Reno Thanksgiving/Christmas

Well, we went to Reno for Thanksgiving and to also celebrate Christmas with my Sister and Brother-in-law. It was a good trip-long and boring drive (as most of Nevada tends to be) but none-the-less too short of a "vacation." The time always seems to fly by, but we missed our kittens, and just being home; there is no other better feeling in the world than to be at your own home.


<-----The "surgeon" Kyle busy at work. Kelly, JaNae and Sandy decided to try a new garlic-turkey recipe. The whole house smelled like garlic for the entire day!! But it was really good....


Whenever we come to Nevada, well.....paying cards is always something we have to do....Nevada is the "gambling state" after all. Following a delicious turkey dinner and a few rounds of a card game JaNae and I have been playing lately, Kyle got the grand idea to teach the girls Texas Hold-em Poker. Mind you, JaNae nor Kelly have ever played the game.

I had a GREAT hand. Pocket Kings!!! After a few rounds of betting and a 4 of a kind Kings, I went all in!!!!



To my shock, JaNae called my bet. She bet all of her money............
Was I in trouble? After all I had the one of the best hand in poker.....




She then showed her 4 Aces and took all my money! She ended up taking everyone's money....


On Friday, Mike and Kyle woke up early to go to Cabela's for some good deals but ended up at Sheels-an outdoors store. It is huge-they just build a new one in Reno, but most of the stores are in the Midwest. They went shooting with Kyle's dad and brothers to "test out" their new toys....

While the boys did that, JaNae, Kelly, and Sandy went to see "4 Christmases." They said that the movie wasn't very good, and that although the previews were funny-of course the rest of the movie was a bore. All the funny parts were in the previews. Why does that always happen????

Saturday, we drove around and bought some last-minute gifts for our "Christmas" to each other that night. For dinner, we had some really good NY Strips from Costco and finished it up with pie. I think Mike ate an entire Pumpkin pie this weekend. He LOVES it!!! Mike and Kyle went back to Sheels to salivate over guns, while Kelly, JaNae and Sandy watched "The Holiday." Kyle doesn't like movies, so Kelly has to get as much chick-flick movie watching in as she can....

All-in-all it was a good break from life, but back to work/school on Monday!!

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When we came home tonight, we decided to finish our decorating. JaNae always does so good at making our home look nice at Christmas time.

Last week, (before Reno) we bought some new lights at Wal-mart because JaNae wanted lights on the tree that were red and white. You would think that buying a strand of red and a strand of white/clear-that came from the same store, and was the same brand and everything (the only difference was the color bulb) that you could just take one out of one strand and swap the colors-right?? Were we the only one's who would ever think that??? Well guess what- you can't! The little green stem that actually goes into the light socket is a different shape on the red strand than it is on the white/clear. So, we pulled 400 bulbs out of every-other light and rewired them to have the "correct socket" so as to have the lights alternate red/white on each strand. It was fun-to say the least....

My Mom gave JaNae a new nativity for her Christmas Present in Reno, and she loves it.
She collects them and as you may or may not be able to see from the photo-she has a lot of them!

Happy Thanksgiving

Well, I hope you all have or are having a wonderful thanksgiving.
As Mike said earlier, we are doing a two part blog and this is part Two. Since today is the day of Thanks I knew I just couldn't procrastinate any longer. It's not that it is was hard to think of the things I am grateful for I just can't seem to find time to write.
Well, first and foremost I have to thank Mike for his sweet post I really appreciate him and have to agree with him I am so grateful for him and our family. Including our extended families, Mike's family has always taken me in and helped me feel a part of them as if I were their daughter/sister, and I know my family has done the same with Mike.
I am also really thankful for my Job, I absolutely love working with SelectHealth and I know that my prayers were and are being answered when I got the phone call to work for them. I have been there 2 1/2 years now and couldn't ask for a better job I just love what I do. I know times are hard right now for a lot of people and I have seen it first hand with our family. I'm really thankful Mike and I both have wonderful Jobs.
Well, like Mike said I have to repeat. I'm grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. It is wonderful to know that we are not going through life alone. To know that Christ is always by our side leading the way, and guiding us through the hard times. I'm grateful for my testimony in the gospel and the strength it gives me to carry on.
Well as I end this post I hope you take time to write down things you are grateful for, and thank you to all our friends we are truly thankful to have you in our lives.

Thanksgiving, Part I

Well, JaNae and I are going to Reno for Thanksgiving, so we decided to tell everyone what were grateful for.... This will be my post, and she said she will post later....

I think the real question should be what things can I think of that I’m not grateful for. I have soooo sooo much and have been so blessed. First and foremost, I’m grateful for a Savior-whose season we will be celebrating here shortly. I’m grateful that he forgives me for the stupid things I do, and that I can be part of His flock.

I'm so grateful for my wonderful wife. She is absolutely the greatest thing that has happened to me. I'd like to say that I don’t know where I would be without her, but those words just aren’t true.... I do know where I would be without her, and that place is somewhere & something I’m forever grateful that I don’t have to be. She is the most selfless, loving, caring, supportive, charitable, tender-hearted person I've ever known. She is the absolute love of my life, and I’m forever grateful that she picked me to be her Eternal Companion.

For those of you who don’t know how we met, I kinda-sorta blew her off when I first saw her. She was talking with my roommate (they were on the UNLV-LDSSA together) and they were hanging out after a meeting. Mike Kannet introduced me, and I was just like, yeah, whatever....as I walked to my room. Luckily for me, she came to a get-together a few nights later, at our house. I talked with her and was instantly attached. I called her the next day, and (through some strong convincing) we've been attached ever since. I try no to think about what might have happened, had she not come over that evening....

I love the support she gives me. I’m trying to finish school and want to have a career that provides for her and our family while giving me the love and satisfaction of practicing medicine. She has 100% supported me in everything I do, and is always there to encourage me. Thanks Honey- I love you so much!!!! You really are the greatest wife anyone could wish and hope for.... It was definately you I saw in my dreams when I imagined who I would spend forever with.

I’m so grateful for our families. When you have your family and the gospel of Jesus Christ, all the other things are just details.... Like I said, I’m sure I could go on and on and on about how much Thanks I have, but this blog would be never ending. I truely am blessed beyond measure and my cup runnith o'er from the blessings I have been given. I think the best way is to sum up my feelings through this hymn....
"Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.… "

From Powell Pals to Wedding Bells

Wow I just can't believe how fast time flies by. It seems like just last year our family started going to Lake Powell with the Hiatts and this last weekend their daugter got married. I just can't believe it. Well Ashley and Brian Congradulations again and Ashley you looked absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!

(Here are a few pics from the wedding)

The Bride & Miriam (Miriam thought she was a Princess) and the way cute table decor

Miriam with Uncle Mike and Jacob with Poppy playing under the cake table (yikes)

Again Congrats to the Bride and Groom

What a Weekend!

This weekend we had a visit from our favorite Niece and Nephew, Miriam and Jacob Brown (Megan and Daniel's Kids) They haven't been able to visit for a very long time. Even though we go down to Vegas to see them we don't get to spend near enough time with them. Hence, they are spoiled when they come see Grandma and Aunt NaeNae



Hanging out with the Kids (Jacob, Nathan Laraway, and Miriam) Miriam with Minnie, She just loves the cats. Look at Jacob 16 months and Nathan 8 Months



Miriam at the Pool she LOVES "swimmin"



A few more pics at the pool with my favorite Uncle Mike, and Daddy. Watch out for Dad and his waves!!!



On our way to Hee Haw Farm in Pleasant Grove, Miriam with Papi's Glasses, Feeding the bunny and the goats, What a blast!



We also saw the Fattest Pig EVER, Jacob and Miriam are super brave (Jacob tried to pet the chicken, and Miriam rode the pony after two other kids fell off.) Here we are going down the Hay slide and look how fun!



Here comes the animal Train that we rode 3 times Miriam loved it so much. She thought she need to ride in a different animal cart each time. Instead of a sand box they had a corn pit that was just as much fun. A couple more animals before we headed out. (Sorry Daniel thought you were holding Jacob and snapped the picture to quick to realize you were posing also)

Change Bad or Good?

This week has been a week of change. Just last weekend as you probably know if you live in Utah we had a inch or two of snow. This week was completely opposite very nice and I actually had two more roses bloom on our rose bush. (I just couldn't pass up the opportunity so I had to cut what flowers I had in my garden and brought them inside to enjoy them a little more.) We also got a new bishopric in our ward, and are way excited for them. Mike also gets to go back to school this week (Good or Bad you decide) I always tells myself Change is good it gets us out of our rut of comfort. Hopefully only to grow and learn something new. Maybe I should have called this a week for growing!