2011 "Recap"

2011 = WOW!!! Our journey together this year was filled with all kinds of different turns, ups, downs, twists, and growth! Looking back at all we experienced there is one word that constantly comes up for us and that is "Gratitude." We have been so blessed and really had one incredible year together! We wanted to put together a list of the highlights that mean so much to us but realize even blogger couldn't handle the whole list if we kept it going and expressed all that made 2011 perfect! So here is a condensed version that we quickly put together.

1. We're having a baby!! Janae is pregnant and we are expecting our first baby BOY in May!!
2. Celebrated our 2 year anniversary
3. We were able to see and spend time with pretty much everyone in our family this year!
4. Taiwan Trip: We went back to my mission and traveled the whole island for a couple weeks.
5. I graduated from Utah State, Janae will follow in the Spring.
6. Travel - we love it and got to do a lot of it highlighted New York, Lake Powell, Vegas,  Florida, and Disney World. (Yes Disney World gets their own destination outside of Florida)
7. Janae had awesome work experiences with the Family Literacy Center, Teaching summer school, teaching dance, being a Reach Peer for USU, and volunteering at the Legacy House assisted living.
8. Started a new career shortly after graduating.
9. Food, everything and anything about it from cooking new recipes to memorable dates and restaurants.
10. Oh and did we mention we are having a baby???

Some Christmas Pics

Christmas 2011 -  We can't believe this was already our 3rd Christmas together and 4th since we have known each other! It is such a special time of year and we were both incredibly blessed to see a lot of family and make some great memories!! Unfortunately Janae didn't get a dog but luckily we were both creative and couldn't have been happier with the holiday season so far. The only thing we wish we would have known is whether we were having a boy/girl but we will be thrilled to get to that point next week!! Enjoy the pics fam & friends and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Wise Men Still Seek Him

A snake in the house, trip to Florida, and welcoming Christmas time!

Well after Jason's last post I considered ending the blog because it was the most wonderful thing ever and I knew it couldn't get better than that!  ha But Jason convinced me otherwise so I will continue to blog.  I have missed a lot of events in our life the last few months so this is a random update.  

Jason has been working crazy hard the last few months and unfortunately that has included a lot of traveling.  I have done really well for the most part and have stayed really busy while he was gone.  One wonderful night I came home and was not alone.  In one of our spider traps I found a snake!  Yes in my house!  Having my husband all the way across the country made this so much worse.  It took me a while to calm down and after I did I started to feel sorry for the snake... So using half a bottle of olive oil and a long stick I spent the next hour trying to set it free.   It was not easy and by the time I got it off it looked dead anyway.  I felt so bad but I took it across the street and set it there.  In the morning it was gone so hopefully it survived and went as far from my house as possible.  When I told Jason he couldn't believe it and couldn't understand why I didn't just throw it away.  Ha I don't quite understand either but i really don't like to hurt animals.  Even gross, scaly, scary ones.  

On a happier note at the end of October Jason flew me out to meet him in Florida and we got to spend a few days in Boynton Beach with his brothers family.  We also got to spend an entire day babysitting their son Cole while they went out and shot a wedding.  It was so much fun.  We went to the zoo and did some trick or treating and just played the entire day.  Cole is darling by the way!  I hope our kids are at cute as all our nephews and nieces!  Oh and if you want to see some amazing wedding trailers check out Jason's brothers web site at blueshorecinema.com!  

Here's a pic of Jason, Jeremy, Jenn, and Cole at the beach after breakfast!

Isn't he darling?  We sure do love that little guy.

I love the beach and hope with all my heart I can live by one some day!  

On a more recent note I finished the fall semester!  Woo Hoo, only one more to go and i will be graduating!  We have been loving celebrating Christmas so far!  Last week we went on our traditional date to Temple Square and had dinner at The Roof!  It was amazing and one of my favorite dates of the year.  We also love seeing Temple square decked out in lights.  I go almost every year and have probably multiples of the same pics but I am still amazed by how beautiful it is and always take more!  

It was pretty cold so we spent a lot of time in the Joseph Smith building and also went and saw the Joseph Smith movie.  The missionary's informed us that almost 40% of it is new!  I didn't know that, so if you haven't seen it in a while you should definitely go!  It was amazing but bring the tissues! 

So far this December has been really special.  I have had the opportunity to start volunteering at Legacy House Assisted Living up here in Logan and it has been incredible.  I am working on my gerontology certificate and need 150 hours of practicum so I will be there quite a bit the next few months.  I am truly excited and loving it so far.  Most of my time I spend in the Alzheimer's unit and it has been a huge learning experience.  I have only been going a week and have had countless memorable experiences.  It truly makes you recognize what is important in life and these wonderful people remind me everyday.  The topic brought up at least a gazillion times when I am there is family.  For the people who forget almost everything the one thing that seems to be constantly on their mind is family.  It is a great reminder to me everyday to forget the trivialities of life and be grateful for my wonderful family!  

Speaking of family ours is growing quickly!  Here is our first ultra sound pic.  Sorry it's a little old from 12 Weeks but isn't it the cutest ultra sound you have ever seen?  haha no need to answer I know it is!  I am currently 18 weeks and we should find out if its a boy or girl in two more weeks.  

Also here is our lovely Christmas Card!  Love you all and Merry Christmas!

The Perfect part of my life!!

It has been a couple of weeks and yeah...even months since my last post!! Janae has been doing all the work making this blog keep rolling and looking good! We are so blessed and excited for our baby boy/girl to come in May. Our little one is healthy and doing very well so far on the appointments...Janae is a trooper and handling her pregnancy very well, I have been super impressed! It is also a big bonus knowing I can order pizza any day of the week and she is perfectly in love with that decision every single time! :)

You will continue to hear her, she, Janae, sweetheart, and my wife in this post! She has supported me 100% in our marriage and especially with me taking on an entirely new job at work that meant I needed more support than ever and she has been great! Her texts, voicemail messages, pictures, skyping, and so on she sends me throughout the work day and when I am traveling seriously make such a difference!! It makes me so happy to know we still do the little things in our marriage that bring us closer together and allow our love to grow more and more each day. I can honestly say I am more in love with my sweetheart now than I have ever been! She does so much for our little family even while being pregnant, and carrying a full load of school in her hands...just one more semester to go as of next week and she will be home free - SO PROUD! Although we have only been married just over 2 years - Janae has always been super selfless and willing to do whatever it takes to make me happy! She is perfect for me and I don't know what I would have done, become, and been doing without her! Shout outs to all the incredible women in our lives that make us better, happier, and realize where the true blessings in life come from!!! Thank you! I LOVE YOU JANAE!

Coming this May...

Jason and I have a very exciting announcement!  We are expecting a new addition to our family this May and couldn't be more excited!  We're officially a little over 12 weeks, and are due around May 24th.  Last week we had our first ultra sound, and it was incredible.  Our little baby was already kicking and doing flips like crazy!  It was truly amazing!  

Halloween as a Kid

Photo's courtesy of Mandy!  I LOVE Halloween especially as a kid!  It is such a fun holiday and I love that it is at the end of October so you have the entire month to celebrate!  I love carving pumpkins, I love the fall leaves, i love the decorations, I love dressing up, I love trick or treating, I love Hocus Pocus, I love my moms chili we eat every Halloween, and pretty much everything about this holiday. Sadly as I have gotten older it's not as easy to enjoy all the fun things about Halloween, but I can't wait to have children so I can do it all with them!  Here are some pictures of my old Halloween trick or treating days!  Those were the best!!!  If you don't know Mandy she was my best friend growing up, and she is in all of these pictures!  haha 

Dead school girls!  This was a awesome Halloween day because of the grey and black clouds, with all the leaves changing colors!  

 Queen Amadala haha my brother wanted me to be that more than I did.  

 This one I am a 50's girl and am jealous because look how awesome Mandy's Cinderella costume it!  She even has Cinderella hair!  

 Mindy, Mandy, and Me as masquerade butterflies.  We found these masks and couldn't figure out what we would be but really wanted the masks.  So I think my mom made of the masquerade butterfly name.  

 Pocahontas!  I love that we are the same most years.  

 This year we did Wizard of Oz theme!  I was Glynda, Mandy was Dorthy, and Mindy was the wicked witch of the west!  haha We even took around my dog to be Toto!

Happy Halloween Everyone!  

Falling in Love with Fall Part 2

A hike up Logan Canyon!

Cute lil'inch worm! 

 It took a lot of work to get this shot with balancing the camera on rocks and such, and Jason almost fell in the water trying to get to me before the timer went off!  haha but it worked!  the things we do to get a picture! ( :

We live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, and couldn't love it more!