The Holidays

Portland Temple

Its been quite a while since I last posted anything. Its crazy how once the holidays come, time just flies! We have been so blessed this year. It has been one amazing adventure. To start, I want to go back to the first part of November. We were able to go to the Portland temple for a fun family get away. It is so beautiful. I love how it is hidden in the gorgeous scenery of Oregon. The huge trees just make it even more beautiful. We had a great time and are hoping to go back more often then not. 

Kyle's little buddy. 

Thanksgiving was a blast. I was worried since we didn’t go back home for Thanksgiving what it was going to be like, but it turned out wonderful and we weren’t even home sick. We have an amazing ward and an even more amazing Relief Society President. She invited us to spend Thanksgiving with her and her family. It was fantastic and it felt like we were at home. That night her daughters, a friend of ours, and me went out black Friday shopping in Albany.  It was a ball! We started at Old Navy. I think we were all done shopping within a half hour, but the line to check out was around 2 hours long. Maybe not that long, but it wrapped around the store. Thankfully one of us got smart and hoped in line. Since the line wrapped around the store we shopped while in line. I think I spent more money while in line then I did out. It was so fun though and we had a great time. Plus, I learned what flogging is. Ha ha yeah, I’m kind of blonde and had no idea what that was. I just thought it was a funny word. 

December then came really fast. We were so busy doing all sorts of stuff that I look back on it and I don’t even know what we did. However, we did get a huge snow storm up here in Corvallis. I think they said we got 9 inches which is the most they got in over 20 years. It was pretty crazy! They don’t have snow plows here nor do they put salt down because it somehow kills the fish, so the roads were pure ice! There was over a dozen accidents on the road we live on. No matter what you did, your car was bound to slide. Schools got shut down for 5 days! I lived in Utah all my life and not once did I ever get a snow day. Lucky it melted before we flew home to Utah for Christmas.

Snow Storm in Corvallis

Pepsi Lights

Leaving for Utah

Christmas was quite amazing. It was a long trip and poor Kyle had enough of it by the 6th day. We did a ton of traveling. Its a 2 hour drive to the airport. Then we parked in Economy and took the shuttle to the airport. Caught our 1 hour and 45 minute flight. Then drove another hour up to Kamas where my parents live. We stayed in Kamas for 4 days and were able to go to the Shurtleff Christmas Party. For we all know that “You Are SOOOOO Smart For Being In The Shurtleff Family!” Got to love family parties :) I then got to visit my Grandma Herbert who lives in Sandy. While I was there I filmed her for an hour on her childhood memories. I have started to get into family history a bit. So it was fun learning about what she did as a little girl. Then on Sunday we took family pictures with my siblings and parents. After we had our own Christmas party where my parents got everyone nerf guns. We had a hug nerf gun fight in my brothers basement. It was a blast. My little niece Lucy kept yelling, “Don’t shoot Micki!” Because Micki is so fun to pick on, everyone was attacking her. However, she put up quite a fight. Lucy though was so worried about her. It was so fun and a party we’ll never forget. We didn’t do present this year for siblings and it was wonderful. Just spending a whole afternoon with each other was great. It was fun being with them and I realized how much I really do miss them. I am so blessed to have my siblings. 

My mom made shirts for the grandkids that said, "Grandpa's my favorite." But on the back it says, "When Grandma's not here!"

That Monday we headed down to Hurricane. We borrowed my mom’s FJ Cruiser. It was so nice of them to let us borrow a car. We then spent the week in Hurricane with all of Scott’s family. We also did family pictures down there on Christmas Eve. I think they turned out great. It was hard corridnating colors being so far away, but I think they turned out pretty good. We then had a great Christmas Eve watching a spiritual video on a Christmas Bell. Then it was Christmas. This is when it got hard.

Christmas Eve P.J.'s

Christmas in Hurricane 2013

I have always been so blessed in my life. My parents always gave us plenty on Christmas. Usually we would all get one big gift and then lots of little gifts like a family game, moives, socks, a new outfit, and some little toys. I want to follow in there footsteps, but this year I knew it was going to be different. We had just spent almost $600.00 on our flight, plus gas, parking our car at the airport, and other little expenses here and there. So we knew ahead of time that Christmas was going to be small. Scott and I decided not to give each other anything. Well kind of. We got Scott a coat for his birthday that falls on the 19th of December and then I made him an OSU blanket. On black Friday I bought me and outfit and then ordered some boots. So technically we did get something, but we did it before hand. For Kyle though, he did need some stuff. I had got him 2 toys at Kmart on black Friday that was buy one get one free, a white shirt and tie, and some PJ’s.  However, we were just going to get him some cars, books and a ball for when we were in Utah and we were both just fine with that.... Until Christmas Eve came. I kind of broke down. No one knew and I was feeling stupid for even feeling this way so I just kind of hid it, but in reality it really sucked seeing what we had for Kyle to open on Christmas morning. I knew he had 2 toys to open at home and I knew that he wouldn’t remember nor even understand what was going on, but it was still really hard. I wrapped a few cars individual to look like he had more and wrapped a shirt he had already wore that I got him. But in reality I felt really bad he didn’t have much to open on Christmas.

Papa reading the boys a book.

I know it sounds so selfish, but I really felt bad. However, something changed on Christmas morning. I went from self pity and feeling bad for my kid to feeling overwhelmed with love. Scott had talked to his siblings about not giving each other gifts, but it turns out they got us gifts. I was quite embarrssed at first and really stuggled with it because we didn’t get anyone anything since we didn’t think they were doing gifts. However, we were spoiled. Kyle ended up with a train, a minion, all sorts of cute outfits and clothes, books, toys, and more. Scott and I were also given many things. That Christmas morning I had a really hard time not crying at one point I almost lost it. Instead of feeling that amazing feeling of giving that I get every year, I got an amazing feeling of love, peace, and being truly humbled for those that gave to us. I won’t lie it was really hard. I love giving presents and looking at the person face. I love being able to hand then a beautiful present knowing that I got them something, but this year we couldn’t. I was shown so much love and was truly humbled. I know Christmas is about giving, but this Christmas it was about accepting the gifts that were given to me. I can’t really explain in words how I felt that day, but I know I will always remember it. 

We had a great time in Hurricane and was able to go visit Zions National Park. My mother-in-law was so kind and watched Kyle for us, which was a nice break since was had been quite a pill. We had a great time with Scott’s family and made lots of memorizes playing games and eating lots of delicious food (especially meat). I left Hurricane with a great sense of a different type of Christmas Spirit. 

The Overlook Hike

We then drove back up to Kamas where my sibling came to say there goodbyes to us. They were all so nice to have drove up to Kamas to see us. We then had a great dinner and hung out with each other more. After they all left, my parents then gave us our gifts from them. Again I felt the same way. I couldn’t believe what they were giving us. After we got ready for bed, I just laid awake for awhile thinking just how blessed I was. I have an amazing family on both sides. I have an amazing husband that works so hard and studys even harder, but always puts us first. We have amazing friends both in Utah and here in Corvallis. Even though we worry about finaces, we are truly blessed in the fact we are taking out little debt for a masters. And most importantly we have the gospel. Something that I will always be grateful for. I know Jesus Christ came to this earth and died for me and everyone else so that we could return back to our Heavenly Father again.  I am so grateful for the Christmas season. I will always remember this Christmas and how I learned that sometimes its about letting others give to you when you don’t have much to give back.

Kyle's Toys in Oregon

Thanks you everyone who made Christmas so wonderful! We are so grateful for all of you and your love and support. It has been one amazing year! We love you!