2013 in Review

There were so many memories from this past year that I don't want to forget. It was a year filled with so many firsts and new experiences. Here are some highlights from our 2013.

January: I got my nanny job. Can't believe I've been with this family for almost a year!
February: First Valentine's Day together! Which we celebrated 100 miles apart..
March: We had our first Easter together.
April: We got MARRIED!

May: Taylor started working at Pioneer. We went to Pennsylvania for a weekend, which included going to my brother's wedding.

June: Celebrate America was so cool!

July: Fourth of July in Grace. We made a day trip to Lagoon.

August: Summer fun was in full swing.

September: I started my fourth semester at BYU-I. We bought a new car, Max. Moved into a new apartment. Got our wedding pictures back.

October: Corn maze, cookies, and Pumpkin carving.

November: First Thanksgiving as a married couple.

December: Finished the semester with a 4.0 GPA. (halfway done with my bachelor's!!!) Celebrated our first Christmas together.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! 

Love, The Lloyds

Remembering Christ this Christmas

This year I have seen a big difference in myself as to what Christmas means to me. It has been less about presents or commercial things and more about Christ's birth. It has truly been a blessing to me with the trials that I have been facing. I loved this video.

And also this one.

It is all too easy to get caught up with the side Christmas that most of the world cares about. I'm determined to remember Christ in my Christmas this year and every year.

A different life..

I was so excited for Christmas at the beginning of the season, but I'd be lying if I said that I was still as excited. I was so caught up in the fun of decorating our home and buying presents for others that the fact that I'm not going home for Christmas slipped my mind more than it was on it. I have never been away from my family on Christmas, and being that I live on the other side of the country from them I know that it will happen a lot more. I thought that I would handle it just fine, but it's harder than I ever imagined. Want to know the fastest way to make me cry these days? Just bring up Christmas, and the fact that I'm not going home. It will do the trick. I promise.

I wasn't even born yet (or even thought of) when this picture was taken, but it sums up a Thomas Christmas so well. Train and town included of course and a tree completely filled with ornaments. 

I never knew how hard living away from my family would be. Taylor and I have planted our roots in Idaho Falls, and we don't have any intentions of moving for just about forever. Usually you move to where a job is right? Well Taylor has his dream job here, and he will have plenty of opportunities to make more money in this job. Allllllll of Taylor's family is out here, and I can't imagine being the person that rips him away from them. I truthfully did not plan on staying out here when I came out here for school, but inevitably it is that way.

Everyone else in Taylor's family that is about my age has their parents close by or only a couple hours away. It makes it hard because they don't understand. I am so very grateful for them, but my family is extremely different from Taylor's. I truly feel like you really can't understand this unless you have lived this way or are currently living this way.

My family is just so good great.

Nobody mentioned this part to me when I got married. No one told me how hard it would be to be one of the only members of my immediate family to live far away from home. I have a niece that I have seen only when she was born and when she was five and six months old. And when we eventually have kids they are rarely going to get to see their Grandma and Grandpa Thomas. That is so hard to know and think about.

I'm sure that someday it will get easier, but for now that is hard to see. Until then I will put on my brave face, and be grateful for who I have to spend my time with.This post isn't at all what I originally planned it to be, but sometimes you have to be completely honest and open.

I have an obsession

I think it is time for me to admit that I am obsessed with Grey's Anatomy. It all started my senior year of high school and has only escalated since. It is just so good! If you have never seen the show or gotten in to it then I strongly suggest that you do now. They have every season on Netflix so you really have no excuse :)

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I have watched the entire series twice, and still watch random episodes when there is nothing else to on. Don't judge me. I'm well aware that there was better ways that I could have spent my time, but then again I think I spent my time perfectly.

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I have gotten my mom hooked on this show as well. Which only makes my obsession that much better because we always text about our excitement of a new episode coming on, and then have a conversation about what happened the next day. Sadly though, the men in our lives just don't understand it.

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I know that the characters(or even the hospital) don't really exist, but at the same time I'm pretty sure that there is a Meredith and a Mcdreamy happily married with two cute kids and kicking butt at being a surgeon.

And while I'm on the subject of Grey's can we please talk about April's wedding dress on the winter finale! So pretty! I'm pretty much in love with it. She made such a great bride... At least she did until Jackson professed his love of course.

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I'm very sad that Sandra oh is done after this season, but she has been incredible this season. I secretly kind of love all of the fighting happening between her and Meredith.It's exciting. I can't wait to see how they do have her leave for good though.

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It is their 10th season, they recently celebrated their 200th episode, and they are still planning more seasons. As far as I know Shonda Rhimes has no intention of ending the series any time soon. I'm pretty sure that I will never be the same when it does end!

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February 27th can't come son enough..

6 Freezer Meals

I spontaneously decided to make some freezer meals this past weekend. We were already planning a grocery shopping trip so I figured, why not? I was planning to do more than what I did, but it turns out that I am fairly picky. I found all of my recipes off of pinterest.

I made..
Sweet and sour chicken
Chicken teriyaki
Hawaiian chicken
Hearty beef stew
Ham and scalloped potatoes
Honey garlic chicken

I didn't add peppers to any of the recipes that called for them because I don't like them. I had many of the ingredients already, and I halved some of the recipes. I spent about 40 dollars at Winco which would make each meal $6.67. At least two recipes (ham and potatoes and beef stew) will be enough for two meals for us. So technically it is 8 meals for 40 dollars. I still had leftover carrots, stew meat, onion soup mix, cheese, an onion, sauce, and honey.

 All of the food :) (the big white bag is potatoes that we got for free )

It was hard to figure out exactly where to start, but once I got going it wasn't too bad. Taylor chopped things up for me as I needed, and I filled the bags. I did the recipes one at a time rather than trying to figure out all six at once. I wrote on the bags what it was and how long it needed to cook for before I put anything into it. I figured I'll look up the recipe when I make them so I know if I need to do anything else or add anything rather than writing a ton of the bags. Pretty much every recipe said to take it out the day before and thaw it out in the fridge before cooking.

It really wasn't too hard, and now I have 6 meals ready at any time. I can't wait to try them!

Holiday Long Weekend

We went to my in-laws for Thanksgiving since Pennsylvania is a little too far. We left before seven so that we could see the parade when we got there. The boys enjoyed some NBA on the Xbox before the feast while the girls watched and prepped. The feast was scrumptious! I contributed some pretzel salad for the feast and  a pumpkin cake roll for dessert. They both turned out really good for my first time making them :)

After the feast the boys went dirt biking and the girls had craft time. Dessert was served, and then things calmed down a bit as Jordan and Kayleigh went to see her family and Sheldon went black Friday shopping with his cousins. We left a while later and took Taylor's younger brother, Nathan, home with us so that we could go black Friday shopping in the morning.

We woke up early and headed out in search of a couple of things. Taylor's mom and Sheldon met us a little while later, and we all had a great time. You know, the five of us in one car tired and cranky haha. But it really was fun.

Taylor and I couldn't help, but to enjoy our five dollar Monopoly game find later that afternoon. I ended up getting my butt kicked, but next time I'm going to take all of his money!

The rest of the weekend was spent catching up on sleep, and getting back to our simple lives. We babysat the kids I watch Saturday, and taught a primary class on Sunday. Having such a hectic couple of days made me so thankful for the simplicity that is mine and Taylor's lives.

One other thing that happened on Thanksgiving was that I got to open my Christmas present from Taylor and his parents early. Heck to the freaking yes my husband is the best! I was not expecting this gift whatsoever, but I am so so happy about it. It explained why he was making me wait until black Friday to buy this other nativity that I wanted. (I obviously don't want the other one anymore) I have wanted a Willow Tree nativity for a long time, but I never thought that I would actually get one. He couldn't have picked out a more perfect present for me. It was possibly the best part of Thanksgiving :)

I have to stop and admire this every time I come in or out of the apartment. I'm not sure that I'll stop doing that any time soon either. I just love it so much :)