Thanksgiving

This was our first year celebrating Thanksgiving on our own. Although it was sad to not be with family, it was exciting to start our own traditions!

Luckily, we weren't completely alone, we had our good friends, the Christophersons, over to celebrate with us!

And, they were even brave enough to take on the turkey! But look how pretty!

Michelle and I had fun watching the boys try to cut it!

Our feast turned out wonderfully! And I am just so glad to be eating left-overs for every meal since then!

In case you were wondering, my three pies turned out perfect!

Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake Recipe

Blackberry Pie Recipe

There's no picture, but here's the recipe anyways...

French Apple Tarte Recipe

On Black Friday, instead of facing the crowds at the one store in Rexburg, Tyler and I went skiing/snowboarding up at Targhee for the first time since he proposed to me there!

It was kind of scary driving on the snowy, icy roads to get there, but when you're driving into this view, it's totally worth it!

Here's what it looked like when he proposed:

And here's the exact same spot 3 years later!

It was so clear and beautiful up there, and we had the most amazing view of the Tetons!

(This is for my brother, Devin, cause he really wanted to see the Tetons when he was here last summer, but it was too cloudy that day)

All in all, it was a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Winter Begins

In Rexburg, fall only last a few weeks, and now it definitely feels more like winter than Fall, and here's why:

We harvested all our carrots!

We had a huge blizzard yesterday! I loved the view of our little townhouse neighborhood.

And I made my first Christmas craft -- Michelle, Sam, and I each made one of these beautiful wreaths! I love the way it turned out and it will match my Christmas tree perfectly! (Post on my Christmas tree to follow)

Three Cases of Resiliency

So early in our marriage, I told Tyler I liked getting little potted plants more than cut flowers because the plants lasted so much longer...little did I know...

Since then, Tyler has given me little plants on special occasions, such as, the first day of a new semester, the day we moved into our new house, when I started my new job, etc. Tyler has such good taste and always gets me unique or exotic flowers! I love to take care of these little plants, and I don't know if it's my "green thumb" or if I'm just lucky, but here are three of my flowers that have surpassed all expectations!

When we moved into our new house last February, Tyler gave me this awesome cyclamen plant. At first they looked like this...

ok so they aren't quite as pretty now as they were back then, but the amazing thing is that for the last 9 months, they have always had at least a few flowers on them, nonstop!

I love looking into the bottom and always seeing more and more little buds! It's the never-ending flower!!

In September of 2009, Tyler gave me one of those little daisy plants. After a few months I had to switch it to a bigger pot, and again after another few months, until finally, it was too big for my biggest pots!

I finally decided to plant it outside along one of our fences and see how it would hold up...now it's over 2 feet tall and taking over that corner! And blooming more than ever! This is my first plant to live over a year!

The last and most astounding case of resiliency is seen in my beautiful hyacinth plant which Tyler gave to me in January of 2010 for the first day of my last semester of college.

(which looks like this when it's blooming, but this is at Temple Square last Spring)

They bloomed beautifully, but eventually withered and died. But I was not going to let that be the end! I even forced Alyssa to water "this dead plant" when she plant-sitted for us!

And, LOOK! It paid off! Amidst all the old dead parts, it just started to re-grow! Amazing, isn't it!?

So there you have it, 3 of my favorite little flower plants!

Happy Veterans Day

I don't want to let Veterans Day pass by without expressing my gratitude for those courageous men and women who fight or have fought for our country and the freedoms we enjoy here.

I especially want to honor one special Veteran today: My Dad

My dad was in was in the United States Navy when we were really young and living in San Diego. But I still remember going to different places to see and learn about the ships, planes, tanks, and other cool military stuff.

It wasn't until 2003 that my dad went overseas to Iraq as part of the United States Army Reserves Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was there for about a year, and we got a few phone calls (too bad there was no Skype back then) and lots of letters/postcards, some that even contained cool Iraqi money and stuff.

My dad said: "I lived on a ship similar to this, which is kind of amazing when I think about it now. No civilian job compares to this."

I remember one story my dad told me about a generous man who paid for a bunch the soldiers' coffee as they were in the airport on their way home from Iraq. Thank you, kind stranger, for showing such appreciation to my deserving dad, and the others who were with him. I hope someday to be able to be the answer to a daughter's prayers that her father will be safe and comforted while he's away like that man was to me.

Luckily, my dad made it home safe and sound...but I know not everyone is so lucky, so let's pray extra hard today that those who are currently serving will return safely back to there homes and families.

Thanks again to all who have served our country.

Happy Veterans Day