So Good To Be Home

I was so blessed to be able to go home for Thanksgiving this year. As usual, there was a lot of laughing, food, naps, shopping, and just general being togetherness that defines being home for the holidays. The only thing that would have made it perfect would have been Todd being with me. :) 

Brining the turkey the night before! It makes it all sorts of yummy. 

Bacon wrapped water chestnuts. Yep, they're as good as they sounds. Delicious. 

We were super lucky to have 2 Thanksgivings this year! My grandma was unfortunately in the hospital when I flew in so we were planning on going to the hospital and sneaking her in some food. But, my dad called us on Thanksgiving afternoon and said she was being released Yippee! So after my mom's side of the family left, we piled in the car and went over to see my grandma and grandpa Riegler. My cousins stopped by so I got to see them too. And, even though my dad was working, he took a few minutes to come see me and have some food! 

We have another tradition in our house. After Thanksgiving the Christmas tree goes up! Since I was home this year (for some reason I wasn't around to put of the tree last year. We can't seem to remember why though.), we made sure that we put it up before I left. On Saturday, we pulled out all the boxes, moved a few chairs and tables, and put up our little tree. It was instant Christmas. 

My next challenge is turning my little apartment here into a Christmas wonderland. I'm on a way super tight budget this year (weddings are expensive man) but I'm determined to have a cute little Christmas and make it feel like home. 

Thankful

By the time that you guys read this, I'm going to be up in the air on my way home for Thanksgiving! 

It's always nice to reflect on what you're thankful for this time of year. I try to remind myself to be thankful all year round, because I truly do have so much to be thankful for, but sometimes it takes a holiday to make you really think. 

I'm thankful for

My soon-to-be hubs that makes me laugh every single day

My wonderfully amazing mom and little sister 

Bugaboo 

hilarious photobooth sessions with my dog. 

My baby sister  

My heck of a woman mother 

Hockey. 

loving grandparents

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (image source)

Starbucks Salted Carmel Hot Chocolate (image source)

sushi <3

I really am truly blessed. I'm working on being thankful. I've started writing down three things I'm grateful for in my journal every single night. It's a work in progress, but it's getting there. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and doesn't get too full on turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. 

Me? I'll be hoping my Aunt won't spill any wine in the mashed potatoes this year. ;) 

Three!

Three more days and I'm off! 

Off to spend Thanksgiving in Michigan with my wonderful family. And let me tell you, I am excited. 

Hopefully, mom won't try to pull a stunt like she did last year and tell us she wasn't cooking the turkey whole. She tried to tell my sister that she was going to cut it up before cooking it so it would be juicier and all that. Well..we weren't happy. 

That ^ conversation was from when I found out that my mom was going to do the unspeakable. Thankfully, after many protests, our turkey was cooked whole and we were able to save Thanksgiving! Crisis averted! 

:)

Conference Weekend! Yay!

This weekend was Conference weekend! And it was my first General Conference in Utah. T's mom got us tickets to the Saturday morning session. I can't tell you how blessed I felt that I got to go to a session my very first year in Utah. We got up far too early and got there far too early (I blame my mother for making me paranoid about being late to everything. ;) ) But it was way cool. 

I got to hear a Prophet speak. I got to hear the second Provo Temple announced and felt the goosebumps when the entire conference center gasped at the same moment. It was a pretty gosh darn good session, and it was only the first one!! 

I had a lot of 'favorite' talks this conference. I always do. I can usually find inspiration from all of the talks but President Uchtdorf's talk on Saturday morning was one of the best. (I about jumped out of my seat when he was introduced. He's one of my favorite general authorities.) 

Some of my notes from that talk (these aren't direct quotes, but close to them. I didn't edit anything that I put in my journal) :

We are nothing compared to God, but to God we are everything.
No matter how meager your appearance, you are not invisible to Heavenly Father. He knows your humble heart and he cares for you.
What you experience now is not what it is going to be what it's like forever. 

God sees you as his child. You matter to him. 

How awesome is it to think about those things? We DO matter to Him. No matter how forgotten, invisible, or sad you feel, you are not forgotten. You are not invisible. You will not be sad forever. 

Another one of my favorite talks was by Elder Niel Anderson. It was about the family, children and motherhood. His talk gave me two of my favorite quotes: 

"Motherhood is not a hobby. It is a calling." 

&

"Having children is not something you do if you have time, having children is what God gave you time for." 

I cannot wait to be a mother. I can't wait to start a family. Elder Andersen's talk reminded me of that and he reminded me of how important the family is to our happiness. 

In other picture related news, I failed to take ANY pictures of me & T at conference! Bummer dude! But here are some pictures from after. :)

Sunday morning, I watched the morning session by myself. It was nice to roll out of bed, roll onto the couch, turn on the TV and listen to amazing men and women teach me. I watched the afternoon session with T and his family. As much as I liked watching it alone, I like being with other people while watching conference too. :) 

We went on a little drive before dinner. Every day I have to pinch myself to remind myself that I do really live in this beautiful place. 

I hope everyone else enjoyed their weekend!!! :)