He is finally back!

Well, today was quite a day! My mom has been counting down to this day for the past two years and it finally came. haha. My brother came home! He was gone for two years on a mission for our church, so none of us had seen him for that time...he looks great! A little skinny, but happy and still in one piece. His plane came in at 1:11 this afternoon and we all went to lunch after. My grandma and whole family was there, as well as my friend Keith. He was the official photographer at the airport. It was a wonderful reunion and everyone was crying at the sight of Reid. I don't think any of us realized how much he had changed and how long it really had been since we had all last seen him..I know I missed him a lot, and I realized just how much that was the moment I saw him. We have spent the day listening to his stories and just staring at him. haha he is exactly the same, yet sooo different at the same time. It's really good to have him home, especially for the holidays. His stories are great to listen to as well. Some make you realize how blessed we are here, some make you laugh, and some make you wanna tell him to stop. hahaha. One of the greatest things he said today was when we were all sitting around in the living room and he goes "I have calluses on my knees from praying so much. Who would have thought that could happen!" haha. We are all just so happy to have our brother and son back home. He is happy to be back, but he misses Peru very much and you can tell by the way he talks about it. He will never forget those memories he had in that country with those wonderful people, and a part of me will always be jealous he got to have such a great and spiritual experience in his life. He is a great example to me of hard work and devotion. I love him so much and am so happy he is finally home, even though I know he misses Peru. He means a lot to us and has brought many blessings into our lives and smiles to our faces :)

The countdown begins!

I'm the worst at this blogging thing, since its been like a week and a half since my last post...I apologize.

This is the best time of the season, in my opinion. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, there is something different in the air. Thanksgiving was great this year. Spent it with family and friends, enjoying the time we had together. It seems Thanksgiving always goes too fast. Not to mention that the day after, Christmas music took over the radio. I came home from work singing "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and my mother groaned and my father shook his head. I asked them if that was really the Christmas spirit and my mom reminded me that "it's not even December yet!!!". So I waited til the first of December to start singing. They love it now. Oh how I love this month! Now that the majority of my shopping is done, I can really enjoy the season. oh just kidding, I have to completely clean my room out and pack for school. I leave in three weeks, and I am noooot ready for it. haha. its gunna be nice and frozen, and waiting for me on January 2nd. The weather has finally caught on to the season around here, it poured alllll day, and I absolutely loved it. I am being reminded constantly that it is nothing like the weather in Idaho. thank you family :) We are counting down the days now until Reid comes home.. two weeks from tomorrow! my mother is ecstatic. She can't help thinking about when both he and I leave a week later for school though, and she gets a little stressed about having an almost empty house. I will have to be sure to tell the twins to keep her busy...I think they can handle that task. My best friend comes home in 7 days? (It's somewhere around that many days haha) I can't waaaait to see her :) It's gunna be fun to have her back for a couple weeks, and have my whole family home as well.


I have spent this whole semester home wishing it would be over and I could go to school, and now that its almost time I dont wanna go. ha, funny how that works. Last week I went to the Birch Aquarium with one of my best friends, Keith, and it was a little trip down memory lane since the last time I was there I was probably in preschool. haha. I made him feed some animal in the tide pools outside since the man who had all the information wanted someone to do it and I wasnt about to! Every week seems to have a new activity or place to go, since there really isn't much else on my schedule! So far, the zoo, coronado, PB, and the aquarium are down...only a few more and I will be set to go. Oh, and we had to go get a christmas tree for the family...it ended up being a dwarf tree, which I don't think i will ever hear the end of! I keep reminding my father that if he is not happy with the one I chose, he can get one himself for now on. I mean, it is a little small and it was the first one we really looked at, but its pretty much perfect! can't have everything!

Not much else to share from this week, just enjoying the holiday spirits and good moods all around :)

A quick introduction...

Well, I have now joined the world of bloggers...It's a little odd to be writing this, since I know not very many even know I have a blog now. My mother is the real reason I am doing this blog. She insists on being up to date on everything and once I go to school, this will be her way of keeping track of me. We'll see how long this thing lasts. This is what's new in my life.. I will be starting my freshman year up at BYU-Idaho this January and I am preparing my wimpy California self for a REAL winter. I have been home for the fall semester, working, hanging out with the family, and driving my parents crazy. My brother will be returning home from his two year mission in Peru in less than a month (my mom has been counting down the days for 6 months) and we both leave for school a week later. I STILL miss my best friend Lauren Soppe, she has been up in Washington for school since September. I have made new friends while here and discovered who will always be there for me. Fall has been wonderful with many adventures and good times. Hopefully we can keep it that way :)