Now This is What I Call Christmas!

Finally some sunshine! Joe icing the shoulder.
Brand, Bridge and Bray Christmas Morning.
Mom and Dad look so excited.
Joe was showing Brays what to do after you open the presents.

Look at these handsome boys. Growing up so fast. Two 14 year old. And two 16 year old. Geez I feel old. Tays and I are only 11 years apart.

Cute Tia cheering for the Utes. Love this girl.
Kristi was really excited about opening her present from us.


Brett was pretty excited too. Joe picked out their gifts. Running attire from Under Armour. Brett got Aggie blue, Kristi got royal blue, BYU's old color.
Fine looking men if you ask me. ( missing is Dewey my other bro he lives in Colorado) Mom and Dad got the guys matching leather jackets.

We had such a fun Christmas. Being home in Utah was seriously the best. I couldn't get enough of it. Sad that we had to come back to Washington. Why does the time have to go so fast? We enjoyed every second of it too.

We got spoiled this year and are feeling so blessed by so many things. We are most thankful for our families and great friends and the gospel. We feel our saviors love with us constantly. Joe and I feel even more blessed that we get to have a little nugget join our family in just a few months. Being in Washington has really strengthened both our our testimonies. We lives in such a wonderful area with such an amazing ward. I have felt my saviors love with me constantly sense being here.

We got to spend sometime with Joe's family and our cute niece and nephew Eric and Rubie. I put our header as "Now this is what I call Christmas" Cute Eric and Rubie were so thrilled with all the presents they received. If you go to YouTube and type in doublej2001. Jared recorded their reaction and that is where Eric says "now this is what I call Christmas". It was priceless and such a fun moment. We were all dying.
We got to see our cute friends whom all live out of State for just a quick get together before we all headed back home. I love these guys.
Aren't they dorks?

Joe and I left on Monday to head to Spokane for Richie's wedding. Richie's is Joe's best friend and we couldn't be more thrilled for Richie. We had quite the drive getting to Spokane. We hit some pretty bad snow storms on the way. I wasn't thinking they would be too bad. but the closer we got the worse it got. I was driving lets just start with that. We were heading up a big hill and our card started to slide all over. I was trying my hardest to keep the car going straight, after a few minutes we started sliding backwards and we were also sideways heading straight for two snow plows and diesels behind them. I threw my hands up and said I don't know what to do we are going to die. (being dramatic of course) Joe said, " Tai grab the wheel back up and move over to the side".. I screamed at Joe to say a prayer. Joe said the prayer and I reversed the car and instantly pushed the gas and the car moved and took off without a problem and we were able to make it out and get away from the stupid icy snow storm. I was shaking so bad and was crying for like an hour after. Joe and I were so thankful for our heavenly fathers hand in helping us get out. There is no way we could have done it without him.
Please ignore Me. Cute Richie and Annah just after getting married in the Spokane, Washington Temple. Congratulations Annah and Richie!

17 Weeks

Here I am 17 Weeks along, I am starting to show, or just look fat. I am in the in between stage wondering if she is preggo? or gaining weight? I will be doing a weekly post of my growing belly so my family can see my progress. I know it might be boring for the rest of you. We are thrilled and can't wait to meet our baby. We find out in a week if it is a boy or girl? The bet is on for Joe and I. Joe is just sure it is a boy. I have been feeling a little girl the whole time. We will see who is right!

Joe's Surgery

All dressed and ready to go.
Joe was nervous before his surgery.
After surgery in phase two recovery. Feeling very nauseous and having a bad headache.

Joe's surgery went very well we rushed all through the night to get there in time for his surgery. Dr. Trawick, and Graham his PA, are absolutely wonderful. Not just cause I got to work with them. They truly take such great care of their patients. Dr. Trawick came and talked to us explaining everything and said Joe will be in and out in about 45 minutes. I was thinking not to bad at all. Wrong.... three hours later I finally got to see Joe again. I was freaking out a little bit. Joe's shoulder was much worse than they thought. His shoulder looked like a bomb had gone off in it. Dr. Trawick said for being 27, Joe's shoulder looked like an old man's shoulder. Joe ended up having his bicep tendon torn in half and was barley hanging on. They had to clip his bicep and reattach it. Joe had a bankart repair, debridement of SLAP tear and open biceps tenodesis. They gave Joe a nerve block as they said this would be a very painful recovery. It lasted 17 hours and Joe had bells palsy on his face the whole time, It was sure sad when he would look at you. Joe is recovering well. He only took pain pills for the first two days. He has to keep his arm by his side and in the sling for 6 weeks. At four weeks he will start physical therapy. In June right as the baby comes Joe should be 100% healed. We owe so much to Dr. Trawick and Graham. Thanks a million.

Road Warrior!

Joe's poor lip! It was bruised back to his gum line. His lip was huge!
I have the most crafty husband around. He made the wreath for me. I should probably have him glue the stuff on it too. He will kill me for putting this on here. How sad that he is better at this than I am?

Joe had a bad crash on his bicycle the other day. Joe was cruising down the road at mach something (full speed) and went over some train tracks. The rails curved through the road and it was wet. His front wheel slipped with the rail pulling his bike out from under him and he went flying straight. As he tumbled (he described it as a combat roll) across the street his face hit the pavement driving his teeth into his upper lip. They didn't quite go through but they tried. He stood up quickly with a bloody nose and lip and blood poring out of his mouth. He was mostly grateful that the Fedex truck following close behind was able to skid to a halt just in time to barely not run over his bike. He hurried and gathered himself and his things and smiled and waved to the concerned passengers of the almost 10 car pile up he just about caused. He landed on his bad shoulder and injured the inside of his thigh, his clothes got torn up as well but, he was able to ride the 30 miles more to his work. I called Joe on my lunch to see how his bike ride into work was as it was a rainy day. He told me the story and I was more shook up than he was. His poor lip looked so bad. It was huge. It was so sad trying to watch him eat dinner. He was pretty sore for a few days but, is feeling doing just fine. He hates that I make a fuss.

Joe is finally going under the knife this coming Thursday. Joe has had a shoulder injury for about three years now. He keeps re injuring it and it has progressively getting worse over the years. We had one of the Doc's I used to work for look and it and he said he had a bankart lesion tear with some bone degeneration. Joe has to have it scoped. I am afraid it is much worse than they think. That was in June when Dr. Trawick looked at it. It has a really bad popping sound if Joe moves it a certain way. Joe wanted me to hear it one day and I ended up running to the bathroom almost throwing up. I am super sensitive right now. We are anxious for Joe to have his shoulder fixed. Joe is in the best hands (my old work Tosh!). It is a six month recovery. We thought now is the best time to do it before the baby comes.

We are leaving for home on Wednesday! I am so dang excited to see UTAH! I miss it so much...... Let the fun begin.

Leavenworth!

It was snowing like crazy! We were enjoying every second of it too.
Each building would light up as the star passed by it.
Enjoying the view from one of the fun shops.

It was such a gorgeous place.

They had these beautiful paintings all over the city.


Joe eating off the pretzel tree.
Up close shot.


Joe always tells me to bend my leg. Fun store with millions of authentic nut crackers.
These shops keep these names all year round. My kind of place. Christmas 365 days a year.

This was my favorite shop. All Christmas decor. My two brothers (Brett, and Brandon) served their missions in German and sent us home some nutcrackers, pyramids and then music nativity pyramids. I love having them in our home. I am grateful Brando sent them home for me. I love having them in my own home. Thanks Bwanda.


More cool painting amongst the stores.

Our jeep covered in snow when we were heading home. There was about 5 or 6 feet before we got there. our kind of place. Our Jeep was thrilled to be driving in it again. We even got to whip out our tire chains.
This is for my mom. Our ward had it's Christmas party and we had to dress in the Bethlehem times.
Joe with some of the fellows from our ward.

Joe had a Saturday off? What? Yes, a Saturday off. We decided to venture out and head out to Leavenworth to check out the Christmas Festivities. Man it sure did not disappoint. We had a ball. We were told it would take two hours to get there. It took us three. As we were entering Stevens Pass which we heard is bad this time of year due to weather. We weren't to worried growing up in Utah. We were able to slap the chains on miss J's tires and head in. I wasn't even to nervous which is sure unlike me. We helped some fellow hitch hikers or snowboarders that were hiking up the freeway in the miserable snow storm and dropped them off at the ski resort.
We entered Leavenworth and it is the most enchanting place I have ever been too. There was about 5 to 6 feet of snow already, and it was coming down like crazy. Joe and I were loving it too. They do a lighting ceremony and have a big giant star that someone is holding. And as they walk past each store, the stores lights up with Christmas lights. After the lighting ceremony Joe and I walked around to the different shops and shopped around. Each store has a different Christmas relation name and it actually stays that way the whole year. My kind of place!!! I was such a magical place. I did not want to leave. Joe and I got to even eat some wonderful German food. I felt bad that we didn't take my family when they were here. Sorry Bwanda. You are just gonna have to come back to visit and we can go. Joe and I enjoyed every second of it. We are definitely going back. Each season they do different festivals. I can't wait to go back. I told Joe I could live somewhere like that forever. Christmas and snow? what more can you need?

Anniversary Date Night!

Joe's yummy food.
Me with my yummy stake.

Fisherman's out on the pier downtown Seattle.

Joe thought it would be romantic to take a kissing picture.

For our 5th Anniversary I was finally feeling pretty good so we decided that we would go out and eat. We usually just celebrate at home and make a fancy dinner. Joe tried to get us reservations at the space needle and they were full. We decided to try a new place out. It was delicious of course and we had such a fun night watching the ferries come in and the dang rain. We had such a fun night together.
I sure am glad we are able to experience what it is like living away. Even though at times I sure hate it and want my Utah back. I am glad we get to do it together.

Best Thanksgiving Yet!

Family shot as we got into Canada.

Canada was FREEZING!


Group shot by the Olympic cauldron (spelling)








On our way out, I got in trouble for having my camera out.

Day 2.
Joe had to go to work. I took the family around downtown Seattle. We went on an Argosy tour and we were really bored.
sleepless in Seattle home up close.

view from the boat as we got back into the city.
Brando, Bridge and Brays at Pikes Market.
Mom and Dad
My dad thought the gum wall was pretty cool. Mom didn't want to get in the pic.
Brandon was grossed out and didn't want to get near the wall. He is a not a fan of germs.


weird silver man walking on pikes place market.


Day 3
Out at Kayak point our last day so sad.

Group shot of us all.




I love this little girl. I missed her so much. "Look" they even walk alike!
She is the sweetest thing in the world. Joe and I miss her sweet little spirit. Good thing we are having our own soon.

We had the best Thanksgiving.... some of my family came up from Utah. We are lame and didn't take any pictures of Thanksgiving. I was able to cook my first Thanksgiving dinner this year. But wouldn't have been able to do it if it weren't for Bridge and my mom. It turned out pretty well I must say. It was different not being at my parent's house. We had the best time. We enjoyed going to Canada that was really different being out of the United States. Not to mention that it was freezing. We went to Seattle and did the city tours. Also enjoyed some site seeing close to our house. I loved every second of having the fam here. I was so sad to see them go. I cried the whole day and part of the next. I have the best family around. Thanks again for coming and playing. I can't wait for Christmas to come so we can be together again.