few things excite me, part 1

So when I post about it, it is unusually important to me.

 

I rediscover I like ice cream when I come home.

Where Blue Bell does not grace the freezer aisles of grocery stores is a shame and I pity those who have not had the opportunity to partake. No other brands can compare. Unlike all other brands, Blue Bell has not downsized the size of their container while increasing price and is "still a 1/2 gallon", as stated by the little red banner on the front of the carton. Most importantly, they don't skimp on the good stuff. The stuff-to-ice cream ratio is perfecto. Peppermint is my favorite, but unfortunately, is seasonal. 

Apparently, there is a Kettle Corn flavor that I have not tried yet...not for long.

santa's workshop

That's how my sister describes my parent's house at Christmas time.

I made the clay, white and blue present in a pottery class years ago.

One of my favorites. When the string is pulled, it plays "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and Santa's arm, the toys in his sack and his hat move up and down.

 

 

Lately, I have spent way too much time researching dogs and driving Matt crazy about what kind to get. I need to get started on my Christmas shopping.

 

 Picture in front of our first home before leaving. We will miss it.

Sunset when I woke up in Texas. Matt doesn't like how Texas is mostly flat. He says you need "landmarks" to know where you are, but I don't mind. I like the big sky. Not everyone can grow up by mountains and the ocean, bu.

Rach's replacement. Sixty-six pounds of wrinkles and nonstop handshakes.

we made it

Matt was a champ and drove 16 hours straight from Provo to Amarillo. When the sun came up, it was my turn and then he took the last leg to finish off the drive to Dallas.

Matt's only nap, still clinging onto a crossword puzzle book, that I woke him up from after 10 minutes, because he heard the camera on my phone take this picture.

Lessons from our first moving trip together:

*Bu is undoubtedly, a driving machine

*He doesn't trust me to drive at night or during the day

*Krispy Kreme doughnuts are still delicious, but a little dry the next morning

*Check to make sure the rental truck's cigarette adapter works or look to see if there is even a tape/CD player before you bring cell phone chargers, GPS system, laptops, ipods, DVDs, and books on audio that depend on them, or else you will be listening and seeking for radio stations the entire drive

*Moving trucks have no cab room

*Trucks with car towing trailers need wider turns than expected

*Ultimately, the driver controls the radio

I should be in bed asleep by now, but I am so excited to be in the comfort of my Texas home, spending time with family, watching football, listening to Steve's dog, Walter, snoring away, surrounded by Christmas lights and decorations, that I am willing to be exhausted a little longer to enjoy my surroundings.

mateo in sacramento

If going to a Sacramento Kings game wasn't enough, Matt got to drive this today. This is the actual Audi R8 used in the movie Date Night. Yep, he sat where Steve Carell sat, placed his hands on the steering wheel that Steve Carell had once placed his hands on and who knows how many other stars those hands have touched. And isn't there a good chance Mark Wahlberg sat in this too? I like to think so.

I'm still trying to teach Matt how to get in pictures.

belated thanksgiving list

I am thankful for

*Matt moving me to Dallas

*Matt's job

*Matt's love and patience 

*Our good health

*Our thousands of blessings and grateful that life has thrown us very little curve balls this year 

*Our families

*Our friends 

*The family who I got moving boxes from, who gave me a ton of packing paper, that was huge

*Living in a time where prescription contacts, internet, DVR and cell phones exist

*My sister

*Nice people

*Our apartment, I loved living here and everything about it

*The Gospel

Breakfast in SB with friends Thanksgiving morning.

Commandeered from Annie.

What Rach and I came home to driving back from California to Utah. I like looking at it more from the inside of a heated car or apartment. As long as winter isn't like it was last year in Dallas, I am looking forward to not scrapping off ice and snow off the car for the rest of the year.

I better relax because we could end up somewhere with worse conditions than this.

 

I can't believe our time here in Utah is coming to an end this weekend!

temple square lights

We look so dorky. When I say we, I mean me.

These past couple of months, I have been driving up with Rach to Salt Lake once a week where she takes a couple of classes. I hang out in the library and we'll go to the mall for lunch and window shopping. Last night, we hung around to see beautiful Temple Square with all the Christmas lights lit.