Josh's Birthday/Gingerbread House

For my youngest brother Joshua's birthday we went and got a Christmas tree with my family, set it up, and decorated Gingerbread houses and ate Kentucky Fried Chicken. All per Josh's wish. It was fun to think about this because last year was when Dustin and I had been dating and Josh'a birthday was when he decided that he was ready to get a bit more serious and actually hold my hand! But he didn't get around to the hand holding until the next day, but it was the night he decided he was in! So it has been fun to be reliving these things from last year that mean so much to us now. Who ever thought that watching Harry Potter with my parents kissing on the couch next to us and Dustin having to sit between me and David because David kept poking me that he would decide he wanted in on this family!

But of course it was fun too because Josh turned 14!!! And Dustin and I are a bit prideful about our awesome Gingerbread making skills :)

Here we are eating Kentucky Fried Chicken, Joshua's tradition since it is his favorite.

Getting ready to blow out the candles!!!

Dustin and our awesome Gingerbread house!! He did the sides and I did the front and then we did the roof together.

SEE!! We're getting pretty good!! I would sure live there!!

Yummy!!!

Showing off all sides of the house, I was so proud of Dustin and how creative he got with the sides of the house and how much he wanted it to look good. I especially liked his idea of the grass.

I thought my flowers had turned out pretty good too!!

A closer look at the grass and Dustin's handywork!!

The other side of the house. The roof actually covers some of the really neat part that he did with the twizzlers.

We think this is a fun tradition for Joshua's Birthday and can't believe that this officially marked the 1 year marker since we really started actually "dating". Happy Birthday Josh!!

Our first Christmas Together!!

This year was our first Christmas together as a married couple. It was crazy to think that last year we were still just dating and he had spent a week in Utah with his family. In fact it was right after Dustin got home that he told me he loved me for the first time. Oh the sweet memories...sweet I know. :)

We spent Christmas Eve with Dustin's cousins for dinner and singing and then headed to my parents for games, "The Christmas Story" and then headed home. We wanted to spend Christmas morning with just us. We learned that after you are married Santa needs some assistance and so we stuffed each other's stockings, which was super fun. But we woke up and here is our cute, but very dead tree. We forgot to water it a few times :) oops!

Opening our stockings. Dustin and I love Reeses.

We got each other Christmas ornaments. In my family it is tradition to have a "theme" and Santa gave us that theme ornament each year. I always got angels, so our Christmas tree was covered with all the angel ornaments I had gotten over the years. I was a bit nervous to decide what Dustin's theme would be...but the the decision was made as soon as I saw this ornament...Batman!! Have no fear, superheroes will be decking our Christmas tree each year now!

Now I HAVE to be better at tennis! yeah!! Can't wait for warmer weather!

We are SO excited to cook in the Dutch oven! It is for sure on the menu tonight!

Yes, I love cooking, and you even give me a flame and I love it more!!

That is his "I'm too excited to speak and just totally in love with this basketball look"

We then headed to the parentals for more presents and good times together playing games and watching movies we all got. I love Christmas!!

Now enter photo shoot for Dustin and his new Spiderman gear....

As you can see he was a bit excited. We are so blessed and can't believe what a great Christmas it was. We just missed spending time with Dustin's family, but look forward to that next year hopefully! But we are just grateful for each other and the amazing Christmas we spent together. Here's to an eternity of wonderful Christmas'!!

Michigan and Ohio State Trip

Back in November Dustin and I had a few days off of work and so we decided to take a little road trip.  We went and stayed a few days with my brother Nate, his wife Marianne, and their little girl Isabelle.  Dustin had only met them at the wedding, and as Nate was my closest sibling growing up and Marianne was my college roommate I wanted them to be able to get to know each other.  They live right out side of Ann Arbor, so of course we had to take a stop to see the Big House!  Met right outside.... 

Michigan Campus...

Dustin excited about his first experience seeing the big house, especially since we were going to an Ohio State game at the Horseshoe in just to more days!!

I felt like I needed to hide from everyone...like they were telepathic or something and know I was a Buckeye fan.

Holding Isabelle.  It was SO fun to be able to play with her and spend time playing games and talking with Nate and Marianne.  Isabelle has a case of stranger danger, and my siblings said she did not like to be apart from Mari or Nate, but she sure took to Dustin!!  I was able to take her for a little bit in the morning, but by the afternoon she just wanted her new boyfriend Dustin!!

See??  Happier with him holding her.

The happy family.  It was so good to see them!!  I miss them a lot!!

Aren't they adorable!!??

After 2 days in Michigan we headed south to Columbus, Ohio.  There Dustin has a cousin whose husband is in dental school at OSU and they got us some tickets, which we are really really grateful for! Then we were also able to stay with them.  It was fun to get to know them too and their little boy!

Yes, that is me at the Horseshoe!!  This was the November 14th Penn State game.  It was SUCH a good game!!

Loving life, as we live the dream!!

I love the sea of red!!

Setting up for script "Ohio".  Seriously this is a big deal.  I just love all the traditions!!

ah!!  Dotting the "I"!!!

At Halftime we went down to try and get a better view of the field and walk around the Horseshoe a bit.

At the main entrance.  O H!!

And the Buckeyes win!!  It was a really good game and we had such a blast!!  Thank you Nate and Mari for a fabulous time and Blake and Shonna for helping my dream come true to attend a game at the Horseshoe!!  And for the laughs and letting us stay with you!!  Living the Dream!!