil carved "And Nerdy" on his white pumpkin, and I carved out a train...which collapsed in like a day. My bad.
With the YM/YW...

HOW CUTE ARE THESE GIRLS?!?!?

Let's just say we're lucky this was the only injury!

 This was our practice run for my family's carving competition - we decided to turn the whole pumpkin into a car!

Complete with detailing, windshield wipers, license plate, steering wheel, rims, the works!

Phil's. Cute. 

 This is our tree in our front yard!! SO GORGEOUS!

 The end result at the family competition. Didn't even place. Ridiculous.

 These were my original fall decorations. I felt like it was looking pretty wimpy, so I made a stop at, where else?
D.I.

 Fifteen dollars later.

 I LOVE FALL.

Just you wait, Christmas, your turn is coming soon.

BAH-HUMBUG

I'm not much of a Halloween person. Don't crucify me; it's just not my thing. I don't like putting ridiculous paint (excuse me, makeup) all over my face. I don't enjoy eating snack food that looks like severed fingers and bloody eyeballs. Call me crazy. I don't like snobby kids interrupting dinner every two minutes asking for food. And I HATE it when parents knock on my door, chime trick or treat, and reach in to take my candy "for the baby." Get real. There's no way your 9-month old is going to eat all that candy.

I love decorating with spider webs and pumpkins and fall colors. I love pumpkin carving. I love watching (uninterrupted) scary movies. I LOVE it when Halloween falls on Sunday.

I am, however, very much a Christmas person. My family's year was spent in anticipation for the day we'd get the box of Christmas CDs out of the closet and start playing Mariah Carey, Amy Grant, Harry Connick Jr, and Charlie Brown Christmas. December was all about the village, the lights, the garlands, the tree, nativity, the homemade candy, the Secret Santas, the wrapping, the caroling with Mom's Holy Scones afterwards, catching Santa EVERY YEAR as he brings in presents while we hide behind the couch, lounging on the beach Christmas afternoon. It's just the greatest holiday.

Phil LOVES Halloween. He loves dressing up in costumes. He loves candy. He loves deviled eggs and bog slime

He thinks having a village is a pointless tradition. He hates Christmas music. He made me promise not to listen to Christmas music out loud while he's around until after Thanksgiving. AFTER THANKSGIVING?!?! His idea of a perfect Christmas is opening twenty video games, then disappearing for the rest of the day and the following week to beat them all.

Sigh...

Conflict of interests.

GAMER

I married a gamer. I knew he was a gamer when I dated him, I knew he was a gamer when I married him. He was, is, and always will be a gamer.

I was raised in a home where video games were banned. We went outside and shot hoops, hopped on the trampoline, and rode bikes. We played cards and board games. We sang and cooked.

I always swore I would never marry a gamer. My brother Sean always teased me when I said that and threatened that one day I would eat my words. I'd punch him, or call him stupid.

Nailed it. I married a gamer. I had to eat my words. Why did I do it?

Sometimes I'm not sure why. Sometimes I get frustrated at how alone I feel for an hour or two or three or four while he "unwinds and relaxes" over a game. Sometimes I wonder why I let myself sign up for this.

More times I feel like the most beautiful and important person in the world. More times I feel appreciated, respected, trusted, and adored. More times I feel safe, protected, honored, and supported. More times I feel stubborn, unnappreciative, and still patiently waited upon. More times I wonder why he let himself sign up for this.

I married the most patient, loving, adoring, sacrificing, affectionate man I know. I didn't marry him because he's the only one for me. I married him because he tries to love me harder than anyone else ever would. I married him not because we're the most alike or compatible, but because he deserves all the happiness in the world, and was willing to give a shot at reaching it with me.

Sometimes a boy just needs some time to play with his toys, I guess.
Even if I don't always get him, I still got him.

And I'm never letting him go.

HOT CHOCOLATE SUBSTITUTE

I have just invented the greated thing ever.

I've always been half and half with hot chocolate.
It always burns my tongue.
My breath always feels weird when I'm done.
But the mug keeps my hands SO warm!
Dilemma dilemma.

Until today.

My next door neighbor who I LOVE brought over a couple bags of peaches this summer.
As I've been bred as a Packard to do, I peeled, sliced, froze, and bagged them.
(Yes, in that order, freeze before you bag so they don't clump).
Smoothies, right?
WRONG.

Pour the peach slices into a bowl. Generously.
Nuke in the microwave until steaming.
TRUST ME.
Drain as much juice as you can.
Sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

It will change your life. I'm not drinking hot chocolate this winter.

I'm eatin' PEACHES.

MAKING MY NEW HOUSE PRETTY

So, as anyone who's ever moved knows, there's a lot of rummaging and re-discovering going on. I spent an hour or two going through the box that has all my childhood/high school "stuff," including old birthday cards, yearbooks, photos, you name it. So I was rummaging through them all, and actually found, believe it or not, TWO birthday cards from Grandma and Grandpa that still had the five dollar bills in them!! (No, my grandparents weren't spoilers...I got exactly $5 each year until I turned 18) I felt like I had scored big-time! Haha. and on top of that, I ran across this fantastic letter:

 It just made me laugh so hard I had to put it up!

 This was our dining table for a while. That octagon-ish looking one in the background is finally put up after I spray-painted the legs from gold to black. But we still use the camping chairs :)

This is going to turn into something awesome. Not today, but soon. Wait for it.

Just a yummy something-something I made. Yummy enchiladas with cilantro. Then drizzle that Cafe Rio tomatillo dressing on top...DIVIIIIIIIIINE!!!

 D.I. Halloween decorations. No other way to do it.

 Painted this. LOVE it.

 I'm thinking about putting those little plastic spiders in this webbing, but we have enough REAL spiders in our house I haven't been able to get excited about the idea.

 My little pumpkin patch. We're working on it.

As always, we're a work in progress. I love having my own place to decorate.

We've been staying busy. Phil's studying. I'm working at an office four days a week and reffing volleyball a few nights a week/weekends. Loving it.

And I read the first Hunger Games book in two days. LOVED IT. Ready for Book Two.