Happy New Year!!

This year for New Years we spent it with my oldest brother, Syd, and his wife Alex. I can honestly say that they throw the most amazing parties!! 

Seriously.

^^For dinner they served a 9 course meal. Appetizers: cheese and crackers, artichokes, oranges and pomegranates. Then a cesear salad.^^

^^Main course: crab, rolls, the most delicious sirloin I have ever had.^^

Note: a good host/hostess plans/ delivers food that takes a while to eat on new years eve. This is because it buys time (you're staying up until midnight anyways) and people can visit, relax, and enjoy themselves.

After dinner we went out to their garage that they turned into a gym/fitness center. It's pretty legit if I do say so myself.

^^For dinner we had the most unbelievable creme brulee!! Sam and I have never had it before so it was a real treat-- and fun to watch Syd torch them^^  

After dessert we went in their hot tub. Which is always fun especially with my super fun niece and nephew, Ethan and Savannah. Then after we made noise and let of some of the really fun fireworks that shoot off from the stick in your hand we came back inside and had some toast to the new year.

Zac's toast was great, "May you all live as long and you wish and not wish as long as you live." Ethan's toast was also very sweet, he wished that we would all live faithfully in the church. He's eight and already has such a loving and tender spirit. I am excited to continue on with some of these traditions for my kids.

I hope you had a splendid new year celebration as well! And that this year you'll obtain some goals and/or be one step closer to reaching some of your goals.

Happy New Year!!

Prioritizing Family

"Christ teaches that we are happiest when we maturely prioritize the needs of others throughout our lives, particularly the needs of our spouse and family members.-- in a process of “losing” their lives, will paradoxically find happiness and growth."

I don't know where I found this quote. But I love it so I thought I would share it. 

72-Hour Kit Essentials

  











This year for Christmas we decided to get stuff for a 72-Hour Kit. I talked about doing his before here. We only got the essentials. We figured we could buy more stuff once we have a bigger family. This will at least get us through a natural disaster or other emergency. There is more stuff than just in the pictures because we utilized some things we already had around the house like toiletry items and a whistle. 

We went to Smith and Edwards up in Ogden. Camille told us this would be the cheapest place to get everything-- as well as most convenient, it's all in one stop. We went when we were already up in Kaysville so it wasn't that far of a drive. When we pulled up, Sam didn't realize it was a Cowboy/Country place. He was being hilarious! I wish I would have taken a picture of his facial expressions!! "We just entered cowboy-ville" "Sorry Missy I didn't drive my truck or wear my cowboy hat." --None of which we own, which made it even funnier. 

One purchase that I was proud of was the radio/flashlight that is a hand crank and solar powered that is also equipped with a USB so you can charge your cell phone or other similar devise:) 

A Piano Date

It was Missy's turn to plan the date, and to my surprise, she asked if I wanted to go to the piano store..Yes! I haven't had much chance to even play as of late, and it was a great activity to get out and play on some nice pianos. This one, the Yamaha Clavinova, was the piano salesman's dream piano, and ended up turning into ours as well. haha. It was a great piano, and had the correctly weighted keys even though it was a digital piano. It was a lot of fun to go and play on it! Thanks Missy!

Being Sick, Grandparents, and Work Retreat

^^On Monday, (the week before finals start) I had a really bad migraine and our wonderful neighbors, the Sutherlands, took me to BYU's health center to get a shot. Then on Thursday morning I took Sam to Urgent Care to get tested for strep throat. The doctor scared us suggesting that Sam might have mono, but luckily, it was only strep! It was a crazy week.^^

^^The Monday before Sam left to Pittsburgh his Dad's parents were in town and took us out to dinner. They have lived in California for most of Sam's adult life. It was great getting to know their fun personalities!!^^

^^At the end of November, my donor engagement team had their annual work retreat! It was lots of fun getting paid to have a day get-a-way up on the mountain near Draper.^^

 ^^We played a murder mystery game, a get to know you game, ate food and had a couple short speeches here^^ 

^^Then we did a treasure hunt (all over the area), here are some deer we drove by^^

^^Add this famous soccer player to my list of famous athletes that I have met. I wish I could remember his name. Does anyone know his name?^^

Thanksgiving Highlights

For the past several years my brother RaVell (Bo) has hosted a thanksgiving dinner the Saturday before thanksgiving with our dad. This year, things are a little more complicated... so my sister Camille suggested we go out to eat. I was just lucky enough to get the flu that day and I didn't feel good (or look good) and so Court kept asking me if I was pregnant ( :P ).

Three very memorable experiences I am going to highlight:

1- Jenny and I talked as if we hadn't skipped a beat since the last time we visited. I love her! Not many people can ask for a wonderful-fun-loving-hip step-sister that is just less than a year older than you! :D 

2- When the meal was over my other brother Syd was telling the waitress how the checks would be divided up:

1) My family (the only one with kids)

2) The soon-to-be-parents (for those of you who don't know-- Cami is pregnant! :D )

3) The cowboy (my dad)

4) The couple-that-got-married-too-young (Sam and I)

5) The homeless (my other brother Zac)

6) The convict (RaVell)

7) The poor college students (my half-sister Courtney and step-sister Jenny)

3- When Camille wanted to make the big announcement to Courtney and Jenny she wanted me to get their attention/tell them. It was all spontaneous. So I quickly thought of two cleaver things to say:

"I am not the one that is pregnant" 

Or

"She is the only one that is pregnant"

Now, put these two phrases together + one really sick girl = I accidentally said:

"I am not the only one that is pregnant"

{Luckily the whole table didn't hear me. And no, Sam and I aren't trying to start a family yet}

Let me tell you, the look on my husbands face was priceless-- he couldn't believe I accidentally said such a thing! Jenny was just staring at me with wide eyes and Courtney was all up in the air. Once I realized what I actually said, I corrected myself and it was all good. But we sure did get a good laugh out of it! :D 

Pittsburg - APS Conference

Over the 23-26th of November Sam had the opportunity to go to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!! He went to the annual American Physical Society (APS) Conference - Fluids Division. I wish I could have gone with him but I can't complain since the college paid for all of his expenses! :D

^^The view from his hotel room, getting in late Saturday night.^^

^^Walking to the conference Sunday morning. Sam took a few pictures of the many bridges along the way. There was almost a bridge for every block along the river!^^

 ^^Right outside the conference building was this old bridge, not used for cars, but for a train.^^

^^At the registration desk, Sam picked up his conference bag and schedule materials that APS supplied him with.^^

^^There were several talks to go to. This was a picture Sam took sitting down to one of the first ones he went to in the morning. It's hard to see, but the screen in the front is a giant timer so that the speakers know when their time is up!^^

^^Straight from the schedule, this was the project/paper that Sam worked on! I took this picture once he got back. Sam took a video of the presentation, but no pictures. He said that it went really well, and that there was a great turn-out! Everyone was so excited about the project about humpback whale flippers.^^

^^In between sessions, there were snack breaks, and Sam took a picture of the food and the servers guarding it until the official break time began.^^