Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas everyone! It started for Pablo and I on Christmas Eve night, when we feasted with distant cousins and family. Food, adorable kids and even Ms. Santa Clause were there! On our way back to my aunt Koreen's home we looked at the beautiful christmas lights all over. My favorite is when you can see the christmas trees through the windows. I love Christmas trees. They are so beautiful and glowing, and seeing them through windows gives them a magical feeling. Christmas was peaceful and resting. Playing with the dogs, watching new movies and playing new games. My cousin Laura was given a soccer game called Pure Futbol. Pablo and her played that game all morning! It was so cute! Haha, Trooper was wearing a hoody for Christmas and it made us think of the car commercial with the hamster-gangsters "You can deal with this, or you can deal with that" Lol, kinda. We had a lot of fun with the puppies. Pablo got some shirts for his internship at the hospital, some new casual clothes and the first season of his favorite television show- Prison Break!

I was blessed with a new scarf, new boots(!), The Devil Wears Prada movie, earrings and a new shirt that I can't wait to wear:)

Pablo and I were also given a Pasta Machine! We love love LOVE to cook together and getting a Pasta Machine has opened up so many new culinary adventures for us! After church today we opened it up right away. We made shrimp, mushroom, spinach and ricotta filled ravioli with seared artichoke hearts and homemade pasta sauce.

Hope that your Christmas was filled with just as much family, love and laughter as ours was! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

We're Going.

December, All Ready?!

So the last time I posted anything it was October, and we were carving pumpkins. Now the pumpkins have been in the trash for almost 1 1/2 months now and Christmas Eve is 2 days away! Crazy. Pablo and I have finished another semester. Good thing too, because it was feeling like a long semester. Only 3 more semester to go for me and I'm done! I am going to be going to school now all year round now and Pablo will be off from school until April and will go until he graduates in December. So while I'm in class and working this winter semester, Pablo has gotten an internship! He's already started there and he loves it! Where is it, you are wondering? At the hospital!! I am so relieved that it is in-town. I know many couples that have to move for 4 months for an un-paid internship, or even be seperated for the same amount of time- and that would be hard:( So he works in Infection Control, investigating and reporting to the State diseases that were acquired in the hospital, and trying to prevent it from happening. At least, thats what he is learning right now, there is a bunch of stuff going on there and he has only scratched the surface. Meanwhile, while we were studying for Finals, starting internships, and working, Christmas has come! My favorite part about Christmas is Christmas trees. Christmas trees first and then the warmth that comes with all the decorations in the house, or apartment in our case. So we have our Christmas tree lit and Christmas presents under the tree. My sister Jessica is staying with us for most of the holidays and it helps make it feel more like Christmas. That, and watching The Muppets Christmas Carol! Have you seen that movie? If you haven't, then I highly recommend it for this Christmas. My absolute favorite movie, but I only allow myself to watch it in December (or if I'm having a sick day). Anyway, thats enough talking and not enough pictures. Here's just some shots :)

Cousin Heather and I at Thanksgiving...

and Pablo in charge of cutting the bird and ham.

And of course the apartment at Christmas, so cute and festive!

Merry Christmas!!

BOO!!

Pablo and I carved pumpkins this weekend with some friends and had a BLAST!! I had only done it once before and Pablo had never done it before- so we were both really really excited to buy the pumpkins and decorate the apartment door with some carved holiday cheer. Both Pablo and I aren't big Halloween people, but I think we'll make a tradition of it! So we gathered at our friends house, ate pizza and homemade banana bread (our friend Briana P. is an awesome baker!) and all sat on the floor with our creative juices flowing! We took pictures of all of us to commenorate our halloween get-together and show just how crazy all us married people still are!

With the lights out...

Group photos

From the left: The Giles, Pascuals, Velezes and De la Cruzes!

Haha, I lOVE this picture :)

I like this pictures of the guys waiting on us women. We were all setting up our camera timers while they just chilled against the wall waiting:)

Happy Halloween Everyone!

We've Hit Our First Year!

Well everybody, Pablo and I have been married now for a year! Its true what everyone says- it really did seem to fly by. I never believed that I could love him more than I did the day we got married, but Time has proved me wrong. He makes me smile, laugh and love everyday. We celebrated our anniversary August 29 with a a trip to the Rexburg temple. We then got to go to the Spa in the morning for massages and an Italian restaurant where we felt fancy eating calamari and drinking Italian sodas. But the best part was sitting on the couch at the end of the day, watching ordinary shows in each other's arms. I love you Amorsito, and thank you for the best year of my life:)

We also had some year anniversary pictures taken during the summer months. I love how they turned out! Thank you Dafni!

photographybydafni@gmail.com

Island Park Adventures

Pablo and I planned a three day trip to Island Park, Idaho as a sort of 'last hoorah' for summer the first week of September. We camped at Riverside Campgrounds and absolutely loved it! The river runs right next to the entire campgrounds and my favorite is that you can hear it from anywhere on the grounds. The next day we went to the Mesa Falls and walked around the walkways and lookout pionts that they have sorrounding both falls -The Upper Mesa Falls and the Lower Mesa Falls. We talked to the lady behind the counter at the tourist shop who told us about a hike that starts at the Upper Falls and takes you right down to the Lower Falls. Heck yes! That's what Pablo and I had been looking for! The trail was an easy mile straight before it starts heading down the slopes towards the river- and the waterfall. You can hear it roaring as you get closer to it, but its not until you round the corner that realize how close the trail intends to take you. We could have stepped into the waterfall if we wanted to, without even the need to jump! It was an awesome sight and made it hard for us to leave. We felt like we were experiencing something just for us, and it was a little awe-inspiring to see the power and energy so close and personal.

After our hike we went back to the campsite and relaxed. The river next to the campgrounds has these midsized boulders scattered in it and one can hop from the shore, boulder to boulder, until they reach one right in the middle. Pablo and I found the perfect boulder and rested in the sun. It was great. With the winter cold already creeping in, I remember that warmth with envy! Lol. Well, after our nap (yep, we fell asleep on a boulder) we went back to camp, ate our beef stew and broke open our hand warmers and prepared for our last night 'roughin it'.

Checking out Upper Mesa Falls from the walkways ...

...and then hiking down to Lower Falls!

Our campsite...

Oh, and there was a situation with a bear at the Falls, but Pablo handled it:)

Getting Our Wilderness On!

Pablo and I went on a hike in the Teton Mountains this last August! We originally went to hike Table Mountain, but, long story short (involving an old woman, a secret short cut and lemon drops) we decided that Alaska Basin was perfect for us!

We were on the trail by 7:30 in the morning, so the weather and the scenery was beautiful.

We got to see the sun just beginning to hit the mountain rocks high above us. It was totally worth getting up early for. (Above picture)

My favorite thing about our trip was having Pablo there with me, hiking the Tetons. While growing up my Dad would take me with him on backpacking trips across these same mountains. Those trips with my Dad put the Tetons in a special spot for me and I couldnt stop smiling the whole day thinking about how I was back again - and now with the love of my life. Just ask Pablo, I had this goofy smile the whole time! I have to thank my Dad for instilling in me the love I have for hiking and the beauty of the Jedidiah Wilderness. I missed having him there with us this time, but I know that Pablo and I would love to take our kids there someday too.

We didnt end up finding the secret short cut that the disappearing lady said existed, but it made for a good time! And I think the Tetons turned Pablo into a outsdoorsman, because the next say he was planning our camping trip to Island Park, Idaho! Oh yeah!