Christmas Eve- traditions and announcements!

This is my first christmas away from my family with Bentley at his parents cabin in Duck creek Utah. It has been different without my mom, dad, and brother, but I am really enjoying getting to know and spending time with my in-laws. 

Especially in such a magical place. 

This cabin of theirs- covered in snow, full of  family, and a cozy fireplace is lovely. I really could not have asked for a better family to marry into, for me this is perfect. I feel as though I blend in like another pair of boots at the front door.

Right where I belong amongst all the other pairs with my sole mate ;)

Their family tradition for years has been to have Bethlehem dinner on christmas eve and dress up like wise men or shepherds.

 The food is always something similar to what might have been eaten during the time Christ was born. Food is served on a low table lit only by candles, with pillow cushions for 'seats', no utensils and grape juice is the 'wine'. This year we didn't dress up for dinner, but we had cornish game hens, cucumber and hummus, cranberry sauce, olives, dates, fry bread, and cheese. 

It was delicious and so much better when eaten with your hands!

 

  


Dig in and drink up!

Yum!

Christmas morning... I'm always one of the first up!

Now for the announcements, dont get too excited I am not pregnant. 

But one of my sisters in law is!!! She told the family christmas eve by having Mimi, George and her 2 boys unwrap a gift that gave it away.

My favorite was the card with the #31 written on it in big black sharpie to her dad since it will be their 31st grandchild.  There are quite a few babies in this family right now. Emily just had one in September, Chandler is 4 months along and now another one due next August

Babies, babies, babies!!!

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas with your loved ones!

A Christmas Card- Our First One!

I am pleased to say I got around to making our card this year! 
It's something I wanted to do last year since it was our first christmas as a married couple, but that just did not happen.
Lets be real...

last christmas season was blissful but busy. We had only been married 3 months and time seemed to be fleeting from us quicker than this year, which is almost impossible.

So here it is!

Front & Back

The disclaimer about babies is truly relevant now that we are officially 

the last on the Murdock side of the family to procreate :)

Merry Christmas everyone, 
hold your loved ones tight and give thanks!

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a trait I deeply respect. It is one of those remarkable qualities I notice in people, for it is more revealing than a smile or any talent, 

 in my opinion.

It is the sign of an old soul, who is emotionally and spiritually liberated!

Never succumbing to the actions of others towards you.

Those that forgive and let go easily are undeniably happier.

Mustering up genuine compassion for those who have wronged you, instead of allowing  anger toward them to fester and eat away at you will bring forth true happiness .  

I may be a little biased here, but forgiveness is one of my husbands most defining qualities! 

Which is undoubtedly one of the many reasons he is so darn happy all the time :)

Something that I fell in love with instantly, and continue to love and learn from everyday.

His heart is just to kind to hold that kind of hate or negativity inside for more than a millisecond.

I am working on it...

 I'm always getting better at it, its a progressive quality thats for sure!

No matter how big or small of a 'wrong doing' I am forgiving, practice makes perfect.

Sometimes I even pray for experiences that will help me polish that quality and show others how to let go with out thinking twice.

Who wants to hold on to that kind of hate and resentment?

If you are reading this I hope you don't think I am a stubborn, bitter girl who has a deep dark grudge festering within- not the slightest! 

This has just been on my mind lately as I watch loved ones close to me struggle to be happy because they are carrying such a heavy monkey on their back.

And they don't even realize they hold the key to their liberation!

to discover, 

to claim, 

to establish their happiness...

to be happy :)

Cravings....

Alright, it was 7:50 AM and my body was saying to me 

I NEED a big juicy BURGER 

right now. 

Well actually it had been telling me that ever since Thursday evening. I'm not crazy about meat in general so I dismissed the peculiar hankering.  

Although anemia is no stranger on my moms side of the family. I must be lacking iron big time because Im getting plenty of protein in my diet, and I am not pregnant. My craving for nothing less than a big juicy burger could not be denied.

I suppose I should go get a simple blood test, my body is obviously speaking to me. 

I am always pretty good at listening. 

Lime, lemon, Malt vinegar, A1, ketchup and mustard. We were so ready for our burgers & fries! 

Holy Moly!

grilled onions, extra avocado, char burger

It's the simple things :)

Happy Weekend

XOXO

December, You are adored!

December is one of the happiest months all year. 

Hands down.

This month started off with a much needed pedicure, baking, hot chocolate, christmas movies and music, decorating our humble abode, sewing stockings, quilting, and making our Christmas card :) Last year I didn't get around to making one, we had only been married for 3 months and I was overwhelmed with all that comes with two lives merging into one! 

I also finished up my first class at WGU! 

WOO HOO onto Surveying Literature from 16th, 17th and 18th century... not my cup of tea, I hope it goes well.

Bentley passed his Excel course which has so far been the biggest challenge for him at Full Sail. I totally can relate, that program is like another language, seriously! 

He also found a very old making it a very gorgeous piano in great condition for FREE.

Lets just hope it fits through our front door :)

Yup I actually sewed on the floor...

                                                                                   Photo credit to Bentley :)

But I think my absolute favorite thing about the December is the cozy, rainy weather that it brought to San Luis Obispo! I can not remember the last time I was that thankful for rain. I reveled in it and all its' laziness. It is so odd to feel like rain is a novelty, but for SLO sometimes it really doesn't come for months and months. 

The opposite of sunbathing in seattle I suppose!

With the rain, anyone who has curly hair knows that your curls will be a frizzy, hot mess.

And that is quite alright with me!

Thanksgiving 2012

Somehow this year we failed to take our annual Thanksgiving family photo!! I dont know how we let time slip away without snapping a single shot of the whole group in all its glory... but we did.

As the little ones grow, and our elders becoming more... elderly (and feisty for my Nana even though I thought that impossible for her character) I find it that much more important to get a photo! 

Oh well, there is always next year I suppose.

We spent our entire week break with my family in Green Valley. It is absolutely gorgeous- from the green rolling hills to the reddish-orange vineyards stretching for miles. I feel so at home, I almost feel like a child playing in the creek and orange orchard again. 

I miss those autumn colors here in SLO sometimes.

I tried cooking a few new dishes from my beloved Clean Eating Magazine. Bentley was in charge of the Turkey, no big deal ;) And he did a magnificent job. Not a single person from my family was impartial to his cooking! 

How could they be? He is SO good!! 

We spent our time riding bikes, going to SCI-FIT with dad, playing lots of guitar, cuddling with my Hercules, we visited the Oakland Temple, went to Santa Cruz and Rio Vista.

Chris even drove for the first time with Bentley :O yikes.

 The Elliptical 

Sit Ups! 

 Foster restaurant in Rio Vista

And of course Christmas hit our home in full force within a matter of days once we returned!

Now we are gearing up for some much needed Murdock family time in Utah and Vegas.

I am SO looking forward to the snow I can hardly contain myself!

Sledding, boarding and beanies here I come