Florida, when it's cold out.

I'm in Florida right now, Ft. Lauderdale to be exact. I was really looking forward to the warm sun and laying on the beach. But since we got here it has been nothing but cold, windy, and cloudy. So what do you do in Florida when it's cold out? Well, I guess you hang out at the spa and go to the Everglades. Or at least that's what we did. We also stopped by Miami South Beach tonight and I think I'm in love with that place. I love all the diversity and the Hispanic influence. I got to speak Spanish to two handsome men when we left our restaurant and I loved it. It made me a little homesick for Arizona, I realize it's the desert and not tropical but the Hispanic part of me can't help but feel at home around all the people, food and music. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that tomorrow is nice like the forecast says so I can get to the beach.





My lovely toes after my pedicure by a lovely Russian lady

Love This Family

A couple months ago I wrote about how great my brother is. Well, I can't help myself, my love for Ben spills over onto his wonderful family. Becky and I had a rough start and I take full responsibility. I have been known to be a little hard on my brothers' girlfriends. I don't really remember it but making her sit in the backseat on their first date might have been a little overboard. Anyway, it took a little time and me moving in with Ben and Becky for the summer, (I can only imagine the dread she must have been feeling) but we have grown to be very close. She is such a wonderful mother and wife and the fact that she not only puts up with my crazy brother but loves him for his craziness speak volumes. I am such a lucky girl to have her as a sister in law and one of my best friends. I feel very blessed knowing I have such a wonderful person in my corner.

My little nieces, Lindsey and Courtney, are my most favorite little girls in the whole world. Lindsey is so much fun and so sweet. She loves life and you have to love her independence. Little Courtin is such a pretty baby, I lover her little curls. I could just sit and watch her for hours.

In the last couple months I have considered leaving Boise a couple times. Move back to Utah to be with all my girlfriends or maybe Arizona, I miss that place. But I can't do it. Now I really can't do it because I'm back in school, but I can't leave them. I love that in a matter of 20 minutes I can be with some of the people I love most in this world. When days are rough, and I've had a few of those, or I'm totally bored all I have to do is see those 4 faces and life is good.

Weekend in McCall

Last weekend I went up to McCall for a girls weekend with some gal pals and it was so much fun. Saturday night we went tubing on a sweet hill with a tow rope and everything. I think that was my favorite part. Instead of spending most of my time trudging up a huge hill I got to lounge in my tube all the way up. I think my lips got a little wind burned though. Afterward we went to Lardo's, my favorite eatery in McCall for Lardo's Fries mmmmm love them.

Yesterday after church we went on a sleigh ride, but not just any sleigh ride. It was an elk feeding ride, which of course Jill didn't tell us until we got there. It was fun and kind of gross all at the same time. The elk didn't mind sneezing or getting right under your behind to get at the food, so rude they really don't know the meaning of personal boundaries.

All in all it was a great weekend. I got to know some friends better and make new ones all in the same weekend, what else could I have asked for. I even almost got some action from some large furry animals.

In Love.......With My Sheets

I have never been too concerned with the quality of sheets that I put on my bed. As long as they are clean and match I am good to go. That was until I got 600 count egyptian cotton sheets for Christmas. I don't really know what all that means, but I do know what it feels like. I think I may have just become a sheet snob. I have been sick this week and have used it as a perfect excuse to stay in my bed longer than normal. If I could still work from my lap top I would have probably called in sick all week just to enjoy working from my cozy, new and improved bed. Thanks Santa!

I did manage to make it to church today and got a new calling I am totally excited about. I think I've been called to be a Relief Society teacher in almost every ward I've been in and I really enjoy it. Not so much because I think I'm a great teacher, but because it gives me more focus as I am reading and studying. Anyway, I am really grateful for the opportunity and just glad it wasn't FHE. Heading into the meeting that's what I thought it might be in my bishop's attempts to make me be more social.

Christmas in Montana

Because we have a mixed family my dad and step mom have been very kind to celebrate Christmas on other days besides the actual 25th of December. So Ben, Becky, the girls and I had a small Christmas on the 25th and than it was off to Montana for New Years and a late Christmas. I think this might be our latest Christmas yet, as it was celebrated after New Years. Seems kind of strange, but really as the years come and go that day feels just as much like the real thing, you forget that it really wasn't.

New Years Eve was spent playing the craziest game ever, eating and enjoying each other. To ring in the New Year the kids held our tradition and celebrated in the hot tub, watching the ball drop on the TV. Normally Ben and Mike light off some sweet fire works right before midnight. But this year we held off since it was a bit windy and we wanted Lindsey and Courtney to see them. My younger siblings could have gone out to some parties, especially Mike since he was home from Minnesota and actually has friends in Montana, but they didn't. I love that my family loves spending so much time together, that when we are all in town we have to do practically everything together.

Christmas day was celebrated on New Years Day. All of us kids started out the day by playing out in the snow and building a small fort in the backyard. Must have been quite a sight for my parents as they finished wrapping presents to see all their "big" kids playing in the snow like "little" kids. We did have Lindsey with us to make it a little more legitimate. For dinner we had our traditional chili soup, my grandma Jessie made it for her big family every year. We taught Lindsey how to "cheers" with her party cup, which she wanted to do with every meal that followed. Then on to the presents. I won't go into all the details of the present opening, but it is a lot of fun and takes forever. I got some amazing gifts including a beautiful easel, so that I can keep painting. I'll have to post a picture of that later. I also was holding out for a panini maker, which my brother Mike gave me. He even wrapped it himself. It took him half an hour to do it, but it got done. He even put the bow on then took it off and rearranged it. He's an engineer so you would think it would have been a simple task, but than again that may have been the problem, as he analyzed the best way to go about covering the box and placing the bow.

The rest of the weekend was just more great family time, lots of Wii playing and a slay ride in the mountains for some hot chocolate. Oh, last but not least. My parent's Schnauzer had two little puppies that we gave real names to. Welcome to the family Ernesto Pablo (Ernie) and Elenore Rose (Ellie). Thanks everyone for a wonderful weekend it was so much fun!

Red or Blue, or Red & Blue

I must first explain what a sports fan I am. I love sports! I have watched sports at all levels for as long as I can remember. In this regard I am very much my dad's daughter, watching games with him when I was little is probably what started my love. He is a bit crazier than I am though, as he finds it necessary to have a TV everywhere possible on big game days not limiting himself to the usual one big screen. He's got the TV in the garage, the bathrooms, and for the sports fan that would like to watch the game from the hot tub, he has been known to pull out the projector for one's viewing pleasure (tub side cheese & crackers with frosty root beer optional). Anyway like my dad I take my sports watching very seriously when it comes to the teams I love.

For as long as I can remember I have been a die hard University Of Arizona basketball fan. I can't think of how many nights I have sat about 2 feet from the TV yelling at my boys to keep it together in the last few minutes of a game. If anyone knows Arizona basketball we tend to be a second half team, but lose control the last part of the 4th quarter. Sundays win against Gonzaga brought back fond memories of the NCAA tourni when UA won in double overtime in SLC. I had a really bad cold, with a fever to boot. I couldn't talk by the end of the game but it was worth every minute and every penny. I have also stuck with Wildcat football through a lot of hard years. That is as long as they are not playing BYU. When I went to school in Utah I came to love Brigham Young football. It helped getting to go to a lot of the games and having friends on the team.

So this brings me to my dilemma, BYU v UA in the Vegas Bowl. When I heard they would be playing each other again this year I immediately felt anxiety (seriously sports make me a little neurotic). After consulting with my best friend Matt, a fellow UA and BYU enthusiast, we have decided that we will probably go for BYU. I make no promises, but I think that is where I'm headed. Ben will be going for UA, so the game should be fun on Saturday. No matter how it turns out I just hope BSU gets destroyed by TSU. :)

On a more serious note, my cousin Curtis Klotthor passed away last week. He is a wonderful person with a wonderful spirit. He is loved and will be missed. My thoughts go out to the rest of my family. Wish Nebraska, in the middle of the winter, wasn't so far away.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving can extend into the weekend right? Things I'm grateful for this year:

1. Family; near or far, extended or immediate, adopted or blood. Family is wonderful and I can't imagine life with out any of mine.

2. Life; no matter the challenges, the beautiful highs and the not so fun lows. I'm so grateful for all my experiences and the places life takes me.

3. Beauty in the world. I have gotten to see some very beautiful places this past year and I am so grateful for that experience and for who I got to experience them with.

4. The little things in life. Whether it's my new tires that make me feel safe or all of Heavenly Father's tender mercies, I'm so thankful for all of them.

5. Lastly but most importantly my Heavenly Father and the gospel. For his unending patience, love and guidance. I think I am either incredibly dense or stubborn, or both so it takes me a while to get it, but he keeps with me until I do. I can't imagine my life with out the combination of the two. No thanks.