A Happy Home is Filled with Love and Laughter

Graduation Surprise!

Video of BJ's reaction to the PARTY!

Christie planned a huge surprise party for my graduation which we had the day after Christmas. It was so awesome! I'm not big on getting all the attention, but felt so blessed by Christie's time and dedication she put into planning it. Some of the most important people were there and it was a lot of fun. The party actually was also for my twin brother JC, but he ended up getting really sick, so was not able to attend, unfortunately. Besides that, it was a huge success and it was good to catch up with some old friends and visit with family. The two biggest highlights for me were

Seeing how happy Christie was
Having my Mom come for a surprise visit from Oklahoma!

How much fun we had eating and visiting. Thank you to Christie, this has to be the most amazing wife ever!

This is a video of BJ's reaction to his surprise visitor!

2008 Christmas Memories

Just as many of you, our holidays were extra busy, and a lot of fun. Our families made it wonderful, and being together made it another magical season! Rather than writing all about it, here are just a very few of the memories we made this Christmas!

Playing with the kids (or being one of the kids!) at one of our family Christmas parties

Petting the camel at the live nativity at the park.

Sleeping under the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve! Santa was extra quiet delivering our presents!

Opening presents Christmas morning!

School & Soup

Ok first things first....I got through my first semester of the nursing program!!!! I took my last final today and I am so excited I can't even tell you!! I honestly have never studied so hard before in my life...but I really think (ok I hope) it will get easier because I feel like I learned HOW to STUDY for these classes this semester and in turn learned a lot! Shout out to all the girls in the program....couldn't have done it without you. (you think this speach is crazy...wait till I finish the program :D)

Now on to the soup recipe. So I really wanted to make a vegetable soup...I tried a couple weeks ago...it was good but I wanted to perfect it. So I got online to look for some recipes. I found this website:

http://www.bigoven.com/108450-make-it-easy-make-it-light-recipe.html

and decided to give that soup a try. Well, while I was writting down the ingredients and instructions, I saw that I could enter to win $100 if I took a picture of my finished soup...so I did! Ok so the exciting news is not that I won- well I haven't heard yet :D. The exciting news is that the editors approved my photo and added it to the recipe. I am famous!!! Ok my soup is FAMOUS! It is on that website posted above. How exciting! lol BJ was like, who has time to enter these contests...I said, "Nursing students on their two week break!!"

1 Year!!!!

We've been married for a year! Wahoo - what an awesome year it's been. December 13th was the day of our anniversary and to celebrate we went to the Forgotten Carols and spent Friday to Saturday night at the Anniversary Inn in the Jungle Safari room. Here are some pictures of our fun room.

We feel extremely blessed to be together and for all the support from all those around us. We've learned a lot in just a year. Oh, and time flies when you're having fun.

The Funniest Nephew EVER!

This is our nephew Carson. He is so funny! Carson stayed the night at my grandparents in Idaho. He brought is favorite pet dog "nose". Yep, nose is his name. When he wants "nose" to sit, he throws him on the ground and says, "sit nose sit". Since nose could sit, my mom wanted to see what Carson would do when she asked him to feed nose. lol She was not expecting this!

Giorno di ringraziamento!

Thanksgiving Day (that's what the title means) was a very special, hectic day! How much we have to be thankful for, here's a short list:

An amazing wife and future mother (I'm not dropping any hints about anything)
Incredible family
The plan of happiness
Material pleasures (i.e., shopping the day after thanksgiving)
Interaction with others
Good health (you have no idea how much Christie's health has improved these days and I'm the usual healthy)
Good food (Talk about two Thanksgiving dinners! I think I ate half a turkey, a potato field, and a full pie when you add it all up.)
Friends
Education (and graduating and holiday breaks from education!)
Good jobs
A spouse who is patient and loves me

Here are just a few pictures from our Holiday fun :)

BCS Busters...

First, I know I have to do a tag, but that will be a post later. For now, I want to talk about the Utes! For anyone who may not know, the Utes won their final game last night against BYU and will be going to a second BCS game in school history. I was in Italy the last time they went to the game, so I was unable to participate, but not this year. I just wanted to make a short list of why this years Utah football season has been unforgettable:

1) No one expected the Utes to be here at the start of the season

2) I have got to share all of the joy with my awesome wife (she went to all but two games with me - that is an awesome wife)

3) First down smack! (Christie and I would give each other a smack - on the lips - after every first down)

4) 2 awesome comebacks at home against TCU and Oregon St.

5) Being on the field before and after the TCU game

6) Doubling up BYU on the scoreboard (sorry BYU fans, but it was awesome!)

Hopefully the Utes play a real team in the BCS and not some sorry team from the ACC or Big East. I think the Utes can compete with a lot of teams out there after seeing them in the BYU game, so whoever we get, I think it will be a good game. Go Utes!