Thursday, December 13, 2007

Our Christmas Letter

Family and Friends!

Tis the season, right? We figured sending out a Holiday email/blog is going to be our method of wishing you all happiness and joy this season.




So this year has been wonderful for us. We started the year out packing Rob up in his newly purchased 1986 Toyota pickup and sending him off to Rexburg for his first semester of school at BYU-I. He had three suitcases in the back and as many warm blankets as I could find in my parents house. Rob worked very hard and earned himself a 4.0 that first semester. Pretty good for an engaged man!

I returned to Virginia for another month and a half to work and finish my nanny job with Laurie and the boys. Mid-February I packed up all the earthly possessions I could fit into my (and part of a friends) car and started my third cross country drive--second time solo. I left Virginia Sunday afternoon about 1PM, and eventually got to my parents house in Sandy, UT around 10 PM Tuesday night, and Rob was only a half hour away himself. We hadn't seen each other in a month and a half, and we'd both driven several hours and miles (just 35 hours driving, 2,225 miles for me) to be in the same place again. The reunion was sweet.



So fast forward a couple more months and we finally get to the best reason for us to celebrate all year. We got married!



We were sealed on April 7, 2007 in the Jordan River Temple at noon by Rob's Grandpa Wheelwright. It was a beautiful day, great warm weather, and sunny skies. We had a simple luncheon and reception that afternoon and evening in Sandy.



Getting married the day before Easter has it's advantages, and we took that to heart. Our table decorations were rounds of home-grown wheat grass, and easter eggs. It was fun. Just as I'd always wanted.

We spent our honeymoon in Salt Lake, close to downtown and the city life we love. We went hiking, rifled through used book stores, had a picnic at Liberty Park by the "lake" and wandered around the Salt Lake City Library. A few days later we resurfaced and left for Rexburg together. YAY!

We moved into our apartment on April 11th, and it seems like time since then has completely flown by. Rob started his second semester the week after we were married, and worked part-time. Once he got out of school he found a job in Idaho Falls, working at Boise Building Materials Distribution Center, driving a forklift and loving it. Oh, and bytheway, he got ANOTHER 4.0. I married such a smartie. :) I've been working in Idaho Falls since April at a call center doing customer service for student loan processing. At Church we've been serving in the Nursery. Me as the Nursery Leader, and Rob as a Nursery Worker. We've got almost 40 toddlers in there, and are looking forward to the new year when the 3 year olds move into Sunbeams. ;)

The next few months are more or less a blur. It's so nice to just be together. In addition to adding Rob to my family in May my sister Susie and her husband Bryant welcomed into the world twin boys.



Derek and Riley, such cuties.

Rob's sister Susan and her husband Tim also brought us another beautiful niece in July.



Evangeline--she's definitely got the most hair I've EVER seen on a baby!

We had our share of car swapping this summer. We sold my 2006 Corolla and bought our 1997 Honda Civic. In August we went to my family reunion in West Yellowstone and got in some camping. In September we did more camping at a lake not far from Rexburg, which was GREAT!



Thanksgiving weekend we spent with my family, and got family pictures with my whole side of the family. It was basically CRAZINESS, but we got some decent shots in.

Now it's December. It's cold. I know, that sounds as such a shock as we live in Rexburg, but it's REALLY COLD. I've reveled in Virginia winters the last two years, and it's ruined me. I thought deep down I was hardy because of those northern New York winters. Not quite. I've become a softie, for sure.

Rob is getting ready to go back to school in January, and we are stocking up to keep food in our bellies while he's in school and possibly not working. We want to keep those 4.0's coming, since we've had great luck with them thus far. Rob will be getting a full tuition scholarship this upcoming school year, and we couldn't be happier!

We wish you the best this Holiday season, and hope happy adventures cross your path this next year. Merry Christmas!

Rob and Kristin

My hair is in a ponytail.



I know, it doesn't sound like THAT miraculous of an experience, but I haven't had my hair in a ponytail since
basically 2003. That means we're going on five years of super short hair. It actually reaches my shoulders now. Compare that with my June 2005 pictures on my blog. Weird.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Eleven Eleven

I never realized how much I would come to appreciate the number eleven. Let's go back in time for a moment.

November 11, 2006. It started out normal enough. I'd spent the night at a friends (Eryn, Kami, and Megan's) house, like basically EVERY weekend as of late, and Eryn and I were going to participate in a Volleyball tournament that morning. We ate McDonalds hashbrowns for breakfast, played some hot-rockin awesome v-ball and were rather enjoying the crisp fall weather. Afterward we went to the mall to pick up a few cd's at F.Y.E., and some lotion at Bed Bath and Beyond. It was a nice refreshing afternoon.

Eventually we made it back to Eryn's to clean our stinkie bodies and get ready for a night out. We both had dates, which was unusual (for me--she dated all the time), but looked forward to. My plans were dinner and a movie with a friend, and Eryn was going mini-golfing with Bryan on a double date with Kami and her beau.

Before I left to pick up my friend Rob for our evening out, I called my bro Greg to wish him a happy birthday. I told him I was going out that night, but it was just a casual thing. The guy I would be spending the evening with was leaving for school the next month, and we were just friends.

All that aside, let's face it we all looked HOT that night. We are babes, and know how to feature our best assets. It's true, you can be jealous if you want. The "trick" up my sleeve were my black boots. I didn't know they'd go off so well, but apparently this friend of mine, Rob was quite entranced. Like I mentioned we were good friends, but I wanted to look just a bit nicer than normal that night. Rob and I had spent plenty of time together, but I'm a hoodie and sneaker kinda girl. He'd never seen me in heels--or at least never taken the time to notice at church . . . once I stepped out of the car that night Rob noticed right away something was different. Click click click click went the tapping of my hot black boots against asphalt as I walked. Apparently that sound alone "really did something" to Rob. A fire began . . .

Well those of you who would be reading this blog of course knows that Rob and I ended up unexpectedly hitting it off, and were hardly seen without one another until I left to Utah for Christmas 41 days later. We realized that our friendship was meant for "more than just friends" and somehow I went home for Christmas engaged to that man!

The number eleven somehow became special to me, and has continued to be special since. November 11th was always a special day. It's the day we Americans celebrate our veterans, it's my brother's birthday, I started my first "real" post-16th birthday job back in 1998. But this day I went on the first date with the man I married. Eleven days after our first kiss we used the word "love" to express our feelings for one another. The wedding ring we picked out for me has eleven diamonds. I got it on January 11th. We moved into our apartment on April 11th, and we live in number 411. I know, it's totally cheesy, but I think it's fun.

WEIRD thing to think about is that we moved into our home five months to the day of our first date. I always had this "rule" what I wanted to know the man I would marry for at least a year before "walking down the aisle". Well, it didn't happen. And looking back I'm glad I didn't keep to my silly girlish fantasies. I love my husband Rob very much and I know it's only going to get better from here . . . And Rob, thanks for the wonderful year we've had. I love you.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Now what?

I finished the last Harry Potter book this week, and I feel it was a really satisfying good book. Thought I better document the occasion. Life is good. ;)

Oh, and a new website I've been loving on my days off is www.pandora.com. How it works is you put in an artist/band that you want to listen to, and then it streams songs from similar bands with the same kind of feel. For instance this morning I've been in a Keane kinda mood, and Pandora has given me some Keane with a side dish of Ben Folds Five, The Killers, Coldplay, Muse, Smashing Pumpkins, New Atlantic, and more. All with the same kind of vibe. I think this is the best way to find a new band whose cd you should buy . . . It's fantastic. I'm such a fan.

Thursday, November 01, 2007

My ADORABLE newest nephews!

So my lil' sis Susie sent me these pictures yesterday of her adorable little gents! I just HAD to share!



Here is Riley, what a sweetie!



And Derek, so CUTE!!

They were born in May, so that makes them going on 6 months old! FUN!

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Hoodie Kinda Morning . . .

This morning we figured it needed to be a hoodie kinda morning.



Rob made us biscuits for breakfast, which were DELISH. I looked on in awe.



As you can tell, I'm always ravishing in the morning.

Monday, March 26, 2007

A Day in the Park

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One Monday afternoon after Rob got out of class we took a drive down to Utah to get our marriage license and met up with some friends to take a few pictures of us.




It was a lovely spring day. But not too warm that there were kids all over the place, good thing for us!


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One of my favorites. We look SO GREAT together!

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I got so sick in this thing! I love the feeling of spinning, but after the spinning is over . . . uggghhhh . .

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We were about to fall over down a little slope!

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Engagement pictures really aren't complete without some cheesy blowing kisses shot!

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Awww, we're so cute!

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Believe us, this slide was NOT made for adults!

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Yee HAH!!

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Look ma, no hands!

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Rob is SO sexy!

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I love him!

Friday, February 23, 2007

I'm pretty cute, I know!
















I was jsut overcome by my beauty, that and I wanted to show Rob how cute I was lookin today!