Holiday Confessions

-I love the holidays and everything about them.  I even like going shopping on Saturdays when people are everywhere and the lines are really long.  It gets me in the holiday spirit.

-I love giving my family gifts.  I like picking them out but I sometimes think about it WAY too much and can't decide on anything.  I just want it to be the perfect gift.

-I like making Christmas wishlists with Marcus and seeing what he comes up with.  His lists can get pretty crazy!  On his list this year:  a sectional, a waverunner, and multiple remote control cars.  And I know the holidays aren't all about getting gifts, but I still really like it.

-I love having a "mini Christmas" with just Marcus and I before we head off to visit our families, even if that means opening our gifts a day or two before Christmas.

-I like jello salads.

The Tree

1400 lights

85 ornaments

too many tripped breakers and blown fuses

3 trips to walmart

countless popcorn kernals

and

17 billion hours

LATER

Our tree is finally ready.

And as much work as it was, it was totally worth it.  Although this year I really started to understand why my dad was such a "scrooge" every year when it came to the tree.  It can sure be a pain!

And do you know what my favorite part is?  Besides it being 14 feet tall, and my new tree skirt, I absolutely love the popcorn.  

Just because

Happy Friday!

Welcome Christmas!

We had our kickoff to Christmas Saturday after Thanksgiving when we went up to Preston to go get Christmas trees.  There was SO much snow this year and with every step you would sink waist deep into the thick powder.  Katie had to stay in the car with baby Stella and Elise and Joe weren't able to come up this year, but the rest of us trekked  up the mountain side to find our perfect trees.

  
They were covered in so much snow that you had to shake them to get all of the snow off to get a good look.  Once we cut our tree down and started hauling it down the mountain, we realized how completely heavy it was.  Marcus and I would pull with all of our strength (at least with all of mine) and get a few feet, fall in the snow, and have to take a rest.  It was such a process!  Finally my dad switched me and I hauled his lighter tree while he and Marcus struggled the rest of the way down with ours.

  This is our tree, to the left of us.

As always, it was quite the adventure!

The best Thanksgiving so far

I have SO many wonderful blessings to be grateful for.  So many.  I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving.  Ours was the best.

We had an amazing weekend and thoroughly enjoyed the extra 2 days off of work.  We slept somewhere different every night and had so much fun with both of our families.

Wednesday night--slept in Centerville with my family.  Spent the morning making the Thanksgiving feast and then eating it up.  Then we went and saw Tangled, which was really cute.

Thursday night--headed up to Marcus's family cabin up in Kamas.  It was freezing up there but we had a great time spending time with family, relaxing, and sledding.

Friday night--drove all the way to Logan.  We slept at my sister's house and watched football.  Strange for us girls, but we enjoyed it. 

Saturday--We got up and headed to Preston to cut down our Christmas trees!  More on this to come.

We got home late Saturday night and we were happy to be home.  We had a super busy but amazing weekend and feel so blessed.  We are so grateful for our families and how close we are to them (both close in distance and close in relationships). 

And the speaker at church used this quote on Sunday and I just love it.  

"How can we cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude? President Joseph F. Smith, sixth President of the Church, provided an answer. Said he: “The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life.” He continued: “Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man."  President Thomas S. Monson

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Marcus!  I love you with all of my heart.  I don't know what I would do without you.

And for those of you who can believe this, guess what Marcus requested for his birthday dinner?  Kraft Mac & Cheese.  Seriously. 

Baby Girl Stokes is Here!

And she is such a doll!  Oh my gosh, she is the most precious little tiny baby I have ever seen.  I just love her so much already and am so glad we got to go see her last night!  She is yet to be named, but I'm sure Katie and Nate will come up with something adorable.  Yay for another darling baby in the family!

Post Edit:  She has a name!  Stella Kate Stokes.  A beautiful name for a beautiful baby!

Give Thanks

This entire last week I have been sick.  That means that all I have managed to do is get myself to work and then crash afterwards.  And my weekend?  The whole thing was spent in bed.  We had plans to hang out with friends, go to an ultimate tournament, and enjoy every second of our free time, but sadly I wasn't able to do any of it.  And that made me really ornery.  And kind of depressed.

And today, even though I still woke up with a sore throat and a headache, I am feeling quite a bit better.  So I will be thankful for that.  I realized how sad that in the middle of November, the month to count my blessings and be grateful for everything I have, I was feeling so ungrateful.  So I am doing my Thanksgiving post early.

I am grateful for so many things.  First of all, I am so very grateful for my wonderful husband.  He is there for me no matter how crazy I am, and I just don't know what I would do without him.

 I am grateful for my sisters and my mom.  I am so lucky to have them in my lives and to be so close to them.  I am grateful for their support.  We have so much fun together and I know that I am lucky to have them.

I am grateful that both Marcus and I have jobs.  I know I complain a lot about my job, and that I am not actually doing what I want to be doing, but I am grateful to have a job right now, and to have a great boss and a good work environment.  

I am grateful for wonderful in-laws.  I feel so blessed to have married into such a wonderful family.  Marcus's parents and siblings are so amazing and I constantly am blessed to be around them.  I am so grateful for all of their love and constant support. 

 I am grateful for our beautiful house that we have, the wonderful neighborhood and ward that it is in, and all of the friends I have made here.

I am grateful for my Heavenly Father, and for the knowledge I have that he is there for me.  I am grateful that I am able to communicate with him through prayer and be comforted in all things.

And I am grateful for this holiday season.  Thanksgiving and Christmas are such a fun time but also a time to remember what is really so important in life. 

Eight is Great

Look how cute this family is.  My cute nephew Jackson was baptized on Saturday.  We spent the weekend in Logan to be there to celebrate and we had such a great time.  I love my family and I love these cute kids.  It was one last weekend with perfect fall weather and we fully enjoyed it.    And, my sister is 9 months pregnant and ready to have her fourth baby any day now.  I can't wait!

Too cute!

Did you Vote?

Pretty much every election year it happens the same way.  I see all of the signs, billboards, and commercials for all of the candidates running for office.  Certain names stick out to me, because they are catchy names.  Like Beau Babka, or Philpot.  But then I realize that it is November 1st, the night before Election Day, and I don't know who I'm supposed to vote for.  So then I think, maybe I just won't vote? 

Deep down I just know that isn't an option.  I am going to vote.  I really do think it is important to vote and wish that more people did.  But now I just wish I knew more about it.  As soon as I start reading about the candidates I usually get frustrated because it seems like all of them are promising good things.  So then I wonder should I just go and vote straight-party?  I read the Constitutional Amendments and really wonder what the difference is.  And the problem is that I don't know, but I want to know.  

Also this year I had someone tell me exactly how to vote.  Which was helpful, since I didn't know, and I respect this person's opinion, but at the same time, it bothered me.  Why should I vote exactly the way someone tells me to?  Somehow that didn't sit right with me because I wanted to be able to form my own opinions.

So many of the people I talked to this year about it said that they weren't voting because they didn't know enough about it and so they wouldn't be making an educated vote.  And I don't know why this bothered me more this year than it has before.  Maybe I am growing up a little bit?  I just realized that I want to care, and I want to know.  This is where I live and where I am going to raise my kids someday.  So while I did my best to quickly form opinions and go out and vote, next time around I am going to be more aware of what is going on, the candidates, and the issues.  Anybody with me on any of this?

Happy Halloween

I hope everyone had a happy Halloween.  We had a low key Halloween this year with no dressing up involved and it was actually a lot of fun.

A spider & A Unicorn

Do you know us well enough to know which one of us carved which pumpkin?

Me

I am...me.  a big mixture of so many things.  I think...about things over and over again in my head after they happen.  I can't just let them go.  I replay them again over and over again wondering what I could do differently. I know...that Marcus and I were meant to find each other. I want...to go back to Hawaii. and to be a good cook. I have...so many things to be grateful for.  I wish...I didn't compare myself with others, or get jealous. I hate...going to work everyday.  and sitting there bored when I have so many better things to be doing. I miss...being in school.  I fear...being alone. I feel...hopeful.  I hear...Ben Kweller, my printer, and someone on the telephone. I smell...everything. I search...to know what I should be doing with my time right now. I wonder...why my feet are always cold.  or why it had to snow already. I regret...quitting piano lessons. I love...so many things.  Marcus. My family. My friends. and finding a blog I really like and reading it backwards all the way to the beginning. I care...what people think about me.  Even if that is sometimes a bad thing. I always...read nutrition facts.  It's just who I am. I am not...an optimist. (I'm working on it). I believe...that there is a plan for each of us.  I work to have faith to believe that even while I sometimes might not understand it.   I dance...poorly.  and when I am alone.  I sing...to Marcus.  He tells me to stop, but I know he likes it.  I don't...like to feel out of control.   I write...when I am confused, upset, sad and angry.  and then I usually delete it. I win...games that have to do with luck, not skill.  I lose...every single time I play Ticket to Ride with Marcus.  I never...like to be the center of attention or put on the spot.  Especially in front of big groups. I listen...to my friends.  I can usually be found...either at work or with Marcus. I am scared of...quitting. or failing. I read...in phases.  Sometimes I'm into it and sometimes I'm not. I am happy about...so many things.  Mostly my life, and all of the good things in it. 

I tag: Jamiejo. Tierra.  Tara. April. and anyone else who wants to do it.  I don't know who will do this.

Moosen

Last week we went and enjoyed the beautiful fall colors up American Fork Canyon before the weather turned bad.  There were two moose right there in the water in front of us.  The leaves were beautiful and the air was so crisp and cool. 

Lake Powell

We said goodbye to our summer with one last warm, sunny trip to Lake Powell with Marcus's family.  The weather was absolutely beautiful and we had a wonderful time.  We were able to stay on a houseboat with several other families and completely enjoyed ourselves.
*All photos were taken by Marcus's brother, Scott*

Meet Jill

Jill is such an amazing girl that I have gotten to know over the last few months.  She is one of those people that you just feel like you've known forever.  Jill grew up with Marcus, so I have always heard stories about them growing up together, crushes amongst friends, nicknames, etc.  I met her briefly at my wedding, but then didn't have any contact with her for the next three years.  Back in the beginning of the summer Jill and I decided to go to lunch together.  I was so nervous to meet her (for more than the 2 seconds from our wedding day), and to be at lunch with her, without our husbands.  But the second I saw her we were instant friends and I knew that she was placed in my life for a reason.

Jill and her husband Allen have recently been told that without the help of invitro they have a very small chance of getting pregnant.  You can read more about their story on her infertility blog here.  They are doing all that they can to raise the money to do this.  They are going to be doing a huge garage sale on November 6th and a 5k run on November 13th.  Check out her blog for more details.  If anyone has items to donate for the garage sale let me know and Marcus and I would be happy to pick them up from you.

Jill is also an amazing photographer and is offering discounted photo shoots as another way to raise money.  Check out her photography blog here.  Jill and Allen are going to make wonderful parents and I just wanted to get the word out there so that if anyone is able to help, they can.

Snaggle Tooth

Our trip to Lake Powell quickly came to an end Saturday afternoon after a little accident on the waverunners.  Marcus was driving a little crazy and we hit a huge wave going a little too fast and my face smacked down onto the steering wheel. A big portion of what I lost of the tooth was on the inside and I know it really could have been a lot worse.

Luckily I married into the right family for this kind of an accident.  Marcus's dad and brother are both dentists and they fixed me up good as new.  If anyone needs a good dentist, let me know, because they are both excellent and work out of Sandy.  (There is no way I would be posting such a horrific picture if they hadn't been able to fix me up!)

*pictures of our trip to come*

Look what is growing in our living room

Hollistic Approach

A lot of people have been asking me about my gluten free/dairy free/sugar free diet that I am doing.  Usually the first question people ask me is do I have celiac disease?  I don't.  Here is my story.

In 2006 I was diagnosed with a bladder disease.  {Have I made you feel uncomfortable?  It is amazing how many people get a little squeemish when I say "bladder disease".  They immediately try to change the subject and feel uncomfortable.  I'm not sure why that is -- if I had a "liver disease" or "heart disease" I don't think I would have the same reaction?  It's like I'm talking about something that is completely taboo.}

I have always had complete faith in the medical profession and have never considered going anywhere else (homeopathics, herbs, accupunture, etc.).  I did everything they told me to do.  I stopped drinking soda that very day and avoided all of the foods they told me to.  I had a very painful surgery and an awful experience with a medication that did not work for me, and after all of that I was finally told that I was "just going to have to learn to live with it."  It was not a good thing to hear but I accepted it and tried to move on, while having this disease affect my life on a daily basis. 

Fast forward to a few years later.  I got  a recommendation from a family acquaintance to go to a Hollistic Family Nurse Practitioner.  She had the same disease I have but by going here she is now completely symptom free.  I was very skeptical and did not want to go.  I knew it would be expensive and I doubted that it could work, so I put off making an appointment.   Finally after struggling with new and different medical issues, it felt right to me, and I finally made my first appointment.

I started seeing Martha Bray in May.  It is different than any kind of appointment I have ever been to.  In a completely shortened version, she uses many different scans and analyzes the meridians of your body to determine where you have a problem and what would help.  She focuses on your whole wellness and not just one specific organ or problem.

She also uses a food scan which tells you what foods are causing an inflammatory response in your body.  Those are the foods you should avoid.  My main foods to avoid have been wheat, rye, barley, bell peppers and milk, with quite a few smaller ones, like beets, bananas and coconut.    I have also been avoiding sugar as much as possible.

All of the supplements, homeopathic drops and sprays that I am currently on.

So this has been a five month journey so far and I think I have at least another six months or so.  I have seen some definite improvements in my health and certain specific things while other things have remained unchanged.  I am trying to have faith that this will work and am giving it my 100 percent effort.    Does anyone out there have any success stories with a similar approach?  Or if anyone wants any more information let me know.  I'd be happy to share more details.

Laura + Phillip

Laura and Phillip are an adorable couple and were married Friday afternoon.  It was a beautiful day, and everything seemed to go perfectly.  The sealing was beautiful and it was amazing to be there with them.  Laura looked gorgeous and you could just tell that they were completely happy and in love.  After the sealing they had a wonderful dinner in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building where they played slide shows, had their friends and siblings speak, and had two incredible musical numbers.  We were so grateful to be a part of their big day! 

Phillip's sister made the cake and not only was it gorgeous but SO delicious too!  Congratulations you two!

Cake Pops

What a wonderful weekend.  We were able to spend time with both of our families and relax and listen to conference.

My sister Katie had given us all the adorable Cake Pops book by Bakerella and we took advantage of Saturday night to make these.  Sadly Katie and Nate are in Hawaii (sad for us, not them) so Katie wasn't here to make these with us, and we missed her.  Anyway, they were a lot of fun and I think they turned out so cute!

Marcus even joined in making his own creation.

My favorite talks were Elder Uchtdorf's talk on simplifying our life in times of turbulance, President Monson's talk on gratitude, and Elder Scott's talk on faith, trials and building character.  A favorite quote of his:

If you’ve determined to live righteously, don’t become discouraged.  Life may seem difficult now but hold tightly to that iron rod of truth.  You are making better progress than you realize.  Your struggles are defining character, discipline, and confidence in the promises of your Father in heaven and the Savior as you consistently obey their commandments. 

Cowboys & Indians

I had said we were going to a Cowboy & Indian party last night.  And it was lots of fun.  The party was thrown by and for Marcus' sister, Laura, and her fiance, Phillip.  They are getting married next week and this was their big party.  This was the invitation that they sent out with their wedding announcements:

The happy couple:

 

The mechanical bull was especially a hit.  It was definitely a lot harder than it looks! 

I would say the party was a HUGE success.  So many people came and were dressed up in awesome costumes.  There was lots of good food, all different kinds of rootbeers, and tons of activities.  Such a fun night!

Personal

Lately I have been wanting to be a little more personal on my blog here.  I've wanted to share what I'm really feeling, thinking, and going through all of the time, not just the good times.  But somehow, that seems a little too scary, and I am not there yet.  So instead I blog about the good things (and there are lots of them, so I have plenty to blog about!) and leave all of the other stuff hidden deep down inside.

I slowly am learning to open up and let people in, confide in them and let others share my struggles with me.  Sometimes I am disappointed by the things people say, or their lack of understanding.  But at the same time I have been lifted up by others and surprised by people's compassion.  And, everyone is so willing to pray for me.  And that is a blessing.   

So today I just really, really like this quote, and maybe someone else will too.

Everywhere in nature we are taught the lessons of patience and waiting. We want things a long time before we get them, and the fact that we want them a long time makes them all the more precious when they come.
~Joseph F. Smith

*And I am super excited because it is Friday, we have an awesome Cowboy and Indians party to go to tonight, and it is general conference this weekend.  Not to mention that it is 90 degrees outside!  Yay.

Stuff I like

These are a few of my favorite things right now:

1.  Shores, from Hapari.  

 

Lame name, cool product.  I finally just got one of these half-shirts and they are so nice!  I love the fact that they are short so you don't have all of the bunch at the bottom of your shirt.  They are somewhat higher, but not so high that they look stupid.  And the seam is really great--a finished seam but not a thick seam.

2. CamelBak Better Bottle 

 

I love this thing.  Marcus says I have gotten my moneys worth out of this more than anything else I have ever bought.  I use it every day, all day.  (And it is perfect to add in my lemon and lime slices)

3. Hoola Bronzer, by Benefit, from Sephora. 

Totally worth the money and totally necessary, especially during the winter.  It looks so natural and lasts forever.  I have had mine for over a year.

4.  Pamela's baking mixes.  

Is anyone out there doing the gluten-free thing?  Let me just say it is hard!  I have been doing it for about 4 months now (along with no dairy and as of lately, no sugar) but this mix was so good.  I made it into waffles, and even Marcus liked it (which means it has to be good).  It has an almost nutty taste and texture to it and it is delicious.

5.  And, just for fun, something I am wishing I had today.  This adorable cake stand, from Target.

I love Weekends

Marcus and I seriously live for the weekends.  After a long week of work I feel drained, mentally, emotionally, and physically, and the weekend is just what I need to build myself back up.  Marcus seems to be built with a little bit more energy than me, and he doesn't seem to get as drained as I do, but he still appreciates the weekend just as much. 

 

Our weekends are usually not very relaxing because we try to cram in as many things as we can, but they are always fun.   This weekend included:

-the circus [there were 9 tigers and 8 elephants there (plus one baby elephant), lots of ponies, llamas, and a dog.  I had no idea there would be that many animals there!], 

-a bridal shower for Marcus' sister, Laura, 

-a frisbee tournament for Marcus at Utah State, and 

-a fun birthday party for my cute nephew and niece, Jacks and Lola, at Fat Cats.

5 Reasons we love our neighborhood

1.  We're in a small neighborhood, secluded and tucked away behind a golf course.

2.  Just down the street from one of my favorite places to eat

3.  Minutes away from the beautiful Jordan River Temple

4.  Seconds away from the Jordan River Parkway

5. beautiful scenery on all sides of us