nephews.

for a funover, as we call it. we love these two little boys so much! if our future children turn out like them we will be so lucky! we borrowed them for the weekend to get pizza, play games, watch Elf and go to church. it was so fun for all of us. Alex's nephews are just a good time. a favorite thing we like to do with them is play finish my sentence and would you rather. such clever little guys :).

friend parties.

our home was finished in the second week of november and with christmas around the corner we decided to throw a few parties of our own! the first one was with our friends from woods cross/farmington. we had lots of treats and played games. i loved having everyone in our home and seeing them again since our big move.

the Jone's, the Richardson's, the Wright's and Ryan & Emily

some of my best friends, love love these girls! Ciara & Megan.

our second party was with our friends from Layton/Ogden area. we had the ingredients ready and prepped for each couple to make their own Stromboli. it turned out really good. then we had a gift exchange and played a few games. just like old times!

the Park's, Trujillo's, Reid's & Barlow's

our Stromboli

excuse the blank walls, we'd only been in our home for a month.

work parties.

christmas parties this year were very fun, probably our best yet! for my work party we ate at Ruth's Chris. their food is amazing, such a nice restaurant. then at the end we were given the new nikon j1 camera! i was so excited!
then for byu Alex had 2 parities. the first one was with all of the baseball team and was held at Coach Law's house. it's tradition for the team to have it there every year. following dinner each player and coach gives their gag gift to the person they were assigned to. they get up in front of everyone and explain what they bought. i got to know the players really quick from this. it was hilarious. the things they buy and their reasons for it are so funny. the player who had Alex bought him a chocolate bar and a bill cosby dvd... he said he was guessing that Alex likes chocolate haha, because of me. too funny.

the second party was for all of the Athletic Department at BYU and was held at the Cougar banquet room. it was a great dinner and after they gave all the staff a gift basket full of mugs, root beer, ice cream coupons and a blanket! they also received the Prophet's book, Thomas S. Monson. Amazing! We had such a great time and were so happy Alex was apart of it all.

the girls i work with after dinner at Ruth's Chris

alex's gifts from byu

mormon tabernacle concert.

it's a family tradition to go to the concert every year. we really look forward to it and love the christmas spirit that it brings. the church does such an amazing job with the music and their guest vocalists. we all met up and took the trax into downtown salt lake. it was smooth and easy. we were so excited that Ben could come, Lindsey's boyfriend and Rachelle & Steven. after we went to the Marriott and had hot chocolate and pie! loved having this family time together. can't wait for this year!
trax ride

 we got there very early, which made for great seats!

Love our family!

f & b games.

i decided it was time to update our family blog. we have done so many fun things especially now that we've moved :). and i have set a goal to make the "blog book" and finally print it out. so here i am blogging all the way back to october/november of 2011...

byu football games...

 one of the many perks to Alex's job at BYU, is being able to attend all of their other sports. we went to several of the football games and had a blast. took a lot of our friends too.

i have great family and friends who come with me to the baseball games! i just like to be where Alex is, well close to since he is always in the dugout. we love baseball. 

these are just a few pictures that i took, but really we went to so many games that i wish i would have taken pictures. next time :).

more to come...

remembering him.

2 years ago today the doctors thought they might need to do an emergency hysterectomy. i lost a lot of blood, was heavily medicated, scared for what else might happen and sad. i felt like i was living in a nightmare, and i was. having something that i loved so deeply taken away from me hurt like nothing i've ever done before. delivering our 4 pound baby boy was a spiritual experience. in looking back i wonder how i made it. and honestly i'm impressed with myself and my husband. we accepted what happened, prayed a lot, loved a lot and moved on. it wasn't easy and still isn't. i miss him. miss being pregnant. miss the idea of what our family was about to become. i miss having alex touch my belly. i miss knowing that i was about to become something so important, so sweet and so real. that my true calling in life was about to begin.

i appreciated every single person that came to see me in the hospital those 6 very longs days. for those that called, and prayed for me. for all those that brought meals and sent flowers, i love you. you really understand who your real friends are when you go through something so hard. and i feel so good knowing that i have some of the best people in my life that really do care about us. how special that is!
over these couple of years, people asked how i am, gave words of encouragement and listened. i love those who asked and were concerned. i know it is such a brave thing to do, and scary to ask someone about something so heartbreaking. but i appreciated those who did. since then i have had so many sweet girls who have come out to me and shared their very personal stories. i am so sorry and saddened to hear similar things have happened to so many. i feel for you. emily you are a true inspiration to me!

i've learned a lot, grown so much and feel so close to my husband. we really are one. i am grateful that he has been my solid foundation through it all. always offering a kind word or reminder that i am a wonderful mom and that he wouldn't want anyone else to be the mother of his children. he tells me i am beautiful and that he is grateful for my strength. such a blessing he is to me. i am in love with the man he is today, the provider and loving support he is to me.

above all i am most thankful for the Gospel. i know that my Heavenly Father loves me. i know that our sweet baby is safe in his arms. i am forever grateful for temples and feel so comforted knowing that our family is for time and all eternity. it get's me through each day. i feel Peyton with me everyday as well. i love him so much that it hurts. but i know that there is a plan for us and that it all happens for a reason. i encourage all of you to love your babies with as much love as you can possibly give. i am happy for you. i hope to be a mom someday and am grateful for the experience i had.

2012 is going to be a good year, we've been blessed with so much already. i owe it to him.
mom and dad love you Peyton.

thanks for being there!

dominican.

just backing up a couple of months...

Shout out to my husband!!

Alex had an amazing experience traveling for work in november. he was able to go to the Dominican Republic! the team went to play baseball but were also able to do a lot of charity work and have fun too. and even though it was during thanksgiving and i missed him like crazy i am so glad he was able to go. i was so impressed with BYU and their willingness to take time on their trip to plan service opportunities. Alex is so grateful that he works there, they are so good to their employees and really hold to their standards. it makes me so happy knowing that he loves where he is at and for him life couldn't be better :).

PUBLISHED here.

card.

happy holidays!

special thanks to ciara for the photos!

vegas.

i need to back up a few weeks...

phew we have been busy! we went to Vegas and had a blast. nothing sounded better to us then a visit to see our very good friends the Doyles. it was one of the most relaxing trips we've had and we are so glad we went.

our trip consisted of:

-2 days of golf for the boys
-2 days of shopping for the girls

-trying new dinner and lunch places
-catching up on some good reality tv
-football games
-cute guest bedroom
-amazing home cooked dinner and breakfast by Anna
-good talks & lots of laughs

it's easy hanging out with these 2 and baby Easton. we all like the same things and get along so well. so very lucky to have real friends like them. thanks for the wonderful stay! can't wait to have you over in a week!

and most important was this little guy...Easton. cutest thing! i loved playing with him all weekend. Anna is such an amazing mom! and lucky to have him :).

home.

i thought it was fitting since everyone is thinking about what they are thankful for with thanksgiving coming in just a few days, that i'll share mine. right now what i'm most grateful for second to my husband and family is our home. i don't think i can really explain just how much it means to us. it's more then a house, it's our life that we will create there together. you've always heard it's one of the biggest decisions/purchases you will ever make. so you contemplate, weigh out your options, refer to your budget, get excited, get let down and have so much hope that you'll find what you are looking for. and when you do find it, when everything comes together it's amazing. growing up i always dreamed of what my house would look like. where it would be and who it would be with. i never really thought it would happen.

to have the husband i've always hoped for, the home i dreamed about and the exciting future ahead, the gospel that i've always needed and the family/friends that truly care, i feel blessed. honestly sometimes i get scared wondering what is about to happen since things are going so well. someone told me that instead, "realize that you've worked hard for what you have and just remember to always be humble and grateful". so here i am. i wanted to remember this time in our lives, document it. so that later on if and when times get tough i'll have this to look back to.

the neighborhood is everything we've ever wanted. we've had several neighbors come by with gifts. welcomed by a visit at our home from the Relief Society and Elders on the first day. had the Templeman's and other husbands from the neighborhood come to help us move. the ward members have been so sweet to us. we love that everyone here is our age and in the same stages of life. we feel like we are right back in the married student wards that we used to go to. it's so unique to live in a place where everyone is young and has growing families. we've made instant friends that i know will be life long relationships. there's nothing like a good neighborhood, it makes it all that much sweeter.

our first week was busy...
saturday, nov.5th- moving day (thanks to our friends and in laws for helping), more family stopped by, couches & fridge were delivered, grocery shopping
sunday- first day at church which was so fun, we were so impressed with the ward. my family came up and brought us dinner (thank you!) later we invited to our neighbors the Kjar's
monday- i took the day off, made my first dinner for Alex in our new home, spent time with our neighbors the Owen's
tuesday- the larson's came to visit
wednesday- unpacking, Alex hung all the bathroom hardware (tp holder, towel racks, hand towel ring)
thursday- unpacking and more visits
friday- watched the USU/BYU basketball game, made dinner at home (something we've really missed)
saturday- went to park city & shopped, watched the BYU football game with the Templeman's.
sunday- 2nd day at church, best lesson in RS. finished unpacking!!!
monday- had FHE with 4 other couples in our neighborhood, so fun!

it was such a fun time!

house loves:
-openness, love that i can cook and see the dining and family room. one thing i hated about our townhouse it felt so closed off.
-the kitchen- love that i can set anything hot on the counter, granite counter tops really are worth every penny. so much cabinet space then we've ever had.
-love starting out with all new appliances- don't love that there are so many stickers to peal off :).
-arch ways, just add character to the home.
-molding & the doors, never realized how such a small detail makes such a difference.
-the stair well is so well done, and adds so much to our house.
-lots of large windows through out for so much natural light. very important to us.
-window seat in our future nursery, can just imagine the times we'll spend sitting there and reading bed time stories.
-having a loft upstairs makes it so open and unique for a 2 story home. i can't wait to decorate it.
-finally have a guest bedroom. so come visit!
-having our laundry room upstairs is lovely.
-having closets in all of the bathrooms.
-coat closet by the garage door, now my purse finally has a place.
-matching cabinetry through out the house... bathrooms, kitchen are all the same.
-love walk-in closets. i know it's a common thing, but i've never had one until now. sadly it's already packed to the brim :). can never have too much closet space.
-car is warm in the garage already, no more brushing off the snow
-thermostat lets us set the temp for each day and time
-floors, love the hard wood floor look. it definitely allows a lot more cleaning but they look so pretty.
-that it is big enough for us to grow.

and mostly i love that it's ours.

pictures of the inside to come...