Goodbye 2011

I've seen lots of people posting lately about how they're so excited for 2011 to be over and can't wait for 2012 because they think it will be so much better. Well not us, Preston and I agree that 2011 was one of our best years ever, we grew up so much and became so much stonger together. Here's a recap of some of our best moments...

I babysat my cousins for a week, and it got us talking about wanting to have a family of our own one day



We got engaged on February 4th at our tree

Preston left for BCT and AIT on February 21st, and I went wedding dress shopping

I was able to go to Fort Leonard Wood Missouri to see Preston graduate from BCT



after a long four months Preston came home early in the morning on June 20th



We ran together in The To Bone & Back Marathon just five days after Preston came home. Thanks to our sister in law Shannon I got in the best shape I had ever been in. As was Preston after a gruesome 16 weeks of training

We took our engagements the weekend of July 4th

I was Shae's Maid of Honor at her July 9th wedding (and after loosing 12 pounds since March I was able to fit into my 12 year old cousins dress so we were able to do a last minute switch)

I had two great bridal showers thanks to Shae & Meisha

We got married August 13th and the day was PERFECT

we went on our honey moon to Utah, going to Park City, Seven Peaks, The Mayan, and to Preston's cousins wedding

we moved in to our house in Pocatello, and were still trying to get used to the place

I cooked my first ever roast, mashed potatoes and gravy dinner (an Adams family Sunday tradition)

I started working at the Bank in Pocatello. I was so lucky to be able to transfer but I sure miss working in Shelley

Preston started another semester and got the best GPA he has ever recieved while going to college

We celebrated our 1 month anniversary at Red Lobster

We went camping with Preston's family before Connor left on his mission

I was in my first Littlewood family photo

We attended our first ROTC military ball

Preston gave a speech at good ole Shelley High School on Veterans day

We cut down our own Christmas tree

We got a cute little puppy named Bandit

 



We took our first family photo for our Christmas Cards

We started a Christmas Eve tradition of opening one present each

Our first Christmas morning

2011 was an amazing year and we can't wait to see what 2012 has in store for us!

Our First Christmas

I warned Preston that I wouldn't be able to sleep and that I would be getting him up at four o'clock to open presents (yes he says I act like a little kid all the time). But instead it was Preston trying to wake me up at 7:00, and it took him a while to get me out of bed. We filled up each others stockings and headed to the front room. It was so much fun watching each other open our presents, and Bandit too!

Preston wrote on the gift tag To: Bandit From Your Owners

notice the two different wrapping papers again

Bandit loved his Christmas dinner

the aftermath

Some of Preston's favorite gifts were a pair of Oakley sunglasses, ISU sweats, cologne, shop towels, lots of candy, and lottery tickets. Some of my favorite gifts were new shoes for work, a bunch of giftcards, some beautiful jewelery, and a new coat to match Preston. We had pull aparts for breakfast, a tradition my mom started a few years ago, and I plan to continue to keep for my family. We had to rush to get everything cleaned up and to get ready for church in Shelley, so our house was a mess. It was a great sacrament meeting though with my mom, dad, Trav, Meish, and the Elizondo's. We split the day between our families again, starting with lunch at my Grandma Eborn's, and finishing the night with dinner at Littlewood's. It was fun as always being with family. Our families were very nice to us this year, my parents gave me a Kindle Fire, both of our parents went in on a Go Pro Helmet Cam for Preston, Larry and Lory gave me a suitcase (hopefully there will be another girls Vegas trip soon), and the Littlewood girls all exchanged gifts (the boys didn't want to this year), Travis and Meisha gave us a popcorn popper some movies and some candy for a fun at home date night, and my Grandma Eborn gave us gloves and a gift card to Winco. We gave my mom a wedding photo album, my dad an accessorie for the jeep (and some snow oreo's), Travis a SD card for his helmet cam, Meisha some clothes for her new baby bump, and we went in on a night at the Hibernation Station for Larry and Lory with Preston's brothers. It was really a perfect day, spent with my favorite person. I can't wait to spend countless more Christmas' together!

Christmas Eve

We had a crazy Christmas weekend! It was a whirl wind of running around all over but it was so great spending every minute of it together. I had to work until 3:00 on the 23rd, Pres picked me up from the bank and we headed to Shelley. We had a fun family dinner with the Littlewoods, eating lots of snacks and playing some games. We spent the night at my parents, and had a busy Christmas Eve afternoon. Preston spent most of the day with my dad and brother getting the snowmobiles ready forthe cabin. My mom and I had a lazy morning watching lifetime Christmas movies, and making food for Christmas. After a quick grocery shopping trip to get things for the cabin we headed home so we could spend our first Christmas at our own house. We had a delicious steak dinner, watched the Grinch, packed for the cabin, and each opened one present. I was going to make us each new pajamas but of course I procrastinated, so instead we just picked a present for each other to open.

this is Preston's amazing wrapping job, he's so thrifty he didn't want to waste the little bits of the other kinds!



ignore the ugly blankets hanging up Preston puts them up when he's watching tv or a movie because our blinds don't keep out any sun



Now our gifts aren't that glamorous, but we decided to do "little" gifts this year, so we could have a bigger Christmas. So Preston opened up a pack of pet hair lint rollers (he can't stand dog hair), and I opened up some new socks and tanktops! It was the perfect start to our Christmas

Christmas Lights

I had lots of fun taking pictures of Christmas trees this year thanks to an awesome tutorial from Pure Photoshop Actions here Unfourtantly my camera isn't nearly as high quality as theres and my picture isn't nearly as cool but oh well you do what you can do!

Merry Christmas

We took a family picture in front of our Christmas tree to send to Connor at the MTC and it really made me want to send out Christmas cards, however we just took the picture on the 18th so it didn't give me enough time to get one made then printed off and then in the mail. So we will just do an e-card this year. I did have a lightbulb moment though... since our anniversary is in August, every year we can get our pictures done and then I can use those for a Christmas card. I really want to be good about getting pictures taken even before we have kids because I think it is so fun to look back at everything.

Gingerbread House

We had a fun stay at home date night the other day watching Home Alone and making a gingerbread house. Preston picked up a kit at walmart and after work we had a party! We went a little frosting crazy and got way too much on the sides of the house so we had to hold it in place for a long time! Getting a cheap kit was easy but the frosting and the candy was yucky so next year we will probably stick with graham crackers, and do it all our selves.