Christmas Recap.

My Christmas was better than I ever could have imagined. We spend Christmas Eve with family friends. We went over there and had a big lunch, exchanged presents, played some games and then headed off to church. Christmas Eve service is probably my second favorite of the year after Good Friday, there is such a sense of peace and calm, absolutely amazing. 

This year I decided to start a married tradition of drinking champagne with our toasting flutes from our wedding and opening our presents to each other on Christmas Eve. It was great to have that time to ourselves and have those moments. I can see them being even more special as we get older and have kids and the alone time doesn't happen as often. I get so excited thinking about how our Christmases

On Christmas morning we spent the day with my Mom's family. Each year we get matching PJ's and this year we went with snowflakes.

One of the gifts that I was most excited for was tickets to the Pacific Rim Championships for gymnastics. I'm a big gymnastics fan (even though I never did gymnastics) and I watch all of the meets online and follow all of the National Team on social media. This is an event that is happening in my state and gymnasts from all over the world will be there. I'm super excited to be able to see these athletes competing in person just a few months before some of them will be at the Olympics.

I also gone a ton of other awesome presents, cute sweaters, booties, earrings, and a bunch of stuff for our apartment/future house. I am so blessed to have been able to spend this day with my amazing family and be given so many wonderful gifts. I hope everyone else had just as wonderful of a Christmas! 

Weekending: Winter Break is here!

We have reached winter break, can I get a hallelujah?

Unfortunately the weather wasn't cooperating and while we were supposed to travel to my in-laws on Friday after school, we had to wait until Saturday morning because the mountain pass was closed. It opened on Saturday, but the roads were super snowy and it was a terrifying drive. Thankfully we made it here safely.

I did some last minute shopping with my sister in law and picked up a few stocking stuffers for C. I am trying really hard to make our first married Christmas a memorable one and I think it's going to be great.

Today we are celebrating with his family and exchanging gifts. I love all of the things that we got them and I can't wait to see them open them all. It's been a relaxing few days here with his family, but I'm excited to go home to our apartment and enjoy the last day before Christmas! We have a full Christmas Eve and Christmas day, so I am excited for the festivities to begin!

Linking up with Meghan! 

Christmas Card Reveal 2015

Last year I saw so many awesome Christmas cards and I made the decision that this year I would make sure we got really good ones. I had been planning to go with MINTED and even though I told myself that I could splurge on them, when the time came to buy them I just couldn't justify it.

We ended up ordering them from Snapfish after a free trial where we got to order 5 cards.

 I liked the quality so I ended up ordered all of ours from there. I got a white back so that I could write a personal message on the ones that I wanted to, and I paid to get our address printed on the envelope. We changed the design and this was our final product. 

It was so much fun sending these out and hearing from friends and family as they received them. I love Christmas and I look forward to making sending Christmas cards a tradition. This is our first year, but you can bet that next year we will be doing it again! :)

Linking up with Mary and Macy! 

Weekending: On the go.

This weekend flew by, typical! It was a little too packed for my liking, but I made it through and managed to take a nap on Sunday afternoon.

Friday night we went to my Aunt's house to celebrate my Grandad's birthday. He's 82, I love him so much. This was him being goofy. 

On Saturday, C and I slept in until 10:30! I couldn't believe it. I don't even remember the last time I slept that late. It was glorious. I had a lazy morning cleaning our apartment, shopping, and wrapping Christmas presents. 

Saturday night was our staff christmas party. I have an awesome staff and we had a blast relaxing, chatting, and doing things outside of school. It's so nice to get away and not be surrounded by students and stress. It was a lot of fun. 

Sunday after church we had a work day at the student farm. I had some quality time with my lambs and pigs. :) 

We went to lunch with my college roommates at the Cheesecake Factory. YUM! It's always good catching up with these girls who I spent every day with for two years. I am blessed to have friends as good as them. 

I took a nap Sunday afternoon && just relaxed to get ready for this week. I only have one night meeting so that means it will be a lot easier than last week.  Two weeks until break! 

Linking up with Meghan!

My Christmas List.

We are only 20 days from Christmas, can anyone believe it?! I have put together a few of the things that I am hoping to find under the Christmas tree. I also love gifts that are totally out of the blue and surprising so I am looking forward to those as well. :) 

Phone case

I got a new iPhone 6S a couple of weeks ago (thanks, hubby!) and now I would love a new case to go with it. Right now I have an otter box which isn't very stylish, but it will protect my phone. I'd love some pretty ones to alternate it with. 

Make up Brushes 

I am not good at buying things for myself, especially make up brushes which can be so darn expensive! I asked my mom for some and I  know she's been shopping at ULTA so hopefully I will be getting some. 

New TOMS 

These are my favorite for work when I want something comfy, but also a little dressy. I have black glitter ones that are pretty worn out now so I would love some gold ones which work perfectly for our school spirit days when we wear purple and gold. 

Booties! 

These are one of the things I always thought I would never be able to pull off but surprise, I can and I love them. I'm hoping for another pair this year. 

There really isn't much else that I am hoping for. Clothes are always great, scarves, accessories, etc. and I am not picky about those. I honestly have so much 'stuff' and am so blessed that I really don't need anything. I am hoping for a lovely Christmas with my family, that everyone is in good health, and that we have another great holiday filled with laughter and joy. 

What is on the top of your Christmas list? 

Friday Favorites: December!

Happy Friday! Can anyone believe it's already December? I know that I can't. This year has been flying by and while I've been in the Christmas mood for a while, now it's actually Christmas time! 

Favorite Song: I have been playing Christmas Pandora in my classroom and this song came on which I really enjoyed. It's fun and upbeat, plus she has a wonderful voice. 

Favorite new clothing item: I just bought this top to wear to my staff Christmas party on Saturday. I'm going to pair it with leggings and booties, I'm excited. I love the color and the little bit of sparkle! 

Favorite thing about this week: All of my black friday orders are starting to arrive. I am amazed at how fast things are arriving, I love it! 

Favorite Verse

Two weeks until Winter Break! 

This week has been so busy and work continues to be stressful and overwhelming, but I feel like I have a good handle on things until at least break. I can use that time to get myself together and make a plan for the spring. I hate feeling like I'm stretched so thin that I don't really do a good job at anything. Hopefully that won't last much longer. Thank goodness for this weekend. I don't think I would be able to keep my sanity without them. 

Linking up with Amanda!

Wedding Wednesday: Receiving Line

I read a lot of articles about how to greet guests at your wedding and receiving lines get a lot of debate. We opted to do one and I ended up being so thankful that we did. Here's three reasons why we went for it. 

We wanted to eat dinner. I read so many stories about  couples who don't even get to eat the meal that they paid so much for. While we didn't eat much, at least I got to taste the food and have a minute with my new husband before the rest of the reception happened. 

We wanted to make sure we saw everyone. There were some friends of our parents attending the wedding and we wanted to make sure that we were able to see everyone and thank them for coming. I've been to weddings before where the bride and groom had the best intentions of getting to every table, but it didn't happen and then they felt terrible for not saying hello to everyone at their own wedding. 

We wanted it to be quick. I knew that time would fly by during the reception and I didn't want to be obligated to spend a lot of it going from table to table. 

Ours was a little untraditional, we did not include the family or bridal party, it was just us. We stood at the door that connected the cocktail hour space to the reception room. About halfway through cocktail hour we opened the doors and greeted everyone as they went in to the reception. It was a quick hello and hug to everyone as they walked in. We had seen all of our family the night before at the rehearsal dinner and we knew we would be dancing the night away with our friends. We spent a little longer chatting with people that didn't fall into either of those categories and it worked perfectly. We were ahead of schedule and it only took about 20 minutes to get all 125 guests through the 'line'. 

It was totally worth it for us and worked for our wedding perfectly. 

Are you for or against a receiving line, what did you do at your wedding? 

Linking up for Wedding Wednesday!

Weekending: Black Friday & Holiday Decor!

We had a great holiday weekend! We went to my in-laws for Thanksgiving and had a relaxing day and delicious dinner. Thanksgiving night I went out with my sister in law for some Black Friday shopping and I got everything on my list! I was so happy with all of the great deals that I got and all of the gifts I was able to buy.

Friday was the Apple Cup, our huge rivalry football game. We went to a restaurant to watch it with some of our friends from college who live in my husbands home town. Our quarterback was injured at the last game so our back-up stared and it was ugly. Probably the worst game of the season which totally ruined the day. Such a disappointment. Thank goodness we have a bowl game to look forward to.

Saturday we drove back home and went to my mom's to visit with my brother who is home from grad school, have dinner with the family, and decorate my mom's house for Christmas. Even since we moved out we try to come together to decorate with my mom and keep the tradition alive so I was glad that we were able to again this year. 

Sunday after church we came home and set up our Christmas decorations! We still have a ways to go, but I am most excited about our new nativity.

Linking up with Meghan!

Have a great week! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with laughter, smiles, and delicious food! May you all enjoy the day with your friends and families.  

Wedding Wednesday: The Ceremony

Happy Wednesday, time for another Wedding Wednesday!

As I was planning our wedding I tried to make sure that the ceremony was meaningful, because that is truly the heart of the wedding. We kept ours pretty traditional and I loved it. 

My dad walked me down the aisle and it was such a surreal moment. I tried to take it all in, I remember looking at my family and friends in the seats and also looking at my future husband. What a special moment. 

Our pastor said some great words and one part that stands out was him talking about how from this moment forward we have to always put each other first in our lives...that our partner will come before any job, activity, or other friend. I laughed, thinking of my best friend who I am extremely close with (she jokes I am the third person in her marriage), and turned to look at her and our photographer caught this picture, priceless. 

We wrote our own vows and when C said his he cried the whole time. He could not keep it together. It made me tear up seeing him cry, basically everyone was crying their eyes out...talk about water works. I made it through mine without crying. I think it was just full on 'teacher mode' with public speaking.

We did a memory box that we placed letters in from our family members and each other. We are going to display it in our house and open it in 10 years. I wanted something different and unique so that's when I found this idea. 

I remember feeling so relieved when we finally got to have our first kiss and walk back down the aisle as husband and wife. It was official, we were married! 

Linking up! 

Thanksgiving Week.

It doesn't seem like Thanksgiving week to me. I'm not sure if it is just because I have been so busy, but the time has seriously flown by. I feel like it was just summer time. Anyways, whether I believe it or not, it's already Thanksgiving. I wanted to take a minute to talk about things that I am thankful for, because there are so many.

Jesus. He gave me life, gives me everything I could ever need, and truly loves me.

My husband. My other half. The one who hold me when I cry, tickles me when I need a laugh, supports me in everything, and loves me unconditionally.

My best friend. The one I can count on for anything and everything.

My job. Teaching is so much more than a job, its a passion. My kids fill my heart every day and without a doubt they have changed my life and continue to  each day. My job also provides me with an income that allows me to have enough money for anything that I need and most things that I want. I also have the best coworkers, so blessed.

My family. I have two parents who love me, siblings who I have great relationships with, and extended family who all care about me. We may not all get along, but we come together when we need to and all love each other.

My apartment. As much as I am eager to get into a house, I love our little home together. It's clean, warm, and comfortable.

My friends. I have such a strong group of friends who I know will always have my back and are only a phone call away. We might not see each other often, but there is a depth to our friendships that will always remain.

My church. My husband and I have both been getting more involved in our church and it really is starting to feel like home. I am leading a group of high school girls now and he serves in the worship band. We are meeting more people and I am loving it even more.

I hope all of you are feeling as blessed and thankful as I am this week. Sometimes even when it's hard, it helps to focus on the good, because there is so much good in our lives even through the difficulties. 

Weekending: Solo & Sick

My husband was out of town this weekend so that meant time for me to rest and try to sick this sickness I have had all week. After school on Friday I had to move the piglets from our school barn to the student farm and get them all settled there. 

I was home by 5pm and I showered and curled up on the couch which is where I spent the evening. I watched Hunger Games and was planning future vacations. I check prices and plan our vacations in my head way too often. Our next trip will be Vegas for 4 days over spring break and I can't wait. I'm ready to book it so that I can stop obsessing over hotels and plane tickets. Then I'll just focus on the fun stuff, like what we should do when we get there. 

Saturday morning I woke up, still sick, but not sick enough to stop me from shopping. My best friend and I hit the mall and I got some great Christmas presents. I mostly bought things for my hubby, but also got a sweater for my aunt and a photo album for my in-laws. Then I came home and wrapped all of the Christmas presents we have so far. There's actually quite a few! I still have a list of things I want to buy, but I am very happy with my progress so far. 

Sunday morning I went to church and then I went to my mom's house. We were off for some more Christmas shopping! I love hanging out with my mom and shopping is our favorite thing to do together. I got a few more gifts and we got our Christmas PJ's. 

I came home and relaxed the rest of the evening. Did my husband's laundry and cleaned up a little bit. It's a short week (thank goodness), but we are going out of town for Thanksgiving so I want everything to be put together so we don't have to come home to a mess. Here's to hoping this is an easier week. 

Linking up with Meghan!

Friday Favorites: Stress

This week has been incredibly overwhelming. My teaching partner had a health emergency last week so now I have to run a two person program solo. I think this week was worse than I thought it would be so I'm hoping that next week is easier. Here my favorite things that kept me going through this week.

Carrie! 

I'm obsessed with this cd. I listen to it non-stop in my car. It's hard to pick a favorite because I love them all but I'm going to go with 'Dirty Laundry' and 'Heartbeat'. 

Piglets!

Aren't they the cutest!? A lot of my stress is coming from these little creatures, but how can you not love them at the same time? 

Thanksgiving Break 

Knowing that next week is a 3 day week is giving me some hope and energy to make it through. 

Tylenol Cold

This is the best stuff on the planet. I've been sick all week, on top of this stress and this is the one medication that I take. It makes me at least be able to survive the day. 

My husband. 

I love him so much and he has been such a trooper with me this week. He knows how to handle me when I'm stressed, comfort me when I'm sick, and make me smile no matter what. I love him so much. 

This weekend I have some plans with my best friend and my mom, but other than that I really need to rest. I'm so exhausted and mentally worn out. 

Linking up with my favorites this week with Amanda!

Weekending:

I love weekends, I seriously can't get enough of them. I wish they were longer and more often, but I guess I just need to be thankful for what we get.

Friday when I got home from school and was looking at my twitter I saw #PrayforParis and that sums up that afternoon. It is absolutely heartbreaking and terrifying to read and hear about these attacks.

Friday night we had our state playoff game for football and it was a hard fought battle but sadly our  team lost. I felt bad for them and the fact that after working so hard all year the season is over just like that. They have a lot to be proud of though. 

Saturday morning I had to go pick up pigs! The life of an agriculture teacher. :) I didn't get any picures of them because my phone died by they are adorable. I'll take some tomorrow to share. Our students get to raise them and show them at the fair in the spring. It's such a cool experience, I wish I had that opportunity when I was a high schooler. 

Saturday night we had a big football game, WSU vs. UCLA. We invited some friends over to watch the game and it was a lot of fun. We won in the last few seconds and it was epic. Not only are we bowl eligible but we have won SEVEN games. This might not sound like a lot for most of you, but this is a team that was 1-11 my freshman year and I think won a total of 4 conference games in my entire college career. We are finally going places.  

Sunday morning C was drumming with the worship band at church so he had to get their early so I went to Starbucks to do some prep for my small group. After church my mom and I went Christmas shopping! It snowed up in the mountains and was so pretty. It really got me in the mood for the holidays. 

In the afternoon my hubby bought my a new iPhone! I've been begging and complaining for months (I had a 4S for 3 1/2 years!) and I love my new phone. It's amazing. 

The picture quality is one of my favorite things. Plus it's bigger, faster, and just overall beautiful. 

I took a sick day today because I have to get a root canal, joy. :( I'll be spending my afternoon on the couch watching lots of tv. 

Linking up with Meghan