Because this is just too good not to share...

Dan decided to shave his beard...but in pieces:

I think he would have been quite dashing in the 19th century.

He's keeping the 'stache for a few days...hopefully that doesn't turn into a few months...

A few days late, BUT I'm still thankful

My fabulous mother-in-law

Grandma Vacc preparing the stuffing.

Mellie Belly and Kimmy with their beautiful deviled eggs.

Carrie finishing the mashed potatoes, and Great-grandma Ann fixing the gravy.

Dave carving the meat...and arranging it so beautifully on the platter.

The set table.  This makes me want to eat it all over again.

Kimmy and her desserts.  She was so proud.

All the pies and their respective chefs.

Beard.

For the gospel, friends and family, chocolate, pecan pie, and the Christmas season.  And especially Danny.

I have a problem.

It's called, "I never remember to take pictures."  This may stem from the fact that every time I pull out the camera, Dan groans in pain.  Dan isn't a fan of pictures.  Which is really a shame, because I love them.  Plus, I need to put my new camera to good use.  Oh well.  Maybe next time we have a fun Sunday dinner party I will take pictures.  We had a lot of fun tonight with the Stephens and the Lukers.  I'm so grateful that we're able to have such good friends we can spend time with.  I love having people over on Sunday.  Maybe having a full house and gigantic quantities of food reminds me of home, but I think I also like spending the day with the people the Lord has blessed my life with.  It helps me to truly appreciate all the other things I have.  And that's important this time of year.  Yay, gratitude.

In other news, I almost got out the Christmas decorations yesterday after going to Kohl's and seeing all the cute decorations there.  I am, however, a firm believer in letting Thanksgiving have it's hay-day before bringing in Christmas.  But I'm getting anxious here.  I love Christmas!!!  It's ok though, we don't even have a tree yet.  But we will.  Soon.  And I can't wait!



P.S. Lyse, I made Cafe Rio Salads for today and it made me miss you, because I feel like everytime we made those it was with you and Zach!

I'm a lover, not a fighter

The other night, I couldn't sleep.  It happens a lot, no biggie.  I decided that while I was waiting to get sleepy, I'd waste some time on Facebook.  I started reading all of my old messages.  Conclusion:  I have been so incredibly blessed.  Reading of old inside jokes, seemingly life-or-death drama, past mistakes, and awesome triumphs, I felt this overwhelming sense of love from all these people.  The Format lyrics came to mind "I love love."

I really do.  In every sense of the word.  Love.  With such a little word, it's so hard to comprehend how much it covers.  Sometimes it doesn't seem quite big enough.  I was having a conversation with my best friend Ellen the other day, and she said something along the lines of, "I love you.  But that doesn't even begin to express it."  Maybe it's just because it's Thanksgiving, but I am feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the love in my life.  Love is seriously all around us if we just look.  Kinship, friendship, sisterhood, brotherhood, parental love, kindred spirits, soul mates, and the greatest of all--charity.  The important thing is we just need to look for it.  I forget that sometimes.  I get down on myself so easily, and begin to feel worthless.  But reading these messages from friends old and new, and I realized I'm not worthless.  I'm far from perfect, but I have been given so much, and there is still room to grow.

I love being in love, I don't care what it does to me.
If you've ever heard the song Inches and Failing, you know it's more about how relationships are prone to blow up in your face, due to the unpredictability of human emotion.  But this line just makes me think that even though investing our emotions and well-being into another's care can be dangerous--we are giving them the power to wound us--with that great risk we are allowing ourselves to experience greater joy.  Human connection, understanding, empathy, and charity are what this life is all about.  Allowing ourselves to love another, fully, makes all the downs of life worth it.  There are so many people who I love, fully, completely.  Love isn't a big enough word.  Neither is thank you, but that's all English has to offer at this moment.  I love love.  And I love you.

P.S. Another realization from reading all these messages, I have so many people rooting for me to write a book.  Not just any book, but the next great American novel or something.  Maybe I should get to work on that. 

P.P.S. Dan, I love you the mostest.

Beach Bonfire

On Saturday we had a beach bonfire/cleanup with the other LDS dental students.  It was so so fun, even though I forgot how cold it gets at the beach at night.  But at least we can still wear our swimsuits even though it's November, right?  Count your blessings.

We played a little frisbee..

Chased a few birds...

Caught some rays...

And the sunset...

Cooked dinner over a bonfire...

Had a few laughs...

 

Oh yeah, and we picked up some trash too.

Having friends is awesome. In case anyone was wondering.

I had Veteran's Day off from work.  I was very excited, because Dan normally has Thursdays off, so that meant we could go and do something fun.  I'd wanted to go with some of our new friends to the Getty Museum, but that didn't work out.  So then I decided that maybe Dan and I could go to the LA Zoo, since we live like 20 minutes away from it.  I was seriously so excited for this.  I think I just channeled all the frustrated excitment for the Getty into this zoo outing.  Plus, I love going to the zoo almost as much as I love museums.  I'm kind of a nerd, it's ok.  Unfortunately, on the way up to the zoo, we passed one of those traffic update signs.  You know, the kind that say "20 minutes to such and such place/junction/exit."  This one was the most heartbreaking sign in the world.  I felt like a five year old that found out Santa wasn't real.  This sign said, "Zoo parking lot full, exit jammed."  You have got to be kidding me.  Basically, I'd now had two of my brilliant plans for the day frustrated (three if you want to count my Disneyland idea that Dan shot down).  Naturally I started getting mopey because I was starting to feel like Eyeore with his personal raincloud in Winnie the Pooh.  Fortunately, I have an awesome husband who took me to lunch at Applebee's.  He was going to take me to see Inception at the dollar theater after that, but some of our new friends (Mandy and Russell) texted us to see if we wanted to go to Old Pasadena with them that night.  We decided to do that instead, because that sounded like more fun. We went shopping, talked about all the restaurants we wanted to go to sometime (a Cheesecake Factory and a P.F. Changs?  I'm in heaven), and enjoyed some delicious frozen yogurt.

They are so cute!

I hope I don't really look like this in real life.

P.S. We still managed to see Inception at the dollar theater on Friday with our other new friends, Melissa and David.  I don't have any pictures of that, but it was just as fun!

P is for...

 Pommegranate and Pumpkin Bread.

AKA, my new favorite snacks.

Carrie’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

3 ½ cup flour

3 cup sugar

2 tsp soda

1 ½ tspsalt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 cup oil

¾ cup water

2 cup pumpkin

4 eggs

1 cup chopped nuts

6 oz chocolate chips

Sift flour, sugar, soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Beat eggs, add oil, water and pumpkin.  Ad to dry ingredients.  Add nuts and chocolate chips. Grease and flour bread pans and fill half full.  Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

I may not be a smart man, but I know what love is...

I realized that I completely forgot to post anything about this!

After waiting what feels like forever to find out...we were told that Dan received the 3 1/2 year army scholarship.  Basically this means that beginning in January, the army will be paying for Dan's schooling, as well as giving us a stipend (sp?) to pay for rent, food, etc.  In return, Dan will serve in the army (as a dentist) for 3 1/2 years after he graduates.  This is AMAZING because it saves us an unbelievable amount of money, and guarantees Dan a job immediately after he graduates.

So the other day, Dan had to go and be sworn in...and guess what his rank in the army is?
2nd lieutenant.

That's right, I'm married to Lieutenant Dan.  (To be said in a Forrest Gump accent.)

The Army gave Dan a new backpack and some sweet camo scrubs!

Today at work.

There is a lady I work with named Cheryl.  She is really nice, and she just got engaged a few weeks ago.  She's really excited and happy (obviously).  Today I asked her if they'd started planning their wedding, and I found out a few things: a) that they're just going to have a small wedding and b) this is her second marriage.  She said something that I thought was really important, and something I want to scream at the brides on all those TLC shows.  "I already had a wedding, but I didn't have a marriage.  I'd rather have the marriage this time."
Another thing I learned about Cheryl today--she is super smart.

I am glad I have a job, and I am glad I have such a great hubby.

A social visit.

This weekend was pretty fun.  We went up to see Dan's family on Saturday, and made it up in time for Mason's soccer game (he's in blue, #10):

His team lost 4-3, but Mason scored all three of his team's goals.  After the game, the coach of the other team came up and complimented Mason on how well he played, but Mason was pretty grumpy that they lost, so I don't think he noticed...
I also decided (after seeing all the cute little kids in their soccer outfits) that all of our children are playing soccer.  Just so everyone knows.

Then we went to the Snow's house for dinner, and I was able to check on my garden, which the rabbits haven't destroyed.  Always a plus.

Steph brought over her puppy, Mary Jane.  Mary Jane is a German Shepherd/ Husky mix.  And super cute.

Dinner was incredible: tri-tip, baked potatoes, green beans and a salad.  Plus, Grandma and Grandpa Snow were there, so it was great to see them too.
And I made chocolate and peanut-butter layered cupcakes, because I'm such a great daughter-in-law.  ;]

An afternoon stroll

This is the last North Carolina post, I promise.  These pictures were taken at this park surrounding the Old Yates Mill.  It was breathtaking.  The pictures really won't do it justice, but here you go:

This house reminded me of the witches' house in Hocus Pocus.

Four trunks growing from a fallen tree.  Weird.

I kind of look like a man, but my little brothers are cute.

This one looks like a painting to me.