My husband's family has had a long standing tradition where they go and cut down their own Christmas tree from the mountains! The Friday after every Thanksgiving is tree cutting day and you can bet that I was not going to miss out on this adventure, no sir!

I've been incredibly excited about our "first" Christmas together. It's been in the forefront of my mind since before Halloween. There was no way in heck that I wasn't going into the freaking mountains and chop myself down a beautiful Christmas Tree with my husband. The only thing that could have kept me away from it was a serious injury or sickness because I have had this mental picture in my head of a perfect Christmas with a perfect Christmas tree. After getting our tree today, that mental picture is one step closer to becoming a reality! (Now I just need to work on looking like a model right when I wake up. No biggie)

Mitch and I bundled up and left for his parent's house early in the morning. I don't think we were quite as prepared for how cold it was going to be this morning, but I was so excited to go I practically rushed Mitch out of the door.

Mitch hauling my parent's tree down the mountain. I married an incredibly strong man!!

By the time we had hauled the tree down, I was so warm that I wanted to take my coat off. The sun was shinning so brightly and the trees all looked so gorgeous, I had to take a selfie.




 - Alex

I am so thankful for Thanksgiving Day and the families it unites! Today I got to spend the day eating not one, but two Thanksgiving meals!

Mitch's mother's side of the family invited us over for a feast. It was delicious! I really appreciate them thinking of us and inviting us over. It was great to see everyone and to sit down and enjoy a meal with those family members that I don't quite know or see that often. 

After the feast at the in-laws, Mitch and I headed over to my parent's house who had a huge buffet feast. They were waiting on us to eat so we literally went from one meal straight into the next. It was difficult trying to eat. We didn't want to be rude and ignore the great meal in front of us but I was stuffed! Thankfully it was buffet style so Mitch and I could go back for leftovers.

I am so grateful that my families are blessed enough to have the time, money, and space needed for a Thanksgiving meal.

I am grateful that we celebrate this holiday and that we are given the time to look back on our lives and realize the wonderful things that we do have rather than reflecting on the things we don't. I am grateful for the feeling of this season, for the light that radiates out of everyone during this past month, and for the atmosphere that will be constant next month.

I am so grateful for my husband, who woke up at 7:30 this morning to help me finish painting my kitchen. He is the biggest sweetheart and I am so thankful that he is willing to be slave-driven for a few hours to help me improve our home.

I am also grateful that today was our FIRST Thanksgiving! There's something about firsts that makes you want to just freeze the moment. I'm so happy and grateful that Mitch and I will have many more firsts.

I am grateful for card games, leftovers, chocolate mousse pie, and roads that aren't icy!

I am also grateful for wonderful siblings!

Mitch didn't have work today so we actually got to see each other for more than an hour! It's been 3 weeks of just passing by and visiting for an hour before I fall asleep standing or hurry off to bed. He had the day off so we got a lot done! I am grateful that I got to sleep in and take a long shower for the first time in a month. Having two jobs is kicking my butt big time!

There were also no problems or complications with Crystal's surgery today! She is on voice rest for a week but at least she can talk and yell again! I am so thankful for this! It was heartbreaking to see her and her family have to deal with a botched surgery but I am so glad and thankful that everything turned out alright in the end.

Today I had asked Mitch to paint our ceiling because I randomly decided we needed to paint our kitchen. It's almost a character flaw when it's my time of the month; if I want to do something and I want to do it now, it will get done! Thankfully my husband sometimes approves of my crazy ideas and goes with the flow. He usually says it's because he knows I will deep clean things if my wants are met. I came home from work at 10:00 pm and my ceiling was painted and the walls were all prepped for a primer coat! Sure enough, our kitchen received a coat of primer before we went to bed tonight! 

 New ceiling paint is on top.

Old ceiling paint is on bottom.

Our apartment needed a little TLC, and that is not an exaggeration.

Today I worked like crazy. I don't know how I'm going to keep it up unless I clone myself or find a time-turner (if only!). However there are quite a few things that happened today that made me laugh, so I'm grateful for them!

While I was at work, some random guy came up to me and said, "Quick! What is this product?! Sell it to me!!!" and then he gave me a product which I thankfully knew. He looked at me for like 20 seconds, which I had no clue why and then he said, "You look like a medium but these run smaller. I'll get you a large." As if that wasn't weird enough, he then ran away and came back two minutes later holding a track/running suit. Apparently I had just won a track suit and he was trying to figure out my size. Despite all of that weirdness, I now own a Melaleuca track suit haha.

When I got home, Mitch got a call from our good friend Caleb. His wife, Crystal, is going back in for surgery tomorrow to fix her vocal cords that they paralyzed in her last surgery. Mitch and Caleb gave Crystal a blessing and then we visited with them for an hour or so.

I am grateful that my husband is worthy to give blessings. I am so grateful that I have the Priesthood in my home and that my sweetheart understands the importance of it. It is comforting to know that at anytime, he could give me or our future family a blessing.

I am also grateful that Crystal is getting surgery tomorrow to help her speak. She deserves every blessing and more for the way she has handled this entire thing. I seriously don't know how she does it but it is amazing to me.

I am grateful for friends, delicious Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins, and a comfy bed at the end of a long day.

Today was my older sister's birthday! I had to work the entire evening, but Mitch was able to go celebrate the day with her and my family. He even took the time to buy her a nice present and stayed to play her favorite board game. 

I am grateful for a thoughtful husband, a wonderful sister, and for an amazing family. I couldn't have been blessed with better.

I also started to read Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games Trilogy. I don't know why I hadn't read it yet, but I figured I'd better start if I wanted to go see the movie. So far, it's pretty good. I've been reading it in between calls at my job, so I'm not exactly that far yet, it seems to be just about whether or not Katniss likes Gale or Peeta. I don't have a clue where the book is going, but I do know that Peeta is my favorite character and he had better end up happy or else. 

I am grateful for the opportunity to read and be literate. I love books and somehow find the time to devour them. I'm currently reading 3 other books at the same time, so I have no idea when I will finish any of them, but Catching Fire is top priority because the movie is out.

I'm grateful for late night movies with my husband, birthday phone calls to my sister, and also cozy sweaters that keep me warm at work.

Mitch and I spent the night in Idaho Falls last night so that we could go to my brother-in-laws Missionary Home-Coming today for church. Jace got home from his Independence, Missouri mission on the 14th and today he spoke in church about his mission and pretty much brought everything to a close. 

It was wonderful to see him speak. He did a great job and his talk was amazing! I tried to record it for him but my phone decided it would record the entire thing and then never save it because it was too long. Thankfully Mitch also recorded it and his recording worked.

I'm looking forward to getting to know Jace. It has definitely been a little bit weird trying to assimilate him in my mind as a family member. He's the same age as me as well so that makes things more difficult. Seeing him as a brother rather than a buddy or just some guy that is my age is a little difficult, especially since I haven't had two years to get used to him like I have with my other in-law siblings. In time, I'm sure I'll see him as an awesome brother, but for now he and his friends are just those dorky kids that are my age but don't really have anything in common with me. (It's like high school all over again except for I know that Jace is going to be at every Christmas, Thanksgiving, and birthday from here on out so that's a bit intimidating.)

Either way, I am grateful for his talk, for his mission, and for the opportunity I have to "expand" my family by one. It's awkward, but I'll manage.

I am also extremely grateful for air hockey, good food, and in-laws. His homecoming was fun and it was nice to meet family that I haven't met before. There are times when I feel like a "Show Pony" or something because I get introduced so much, but that awkwardness will also go away.

When I got home from Jace's homecoming, my sweet little brother had a surprise for me!

I had purchased one of those cardboard "H"'s from a craft store. I was going to spray paint it black or gold and use it as a picture prop for our first Christmas photo (yeah, I went into that much detail. Did I mention I want a camera for Christmas??). 

My cute little brother marched up to me when I got home and said "I made an 'I'! You're welcome!" I had no clue what he meant, but then my mother showed me. He had taken my 'H' and ripped the cardboard to make it an 'I'.

It would have been a lot more annoying if he hadn't been so excited and proud about it. In fact, it was pretty cute - other than the fact that I will have to buy a new one. He carried the 'I' around for the rest of the night but wanted nothing to do with the other piece.

I am grateful for a little brother who keeps things lively, sometimes at my own expense. I am grateful for him and the fact that he is learning and developing. I am grateful that he is making me learn constantly. Sometimes I wonder if I am the teacher or if I am being taught.

I am also extremely grateful that Henry is speaking with such flow. There were times when I wasn't sure he would do more than quote movies but now he is talking in complete sentences and even asking questions.

This year has seriously been amazing and I know it will only get better!