Merry Christmas!

Love, The Stevenson's

Back to Reality

Well, we're back from our cruise. We had so much fun! Just like every other vacation we take, I count down the days until we have to come home, they go so quick, I hate it! We flew into San Juan, Puerto Rico, spent a couple of days there. We boarded the ship and it took us to 5 different islands: St. Thomas, St. Marten, St. John, St. Lucia, and then Barbados. Barbados really threw off the "St." thing we had going on.
We mostly went to beaches and did some body surfing and snorkeling. Barbados we went golfing. Then the rest of the time I think we ate and ate and ate. Oh, we managed to fit in massages to. It was so weird going to the Caribbean during Christmas time. Riding around in cabs listening to Christmas music where it was 85 degrees, sandy beaches, wearing flip flops and swimming suits. Just weird. That is the only time I wanted the trip to end at some point was so that I could come home to UT and enjoy my Christmas with snow, that's how it should be.
We had a blast, I'm so glad that I have Bryce to spend my time with, I honestly never get sick of spending every minute with him.
Now it's back to reality, homeowners, unpacking, cleaning, laundry, getting ready for Christmas and did I mention laundry-HOLY CRAP!!
I stink at taking pictures. We had been to most of these places before so I found myself not taking repeat pictures of Bryce standing in front of something or vice- versa.

Christmas Lights

I can't believe it, I have Christmas lights on my house. I love it! We bid on the lights and the lights to be hung at a silent auction for a friend and I won! I won I won I won! Whoowhoo! Every year I have to drive up the street next to mine a.k.a gum drop lane, and look at all the lucky people who get Christmas lights. I'm no longer sad Janica, because I have lights baby! Happy December to me!
These pictures don't do the lights justice, but it's so shiny and beautiful. Come see them this year, it will be the first and the last for me I'm sure. Maybe I should be one of those lame people that leave them up all year long so that I can have them last for years to come. Any thoughts? (Sorry if your one of those lame people, I didn't mean to break the bad news to you).

Read the Box

I had some major heart burn all day yesterday, (it could have been the Famous Dave's we ate the night before). So I took some expired tums and of course they didn't do a thing, so later on that night I thought I would take something else since the expiration date really does mean something I guess. I opened up a box of Zantac, popped it in my mouth and began to chew, only immediately to find out that you aren't supposed to chew them, your supposed to take them like a pill. That was the worst taste I have experienced since I can remember. I ran for a bottled water, nothing would take that taste out of my mouth. I ran to the sink and started to spit it out, coughing and coughing. Bryce came in concerned wondering what in the heck had just happened from the two seconds I had just left him previous. I finally stopped coughing, yes the taste still there, and then came the throw-up. A couple times actually, sorry for the details, I just thought there was a lesson here for us all. As Bryce put it, "you should always read the box, it says right here to take with water. If you would have asked me, I would have told you." Gee thanks hun. I didn't have that exact thought run through my head as I was throwing-up. Needless to say I had even worse heart burn then before. Lesson learned, read the box!

Settin Sail!

Well last night I booked a cruise to the Caribbean. The anticipation of going on vacation is always so hard for me, I get like a little kid who knows it's about time to go to Disney Land! I can't wait! So I'm glad I only have to wait 20 days or so before we set sail. We fly into Puerto Rico first class, you read it right FIRST CLASS! (I thought I would all caps it in case you missed it the first time). I'm not sure if I'm more excited about that or the cruise. I'm sure those of you out there reading this that have been lucky enough to ride first class, are thinking, it's not all it's cracked up to be. Well I say whatever! It's always so depressing walking passed all those seats to get to mine at the end of the plane next to a bathroom or the kitchen and being wedged in between some stinky person who forgot to bathe or just keeps letting them slip. I won't have to wonder about what various food items they are being offered, while I had to pay for my slop. I will get to stretch my legs out and recline all the way back if I so choose. And if I do have to sit by someone stinky, it will be my husband, and that is a stink I can handle. Let's not forget the fact that I don't have to pay for my luggage. I get to take 3- 70lb bags per person plus a carry on. I thought to myself, why would I ever need that many? I may do it just cause I can! I can't get to accustomed to this first class thing. It only happened because of sky miles. So I thank you Delta for making my wishes come true. I'll keep you posted if it happens to not be all it's cracked up to be, but in the mean time, I CAN'T WAIT!!!

I'm Back

Wow, where does the time go? I have really been bad lately. So just a quick re-cap, quick because I really can't remember much of what has gone on this past little while, that's how long it's been since my last post.
We went camping to Lake Lyman with most of the Stevenson's. We missed those of you who did not come.
Yes that's Abbie in the middle of our canoe and no we never fell in. Such a good dog!

Bryce and Rob heading back from fishing

One of Bryce's fish

Family canoe ride




Work work work and more work. Work is good, I have it, so no complaints here.

We planned and had our Primary Program, whew, glad that's over. Sorry, no pictures of that ;)

Halloween. Got bored and decided to put my dog in a costume. What a cute pumpkin cape.



Got my first one of these a few days ago.

What the heck? Did you notice the date on my post?

Took Abbie to the Vet today, not usually such ground breaking news, but today was a little different than most visits.
As you can see, I'm sitting in a chair and my 75lb dog climbed up behind me, wrapped her head behind mine, hiding, shivering when the vet tech walked in the room. Hilarious! I love that dog.

cat lovers beware

I'm an animal lover! I hate watching the old cowboy and Indian movies when they shoot the horses and they fall to the ground. I hate watching animal cops and seeing the cruel things that people do to animals, you get the point, so in a nut shell, I really love animals. Well over the last loooong while, I have continued to go out into my yard to weed or to water and I notice that my beautifully raked flower beds and my pres tine yard that I work so hard on, have become a freakin litter box to the two stupid cats across the street!!! I know what your thinking, get a grip! I thought you loved animals? Well I'm not sure how I feel about cats anymore! I don't know if I should be more upset with the cats or with the owners. Why is it that a cat can roam when ever and where ever it wants? But if I let my dog do that, the neighborhood would be in a frenzy and she would be picked up in a flash by animal control. How about I start sending my dog across the street to take care of her business in your yard instead of going in the well trained spot, not on the grass, behind my detached garage. Have you heard of a litter box people?
So, as you can see, this is something that truly eats me up inside. I know I shouldn't sweat the small things and I should not be so worried about my personal things, but I am, so deal! We all have our things and this is mine.
So I've decided to take matters into my own hands. After Bryce telling me,"cages are more for racoon's. You will never catch a cat in one of those". Also, the much knowledge that I have knowing the fact that I'm not fast enough to ever catch a cat and send it right back across the street. Along with other thoughts that I have had, and will spare you the details since this is a family blog :) hmmmm, what's a person to do?
Bryce one night while up watching TV, saw an infomercial, they described our predicament to a tee. So after ordering the, as seen on TV contraption and waiting forrreeveerrr for it to get here, I get to now see if it actually works.

(Don't worry, no animals will be hurt during this experiment, well at least I don't think they will)

are YOU tough enough?

Yesterday was our annual, Tough Enough to Wear Pink Rodeo, to support Breast Cancer. We usually just go and watch the rodeo in our pink shirts, but this year we took it up a level. My mother is on the committee and asked if I would help sell the pink scarves at the gates, all the proceeds would go towards the foundation. After I agreed to help out, she asked if we could round up anyone else to help and I of course thought of Bryce. He didn't hesitate to be the only guy selling them, put on that pink shirt and was right there by my side on a hot July afternoon, after he had a crappy bad day at work, and came out with me and did some good in the world that day. I was honestly touched by how generous people were. People were forking out $2.00 for a pink bandanna after they had just paid $12.00 a piece to get into the rodeo, all to support breast cancer. Thank you husband of mine for kicking the sales up a notch and putting us all to shame, going into the crowds trying to sell every last bandanna. I was so shocked at how he changed his bad attitude after a bad day and tore it up in the sales department. I love you. Thank you generous people, for supporting us. This coming from a person who lost her grandmother to breast cancer and was lucky enough not to loose my mother, I thank all of you pink wearing people.

Here is Bryce and me sporting our pink, we even got Abbie to support. Who wouldn't buy from that face???

Slacker

I'm here, don't worry my little blog followers. I have been so bad at blogging lately. I can honestly say that I couldn't even remember the last thing that I had posted on my blog, that's how long it's been since I have even been on here. We have been so busy with life and having our typical summer vacations and I have only a few pictures to document it.
We started our summer off going camping for the Nelson reunion like we do every year, the weather was perfect and we had a great time as always. It was so nice to get together with all of our family that we just don't get to see enough of. It came and went to quickly for me, I could stay up there forever.
Then for the Stevenson side, this year instead of going camping, we went to St. George, in the middle of July, yes it was hot. 113 degrees is not my idea of fun, but fun we had. We went to Tuacahan and saw Tarzan, shopped, ate, golfed and of course spent time with family.
I really can't say where this summer has gone, all I know, is it needs to slow down.