Merry Christmas! ps. i think i'm addicted to Pinterest

This Christmas was AMAZING. All my family was here. This may sound cheesy but what could be a better gift? Being an aunt is the best because these kiddos are crack-ups. absolutely hilarious. i love just sitting back and watching their excitement and their unique personalities. I also loved having siblings here just to chat with. I didn't get a whole lot of just chatting in for the past few months down in Utah.
I got some pretty grand gifts for Christmas and everything i asked Santa for. i'll be the coolest aunt around with my barbie convertible he brought me;) 

Carson also made me a calender and the sweetest snowman card which i'll probably keep forever. I love our family tradition of handmade gifts for our family exchange. Everything i made was inspired by pinterest, i would be lost without it. Another tradition that is simple but i love is sticking small presents in the tree. I don't know of many other families that do that so i'd consider it one of our traditions.
Our dinner was...unique. My dad and the guys went and shot a turkey, with a bow and arrow, gutted and cleaned it, smoked it, then we ate it. You know you live in Idaho when your dad hunts Christmas eve for your Christmas dinner. I'm sure we had the freshest meat around! He also smoked deer and pheasant. I'll just stick to turkey please. The rest of the dinner was delish! and i had the funnest time decorating the table. I tried a new napkin folding technique that i also found on pinterest. It's a Christmas tree!

Christmas 2012 was lovely <3

Sister Smack

You know those friends you make and you don't even know how you became such good friends it just sorta happens? well that's how Kara and I became friends. We became besties i think mostly due to talking about boys haha and figuring out our problems with them.  Now she's one of my best friends and i love her so much. At school we had sleepovers, workout sessions, study sessions, and nights out on the town (if you can even call Rexburg that). We would skype all the time durring our off tracks at BYU-I while she was in Boise working her tail off and while i was in Utah. She called me the day of the October conference with the news that she would be going on a mission! it fit her perfectly. she knew right then and there that was what she was supposed to do in her life and i couldn't be anything but ecstatic for her!! She's been busy preparing ever since and this weekend of the 17th i went to her farewell in Boise. She is going to the Anaheim California mission, American Sign Language. Kara will be an amazing missionary and she is beyond ready to leave to the MTC on the 19th. I'm incredibly proud of her and love her dearly. She has been a part of many memories of 2012: which i blogged about some Here and Here.
 i can't wait to write Sister Smack soon:)