Updates

Delish new recipe HERE

Photos of an awesome wedding album HERE

Random picture my sister-in-law Stacey took HERE:

An Arizona Christmas

Jason and I had a wonderful time this Christmas in Arizona. We enjoyed spending time with family and with each other. I was able to enjoy the infamous Christmas Eve Party that I'd heard Jason talk about for so long, and it lived up to my expectations! I am blessed to have married into such a wonderful family. They say when you marry someone, you also marry the family. This is so true and I couldn't be happier!! Thanks for making this Christmas so magical.

Grandpa Leffue read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" to all the grandkids and great grandkids.

I loved being able to hold Mike and Emily's baby Sadie.

The cousins had so much fun playing together!

We love each other :)

Susan's house was decorated so beautifully for Christmas!!

I love this family. They let us spend the night Christmas Eve and we were able to watch Madison and Carys open their presents on Christmas Day. They were so cute!!


Madison loves her dad

Carys was so cute! Both her and Madison kept shouting, "I love it!" "It's beautiful!" "It's just what I wanted!" as they opened their gifts.

Waiting on the stairs to go and see what Santa brought!

Arizona so far

Jason and I got into town just after midnight on Saturday (12:14 to be exact, we both guessed what time we'd get in and Jason guessed right on the dot.) We've had a lot of fun hanging out, playing games and watching movies with the family. I was also able to help Stacey take some family pictures which you can see on my picture blog, but other than that I haven't taken a lot of photos but here's what I do have:

These girls love their uncle Jason!!




There was this random 28 miles of snow covered road, and by the time we were off the road, it looked like someone had sprayed the back of the car with a fire extinguisher.

Merry Christmas!!

Jason and I are pulling together our stuff and heading out the door for a long drive to Arizona. I don't know how much blogging I'll be doing while I'm down there, so if you don't hear from me before that magical day - MERRY CHRISTMAS!!



photo by Kate Benson

Brittany Andersen Photography

Some may call me foolish for promoting another photographer on my blog when I'm trying so hard to build my own business, but talent like this is too hard to ignore. Plus, this photographer is one of my nearest and dearest friends and the first person I send client to when I'm already booked for the date they want. Her name is Brittany Andersen, and she rocks. Check out her new Web site here and her blog here. She's doing a giveaway that you should all enter ... check it out here! She's the gal that shot my beautiful pictures for my own Web site ... here's a sample of her work:

Ahlmanns

I think repeat business is a huge compliment, so when Nicole called and asked if I would take their family pictures again )this time with the addition of her husband's siblings) I was very flattered. Head over to the photography blog to see more!

Bah Humbug

I was telling Jason just yesterday that I'm feeling a bit like Scrooge this year. I'm not sure what it is, but I have a few guesses. It could be the lack of Christmas tree, or that I had pictured a perfect Christmas in my new house decorated all cute for all the parties I wanted to throw. Or it could be because it hadn't snowed yet or because I'm spending Christmas in Arizona (which I'm very excited for, it just isn't the traditional Christmas I'm used to with the cabin and the snow and the hot chocolate and the sledding and the being snowed in and stuff) Whatever it is, I've been pretty gloomy. I saw this Christmas questionnaire on my friend Bethany's blog and I figured I might as well see if it'll do anything to lift my spirits and get me feeling Christmas-y.

1. 'Tis the Season to be? Shopping. Jason and I are pretty good at being tight-wads, so it's nice to have an excuse to go out and buy all those things we've been needing (Jason: new pair of shoes Jessie: warmer clothes)

2. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I love wrapping gifts. I love pretty paper. I love opening wrapped gifts.

3. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial. Much less work, and you can always burn an evergreen scented candle if you are craving the scent of a real tree.

4. When do you put up the tree? After Thanksgiving. This year, not at all. I tried to print out a picture of a Christmas tree to hang above our present pile, but my printer stopped working. 

5. When do you take the tree down? After Christmas. This could be anywhere from 1 week to 1 month. It just depends.

6. Do you like eggnog? Nope. Every single year I try it and every single year I still don't like it.

7. Favorite gift received as a child? My Samantha doll. I loved her so much. I just found out they are discontinuing her and I could not be more devastated. I'm sorely tempted to buy the rest of her stuff just to have a complete collection for my posterity. 

8. Hardest person to buy for? Either my dad or my brother. What do you get someone who has everything and has no qualms about going out and buying whatever they want when they want??

9. Easiest person to buy for? Carlie and Rylie. Teenage girls, just get them makeup, clothes, jewelry or iTunes gift cards and they are thrilled.

10. Do you have a nativity scene? I have a couple, but they're all just small ones I was given by YW leaders growing up. I'd like a big beautiful nice one someday. 

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. I love sending/receiving mail.

12. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? One time I was given my first bra in my stocking. It wasn't so much a bad gift as it was humiliating to open in front of my family.

13. Favorite Christmas Movie? I love A Muppet Christmas Carol and It's a Wonderful Life. 

14. When do you start shopping for Christmas? The earlier the better. Although, I've discovered that the earlier I start shopping, the more I end up buying.

15. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Maybe....I don't know.

16. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Hot chocolate, peppermint ice cream, potatoes.

17. Lights on the tree? Yes. But the only way to do it is buy a pre-lit tree then just keep the lights on forever.

18. Favorite Christmas song? I'm loving the new Sarah McLachlan Christmas CD this year. But my all time favorite Christmas song is probably O Holy Night.

19. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Both are fun. I have spent wonderful Christmases in Australia and my cabin, and this year I'm looking forward to traveling to Arizona to spend Christmas in Jason's home. I think no matter where I am, as long as I'm with family, it's the perfect place to spend Christmas.

20. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? I can if I can sing the song!

21. Angel on the tree top or a star? I like stars.

22. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? On Christmas Eve we open our pajamas from our parents and our gift from the sibling that drew our name.

23. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Driving in the snow. Not knowing what to give people. The expectations and having them not be met.

24. Favorite ornament theme or color? Uh, I dunno. Something festive?

25. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Mashed potatoes. I could probably just eat an entire plate full and be satisfied.

26. What do you want for Christmas this year? I really wanted my house. But that's not going to happen. 

27. Who is most likely to respond to this? No idea. Anyone who feels like it.

Our children

When Jason and I have kids, and they get all grown up, this is what MorphThing says they'll look like ....



I don't even know what to think.

Thanks (I think?) Becca and Travis for such an entertaining idea.

The house

Jason and I went up to the house in Cedar Hills to take a couple measurements (fridge, etc) and while we were there I snapped a couple pictures of the interior, but not the exterior because it was dark outside. 

This is the master bedroom showing the step-down sitting room/area.

This is the other view of the master bedroom. That door on the right leads into the bathroom.

This is my cute husband measuring the breakfast nook area. Down the hall behind him is a half bath and a laundry room.

This is the kitchen. The door leads into the front room.

The family room. Pretty self explanitory. 

And no, we haven't really heard anything new, but that's OK because the longer they take the more money we can save for a down payment/decorating. I already have a new paint color picked out! I'm excited.

Wahoo Nauvoo, if you know that

As mentioned in my previous post, I spent a semester in Nauvoo. Best. Semester. EVER. I think about it daily. Well this coming Friday marks 5 years since we pulled out of Nauvoo early in the morning, heading back to where we came from. I remember looking at the temple with such distress thinking how hard it was to leave and how much harder it must have been for the early saints. They were leaving their home, the temple they had built and the city the had founded. They were headed out into the middle of nowhere on what proved to be a death trip for many. I was headed back to a warm home via airplane. Back to where there were three temples between the airport and my house. And yet, it was still so hard. Anway, my Nauvoo buddy Bethany is doing a week long tribute to Nauvoo on her blog and I encourage all of you to check it out. A lot of it may not make sense but maybe you can catch a glimps of why it was the best semester ever.

And also, I'm dying to go back. Who wants to join me?

I am from

My aunt Debbie asked all of the members of my extended family to write these poems for my Grandpa so she can compile them in a book to give to him for Christmas. Today was the deadline, and with all I have going on right now, I didn't get to it until this morning. Needless to say, it isn't quite where I'd like it to be, but it'll do. I figured I'd share it all with you ...

I am from Scott and Barbara, Ernie and Barbara, and Marilyn

I am from wonderful ancestors who paved the way for me

I am from Orem, Utah

I am from Cascade Elementary, Canyon View Junior High, Orem High School and Brigham Young University

I am from the Cascade 4^th Ward and Canyon View 3^rd Ward

I am from hiding under my covers with a flashlight so I can read books all night long

I am from going door-to-door as a child selling everything from trinkets to treats 

I am from popcorn, chocolate and potatoes

I am from spending hours in the kitchen trying out new recipes

I am from being the oldest of four children

I am from four years of EFY

I am from overcoming obstacles and becoming varsity captain of a nationally ranked cheerleading squad

I am from a love of photography and capturing beautiful images

I am from long days at school and late nights of studying

I am from a semester in Nauvoo, Illinois

I am from Online Investors Advantage, Generation Marketing, Auction Advisor, The Daily Universe, The Deseret Morning News, The Daily Herald, Bennett Communications and Jessie Alexis Photography

I am from a wonderful temple marriage

I am from years of dedicated Young Women’s leaders to becoming one myself

I am from owning my own business

I am from a loving Heavenly Father who gave me a wonderful family

My siblings and me with my grandpa on his 80th birthday in December, 2006.

Oh Christmas Tree ...

I lost my Christmas tree.

We hadn't decorated for Christmas yet because we were supposed to move in October. We put an offer on a short sale in May and by the time the bank (IndyMac) got around to accepting offers, we were the only offer left. True story. So they told us the house was ours and we just needed to wait on the bank to send us written approval and then we could get started on the closing process. That was nine weeks ago. So "any day now" we're supposed to get the paperwork and then we can close three weeks after that. Which is why I avoided decorating for Christmas, I didn't want to put everything up just to take it down again. But yesterday I decided I was through with not being festive, so I went to Planted Earth and bought the cutes ornaments ever and came home to decorate the tree. Only, I couldn't find it. So when Jason came home from work, we looked everywhere. And guess what, no tree. And no idea where it went either. 

These are not Christmas trees. These are trees without leaves and without snow. Not something you see everyday here in Utah, except for lately because we've had no snow.

F. Family

Head on over to my photo blog to see pictures of the cutest family!!

F. Family

New family pictures on the photo blog ... one of four family photo shots within a week, so stay tuned for the next three!!

Happy 25 years!!

25 years ago, these two lover birds tied the knot ...




They've stuck by each other through big hair and big glasses ...




And together created a wonderful family



I love you Mom and Dad, thanks for being a great example to me.

I heart this couple

Annie and Dan's bridals posted on the bloggity blog. Check it out here!

Sister Mella

New pictures up on the photo blog. This gal is one of my favorite people EVER and I know she'll be the best missionary. Look out Japan, here she comes!!