Salt Lake

This is a mash up of all the things I've done the past couple weeks. Things got really busy all of a sudden!

Thanksgiving was SO much fun! I love my family! Exactly half of us were in Rexburg this year :) we missed Allison and her family, Katrina and her family, Jenae and our parents, but it was really nice to see everyone. this was the only picture of the ten of us while we were up here! It was fun to have everyone in my apartment for Dinner Friday night. and then Saturday morning. I love them so much!

Don't you just love being around people that get you?

I love this picture of us. 

p.s. Look at dang Owen! He's so adorable! Eric was tickling him to make him laugh, which made us all laugh too. He's such a cutie, and Katelyn and Whitney were such a breath of fresh air.

I love us.

small tidbit.  I have a pretty straight nose. My neice Whitney accidentily head-butted me satuday afternoon and it was swollen for a day or two. It's still kind of tender, and  still have a wee little bump. haha! I held a pillow up to my nose so you could see the bump distinctly.

My roommate Donna has the sweetest step mom who seriously loves us. She bought us tickets to see "The Forgotten Carols" by Michael Mclean.

OH. MY. GOODNESS.

SO flipping good.

And I listened to a couple of the songs on youtube after we got home and i was kind of disappointed with the original cast version, the guy we saw was WAY better than the original. pfft.

Bradley Quinn Lever, guys.

He was amazing. I literally cried.

Last Friday Mallorie, Jaylene and I drove down to Salt Lake City to see the Christmas lights on Temple Square. SO worth the five hour drive in pouring rain.

The lights and the city were beautiful. they had the coolest floating nativity set up!

We spent the night at Mal's grandma's house. I love Grandma Carol! she is the cutest! 

we spent Saturday at Mallorie's Aunt and Uncle's house in West Jordan. Jaylene spent the day with a friend who was getting married. 

These kids were SO adorable, this is my second trip to salt lake with Mal this semster, so it's my second time hanging out with them and going to church with them. I honestly love thier family like it's my own.

I took pictures of us with my Polaroid because  the kids had never seen one before.

We went to a tree smelling party with them! Haha apparently no one gets real trees anymore? because this awesome family invites a bunch of friends over every year at the beginning of December for a tree smell. It's basically a regular christmas party, but with an emphasis on smelling the tree as you come in the door. 

I smelt it and guessed correctly that it was a Douglas Fir. My dad would be proud.

The Woman who hosted the party is adorable! Her name is Nora Mair and she is INCREDIBLE. 

she does tons of crazy, inspiring things and next year she's doing this "12/30 project" where each month she tries something new for 30 days. AND each month she's going to do something off her bucket list!

I will most likely be posting a link to her blog soon, and you should definitely all go read it because she's great.

I'm grateful for family, and people who feel like family because they just love you without hesitation. 

I'm grateful for temples, because they are beautiful.

I'm grateful for Christmas and the good it brings out in people.

I'm SO incredibly thankful for this semester and everything I've learned.

I'm thankful for prayer because sometimes it literally stops your car from going off a cliff in a rainstorm. 

I'm grateful for happy places, and happy friends that make five hour car rides seem like nothing.

I love Rexburg, I LOVE BYUI and I really and truly love life here.

Buuuut Christmas is literally so close i can taste it. Last night i envisioned us caroling in the Elmo's living room and Mrs.Elmo crying when we sing Joy to the World. And I pictured looking out  from my bed and seeing the Christmas light colors all hazy and blurred by sleepy eyes and the foggy window.

I miss home, for sure. Pressin' on. ONE WEEK LEFT!

I can do it!