Memorial Day Weekend

There is nothing, I repeat nothing, better than a 3 day weekend especially when it includes family, friends,  lots of sleep, nommy food, and tickle/laugh fests with Matson.

Friday
Friday night we met up with my sister A* and her boyfriend N* and our friends K* and H* and their little boy C* at Pizza Factory. We love when we get to play and see C*! I can't believe he is almost 1!

C* was so entertaining at dinner.
He has the best personality!

I love Cohen. So cute! And I guess Matson is cute too!
They both have their little grins on.

Then we went to Color Me Mine and painted the night away. I seriously feel like every time I go there it takes me more time to decide what to paint then it takes me to actually paint it. Matson tries to be all creative and sometimes it doesn't work out...I would show you his vase he made me last year but he would be embarrassed. But he made this once. I made a 4th of July little jar. So cute (well hopefully it is, we will get them back on Wednesday).

All of us at Color Me Mine.

N* and my sis A*. Aren't they cute?

After Color Me Mine, Matson and K* are always craving Cold Stone Creamery. So they got their shakes while H* and I got some soft serve at JCW's. We talked all night. I seriously could talk with H* for hours, she is a great listener, is so kind, fun, and a wonderful friend! Man, we are going to miss them...dang medical school!

Saturday
We slept in too long. We went to a picnic party where it hard core rained (...haha I just said hard core) and Rookie the little drama dog that she is was shaking because she was "so cold". So we Matson babied our little drama dog and put her in his coat.

We watched a rainy day movie, That Thing You Do. Matson had a meeting. I cleaned. We went to the gym. We went out to dinner with friends at Guru's...those fries! Then chatting the night away with friends was a great end to the day. (I took no pictures of our date night. FAIL. I need to get better at photo taking that isn't just on my phone).

Sunday
We ate German pancakes (of course, that's the only thing Matson will eat for breakfast on the weekends) and then we went to church, where my little 4/5 year old Primary class children learned about how Jesus loves children, but these 4 and 5 year olds are so dang smart that we kind of turned that lesson into a lesson about how Jesus loves everyone even if they make mistakes or sin (I think I needed that lesson more than them to remind me of how I should love everyone too and that everyone sins differently and I shouldn't judge them).

Little A* in my class is kind of the class goof and said the best prayer of telling us his whole day like, "Bless me that I ate breakfast, I got my clothes on, I sat in church, I colored, etc..."and the saddest thing? We had a lesson on prayer last week! Oops, I didn't do too good.

We napped for waaaay too long like I am saying all afternoon.

Monday
A little work. Boys golfed. Girls went on an afternoon bike ride that turned into a shopping trip of biking all over Provo/Orem. The boys put together the grill.

N* and I had these same Old Navy shorts on.
A* and I had on this same Target Kids XL top.

We ended a wonderful Memorial Weekend with  little visit to my sister's grave, a Memorial Day dinner with my family, and the Bachelorette.

Me, Rookie, and A* at our sister Rachael's grave.

a few {more} things i am loving

A couple weeks ago I shared some things I was loving. That was kind of fun to post about so I thought I would share some more things I am loving this week!

Maybe this will become a little series of posts...just maybe. I may get sick of telling you things I love each week and you probably don't give an ant's poop what little, weird things I love. Sooo let's not commit just yet.

1. Tea Time with Sophia Grace and Rosie (remember the little Nicki Minaj rapper and her back up dancer dressed in pink tutu's and tiaras?). This segment is hilarious and Taylor Swift is so precious with them. Nothing better than when they are CHOMPING down on their cookies and when Rosie talks all about her ex-boyfriend. If this doesn't make you laugh (or at least smile) then...go and remember "loads of jokes" or eat some "cotton caaandy."

2. My cheap, knock off watch. You know how Michael Kors watches are so in right now and I have so wanted one? Yeah, I love them so much, but I just can't justify paying 300+ for one watch that I wouldn't even use to actually tell me the time since I always use my phone, so it would serve as just a bracelet. So for New Year's Matson got me this jem of a watch and I have been wearing it lots lately, like daily.

3. Matson's Remote Controlled Helicopter. Not only does it supply us with some good entertainment, but it is dang hilarious to watch Rookie (my family's dog) chase that thing like it's a real life bird she wants to attack.

4. Glitter. Whether it be my glitter nails or my glitter Steve Madden heels. Finally wore them for the first time last week and now that I broke them in, I just know these jems will be worn frequently.

Me wearing them last week at the Utah Student 25 Gala

5. My phone's lock screen. You can download yours or another 1 of the 4 wallpaper options here.

This looks super fuzzy on here, but is perfect for the iPhone.

What are you loving lately? I would love to hear about them and feel free to put some good links to them in a comment for us all to see!

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!

My Thanksgiving List: 9 Things I am Grateful for in 2011

Since next week we will be in Cancun for Thanksgiving hallelujah this break is needed I will be presenting you all with my Thanksgiving Gratitude List for this year. We are so excited to go to Cancun tomorrow! And I haven't even packed...I usually am the week before kind of a packer not the night before. Anyway here is my gratitude list IN NO ORDER I have a hard time rating things or choosing anything really...ask me my favorite food and I will probably give you like 5 answers or ask me my favorite movie and I could maybe just maybe narrow it down to 8. I am grateful for all of these things. Warning: I may get emotional.

I am grateful for...

Family- I am so grateful for all my family. I would write something for each of them individually because they each deserve one, but that would just be boring for you. My husband, parents, siblings, in-laws, and all our family are the ones that make the biggest difference in my life on a day-to-day basis. They are the ones that make the good days even better and the bad days a little brighter. I seriously love all my family so much and all that they do for me.

Matson's Family - January 2011

My Family (@ My Brother's Wedding) - April 2011

Rookie - I know what you are all thinking..."Your dog really? She gets one whole list herself?" Yes, she does. She seriously brings me so much joy. I can be feeling so down and then I see Rookie dance to a musical greeting card or bury a bone in the dirt in an indoor plant and BAM! just like that I am so happy. She not only brings me joy but she brings it to so many others too. Like, watching Matson play with her is the best thing in the world. Rook loves Matson so much. And no matter how many times my mom says that she doesn't like cleaning up after her and I can't count how many times my mom has said, "She's YOUR dog, not mine!" But my mom loves her so much. I mean just look at those ears...

Friends - We have some of the greatest friends. I hope that we have been just as good of friends to them as they have been to us. Thankful for all the laughs, the advice, the times where they just let us vent, the text messages, the fun dates, the parties, and just everything. 

T*, C*, Matson, and I Skiing - January 2011

M* and Matson - April 2011

Me & J* - Her Wonderful Wedding Day August 2011

Matson & K* - July 2011

Halloween Party with Friends - October 2011

The Church and The Scriptures - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is such a blessing in my life. I am so thankful for the gospel, the scriptures, and that I am able to go to church every week and take the sacrament where I get to renew my covenants and pretty much start over again and again each week we just taught our sunbeams class about the Sacrament last week, it is fresh in my mind! I am thankful that I was raised an LDS member and I am thankful for my testimony. I know that with daily scripture study your life is strengthened daily. I know that Heavenly Father loves me and that he knows me personally. I also know that Jesus Christ is my savior and that he died for me. I know that I can be with my husband and family for eternity if I am obedient and keep my covenants with God. All in all, it may not be the strongest testimony but I am so thankful for it.  

Our Health - I am so thankful that I am healthy, Matson is healthy, and our family is healthy. My grandpa has had some health problems this year and I have cried multiple nights in fear that he will not be ok. I love him so much and I actually have some tears forming in my eyes now just thinking of him. Health is such an important thing. Matson and I try our best to go to the gym daily and eat as best as we can. Minus Matson's occasional Dr. Pepper and my horrible obsession with rolls and homemade sweets!

Vacations - This year we were lucky to go on a few vacations and like I said earlier, we are leaving to Cancun tomorrow! It was so much fun to see different sites, visit family, catch some sun, eat yummy foods, and spend time with each other all day long (instead of just a few hours). Traveling is something that we love and will always do. I am sure when we are old and retired I guarantee that is what we will be spending our money on. 

Seattle Pikes Place Market - May 2011

Caribbean Cruise - August 2011

Cancun Honeymoon - August 2010 (Going there in 24 hours)

Pillow Talks - Each night after our bedtime routine, we lay down, and instantly I start talking unless I am dead dog tired. Most nights Matson says something like, "Erica I have work at 6am. I have to be up in 4 or 5 hours" or "Erica...I am exhausted." BUT some nights Matson falls for my trap and we talk the night away. Those nights are the best. We talk about everything and usually laugh hysterically. These pillow talks are some of my most favorite memories with my husband and I am so thankful for them. 

Thanksgiving Break November 2010 - We were feeling chidlike so we made a fort, watched a movie in it, and pillow talked in it until we fell asleep!

 
Pinterest - This year I was introduced to Pinterest. I guess you could say I am a little addited, but I do not spend all my time on it. Only when class gets boring or Matson is doing homework and I am not. I love it and it provides me with great holiday decoration ideas, recipes, fashion tips, hair tips, and so much more! I may waste some of my time away on it, but I really do enjoy it! My new hobby...
 
Children - No, we are not pregnant, yet we look so forward to the day when we will have our own children. But I could not forget children in this list. They bring me so much happiness, laughter, and they are so dang funny when they aren't even trying to be funny which is even more funny (wow I just funny 3x in a sentence...did it even make sense?). From the kindergartners I volunteer for 2x a week (I wish so badly that I had a picture of this little girl in the class that talks just like my sister when she was little, she has the same haircut as my sister did at that age, and she is very independent like my sister was...she is so precious), to the boys and girls in our Sunbeam class, and to the children I nanny - they all bring me such happiness and daily I have a smile on my face from these children.

E* and his family white board drawing. I am the one in the yellow dress with the orange flower. Too cute.

H* and I both aren't too great at making fishy faces.

Our sunbeams dressed in our clothes on our "We are Thankful for Clothing" lesson.

I am sooo blessed and therefore need to be sooo thankful!

I hope you all have such a wonderful Thanksgiving!

My one Thanksgiving tip:

Let the Holiday eating start now.

Welcome to the 70's.

Like I have mentioned before, my sister and I have been cleaning out my mom's entire house. My parents have lived in the house they are currently living in for longer than any other house they have lived in so before my mom would just clean out every time we moved. But since it has been a decade (or possibly longer?) that they have lived in this house, she decided it was time to move or for a deep clean out. Moving wasn't an option...

This is where the "Welcome to the 70's" comes in. Where have these beauties been hiding?

My sister on the left is sporting the beautiful shirt my mother wore while she waited for my Dad on his mission. And I am sporting my mother's cheer shirt! So ballin'. This shirt is now in my closet instead of sitting in a box marked "Mom's Memorabilia".

My mother's very attractive cheer outfit. Jumper with overalls. So cool. And I can't forget to mention these little cheer statue versions of my Mom.

I know I have offered this idea before when we cleaned out my Grandma's house earlier this summer in this post, but people seriously go clean out your grandma's, mama's, aunt's, random neighbor's you get it whoever's closet slash house. It creates some true hilarious laughing moments and fun new things! Or you can just have a garage sale like my sister and I are having this weekend...Friday and Saturday. If you want the info let me know. Just comment with your email and I will email the times and address and such! Lots of good stuff. For reals. My family's junk could be your new shiny treasure.

Before I leave I thought I would leave you with one more picture treasure from cleaning out this past week. We were cleaning out my Dad's side of the closet it needed it badly...like 8 suits with dust an inch high and very outdated polos & such we were just throwing my dad's old clothes out of the closet when we found our little pup like this...

who's visiting us this week?

this little goofball is visiting us all week while my parents are vacationing.

already we have had quite a fun weekend with her.

last night matson (who is deathly afraid of spiders) found a spider on the wall then it quickly got away so rookie and matson searched for five minutes to find the spider; matson's tool was a flashlight while rookie's was her loud sniffing nose. finally together they killed it. matson smashing it then rookie attacked and chewed it up, then spit it out (gross, i know).