Texas, Elk, and Layered Jell-o

Oh what a glorious week away!


Our vacation to Texas began with a 20 hour car ride to Texas through windy Colorado mountains with deer and elk ALL OVER the place!! Uh- SCARY! I felt like we were tromping through uncharted territory with 2-lane freeways and no civilization to be found. It's a strange feeling.

We LOVED our trip. A few highlights:
Some much needed sister time!
So. Much. Food. (Including the best puppy chow I've ever made).
Warm Dallas weather
Running a 5K with Sarah
Thanksgiving shopping... cooking... dinner... leftovers...
Pedicures (manicure for me- my feet are ticklish and nobody sees my feet in the winter in Provo!)
Mario Kart
Family pictures
Quality family time with everyone, which I love
Mom and Dad's 50th birthday celebrations
Playing with Madison, Jaxon, and baby Colton!!!
Christmas with my side of the family (we will be in Las Vegas for Christmas with Trev's family)
Time to just RELAX
Reading
Colton's baby blessing
NOT going to school or work :)
Football for the boys
Ping Pong

Classic Porter family vacation! I was definitely not ready to leave... I always wish I lived closer to my sister. But we left with good memories and plans to see each other again in not too long, which makes it better. Also- 3 weeks until we are on our way for Christmas vacay!

'Tis the Season!

IT'S HERE!!

I'm officially feeling the "holiday spirit" already, and I love it. I feel it much last year what with certain events...

And holiday spirit is not something that can be forced.

In fact, there have been other years where I didn't feel it as much either.

But this year, it's holiday time and it feels like it.

So this week:

I'm putting up a Christmas tree! Yes, it's early, but I want it to be up already when we get home from Thanksgiving break and before we leave for Christmas to Las Vegas. And yes, I will most likely listen to Christmas music the whole time. 

And along with Christmas tree comes our few various other Christmas decorations (basically all given to us for our wedding, including stockings and a nativity scene). And perhaps some paper snowflakes? I might get a little crafty... 

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS are goin' up!!

Also, I got a holiday-smelling candle (vanilla, because it's the closest wintery smelling candle Trevor would accept without saying, "that kind of makes me want to throw up").

I'm finishing Christmas shopping for my side of the family because we are celebrating Christmas over Thanksgiving break .

Trevor is turning 23 on Thursday!!!!! Last night we had a little family party at our house with Trevor's brother Kyle, his wife Whitney, and my brother Garrett. Thursday he gets to open his presents from me. And Sunday we are having a Trevor birthday cake at Sarah's. I LOOVEEEE birthdays!!! 

And the main event of the week: WE LEAVE FOR TEXAS ON FRIDAY!!!! Unfortunately we will not arrive until Saturday evening ish due to a 20+ hour drive (ew). But I keep telling myself it might be fun driving across the country because Trevor will be there with me this time? 

I can't remember the last time I felt this Christmasy. I'm thinking it probably has something to do with the fact that I feel more "at home" in college than I ever have now that I'm married. And it's our first Christmas, so I'm feeling very "tradition" oriented I think. And I have my Trevor to enjoy it all with me, which I couldn't be more excited about :). I love, love this time of year and all the family!

One of those days...

So far, it's been a relatively low stress semester (for me).

Not too many exams, not too many papers, everything moving at a fine pace with time leftover.

But this week? 

Not the case. 

It really just hit me last night that I was ready to be done with the insanity.

After days of {endless} exams, I finally realized...

I didn't want to take any more! which is not an option, of course.

So today, it all caught up to me. 

I finally stopped and realized that it's been a crazy week...

and when I stopped, EVERYTHING ELSE ran into me!

And I started feeling anxious... I don't like feeling anxious.

Study for another exam.

Finish take home portion of different exam.

Take previously mentioned exam (find two hour block of consecutive time to take exam).

Write a paper.

Work out.

Write swim cards.

Go to work.

Go to class.

Christmas plans.

Grocery shopping.

Clean the apartment.

And the thing that put me over the edge?

I'm getting sick. 

AAAAAH!!!!

BUT! In a matter of only 8 days we will be on our way to Texas, relaxation, physically and mentally far, far away from school with my favorite people. I. Cannot. Wait.

But for now... I'm going to go catch up with my education.

Watch Out, Sylvester Stallone.

PICTURES GALORE!

We were boxers. 

Boxers in love, of course

Watch...

out.

We had a liiiittle boxing match...

This is what I got for throwing the first hit.

Not as bad as it looks, I promise you.

Our masterful black eyes, courtesy of some old dance team eyeshadow and lipstick.

My love Kanani!

Beyonce and Jay-Z

The most loving boxer in all the land. 

Just... the normal.

I love Trevor...

He loves me...

We are a happy family. ♥ 

The end!

Here We Go Again

This is why I love this week:

*It's my Dad's BIRTHDAY today! He is 50, and the greatest Dad in all the land!!

*My cousin Mia and my BFF Bridget are getting their MISSION CALLS this week!!
*Halloween is quickly approaching= PUMPKIN CARVING!.. and hunting for an excuse to dress up this weekend.
*Rainy days


Unfortunately, this is what I'm not so fond of this week:
*3 exams, 2 papers. Ew.
*It's all of a sudden REALLY cold. (I like the rain, I dislike the cold.)


However, it was prefaced with a fabulous weekend of:
*Movie nights with my man
*Some perfect, gray, rainy days which I love
*Chili night with Grandma!
*How to Train Your Dragon. Loved it.


And in the near future, I'm REALLY excited about:
*THANKSGIVING IN DALLAS! My whole family will be there... it will be magical. I cannot wait.
*Christmas in Las Vegas! My first Christmas away from my home, but my first Christmas with my new fam whom I love :)
*Decorating for Christmas with my hubby (AND OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS TOGETHER! Love it!)
*Taking my kids to the pumpkin patch (ok, not-so-near future... but still pumped for it)

Happy Monday To You :)

Glory Days

Did I mention that I don't have class on Fridays? {did I mention that multiple times?}

So this morning, I woke up rather late, went for a run {my goal: 5 miles a day, 6 days a week, all semester long. Haven't missed one yet!}

Came home and showered, 

Dried my hair,

Drank a WHOLE bunch of water... and a whole bunch more {sometimes being thirsty and drinking tons of water is the most delicious thing I have ever heard of. Especially in the middle of the night... mmmm}

Trevor came home from class so I got to see that studly man,

Then I laid in bed again and watched half an episode of Friday Night Lights {my new fave, thank you Netflix}

Now maybe I'll clean the bathroom,

Or hang up my laundry, {I have a nasty habit of getting clothes out when I'm deciding what to wear and changing my mind and not hanging them up again}

Or vacuum,

Or study,

Or watch Friday Night Lights again {highly likely}...

But either way, I don't have to be anywhere until 6 tonight, and I'm absolutely loving it.

Sometimes a nice lazy fall afternoon is so good for the soul.

Especially after an endless week of midterms.

These, my friends, are the glory days.

Newsflash

The newest updates on our life as of lately:

We turned our heater on!

Just today. It was getting SO cold in our apartment all of a sudden (62 degrees this morning! I am such a wimp about the cold... but HELLO!) and it WORKS! It's off again now because we're cheap... but at least now we know that it does a way good job taking the cold away from home sweet home.

We are going to be Uncle Trevor and Aunt Danielle again!

Our sister-in-law (Trevor's brother Kyle's wife Whitney) is PREGO! And the best part is that they only live about an hour away... so we will be close! She is due in April and we are so excited for them and for our new baby niece or nephew!

Our shower has exactly 2 temperatures.

The first is scalding hot. The second is freezing cold. It's very exciting. A millimeter of movement in either the hot or cold direction makes the water change to that respective extreme. And don't even think about flushing the toilet or running the faucet while someone is showering. 

We love Aunt Jill and Uncle Steve.

This weekend, they were in Provo for homecoming weekend (diehard BYU fans regardless of how the football season is going!). We walked around Provo, they came and saw our apartment, took us to dinner twice, and were just plain good to us. We feel so loved and spoiled and it's so fun being taken care of by an adult sometimes! And they are SUCH fun people. 

I have made a new discovery.

FREEZE YOUR GRAPES! It is so ridiculously good. My children will be so healthy because they will want to eat delish frozen grapes every day instead of candy (yeah right). 

Our life is EXCITING! Trust me :)