Christmas in a nutshell

Christmas involves: 

Doing puzzles

Eating yummy tea rings 

 WHAT THE?

 We spent some time going through old cameras at Boyd's house and found this funky little camera. It still had film in it so we went around the house taking pictures. Can't wait to develop it. (what does that even mean?) 

 Pictures on the stairs. . .

 Funny pictures I guess.

Boyd and I have been giving papa Bills train parts since we have been married. 

This year we got him a banana cart! 

I ended up spending hours photoshopping. Good thing our computer is "portable"

Christmas Catch Up

I figured since I put in the effort to decorate for Christmas 

I might as well take pictures to remember the good job I did. 

(thanks for the help Nicolette!) 

And if I'm going to take pictures, I might as well save those pictures on my computer.

If I'm going to put the effort into saving them I might as well blog about it.

So. . . . 

This nutcracker has been the center of many a conversations in our home lately. 

It is called "THE MAMMOTH THING", "the GIGANTIC cracker", or anything having to do with the fact that this thing is HUGE, and I love that it is ginormous.

It's only about 20" but when placed next to a normal nutcracker it becomes a beast. 

Boyd thinks it's too big.

I caught him talking to this (below) much smaller/normal sized nutcracker. He told the little nutcracker that it was a good nutcracker and it should get a gold medal for being the right size. haha. 

 I love these silver nutcrackers. I got my inspiration from one of my favorite blogs 4men1lady . Michelle used to be one of my Young Women leaders when I was a wee biddy girl. Now she is some awesome kick butt blogger and I love everything she does. Although, my DIY projects don't turn out as cool as hers. For example the UGLY Santa below. I was going to turn him into something cool but got lazy half way through and he ended up in the garbage. So I ended up purchasing my awesome nutcrackers. Yup, that's the way I do things. I was really excited because I had been nutcracker hunting all winter long. I only found a handful. I got my silver nutcrackers from Target after Christmas for a mere $15!  I was giddy considering I saw one two days before that for $80.

 This tiny nutcracker survived and didn't get painted/thrown away. Lucky little guy.

Our tree is a whole different story. 

Boyd and I were planning on going shopping the day after but we got too excited about having a tree and ended up purchasing this one from Target the second week in December. We ended up going to about 4 different Targets but we found the perfect tree for us.

 

 Each year my mom gets us ornaments for Christmas. Here are a few from the past.

 

I've been a weasel lately. I found these awesome moose at tjmax and got them at a nice discounted price because the base was chipping. Awesome. 

The same thing happen with this tree. It is missing the top leaf in the back. I asked about it and they gave it to me for 75% off.  I hate being bold but it has been totally worth it.

 

 

I think I might keep the owls out year round. They're really fun.

Last but not least, the BEST invention ever. 

A remote control for the power outlets. AMAZING.
After crawling under the tree once and behind the computer desk (to plug the remote boxes in) that was enough for me. I loved having twinkle lights at the click of a button. Worth every penny.

Summer - Winter 2012

 I'm going to stop being a slacker.

I was going through our point and shoot and found all of these pictures. 

This is what we have been doing since the summer

Went to the Smucker's Factory in Orville, Ohio

Where you can buy the CUTEST jar of jam ever made.

Boyd and I went to the USA Soccer game in Columbus, Ohio.

 Ceadar Point water park

 Trip to Toft's dairy after a day at the water park. Some of the best ice cream ever know to man!

Boyd and I participated in the American Heart Association Heart Walk for my work. 

Hopefully the first of many walks/runs to come.

We finished. yay.

 

Went to one of my favorite places to eat. Bspot. 

Why does our life revolve around food? 

Boyd took me riding

 A sunset ride! Oh la la. . . .

Which quickly turned into a ride in the dark. . .

 Boyd turned 29!

29!

Yikes, next year he will be 30. Woah!

We went out for sushi for his birthday. 

I asked the waitress if they did anything for birthdays. 

She looked at me like she had NO CLUE what I was talking about. 

I shrugged it off. But then she came over about 10 minutes later sheepishly holding this yummy ice cream dessert. haha. It was cute. Then she looked at me and in broken English said "sing happy birthday?"

Then in the fall we went to Maple side farms. It was a fun fall activity.

Em, Alice, and I rode the Giant slide together.

Thanks for the fun Carrie and Kelly, Mom and Dad, Beth and Scott. 

The Moolar express. A barrel ride that whips you around a throws dirt in your face! 

Boyd didn't fit. It was funny.

I actually lost my camera under the seat of this thing. That wasn't funny.

 The highlight of our fall was going to the BYU v. Notre Dame game.
Go Cougars!

 

 We ran into the Hunters at the game.

Our BYU Crew. 

Thanks Sharyn and Dave for sharing your sweet tickets!

Skipping to winter. . .

In December I went down to Flordia for Zoe's baptism.

 Eli makes a fantastic wise man!

More to come from Christmas and our D.C Trip!