New Nephews

In may I received I sad phone call from my brother Andy. He told me that Natalie (my sister-in-law) sister died and left behind her two year old son, Ryder. Right away my family took Ryder in and loved him like he was a Cragun. Steve and Natalie bought him clothes and everything else he needed. Ryders case worker was busy trying to find Ryders dad. Secretly no one wanted the case worker to find him but sadly she did. And his dad said he wanted Ryder. We prayed and fasted and prayed some more. December 22 our prayers were answered. Ryder was officially adopted into Steve and Natalies family.


Just a few days later on Dec 28 Steve adopted Natalies  two sons. That too was miracle. Her ex husband did not let those boys go without a fight. Pretty soon Steve and Natalie will get to be sealed to their new family. I am so excited for them. This is proof to me that miracles happen everyday and my family is lucky enough to witness some.

Traditions and December.

Nick and I went to Wal-Mart and got  the classic Christmas movies on DVD like: The Year Without Santa Clause, Frosty The SnowMan etc. We also got Peppermint ice cream and some pizza. We went home and decorated our Christmas Tree and pulled out the cinnamon scentsy. After decorating our tree we ate pizza and ice cream as we watched Santa Clause Is Coming To Town. Almost every night since then after work we watch a Christmas classic or another Christmas movie.

I love this time of year! I love all the Christmas lights up around the town. Watching T.V. with tree lights on. The freaking delicious treats. The cheesy movies. And I can't forgot the music. Lucky me it is the beginning of December and there is more traditions and fun to come.

Thanksgiving 2011

My Thanksgiving break started off with a bang! I go into work the day before my break and my boss comes up and asks me, "How stoked are you to be here today?" I reply honestly of course, " Not stoked at all." Then my boss says, " Well you can go home. Happy early Thanksgiving." I was so excited!! I turned off my work phone and basically ran out the door before they changed their minds. Since I got off work super early I went to Wal-Mart to get some food for our Thanksgiving dinner. On my drive to Wal-Mart and the time I spent there I realized something about the Holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas are the holidays that people are supposed to be generous, kind, and thankful. But it has the opposite effect. People are mean around the Holidays. Pushing each other so they get what they want. Cutting people off not saying please, thank you, or excuse me.


The next day {Wednesday} Nick and I went to Bountiful. We had a lot of fun. I finally got my haircut!! Nicks mom and I bought enough food to feed 20 or 30 people and there was 5 of us. We ate and ate and then when we were full we ate some more. We went to Breaking Dawn. It wasn't my favorite but I still think the first movie is the worst. Thursday morning me and Nicks mom spent it making a lot of delicious food. Snacking all the way through. By the time we were about to eat our Thanksgiving dinner I was so full! We had a ton of leftovers. Friday morning Nick had to work. But once he got off work we headed down to Ephraim. We had yet another huge meal. It was so loud and crazy with 7 kids, 5 in-laws, and 13 nieces and nephews {2 brand new babies}. The boys played some video game while the girls worked on a puzzle. It was a lot of fun. I can't even wait for Christmas!!

Thanksgiving Day

Snacking before dinner

Twiner Cousins!

Haylie and Me

Levi--

My little brother Levi is all grown up. Levi is now a senior in high school. I do not like this one bit. 1. This means I am getting old. 2. My little brother isn't very little anymore. When he was a little boy he would say, "Mom when am I going to the prophet?" You could ask him to do anything and his response was, "Sure, no problem." To this day we can ask Levi to do almost anything and he will still get up and do it without complaining. He is one the sweetest boys you will ever meet.

Last Saturday he and the rest of the Manti High football team played in the State football game and won. It was so awesome watching Levi and all his friends play their last football game and KILL the Millard Eagles. I was so proud of him. I was also a little sad knowing that watching Manti football is over. I remember when he was a freshman and watching him play in his first varsity game. He was so excited and had the biggest smile on his face. It really doesn't seem that long ago. Soon he will go off on his mission... then get married... and have his very own family. I am not prepared for this!!

Freshmen first varsity game  /  Senior State Game

Longest Week Ever.

This week has been a hard one for me. Saying I had a hard couple of days at work would be the understatement of the year.

This week I have never been more grateful. I am so grateful for my amazing parents and siblings. I know we are not perfect and we do not always get along {especially when we were younger} but they are some of my best friends. I know whatever is thrown my way my family will be there making sure I catch it before it hits me right in the face. I am grateful for the gospel. Where in the world would I be if it were not for the gospel? I do not want to know. It gives me hope and strength when I did not think it was possible. I am grateful for Nick. He too gives me hope and strength. He believes in me more than I believe in myself. I can always count on him. I have so much to be thankful for it is impossible to name them all.

This week I have also learned a lot about myself. I always thought I was big cry baby {maybe I am}. I never have liked scary movies and I am not a huge fan of roller coasters including Splash Mountain. I usually panic in crisis mode. I always thought I was pretty dang selfish. But I learned I am stronger then I thought I was. I am a lot braver then I ever dreamed of ever being. I can keep my cool. And surprisingly I can put others wellbeing before my own.

This week has been a week from H-E- double. But it will stay with me for the rest of my life. I will never forget the way I felt this week. I will never forget the things I saw. And I will always be grateful for everything I have and everything I have learned.

Haylie Rae

As I mentioned in a previous post Stacie and I had a photo shoot for Stacie's baby girl Haylie. It was so much fun picking out her clothes and everything else.  It was a lot of work and a lot of play.  I have always loved taking pictures and I have always loved editing pictures and playing on photoshop. Because I love these things I loved this photo shoot with Haylie. Here are some pictures I took.

back in the big city.

Well Nick and I moved... again. We moved back to Utah County. I was dreading the move for lots and lots of reasons. I hate packing. I knew it was going to take multiple trips. I hate moving. I hate unpacking. And I hate Provo. Just to name a few. Luckily most of our stuff was still packed from Mona. The actual moving part wasn't that bad because my sisters helped {shout out to Stacie and Kiersten but mostly Stacie}. And honestly I haven't hated Provo. I love that it closer to my job. I love that it is closer to Nicks job. Because its closer to work Nick and I have been able to hangout more. I love leaving work and being home 10 minutes later. Not having to get on the freeway or deal with all the annoying construction. I have been able to hangout with Stacie, Kiersten and my new niece Haylie more too. By the way Haylie loves me. I know I am her favorite aunt ever... do you blame her? Stacie and I actually had a little photo shoot with her and I must admit I did a good job. It must be all the practice I got in yearbook. Nick and I both love our new place too. Its a good size, cheap, new, and cute. I have been enjoying myself decorating the place and making it our home. We are very happy and very excited about this new change in our lives. Its been interesting being back in Happy Valley I hope it has some more happiness for us.

My Pink Bracelet

My bracelet is even in our engagements  

Three years ago on my birthday Nick and I went to Nickelcade. With our tickets we got matching bracelets, mine was pink and Nicks was red. We have worn them ever since. Yesterday at work I noticed my bracelet wasn't on my wrist. I almost started to cry. I looked everywhere at work. I am now in the process of looking everywhere in my house {it's not looking good}.  My wrist doesn't look the same. It is weird not having it on. Its silly really. My bracelet has seen much better days... it wasn't really that pink anymore. And in reality I could buy me that same bracelet for 25 cents. However I am still upset about losing it. Its amazing how something so small can mean so much.

Fun Facts

Over the past few days I have noticed a few things about myself:

1. I drive the speed limit on my way to work and speed on my way home from work.
2. A cold Dr. Pepper always tastes better after a long day.
3. The days I have to work no one else is working the days I don't have plans everyone else does.
4. I love to get new clothes but I don't really like shopping.
5. I don't really like to cook but I love to eat.
6. Shows like Criminal Minds are my favorite shows to watch but I hate being scared.
7. Getting ready in the morning is something I do not enjoy but if I don't get ready in the morning I feel gross all day.
8. I get on facebook when I am bored and have nothing to do I get on facebook when I have other things I should be doing.
9. I like spending time with my family but I like spending time alone.
10. Sometimes I don't know enough and other times I know way to much.

Nicholas

This post is dedicated to Nick. I hate to sound so cliche but I do not know what I would do without him. He is well... amazing. What makes him so amazing? Well here is a short list of the reasons why he is so amazing {I am far too lazy to list ALL the reasons}. Nick is a hard worker. He is always studying or at his work. He is also very kind. He is always willing to help out. Nick can make friends with anyone at any place. He could make conversation with a wall. He is funny and maybe a little weird. His family adores him and so does mine. Most importantly he treats me like a princess. 

Today is Nicks 25th birthday. He had to work today but that doesn't mean we didn't celebrate. Last night we went out to dinner and rented a movie from red box. Then today we went to lunch before he went off to work. Because he made my birthday so awesome I had to make his birthday pretty awesome too. So...

I bought him one of his favorite flavors of Ice Cream

I made him a delightful sign

I baked him cupcakes

I got him presents

I even let him open his presents

The Joys Of Being An Adult

Last week Nick and I had to pay for his car getting fixed ... $500. And yesterday I had to get my car inspected and registered.... another $500. I also found out my schedule for the Holidays and well I am not loving it. Needless to say I was in one bad mood the past couple of days. The lyrics that best describe how I felt yesterday as I was driving back from Ephraim is by Jacks Mannequin.... "I'm on the verge, I'm on the verge. Unraveling with every word".  I was so stressed and so annoyed. Well today I got online and I saw that I finally got my degree posted on my transcripts. I also saw that I graduated Cum Laude. That made me feel a little better. Maybe there is a rainbow after a lot of rain.

August Seventh 2010

Nick and I have been married for a year. Time has really gone by fast. It seems not long ago I was working at the Testing Center hoping Testing Center Boy would walk in. Now we are living in our second home. I am graduated from Utah State and Nick has his LPN and is going to school for his RN. We have had a lot of good times the past year.  And we have so many more good times to come.

{Some pictures of our first year as a married couple.}

Our Wedding 

Honeymoon-- Cruise 

Fall

Christmas in Hawaii 

Graduation

Hill Air Force Base

Alcatraz 

Seattle

The Emerald City

Nick and I went with his mom and brother to Seattle for a few days. It was so much fun. It was just what the doctor ordered. We did all the things that tourists do. We went to the Hard Rock Cafe and let me tell you... that is my favorite one I have even been to. It was so awesome. The whole atmosphere and everything was so... well awesome.  We took a ferry to the San Juan Islands. It was interesting seeing how the ferry works. It was a lot of fun. We saw the famous gum wall. It was so nasty, but yet cool. Who does that? Who decides to put gum on a wall? Oh well.We went to a Mariners game and a Sounders game. It was a lot of fun. Nick was giddy about seeing both Safeco and Quest field. He loves his Seattle teams. We had donuts at Top Pot a famous donut shop. Of course we went to the Space needle and the Science center. It was so cool. The people from Seattle really love their coffee. They have a Starbucks on every corner! I really loved Seattle. I can't wait to go back again.

Ferry Ride

Pikes Place

Gum Wall

Top of Space Needle

Mariners Game

Forever and Family

*Warning* This post might be boring, sad, and cheesy.

On July 2nd we celebrated my Grandma Craguns 80th birthday. Of course it had to get all emotional and bring up my Grandpa Cragun. My Grandpa was one amazing guy. Sometimes I feel bad because Nick never got to meet him. I know he would love Nick and I know Nick would love him too. My Grandpa was a sweet man but also very rough. His famous line he would always say to me and Kierst was, "It's half past kissing time, time to kiss again." I was 11 when he passed away, I wish I could have got the chance to know him better.

On July 4th Nicks Grandpa Charlie passed away. He had Lou Gehrig's disease. Grandpa Charlie was very organized. He also loved to travel and was very adventurous. I see a lot of him in Nick. I will never forget our trip to Alaska with him. He planned out everything!!  He even made plans for me and Nick ha. It was so funny. He also wanted to try and do everything.  We had a lot of fun with him in Alaska. He too was a very sweet man. I am glad I got to know him.

July 8th me, Nick, my mom, and Natalie went to the temple. The whole time I kept on thinking about my grandpa and Nicks grandpa. I kept on thinking how grateful I am knowing about eternal families. I would look at Nick and think wow this is forever. I couldn't help but smile. I remember when I was little and I would sing in primary Families can be together forever. I would sing maternity instead of eternity haha. I thought I was saying it right.

Birthday and Redo Birthday

 Question: What do all these pictures have in common??

Answer:  They make one great birthday!!

This year for my birthday I was SPOILED. I woke up and Nick had some of my favorite treats waiting for me in the Kitchen along with my presents. We got ready and went to Provo and ate lunch at P.F. Chang's. It was so good. We came home and ate tons of treats. Then Nick went to work. I had a Psych marathon ( I love Netflix).  Danny came and visited me for bit. When Nick came home from work we had birthday cheesecake that he made me. And then we watched a movie.

Because Nick had to work on my birthday we had a redo birthday aka a day filled with us hanging out. We went to visit Andy and Jenny and their cute family. We went out to dinner to Chillies. And then after dinner we went to the movies.  We went to see Water for Elephants. I loved it! That is a movie I have to buy.  And of course Nick surprised me with another gift. He got me the straightener of my dreams. This isn't a Wal-Mart straightener my friends. This is the real deal. 

I always thought Nick was the best and too good to me. But after my birthday and redo birthday it is a fact. He is the best and way too good to me.