Tis' the Season!

And there it goes...another Christmas in the books!  We had an awesome Christmas this year, and it was such a blessing to have a couple days off with each other to enjoy the festivities.  I had so much fun decorating our apartment, making cookies, elfing, wrapping presents, fitting puzzles, etc. etc., and I'm grateful I had time to do it all.

I don't feel much like writing today, so I'm mostly going to post pictures.  With that said, I still want to write down one of my favorite 2015 Christmas memories:

On Christmas Eve, we got home super late after a painfully slow drive (through a terrible and dangerous snowstorm) from Provo to SLC.  We were tired, and the plan was to drive back to Provo early in the morning to be with Don's family.  Both of us wanted to get to bed, but I insisted that we take a moment to relax and enjoy the moment.  So, we turned on our Christmas tree lights and sunk into the couch.  This probably sounds cheesy, but we spent those five minutes in the most perfect calmness, just soaking in the quiet, magical anticipation that is Christmas Eve.  I loved just sitting there, consciously committing that moment to memory forever.  It was perfect.

Now, for the pictures.

{decking the halls}

{winter wonderland}

{work holiday party}

{Don's Grandma, reading her Christmas story to the great grandchildren}

{baking cookies}

{matching pj's and family photos}

{first attempts with a selfie stick} 

Merry Christmas!!!!!

{Being grateful}

Ugh.  I'm late on the Thanksgiving post, but here goes.

Thanksgiving is such an amazing Holiday, and I look forward to it every year!  But this year, I found myself thinking much more about the point of it rather than celebrating it.  It's the one time of year that you're not supposed to screw up the "being grateful" thing.

I wish that I was one of those people that was just naturally grateful for everything in life, but I'm beginning to wonder.  Don't get me wrong...I do feel like I'm a grateful person, and I actually think I'm good at saying thank you.  Thank you for opening my door!  Thank you for taking my shift!  That text made my day!  I seriously love my new boots...

These grateful thoughts are constantly streaming through my mind.  But sometimes, I think I lose perspective on the big things.  It's tough because the daily grind is as real for me as my many blessings are.  Just because I have a ton a ton a ton of things that I should be grateful for, doesn't make the details of life any easier to manage.

So, I've been pondering how to find a balance between never forgetting the big picture (so many blessings!) and dealing with the daily problems that really get to me (that time I sent the wrong rug home with the wrong customer.  Awesome.)

I don't have any answers, really.  But I do think there is wisdom in barraging one's psyche with positive quotes about gratitude.  Right?

"It is not happy people who are thankful.  It is thankful people who are happy."

"Gratitude is the key to happiness."

"Never let the things you want make you forget the things you have."

So in true Thanksgiving fashion, I'm writing a list of things that I'm grateful for (in totally random order, except Don gets to be first :).  Here's to remembering the big picture!

{Don}
{Museums}
{Being Mormon}
{Holidays during wintertime}
{Summer}
{Ice Cream}
{Games}
{Prayer}
{Craft stores}
{Sunshine}
{Sleep}
{Mimi}
{Art}
{Running}
{Texas}
{Beaches}
{Family and Friends all around}
{Basketball}
{Good Health}
{Knowing God is there}
{Makeup}
{Anthropologie}
{Jobs we love}
{Sewing}
{My Patriarchal Blessing}
{Savings}
{My BYU glory days}
{The Young Women's Program}
{Our New York adventures}
{Traveling}
{Chocolate}
{Warm winter clothing}
{A fireplace}
{Frozen Pizza}
{BYU}
{Technology}
{Furniture}
{Nieces and nephews}
{Doctors and medicine}
{America}
{Treadmills}
{Moving}
{The Prophet}
{Reading a good book}
{Spandex}
{Food to eat}
{Flowers}
{Good Music}
{My Humanities Major}
{Talents}
{Owning cars}
{Priesthood Blessings}
{Fuzzy bathrobes}
{Hot water heater}

I'm also very grateful for pictures, and it wouldn't be a proper blog post without them.  To a happy, and thoughtful, Thanksgiving!

 

30's Cruise

Back in October, my college roommates and I got together for a much-anticipated and long-awaited reunion.  Even with all the hype, it did not disappoint!  We had so much fun reminiscing, and I love this group of life-long friends.

Back in the day, we used to joke around that we needed to have a reunion when we were all 30 years old.  It didn't matter where we were, what we were doing, or how far away...we promised each other that we would all re-convene in a decade for the most epic reunion cruise ever.  We not-so-jokingly titled our plan "30's Cruise".

Through the years, we've sent e-mails here and there reminding each other that our, "30's cruise is only 5 years away!  Only 4 years away...nobody get pregnant! 3 years, etc. etc."  Until finally, it was time.

It's kind of funny now, thinking about how we stuck to our Freshman plan from 10 years ago.  Out of all 9 of us, 8 made it to our reunion weekend.  And of course, we skyped #9 in.  Although a reality check prevented us from booking a cruise, we did enjoy an awesome weekend in Park City instead.

{Sitting and chatting}

{Out for a walk}

{Cheers-ing to our next 10 years}  

(Also, does the fact that I'm the only one drinking mean that no amount of time will change my lack of self restraint when presented with food?!  Pull yourself together and just wait for the toast.)

{Skyping with Debbie, our #9}

{We mostly saw Debbie's forehead, but whatevs}

{Shopping}

{Taking selfies}

{Taking more selfies}

{Brunching on mountaintops}

{Reenacting Titanic while riding on a funicular}

{Sporting matching Ski Patrol socks}

Thanks for a fun weekend ladies...looking forward to 40!