Tradition With The Peters

So last year, on the day after Thanksgiving, Mike and his family invited me to come along with them for one of their traditions. They always go the night after Thanksgiving to a restaurant called Lamb's Grill. I believe it is about 100 years old. It is pretty fancy there. After that, they walk around and look at lights and also go in the Grand America to see what festivities might be happening in there. I was very happy to join them last year and grateful that they brought me along. It was nice to spend the evening with my love and his family. Now, it is a year later and that same tradition happened last night. Mike is on his mission and frankly I don't think I would have remembered that they were going to do that. I was very surprised when Jorjann texted me inviting me to join them again for the tradition. I was so happy and excited to be joining them. Unfortunately, I did not take my camera with me. I know, it's lame. I suck at taking my camera with me. But I can certainly paint a picture.

We met and drove downtown. It was nice to catch up with them. Erika let me know about a date she had been asked on by a senior. She was excited and we teased her all night that he would probably  hold her hand and kiss her! When we first got down there, we walked around the Grand America and did the scavenger hunt in which we got some chocolates for our prize. They had some samples of gelato. So yummy! When the worker switched, we went back and got more. We listened to the band in there and just enjoyed each other's company. We walked around a little outside after that and even went into a Jamaican store. It really reminded us of Mikey. Then, it was off to Lamb's. I enjoyed dinner and great conversation. Tim told us about his days working at Francesco's. I love it there at Lamb's and it really took me back to last year. We walked around temple square after dinner and looked at all the lights. It was beautiful and really not even cold! I loved spending time with them. I have seen them a bit since Mike left, but haven't ever spent the night with them like that. It was great. It is cool to be with them on my own and it allows us all to become closer. I look forward to many more memories with them and then even more in the future. I hope I can always be a apart of this wonderful tradition. Love my second fam. I am so blessed to have so many loved ones in my life.

Merry Thanksgiving!

It seemed that Christmas was starting all too soon this year. It's not that I don't like Christmas, I just really like fall and Thanksgiving and every little thing about that time of year. My mom told me that since Thanksgiving was later this year, that we would put up our Christmas decorations the day before Thanksgiving. Seemed weird to me, but who am I to say? My family has the tradition to go to a movie and put up the tree the day after Thanksgiving. It used to be that us kids would sit at home and wait for our very exciting family tradition while our parents shopped in the day time. That has kind of evolved over the years and we have really been doing things in a very unordinary way. This year, we went on November 27th to see Delivery Man. It is a very hilarious film with Vince Vaughn. He donates a lot of sperm in the movie and it is all about him trying to get around the secret. I would highly recommend it. The whole family loved it. I can't forget that before that we did put up the Christmas tree. It was a fun night and yes, I forgot to take pictures. Darn. 

Well, the next day was Thanksgiving - my fave. We all started cooking pretty early. I always love that about Thanksgiving, just all being together and cooking in the kitchen practically all day long. Payt was sick on the couch and we had to threaten Davis with eating cereal for dinner if he didn't help. Here are some pictures from the wonderful day. 

I used my great grandmother's recipe for the apple pie. It was wonderful. 

 

My dad's parents did end up coming over later to visit. Usually they join us, but we were too late in inviting them this year. Someone else had already gotten to them. It was good to see them after dinner, though. I love them so much. I'd say that it was a successful day and definitely time well spent. Now, we may officially start the Christmas season! Love ya, fam. 

And a Merry Christmas to you, Mikey

I know it's only November and we haven't even celebrated Thanksgiving as of yet, but when you have a missionary in another country, you better get started early. His family let me know that they would be sending him a package soon and that I could put my Christmas gifts for him in with theirs. I thought it was really nice of them. I wasn't really prepared already, so I have had to whip this all up pretty quick... definitely on a whim! But that's how I do things. So, I would like to document and share what I will be sending him for Christmas.

First off, I wrote him a letter and included a comic at the end. I think that Mike looks a whole lot like Charlie Brown when he makes a certain face, so we kind of have a Charlie Brown thing going on. 

I purchased this grey tie that I knew was just for Mike. It is wool. He has a wool one that he found at a thrift shop in Wyoming in June. He says that he loves it because he can wipe his sweat on it. I thought it would be perfect for him to have another. I also drenched it in my new perfume. 

I use these to mark my scriptures, so I thought he might enjoy having some to try out. 

If you know Mike, you will know that he loves any type of game or puzzle. Just something to make him think. I thought it would be perfect to make him a crossword puzzle with all of our own inside jokes and things about us. 

I purchased this pocket-size hymn book for him and had his name engraved into it. I hope he loves it. 

Of course I had to get him a bunch of his favorite gum. He can't go without it. 

Sealed with a kiss. 

I included some pictures of what I've been up to lately. 

Christmas is such a fun time of year and I hope that these gifts will put Mike right in the Christmas spirit. It will be so weird for him to not be home for Christmas, but I know he will have a good experience. After this, it's just one more Christmas without him and he'll be home for the next. I miss Mike like crazy and I am so grateful to be able to send him my love.

Merry Christmas, my love.

Something Every Girl Needs To See

Wow, this definitely changed my whole perspective about myself.

The majority of girls think badly of what they look like. They are hard and unfair about the person that they are. This doesn't really create a healthy self-image and we all know that. I would just like to share this video. Maybe it's something all of us can learn from. Let's look at how others view us and you can watch it here.

Happy Day To You and Me, My Love

I mean, people always celebrate year marks and stuff like that, which is usually the same for me. And I'm not going to celebrate every month. But I realized while typing up Mike's email tonight that today is our twenty month mark of us being together. I find that to be pretty insane. Like that time has sped by, let's hope the time while he is away will, too. I thought that in honor of being together for twenty months, I would share twenty things that I love about Mike. I have definitely won the lottery in my eyes.

 

1. I love the way he watches me when I am doing something. He thinks I don't notice, but I surely do. 

2. I love the way he still flirts with me like we are still in high school. 

3. I love it when he kisses my feet. 

4. I love the tiny mole on his finger.

5. I love his crooked fingers. 

6. I love the way he treats people. 

7. I love his charlie brown smile. 

8. I love the way he turns his head to look at me when I wrap my arms around his neck from behind. 

9. I love the way he smells of nothing to everyone else and everything to me. 

10. I love that he brushes his teeth each time he leaves the house. 

11. I love it that he is interested in what I love. 

12. I love the way he plays with my siblings like his own. 

13. I love the way he treats his parents and younger sister. 

14. I love the face he makes when I force him to try something sweet. 

15. I love him for his patience. 

16. I love the way he constantly reminds me that he loves me. 

17. I love that he uses the same deodorant that I do. 

18. I love that he has the ability to stick to anything he sets his mind to. 

19. I love his thoughtfulness. 

20. I love him for his sensitivity. 

This was the picture from Junior Prom on March 17, 2012 - the day that started it all. Now, look what has come out of it. 

I love you, Mike. You are my world. I hope Jamaica is being good to you. They are some lucky people. 

No Buyer's Remorse for a Big Spender

Okay, so I am good with money. I like to save and I usually can save up a lot easily. Now, it's weird because I'm also a VERY big spender. Once I decide I want something, I get it. I don't think about it for longer than a couple of hours - sometimes even less (yikes). I have been especially like this lately. There are several things I have done/purchased all on the same day that I decided. Yeah, it's pretty risky. Okay, so to name them... you may be interested. Read on.

1. I got a tattoo. I didn't even want a tattoo the day before. All in one day I thought it up and got it. Yep, and the next day I thought up another and what do ya know, got another.

Tattoo one

Tattoo two 

2. I bought a NutriBullet. I have been on a pretty big health-kick lately while trying to lower my cholesterol and thought I really needed this. I love it. 

3. I up and wanted a new lap top. I decided to go with the best of the best - a Mac. You know what they say, "Once you go Mac, you never go back." It's definitely true. I love my Mac. I even was an influence on my best friends to be big spenders, too. We were all big spenders together. Check out our purchases. 

4. I up and chopped my bangs. Okay, so I am getting used to them. But it's just that I decided so fast and didn't even think for a second. 

5. Oh, and I almost forgot. I up and bought this expensive straightener at a kiosk in the mall. Yeah, he talked me into it. Madi also bought one, so that made me not feel so guilty. 

Okay, so maybe now you will have a better understanding of how crazy I am. I'll just leave it at that. Am I having a pre-mid-life crisis? Yikes. Wonder what crazy thing I'll do next. 

The Sibs

Every fall, my mom likes to get all of us hooligans rounded up for a fall photo shoot. She always puts me in charge of the outfit picking, although it never really goes my way. Usually I will pick some colors and then everyone yells and screams about not liking my decision. Someone is always mad and Patty is usually in tears by the time we actually start cheesing for the camera. This all happens every year. The entire photo shoot, everyone yells at each other, Davis is his obnoxious self, Ash whines, and Patrick cries. It's always a really fun time. Now, you'd think since we are getting older it would get better. Boy, are we wrong. It actually gets crazier, believe it or not. Well, I will share some of them now - the ones that turned out, that is. 

"What happened to our little sister??"

I guess it's the new thing for those Jr. High kids - that face 

I sure do love my siblings.