Let There Be Light

After many weeks of putting up lights...here it is! The lights have been on for a few weeks now and we love to watch the people drive by slowly. It is truly beauitiful and I am still in awe every time I see it. Here are just a few of the shots I took.

This is a view from the pool area in the backyard.

Another view from the backyard.

The entryway at the front of the house.

Hope you enjoyed the lights!

Winter Wonderland Celebration

This past weekend Kyle and I went to Minneapolis. Now, you may ask why two people would leave the beautiful December weather of Arizona for the frigid cold of Minnesota, but we had a few very good reasons. First, we wanted to get into the Christmas spirit with some snow. Second, we thought it would be a fun trip for our anniversary, but most of all we wanted to surprise Kyle's Grandma Mary for her 91st birthday. Anyone turning that young deserves a bit of a surprise...don't you think?

We definitely surprised her, thanks to some help from cousins, aunts, and uncles and the whole moment was so special.

After the big surprise we went to the Holidazzle Light Parade downtown with family. This is Kyle's cousin Jen and her adorable 4, going on 30, year old daughter Morgan. Love the cheeks!!!

The lights in the parade were spectacular!
Kyle loved his little buddy!

If I didn't mention it before, it was cold! We're talking cover every part of your body cold. I believe the temps averaged 15 during the day and around zero at night. Brrr!!!

The snow is so beautiful. Nice to look at, but too cold.

We took a drive to St. Cloud to the VA hospital to visit his Grandpa Bob. Seeing his grandma and grandpa interact is priceless. They will be married 70 years in April. I only hope we can make it as long as them.

I truly love Kyle's Grandma Mary. She may be the sweetest person I have ever met. A true angel put on Earth.

After a weekend with family, it was time to say goodbye. We spent Monday and Tuesday downtown to celebrate our anniversary.

Ahhhh, Mall of America, my Mecca! I never get tired of this place. I'm like a little kid in a candy shop here.

The Macy's in downtown Minneapolis puts on a special display on the 8th floor each year. This year was "A Day in the Life of an Elf". It was so neat to walk through this animated creation. It really got us in the spirit of Christmas.

We made a visit to the new Twins Stadium. What a beautiful field.

Nothing like sitting in a giant golden glove.

We had a great time with everyone and while we enjoyed the snow and getting all bundled up we were truly grateful to return to 75 degrees on Wednesday. No wonder we have so many winter visitors. The whole time Kyle and I said, "Why would anyone live in this?" I shouldn't speak to soon. With our med school journey...who knows where we'll be.

One Year

One year ago, today, I married the man of my dreams, my best friend, and my soulmate. This past year has flown by and I'm sure the rest will go even faster. So far, it's been one crazy adventure filled with challenges along the way, but there's no one else I'd rather take this ride with. From a move to the Caribbean in January to an unexpected extended stay in Arizona this fall, we've been up, down, and all around the globe. I can honestly say this year has been wonderful and marriage is even more amazing than I thought. When people ask "Is it different?", I say "Not different, just better". So, here's to my wonderful husband Kyle...Happy 1st Anniversary! I Love You

Santa and His Elves

Every other year my mom and dad light up their house like the North Pole. We've always only decorated on the even years since we travel to St. Louis for Christmas on the odd years. Not to mention, it would be way too much work to put up all these lights each year. They put up over 50,000 lights and it truly is beautiful. I've always been proud of our Christmas lights and I love being a part of it. This year Kyle and I expected to be in Dominica during the setup time, but instead we're here to help.

About a week before Thanksgiving Santa and his 3 elves get to work. In case you were wondering, Santa is my dad. He is the head honcho who directs us all and makes sure we don't blow up the house. We would let him help string the lights, but that would be like asking a kindergartner to address your Christmas cards...it's just not a good idea. Instead, he has 3 hard working elves...my mom, Kyle, and I. It takes us about 2 weeks to get everything up in the front and back yard, but when we turn it all on it is worth the work. The neighbors seem to like it too.

Elf #1: Kyle

Elf #2: Mom

I'm Elf #3 and I took the photos. I will post pictures of the house all lit up when it's ready.

This picture is just a peek into the kind of electrical contraptions we build to make it all work. Let's just say I've used more extension cords, plug converters, and electrical tape than I ever care to.