The Holidays

Well,
Blogger is being stubborn today and won't let me fix my blog so for now it looks pretty simple. I'll try again tomorrow and see if it'll cooperate.

I feel so grateful for the family that I have and that I was able to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with both sides of my family. They are both so amazing and I love spending time with them and being apart of such great families.

I'm not sure if I posted about Thanksgiving but everything turned out perfect. I was able to spend some time with my mom, which I had been craving. She helped me clean and cook and prepare Thanksgiving at our house this year. We also finished our fireplace and living room that same week. It was busy and hectic but I wouldn't change anything about it. We ended up on Thanksgiving with RJ and I's families eating dinner together and I enjoyed it immensely.

Christmas was also wonderful. We had lots of family parties throughout December and then spent Christmas Eve with both of our families. We woke up Christmas morning [just a little bit too early] and headed over to the Nestmans to open presents there. RJ, the sneaky bugger got me a new phone, an iPhone that I have been nagging him about for months. Mostly because I wanted better pictures that I could take with my phone. RJ hardly ever gets to surprise me because all of his ideas get ruined so I was especially happy that he was able to surprise me and I had no idea about it until I pulled it out of my stocking. RJ got boring lights for his 4Runner and clothes. I got clothes too, but I enjoy them more than he does. After presents and the most delicious French Toast ever, we headed up to Idaho for the Deters Family Christmas.

                                          [This is my brother dog, Blue. HUGE is an understatement.]
My family was good to us and they waited until we got there to open presents. My family loves Christmas so this was difficult for all of them. I got the cutest little owl creation from my sister that she made. Seriously. Adorable. I've already hung it at the bottom of the stairs.

                                                                 [Cutest Owl Ever]

The most special present of the day came from my mom. She has this framed picture that she's had for about 10 years that has hung in each of our houses throughout the years. It's a beautiful picture of a house with a wrap around porch tucked into a meadow with a little stream running by the house. I've always found something special about this picture. It represents everything I want in my life and also reminds me so much of my family. I have scoured the internet looking for this picture to buy for myself and always harassing my mom and telling her that I will steal the picture while she's on her deathbed, whether she makes it or not.

Well on Christmas morning my mom gave me her picture. It's something I could never accept but on the other hand something that gives me so much hope and inspiration in my life that I would be silly not to accept her gift. It's so much more than the picture that I received. It's such selflessness and parenting at it's finest. My mom was willing to give me something that I have always wanted, but something that she worked hard to buy and hang in her home. I'll never forget this Christmas and the selflessness that all of my family showed. As we get older Christmas hasn't had the magic touch that it has had in the past but Sunday was the exception. Everyone in my family put thought and love into their gifts and I loved spending time with them. I'm happy to call them mine.

[We went shooting. It was a blast. I haven't been for soooo long]