=)

Completely Handmade Gift

Whew! I have always wanted to make everyone's gift for Christmas...but some things you just can't make...especially boy gifts. Anyway, this year I made a whole gift for my sister-in-law (Mike's sister) by hand! ...And hopefully she doesn't have a link to this or else I just ruined what her gift is! Oh, well. I am just so proud of it...I would keep it if it didn't have Carolyn's name on it.
Here's the basket...


Handmade book with helicopters that I laboriously collected from the parking lot and cut a window in the binder's board for. Sorry I didn't flip the picture.
Custom gift tags that I designed...


With matching thank you cards all wrapped up with envelopes.
It doesn't seem like much now that I post about it, but all this took several days of work! I am glad I went to the effort though. I guess it's always a good sign of a good gift when you don't want to give it away.

The Incredible, Dangerous, Freaking Ridiculous, ARCTIC BLAST!

I was sound asleep Sunday morning until Michael lovingly shook me half to death and said, "Guess what?!!"

"..whut..." as I wiped eyeboogies from my tearducts.

"It's Christmas!"

I sleep pretty dang good-I actually consider myself quite talented in the area of sleeping-but I am not that good! "..uh..what? no it's not..."

Michael was as giddy as a school boy. "But it is snowing outside!!"

"hmm...hopefully they'll cancel church!" I said very sarcastically, but I did have my hopes up.

I try to go back to sleep, although it was already 9 o'clock in the morning. But to no avail. Another shaking came about a half hour later. "Church is cancelled!"

With enough snow to make things white, they really did cancel church! I was in shock, but I was so happy I didn't have to prepare a lesson! Yes, shoot me with lightning now, but however cute those kids are...and how much they make you laugh...they are tiring!

Not only was church cancelled, so were Michael's Monday finals! And today's finals! Tomorrow's weather doesn't look any better...maybe those finals will be cancelled too!

Besides the news sounding like the world is closing up and practically ending in the Northwest, not much else is going on. We just hope Saturday will be good enough weather to travel home for Christmas!

Recent Happenings

We went to the WSCC Gala (Formal Party) last Saturday...mmmm such good food!

Then Sunday was Michael's birthday! We had a few friends over for dinner--Michael requested pizza, so we did sun-dried tomato pesto pizza and regular pepperoni/salami/whatever toppings people wanted pizza. In all I made 8 pizzas (for only 7 people) and only had a few slices of leftovers (which are all gone but 2!). Piggy piggies. =)

Since Michael doesn't like chocolate (or regular cake all that much) I made angel food cake! With whipped cream and strawberry topping. It was yummo. (Don't confuse the look on my face for boredom...that's just the way I look!)Happy 26th!

Probably one of the best movies of all time

..and it doesn't even need to be Christmas time to watch it.

Busy Busy Busy!

4 days to Michael's birthday.

22 days until Christmas.

25 days until our 2 year anniversary.

Where did all the time go?!?! I haven't gotten all of Michael's birthday gifts let alone shopped for Christmas! AH!

Happy Early Turkey Day!

I am doing this post early since Michael just informed me that he really does want to make the trip to Wyoming for Thanksgiving after all...tonight....starting at 1 am. Practically his entire family is going to be in town--which is A LOT of people.

Turkey Day Thanks. Portland and the ghetto that we live in has made me truly grateful for the lifestyle that the gospel creates. We know where we come from and we know where we are going. I worked with a girl that was 18, had a 2 year old and was pregnant again and not by the same father as her 2 year old. I can't imagine what her life must be like. I don't know what I would do without the temple, scriptures, the priesthood, and knowing how to pray. I am thankful for Joseph Smith and the courage he had to restore Christ's Church, and I am thankful for our modern day prophet and the words of love, peace, and warning he gives.

Although it's not the easiest calling, I love teaching the 6 year olds, because they often teach me so much. I am thankful for their innocence and honesty.

I am thankful for my family--the memories we've created, the fights we've had, and the advice they give. I am thankful for Michael. He may not be perfect, but neither am I. I can't imagine life without him.

My list could go on forever, on down to being thankful for cheesecake--honestly, who doesn't like cheesecake? But I hope you all have an awesome Thanksgiving with family/friends. BYE!