Siblings Date and New Years Eve

For New Years Eve we went ice skating at the Gallivan Center with my little sisters and their dates. It was a lot of fun. We Skated for a couple hours and then went to dinner and dessert. 

Isn't he the cutest? And I am the luckiest!

Janie and Joey

Garhett and I spent the rest of the evening at his friends house for a party and then my parents house. But we ended the night at our own little apartment with a 2014 New Years kiss. 

We are excited to see what adventures come our way in 2014!

A Colton Christmas

I had to work on Christmas and the day after this year. It was a major bummer. I don't ever remember wishing I was home more than I did on Christmas while I was at work this year. It's not the first time I've worked on Christmas but it's the first Christmas not being with my husband since we've been together. Plus it was a less than thrilling day at work. I had a pretty rough assignment.

But my sweet husband woke up early and drove me to work that morning, so when he came to pick me up in the evening, it was the BEST part of my day.

This is our tree early in the morning before work (with the presents I had wrapped for Garhett)...

...This is the tree after I got home from work. You see my husband told me he hadn't really gotten me anything for Christmas because he couldn't think of anything.... Sounds like he lied huh?

You know you have arrived as a housewife when you get excited to have a brand new vacuum! And I also got new down pillows for our bedroom!

I love Christmas stories, every year Garhett gets me one or two.

I got Garhett a bunch of much needed sweaters, jeans, slacks, and socks. Boring I know, but he needed them. But he did get Star Trek 2: Into Darkness. He borrows it from my parents pretty much every weekend and watches it at least twice a week. He was pretty excited to have his own.

 So after all, Christmas ended with a wonderful evening with my husband (minus a little hicup... more to come). And I would't have had it any other way. I am still so amazed at how loving and giving he is. He is such a wonderful man and an even more wonderful husband.

 Although I wish I could have been home during the day on Christmas, I realized that since we were celebrating the Savior's birth and his life of service, there is no better place I could have been than at work serving those tiny precious spirits that are still so close to His presence and for that I am grateful.

Christmas Day

On Christmas Day, while I was at work, Garhett's family got together in the morning to exchange gifts. Wish I could have been there!

Family Pictures Update

 When we were all together for Christmas Eve we snapped a few family photos since we aren't all together very often and the pictures we do get are quickly outdated with all the new grand-babies being born. 

All of my siblings and their spouses

 I also wanted some updated pictures of Garhett and I. We haven't done that since our engagement photos almost a year and a half ago.

Matheson Christmas Eve

All of my siblings were together at my parents house for Christmas Eve this year. So my mother planned an elaborate program like she always does. This is a memory I have since I was little and helped us remember the true meaning of Christmas. It's fun that we still do it with our own expanded family. We had a fun program, then a wonderful dinner, and exchanged gifts. Here's a few pictures from our night.

The Shepherds

The Wise Men

One more Wise Man

We exchange sibling gifts every year and my sister Marybeth's family got us a camping kit. I was excited, if you can't tell.

My parents got all of the married daughters a Pewter punch bowl and ladle!

All the grandkids got home made pajama pants from Grandma and Grandpa

Temple Day

My sister Janie is getting ready to leave for Calgary, Canada for a Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints at the end of January. In preparation, she went to the temple to receive her endowments. She went the Monday morning before Christmas. It was the perfect way to start the Holiday week. All of my siblings and their spouses were there (except Marcie, she's not old enough) and it was so neat to all be in the temple together!

Janie and my mother