Cheers to a New Year

I know I may still be in the Christmas mode but….it is now time to move on. Move on to a new year and a new mind set. Christmas was great and I would love to have the Christmas feeling all throughout the year. I wish more people kept that cheer in their hearts. Anywho….onto 2014 I go.

So with a new year there usually come some new year’s resolutions. I am one of those people that write a list of resolutions, hide it somewhere hoping to open it at the end of the year and see what I accomplished, and ya I never get around to it or happen to forget where I hid the list. Well this year I am hoping to stay dedicated. Getting married was a big change in my life during 2013 and it was a dream come true. In 2014 my main goal is to try each day to help improve and strengthen my marriage. I want to make great memories that will last a lifetime. 

In 2014 I will….

break out my sewing machine and do some projects

prepare to go to the temple with my husband 

be more patient and forgiving 

not think too much about little things that don’t matter 

motivate myself to work out and do it

Those are a few of the things that will be on my list. I will be so proud to pass off one if not all of them. These are things I will have to work at every day and truly stay motivated. I CAN DO IT! Cheers to a new year and new goals.

Click HERE for a cute printable to write your own new year's resolutions on.

Xoxo

Mrs. Carter

My Happy Place

This Christmas was a different one. However not in a bad way. The difference between this Christmas and all the others was I had more family this time. Being a newly married couple we had to figure out how to split our time between his family and mine. 

We spent Christmas Eve at my aunts house enjoying delicious food and lots of games. Then on Christmas morning Jimi wanted to get up early early...5:30 am to be exact. Crazy man! We ended up sleeping until 6. Still early but we slept in just for my sake. It was so so fun opening presents together on our first Christmas. We went to the in-laws at about 6:45 and enjoyed breakfast and presents with them. 

At 9:30 we went to my parents house and opened presents with them. This was super fun because baby Oaklee was there and it was her first Christmas where she could actually open her own presents. We had lunch with my family and played more games. 

I enjoyed Christmas this year so so much. I loved being surround my family and loved ones. I cherish these happy moments together. Life is unexpected and we must enjoy every moment. 

Xoxo 

Mrs. Carter 

Holly Jolly Holiday

As this year is now coming to a close it is time to rush around doing all the fun things you want to do before 2013 is over. My list just happened to be pretty long.

• ·         Get a Christmas tree
• ·         Decorate the Christmas tree
• ·         Go black Friday shopping for my first time
• ·         Shop til I drop
• ·         Make gingerbread houses
• ·         Build a snowman
• ·         Go visiting teaching
• ·         Make neighbor gifts
• ·         Make Christmas candy
• ·         Email my missionaries
• ·         Get ready to send off a missionary
• ·         Watch plenty of Christmas movies
• ·         Go ice skating
• ·         Go see the elk at hardware ranch
• ·         Go to the lights at temple square
• ·         Drive around and look at the lights
• ·         Visit my friends and family
• ·         Go cross country skiing
• ·         Go snow shoeing
• ·         Etc…….

The list could go on and on. I have completed a few things off the list and some will have to be done in the new year.  I am so loving this holiday season. It is my first Christmas as a married woman and it has been so so fun to make our own traditions and do fun things together. We have also had some wonderful friends to do these winter activities with which makes it all the better. 

 

I love Christmas time. I feel like it puts everyone in such a loving and happy mood. I love driving around to look at all the lights. Cuddling up in a blanket and drinking some hot cocoa. I love the acts of service around the holidays. You can find service around every corner ranging from shoveling snow to baking someone cookies. It is nice to enjoy the beautiful white crystal snow even though I absolutely hate to drive in it and I hate the coldness it brings. 

I get the opportunity to be with my little niece Oaklee on Christmas morning. It is going to be so fun to watch her excitement of opening presents. This is her first Christmas where she is actually old enough to open presents, last year she was only 4 months old. I can’t wait to be surrounded by my wonderful family and soak up the holiday goodness. 

I hope we can all find the real meaning of Christmas this year. It is way more than just the idea of presents. Christmas really focuses on the birth of our savior and what brought us here. This is a time to draw close to family and friends. It’s a time to realize where everything came from and who it came from. This holiday season is about love and family. This holiday season find someone that needs a little extra help and reach out to them. Let us keep the service going into the new year and not just during the holiday. 

 xoxo

Mrs. Carter