Thanksgiving

As usual, Thanksgiving was AMAZING! It is so nice to be surrounded by family and friends.

Hightlights Included

I was able to fly out a little before to spend time with family.

I got to see Emily in her cheer competition-- so fun to be there!

I got to see Cara perform up at school-- so talented!

Tyler surprised us all by flying out early-- I have never been so surprised in my life!

Bureau of Engraving with Tyler and of course Bens Chili Bowl!

A LOT of laughing, eating, and NERTZ!

Team TOG (The Old Guys) Winning.

I had some time to reflect on things while I was out there, and while I came up with a lot of different things the most important is that, when it really comes down to it we have so much to be thankful for.

Already looking forward to JMTP9

Date Night.

When Tyler got home from school last night he came home to a poem on the door.

"I know its a little late

For a Halloween themed date.

There will be pumpkins, popcorn, and coco to share

Come on in if you dare."

I'm sure my creative writing teacher would have been impressed with that.

We never carved our pumpkins-- we got crazy busy with other other activities! I am so glad we waited because after Halloween we were able to pick up a pumpkin carving kit {I ALWAYS wanted one}!

Tyler and the Pumpkin Guts

For some reason I remember pumpkin carving being extremely messy-- I think the last pumpkin I carved was when I was 10. It was not messy at all-- very civilized.

The final result!!

I think it turned out super cute!

I also made pumpkin hot chocolate-- delicious.

and

Popped homemade popcorn-- in a pot over the stove!! It was seriously so fun {I am easily impressed}. Tyler did a video of the popcorn-- I will try to find it!

It's Already November!

How on earth is it already November?? Most of the time I am counting the days to get to November, but this year it snuck up on me!! November is one of my very favorite months because it is Fall...the leaves are changing and falling...oh yeah and McNeil-Janes Palooza aka Thanksgiving! So excited.

Us last Thanksgiving!

I was just looking at my November posts from last year and they are all about wedding preperations-- hard to believe that was all happening a year ago! What an amazing year it has been!

Las Vegas

October was crazy busy for us!

During Fall Break we were able to sneak away to Las Vegas for a few days.

It was very relaxing!

The highlight of the trip was seeing Jersey Boys. It was amazing! So amazing that we had to stop in Mesquite on the way home to buy the soundtrack! We were defintely the youngest people in the audience-it was so cute to see all of the people around us singing along! I leaned over to Tyler and said, "this is like if they make a musical of N'Sync." I am by no means saying N'Sync did not have the cultural impack that Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons had!

Halloween

It's funny how holidays evolve as you grow up, and then I am sure they evolve again once you have kids of your own! I made some delicious chili for dinner and then we had homemade pumpkin chocolate cake with pumpkin buttercream frosting for dessert! We got ZERO trick-or-treaters, unless they came while we were gone from 8:30-10:00pm. We only have 10 pieces of candy left...so I'm not quite sure what happened there! {I am so jealous of the people who say they don't like sugary stuff.}

My Gryffyndore scarf {Tyler has a matching one}. Thanks Mom!

Some Halloween Treats.

A tiny little baby! We were able to visit Sharlene, Matt, and their baby girl!

Halloween Decorations

Decorating space is limited at our household-- so I just decorate one of our tables in the living room. Since we are just starting out we do not have too many decorations so it works out perfectly! I glittered my own pumpkins over the month-- a combination of Krylon Glitter Spraypaint (we have a love/hate relationship- thankfully Krylon has excellent customer service) & glitter acrylic paint. I saw a ton of tutorials on using Martha Stewart Glitter but that is a bit pricy for me. Tyler and I went to town on glittering those pumpkins. I have a few more to glitter for next Halloween! The skull was from the $1 bin at Target!

Ghost Tour.

Tyler was able to get some tickets to the Ogden Ghost Tour.

It was awkwardly hilarious.

I did learn some interesting things about Ogden-- basically it was a huge brothel and ghosts LOVE to mess with doors.

Sorry the pictures are blurry-- must have been the ghosts {sometimes they like to mess with the cameras}.

Hee Haw

Tyler and I had a Groupon {Groupon is the best} to Hee Haw Farms. We tried going at the beginning of the month but got rained out! We tried again Friday night, and it was a success!

Us and our pumpkins

They had a lot to offer-- including a haunted forest {Tylers idea}. It was a lot of fun-- but I am a HUGE WIMP. Within 2 minutes I thought I was going to vomit-- with the bridge turning, lights flashing, smoke everywhere, and this spinny thing ahead of me I was a MESS! We hadn't event gotten to the "spooks" yet. Whenever a "spook" got in my face I screamed, and I screamed loudly. I honestly was scared, but I also thought if I screamed loudly they wouldn't be as in my face. Incorrect. The scariest spook {besides the chainsaw in my face, who I accidentally kicked} was this spook who followed us {I had my face mostly covered} who got right in my face and whispered, "You have a pretty face". I just about peed my pants. I also kept repeating, "I'm going to be sick, I'm going to puke" hoping to keep the spooks away... didn't work! Let me tell you-- if I was a spook I would stay away from the girl saying she was about to vomit. We survived the forest better than the group behind us. Let's just say, some had wet pants and decided to forgo the hay ride back and walk the half mile back to the farm. That would make for an awkward night.

We got back to the farm, and picked out our pumpkins! Of course, this ENTIRE time Tyler did not flinch even once.

It was quite the date night!

See You Soon

Having Cara visit was seriously so much fun!

I was so sad to see her leave. I watched her walk into the airport and I got all teary eyed. I typically am the one who is walking into the airport but that day I got to be on the other side of the situation! I am so proud of her. She is amazing. I cant wait to see her in less than a month!

Canyon with the Sister

We wanted to take Cara up in the canyon to see the leaves and eat hot-dogs and s'mores!!

We went up Sunday after church. It was so fun! It made us super excited for the Fire Pit at the Cabin!

Tyler building that fire.

We pose the same way.

{I taught her at a very young age.}

After the canyon we came home and watched a scary movie. Tyler was in heaven- since I would never offer to watch a scary movie, but with Cara there it was 2 against 1! Luckily Cara had seen the movie before so she could prepare me!

Caras Visit: Part 1

We were so excited to have Cara visit us for a few days!!

Welcome!!

We picked Cara up Saturday morning-- poor thing had to stay in Atlanta.

We rested for an hour or so and ate delicious pumpkin pancakes before heading up Bountiful to see some cousins! Later that night Cara and I did some shopping-- she got some really cute things! All businessy and what not.

We ate some more-- {Chicken Alfredo}

and then made

Caramel Apples!

It was so fun and they turned out awesome!!

Cara is a professional apple dipper!

We did apple pie and sprinkles!!!

More Taylor

I have been a Taylor Swift fan since her first c.d. I remember listening to the songs over and over and over again. They were all songs about relationships gone wrong, or wanting to be in love. So basically any 19 year old girl (myself included) could relate. Then her next cd came out that had my favorite "Love Story". I specifically remember listening to her songs and thinking, "these songs are the soundtrack to my life. Ifeel like I came full circle from relating to the relationships gone wrong songs to the being in lots of LOVE songs. That is why I think it is so neat that I was able to go to her conert with the love of my life {who SURPRISED me with tickets}!

We sat next to a couple clearly on their first date-- it was a.w.k.w.a.r.d. I didn't think there would be a second date until I saw him down a large popcorn all by himself, and then I knew there would not be a second date. I just hope Taylor Swift isn't ruined for them. I went to a Smashmouth concert once on an AWFUL blind date, and now I can't listen to Smashmouth (haha).

Thanks again for such an amazing surprise!

Taylor + Tyler + Me = Awesome

Tuesday night Tyler surprised me with tickets to see
Taylor Swift!!!!!!! He should have recorded it because I am sure it was a sight to see.

Tyler is NOT a fan of country music. I am slowly breaking this country music barrier down, so for Tyler to get these tickets AND to go with me is EXTREMELY sweet. {I know he has a soft spot for T.Swift though.}

It was an amazing.

She is extremely talented, and is so adorable!

Her show was fantastic.

More details to come...

Cabin Time

Tyler and I had a quick get away to the cabin this weekend! It was wonderful.

My in-laws were able to come too- I hope they enjoyed their stay as well!

Of course I did not take any pictures except for the FIRE PIT!! It is just about done- and it is going to be so awesome. Can't hardly wait.

Hightlights Included

Going to Cedar to see "Dial M for Murder"

Sonnys BBQ

Margarita Chicken Tacos

French Toast & White Chocolate Pancakes

Grafton- the Ghost Town was having a reunion so all the buildings were open

Sleeping In

Watching the movie An Affair To Remember

Thanks Mom & Dad for letting us use the cabin!!!