FINISHED!!!

So, I've been wanting to have a bench at the foot of our bed for a while now...something other than the floor to sit on while donning our shoes in the morning! But, after looking in the stores for something suitable, I decided if I wasn't willing to spend $300+ on a bench, that I'd have to make one myself! Which is exactly what I did!

I got the idea from this great blog and I completed it last night!

$30 Sofa Table on KSL

$5 Fabric
$24 2" Foam
Too many coats of Stain to count

and, voila! I think it's beautiful!

Christmas 2009

This year we spent Christmas with the Stones & Fortune families in freezing Cache Valley! I've only lived outside Cache Valley for 3 years, but already, I've forgotten how COLD it gets up there! It's too cold for my liking!

We had a blast spending time with my family. Here's some of the highlights...

The girls got matching pajamas on Christmas Eve.

So did the boys.

Julia brought her puppet's and we performed the Christmas story for the little boys, who as you can tell, were completely enthralled by it! (Side note, I laughed so hard during this performance for some reason, that I peed my pants!)

We had a White Elephant gift exchange on Christmas Eve...one lucky man got a basket full of awesome treats...or did he?!

There were other WONDERFUL prizes won during the White Elephant gift exchange! I think we might see this one at Lake Powell in May!

We also had a Bunco tournament that night...no pictures were taken because we were so into the game! Neither Jordan or I won...but we did get some great consolatory prizes! Thanks, Mom!

Christmas morning was full of excitement! Jordan got the massive, steel snow shovel he'd been asking for in addition to a ticket to a Jazz game, so he can have a "Man Date" with all his brothers in law! I guess he was a good boy this past year!

I guess I was a good girl, too, because Jordan SURPRISED me with a DYSON!!! I never thought I'd see the day that I was THRILLED to get a vacum for Christmas! But that day had come, and I couldn't wait to get home and try it out! (Side note, I have since tried it out...and I'm in LOVE!!!)

Things got a little crazy at one point, as you can see in the picture! The Alder family nearly lost one of their youngest to the deadly marshmallow gun!

We were reminded, yet again, that all little children really do LOVE Jordan! (And despite what he says, he really does love them!)


We saw Grandma and Grandpa Stones, who despite claiming to be another year older, look as good as ever! We love them!



The next day, we headed over to the Fortune's for a continued Christmas celebration...and what's becoming an annual Christmas Fiesta! We had alot of fun playing games and eating yummy mexican food! Needless to say, it was a stinky car ride home!
Thanks family for another great Christmas! We are sure blessed to have each one of you in our lives, and to have a knowledge of the true meaning of Christmas!

Time out for Women

I went to Time out for Women in SLC with my mom, sisters, sister-in-law and her sister and mom...and we had ALOT of fun!

Ashley, my mom, and I stayed overnight in SLC...and Ashley broke out her wood craft projects to start painting at 1:30 AM!!!

In the morning when I asked how she had slept (because I slept like crap), she said, "Wonderful! No little kids to come wake me up!!!" I had forgotten about that little detail of her life!

I just love how all 4 of us have different color hair and eyes!
The Conference was wonderful! Very entertaining and uplifting! I think we'll make it an annual event!

Of all the FAMILIES in the WORLD...

...I'm so HAPPY I got MINE!!!

Aren't you happy Families are Forever!

We had my family over for our Annual Halloween Family Party, and it was a BLAST! The costumes were AWESOME!



My sister even had people taking pictures of her from the street when she opened the door to hand out candy to trick or treaters!

At my office Halloween party, Sarah Palin herself came to visit!!!

Don't I have some of the cutest neices & nephews around!!!

Murder Mystery #2

So, we had our Annual Halloween Murder Mystery dinner party the day before Halloween...and it did not disappoint!

This years theme was "Roman Ruins" and we were honored to have present Cleptopatra, Disgustus Caesar, a Senator, Prophet, Soldier, affluent Business Woman, Vestal Virgin, and Roman Party Girl! What a crowd we were!

Once again, our dinner was not ready until around 9:00 PM...and our guests were STARVING!!! Apparantely, Jordan and I are too used to eating dinner really late! Once we got food in our Roman guests, they were pleasant again, and up for a good night of laughter and accusations!

Thanks again Brimleys, Days & Nichols! Once again, you did not disappoint!

Mexico, anyone?

While Jordan and I were in Mexico this past August, we (unwittingly) attended a timeshare presentation for the "sister" resort of the one we were staying at. While the timeshare presentation sucked...the resort was AWESOME! And for our time and suffering, they compensated us with a certificate for a 7 night stay at one of their resorts!

Here's the catch...you have to pay a "nominal" all inclusive fee for your stay, but the hotel cost is covered. In plain english...you get a GREAT discounted rate at a GREAT resort to be used anytime with in the next year.

In looking at our schedules, Jordan and I don't think we'll be able to use the certificate before it expires (8/23/10). So, we're offering it here. If you think you and your spouse/friend (and up to 2 children under the age of 12) will be able to use it, please let me know.

I tried to included a scanned copy of the certificate and the email response I received from the resort stating the AI fee at both of the resorts for various times of the year, but it wouldn't let me upload a PDF. So, I'll include the AI fee's for each resort below:
Sandos CARACOL/PLAYACAR
1/4 - 1/31/2010 $152/ $198
2/1 - 4/1 $182/ $232
7/1 - 8/25 $152/ $134

*These rates are for 2 adults per night.


When Jordan and I went, we stayed at Sandos CARACOL. It was nice, the food was good, and the staff were all friendly. However, in our one day visit to Sandos PLAYACAR we determined that the food is better and the beach is about 100% better here than at the resort we stayed at. If we were to go back, we would stay at the PLAYACAR. However, the certificate is good for either one, and the AI fees are a bit higher at the PLAYACAR resort.

First response takes it!

Oregonians

Grandpa Dick & Grandma Sue...We're so glad you decided to extend your road trip to Syracuse, Utah! We loved seeing you and continue to be amazed by your energy! We love you guys!

GiRLs NiGhT OuT!!

My sister, sister-in-law, and sister-in-laws-sister all got together and went to see Howie Day and Colbie Caillat in concert last Friday night. The concert was in a tiny building, and we got there early enough that we were only about 20' away from the stage! It was standing room only (mainly because there were no chairs)! But we had a blast!
While the women were at the concert, all the men had all the kids at our house so the dads could watch some football game. I was THRILLED to get home and find NOTHING had been broken! Good job dads!

Last Saturday while Jordan spent the day studying, I spent the day in Logan, getting my hair done (Thanks Amber...I love it!) and attending my very first "Backyardigans" Birthday Party! I can't believe the boys are 3 already!

Don't I have the cutest neices and nephews around?!

The Fruits of our Labor

All the hard work we've put in (and continue to put in) to our landscaping are all worth it when we get to look at this...
I think our yard looks so pretty! Too bad the summer blooming season isn't longer here in Utah!

Also, this summer I planted a cantalope plant and was soo..excited when the first one was ready...or so I thought! I picked it WAY too early, and had to throw the whole thing away! What a disappointment! I have since learned how to tell when a cantalope is "ready." We'll see if the 5 growing on the vine right now are able to ripen before the freezing temperatures kill them off!

ViVA MeXIcO

In celebration of our 3rd Anniversary (and me losing one whole pound during my office Biggest Loser run!) we spent 6 days in Playa del Carmen, Mexico! It was fabulous!
We went to the same area (Cozumel & Tulum) on our Honeymoon, and loved it so much that we were excited to get back there! Plus, I got a great deal at an All-Inclusive Resort...so Jordan was ExTrA happy about that! We'd never been to an AI before, but decided that we LOVED it! We never once pulled our wallet out while we were at the resort! Meals, drinks, activities, and even tips were included in the price we had already paid! It was wonderful!

While in Mexico, we decided we would not let the humidity deter us from an excursion to the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza! And, although the humidity did nearly kill us while walking around the jungle ruins, we we were so glad that we went! It was so awesome to see the cities these Nephite/Lamanite descendants built, and the detail they put into everything. We could still clearly see the ornate carvings in the stone of jaguars, eagles, skulls, etc. It was awesome...we HIGHLY recommend it to anyone going...we also HIGHLY recommend NOT going in August!

In addition to leaving the resort to go to Chichen Itza, we also left for a day to go visit Isla Mujeres...The Island of Women! It's a teeny, tiny island off the coast of Cancun and it was beautiful! The south end of the island is a National Marine Preserve, but costs $35/person for admission. So we asked the local golf cart rental salesman if there were any other options, and he steered us to a locally owned snorkeling "park." We had so much fun snorkeling around the reef, and even saw several LARGE barracudas (which wasn't so fun for me, but Jordan loved it)! I must admit that the water in this area of Mexico is a prettier aqua blue and more clear than the water's I've seen in Hawaii...and that's saying alot, since I think my heart truely lies in the Aloha State!

All in all...it was an awesome belated Anniversary celebration! I'd go back to Mexico anyday...but preferably next time, it wont be in August!