Peace 2010!

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

and December. The end.


I have dubbed 2010 our best-worst year ever. Some things that happened were really great and wonderful and I will remember the rest of my life. Some things changed me for the better. And changed him and us for the better. These were the hard things. The things that seem rotten and you want to run away because it's too much. But at the end of this year, I am glad for it all. It was the hardest year of US for different reasons. It was bittersweet. I was very happy at times and then other times when I felt my saddest. But the strength came just in time. Through the trials, I have felt God. I have felt my Savior. I know Braden has as well. What would we do without these trials? I thank my Heavenly Father for each one.

I do not hope for a year without sorrow or stress. But I hope that when they come, for they surely will, I will find the courage and strength just in time.

I look forward to some big changes and more fun memories with family and friends! I look forward to another year with Braden. And I hope I can look back at the end of this year and say I'm a little better, a little wiser, and a little stronger than I was before.

Happy New Year!!

Starry Starry Night

Temple Square is so neat! I love the spirit there and how freezing it always is there and the horses and how happy everyone is. Those lights! I can't have Christmas without them! We had to stop on our way home on Sunday and I was worried because the fog was so thick and maybe the lights wouldn't be quite the same . . . but as soon as we came up to Temple Square it was crystal clear! Amazing! I'm so glad we were able to continue this tradition this year and didn't miss out. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!!

Ugly sweater party- more like flugly (aka Flippin' Ugly ) sweater party

No words for this girl! Jeff you are one lucky guy! ( haha! ) Thanks for playing Jen!

Don't let this picture fool you- everyone was having a sweet time . . . making fun of me and all my flugliness.

One of the most impressive sites of the night . . . Can you believe this lady? Lani has not let the effects of old age wear her down at all!

It'll be fun sweethart, I promise! ( evil laugh by Nikki )

And the worst couple of the night award goes to- you braden. Just you. Give me another partner and I would have swept the floor. :)

What a good sport- no amount of concentration will ever get that pom pom stuck on your nose. Sorry. And are the antlers really necessary? Geez, how embarassing.

Cookie Face! Bethany was really good at this one, and all of them really . . .

Cody on the other hand . . . some people have the gift and you my friend are very gifted!

Oh husband, I have never been more attracted to you then right now- I don't know if it's the silk moo moo you're wearing or the green tree ornament hanging from your cable knit sweater or the bad comb over, but you got it goin' on!

So, y'know how you see an "ugly sweater party" on blogs and they are not ugly at all. Every one is really stylish and sitting around looking perfect with perfect decorations and food- well this is what an ugly sweater party SHOULD look like. And it should definitely include someone wearing a red sweater with a teddy bear holding a heart that squeaks when you push it and is placed in a very questionable place the person.

And for anyone who doesn't like th pictures I posted, I have worse ones. Like blackmail worthy so, merry christmas.

Thithster! Thithster!

Sierra did so good in her high school musical: The Music Man!

She had a line and a short solo. Which, I may be biased but I am pretty sure she has the best voice ever and should have gotten a lead part with that voice of hers. She has been in so many plays now and is so talented! We had so much fun watching her and her friends perform- it was pretty impressive for a high school production! We look forward to seeing her in more of these and see where that beautiful voice takes her! Please excuse my sickly face- I have been sick nonstop this season! I guess my body is just allergic to this crappy weather. :)

A little bit

A little bit of us at Jack's pizza in Logan ( where else? it's the happenin' place to be! )

We enjoyed it, a little bit.

Actually, it's delicious. We just don't want anyone to know about our well kept secret. That its basically the same as the popular Firehouse but quieter, better service, better tasting, and plus for me- No Tv's playing random football games for my husband to stare at the whole time while we're "on a date"! Yes, if you eat there you're husband will probably be forced to talk to you at some point. And who knows, you may learn something you never knew about each other, you may remember why you fell in love and that you still are very much in love. You may go home a little more wide eyed and smiley, and your stomach will defintely thank you for it.

What is it about this cold weather they makes me want to go into hibernation? I would be fine to never leave my house, my pajamas, my books, my crochet hook, and my little family until the snow melts in May. But that's just today.

PS. harry potter was wonderful! No it's not for children! But if you are over 13 ( I think more like 16 but what do I know ) probably the best movie in theaters right now. Loved it!

Got one!

It only took us about 50 tries to get a decent picture of our little ( kind of sad looking ) family for Christmas cards this year. It's decent, not great, really awkward but I guess that's us. We're not what you would call "camera friendly". We took this on the driveway at Zollingers, pretty location eh? I had to get a fall picture, the colors of fall are just breathtaking. I love the seasons, I love nature, I love my husband and my dog. Maybe we need a professional next time. Happy fall!

You can't tell it was halloween

These are the pictures we took during Halloween weekend. It doesn't look like we celebrated it much. Halloween will probably be more fun with little anklebiters running around. But we did enjoy some family time and hamburger time at JCW's in American Fork. Yums.

Really enjoying my 50 mm lens. Takes such pretty pictures. Pretty blurry pictures. sigh.

Mom was really excited about it. We all relaxed at Muzzy and Munga's and helped them give candy to trick or treaters. Grandpa griped every time someone came to the door and told them to go away. We told him if he really didn't like it he wouldn't waste time buying tootsie rolls and dums dums every year. He's a softie, we know better. Grandma keeps talking to me about this cat she had when I was little, she asks me every time: Do you remember that cat? it would always play with your hair. and climb up the screen door. And then she chuckles to herself. It's a little heartbreaking. When she's tired, it's especially difficult for her to remember- she asked me, Now did your dad ever get re-married? I look at her shocked and say: Yes grandma, when I was 8 remember? and she laughs and says oh yea, I knew that! and shakes her head. How hard it must be to get old. I love my sweet grandma. It was so nice to spend time with them in their cozy home in Highland with the door open and the raining pitter pattering outside and the sound of children laughing and squealing TRICK OR TREAT! Grandma said, it sure would be nice to have another baby around. Wouldn't that be wonderful? I told Sierra to get on that. We ate pizza and root beer floats and just talked. Very low key Halloween. I had a feeling that was exactly were I should be that night.

Plus- I was too sore to do much else. I also ran that morning. The provo halloween half. It was horrible. The dowhill about killed me, our bus almost didn't make it, the first rest stop ran out of water, at the other rest stop they fed us some nasty liquid called Heed, which much stand for something like hearburn ew ew diarrhea, it was so gross, they lost my bag for a few hours, I am now crippled permanently- but I went with my cute friend from High school and we looked cute in our tutus and made the best of it. I guess the shirts they gave out were pretty cool. And the costumes were amazing, there was a forrest gump, a chicken, a lady carrying an inflatable boom box, some really unattractive spandex, and a guy running barefoot.

Hope everyone had a great Halloween!!