Beginning to Look Like Christmas

The tradition of putting up the Christmas tree the first Sunday after Thanksgiving reigns supreme! Rich and I made a deal after dinner that if he would make the lunches for Monday he wouldn't have to put lights on the tree. He jumped at this deal. In the end though he ended up putting lights on the top part of the tree because Mom and I were too short. He is such a good husband!

Mom passed out ornaments and Dad, Rich, and I decorated the tree.


There is not a picture of me hanging ornaments because Rich only took pictures of me while he was sitting on the chair. This angle made me seem GINORMOUS. And not in a good pregnant way. He later informed me it was NOT the angle. He then received a death glare. I still like him though.

Rich didn't think the way I was putting the beads on the tree was good enough, so he took over.

He did a fantastic job.

This is us being cute in front of the tree!

Love Christmas and the lights and the tree and everything!

Thanksgiving 2009

We had Thanksgiving with the Millett family this year. It was supposed to be a magical time of being together as an entire family, but then Christy and Phil moved to Kansas City and ruined that plan. BUT WE STILL LOVE THEM.

Wednesday night was spent preparing some things for the big meal. I stood so long that my ankles swelled to proportions that ranked them in the extreme cankle category. But this was a minor sacrifice to make so we could have delicious foods to eat the next day!


I've never made a pie crust before. I normally go straight to the freezer aisle and fill the crust with my own goodness. A few weeks ago for Relief Society we had a pie making demonstration and were given a really easy recipe for a pie crust. Susie and I decided to be adventurous and make our own crusts. It was very apparent that Susie had made pie crusts before. It was very apparent that I was a beginner. But in the end I was amazed at how things worked out!

I was proud of myself. (Sometimes being prideful is okay right?) I will no longer be terrified of the crust-making.

Rich was a huge help with making the Dixie Salad. His favorite part of Thanksgiving is peeling the pomegranates. In honor of his special Thanksgiving job, he wore my bedazzled apron from the Philippines.

He is adorable, no?

He later asked why Dad didn't have a special Thanksgiving job, thus ensuring that both of the men had to help the rest of the morning.

Dad's main jobs included carving the turkey

and then sleeping to recuperate from the strenuous effort.
The whole family came over early to visit and eat appetizers. Next year we may only have one appetizer, because by the time dinner was ready everyone was full!

Dawn made cute napkin holders out of the family's pictures. Rich and I would have fit in perfectly in Puritanical New England.


We are grateful for wonderful family! We are also grateful for many other things:
Each other
Our baby
Jobs
Education
Our testimonies of the gospel
Health (especially more so since we've been sick for like 3 weeks with stupid colds)
Friends
Each other!

Adventuring

Rich and I went on a quick adventure right before Thanksgiving. I took exactly 4 pictures on our adventure. Rich took 2. We are not photo-journalists.

But we had a great time and now know that Rich doesn't hate all domestic-made cars. We also know that when the GPS tells you to stay left, stay left, and keep staying left and then exit right in .2 miles, it really means YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE EXITING THIS VERY SECOND.
Magellan failed. How he got around the Cape of Good Hope I'll never know.