Home Owners!!!

Its official we own our first home!! We closed on it On the 11th of this month. Its such an exciting time for us and we just cannot wait to get all moved in. We plan on starting the move this Tuesday and will finish sometime between then and when we go back to work on the 5th of January.

i promised pictures so here they are............

My House

Brandons house

ha ha just kidding!!! These are our ginger bread houses though..... we had a blast making these. Brandon bless his amazing soul made the houses from scratch....no ladies this was not a box we bought....he made the cookie dough and cut out the shapes(with cookie cutters, but still) I am so impressed with him.
Although i think if my dad were alive and he saw how horribly crooked my house is he might be disappointed in me......i don't think i got his construction gene! :) The night we put these together was full of laughs! We had a heck of a time getting them together, but the end result doesnt look too bad!! :)
P.S. I forgot to take pictures of the house, so those are still coming at a later date.

Well while i am posting i am going to say Merry Chirstmas. I dont think i will have time to post again until we move into the house, so i hope you all have a great season. This is such a special time. A time to remember our Savior and the reason why he was born and all that He did with his life. How blessed we are to have someone who loved us as much as he did to come and give of His life for us, and even more how blessed we are that He still lives and loves us today.
Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!!

Here are some pictures of our tree and all my nativities(my favorite part of decorating!! )

Warning!! Longest Post i have ever Written!!!

Well i thought seems how I am sick (with a flu bug) and don't feeling like doing anything, i would update our blog. Its funny that i don't do it more often, because really we do lots of "blog worthy" stuff, i even take pictures of it, and then i never post it. But i like to think that its the thought that counts....right!!
We will start with most recent activities and go to less recent activities.....
Yesterday:
We went and cut down our Christmas tree. This is my new favorite tradition since i have gotten married...and this was only the second time!! I think there is something special about trudging around to find the right tree for you. Besides fun comes out of it.....like yesterday.....we finally found our Christmas Tree and Brandon's parents found theirs, just to realize that we were clear up the mountain, and really had NO easy way of getting them down. So having very inventive brother-in-laws and hubby....one tree went down being held by Travis (brother-in-law to me) backwards on 4-wheeler. Sorry no picture of that one. Our tree, which was considerably larger started off by the top being held by one sitting on the front of the 4-wheeler, and the bottom being held by another on the back of my four wheeler. My instructions as the driver of one 4-wheeler was not to go fast or slow and keep the tree between the 4-wheelers. (sorry no pic of this one either...it didn't last longer than 2 feet!! :) )So a last, one person sat on the back of my 4-wheeler holding the bottom of the tree and the other walked down the mountain holding the top!! : ) We pray for more snow next year and we can take a snowmobile and sled to get them down.......then again...... we had a blast figuring it all out, and let me tell you i appreciate this tree more than any tree i have ever found in a lot!!

Here are some pictures of this eventOur tree before taken from his natural habitiat! :)
Me and Justin--him holding the end of the tree on our treck down the mountain
Poor Brandon taking his turn walking down the trail with the tipof the tree.

Pictures of the decorated finished product to come!!


Next event.... Last night
We had a birthday party for Brandon's brother Travis. He got to choose a game we would all play together....which was Monopoly. Gee I have not played this game in ages!! We had a blast!!! The ultimate money lovers were yes my dearest husband and Travis. The rest of us went totally bankrupt!! No fun loosing, but Brandon did rectify me and bought back the real estate i have worked very hard to get from Travis....and ultimately Brandon was the real winner with an absurd amount of money in the end. Yea!! Now he needs to work that magic in real life....we would be millionaires!!
Here is some documentation of this game!Brandons Loot!


NEXT...... :)

I had promised some pictures of the house we are buying. We should be closing sometime this week, although we most likely will not move in until the last week of December/first of January. Funny, last year we moved this time of year...We packed up our decorated Christmas tree and had a royal mess last year for Christmas. I sore over and over again that i would NEVER move again in December..... a little ironic isn't it!! So this year we are staying put till after Christmas. We are getting excited to move into our own place though!!!
Our very yellow bedroom! :) This is the current peoples furniture--obviously.

The upstairs playroom. There are also 2 bedrooms up here.


The downstairs living room.
That's all the pictures for now. More to come! :)


Well i think that is enough....hope you are all having a great holiday season!!
P.S. Pray harder for snow! :)

Life is Good

So i am really sick of seeing that ugly picture of me so i am finally updating.
Life is going good. Me and Brandon are in the process of buying a very cute old home in Centerfield, it is located right next to Gunnison. I CANNOT wait to have my own space to decorate and spread out in. But, i am ever so thankful that we have been able to live in Grandma Crisps home for this long. It has made it possible for us to save a lot of money. I will post pictures of the house a little later.

Next news the baby is growing just perfectly. I got to have another ultra sound...the first one was a little early, but they had to see how many babies i was pregnant with (my dr. does that for women on fertility pills.) Since there was only one which i was thinking i wanted two, until now and i think that seems to expensive. :)
It is so amazing watching the ultra sound. The little critter was holding real still for most of it, but at the very end he/she was dancing all over for us!! It is going to be a country dancing fool....i know it!!
Well that's all for tonight...hope you all are praying for snow, cause i really want it to start!!!

Tagged

Tag I am it!!

Fourth picture in the fourth file


It is a picture of Easter!! Ironic huh Emmalee!
8 Shows I love To Watch
1.Everybody Loves Raymond( I don’t even think there are new ones, but I love this show!!)

2. What I like about You
3. Scrubs
4. I am having a really hard time—I don’t watch tv much
6.
7.
8.
8 Favorite restaurants
Not in any order—only as I was thinking
1. Olive Garden
2. Papa Murpheys Pizza
3. Sweet Tomatoes
4. Chilies
5. Goodwood
6. Golden Coral (brandons favorite)
7. P.F. Changs
8. Golden Tree—Oriental food in Riverton, its what I grew up on as far as Chinese food goes and it sounds real good right now. Real real good. Baby is making me crave it!! J
8 Things That Happened Yesterday
1. I Checked to see if I was still alive..my first night alone in this big old house

2. Ate Marshmallow Mateys

3. Got in the shower and got ready. After Brandon scared me to DEATH!!
4. Went to the house we were going to buy—became disenchanted
5. Saw a new house and I fell in love with it—we are putting an offer on it tomorrow!!
6. Had a tuna sandwich
7. Came home and raked leaves

8. Watched Madagascar—the first one
8 Things I look Forward to...
1. Having a baby on June 22, 009
2. Having a preschool in my home someday
3. Having more kids

4. Owning my own space.

5. Decorating my own space!!!
6. Being debt free..hopefully sooner than later!
7. Buying a full size truck
8. growing old with my best friend
8 Things I love about Fall
1. The leaves changing colors
2. The smell of the leafs
3. Halloween—fun holiday
4. The cooler weather
5. Being able to where sweatshirts again

6. decorating for the fall
7. The smell of the smoke from the chimeys
8. The first snow fall
8 Things on My wish list
1. Owning our own house
2. Going to see my brother in Vermont in the fall
3. My dog to grow up and stop acing like a pup!
4. Having lots more kids—like 4 atleast!!
5. Building a house (in the distant future)
6. A Truck
7. Four Wheeler

8. Cute bedding for the little munchkin
8 People I tag!
1. Anyone who wants

6 Random Things About me.........................
1. I love having the dog sleeping with me (Brandon hates it, so she sleeps in her kennel)

2. I cannot study or read if the house is not clean
3. I love making dinner. I feel like a failure when I don’t make a meal.

4. I love love love kids. I miss working with them more than anything.
5. I was scared to death that I would never get pregnant…well that fear is now gone
6. I am scared of the dark—ah ah I can admit it, that is the first step!

Then Comes Baby in the Baby Carraige!!

Well finally i can announce that me and Brandon are going to have a baby!!!! What a blessing this little one will be. After trying for as long as we did and it finally being here, it almost seems unreal...but we got our babies first picture taken today and saw his(her) little heart just a beating. I am 7 weeks pregnant and my due date is June 22, 2009.
It is so amazing what can happen when you stop to listen to the Spirit and follow His promptings. I got pregnant the very next month after giving up my graduate school. That is something that i really really wanted, but I had to show just how much more i wanted a baby, and once i gave up the fight, i won. Our Heavenly Father is so aware of each of us. He wants the best for us all and we just need to be willing to give ourselves to His will, and everything that is good and right will come our way. I am starting to see that I have to give up one thing to get a better thing.....if you all don't know the story behind me meeting Brandon i will give you the readers digest version.....
I was at BYU-Idaho loving life. I was loving the education i was receiving there as well as the many friends i gained there. But one day--the second day of school in fact. I woke up crying and knew that i was not supposed to be there anymore(i had just left USU a year and a half ago because i felt prompted to go). So i knelt down and prayed about it and received my answer. So after that semester i got my AA from BYU-I and headed back to USU to finish my BS. The next semester i was there, i met the most wonderful man in the world...i had to give up BYU-I to get the man i had always dreamed of marrying.
My testimony is growing in that our Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to succeed. He just wants us to give of ourselves to Him and trust Him to lead and guide us to where He wants us to be.

Promises Promises

Ok so now it is just pathetic at how long i am taking to update....but i can promise promise promise i will post tomorrow!! PROMISE!!

Slow as a Turtle

So i am sorry i am such a slow poster...i am planning on updating tomorrow!! Promise, i just need to find the camera cord!

In the Blink of an eye

So are you sick of me not updating?? I am so here i go for quite the update!
I cannot believe how fast time fly's and how much we are able to do in such a small a small amount of time. Yet, more i wonder why we have aspirations that are nearly impossible to meet tin the few hours in a day that we have.
You ask why do you say that? Well......
Two weeks ago i had to quite graduate school because of the lack of time.... and sanity to be totally honest. My job is good, just more time is needed there then i could have ever anticipated. I also am loving my husband, and would like to be a wife for him, cook him dinner, do our laundry, clean the house, and be nice and friendly (not short and ornery) to everyone around me--i hide it well, so Brandon just gets the brunt of it. Sad. These are all quite good reasons as to why I choose to drop out. Also, not many people know but me and Brandon have been trying to have a baby for a year now, and thought that it might be better if i was not crazy stressed out all the time. So there it is, my excuse for dropping out. I am so sad to say that i am not in school anymore. I love school, but i love my life too. I am considering starting later on in my life.

Also i have to say Happy Birthday Honey!!! Brandon turned 26 yesterday. We had a good fun night. I surprised him with a tent, dutch oven dinner and a movie last night. Dinner was good, and just being with him up the mountains was an awesome evening. We layed in the tent and watched a movie....that is until the DVD player ran out of battery....so then we packed up and watched the rest at home after blowing out the candles--twice. Well not really twice, but i had to light 2 candles after he had blown out the 24 on the cake---sad we are getting so old that there aren't enough candles in one package. SAD DAY!!!!!
I love my man more than anything in the world!! He is amazing, and i am foreverly thankful i have him for all eternities.

Something in the Air

So last night was a huge storm. I loved watching the lightning and listening to the thunder. I love rain storms, especially thunderstorms.
I have this theory, that there is one huge storm the end of August or first of Setember that turns the season to fall.....and yep that storm last night did it. How do i know, you ask.....cause the temp outside is WONDERFUL!! and there is that fall smell that is the most wonderful and comforting and memory building smell. When i smell it, it takes me to high school, that first fall of collage and all the many others after. It brings such a smile on my face to remember that smell and all those memories.
I LOVE FALL!! So happy fall to you all!!!!

Something Fishy

On Monday i tried a new recipe and it turned out great, So i am sharing with all you other women out there wanting something new, and a more than the same ol same ol. It is called Broiled Tilapia Parmesan. Just for information sake, when i made it i changed the serving size to 2, and instead of celery salt i used dill, and instead of onion powder i used onion salt and it was WONDERFUL! Click Here for the Link.

Starting a new job is like.....

So I started work....yea! Well its not always a yea at first, more like a tornato has hit a filing cabnet (your head) and there is new forms and paper flying at you at every direction and you are trying to sort it all into files with all that is already there, that is now in the wrong folder!! But the happy thing is that in the end you can have a rainbow, somthing beautiful comes at the end of something so messy and life changing. We have such an amazing world, where nature can be so symbolic of our lives...and be so so beautiful. I found that picture online, and just thought that if fit. We are all so very lucky to live in this beautiful world, created just for us.

Just thought i would update and let you know i am alive--just have the after math of a tornato to clean up and rebuild!! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy Birthday Craigy!!! I have to say this on my blog cause he is half way across the world. I miss the little munchkin, and thought i would pay tribute to the little man on his first birthday!! So here is your song kiddo....
"As years go by they seem to do the nicest things for you, and every time you have one more your 12 months dearer than before, a very happy birthday, a very happy birthday, a very happy birthday especially for you. Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Craig, Happy birthday to you!!!!!!

Canning Party

So the last two days have been filled with boiling water, hot juices, and a very messy kitchen......what does that mean...yup canning party, and who was invited--well I wish more than was here, cause i am tired!! Those who came to my party are crazy but loved!! :) Thanks Mom, i couldn't have done it without you!! Jolene-- thanks for not going to bed as early as my mom so that i can call you with questions at midnight!! Enoch--thanks for taking such a good nap while me and grandma did the majority of the canning, Sadie--thanks for always laying in the way as to keep me and my mom on our toes and watching where we put our feet, the many aphid looking green bugs that have now been invited in to our home-not by me but by the beets, and last but defiantly not the least Brandon--you are amazing....what husband helps do everything in the house, even down to canning(sorry girls he is mine all mine!!)
Can I now say that i love canning....not the mess, not the aching feet and back from standing all day, but the feeling that comes from knowing what you just did.... be just a little self sufficient. It really does make a huge impact on your life. Looking at the dozens of bottles on my counter, make me so thankful that i have been taught to have food storage and to have an amazing mom and mother-in-law who have taught me and my husband how to can.
Now to say a little about what exactly I and my listed helpers did the last two days..... I put up 8 half-pints of fresh raspberry/apricot jam, and 4 pints of pineapple/apricot jam last night--being Tuesday night. Then today Me and my mom, and Brandon put up....are you ready for this......15 pints of pickled beets, 31 pints of normal beets, and 6 pints of beet jelly. Holy Smokes!! We did all the beets today!! Really it isn't today anymore cause it is 3AM--but who is that technical!!!
Well i just had to share this moment. This is my first canning experience and well i am loving it. I love that i feel like i accomplished something important--and useful! I am going to go to bed now!! Here are pictures--not all partiers are portrayed, but they are all muchly appreciated--cause it wasn't much for a party--just makes it sound fun!! :)

Its Official!!!

On Monday i got my admittance letter to graduate school. I don't know if i have even mentioned on here that that was in the running for the next two years of my life, but it is!! I am so excited. When i was nearing graduation i was so sad that i was really done. I felt like i was just scratching the surface, and was really not ready to stop learning. I am ecstatic to start. It is a two year program, i only go once a week for a couple hours--like 4 or 5 i cant remember. I think i am nuts for goin back, but yet am so super excited--funny how life is like that huh!!

Ok here are the details......
Ok so i guess i forgot details on my post about graduate school, so i will clear them up now......now that I have got some sleep and am thinking more clearly than the post i made last night--well this morning..... anyway. I am going to get my degree from USU, but through extension. My classes are all satellite classes--meaning i go a classroom and watch a screen for a couple hours. The classroom i am going to is in Ephraim at Snow Collage, Utah State has an extension program there. I start on the 28th of August, and am getting so excited. I have missed school, and am happy to return....plus how nice that i can work full time and still go to school--they make grad school a little more convenient than undergrad--thats what i think right now. Hope this clears up some questions.

Peas....The Process

How can this many pea pods only equal this many peas????????


Here is the first of the crops this year!! Holy smokes peas are a lot of work, for such a small return!!!! I picked and podded peas all day today and what do i have to show for it........a half of a bowl--ok so a large bowl but still! I ended up with only 8 cups of peas!!!
It is so fun to be harvesting our own food. With the absurd prices for food these last few months, i cant help but to think how lucky Me and Brandon are to have such a large garden. I will continue to keep you up to date on the harvests....there are many more to come!!
Oh and sorry for the forever to update...summers are busy!!!

Our little friend

What little bird is always everyones favorite? Which little birdy is one that even if it does make a mess, we always set more bright red food out for it to drink. What little winged critter does everyone get excited when we see it.......Empty after just 2 weeks!!
Our little friend
Her nest with the eggs---picture to come i hope

A hummingbird of course. I have always loved hummingbirds. They are so cute and little and well just a happy little birdy. Now having a house to live in, for the first time i can feed my own little friend--and she is a hungry one. I know it is a she cause she has the cutest timy eggs in her nest....one day if i am brave i will get a picture of her tiny eggs. She is a happy little thought, and even though she is the culprite to sucking down the pretty red sugar water, i will keep her.

Nothing Like Workin Hard

So this past week me and Brandon went to Gunnison to help with the farming and moving cows. It turned out to be such a good weekend. This weekend was very refreshing to me. I loved growin up on a farm, and have always loved working hard. Lately being home all day has driven me kinda nuts. Even though i never run out of things to do, i still get so bored and really want more to talk to than Sadie. While she is a good listener, she doesn't respond, and I start feelin a little weird talking to someone who cannot comprehend what i am saying. This weekend landed me with the opportunity to talk with other people, and to work hard which always feels good...even having a sore bum due to the fact that it has been since last year since i was on a horse felt good. I love that i married into a family that does cows, i have always wanted to be one who got to move cows up the mountain, that always sounded like a good time, just another bonus of marrying into such an awesome and fun family. We were all lucky to come out it with only one man with bruises and swollen body parts--out of like 9 people--i think that is pretty good. The only bad part is that it was Brandon. I really think he got bucked off in hopes that it would get him out of speaking in church Sunday....ha ha...just kidding. He was on a borrowed horse who has never moved cows before, so when they let them out it might have spooked him and he started bucking. This caught Brandon off guard and he jumped off, but caught his leg on the saddle horn( not really what it was, but i dont know what the other part is called, so we are settling for the horn)--causing him to have a swollen knee and a few bruises on his knee. I am so glad that is all that happened--I really don't like seeing him get hurt--it causes me to panic a little.
Well once the cows were up on the Mountain, we came home and hauled hay for the rest of the day. I got to go straighten bales--this took me back to my childhood, and really just made my day. I loved being out there, and workin(and getting a tan). I really helped prove the fact that someday i want a family farm that me and Brandon can raise a family on. Work is so food for the soul...I love it, Brandon loves it, and i know my kids will someday too.
Hope you like the pictures and i have on thing to say about the one with Grandpa on a horse...
and that is I impressed with Grandpa--he is 75 years old and on a green broke colt--Hats off to him!!! What an amazing man!

Yummy dinner

So how likes heating up the house with the oven when it is 50000 degrees inside your house?? Ok so not me, that is why, among other reasons too, that i have been in love with my Crockpot. It is easy dinner, throw it in and not worry about it till it is time to eat, plus the fact that no oven is involved. I am posting this all cause i love that Crockpot link i have on here. I find so many yummy recipes on there, and in my own Crockpot cookbook.
Last night though i tried Bacon and Cheese Chicken, and well it was wonderful. How can you go wrong with bacon and cheese though, seriously. I recommend it. Click HERE for the direct link to that recipe.

Growing Garden

So i finally thought i would show you all my garden...i showed you the plants we started inside quite some time ago, this is what we have now.........
we have 3 yes 3 packages of beets, 2 packages of carrots, i package of radishes, 1 onion, 1/2 green onion, like 10 plants of peppers, Anaheim, Jalapeño, green( 6 plants), and Serrano i think, i think 24 tomato plants and 2 cherry tomatoes, Honeydew, watermelon, and catalope, 2 rows of beans, 6 rows of peas, 20lb of planted potatoes--LOTS!! and 4 rows of corn. We just planted lettuce and swiss chard, and then we have pumpkins, zuchinne, yellow squash, banana squash, butternut squash, and i think that is finally it.
Its so fun to walk out and see seed that we planted coming to life and growing. There is something invigorating about seeing things grow.
PS ya know i am totally up for putting to practice the Little Red Hen story....you guys come help weed and i will let you have some!!! Eh sound good!!!??