December 5, 2009

Time to be Thankful!

So as the title says, I really felt thankful this thanksgiving. Although last t-day was great and we were tremendously blessed to get to spend it with some amazing families in Tucson, this year was very special. My parents, sister, auntie, and granny all came out to spend it with us in our first home, which was stressful but even more wonderful. We had an amazing feast (which we didn't get pics of but my dad did so I'm gonna have him send them to us!!) and we had some fun adventures too! Sadly, Matt had to work most of the time (some one has to support me!!) and missed out on Empire Mine State Park, which was one of the first mining areas in Nor Cali. I take Rusty up there to ride but I'd never been to the informational parts before. So I took the clan up there while Matty slaved away at work. It was super fun! I know my family is zaney and crazy but it really comes out when we go to places like this-which makes it all the more fun! We climbed around on all sorts of things and goofed off the whole time and imagined what it would be like to be a miner (a Cornish miner to be exact) during the late 1800s and early 1900s (the time period when the mine was most prevalent). So of course you get silly photos out of it!! The original owner of the mine had this beautiful "cottage" built on the property so we got to walk around that and I did a christmas card photo shoot with my parents and Gwynne. We went down a mine shaft (ok, just like 100 feet if that, but it was fun to pretend) and we walked around laughing the whole time! It was a blast!


The owners "cottage" and the whole gang posing pretty!


HELP!! we're falling into the mine shaft!!


Yup-they think they're hot stuff!! But in reality they are just silly!




So as I said before I am tremendously thankful that they all got to come for t-day. It was great to reflect back on my life with them all and see how each person helped shape who I have become. Also, it's a great kick start to the Christmas season and being reflective and thankful for what Jesus' birth really means. Sometimes it is incomprehensible to think that the Savior of the world came in the form of a baby and would eventually die for every one of us. I know that Matt and I are both so thankful for the sacrifices Christ made for us so we could have a reconciled relationship with God but also for all that He has provided for us; Matt has an amazing job that provides all that we need and so much more! We have the beautiful home that we can safely and happily celebrate Christ's birth in and we are blessed to have family to come around us to support, love, and celebrate the holidays with us. I know that there are lots of you out there who don't believe that Jesus was who he said he is, but it's so hard for Matt and I to look at our lives and how INCREDIBLY blessed it is and not believe. And it is our desire to share that love of Christ with all those we love.
So anyway, back to t-day and being thankful! I had the great privilege to be in charge and make most of our feast! It was a big feat to take on but I was ready and happy to do it!! I was particularly excited for the turkey since I found this fantastic recipe in food and wine magazine. It was this yummy lemon, butter, and chive paste stuffed under the skin of the turkey and cooked like that= TASTY!!! The gravy that stuff made was UNBELIEVABLE!!! And I am not a gravy fan!! Needless to say this was one of the best t-days ever, and the food was RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING!! Mom made these scalloped potatoes that were to die for!! Seriously, ask anyone. If you want the recipe, just let me know!! The day was super fun, filled with making food, playing games (like our neighbors borrowed wii that Matt and Gwynne hit up!), and stuffing our faces silly with goodness!! YUUUUUUUUMMMMYYYY!!!! It's a good thing we don't eat like that all the time or we would need to go on the biggest loser!! I would want Jillian as my trainer even though she scares me :/ So now Matts parents are visiting until next tuesday then we'll have a little quiet until the week of Christmas when we are invaded again by Hills and a Hall.

So intense while playing the Wii!


Taking the turkey to be cooked and preping the buffet area!


Look how far my hand is under the skin!!



Also, I have been debating whether or not to do a "picture of the day" on here which would force me to update more regularly and document our daily lives a little more. I want feedback on this idea!! It would be a photo either myself or Matt takes and will probably be of Joey most of the time (but who wouldn't want to see that?!). If it sounds like people like this idea, I will start it asap. The sooner I hear back to sooner it'll happen. It could get crazy, just an FYI!!!!

Halloween update

So I know halloween was a while ago but I gotta make the holidays and events go in order! Halloween was a blast! We had a neighborhood block party which was really fun and then we went trick or treating w/our friends and neighbors and their kiddos (since we don't have any but we still dressed up!). Matt was a sheriff and I was a convict; fun huh?! He even did a sweet goatee but didn't keep it long. We carved pumpkins from our own backyard which was really awesome too-nothing like all our hard work growing those suckers to be displayed proudly! I really like the throwing up one-it's green which makes it even more awesome!! Our friends little guy (Liam) went as a pirate (seen below) and he was so stinkin' cute! His mama had a baby not to long before halloween and went as a penguin (I'm holding him) and Joey was Matt's trusty search dog with his pack on! Also, our community does this awesome thing called "trunk or treat" that our church participated in so we stopped by and said hey to some friends, Troy and Ashley who were characters from Lost but it was lost on us (haha, pun intended!!). Overall it was a good night, complete with tricks and games and all our candy gone! Yaay!




The convict stole the little baby (that dingo ate my bay-bee!!!)


Us with Troy and Ashely (she's not really pregnant)


Matt's AWESOME costume complete with authentic goatee!


Liam the scary pirate!