an update with pictures from my phone.

how's that for a fancy title?  my english 211 professor would be so proud.
 

anyhow...it's been a while.  like 5 months while.  i blame it on my new, more than full time job that seems to consume my days and nights, my energy, and my gusto to do much of anything by the time i get home from work at night.  

the good news is, that crazy job of mine is awesome and really good to their employees and gave everyone in the office the week in between christmas and new years off...and they are paying us for it!  so i've been playing catch up on a few things in life.  i thought one of them could be this blog of mine.

because the thought of REALLY catching up on my blog is nothing less than overwhelming, i thought i'd do a little summary of what's been happening with some pictures from my phone.  we bought me my first smart phone a couple of months ago (welcome to the 21st century!) and i'm lovin' it!

so, in no particular order, here goes...

 i turned T-H-I-R-T-Y on december 17th and my sweet husband started my day off right with breakfast in bed!

 we had our very own christmas morning at our house this year...just trav and i.  it was perfect.

 my thoughtful husband surprised me with a christmas tree one saturday when i was home in bed, sleeping and sick with a migraine. 

 we went to HAWAII for a week at the beginning of this month.  AMAZING doesn't even begin to describe how incredible it was.  it was just the vacation we were needing!

 miss sarah jane turned 4 on november 30th (the day before we left for hawaii) and we celebrated by going bowling, which was her choice! 

 this is my computer at work.  did i mention i work a lot?  and that i love my job?  and that it came as a huge blessing to us?  oh, and we were monsters for halloween.  one of my favorite costumes yet.  thanks to my sister, kim for helping us with them!

 the boise temple has been closed since july for renovations, so we were thrilled when we found some time to go to the jordan river temple when we were in utah for thanksgiving.

 a beautiful sunrise on our way to utah for thanksgiving.  that is actually a funny story...we left wednesday night after work for utah and we only made it to burley (2.5 hours away from boise) because we were so exhausted from a cuh-razy work week.  we got a last minute hotel and stayed the night in burley and got up nice and early to get back on the road.  we either work too much or are getting old!

 i am still the young women's president of our ward and am doing my best to keep up with these girls.  it is the greatest challenge and the greatest blessing, all in one.

 we continue to spend a lot of time with our dearest friends, the grants.  this was date night at their house...a yummy dinner and then we made to die for caramel apples and stayed up way too late (as always) talking and laughing.  i am telling you...we solve the world's problems with these two!

 a saturday date to the mountains with the atchleys to gather pinecones for a wreath kim and i made.  wait til you see it...i love it and think it is beautiful!  i've never used more hot glue in my life!

 a breakfast date at a yummy bagel shop by my office with my love.

 our most expensive purchase of the year.  ah, i am in love!

 the nielsens (trav's sister's family) came to visit in october!  we snuck away with our sweet nephew, wyatt, for a lunch date and some one on one time one afternoon.  what a sweet, sweet boy.

 luke turned 2 in october and we had a monkey party!  i c-a-n-n-o-t get enough of this sweet and hilarious little boy.  his smile and raspy voice melts my heart.

 i was lucky enough to get together with these favorite girls of mine (and stacy and kelsey, who are not pictured) 3 times in one week at the end of september!  andi described our time together perfect in this blog post.  that night goes down as one of my very favorite times with those special girls.  it makes my heart all fluttery just thinking about it.  not sure where i'd be without these girls.

 a date at the park with the atchleys.

 on one of our many bike dates on the greenbelt this fall.

 my husband surprised me with a great date one saturday afternoon, out there on that island in the middle of the boise river.  how grateful i am for a spontaneous, thoughful husband!

two of trav's best buddies got married this summer.  hooray for being married!  you all know we love it . . .

and hooray to any of you who are still reading!  hopefully i will find some time to expound on a few of the above adventures.