Sketch pads and chocolate chips

So, I'm starting to sketch again (in preparation for oil painting extravaganzas in the near future) and realizing just how long it's been since I've sat down with the old sketch pad and pencil (or pen for that matter). It's slightly depressing that things that used to be a cinch now take hours and I still finish a little less than satisfied. Makes it hard to keep trying, if ya know what I mean. But, alas, I'm working on it and (at the admonish of my husband who thinks, of course, that I'm way better than I actually am) I'll be posting some pictures when I can create something that doesn't suck. Also, I went to the gym tonight while Chuck was studying/PRSSA-ing and when I came home I was aching for some chocolate chip cookies (which I haven't had since before Fiji, I think). So, after my wonderfully hot shower (I will forever be grateful for hot water-Thank you, Fiji) I find my husband busily making double chocolate chip cookies. I'm pretty lucky :) Of course we had to run to the store to grab baking soda (which we hadn't re-bought since our return to America, land of Supermarkets and walmarts) and cocoa powder (and starbursts because they just looked way too good). So much for going to the gym. Chocolate > Will Power. Every time.

Pingree Fun

So - We're officially cool, the 'newlywed' Pingrees invited us over for Christmas cookie decorating! We were honestly so excited to go hang out with the Pingrees and the Bells and it proved just as fun as you would imagine. The wives shook their heads a lot as the husbands made jokes that probably shouldn't have been made and the husbands admired their wives creativity in decorating sugar cookies. Christian made a great Turkey cookie named Kingston (he got eaten :( ). Honestly the only reason I am posting this right now if because I challenged Hayley to a blogging race (she's honestly incredible at it), if you don't believe me check it out.

http://thenewlywedpingrees.blogspot.com/

Sorry - I'm not the best photographer, but that's Hayley and Chin :) The Pingrees (and the greatest couple)

The SPREAD!!! Thanks to the Pingrees for the cookie dough (8 hours in the fridge) and the Bell's for the icing - oh and Chin… for the thumb :)

The BELLS! You should see their Christmas tree - it has bells on it… clever!

Emily's creations - who knew you could be so creative… I did one of them, if you can pick it out you get an extra Christmas present! Any guesses?

All in all - it was a pretty magical evening… minus the episode at work when my water bottle deciding to explode on me (thanks for taking the picture Elder Walton).

MERRY DECEMBER!!!

 

Saturday Off :)

We both got the Saturday off from work! Woo Hoo! It's a pretty exciting thing for us since we usually leave each other around noon and I get home from work at 10:30pm :)

So, what's new?

To be honest, nothing really.  We're taking a family history class together and have had some pretty exciting experiences coming to know our ancestors.  We're excited to figure out more! Chuck even stayed up until 4am last night researching my Dad's side of the family :)  That's our really exciting news :)
Other than that, I thought I would post some fun pictures of right before the wedding.  I was looking through wedding pictures today, so maybe I'm just being "all sentimental" like Chuck said, but here they are anyway :)

Got the Marriage License! 

My besties getting toes done with me the Friday before the wedding :)

Can I just say that the Krebs family and Julie Nichols are amazing for working so hard on these AWESOME cupcakes for the wedding?

Thanks for all the help!!

Chuck being all cute and playing with all the little ones at the BBQ at Dad's on Friday Night :)

My momma=one of the most amazing people in the world.  

Last photo as a single gal...yikes! ;)

We're MARRIED! Now, that's just crazy :)

We love you all and hope everyone is having a fabulous beginning of fall!