It's beginning to feel alot like Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone!  I hope you are all having a fabulous holiday season---we sure are.  

Kamryn has been so fun this year!  She just can't get enough of decorating and lights and Christmas!  And the greatest part is that she has no idea what will happen Christmas morning.  She isn't expecting a thing!  Don't we wish we all could have that attitude for Christmas?

 Kamryn loved helping decorate our tree.  We did our ornaments the first day--She was VERY into the princesses! :) (of course!) :)

 Cute Kyler!  Getting so big.  Ready for his first Christmas.

 --Candy Canes for the second day--

 We love Christmas!

Kamryn just can't get enough of it!  (I love this picture!) :)

Then we set up everything of my parents' upstairs a few days later--

 Grammy showed Kamryn all her Nativity sets and told Kamryn not to touch.

 Kamryn adores them.  She loves looking at all the "Baby Jesus's"...

 It's just so hard not to touch--but she is EXCELLENT at not touching and just looking!

 Time to help Grandad with lights on the tree

 Kamryn found an extra star in my parents things--so we went downstairs and put it on our tree.  Kamryn called it "candles---tree".  Of course, she wanted to help do it.

There--all set up for Christmas! 

These next two weeks are going to be busy busy busy for us.  (Hence, I'm trying to catch up on my blog now!  I know I'll get behind again!) :)

This week we get to go help Grandma and Grandpa set up their tree and Christmas stuff on Monday, 

then we get to celebrate Daddy's (Ryan's) birthday on Wednesday, 

Then Ryan's aunt flies in to visit for the weekend on Thursday, 

Then Elder Eric Moe gets home from his mission from Brazil on Friday!  

Then the BYU game is on Saturday and we get to spend time with Ryan's aunt.  

Then Sunday through Wednesday Ryan and I are sneaking away for our own little (and much needed) vacation to warm and sunny CALIFORNIA!

Then Wednesday when we get back, Kylie is home too! :) yay!

(And then the rest of the week is even just as busy!  Christmas is right around the corner!) :)  

We wish we could get you all a Christmas card this year--but the blog will have to do!  :)  I have put the card I designed for this year in my header. :) 

We hope all our friends and family will have a wonderful Christmas and Holiday. 

 Best wishes for you and your families.

Love,

Katrina, Ryan, Kamryn and Kyler  

24

So, my birthday was a couple weeks ago.  Ryan surprised me when I woke up with a nice card and note that sent me on a scavenger hunt around our apartment.  At each of the 5 "stops" there was a 20 dollar bill and another note.  The money was all for a little shopping trip that night.  We went to the mall where I found a pair of black heels I've been wanting for a while.  We went to Kohls, where I didn't find much (unfortunately) but it was still fun to go shopping with Ryan and have no babies for a couple of hours.  We went to dinner at Pounders.  It is a YUMMY YUMMY Hawaiian grill!  (If you haven't been, you should TOTALLY go!!  Soooo good!  Now in Provo!)  

And then we went to my parents where our kids were and had ice cream cake and sang happy birthday.  It was a great day! :)

  I feel so blessed--wonderful husband, wonderful kids, member of the LDS church, we live near family, have a great job.  Here's to my 25th year being just as great as 24! :)

Too young

Ryan's parents were over here yesterday.  His mom told me that they had some company for dinner the other night, and the dad commented on mine and Ryan's family picture (the family picture in my header) and commented: "She looks too young to have two kids!"

Glad I still LOOK too young--and I'm not just too young! :)

This made me think==Ryan and I have often found ourselves in situations where we are younger, if not the youngest, of the crowd we are with.  Ryan, at work, has found people who are astonished when he tells them he is only 24.  I have run into it when I'm doing things with our ward.  And we realize that most people our ages aren't even married yet, let alone have 2 kids!


But I feel so blessed to be able to have 2 kids.  To be graduated already. And to be "successful" at this point--even if it isn't at everyone else's "normal" standards for ages.  We are doing what is right for our family.  And I love it!  wouldn't trade it for anything!

Gift #8--open Wednesday morning when you wake up

There was an envelope and a box.  Inside the envelope I found this newspaper article--- :) It said:

"LYING LOVER CAUGHT: MONKEY MUST PAY!
Today, the day of his anniversary, the lie must finally come out!  How he's kept it a secret so long we will never know.  It sadly started as a plan for a gift ... an innocent gift for his amazingly hot wife.  In the end, however, it escalated into full blown fradulence.
"I just can't believe he would do such a thing," the monkey, an undercover agent, told The Associated Press.  Because of the monkey's good conscience, as well as a bribe in the form of monkey chow, the world now knows of this prevarication.
The first obvious question is, "how is his wife dealing with this fabrication?"  Our sources say that she is completely unaware, not even on the trail.  While the said lover is now in prison, on the way there he was heard saying, "It wasn't a complete lie! I gave her enough chance to find out!  She asked for clues and I gave her one - something mint, something pink, and something silver!!" while the color statement is being verified we believe we have uncovered some information.  The wife will receive a nice, new ... (continue on A2)"

Then another card said " Go open the box for gift #8 to find out what the lie is about!"

So I opened the box and I found:

"Gift #8- You'll just have to go outside and see for yourself.

Like any good book, the climax isn't on the very last page ... so I didn't save the best gift for last.  This is the gift I've been more excited about than any other.  I love you and hope that this makes your life a little easier.  Happy Anniversary."

Yes! That's right!  Keys to my new (used) Toyota Highlander!! :)

(Disclaimer: Ryan and I have been talking about getting a bigger car for a while now--we had plans to go look at this one in St. George this upcoming weekend...but now I don't have to anymore!  :) yay!)

Sorry they aren't GREAT pictures! Ryan also took a video of me loving it and being so excited about it! :) 
What a wonderful surprise! :)  He not only got the car, but it is already registered and insured too! :)  You really outdid yourself this time, hunny! :)  I love you! 

(Disclaimer #2: I did suspect this a little bit over the weekend while I was gone---however, Ryan is such a GREAT liar that he had me questioning myself in the past couple of days! ... I was DYING to know if I was right or not! :) I don't know how he ever kept a straight face in so many of our conversations! lol)

Our 3rd Anniversary

Ryan and I were married June 30, 2007 in the Mount Timpanogos Temple at 1:00 in the afternoon.  Now...3 years later...we:

-have lived in 5 different apartments.

-have both graduated with our Bachelor's degrees.

-have worked at a full time job for over a year now.

-have had 2 children.

-have had a few disagreements but even more laughs together!

-have gained greater perspective of life.

-have grown in our love and are excited for the future!

So, to celebrate this anniversary, Ryan and I decided that with two kids, it is just a little too difficult to get away for a night (like we have in the past!) mostly because I am nursing Kyler still.  So, Ryan decided  to "relive the past" a little for me.

Ryan and I liked eachother since 9th grade, and he and I always planned on him taking me out for my first date! (after I turned 16 of course). I turned 16 at the beginning of our Junior year--one week before the Homecoming dance.  So--Ryan went all out to ask me to this dance.  and I mean ALL OUT! 
He gave me the 12 days of homecoming -- 12 gifts on 12 different days:

1-lawn of forks

2-Dozen hugs

3-fried chickens

4-yummy nerds

5-a five-lettered hat (Said "flirt" on it)

6-geese a shedding (feathered my entire room!)

7-phishes swimming (phish food icecream)

8-chocolate Milk-balls (Milk duds)

9-Bears a bearing (gummy bears)

10-Dum-dums a dumming

11-bags of paper (papered my entire room!)

12-Bright Red Roses

Very creative!  Of course, after all that, I had to say yes! :)

Since then, however, I have often teased him about how he won't ever be able to live up to that level of creativity in surprising me! (I'm a sucker for surprises!) :)  But I think he is trying this week:

I got home from my vacation last night and got this envelope:

Inside was a letter telling me about our upcoming "Anniversary Week"!  I was to expect 12 gifts this week to celebrate our anniversary! :)

Gift 1: Ryan gave me his schedule for the week.  We always tell ourselves we are going to be consistent with his work schedule every week, but then other things come up and then every day I have to ask him when he is going to go to work and when he is going to be home--instead of just knowing in advance. So this week he told me his schedule IN ADVANCE! :)

Gift 2: A clean house with a promise to help unpack!   What a cutie.  I walked in and it really was spotless. Dishes done. Laundry done. Floors vacuumed. Bathrooms cleaned. Etc.  It was wonderful!  (I'm only sorry that it is already a bit cluttered from the kids just a few short hours later!) :)

Gift 3: Movie week!  A basket full of chick-flicks was waiting- just for me.  What better way to celebrate our anniversary than a bunch of sappy romances (that I LOVE) :)  and movie theater popcorn and candy.  So, last night we started our movie-thon with Runaway bride.  Love it! :)

He also found a new nightshirt for me!  What do you think?  Is it "me" or what?! :)

AND I found my lotions nicely set out.  I have a problem with my back tightening too often--so Ryan is an excellent masseur.  He was prepared after my weekend away without a good massage! :)

I also found the rest of the gifts sitting out---taunting me with their instructions on when to open! ahhhh! :)

Gift 4 envelope: Open Tuesday when you wake up -- it was an invitation to go out to dinner tomorrow night without the kids! :)  wonder where we will go! :)

Gift 5 and 6 box: Open Tuesday at naptime -- almost time! :)

Gift 7: (hiding under the box?!) 5:00pm on Tuesday

Gift 8: Open when you wake up on Wednesday

Gift 9, 10 and 11: 9-After a package arrives, 10-naptime on Wednesday, 11-5:00pm

Gift 12: open on Thursday!

I wanted to blog to not only have others to be excited in anticipation with me ( haha ) but also to show the world what a wonderful guy I have married! (and not just because of this cute setup!) To let him know that I love him and appreciate him. I really don't expect this elaborate of a surprise! But every once in a while it is nice to get a little something! :)  I'm so grateful we have been friends for so long and I'm grateful I never have to live a day without him! :)  I love you, Ryan!

What will gift 5 and 6 and 7 be?!  stay tuned for later tonight! :)   (Looks like you may be able to pass up the 12 days of homecoming creativity after all!!) ;)

Why do I do this to myself?!

Both kids are sleeping. Ryan is at work. I had a hard time waking up this morning.  My patience is draining... I should be sleeping. I should be sleeping.  I should be sleeping.

But no, I'm blogging and scrapbooking and picture organizing!

And I ask, why do I do this to myself?!  

But the answer is--I don't enjoy sleeping like I enjoy "creating"!  

My physical body is the reason I need sleep---but my spirit and emotional self just won't have it!

Where is the balance (and the sanity)?! :)

Roomie get together!

We got together with some of my college roommates on Saturday.  It was way fun to see them again.  The 6 of us lived together our Freshman and Sophomore years of college and then we all started getting married, living elsewhere, and doing our own things.  We try to get together every Christmas at least and then now that one of us lives in Germany, we try to get together whenever she is in town!  5 of the 6 of us were able to get together this last week!  (We missed you, Abby!)

We went to the Cheesecake factory for lunch and then back to Meghan's house to hang out for a while.  It felt so nice to just catch up and be together again!  I was SO glad we didn't have anything else planned for the rest of the afternoon!

Meghan's little boy and Kamryn had a good time playing too!  It was a great day!

Love you girls!!