Christmas!!!

Okay, so I'm behind...I'm new. I'll get it down. Promise.

Chad and I's first Christmas together was pretty great. We were able to go up to Logan and spend it with my family this year. It was quite the show, I tell you what! My mom always goes above and beyond when it comes to Christmas! I mean...the woman starts planning Christmas in July! She has lists, and charts and diagrams and flow charts about how it will all pan out! And every year...she nails it. It's always SO much fun! The schedual typically goes as follows.

8:00 a.m. - Wake Up (No time is given to primp...it's a "come as you are" kind of thing.) 8:15 - Pack Family 2nd Annual Nerf War

8:30 - Open up Sock Gifts (this is Chad & I's sock my mom made for us.)

9:30 - Breakfast...with the works! Egg nog, German Pancackes, Bacon, Hashbrowns, OJ mmm

11:00- Santa Gifts (Rules: Oldest to youngest, one at a time. Make it last as long as possible.)

1:00- Snack break/ Nap time

2:30 - Open up Family gifts.

4:30 - Enjoy the rest of the day playing games, watching movies, putting together puzzels, etc...

As you can see...we can make Christmas last pretty much ALL day! And it's the BEST!!! Chad didn't even seem to get too overwhelmed with my crazy family! We had a great time! Chad got me a new hair straightner and a blow dryer which I LOVE by the way. And my parents gave me some new ski poles which I was absolutely giddy about!

Chad got a new power drill and a surround sound system. All of which he was pretty excited about. I LOVE being his Santa! I had SO much fun watching him open his presents! I tell you what...giving is the BEST!!!

Pack Family Tree Hunt

My family has a tradition of every year on the saturday after thanks giving we go up into Idaho and cut down our Christmas Tree. Now although this is one of my all time favorite family traditions...I have to admit...it rarely- if ever-goes off without a hitch. Like most Pack Family outings...typically we roll out about 2-24 hours AFTER we say we are going to go. We run into any and all sorts of perdiciments ranging from lost snow gear, forgotten lunches, car trouble, frost bite, and lost personages. There is never a dull moment, whether good or bad, but by the time we get back home most can say they had a pretty good time. After taking into consideration all of these potentials mis-haps...it's no wonder why those who we try to introduce to this tradition only come once. (Sissys) So I was a tad nervous to subject Chad to this tradition because if he didn't like it...I would be crushed because I love it.

Fortunately for me, the day was relatively flawless. We were only an hour late from when we were hoping to leave. The "burb" was in good working order. We remembered the lunch, everyone brought all their snow gear, we all had walkie talkies to keep tabs on everyone. And it was a GORGEOUS day! Only down fall...not too much snow in them there hills. BUT...you know what they say "You can't have it all."

We hiked to the top of the mountain...had to cross over a couple of ridges but then...we came across our tree. The sun shined down and the tree "spoke" to Chad. My dad handed him the ban saw and my man cut down his very first tree. One of the rights of passages into the Pack family. There was a small ceremony, picture were taken, tears were shed, all in all fantastic experience for all envolved.

Next my manly man threw the tree over his shoulder and treked back down the mountain side. He's so dreamy. ;) We got, what we thought to be, a cute "little" tree for our new home but it turned out to be about 4' too tall to fit into our house. After a quick little trim though we got it down to 8' tall and is currently taking up a good portion of our living room. We absolutely LOVE it!

Chad ended up really liking the whole adventure and I think I may just be able to talk him into going next year. :) Gotta love Christmas!!!

Our First Tree :)

I Choose My Love & I Love My Choice

When I first started blogging I started simply to stay in touch with all my married friends who choose blogging as their first means of communication to the outside world. I rarely if ever updated my Singles World blog. But now...since I'm a married myself...I figure...I'll jump on this bandwagon with a little more gusto. And maybe...if I'm diligent...I may end up with some sort of historical reference documenting the ongoings of my new life with my best friend. Wouldn't that be nice?

Like every other girl I know, as I was growing up I had a sort of “wish list” of what kind of man I dreamt I would one day marry. It consisted of things like “funny, charming, full of life, spontaneously romantic, hard worker, great hands, loves his God more than anything, can sing and will sing to me, a good father to our children, etc..." my own personal Capt. Moroni essentially. Now…I was pretty optimistic in my wish list. And after a few years in the dating circuit I came to realize that maybe I was a little TOO optimistic…the "on the verge of being unrealistic" kind of optimistic.

In light of that realization a few years back I decided to toss the list and simply look for a good guy who I can love and who can love me back. I threw out the optimism, and decided to just find someone who I could be pretty happy with. And then…then I met Chad. And all of a sudden…the optimism came back. :) My previous list…of which I deemed out of reach and childishly hopeful…wasn’t so far-fetched. Standing right in front of me, in a gorgeous package of a man, was my list. Well actually…it was more than my list. Because at age 14 I didn’t realize I also wanted a sexy man of God. I didn’t know I NEEDED a man who could make me feel so completely loved and adorned, sexy and beautiful, and genuinely wanted. I never expected to marry a man who is so willing to help me with anything and everything. And I most certainly never would have thought I’d be fortunate enough to marry someone as incredible as Chad.

When I asked my Heavenly Father if I could keep him, I basically said "I have found someone pretty remarkable who makes me incredibly happy...so... if it's all the same to you...I choose him." I chose my love and I love my choice. It's been 2 weeks since we got married and I'm a firm advocate in the marriage movement. Especially if you're fortunate enough to find someone who makes you so genuinely euphoric you find you can't stop smiling.

I've yet to get any pictures of our day. But as soon as I do I will post them and give a recap on the main events. It was a perfect way to start.