Matt Clayton does it again!!

Matt Clayton is our good friend who happens to be THE most amazing photographer EVER!! With a little help from the Gap, he gathered up clothes that would be wonderful for us. Then I went to Target and spent two hours and a lot of money buying ANYTHING they had in brown, tan, or "winter white." So we had quite the pickings as far as clothes go (then I ended up wearing stuff I already owned!! so I got to take back all the Target stuff:) )

When we arrived at the shoot Bree (of course) fell asleep........I was SO SO mad!!! We kinda tried to wake her up but that was just ALL BAD in so many ways. So our shoot turned into dinner.....chatting......crying (from both Bree and I)....and finally pictures!! Anyway here's some of our favorites! Thanks again Matt!! There's more on his blog:

MattClaytonPhotograpy.blogspot.com

Longest roadtrip EVER!!!!

So......for Thanksgiving we went to Tyler, Texas to visit Joseph's family.......we went with his sister Katie her daughter Izzy (10months) his brother Tommy and of course me and Bree.......and we DROVE!!!!!

To Texas.
From Utah.
Did I mention to TEXAS?

What was supposed to take around 12 hours (14 according to Google maps.....but they always estimate wrong from my experience) ended up taking 19 HOURS.........I'm not even going to give details because there is no need-you can all imagine the stress, butt aches, screaming babies, and anxiety that was involved-even after medication and therapy. Luckily, I adore Joseph's family so the company in the car saved me from bursting into tears the whole way.

We spent three days with his fam and had a wonderful time! We love Tyler and actually hope to end up there one day. We played games, gave makeovers, ate pies, drank gallons of hot chocolate, did some Black Friday shopping and got a driving tour/story time with Joseph's dad and Grandmama :) Good times were had by all, BUT mark my words NEVER AGAIN will I drive to Texas- (at least not in the next ten years........by then I think I may forget the "horribleness" and trauma of the experience)


Bree with Aunt Amber and cousin Izzy......this was Bree's face most of the trip......
Me and Katie and the babies on a walk

One happy family......isn't Tyler BEAUTIFUL!!
Can't get much cuter then that!!!

My father and mother-in-law at Thanksgiving Dinner

Katie taught me that feeding your child sweet potatoes in the car does calm them......Bree loved them!!

The set up in the van.......BEFORE the forever road trip began


Tommy and Amber:)

What am I twelve-years-old?

So......yes I went to the 12:20 showing of Twilight....and yes I was among many many 12-year-old girls(saw former students of course).......and many more romance deprived moms.......and yes I LOVED IT!!!! So much like the book it was wonderful! Of course the actors weren't exactly like I personally pictured but-
hello when does that ever happen?

I just really liked it. Only two complaints #1-get a better make-up artist so that you can't actually see Edward wearing lipstick.....weird #2 it seemed really gray and dark and lots of blues were used. I tend to like a more warm movie. But I will see it again maybe even a third time just to go with different friends and Joseph has to see it! He actually ended up reading the last half of the book to me on a road trip:)(He's so good.) So he needs to see it.

Worst Mom EVER!!!

So Bree and I were on our way home from a long day. She was screaming in the back seat and I just was like ok she's just hungry lets get home and feed her......well I get her out of the car and what do I find........bow over her eyes.......not hungry just annoyed. Poor girl!

Left Bree with a babysitter.......and yes ladies and gentlemen, I survived!

Only Amy and Dad, dinner, and Thriller could get me to leave Bree with my sister and go on a date......I know I know I am weird but I freak out leaving Bree-hence it being three months before Joseph and I actually went out! I like had to mentally prepare myself to leave. But I survived....so did Bree....and so did my sister. Thanks Steph for taking good care of her and thanks to Dan and Amy for thinking of us when buying tickets and allowing me to be a weird first time mom without a baby!

Thriller was AWESOME! It is a dance company that performs Halloween/monster/death/zombie dances that are scary and funny:) We love going and this year we actually sat CLOSE to the stage instead of our regular nose bleed seats. And I enjoyed myself for the most part without worrying about does she need to eat, is she tired, does she need her pants changed.......I might actually leave her again sometime:)

Yeah for Halloween!

Preston and Annette came over for FHE and we carved pumpkins.
While I was busy with Bree, Joseph did a wonderful job carving ours and Preston and Annette wanted to do something that was "them." Annette on top of mountain was the first choice but they decided on a ghost after much discussion. We love them and had a blast!





Bree was a bit freaked out by the experience though......

Meet Ward, June and a beaver!

For Halloween this year we decided to be the Cleavers from Leave it to Beaver the popular 50's sitcom. Joseph and I always talk about how we were born in the wrong decade and should have been born in the 50's because we love the life style. Anyway here are some pictures of our costumes which by the way won first prize at the party we were at. YEAH for Halloween!! Second best holiday ever :)

A few of my favorites......and not favorites.......

I got this idea from Amy who did this a while back. These are a few of my favorite things: (kinda like the song....When the dog bites when the bee stings when I'm feeling sad I simply remember my favorite things and then I don't feel so BBBBBBAAAAAAAAAA-AAA-AA-AAA DD.) Anyway.....

#1 My face wash......I know I know we do it everyday sometimes even twice and it can get kind of old-well I have wonderful face wash and this spray stuff that make me feel like I've been to the spa and gotten a facial! And it has lasted me going on two years!









#2 My Best Recipes Cookbook! People always ask me about cookbooks and this is the one I recommend. It was put together by Cook's Illustrated (the magazine.) Basically- they tried a bunch of different recipes for like anything you can think of and put the BEST recipe they found in the cookbook. Then they give you the explanation WHY they chose that recipe and all the different things they tried and why they did or didn't work.

I know I'm a weird food person but we have LOVED EVERY recipe we've tried AND I've even learned some new food tricks! Don't be intimidated by the HUGENESS of the book or the lack of color pictures it is awesome! Also, this book is not the Real Simple type or the 5 ingredients or less-BUT if you kinda (and I do mean kinda) know your way around a kitchen you would love this!




#3 Our baby swing........Katie gave it to us and I told her that if that swing would have cost $1000 it would have been worth it!! Bree loves it! And when she's fussy-in the swing she goes and is one happy bug!



#4 Getting my car detailed-I sound like a spoiled rich Ferrari driver-but I am the proud owner of a 1999 oxidized black Mitsubishi Galant! Joseph and I were kinda looking for a newer car....that ended up not working out because of a number of different reasons but I was feeling sorry for myself because we had spent weeks test driving beautiful cars and looking online and asking people etc etc- so I went and got my old car polished and scrubbed!! It looks like the new cars we test drove and I am in love! So it put a band aid over my ego and made me pretty happy spending $90 versus $20K :)


























#5 The dollar menu! It's just nice to know that at any moment throughout the day, if I need a quick HIGHLY nutritious meal I can get one for $1.06 at almost any fast food place around. Personal favorites: Wendy's Double Stack and McDonalds hot fudge sundae.







Things that are not my favorite.......

#1 9 month pregnant women who wear bikinis......it just makes everyone really uncomfortable:) I know your body is beautiful and you are creating a wonderful child but really......I don't want to see your belly.



#2 You and your kids are sick......enough said. OR you sick.....kid not sick.....I don't know which is worse.







#3 Store brand toothpaste!!!Maybe its just because I grew up brushing my teeth 85 times a day and having a dad who got free toothpaste. But really....it is TOTALLY worth the extra buck for the good stuff.








#4 Josh Groban- I don't see what the big deal is people...I just don't like the voice

Happy Birthday!

Friday night we went up to Provo Canyon to celebrate me, Nate and Tommy's birthdays! We roasted up some hot dogs and ate amazing cakes that Amy made.

Bree was so happy to be outside all bundled up!

My sister-in-law Yulia got her US Citizenship so we celebrated that too!

We threw the football around and just laughed. I got lucky with my in-laws.....they are wonderful!! I just love spending time with them! Tommy decided to buy these awesome fire logs......but they are NOT to be used around charcoal grills-the fire was awesome
Loved all the cute kids!

Joseph's first hunt

Joseph went up to Wyoming this weekend with Matson and Daniel for the antelope hunt. Joseph hasn't ever been hunting so he was really excited to learn and "go be with the boys in nature!" Matson's dad shot the buck and the boys did the gutting and skinning and such. I was really proud of my husband because he's not the blood and guts type AT ALL! They had so much fun and now we get antelope jerky yum yum:)
While our husbands were gone the girls went to Park City for outlet shopping! Afton and Steph helped me with a new look-since I "dress like a sister missionary." And we stayed up there so long the boys actually beat us home-awesome weekend!