Christmas

We had such a great Christmas this year. It was our second one together since being married. It was so much fun buy things for each other and then be so excited to watch them open it up. Probably every day the week before Christmas, Brodie kept saying "I wish today was Christmas!" Trust me...I did too! It was so fun to actually spend time together, with family and friends and not stress or worry about anything like school and work. We spent Christmas Eve at Grandma Web's house, then Christmas morning (early) at Brodie's parents, then ate breakfast at my parents house. It was so fun and we enjoyed every last bit of it. I do have to mention the present that my Mom made for my 3 little nieces. She made the. cutest. aprons. no joke. Then she gave them little heart measuring spoons, cups, cookie mixes....it was absolutely adorable. We of course were spoiled as well by both parents. We are lucky. Our life is simple, but we love it. Things are not always perfect; we have what we need and I can't ask for more then that.

Merry & Bright

Last weekend Brod and I hopped in the car with our good friends Kailey and Derek to go see the lights at Temple Square. We ate at California Pizza Kitchen at the Gateway then headed over to see the lights. The atmosphere was so fun! It was PACKED with people all bundled up, the lights were absolutely beautiful and temple was breathtaking; we were with great company and I had my best friend to keep me warm. I LOVE Christmas time and the fun new memories made every year. Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Motab

A couple weekends ago, my Mom, Dad, Sister and I went up to SLC to enjoy the Annual Christmas Motab concert. It was so fun; and of course the concert was nothing but amazing. We ate at an amazing Italian place; Biagges...mmmmmmmmm...favorite for sure. We of course had to make a stop at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for a treat during the concert. Then we hopped on Trax and headed to the conference center. It was so fun to walk through the lights, and hear awesome music. I have always thought and felt that there is something very special about music. It can inspire and touch lives like nothing else. Thanks for scoring the tickets Em, I loved it!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was great this year...we were looking forward to the break all month long! We ate at my parents house - with almost all of my family. Of course, my Mom did nothing but a fabulous job with everything. The table looked amazing, and the food was even better! After we all ate ourselves silly, the girls looked through the adds while the boys played pool. Then we all headed to the Movie.

The weekend included more then just eating a ridiculous amount of food; of course black Friday was a great success...I also got some sewing done on my project. It is coming along so nicely, I can't wait for the finished product.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving; I am so thankful for so many things. A husband who I love and who loves me unconditionally, that we both have jobs, that we both love Christ, that we both have loving families to rely on, we both have healthy bodies, and education & knowledge. I am so blessed, and I am ever thankful.

(Check out the apron...wears it with pride!)

Be Happy

As of late, I have needed a few "pick me ups" through out the month. I found an article with some tips that has helped me feel happier, more productive, and over all in a better mood. Here are my favorite ones that have worked for me; Take them or leave them - but I thought I would share the happiness.

1. Believe in what you're doing.

Convincing yourself that by working out you're doing something positive for yourself can be as important to boosting your mood as the exercise itself, according to Thomas G. Plante, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at Santa Clara University in California. In one of his recent studies, 60 subjects exercised for a single session. Those who were told about the benefits of exercise before working out were better able to cope with stress and anxiety (key mood wreckers) than those who were not.

2. Rise and shine—then get moving!

To get the feel-your-best effects from exercise, you have to do it consistently. "Make exercise a nonnegotiable part of your daily routine, like brushing your teeth," says Plante. "Morning is the easiest time to make this happen." If you wait until later, you run the risk of unexpected things popping up and interfering with your workout. And morning exercise is ideal for weight control. Research shows that after a morning workout, your mood is still elevated at bedtime.

3. Color your world.

Eat six to eight servings daily of the brightest, most colorful fruits and vegetables you can find. Boosting your consumption of antioxidants (among them, vitamins C and E and beta-carotene) has been proven to improve memory, reaction time and thinking, which boosts your mood.

4. Hit the shower.

Raining or snowing today? Too time-crunched to fit in a workout? Jump into the shower. Taking a warm bath or shower can also help give you a temporary mood boost by heating up your core body temperature.

5. Fast-forward your thoughts.

Can't face a workout today? Then skip to the end of it: You'll be able to get going, go longer and enjoy yourself more if you think about something positive as a mental warm-up—like how good you'll feel and look afterward, how nice the sauna will feel, or how effectively you're beating stress with exercise.

Mystery Project

I have a new project that I am working on and I am so so excited for it! My sister-in-law Kim and I decided that we wanted to learn this "skill" so we thought we would give it a go. I am super, super excited about it. I will let tell you - it's super cute and going to be amazing if it turns out the way I am hoping. I had to post a picture of my fabrics so you know that it really started out as un-cut, bundles of fabric. Stay tuned for my progress...I hope we can do it!

Little Daisy

I had to post this because I think it's hilarious. Every time Brodie or I tell Daisy that it's time for bed, or we spell B.E.D, or even say it in casual conversation in the presence of Daisy - she ALWAYS come right over to me and cuddles up in a little ball on me. This is highly unusual of little Daisy...usually she is running, jumping, chewing....not being still at all times! But nope - just say, spell or give her the look that it's time for bed, you get some pretty good cuddle time in with this little rascal. We love our little Daisy.