Happy Holidays

This year, we flew up to Boise for Christmas, so we decided to celebrate our Christmas with each other on the 22nd, which happened to be my birthday!  For my birthday festivities, we went to my friend Gina's house and had cake and ice cream and watched the Boise State/Utah game.  (We all cheered for Boise, of course).  For Christmas we opened our presents around the tree.  I hid Ryan's fishing pole at Gina's house so it was an added surprise when we got over there. 

 I made snowflakes for my mom and mother in law for Christmas this year.  I think this one was my mom's.  I cut the glass, ground the edges, foiled the pieces and soldered them together.  I only had one burn and one good cut.  I was really excited to give them to my mom and Shauna this year.  I hope they liked them.

 My friend Gina makes these little snowmen with cookies inside for her neighbors, so I decided to do it for my neighbors this year.  They are so cute, (if I do say so myself) and really easy to make. 

 We bought this tree last year, and in the picture it did not have this big ugly fake trunk, so I am going to have to figure out how to hide that.  I might be able to make a tree skirt with the sewing machine my mom got me for my birthday!!!!  I am opening my fishing pole in this picture.  We didn't know we bought each other fishing poles! 

 I ran out of boxes, so I used what we had around the house.  Ryan got some interesting boxes.  He did not really get Sinex or Bunco but I thought it was kind of funny.  He got a pocketknife and a new sweater. 

I couldn't get my box open, so I used Ryan's new pocketknife, so it already has come in handy!  We spent a lot of time in Boise with our families.  It was so fun to see those of us that were in town.  I missed having the whole family together on Christmas.  We went and watched True Grit with my parents and Kylee and Shane.  I loved it!  We got new sleeping bags from my parents and new shoes from Ryan's.  (See a theme)  I also got a backpack that I was prefitted for so I had it at home already.  Ryan loves backpacking and it's my year to try it out with him.  I'll let you know how it goes! 

We have had a lot of fun and exciting things going on in our life right now.  As we have looked back on this year and really reflected on how the year has been, we both have felt so incredibly blessed.  It has been amazing to me to have felt my heart open in so many different ways.  We started thinking about some of the trials that we have had, and realized that what we went through was preparing us for what is about to come.  What a blessing to know that the Lord loves us and is helping us even though we can't always see it at the moment!  Happy New Year!