Christmas

We had a really great Christmas, we were able to spend it with lots of family and we got some really great presents. I would like to post all of them, but I don't know if you would enjoy that as much as I would. So here are a few highlights.

We got Despicable Me- complete with the little guys' goggles, which Scott loved.
Dustin (soon-to-be brother-in-law) got this disgusting giant gummy bear from his bride-to-be.

He took a bite out of it and then lost it. So if you see a giant green gummy bear running around, you know where to return it to.

It was a great Christmas and we can't wait for the new year!

Boutique This Weekend

All are invited! This Friday night and Saturday morning/afternoon in Cypress. There will be lots of talented people with crafts there. I'll be selling some of these:

I have generic ones with the temple or I can do custom prints with your wedding/family picture. See you there!

Adventures at Target

The other day Scott and I were at Target and he was trying on some clothes in the dressing room. I told him to come out and show me how it looked. That's when he discovered that when you shut the dressing room door, it doesn't open again. He tried to squeeze under but his head wouldn't even fit.Then he thought about just pushing over the cheap cardboard walls of the dressing room. Luckily we figured out that if he grabbed the handle from the inside and pushed, and if I grabbed from the outside and pulled, the thing would pop open.

Moral of the story: if you're at the Lakewood Target, don't go in the dressing room, especially if you're alone!

Gratitude

November is Thanksgiving Month so I am going to try to blog about some things I am thankful for. Since yesterday was election day I have been thinking about how grateful I am to be able to vote, and for the country we live in.

I know to some people voting doesn't even seem like a privilege, in fact some people don't vote at all because they figure their vote doesn't matter against the millions of other votes. But think about this- If all the people who don't vote did, would it change our elections? Every vote counts.

Our forefathers fought and died so that we could have a free country, and choose for ourselves who our leaders would be and what laws would govern us. And our foremothers fought for the right of us women to be able to do the same. I am so thankful for their courage and strength to do that for us.

So even if the person that I voted for doesn't win, or that proposition that I voted against passes, I am still grateful for the opportunity to make my voice heard, and for the wonderful country we live in.

Who Did It?

Was it Colonel Mustard with the rope?

...Or Miss Scarlet with the candlestick?

...Or Professor Plum with the poison?

Happy Halloween from the cast of "Clue"!

I like my hands the way they are.

I love my job (veterinary technician) and love the animals I get to take care of. Of course, not all of the animals are real keen on the idea of me taking care of them. Occasionally we will get an animal that needs one of these on its chart:


This means that the animal has, at some point, shown signs of aggression and to never let your guard down when treating it. Some are not that nice.

Pretty self-explanatory.

Some really want our blood.

But this one takes it to a whole new level.

Enough said.

When are you going to stop asking socially awkward questions?

Recently I was talking to my sister about one of our pet peeves as young marrieds: when people ask, "When are you going to have a baby?" It is irritating because it is none of their business, and for couples who are trying without success, it can be especially frustrating. To deal with this question we came up with some creative responses.
Note: we acknowledge that everyone has been guilty of this at one time or another, including ourselves, so this is merely for comedy's sake, and not aimed at anyone in particular!

Random person: "When are you going to have a baby?"
Young married couple: -"What? We're supposed to do that? Can you tell me how?"
-(breaks down crying) "I just had my ovaries removed!"
-"Actually, we're trying! In fact just last night we..." (goes into graphic story)
-"When are you going to have a baby?"
-"(spouse's name) just left me!" (leaves sobbing)
-"Once Blargon succeeds in his plans to take over the world!"

Anyone have anymore good ones? I'm running out of things to say at church every week!

Imagine

I really like the song Imagine by John Lennon. It has a great tune and a good meaning behind it. I was thinking about the words today, and when I imagine these things I feel very different about them than Lennon probably did.

Imagine there's no Heaven
That is just downright depressing!
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Only sky??
Imagine all the people
Living for today
That's pretty scary!

Imagine there's no countries
I love my country! Well, Lennon was a Brit.
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
But then why are we here?
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
Even though we have nothing left to live for.

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Ever read The Giver?

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
Now this, I like.

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
This kind of sounds like some crazy Socialist world.

Like I said, I do like this song. But while Lennon pictured these things as the ideal world, I like the song because it helps me to see what's great about the world now, and how scary it would be if all those things we live for and love were gone!

Conference...

All were uplifted and edified. And rested.

All You Need is Love

After 26 years of being a member of the church, I am just beginning to learn what it is all about. Last week President Monson gave a talk at Women's Conference that has changed me. He spoke about judging vs. loving others. He said, "None of us is perfect. I know of no one who would profess to be so. And yet for some reason, despite our own imperfections, we have a tendency to point out those of others. "

Click here to watch it.

I know I have been guilty of unrighteous judgment way too many times. It is so bad for us! It gets in the way of making new friends, of current relationships progressing, of missionary moments, of helping people who truly need help, and so on. Since I watched this talk and realized the gravity of this sin that we so often overlook, I have committed myself to saving the judging for the only one who is qualified for it. And since doing so, I have been so much happier! It was a simple act but I feel a huge difference. In removing my judgments I have made room for the spirit.

Once we stop judging people we can truly begin to love them, and in doing so, love the Savior. "Charity is having patience with someone who has let us down. It is resisting the impulse to become offended easily. It is accepting weaknesses and shortcomings. It is accepting people as they truly are. It is looking beyond physical appearances to attributes that will not dim through time. It is resisting the impulse to categorize others."

I can't wait for the rest of conference this weekend!

I love this video

You are hereby called to serve in the...

My little brother (18 years old and 6 feet tall), Jacob, recently put in his mission papers to serve a full time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He received his call in the mail today and we all gathered for the big opening. Here it is!

Nashville, Tennessee! He reports to the Provo MTC on December 8. We are so excited and so proud!

Reuniting

Scott edited this video clip of Christian the Lion. It is of Christian reuniting with his owners after being separated when he was sent to the compound. This is what I think Rainbow Bridge will be like.

10 things I learned at Girls Camp

1. Teenage girls will literally die if they don't have their cell phones.
2. Getting 5 hours of sleep every night for a week is not fun.
3. Making friendship bracelets is fun.
4. It's really scary to run into a pack of coyotes at night when you're alone.
5. The Young Women in my ward are the best teenage girls anywhere.
6. It's hard to leave your husband for a week.
7. Just when you feel like you have learned every single camp song in the world and there can't possibly be anymore, they start singing a new one.
8. Tampons can stop nose bleeds.
9. I am in no rush to have children.
10. Teenage girls can be some of the meanest people alive, but if they want to be they can also be some of the sweetest and most helpful.

I have the BEST husband!

I got home from girls camp today and...

The sink is empty.
The dish rack is empty.
The piles of video games and movies are off the floor.
The bed is made.
Everything is dusted.
Scott's dresser is clutter-free. (For the first time in a year)
The floor is clean.
There is a bouquet of flowers on the table along with a sweet card.

It sure is nice after chasing around a bunch of 15-year-olds all week!

Our DTR

There comes a point in every relationship to have the DTR. For those not familiar with this acronym, it stands for "Define The Relationship". It is the discussion where you find out where the relationship is going, what the other party wants out of the relationship, and at the end you are usually either a new couple, or on the way out. Either way it's usually an important step.

Back when we were first dating, our DTR went like this:

Scott- "Are you mine?"
Christy- "Yeah."
Scott- "Ok, I'm yours too."

And they lived happily ever after.

Saying Goodbye

*Disclaimer: skip this post if you have never loved an animal- this means you, Sarah! ;)

Throughout my life, I have had to say goodbye to some very loved furry friends. And, working in a pet hospital, I have to say goodbye, almost on a weekly basis, to those pets who have claimed a piece of my heart. It never gets easier, and sometimes we wonder if owning a pet is even worth it. Recently I had to say goodbye to a very special dog who has stolen my heart. It was not easy to hold him as he passed, and hug him as he licked my arm even though he was in pain. I will always miss him but I am so glad for him he is not hurting anymore, because his last few months were not easy ones.

When our clients lose a loved pet, we give them this poem to offer some comfort. I love it, and after 4 years, still can't read it and not cry.


By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,
Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.
Where the friends of man and woman do run,
When their time on earth is over and done.
For here, between this world and the next,
Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.
On this golden land, they wait and they play,
Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.
No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,
For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.
Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,
Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.
They romp through the grass, without even a care,
Until one day they start, and sniff at the air.
All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,
Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.
For just at that instant, their eyes have met;
Together again, both person and pet.
So they run to each other, these friends from long past,
The time of their parting is over at last.
The sadness they felt while they were apart,
Has turned into joy once more in each heart.
They embrace with a love that will last forever,
And then, side-by-side, they cross over… together.

4th of July in Southern California...

...is not supposed to be this cold.

Ode to Pacific Star

We have this burger place 4 doors down from us. It's called Pacific Star (I really don't know why, that's a random name for a burger place and we're not even close to the ocean or anything) and it's awesome. This is how close it is to us, picture taken from our driveway:

We call in our order, walk there and by the time we get there it's ready. Then we walk back to our house and eat it at home and it's still fresh. AND they are really awesome burgers and they have never messed up our order once. Awesome food and super convenient. What more could you ask for?

Last time we went to eat there we saw THIS on the door:
As you can imagine, we are not happy. Now we don't know where we are going to eat when we are craving a delicious burger and are feeling kind of lazy. Luckily we got to have one last burger there before they leave us.


Savor it or scarf it?

Highlights of Mexico

The newest Missionary

This weekend we had the opportunity to go see this guy's mission farewell.

This is my cousin Michael, who is super fun and going to be an awesome missionary. 2 summers ago he lived with my family for the whole summer and we had tons of fun. After he moved back up north with his family, he came all the way down for my wedding, so of course we had to go up to Spokane, Washington for his farewell.

It was so beautiful there. We went on a hike and here is some of what it looks like there:

Afterward, we went to downtown Spokane and got to see some of the sights.

This goat has a button near it that when you push it, it activates a super strong vacuum that picks up all the trash in front of its mouth.

This is possibly the world's largest Radio Flyer.

Here is the awesome family we got to stay with all weekend.

We love the Frasers! They have an incredible house with an even more incredible view. Scott decided we need to move there. I told him that would be a possibility if he could find a job that would pay enough for both of us. I'm not too worried. When we were packing Michael told us the weather could be unpredictable. That was well-put. It went from hot and sunny, to sprinkling and lightning, to sunny and warm, to POURING.

Michael reports to the MTC to serve in the Baguio, Philippines Mission. That is pretty close to Sandy's mission, which is cool since they are friends, and will be able to talk about all of us in Tagalog when they get home.

We're so proud of both of them and excited for those lucky Filipinos!