October 2014

Friday October 3rd:

Michael and I were able to get off work around two to head to Utah for our annual trip to see Michael's grandparents and to celebrate Michael's Birthday. On Our way to Utah we got an exciting call that Andi's mission call had finally arrived, we were put on speaker phone to listen to her open her call, everyone got so excited that we couldn't hear anything that was going on, but we did hear what we thought was the language she would be speaking, which was Hungarian!! Michael and I looked at each other with the same expression, "did you hear hungarian? I think she said hungarian... What?!" at least that's what our faces probably could have said. We were shocked to say the least. I pleaded on the phone for about a solid minute for someone to reassure us that we heard right, and sure enough someone finally got back on the phone and confirmed that she would be going to the Hungary, Budapest Mission! We had to quickly google where Hungary even was (neither of us are too keen on our geography if you can't tell). We are so excited for Andi, we have watched her over this last year and a half go through trials of her own that we know have prepared her for this mission she is about to embark on, like I said long story short we are so stoked for soon to be Sister McBride! She is going to be awesome!  When we finally arrived in Utah we stayed up all night talking to his grandparents while I made his birthday dessert he had requested, which for any of you that have kids or in my case a husband who really likes anything sugary, and happens to like butterfingers too 

this recipe is a knock out

http://mixandmatchmama.blogspot.com/2014/01/bar-22-butterfinger-blondies.html

Saturday October 4th:

Saturday morning we woke up and had the privilege to go to the conference center to watch the morning session. We always enjoy actually being in the conference center to watch the talks. 

After we were spiritually uplifted we went out to lunch to celebrate Michael's 25th birthday at the cheesecake factory (his request) it was very yummy! 

It was also so fun to get to be able to meet up with my cousin Ali, she came and met us at the mall and we got to visit and shop with her for a bit while we were in town. 

We then headed back to clearfield to Michael's grandparents house just in time for Michael to watch the Priesthood session with his Grandpa and Uncles and Cousins.

Sunday October 5th:

We woke up early sunday morning to drive back to salt lake city to meet up with one of the missionaries that baptized me! It was so great to see Elder Speiser and his wife and ADORABLE new baby son. Elder Speiser was your ideal perfect missionary, I hope my sons will one day be missionaries as great as Elder Speiser! Here I am with his cute little family:

For the sunday morning session of conference we packed the car up and headed to Michael's other grandparents' house, The Beene household! It was so great to see his sweet grandma Beth. I just love her and always hate leaving her! We enjoyed sharing our mcbride-conference-bran-muffins with her and watching conference. We then headed back home to Boise to celebrate Michael's Birthday again at his parent's house. His dad barbecued and made peppermint homemade ice cream as requested by Michael (Brent's homemade ice cream is so amazing, especially the PEPPERMINT one, too die for). 

Friday October 10th:
Michael and I were able to go to the temple after we got off work, and then we headed to see the Meet The Mormons with Jackie and Brent. It was so good! I enjoyed watching the stories of different members of the church from all around the world. It was good to see how our faith is lived all over the world. I walked away so proud of the church I belong too. I encourage anyone who hasn't seen it to go see it, even if you aren't of our faith it just really gives you a good look into how we live our faith and addresses a lot of common misconceptions about our religion.

Afterwards my awesome husband finished up the table we had been working on, it was such a fun little project (michael might say otherwise haha) If you know me well, I love anything to do with bright colors, so it was so fun to personalize a kitchen table! 

Saturday October 11th:

Saturday morning we went to visit our nephew Ryan for his birthday. Side note we have been horrible aunts and uncles this year and have had something going on for both Ryan and Owen's Birthday... hopefully we can make it to Jane's to redeem ourselves! But we had fun hanging out with Ryan for awhile before we had to leave, he loves anything Winnie The Pooh right now so it was so cute to see all the things Erin had prepared for his birthday party, she's so creative!

For Ryan's Birthday we got him his own personalized puzzle like we got the other kids for Christmas the following year, he seemed to enjoy it and kept pointing to the puzzle saying froggy froggy!

We then had to sneak out right as his birthday was starting because we had commitments to be at the Annual Down Sydrome Awareness Buddy Walk. This was my third year and Michael's second, we won't ever miss it now, we love going! Kelaya one of my favorite little girls always has her own team and she is just so awesome we love her! 

We had a full day Saturday (we always seem to have busy weekends since our weekdays are filled with school and work, I'm sure my blog will reflect that, since I will probably hardly ever report anything during the week, unless you want to see my notes for school and pictures of michael working at his desk) 

Later Saturday Night we went over to our friend's Dan and Kelsea's new abode! It was so adorable I was so excited to see how Kelsea decorated she always is so creative, one day I will learn how to make my house look even somewhat close to as cute as the things Kelsea comes up with! They also have a small dog named Luna, so they always invite Kya to come over too, we love not having to leave her at home, and we always have so much fun with Dan and Kelsea! We carved pumpkins/ painted pumpkins and had a pizza night! 

Here are our pumpkins, all the cute pumpkins belong to Kelsea of course ;)

Friday October 17th:

For my abnormal psychology class we have to watch a movie of our choice and I picked I am Sam. If you have never watched it, it's definitely worth a watch. If you have watched it you know it's a movie you don't want to watch more than once, cause its a tear jerker! 

Afterwards Michael and I took Kya on a long walk around Hidden Springs and went around looking at the different decorations people had for Halloween, people in our neck of woods go all out! 

This one was a cat thats head moved, and it terrified Kya! She backed up and started barking at it, it was so funny! You can barely see her in the picture but she is in my arms with her eyes still turned to the cat haha
This was another house that was all decked out, that was one of michael and I's favorites:

Saturday October 18th:

My mom works for an awesome new company called Ameribend, they have happiness comittees at her work that organize community service for anyone that wants to participate. So of course the one my mom signed up for was picking up trash off of eagle road. I happily joined her so I could spend some time with her Saturday morning. It was awesome to meet some of her coworkers, she was right they all were such happy people! Afterwards we met up with my aunt Lori and cousin Ali for lunch because she was in town from school it was so great to see them! 

Then Michael and  I went to Owen's Birthday Party, again we couldn't stay for the actual birthday but we had fun hanging out with him beforehand. 

Michael and I decided that from now on for our neices and nephews birthdays we are going to gift them with a date with us so we started this with Owen this year. We took him earlier this week out to dinner with us and then we took him to Cabella's to look at all the animals he loves, 

and then to Toys R Us to pick out his birthday present. 

At Toys R Us he picked out one of his plane toys he really likes and then later ended up trading in some dinosaurs we had gotten for these awesome how to train your dragon toys. We had so much fun doing this for his birthday I can't wait to do this with the other kids as well!
After his birthday I got to go to one of my best friends from high school, Emily Hendershott's bachelorette dinner at The Fork downtown. I'm so glad I could be there to celebrate with her, I'm so happy for her, she is going to be such a beautiful bride!

Friday October 24th:
We were lucky enough to go to the Boise State Game, thanks to my aunt Michelle!
Out of all the games I was so glad this was one I got to go to because one of my best friends from high school got to live out his dream that night!
He was the football player that got to Lead the team out of the tunnel onto the blue!
It was so fun to watch!

Saturday October 25th:

Kya-boo got a nice bath, she did so good compared to last time!

Afterwards she was exhausted though!

Then Later that night Michael and I joined his sister and her kids at their ward's trunk or treat,

we went around helping the kids collect candy 

and then went to Erin's house for awhile to visit with her and Jacob. 

I cannot begin to explain how much our nights and talks with them are valued. We have so much to learn from them, I'm so glad Heavenly Father blessed Michael and I with such great examples! 

Sunday October 26th:

Hidden Springs Ward Primary Program!

It was so awesome and simple I loved it.

It was not over the top, it was just right.

I loved watching our cute primary class get up and participate,

but what I really enjoyed most about the program was the

last song the kids sang, as I sat there first listening to the kids sing it,

then listened as the rest of the congregation joined in I felt the spirit so strongly.

"God gave us families to help us become what He wants us to be—

This is how He shares His love, for the fam’ly is of God." 

The chorus to this song really pulled at my heart strings.

As I thought of the family I will one day have with Michael and as I thought of the family that I already have, I just had so much hope, joy and felt so blessed. 

This song is a new favorite of mine :)

Also to top off the great day we went out to the McBride's to celebrate Brent's Birthday, he's such a great guy I'm so lucky to have him as my father in law!

oh and here is a little snapshot of where I found Ryan that night... 

Feeding the dogs his leftovers from his hand :) haha 

Wednesday October 29th: 

The Birth of my newest niece!

Welcome to the world Katherine Alane Darrington, 

you have no idea how much you are already loved!

It's amazing to me how quickly you can fall in love with someone just by being in the presence of their sweet spirit, I can't wait to watch you grow baby Kate!

These pictures are from my own personal phone, 

there will be some even better pictures soon for any of you that want to see more of this beautiful girl, as Erin's birth photographer Debbie from, A full cup photography was there to document Kate's birth!