lots of Thanksgiving to be had

Thanksgiving has always been of my favorite holidays so it's very fitting that for the rest of my life I will get to celebrate my wedding anniversary with my fabulous husband around Thanksgiving time! 

Thursday: We had a lovely Thanksgiving meal just us! With no oven and a tiny kitchen we had to make due so on the menu... 

Breakfast: cinnamon roll waffles (made on our George Forman Grill) hashbrowns, sausage, and orange juice. 

Dinner: rotisery chicken (from Walmart), instant potatoes, box stuffing, store rolls, corn, asparagus, and Marge's jello! and of course a little sparkling cider 

Before:

 After:

We also had skype calls with both of our families which was definitely the highlight of our day...we love our families!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Friday: Mr. Fabulous (see picture above) surprised me with a trip to DISNEYLAND!!! Here are just a couple pictures (out of our 163 pictures from the day) 

This was Michael's first time at Disneyland and he absolutely loved it! We had so much fun running around from ride to ride from 8:00am till 10:30pm. With weather in the 70's it was perfect!

Rides - Corndogs - Turkey Leg - Frozen Lemonade - Parade - Fireworks

Saturday: Our actual anniversary was a relaxing day out on the town. First we went to "The Painted Nail" salon where I got a manicure. It was so much fun and such a great manicure for a really good deal! Then we went shopping around at a fancy mall in Hollywood. I felt like I was walking through a Vogue magazine. We had fun dreaming in Tiffany's, and a Ferrari store. And we finished the night by going out to dinner. 

  

I feel lucky every morning when I wake up and I see this incredible man at my side! I am so grateful for so many things but today I'm especially grateful for my husband, Michael James!

enjoying some FALL

being in California we are missing all the beautiful colors of fall, the crisp cool days, and the wet rain coming down.


What can I say, I love Oregon weather!


Yesterday we had some extra time to kill while we were in another city where we found this cute park and were able to enjoy some of the joy of fall!

...the joy of living

presents to each other

last night we were out and about and my sweet husband bought me flowers

the best part is they smell like fresh garden flowers!

can openers

Since we have been married we have had 4 can openers 

all from different brands, all from different stores, all at different prices.

NONE of them WORK!

so on another attempt to find a working can opener we found success...

at the Dollar Tree!

wouldn't you know?! the cheapest one of them all!

CRAFT TIME!

look at my cute new pom pom necklace! 

the best feeling in the world...

coming home to a husband you has missed you so much after only spending a few hours apart :) bliss

What's your "best feeling in the world"?

he is a bunny and we will call him buddy and he will be our bunny

We have a new friend whom we have named Buddy. He lives outside of our hotel and if you weren't looking for him you might just miss him.

 If he doesn't go away soon we just might have to adopt him :)

 And here is our room, I'm making our lovely Sunday dinner. 

The Start of Something New.

Last Friday was officially my last duty at Great Clips West Salem, Saturday and Sunday were full of packing and goodbyes, and Monday Michael and I left for California. We traveled over 1000 miles in 3 days, and stayed in 3 cities over those first 3 nights. We're now in an extended stay hotel until tomorrow then on the road again. It has been such a huge blessing to be here with Michael, it would have been so much more miserable then I wanted to believe trying to stay back in Oregon. 

As part of this work we are involved with churches and over and over again our testimonies are strengthened as we have experiences working with people. Today we went to a ward that was so warm and welcoming, it made me so grateful for the Church once again. 

When I was in 8th grade I did a big end of the year project on "Home". It means something different to everyone and can change throughout your life. At that time it meant having my family together in a big beautiful house where everyone was welcome. Home means something more special to me now then ever before. Right now "home" is a hotel room with suitcases, an uncomfortable bed, and probably a bag of fast food leftovers. But what home means to me is being safe and seeing my sweet husband laying next to me at the end each day. It makes me happy. 

I hope your home makes you happy too.  

Summer Recap Part 3

To finish out the summer we were visited by Derek, Shelby and a half! 
We took a family rafting trip to the Deschutes River near Maupin Oregon. Unfortunately Lincoln couldn't come so it was Dad, Mom, Derek, Shelby, Michael, Me, Lexus and Bentley. We had a blast rafting, camped over night, rafted again in the morning then headed back home for Lincoln's first football game of this season...so that brings us to fall - Football Season has arrived again!


Here are a few pictures of our adventures:

Summer Recap Part 2

Family vacation at the LAKE HOUSE in COEUR DE'ALENE ID is a Durant family tradition that I'm happy to have been brought into. It is a week full of boating, canoeing, riding the wave runner, hikes, floating in the water, playing games, bon fires, fishing, laying out on the dock and lots of chatting! Not much is better then being at the lake!

 The Drive

 Dad

 Dragonfly's Mating...?!

Floating

Fishing

My First Fish!

 Work was Eaten...No Fish...

 Leah and Michael Tubing

Leah

Hot Tub

 On the Board Walk in the City

 Dressed for Church with Mom

 Playing Marbles

  So Happy Together!