Forgot to add in my Yellowstone Shutterfly Photobook that we gave my parents for Christmas, so here it is! Profesh.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Christmas/Birthday Rewind
I finally have a bit to recap Christmas and that joyous event on the last day of the year--my birthday! Prepare yourselves for a long one...
Christmas was wonderful...as if it would be anything less than that! We spent the holiday at my parents' house and set up camp there to spend the week. Saves on our utility bills, right?! For Christmas Eve, our family tradition is to spend the evening with our best family friends, Brad and Susan Tanner, who live a couple streets over in my parents' neighborhood. We got invited to their home for Christmas Eve years ago (because my family doesn't really have any family in Utah...we're lonely and they took pity on us!), and have been invited every year since. Each year the guest list gets bigger and bigger as more of us marry or have new babies. I think we're up to about 30 people...it's great!
Christmas Eve always starts out with the traditional carriage ride over to the neighboring neighborhood to see "Christmas Street" where each house is decorated elaborately in lights and tells a piece of the story from The Night Before Christmas. Since our four-wheeler-pulled-carriage is also decorated in lights and holds about ten people all bundled up from head to foot, we also become a spectacle and receive many waves and shout outs from other caravans of people. Maybe next year we should start throwing out beads since I feel like we're a parade float.
After our carriage ride, it's munching on hors d'oeuvre (aka "appetizers" for people who look at that and think WTF on pronunciation like I do) while waiting for Santa to arrive to get the younger kids excited. This year, Jake and I were forced to also sit on Santa's lap for a picture. Needless to say, you will NOT be seeing it. Next up is our Christmas feast, which also seems to get bigger and bigger...it's like a second Thanksgiving. When all bellies are full, it's time for our Christmas program where a fun Christmas story is read as well as the story of Christ's birth read from the Bible. A Christmas must! Once everyone is peaceful and quiet, we turn up the fun notch again and do our much-anticipated present exchange! No, it's not a white elephant gift (though some people's gifts make you wonder), so it's fun to fight for an actual good present. This years' coveted gift was a set of U of U legit headphones that neither Jake or I ended up with. Sigh. After games and laughs, it's time to retire home where cookies and hot chocolate are set out for Santa and Gage is whisked off to bed while Santa busily gets to work stuffing stockings and arranging the present pile for a maximum "wow" factor...that means ugly, soggy or bow-less presents in the back.
Christmas morning! A whirlwind of wrapping paper and bows flying through the air. Luckily, being at my parents' house with them and my brother makes the presents seem to last a little longer than if it were just our little family of three. Our present for my loving mother and father this year was a Shutterfly book on our Yellowstone vacation we all went on over the summer. It took me forever to finish (and cost a pretty penny for over-night shipping) but the end product was well worth it and turned out great. They loved it! I feel like quite the accomplished little photobooker. Now, what was the "big" present this year for Gage? A bike. What was his most favorite present this year that cost 1/3 of the bike? A cheesehead to go with his Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers jersey for his completed Discount Double-check outfit. Let that be a lesson to all you parents who think buying a 9-year-old an iPod Touch and Kindle is the way to go...he's just as happy (if not MORE!) with a giant piece of foam. Let kids be kids...retarded, goofy ones.
For our traditional Christmas breakfast, my dad always makes buttermilk Belgian waffles with whipped cream and strawberries. Kill me now. SO good! Then, the rest of Christmas day is sitting around in sweats and pajamas watching movies, eating candy from our stockings, and playing games Santa brought. The Jones family fave? Lego Lord of the Rings for the Wii. Oh...my...YES. Jake and I ended up playing--or as we like to call it, "saving the world"--for at least 4 days straight and are halfway through the game. Unfortunately, life and work started back up and we haven't been able to save the world since then. I just know Frodo needs us!
Another Christmas fave is sipping cinnamon tea all day long...and I mean ALL day. I think I had a least 8 mugs full just that day. Our family's "tea" recipe came from my grandpa, who on hunting trips, would make this nummy beverage since it kept him warm and didn't take much to pack. It consists of boiling a pot of water and soaking cinnamon sticks in it, then adding a bit of milk and sugar to your mug as you would to coffee. Absolutely refreshing and so darn delicious. Move over hot chocolate! Christmas isn't the same without it, and the smell is heaven.
After Christmas, we head on to New Year's Eve--my birthday! Jake and I spent the day together, first starting with a trip to the DMV to renew my license since I procrastinate...and then a second trip back because I didn't have my passport with me, and we discovered Jake also needed his renewed. Ha! I then chose to do a nice lunch outing instead of dinner since usually New Year's Eve means packed restaurants, so to Cheesecake Factory we went! I didn't realize that I hadn't been there since before I was married...waaaay too long to go without my delicious Chicken Madeira that I always get and their fried Mac n' Cheeese for an appetizer. Oh my WOW, you have not lived until tasting the friend Mac n' Cheese. Then, for dessert in place of buying a birthday cake, we both got slices of cheesecake to take home. Duh, Cheesecake Factory means you must eat cheesecake! Mmm...mine was caramel dutch apple. Next up was shopping at the new Traverse Mountain outlets by our house. I was able to get a new black winter coat and sunglasses, which go perfect with my new Sorel boots that Jake got me that me think "boots with the furrrr!" He spoiled me with presents. Love my hubby!
In the evening, birthday festivities continued by grabbing some dinner at our small and humble Wingshak (have I mentioned that I have a hot wing obsession? Like bad.) and then going to see Les Miserables. Oooh, it was fantastic! I've always grown up with the soundtrack since as far back as I can remember, and even got to go see the play at the Capital Theater with my family back during my elementary school days. So, Les Miserables is no foreign musical to me. What a beautiful soundtrack! It was so fun watching it on screen, and it really put the story more into perspective. I loved the cast, loved their singing, loved the movie. And yes, I was a mess a good portion of the movie and went prepared with tissues. Darn that Anna Hathaway! She started it! Our movie ended at 11:59 p.m., just in time for me to whip out my phone to check the time and wait one more minute for Jake and I to share our New Year's kiss in the theater. Presh. It was probably one of the better birthdays I've had, all thanks to a great guy to share it with. And thank you for all of your birthday wishes!
That officially concludes all of my adventures from 2012.
Christmas Eve always starts out with the traditional carriage ride over to the neighboring neighborhood to see "Christmas Street" where each house is decorated elaborately in lights and tells a piece of the story from The Night Before Christmas. Since our four-wheeler-pulled-carriage is also decorated in lights and holds about ten people all bundled up from head to foot, we also become a spectacle and receive many waves and shout outs from other caravans of people. Maybe next year we should start throwing out beads since I feel like we're a parade float.
Christmas morning! A whirlwind of wrapping paper and bows flying through the air. Luckily, being at my parents' house with them and my brother makes the presents seem to last a little longer than if it were just our little family of three. Our present for my loving mother and father this year was a Shutterfly book on our Yellowstone vacation we all went on over the summer. It took me forever to finish (and cost a pretty penny for over-night shipping) but the end product was well worth it and turned out great. They loved it! I feel like quite the accomplished little photobooker. Now, what was the "big" present this year for Gage? A bike. What was his most favorite present this year that cost 1/3 of the bike? A cheesehead to go with his Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers jersey for his completed Discount Double-check outfit. Let that be a lesson to all you parents who think buying a 9-year-old an iPod Touch and Kindle is the way to go...he's just as happy (if not MORE!) with a giant piece of foam. Let kids be kids...retarded, goofy ones.
Another Christmas fave is sipping cinnamon tea all day long...and I mean ALL day. I think I had a least 8 mugs full just that day. Our family's "tea" recipe came from my grandpa, who on hunting trips, would make this nummy beverage since it kept him warm and didn't take much to pack. It consists of boiling a pot of water and soaking cinnamon sticks in it, then adding a bit of milk and sugar to your mug as you would to coffee. Absolutely refreshing and so darn delicious. Move over hot chocolate! Christmas isn't the same without it, and the smell is heaven.
After Christmas, we head on to New Year's Eve--my birthday! Jake and I spent the day together, first starting with a trip to the DMV to renew my license since I procrastinate...and then a second trip back because I didn't have my passport with me, and we discovered Jake also needed his renewed. Ha! I then chose to do a nice lunch outing instead of dinner since usually New Year's Eve means packed restaurants, so to Cheesecake Factory we went! I didn't realize that I hadn't been there since before I was married...waaaay too long to go without my delicious Chicken Madeira that I always get and their fried Mac n' Cheeese for an appetizer. Oh my WOW, you have not lived until tasting the friend Mac n' Cheese. Then, for dessert in place of buying a birthday cake, we both got slices of cheesecake to take home. Duh, Cheesecake Factory means you must eat cheesecake! Mmm...mine was caramel dutch apple. Next up was shopping at the new Traverse Mountain outlets by our house. I was able to get a new black winter coat and sunglasses, which go perfect with my new Sorel boots that Jake got me that me think "boots with the furrrr!" He spoiled me with presents. Love my hubby!
That officially concludes all of my adventures from 2012.
Friday, January 4, 2013
New Year, New Look
In lieu of the new year, my blog got a schmancy new makeover. Hi, new blog! For my first post of 2013, I thought I'd share a picture of my Christmas cards I sent out to family and friends. My first card sending session ever! I'm so mature and married...nevermind the fact that I just sent them like 2 days ago and not before Christmas. That's what happens when you decide to place an order on December 17th. Anyway, on the back of the card, our family's top 10 highlights from 2012 were printed, so of course those must be shared on here as well since it's important you all know we do cool things. I find this a perfect way to start the new year by taking a look back at our special moments this past year and waving them goodbye in hopes for more great moments to come...because really, twenty-twelve was kind of a B overall, despite my fun list. Welcome 2013!
10. Jake successfully completed his 1st year of nursing school in the spring. He's now in his 2nd year and one busy guy.
9. Gage is half-way through 3rd grade and loves it. He doesn't have a girlfriend but he does have straight A's!
8. In March, Jenny dragged Jake to Las Vegas for 311 Day at MGM Grand.
7. For Easter, we met Jake's parents in Carson City, Nevada to visit his grandparents.
6. Jake and Jenny celebrated their 1st wedding anniversary on May 20th. Both have committed to another year or two.
5. Gage played his 4th season of baseball in the spring, advancing to Coaches Pitch and playing on a real baseball diamond all season.
4. Jake landed his first nursing assistant job at Intermountain Medical Center--the largest hospital in the Intermountain West.
3. In July, we vacationed to beautiful Yellowstone National Park with Jenny's parents followed by Lake Powell and Bryce Canyon over Labor Day weekend. (Her parents must like us.)
2. Gage participated in his first primary talent show. He did a self-taught hip-hop dance to MC Hammer.
1. In October, we celebrated being in our new home one year! Thank heavens for a garage during the winter.
10. Jake successfully completed his 1st year of nursing school in the spring. He's now in his 2nd year and one busy guy. 9. Gage is half-way through 3rd grade and loves it. He doesn't have a girlfriend but he does have straight A's!
8. In March, Jenny dragged Jake to Las Vegas for 311 Day at MGM Grand.
7. For Easter, we met Jake's parents in Carson City, Nevada to visit his grandparents.
6. Jake and Jenny celebrated their 1st wedding anniversary on May 20th. Both have committed to another year or two.
5. Gage played his 4th season of baseball in the spring, advancing to Coaches Pitch and playing on a real baseball diamond all season.
4. Jake landed his first nursing assistant job at Intermountain Medical Center--the largest hospital in the Intermountain West.
3. In July, we vacationed to beautiful Yellowstone National Park with Jenny's parents followed by Lake Powell and Bryce Canyon over Labor Day weekend. (Her parents must like us.)
2. Gage participated in his first primary talent show. He did a self-taught hip-hop dance to MC Hammer.
1. In October, we celebrated being in our new home one year! Thank heavens for a garage during the winter.
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