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! 

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.  

MLK Day Thoughts

Today I have the day off from school in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and I have been thinking a lot about this day. At school on Friday we had an assembly honoring MLK day and when they were playing the 'I have a dream' speech it hit me a different way this time.

Now don't worry, there aren't kids on the way, but one day they will be and they will have the potential to be judged by the color of their skin. To me, color doesn't matter. Since I was little my best friend was black, then I dated and am now marrying someone who is African American. I love to think about what my kids will look like, but I know they won't look like me and I know this world will judge them and treat them differently.

I know that I can't speculate and worry about what will happen. We are blessed to live in a country where we have so many freedoms and while everyone may not be free from all bias, I will let nothing hold my children back.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day and I hope everyone who has the day off enjoys it!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, friends! 

I hope you all have a wonderful day celebrating with your friends and family. I am spending the day at my mom's since my fiance has to work and then we will all go to church together this evening. Tomorrow we will spend the entire day with my family. I am so thankful for this time with my family, but more thankful for what Christmas truly means. I'm so thankful for Jesus, that He came to save me, save all of us. I can't think of any gift better than that. 

Wishing you and your families all the best. 

Dear November...

Dear November,

We are already a few days in and you have been a great month so far. I came back from a great trip, got an extra hour of sleep, and made the decision to get my health back on track. Please send us some sunny fall days to make up for the fact that we barely have any daylight. I don't have any big things happening this month but in a way I am thankful for that, thankful for a little more time to myself and for some time I can give to others.

This month my boyfriend is supposed to be moving to my town so I cannot wait for that to happen. After being in a long distance relationship for almost 18 months since we graduated college it will be amazing to be living in the same place again.

The football team at the school I teach at made it to the playoffs so I will have some more football games to attend. I will also be going back to my college for my band director's last game there, after 26 years. It is going to be a special day for him and I am so thankful to be able to attend.

At the end of the month we have Thanksgiving and Black Friday! Due to family things I am not a very big fan of Thanksgiving but I LOVE going out and getting steals on Black Friday. This is a special time for my mom and I and since I will have an entire apartment to furnish and decorate I think that it will be the perfect time for that.

Happy November, everyone!

6th of July Party

My 6th of July Party was a success! I have always wanted to do something fun to celebrate the 4th but didn't want people to have to give up their plans on the actual day so my idea of a '6th of July' party was born. I had some of my friends from college over, my brother had friends from his school, and my mom had some friends from work. it was a good group. but what really matters...the food!

First was this amazing trifle that my mom made. It's red velvet cake layered with vanilla pudding, cool whip, strawberries, and blueberries. YUM. The only thing that would have made it better would have been to throw in a few chocolate chips.

 I saw these strawberries on Pintrest and had to try them out. They didn't all turn out perfectly but they tasted delicious. Cupcakes were an easy and fun dessert that are so simple to decorate. Throw on some blue or red sugar and you're set. The little flags came with the cupcake papers in a pack from the dollar stores! Such a steal. 

The last dessert were these red white and blue rice krispie treats. I wasn't as successful in making these becuase I didn't properly measure out all of the ingredients so they were a little crunchy (not enough marshmallows) but the younger kids that at them still seemed to enjoy them. It was a great time and I was so happy to actually be successful in my fun food creations! 

Land of the free, because of the brave.

It is so important to remember the meaning behind holidays, especially one so meaningful as Memorial Day. I love being American and the pride that our country has, but it's important to remember that we only are given that luxury because of the people who laid down their lives for us.

Living 15 miles from a military base has made me much more aware of things going on in the world and what a different life people in the military have. I never had to worry about my parents coming home from work at night, but that wasn't the case for some of my friends. Thank you to everyone who served, is serving, and paid the ultimate sacrifice for my freedom.

God Bless America.