Christmas Spirit

Jakob & I wanted to do a Christmas photo shoot this year. I wanted some professional pictures that weren't from our wedding and with Christmas cards right around the corner I couldn't think of a better time to get them. We headed up to Mount Charleston to play in the snow (It doesn't exactly feel or look like Christmas in the valley). Jazz (JOA Photography) is an aspiring photographer just starting to branch out on her own and I think she did a fabulous job! She was very charismatic and took a wide range of pictures. Here are some of our favorites.

Tying Jakob up with Christmas lights was Jazz's idea and I LOVED IT!

My dear husband likes to make silly faces.

The focus was supposed to be Jakob's old man sweater. This sweater was my Opa's in Holland. It means a lot to my family, especially my father and we wanted to showcase it for our photo's.

(I Love this one of Jakob)

On the funner side of things. :)

Thanks so much to Jazz! She did a fabulous job! I just bought a wedding gown to trash! (don't worry it was only $35 at D.I) I am so excited!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully we'll be able to do that come April when Lake Mead isn't so cold. Merry Christmas Everyone!

To Whom It May Concern

Dear People-Who-Shattered-My-Window-2-Nights-Ago,

Thanks for breaking into my 99 Grand Am and turning it upside down. Even though I still have no idea what you were looking for, it means a lot to know you didn't find it. It would have been nice if you would have realized there was nothing left to steal (since someone already did that 6 months ago) before you shattered my window. You did however manage to shatter the only window that no longer rolled down. After a "quick" replacement it is now fully functioning once again. I would also like to know what is so appealing about my vehicle (which is parked right next to the mail boxes and under a light) that it has been broken into not once, but twice now. I'll be sure to avoid these key details when purchasing vehicles in the future.

P.S. Perhaps I should leave a BOM on the seat, with a note that says: Please take me, for the next time.

Gleeks

Yes, fine, we'll admit it, Jakob and I are Gleeks. For the record however, Jakob started it! Even though this T.V show screams teenybopper (let's be fair I just escaped my teens a year + 363 days ago, but who's counting?) we look forward to Wednesdays. (We do not have cable so we must watch it the following day on Hulu.) If you haven't jumped on the bandwagon yet I'd suggest you start at season 1 episode 1 as they build on each other in random ways. All in all we are proud and there's nothing you can do to change our minds ;)

Black Friday

Well at least it was black when I got up at 4:00 a.m. This was my first Black Friday extravaganza and I could think of only one place that I wanted to go... Joann's. Yes, I know of all the places Joann's was first and only on my list. So I got in line at 5:25 a.m with Mom Tobler to await the open doors and chaos awaiting me only 35 minutes later. We were the first 100 people in the door and therefore got a free pair of scissors. Whoopee! Flannel fabric was on sale for 1.29 a yard. Let's be honest that is a STEAL! So after fighting for a shopping cart I just started to grab fabrics for baby quilts. I got 6 different patterns and figured I had over indulged until I saw other peoples cart(s). that were piled 6 feet high! I couldn't believe it!! Luckily Mom Tobler was fast on her feet and got her dress form that she wanted and then grabbed us a number to get my fabric cut. We were the third people in line THANK GOODNESS! We were in and out of there in a matter of 30 minutes! I had a lot of fun and will be attending Joann's next year I'm sure. What a rush!

Gobble Gobble

For Thanksgiving I'm sure that's all we did! Jakob, Mom &; Dad Tobler and I headed over to the Palmers for Thanksgiving dinner as per tradition. It was so wonderful!! I was so distracted by all of the food (including Nancy's signature beans that she swears are super easy but I just simply CANNOT duplicate!) that I didn't take any pictures until desert! There was bonding as per usual. It's always fun getting together with relatives and share some laughter!

Nancy has (in Mom Tobler's fine words) a new 600 lb black baby. She got a baby grand and I am green with envy! I vow that one day I will have one but until then I might randomly show up to plunk away at hers (I'm not very good anymore).

We had a wonderful time and would like to thank the Palmer's for having us! I love this time of year! It makes me think of the things that I take for granted every day. I'm so thankful for my job. How many people can say that they have a job that they LOVE? In these trying economic times I am very thankful to have work and be able to help support our small family. I'm thankful for my dear husband who works SO hard and NEVER complains. He sacrifices so much to provide and succeed and I am very thankful for him. I'm thankful for a family who loves me for those far away and those close by. I always know that I have someone there for me and that means more than I can describe. For true friends who are dear to my heart and will be etched in it forever. I have come to not only like but love Vegas. I have grown so much over the past two years and I am thankful for the journey and the people that have shared it with me. Happy Thanksgiving!

Old Friends

There is a small part of me that cries when I throw away things away. Alright large part of me. I have a tendency of holding onto things either because I think that their nice (or could be nice in the future) or I might have a use for them in the future (usually the latter). Growing up, my mother threw away everything! At times she would have to repurchase things because she'd simply toss them in the trash with no sense of remorse. She has a firm "no clutter" policy. Clutter = trash in her mind and I must say because of this we grew up in a very clean and organized home. I remember being frustrated one day because she had thrown away a pair of my favorite jeans that were riddled with holes. As a result, I packed up a box of things I knew were at high risk of ending up in the dumpster and toted it over to my Grandmothers for safe keeping. These were the beginning of my hoarding days. I admit it I am a hoarder!! I would have to say I'm am organized hoarder however. If things are cluttered I get stressed, which is part of my dear mother showing through for which I am grateful. Everything must have a place for quick and easy access, but instead if throwing things away that are out of place I find a place for them. Which brings me to my dear slippers.

These slippers were well worn and falling apart and even though I no longer wore them, they had some sort of sentimental value to me. I love the ugly things! They have kept my tootsies warm for the past 6 years! After starring at them for two days I decided to throw them in the trash. I felt a sense of relief as first, accomplishment even, which was quickly replaced with the urge to race to the trash can and place them back into the safety of my closet. I promptly asked Jakob to take the bag to the dumpster so they would be out of sight, out of mind. I am proud of myself, even if this seems utterly ridiculous to most people it was an accomplishment in my minds eye. It is now time to conquer my closet. I still have clothing from when I was 12. Ridiculous. I know but a one bedroom apartment provides no room for "extras". The goal: narrow my 39 pairs of jeans down to 6. I'm almost positive I'm going to cry!

Overwhelemed with love!

I'm feeling SO loved today! Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes! Being 21 kind of scares me but it feels no different then being 20. Like I said last year, being married changes your perception of a few things, age is one of them.

For my gift from Jakob I got Cricut Expression! For those of you who don't know what that is it's a glorified stencil maker. Jakob pretty much bought me an x-box for women. You buy cartridges, plug them in, pick a shape such as a Turkey for thanksgiving card, tell it how big you want it and press cut. It's GLORIOUS!!

With my Cricut I can make cards, scrapbook and even cut vinyl! I'm so excited! THANK YOU WONDERFUL HUSBAND OF MINE!! Yes, I know.... he spoils me.

For my birthday dinner Jakob and I headed over to Mom and Dad Tobler's for steak dinner! It was so incredibly wonderful! Just look at how stunning that table is, not to mention the mouth watering food!! YUMMM!

As per tradition in the Tobler family everyone had to sit on my lap and tell me reasons why they loved me. This is something that we will defiantly be carrying on in our family. It's quite funny to hear some of the things you're husband comes up with!

And last but not least the cake. The quote of the night "I've never had this many candles on my cake before!" Only I was being totally serious! the van den Berge family stopped putting multiple candles on our cake when we were 8 only everyone was laughing so hard they couldn't hear me explain myself. It was a wonderful 21st birthday indeed! Thank you once again to everyone who made me feel so special on my birthday! I can't wait for my party on the 3rd!!!

Dear Santa &/ or Birthday Fairy,

I have decided what I want for my birthday and or Christmas.
The Cricut Expression

That is all, Thank you!