Thanksgiving 2011

For Thanksgiving this year Randy and I spent it with his parents Blake and Diana in Ogden. We stayed at a resort called Wolf Creek by WorldMark. We stayed in a two bedroom suite and spent Wednesday through Friday there. We relaxed, hung out, watched movies, ate Thanksgiving dinner, went deer watching, and had a great time. It was a great holiday and one what we will remember for a long time.

This deer was right outside of our room

This is a picture of the ski hill you could see from our balcony

Outside of our room, we stayed on the bottom floor

We went for a drive looking for deer and ended up going up a very steep hill. This is a picture of the valley on the way down. It is really beautiful.

Catching Up with Good Friends!

While in Utah I spent some time with my good friends Ashley Shippen and Emilee Harmon. We have known each other for about 15 years. We met in the third grade and grew up on the same street. We have been great friends ever since. While I was down there Emilee invited Ashley and I over to dinner with her and her husband Jeff. We talked and laughed for hours. I was over there till about one in the morning and even though I was tired it was time well spent. I love spending time with these girls whenever I come to Utah because we always have a good laugh, catch up, and talk about old times. I am grateful for their friendship and hope it continues for many more years! Love you EM and ASH!

Christmas Decor is Up!

Randy and I came home from our vacation at Wolf Creek in Ogden, UT and decided to put up our christmas decorations. We sort of had a dilemma that we had to solve. This will be our third Christmas together and we have lived in a very small apartment so in theory our tree was small as well. Well this year we are living in our house and the living room is much bigger that our old small tree looked really dinky in our new living room. We did have a bigger tree in our basement that used to belong to Randy's mom. The thing was that it wasn't pre-lit, it made a huge mess, we had to put all the branches and lights on which would take forever, and we didn't have enough ornaments. So this was our dilemma so we decided to go to Wal-Mart to see if they had a bigger tree for not very much money that was pre-lit. Well it just so happened they did so we bought a 7.5 foot tree and we bought new ornaments and decorations to go with it. It turned out great and it looks great in our living room. We bought red, green, and gold ornaments, and red fringe to go around the tree. Our other Christmas decorations include a snowman, train underneath the tree, our boots, nativity set, a wreath, and lights around our banister. I love decorating for Christmas because it makes me really excited. I can't wait for Christmas this year and I think our tree turned out great!

The tree before it got decorated

After it is all decorated

The tree when it is all finished

The tree finished complete with train set underneath

Our snowman a gift from my grandma

Our Christmas Boots

Our colorful banister(Randy's work)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Peyton's 2nd Birthday

Last Friday I went down to Utah to hang out with my family for five days. My niece Peyton had a party while I was down there on Saturday November 19th. She turned two years old. She had a Minnie Mouse themed party because she loves Minnie Mouse. My sister Megan made all the decorations for the party. She is really creative and it turned out to be a lot of fun. I can't believe that my niece is two already. The last two years have flown by so fast. She got a lot of stuff and had a great birthday.

Randy and I gave Peyton a stroller to push her dolls and things in and she loves it. She pushes it everywhere.

The Birthday girl and her cake

The Cake

Peyton loves the movie the Little Mermaid. For her birthday she got a singing card and she loves it. After every present she had to look at it and make sure it still sung. It made her smile and she got so excited every time she looked at it. In the picture above she is waving at the mermaids.

Consider it Built...

Yesterday Randy bought me a table that I have wanted for a long time. We moved the bookshelf that was in the living room that we kept our school stuff on into the office and got this table to put magazines, netflix, decorations, etc. on. It looks really good where we put it. Randy built it while I did homework and it turned out great. He normally hates putting things together by himself from Walmart because they have such retarded instructions but it wasn't too difficult for him. It took about an hour to put together and I love it!



Out for a Sunday Drive

A couple of weeks ago after church Randy and I decided to go for a drive. We love to go for drives and this one was really fun because it was really snowy. We drove up to Swan Valley and saw the beautiful scenery. We were hoping to see some animal life but the snow just hasn't made them move down low yet. It was a lot of fun and I can't wait for more winter drives.

Veterans Day 11.11.11

Veterans Day is a special day in our country. It is a day that we remember our fallen troops as well as the men and women who have fought in present day wars and past wars. Last week my 5th grade students wrote letters to soldiers over in Iraq. My students were really excited about the project because many of them have family members that are veterans. We put together a care package for them and sent it off. They have also have been practicing for the "I'm An American" program that is taking place in March 2012. There is a song that I have been thinking about a lot lately and thought I would share on this American holiday. This song is called "American Tears" and here are the lyrics:

Sometimes I think about America.

About her struggles through the years.

I think of people who...did what they had to do.

With the strength to act through their fears.

Sometimes I think about America. About her future and her past.

I know I'm blessed to be living in liberty.

In a land where freedom will last.

For the heroes. For the patriots. For the soldiers.

For all the pioneers. I will always be an American.

And I'll always cry American tears.

Sometimes I think about America. About her people's legacy.

I wonder if they knew... that whatt they had to do

Would be known throughout history.

Sometimes I think about America. About her pain along the way.

I know it had to be.. for our democracy.

For the world we live in today.

For the heroes. For the patriots. For the soldiers.

For all the pioneers. I will always be an American.

And I'll always cry American tears.

On this Veterans Day let us remember the troops past and present, and the freedoms they have fought for.

HAPPY VETERANS DAY!

Crazy Girl

I hardly blog it is usually my wife that updates the blog. I just thought that I would get on and tell her how much she means to me. If I could pick a song to describe my wife and her relationship with me it would be "Crazy Girl" by the Eli Young Band. She truly is crazy but in a good way. I love her like crazy and can't imagine my life without her. I love you babe! This song also fits her well too because she loves it. Everytime it comes on the radio she turns it up and sings to me.



Baby why you wanna cry?

You really ought to know that I

Just have to walk away sometimes

We're gonna do what lovers do

We're gonna have a fight or two

But I ain't ever changin' my mind

Crazy girl, don't you know that I love you?

And I wouldn't dream of goin' nowhere

Silly woman, come here, let me hold you

Have I told you lately?

I love you like crazy, girl

Wouldn't miss a single day

I'd probably just fade away

Without you, I'd lose my mind

Before you ever came along

I was living life all wrong

Crazy girl, don't you know that I love you?

And I wouldn't dream of goin' nowhere

Silly woman, come here, let me hold you

Have I told lately?

I love you like crazy, girl

You are the best crazy girl ever babe! I couldn't imagine my life without you! Love you!

I Heart Fall

Fall

The old earth is changing;

The seasons turn round.

The autumn leaves flutter

Their way to the ground.

My own world is changing;

The seasons conspire

To grant me the peace

Of rest by the fire.

Words can't describe how much I love the season fall. It is so beautiful when the leaves are changing colors and the sound of crunchy leaves beneath your feet. I love the feel of crisp fall air and wearing cute clothes. A few weeks ago I was coming home from Utah with my grandparents and we took a detour and drove through Sardine canyon. Even though it adds about another hour and a half to the drive it was so worth it. The colors of the trees were breathtaking. I couldn't get some really good pictures because they were taken as I drove by. The pictures don't do the trees and leaves justice. Whenever I think about or see the leaves changing I think about nature and how the Savior knew what he was doing. It makes me appreciate nature that much more. I love fall for many reasons and a big reason why is that it is the season in which I met Randy Purcell. It was eight years ago that I met him at a high school football game. Fall will always hold a special place in my heart. It also means that winter is just around the corner. Unlike most people I love winter because it means snowmobiling season is coming! I married into a family that owns and loves snowmobiles.

Little Tigers

In school this fall I am working in a 5th grade class for my senior practicum. I have been there for about seven weeks. I only have about four more weeks in this classroom and I am really sad about that. I love being there and seeing and working with the 5th graders. I have learned so much from them and my cooperating teacher that they will forever be a part of me and who I become as a future teacher. I look forward to every Tuesday and Thursday because I learn something new every day whether it be from them or about them. The schools mascot is a tiger and my post is titled Little Tigers because I am so excited for these kids to grow up and go out into the world and try to make it a better place. Each one of these kids has something to offer the world. They are such special and sweet kids. I am so grateful for the time and experience I get to have with them.  They are great kids!