your job as a wife

part of your job as a wife is to clean out your husband's clothing or if you are not a wife and you are a woman this still is your job to do for your brothers, boyfriends, fathers, boy friends (notice the space between boy and friends...I was very particular about this pre-marriage years). I am sure that you remember when I talked about Matson's bird pecked/rat chewed underwear and socks here (July 1, 2011). This time ladies and gents, we are discussing the same such subject, yet this time it is his shoes. My husband wears holey shoes...he has a serious problem. He has a fear of saying goodbye to clothing items.

Our conversation in September:

Erica: Babe, I think it is time we get you some new shoes. Not like he only has one pair.
Matson: What are you talking about?
Erica: These. I point to his grey Forever 21 canvas shoes with holes in the sole!
Matson: There's nothing wrong with them, Erica.
Erica: There clearly is.
Matson: I will still wear them.
Erica: Too bad I am throwing them away. I walk slowly over to the trash can, shoes in hand.
Matson: (Insert stern voice) Do not throw those away. I will still wear them, I have like no shoes compared to you. Duh, I am a girl. Of course I have more shoes then you but none of mine have holes in them.
Erica: Ok whatever. Subject dropped due to the fact that I do have triple the amount of shoes as him and no way in heck I am giving any of mine away.

Well, ladies and gents, I am just here to report that as of Monday the 26th of December those shoes have been sitting outside in our trash can just waiting for Mr. Trash Man to come and take them to Trashland. 

The wife did her job and finally threw those suckers away!

Thank goodness for Christmas gifts where he not only got 2 new pairs of shoes but 3!

Bye bye shoes!

Tanner Christmas Events #3 - Christmas Day

Christmas Day December 25, 2011

We slept in again (heaven). I will admit I was sad to wake up and find no snow on the ground. Took a little away from the Christmas spirit. But it's ok! We opened our stockings my mother is the best at finding all the coolest little things to go in our stockings (I got See's, pads of paper, mascara, pen, jewelry, etc.) then we ate a yummy homemade breakfast by my mother including eggsellent (eggs+cheese+ham+hash browns), cinnamon rolls, hot cocoa and fruit! After our yummy breakfast we decided to only open a few gifts before getting ready to go to Christmas church.

Could he of done any creepier face? Matson and his stocking jackpot!

The family all drinking our hot cocoa/milk/orange juice.
Don't we all look cute in the morning? For reals my mom and N* look good!

Then we got ready for church and headed over to hear the wonderful Christmas talks and I loved all the Christmas songs we sung!

I was getting ready for church while Mats was snoozing with Rookie. Of course!

This kid was sitting in front of us at church and we were getting such a hoot out of him! There was this duet that sung a Christmas song in church and they were pretty loud. They probably needed to turn off the microphone. But this kid from the beginning had his ears plugged the whole time! And during the real loud parts his face looked like this was the worst thing he had ever heard in his life! My family was laughing hysterically and people probably thought we were laughing at the singers but we weren't we were laughing at the little boy.

Church was wonderful and the fact it was an hour was kind of cool! We came straight home and got back in our PJ's to finish opening our gifts!

My dad's face=weird. But he loved the gloves we got him!

J* gave us some funny gifts! Matson loved the whoopee cushion. Oh no. He also gave Mats a sweatshirt!

J* gave me some funny socks. Along with nice shirt!

My sis, A*, made us these fun chalkboard mugs! Perfect for my hot cocoa obsession.

Matson opening this was the best! He has wanted this for years and he finally got it.
He was so surprised and loves it! He wears it even inside our house? Haha.

 We both gave each other Steve Madden boots! I love mine! And he is so pumped to have shoes that aren't canvas and get soaked in the snow. (I know you all love my saggy long john Christmas PJ's...attractive huh?). 

My Dad gave my mom a bunch of games. This one is super fun too! Blokus, I have already won the game a couple times. I love to block people!

You can really get to know my family in this family video my sister A* made. It's super cute. You will see a few appearances by me where I probably look super cute in my PJ's or sound super weird is it just me or do you hate to hear yourself speak on video/recordings?

After spending time with my family, we headed on over to Matson's family for Christmas time with them! We shared the afternoon with Matson's family by relaxing, watching some TV/YouTube videos, and eating treats/snacks! We then ate Christmas dinner...Matson's family's tradition is to eat homemade enchiladas on Christmas. So yummy. They are delish and it is such a fun meal! I probably ate two whole cans of olives to go with them though...oops! I didn't eat 2 whole cans but for sure 1 whole can alone. I love olives! Thanks to Pegasus. After din din we opened gifts with everyone.

Once again weird face. He must really hate pictures. Mats got a skinny tie from me!
And you can see the cool watch that T* and N* gave him. He has worn it every day this week!

Matson's bro J* gave me a new Kate Spade phone case! I love it!
In my other hand I am holding up my old one that is suppose to be white but is grey/blue. Yes, we stayed in our PJ's all day, what other day can you do that and it totally be ok?

Matson's parents have a cool tradition of giving everybody a book for Christmas.
This is my book...or  more like books! I am sooo excited to read them.
They are suppose to be similar to The Hunger Games. I will let you know what I think!

I had to share this with you (Sorry instagram friends). I opened this gift and was laughing so hard.
Matson didn't black out the price but rather CIRCLED it. It really wasn't 199 bucks for a shirt, that is in pesos.
It was like  $19. 

My bro and sis in law, C* and K*, gave me this super cute and soft scarf!
I have worn it 2 times already! So warm and big!

I am lucky enough to have a husband that is sentimental and truly enjoys thougthful gifts.
So, I took all the letters we wrote back and forth to each other over his mission
(not like they are love letters...they are more funny than anything)
and I put them in a book together back and forth! I will share it in a post once I totally finish it soon!

I love Christmas so much and love the Christmasy things and feelings! This Christmas was a wonderful Christmas and I already miss it even though our decorations still remain up (I think we will take them down today?). I honestly cannot believe that my most favorite holiday or I guess day of the year is already passed. 

Tanner Christmas Events #2 - Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve. - December 24, 2011

Christmas Eve. started off with some nice sleeping in (Mats badly needed after a long work week) and a yummy breakfast for us two!

Christmas Eve. also marked the last day of Matson getting a little 12 days of Christmas gift from me. (I really only did 10 because somehow one weekend I just totally spaced it). I put all the gifts all around the house with a little treat and a saying to go along with it.

Matson had some last minute shopping to do while I went and took some of our gifts over to my parents house that were for them. While dropping them off I came across this wonderful music:

Matson and I went and visited his family until my family's Christmas Eve. Dinner having both our families close to each other (they both live two blocks on either side of University) is such much fun so we can see both but a little hard to split up the time but it is better than having neither of them by us! After our visit with them it was time for Christmas Eve. dinner. We ate pretty much all of Matson's favorites. French dip sandwiches, fruit creme salad, sweet potato fries, cheeseball, veggies, and desserts!

Thanksgiving and Christmas...the only times we eat in the Dining Room.

After some din din we had a little Christmas Eve. thought provided by Matson & I but really it was provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Seriously one of the best movies ever. We love it!

After our thought we played family games. Tyler came up with Christmas Pictionary. It was hilarious. Matt Ang came over to give Matson and I our gifts and vice versa. So he joined in on playing too! Everyone kept giving Ty a hard time for some of the pictionary phrases.

I have a feeling this might be a family joke for a while! Matt drew "Bethleham Israel" and the guys kept saying "Bethleham, Bethleham, Bethleham!" and they didn't get it because they didn't say Israel.  HAHA!

The guys ended up winning but it was so much fun to use the Ipad and put it up onto the TV instead of actually drawing!

Tyler flipped the Ipad around at the last second.

Retake with "Boys Win" facing the right way.

Victory Lap!

We opened our Christmas PJ's and played the new family game my Dad made my Mom open early called Wits and Wagers (I seriously love that game, if your family is a game family then get it...I want to play it right now actually)!

Mom and I after opening our Christmas PJ's (I am wearing the tank top I opened on Little Christmas Eve that I mentioned in last post).

Mine and my sister's Christmas PJ's.

Tanner Christmas Events #1 - Little Christmas Eve.

December 23rd is a Danish holiday called Little Christmas Eve! 

In Denamrk or possibly only my Danish grandma's family & us open all their gifts on Christmas Eve. (except Santa's gifts & stockings). Therefore, Little Christmas Eve. is kind of like their real Christmas Eve. where they open one gift. 

Until my family moved to Utah we celebrated Christmas the Danish way and opened all our gifts on Christmas Eve., thus we opened one gift on Little Christmas Eve. 

Now that we leave in Utah and not by my grandma, we open our gifts Christmas morning. But we still do the one gift (anyone we choose!) on Little Christmas Eve. and then open one more gift (our Christmas PJ's) on Christmas Eve.

Kinda crazy, but so much fun to open one gift and start the Christmas festivities early!

We went to dinner and the movie, Mission Impossible 4, and then headed home to open our Little Christmas Eve one gift and play the family game of Rook.

My Little Christmas Eve. outfit consisted pretty much of H&M attire. The Christmasy H&M socks were a must for this Danish holiday!

Matson's one gift he opened was from my parents. It was a Nike tank top to workout in! And my little sister gave us all piles of poop key covers (my family has this horrible thing where we are all very open about our bodily functions).

 I opened a super cute Banana Republic tank top from my parents. My mom opened super cute Ugg slippers from my Dad. My sister opened pretty much her only gift from my parents because it was spendy, a camera. Mamacita was mad that she "happened" to choose out her main gift to open early. We even let Rookie open a gift. (Like I say in the following video, we are those people that give so much attention to their dog, even Christmas gifts).

Rook attacking her Christmas present.

After my family's Little Christmas Eve. Matson & I get to open our stockings to each other since we do stockings at both our parents, we like to have one stocking party early!

The guy likes SPAM (so gross), so I gave him a SPAM dice game. Haha. He also got yummy food and other things.

I got a new movie and super good smelling Christmas candle, along with lots of other things!

Little Christmas Eve. (whether it is made up or not) is such a fun holiday!

You've Got Mail.

Just in case you didn't get it at your door step, 

here it is at your screen step. 

(Wow I think Matson's cheesiness has rubbed off on me Sorry Mats, you are cheesy at times).

The Front

The Back

Merry Christmas from our screen to yours!

A New Tradition - Ice Skating

Us Tanners here are all about traditions. Last night we went ice skating with friends. While Mats and I were holding hands skating around the rink in SLC, he told me that this must become a new tradition. I think I agree! It was so much fun even though I was horrrrrrible at it..just think of your grandma getting some ice skates on and that's me (minus the wrinkles). 

Our super clunky ice skates. No worries my boots had dried blood at the toe.
Kinda gross, but whatevs!

We got slurpees afterward. Yum.

Wellp, ice skating you are now apart of our Christmas traditions. Welcome.

The Christmas Song Yearbook Awards

So I get a little obsessed with Christmas music (like I am sure everyone does), but I thought I would share some of my favorites with you...YEARBOOK style. Remember in your yearbook the awards toward the front of it? "Most Likely to Succeed", "Class Clown", "Most Likely to Become Famous", etc...you know! So without further ado...

Welcome to the Christmas Song

 Yearbook Awards!

Most Hilarious Christmas Song - "Twelve Pains of Christmas" by Bob Rivers and Twisted Radio 

Mine and Matson's favorite is the Christmas light guy (the 2nd pain) and when he says, "Now why the HE** are they blinking?" or "One light goes out they all go out!!" We laugh each year so hard at this song. We can just see our family members saying things like this. 

Most Likely to get You to Burst Out Your Singing Pipes - "Silent Night" by Nysnc 

If you want a real kick...watch Justin Timberlake close his eyes and get super into this song.

Best Rock Christmas - "Sleigh Ride" by Relient K
Most Classic Christmas - "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole

I have always had a little secret crush on Nat King Cole. Mats and I danced to him as our first dance at our reception and as a child I was obsessed with his songs. I would sing along with them all the time (still do) and loved that my Grandpa loved him too!

Best 80's Christmas - "Emmanual" by Amy Grant 

May possibly get you dancing then you realize it is all about Christ and that it may be inappropriate to dancing along to a song all about our Savior.

Most Likely to get Stuck in Your Head - "I Saw Three Ships" by Nat King Cole
jingle bells andy award??

If This Song was a Person Matson Would Marry It - "Little Drummer Boy" by Josh Groban

If This Song was a Person I Would Marry It - "Cold December Night" by Michael Buble

Ok, maybe let's just say Michael Buble. I would marry him? (Sorry Mats). Seriously though, he has such a me style voice that I love!

Best Christmas Message - "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day" by Celine Dion 

Favorite line of the whole song: "Don't save it all for Christmas day, find a way to give a little love everyday!" So true. Don't just rely on Christmas to do service and love. It should be everyday!

Newest Favorite - "Fa La La" by Mister Justin Biebs ft. Boyz II Men

How old are Boyz II Men now? Gotta be old but man they are good, nothing is better than them jammin' in this music vid! And Justin Bieber, he is growing up right in front of our eyes. Like in this music vid he tots doesn't have his hair. 

Most Original - "They Would Give Presents Ev-err-ree Single Day" by The Little Girl I Nanny.

I hope you get a kick out of this as much as I do. So funny. This day she was non-stop singing some made up song in the back of my car. 

What Christmas songs/music do you listen to?

Christmas Activities

We tried to do some fun Christmas activities this year to help us get in the Christmas spirit.

We have...

Gone Christmas Shopping.

Us at Riverwoods. 

Seriuosly some of the best Christmas Lights. Matson and I want our future house like this!

Gone to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' show called Savior of the World.

Gone to the Thanksgiving Lights (little parade thing where you go through in your car).

Sorry I have no pictures from this activity.

Attended Christmas Parties.
We went to my friend J* and G*'s house for their annual dress up Christmas party.

Pre-Dinner Shot at our Table 

Me and J*. I love the Christmas decorations at her house and her cute Christmasy outfit!

Me and Mats at the party.

All the ladies at the party.

Mats got this great postcard book with hilarious sayings. My favorite is the bottom left. Am I horrible for thinking these are so dang funny? Matson and I were reading them after the party and could not stop cracking up! Don't be surprised if you get one of these in the mail from my husband. He has already sent one out. Sorry to his sister, T*. He thinks he is toooooo funny.

We also threw our own little annual Christmas party with some of our good friends. We had it last year too. It includes The Gingerbread Games (gingerbread competition), dinner & yummy treats, a white elephant exchange, and other games!

I seriously took no pictures at our party. It was a busy day and I just forgot! I am the WORST! But our Gingerbread house...we went for the Traditional Style.

Gone to the Nutrcracker and for a Hot Cocoa Run.

We went to the Nutcracker. I love it so much! Matson does too (even though he laughs hysterically through it due to the men in tights and the 10 minute clapping session at the end).

Christmas=A good excuse for getting hot cocoa often.

Watched Christmas Movies.

I made Matson watch Miracle on 34th Street. It is probably my favorite Christmas movie, I think he liked it just as much as I do. We have watched Elf and others too!

Participated in Christmas Service.
Last year we participated in Sub for Santa that Matson's work Vivint organizes. It was such a wonderful experience. So we did it again this year and it was just as wonderful! On Monday  night we shopped for two children that we donated money towards, we wrapped those gifts, and then Tuesday we were apart of the group that handed out all the gifts. It wasn't just like one gift. We got them stuff they needed, wanted, and other things!

Wrapping the Gifts Monday Night.

Top Left: The girl wanted a bike and got it! Along with clothing she needed and a book.
Bottom Left: All these children we opened gifts with were sooo pumped. One got a Barbie doll, the boy got soccer shoes & a Nerf gun, and one got the cutest little boots!
Right: This girl got hooked up! She got an Easy Bake Oven and it was super heavy along with all her clothes she got. She has to walk home a mile+ each day to school because this school does not have buses, but she didn't care that she had to carry it all home because she was so excited!

This little girl has the most amazing story of all that we had interacted with this day. On her request sheet she wrote that she wanted, "a baby that looks like me." And then the teacher wrote underneath it (black). Then the girl also had written that she needed a pillow. The teacher wrote under that that she needed a bed too. This girl got a blow up mattress (a cute disney Princess one), a pillow, and a black baby doll that eats & pees!

 It was such a touching experience this year. I tried not to cry, but there was some water in my eyes. It is amazing what Vivint does for these children.  A lot of the children just needed boots or a coat, yet the girl above didn't have a bed! I am so blessed. Seriously why am I so blessed? People in my own area, neighboring cities, and state are struggling more than I thought.
Here's a clip of our visit there: http://connect2utah.com/search-fulltext?nxd_id=192807

Christmas is such a wonderful time to do service.
Hope your Christmas is as fun and wonderful as ours has been so far! I am looking forward to this Christmas weekend where we can just relax, spend time with family, pig out, and enjoy Christmas!