All I Want for Christmas Is You!!!

This was our first Christmas married.  It was wonderful!! We loved being able to spend it with both of our families.  Christmas Eve was spent with my family.  We saw a live nativity, sang some Christmas hymns, and then had an amazing dinner with my family! Afterwards we watched, "A Muppet Christmas Carol," and Miles and I received a plate and cup to put our cookies for Santa on, since Miles has never done this!!

Christmas morning, we opened our gifts to one another.  I made Miles a coupon book called, "Dasha Can't Say No Book" with various things that I'm notorious for not liking to do, bought him a few seasons of "The Office", bunch of candy, and a robe that he's been wanting FOREVER!!!  We quickly got ready and went to church with Mile's family. Afterwards, we gave Miles mom her gift which was a calendar that has all the family's various pictures in it.  She loved it! I was SO WORRIED she wouldn't like it!! We ate lunch, helped Jayden and Samantha ride their new bikes and put on gobs of hair and face makeup with them, watched "Four Christmases" and then went over to Jenene and Walt's for even more food!  The missionaries came over and we all got into a heated game of Triominoes.  Happy to say I won:)  Afterwards we opened our gifts from them and watched a few episodes of "The IT Crowd."  We were pretty beat so we came home, watched "A Christmas Story," and called it a night! I loved Christmas this year.  I used to dread it and the loneliness that came with missing loved ones and a lot of "once was...," now that I am married its so much better having Miles by my side and making new memories instead of reliving old ones that are painful:)

I also want to remember our first Christmas in our tiny, 400 ft apartment.  This Christmas was rough.  With both of us out of work, we couldn't afford to live much less decorate for the holiday or even buy one another gifts.  We did the best we could with what we had and I can say it was a success!!! Our families really stepped up and helped us feel loved.   We felt the Christmas spirit and once we took the decorations down, mentioned how empty our apartment feels now.

My favorite spot in the whole house.  I loved playing piano with just these lights on.  And I adore my willow nativity, even though I broke Mary's arm....I don't want to talk about it but lets just say I shed a few tears!

LOVE these Christmas trees.  And the fact that I did not have to worry about the cat getting to these decorations (top of a tall bookshelf)!

Sorry its so dark!  Miles found this tree for two bucks at the Cowboy Christmas and the singing snowmen I've had for years!!!

LOVE my free Christmas printable and my santa salt and pepper shakers!

I love the simplicity of the green wreath. And the fact I got it for a buck at the thrift store!

My favorite wreath ever!

Our lame wall and cheap stockings. Since we are beyond broke this holiday season we had to get our stockings at walmart. They're allright but definitely not what I wanted!!!

More free Christmas printables! And since we love "Elf" it seemed appropriate!!!

More of my old Christmas decorations

Our poor tree.  I took this picture right before I took all the Christmas decorations down.  Its a mess and looks nothing like it did the first night be put it up. Our cat LOVES the cranberry garland.  In fact, Miles saved her life one night when she choked on one.  Each night she knocked over more ornaments and chewed off more cranberries.  Countless times she woke us up in the night and we'd spray her with water.  Regardless, we loved our little tree! I got it at a yardsale for three dollars and the stand we got from a thrift store for five bucks.  We painted and sanded it and it made the perfect tree stand!!

We like cereal

Yes.  I see it.  I look wretched in these photos but I LOVE Miles and his faces..haha!  We both love love love cereal and eating it late at night, in bed, is a favorite of ours.  And one I hope we continue for a LONG time!

The One With the Cat

Our cat LOVES our bed.  I don't think its the bed as much as she enjoys the down comforter.  Everyday when I make the bed she goes crazy, hyper.  She loves to jump on it, inside of it, and Miles has spent hours running his hands slowly under the covers and watching her leap across the bed onto it!  Even as I write this, she is curled up at my feet wrapped in the comforter. She also is obsessed with her toy mice.  NOTHING does this cat love more!!! Almost every night we find them in our bed or at various places in the house (lately its the bathtub).  She also loves is to be wrapped up in the blankets...I think its weird, but Miles always does this for her and she seems to like it! It at least keeps her in one spot when she is crazy hyper...I can't complain about that since it keeps her from breaking things!! 

One of the beloved mice.

Miles thought this was funny.  I ALWAYS sleep with at least one foot hanging out of the bed.  I usually like both but since kitty was there, I could only manage one..plus sometimes she attacks my feet if they're too close to her.  This is not fun, hence the one foot!

I was asleep and Miles thought she needed to be tucked in.  I don't get why she likes it!!! Gotta admit though, it looks pretty funny!

This is the look she gives when playing.  All business.  Ready to conquer.

Another tucked in moment.


And yes, I do find it weird that I am posting about my cat.  But, alas, she is a big part of our world and sadly a alot of our pictures are of her!!!

Was that my muscles? Or my pants.....

Poor Miles.  He split his pants at work one morning.  He did it in the morning, so he had a little extra coolage all day...hahaha!

Frye Mesa-November 2011

While Jake was in town, we took the two grizzly four-wheelers and rode them up to Frye Mesa.  IT WAS FREEZING!!! SO fun though and totally worth the semi-long drive.  Since I'm deathly afraid of heights now, I refused to walk across the dam.  So while Miles and Jake went off to explore, I hike around the water.  These are a few pictures I took with Miles iphone.  I was pretty impressed that they turned out so nice considering it was from his phone. Enjoy!

Its the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

This was some of our "fall" decorations.  A few months ago, Walt (with the help of the missionaries) brought over Aunt Nettie's piano into our apartment.  I LOVE having a piano again!!! Not only is it great to play but I really like decorating the top of them.  Yes, I'm weird, but whatev..it brings me joy:)

This pumpkin I made with Jenene.  I know pride is bad but I'm so proud of my work with this little beauty.  We actually made, I think, 6 of them to give to our girls we visit teach.  Jenene made me take the most "ugly" one...so imagine what the others looked like..hahaha!

For Thanksgiving this year, we drove up to Mesa and spent it with my side of the family.  Every two years, we have the Jarvis Family Reunion.  Although technically I am not a Jarvis (were more distant related), were considered "adopted" into the family so, therefore, we are invited!  It was great fun and nice to see family, even though SO MANY were not there.  Jake actually flew into town from Portland, Oregon so it was even more fun seeing him and spending some time with him.  

Last but not least, its a Dasha Tradition to watch "Garfield's Halloween Adventure" and "The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" each fall season.  Miles had never really seen them so he enjoyed that.  Another one were adding to the collection is "Scared Shrekless."  I'm not a huge Shrek fan but Miles is.  Holy cow, did we watch that dvd! For WEEKS Miles was quoting that movie.  To say he loved it would be an understatement.  I think it goes a lot deeper!! EVERYONE we saw or came over had to watch that dvd..hahaha...but whatever makes him happy!

Sweet Reminders

This is what greeted me when I came out of the bathroom.


My husband rocks.