Happy Birthday Dad!

I'm actually a day late, but I wanted to wish my Dad a Happy Birthday (especially since his card still needs to be mailed out, oops)! I have the most amazing father and I have learned so much from him. The older I get the more I realize how hard he's worked/continues to work to be where he is today! He is such an awesome example to me in every way and I just want him to know how much I love and appreciate him!

I love you Dad, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Bathroom Remodel

Can I just tell you how much I love it when Steven has Christmas break and does all the projects around our house! He has been so great, and after we had our Christmas on Monday he got to work on remodeling our bathroom. When we first moved in we painted and bought a new vanity cabinet & sink. However, the cabinet & sink have been sitting in our garage for the last 5 months waiting to be installed. Now that we also have our new toilet, Steven installed everything while I was sleeping and working at night. He did such a good job and it looks a thousand times better. Now all we have to do is the flooring, lighting, and put in a new mirror. I can't wait to see what it will look like when it's all done. Here are a few before and after pictures. Vanity BEFORE.... First pic: Vanity AFTER, Second pic: NEW toilet!

Christmas Came Early

Due to the fact that I work the next three nights until Christmas morning and then we leave for South Dakota we decided to do Christmas early. It worked out great for me because if anybody knows me they know that I am a huge snoop and it's been taking all I have to not shake & rip open every gift under the tree. Anyhow, here are some pictures of our morning...

sorry about the pj's, crazy hair, and no make-up. The presents & our stockings waiting to be ripped into. Steven digging into his stocking.

Steven showing off the sweater his parents gave him from Mexico. Also, a picture of the new toilet that we bought with the gift card from his parents. (That's right we bought a new toilet, how sad is that!)

Steven's grand finale present to me was an already opened can of black paint, as you can tell in the first picture I was a little confused. When things finally started to click in my brain I realized that it was for my old stereo stand that I'd been wanting to paint black. At first I just thought that he was nice and bought the paint for me, but then realizing that it was already opened I ran to find the stand in the garage. Sure enough he had already painted it for me!! I was in shock and having a hard time grasping how he'd done this without me noticing. He later told me that he'd taken it to the school where he had to clean it, sand it down, and then put 2 coats of paint on. Needless to say I was very surprised and very very apprecitive. I knew I married an awesome man, and he just keeps proving it over and over again. Thanks Steven, I love it!!

Me on the phone with my parents while trying to unwrap the card they gave us.....they know me very well and therfore taped every edge and corner so that it was almost impossible to get open. Thanks Mom and Dad for our gift!!

Here's all the loot. We have truly had many blessings to count this year.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope that you too will remember your blessings recieved this year and the true meaning of Christmas!

Happy 16th Birthday

We just wanted to wish my little brother Jared a Happy 16th Birthday!! The residents of Richfield better be extra cautious now with him on the road! :P We love you J.J. and hope you have a great Birthday!!

Christmas Card & Letter

For the last three years we have joined in the tradition of sending out Christmas cards and letters. Although we have still sent some out this year, we are poor and thus were unable to send them to all of our friends and family. So if you didn't get one in the mail we've posted them both here for everyone's enjoyment and amusement. We hope you all have a Merry Christmas! P.S. If you got your pic/card in the mail, sorry the pictures are a little grainy, I don't know why they printed that way. To read letter click on the picture to make it go full size.

Our Christmas Party

Last night Steven and I hosted our first party ever since being married. It only took 3 1/2 years to finally live in something that was big enough to hold more than 5 people at one time. Anyhow, we had Christmas dinner/party for the students that are in grad school with Steven. Some of them will not be able to go home for Christmas and a few of them are from other countries that have never experienced an "American Christmas" so we felt it our duty to provide everyone with a little bit of Christmas. We ended up having 15 people and had lots of fun. For dinner we provided the ham (which Steven did an awesome job cooking, especially since this was his first one) and the traditional "funeral potatoes" and everyone else brought side dishes and desserts from their own family traditions. Needless to say we had lots of great food! After dinner we played the celebrity game, but with Christmas themed people/objects. Everyone also brought white elephant gifts and we played the stealing gift exchange game which was pretty entertaining. To end the party Steven read the story of The Christmas Orange and gave everyone a tangerine (in place of an orange). Overall I think the party went well and I'm glad we did it, but I'm also glad it's over. Here are a few pictures of our tree, the dinner, and pics from the games. . Our "grown up" tree as everyone called it (I think we are the only ones who have a full size tree) The line for food, and everyone eating. Mary (3rd year TD grad student) & her fiance Mark. Adam (1st year TD grad student) & wife Debbie. Alicia in the red (3rd year TD grad student) admiring her white elephant gift and Katie (1st year design grad student) playing the celebrity game.

Thanksgiving Dinner

I know Thanksgiving was over a week ago, but I thought I should post some pictures of our first Thanksgiving dinner here in Bloomington. Steven is lucky to be going to school with a bunch of great people who are always including us in their parties. I had to work that night so they had dinner early for me so that I was able to be there. Everyone brought a food item that is part of their traditional Thanksgiving dinner, and we ended up with tons of food! It was all very delicious and despite that fact that we couldn't be home with family for Thanksgiving we still had a great time. Here are some pictures of the main cook/host, Seamus, and our dinner party. Steven showing off the canned cranberries still in their perfect form :) and a picture of us!