Christmas 2008-New Year 2009

Before we went to Wenatchee, we had Lane's work Christmas party in Boise. It was an ugly sweater party, so this is why we are ridiculously dressed. Basically everyone was drunk, so I of course felt awkward. It was pretty entertaining though.We got to go see Faith do her "Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer" dance recital. She was adorable as usual...AND she was basically the only on who knew the dance. And we got to hear her sing it for the rest of the 3 weeks that we were in Wenatchee

Christmas morning we woke up at 7am and opened presents. Blake, Kim, Faith and Tobie came over to open more at 9. We went over to Curt and Laurel's for our Christmas lunch/dinner and hung out there playing games and stuff. It was a good Christmas day. I felt spoiled. Lane got me some clothes, a pair of shoes, a cd, a few movies, the 4 Twilight books, some belts. We got some games, a hymn book with our name on it, money, razors and such. I got Lane some new basketball shoes, some shirts, a shirt and tie, slippers, itunes card.

The rest of the time we were there we just hung out with everyone, shopped...Lane and I tried to go see one of his friend's bands play at a bar, however, I was too young and got carded right when we sat down. Soooo I got kicked out of a bar! haha. 6 months shy. We went sledding. We saw a couple movies and went bowling. New Year's Eve we Lane and I just went over to Blake and Kim's and played games until midnight. Kim's sister, Janet, was there. Faith made it til midnight. Then we went home basically right at 12. It was fun, nothing too eccentric. Our last night there, we went to the Wenatchee Wild, hockey game. That was a lot of fun. I enjoy going to sporting events, it's just different live. 2 fights broke out, which was pretty entertaining.

I am truly blessed to have such great in-laws. They have made me feel welcome from the first time I met them, and they have taken care of me and spoiled me and loved me ever since. Lane treats me so well, and I can see where he gets it. He is definitely his own person, but he shows a great example of compassion, kindness and affection towards me. I love my family. I was sad to not be with them for Christmas, but at least I was with people who love me. I am excited to start this new year and move forward. =========Happy New Year==========2009

Wenatchee

It's a winter-wonderland here! It's so fun to have snow for Christmas. It's been nice to just relax here and not have to go to school or work. We've had the Larson Christmas party (outside/in a barn..burrrr), and Papo's 82nd birthday party. We've been playing with little Faith and Tobie every day. Tobie's huge and walks all over the place- it's so dang cute! Erin, Russell, and I volunteered at the elementary school last week. We read with some 2nd graders, and made made the stuff for and ornament project, and went on a Christmas caroling fieldtrip with some 3rd graders to the senior center. We've had a great time so far hanging out with the Larsons/Heltons. 2 days til Christmas! We forgot our camera charger so we haven't really been taking many pictures. :( Maybe Kim will have some later and we'll get some posted after Christmas. Off to build snowmen with Faith!!!

Thanksgiving in So.Cal

We started our trip on Friday night and stayed in Provo with James and Erin. It was fun to hang out with them. Saturday morning we headed to Las Vegas and stayed the night there. We stayed in the Gold Coast and we just hung out on the strip for a few hours. I was very disappointed in the pirate show at Treasure Island. It's not so cool and piratey anymore.

Sunday we drove to Laguna Hills, CA to my aunt Kandy and uncle Terry's house. We went for my sister's birthday dinner. We had time beforehand to go watch the sunset at the beach.

Monday we drove to Corona where my grandma, Mimi and Poppi live. Lane went with Poppi, not to a car show, but to a garage where a bunch of old men went and drank coffee and talked about cars. He had "so much fun". We all went out to lunch and then went and hung out with Alexa and Jesse (Lyle and Pilar's kids). Then we had dinner at about 5 and our day was basically done. Lane and I went to Walmart and came back with a movie to watch and we fell asleep to it.



Tuesday we drove to Anaheim and met my family at their timeshare. Dad had to work so the rest of us went to LA to the garment district for a few hours. Then we went back and picked up Dad for dinner at Chris and Pits. Thennnnn we went and saw "Twilight" and Lane and Trevor saw "Quantum of Solace". I thought Twilight was really good actually. My sister and cousin hated it but I thought they did a very good job. There were a few corny things in it but I loved it.



Wednesday we went to Knott's Berry Farm. Lane hadn't been to a theme park for about 10 years so he was pretty excited. He lead us all, running and following the little map. It rained for about 20minutes in the morning and so we didn't really have many lines all day. It was awesome! They have a lot of new, really fun rides now. Lane did a 3point game thing and he was so close to getting the top prize. They have 40seconds to shoot 12 balls. He made 8, which basically showed everyone else up that was doing it. He won a big ball and we all played with it throughout the rest of the night. It was a fun day. We stayed with Brad and Becky that night and got to soak in the hot tub for a while. Gooood day. (Pictures will be posted later--they're on my mom's and Devin's cameras.)



Thursday...THANKSGIVING DAY! We sat in a couple hours of traffic heading back up to Corona. We went to Mimi and Poppi's house for dinner. It was them, my whole family, Lyle & Pilar and their kids, Kelly and Heather (Mimi's niece), Gary & Juan and Justin, Kandy and Terry, and Brad and Becky. It was a lot of fun. Dinner was fantastic as usual. Pilar did the turkey, and it was enough to feed everyone but not enough for leftovers... :( Kandy planned a game called "Turkey Trivia" and the winner (Becky) got a $25 for a choice from a few different restaurants. Too bad I knew nothing about turkeys and my guessing didn't benefit me. Alexa and Jesse are getting so big and they are just adorable little angels. It was fun playing with them, and I think that will hold us over on the baby fever for a while. Next is Wenatchee with Faith and Tobie!!






Friday we went bowling with my family, Kandy, Terry, and Becky. Then we kind of just hung out at Kandy's and had dinner. That night we went and saw "Australia" which was such an awesome movie. Long...but awesome. Randy and Cheryl and Britt met us there too. And that was our last night there. We drove ALL the way back to
Rexburg on Saturday!

I've been picked!

Jen over at The Stewart Stuff

'picked' me to tell 7 random things

about myself! Here it goes:

1. I gag at even some of the slightest movements

of my tongue...

So very sensitive to smells.

2. I was a sneak growing up and would search for

Christmas presents (I always knew where they were

at). One year I found an ant farm (thinking

it was for one of my brothers). I opened it up

Christmas day and said "Wait, did I open the

right one?" I never got the ants.

3. I hate sharing pillows. And I hate feet.

4. I have TMJ.

5. I broke my wrist in 7th grade from chasing

a basketball, stepping on it, and falling.

6. I'm a clean freak. I think it's a mild

case of OCD.

7. Anytime I use a knife or a grater, I somehow slice

or grate a finger.

Ok, these are the people I

'pick':

Jenna Lee

Erin Lake

Erin Urrutia

Kim Larson

It's November!!

I'm so excited that it's November! It snowed last night and actually stuck...pretty but that means it's just going to snow more and more and the wind won't go away and I'm going to die. And I slipped and fell on my butt today, and somehow cut my hand. I didn't exactly enjoy that, but I'm sure there will be more of those moments to come. Thanksgiving is coming! I can't wait!!!!

Lane decided to take a picture of me doing hw. I look thrilled to be doing so. AND we had a good Sunday so I decided to take a picture.

Lane is on an intramural basketball team, we went to his game. He had a lovely outfit on...and he was sick. But he's still good and fun to watch!!

Pumpkin Carving

We carved pumpkins (our first Halloween as a married couple) and Erin joined us. However, we probably won't be doing anything exciting for the ol' HALLOWEEN. But at least we look festive. :)

Hawks: So we were undefeated until we played a very poor-sported team. They were trash-talking, staging fouls against us...the ref was making horrible calls...they had ridiculous, uncalled-for pk's. Our team fell apart that day and we started blaming each other and not playing our positions or our game. BUT the finals are this weekend and we are still ranked #1 and we are going to kick butt!

**Lane and I have been discussing the future a lot lately. We're thinking of going to teach English in Thailand or some other country when I get my associate's (which I should get after summer semester and maybe a few more classes). And then Lane's thinking of teaching high school, so we might just turn everything around. We don't know exactly what we're going to do but that's just our thoughts.

STORY TIME!: So the other day I was walking to a building, and I saw President Clark walking from the opposite direction. (For those of you who don't know, he's the President of our school--obviously--and he directs all the devotionals and he's pretty famous in the Rexburg world). I was a ways ahead of him so I didn't think much of it (wasn't even close enough to hold the door open for him). So I went in the building over to a food cart and grabbed a drink and turned around to the line to pay and there's Pres. Clark, standing there looking at me. So I'm like "Hi" and he asked my name, I told him "Jannica" (no last name) and he asks where I'm from and how things are...and then ends the convo and walks away. I was thinking it was kind of weird that he went out of his way to meet me. I was very awkward in talking to him as well because #1 that's just how I am and #2 He caught me off-guard, I mean it's not every day that the president of a university goes out of his way to talk to you.

THEN I get home a few hours later and I have an email from his assistant, asking me to call her because she wants to meet with me. So I start freaking out. What the heck did I do? Nothing, I was just buying a drink. So I call and she asks me to meet the next day when I'm done with classes, and informs me that I'm not in trouble, she just needed to "chat". So I'm freaking out all night and all the next day...12:30 rolls around and I go in. She said that President Clark had felt that I seem like I have some heavy burdens in my life right now and that I might need to talk. I try to think of everything that's going on in my life and reply "Honestly, I can't think of anything that would be burdening me. I have a couple hard classes but it's not like they are kicking my butt or killin me" So she asks if there's any financial issues, or emotional...still can't think of anything. We chat a little more. I feel awkward. We end the discussion with her saying if I ever need financial help, or emotional that I need to go to them. UMMMMMMMM.............WHAT??! Really, I'm fine. I'm sorry that I don't walk around campus with my head held high, smiling and singing like a lot of other BYU-I students. I'm kind of in my own world when I walk around. Apparently I need help tho. SOOOOOOOO....Make sure you walk with your head held high and smile/sing/skip/whistle! Otherwise you are heavy-burdened. THE END.