Happy Everything!

So much has happened in just a few short weeks since my last blog post!

Hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Our ward had a service project on base where we prepared a Thanksgiving dinner for families that have deployed family members or who are staying at the Fisher House. (It's like the Ronald McDonald House.) We had extra food so we were able to deliver a warm dinner to the gate guards working that evening. When I asked these guys if I could take a pic, they insisted that Aaron joined in too.  

The event turned out so well that the ward is wanting to make the service project a tradition! 

 Next, Aaron and I love having the missionaries over to eat. Maybe it's because we love talking about our missions so much! We always have a great time with the Elders as we reminisce and share stories about our time in Argentina and Thailand. Aaron whipped up some tin foil dinners that were amazing! 

Birthday. Birthday. Birthday. 

I'm sad to say that this is the only pic I have from our Thanksgiving feast with the Volks. It's so fun having family close. We enjoyed a delicious dinner followed by games and football. I volunteered to make a pie. (Don't ask me why. I don't even like eating pie so I don't even like baking pie, but I felt like pie was a domestic side dish I should volunteer to take to my in-laws. I decided on a key lime pie and I couldn't find any key lime yogurt. Soooo.....as I was in a panic Wednesday night at the grocery store, Aaron suggested just buying a pie, but I felt like there is some unwritten rule that I can't show up to my first Thanksgiving with my in-laws with a store bought pie. I opted for a chocolate pudding pie instead. Y'know, like mixing together two packets of pudding and putting it into a graham cracker crust? It was delish. You would have been jealous. :) 

The partying continued with Aaron's big birthday on Saturday!!

I delivered 50 homemade cupcakes to Aaron's work at 4:21 a.m. 

Saturday evening we had dinner with Aaron's parents at my new favorites BBQ place ever. I want to go back soon. Like this weekend.  

 And finally, we babysat this little lady for a week. It was fun. Kind of. As much as Aaron loves, loves, loves having a dog, I just don't know if I'll ever be able to have a dog in my house. 

I'm still cleaning up dog hair. Everywhere. 

I hope you're as excited for December as we are!! 

Birthdays, family, Christmas, vacation, Kansas... it's going to be a big month. 

Veteran's Day

Veteran’s Day has a new meaning to me this year. In the past, I’ve always said I was grateful for the men and women protecting our country - and I really did mean it.

But this year.

It’s different.

For the first time in my life, when I say I’m grateful for the men and women currently in the military protecting our country, I’m including my husband in the mix - something I’ve never experienced before.

I always get a little chocked up when I think about him being deployed one day.

Do you know that song “American Solder” by Toby Keith? It was playing on the radio a few months ago as I commuted to work. I’ve heard that song a hundred times before, but I started crying as I listened to the words:

I'm just trying to be a father

Raise a daughter and a son

Be a lover to their mother

Everything to everyone

Up and at 'em, bright and early

I'm all business in my suit

Yeah, I'm dressed up for success

From my head down to my boots

I don't do it for the money

There's bills that I can't pay

I don't do it for the glory

I just do it anyway

Providing for our future's my responsibility

Yeah I'm real good under pressure

Being all that I can be

And I can't call in sick on Mondays

When the weekends been too strong

I just work straight through the holidays

And sometimes all night long

You can bet that I stand ready when the wolf growls at the door

Hey, I'm solid, hey I'm steady, hey, I'm true down to the core

And I will always do my duty no matter what the price

I've counted up the cost, I know the sacrifice

Oh, and I don't want to die for you

But if dyin's asked of me

I'll bear that cross with honor

'Cause freedom don't come free

I'm an American soldier, an American

Beside my brothers and my sisters I will proudly take a stand

When Liberty's in jeopardy, I will always do what's right

I'm out here on the front line

Sleep in peace tonight

American soldier, I'm an American soldier

So, this Veteran’s Day when I say I’m grateful for the men and women serving our country, I’m especially grateful for my American Soldier.

Happy Election Day!

It was a bright, sunny morning this morning as I walked to work. Did you know I work a couple of blocks from the Capitol building as well as a couple of blocks from the White House? I wonder which president will be my new neighbor. 

Aaron and I did vote last week. I actually waited three hours in line. Crazy, right? (I voted the Saturday before the storm so there were a lot of people trying to get their vote in before the storm hit. It was inspiring actually to see so many people getting out to vote.) We'll be asleep tonight before the final votes are in, but we'll check in first thing in the morning to see who wins this big election. 

Next:  

Our weekend included a wedding reception...

Megan flew out for the wedding! 

My date.

We love having family close! 

Sleep tight!