our thanksgiving

i didn't take a lot of pictures this year...none of us.  gordon kicked off this year's snowboarding season and went snowboarding in the morning while i ran (i had to get in my 4 miles before i ate...guiltless eating is much more pleasurable) and made a pie.  this year we ate thanksgiving dinner with my family and had dessert with gordon's family (neither gordon or i ate pie this year. gordon doesn't really like pie & i was entirely too stuffed to even fit one more thing in my stomach...well except some cheese ball, there's always room for cheese ball).  it's nice that we're able to spend time with both of our families on the holidays (although it does make them crazy and chaotic).  both sides of our family are so different and we have such a great time with each of them.

Happy Birthday Justin!

It was our brother-in-law's birthday yesterday.  He's 30.

Here are 5 reasons we love Justin:

1.  He is an amazing dad and husband.  He provides for his family in every way possible and puts them first in his life.
2.  He has a list of goals he wants to accomplish in this life and he will accomplish every single one of them because that's the kind of person he is.  I love it.  I admire it.
3.  He is funny.  Oh my gosh, I can't believe I just said that, but he is.  He makes us laugh.  From his phone calls with different voices to his dancing to the little things he'll say while at Sunday dinner (most of the time trying to get a rise out of people...which he does well).
4.  He knows our church is true and has a strong testimony.  His knowledge of the gospel has strengthened mine.
5.  He is smart.  Like really smart.  And pretty much know something about everything.  He fit right in to the Hardcastle family because they all are that way.  (and he thinks farting is funny so he fit right in with the "boys" in the family too, but I don't love him because of that.  I would love him more if he would not encourage it.)

Happy Birthday Justin!  Hope you had a great one!

on this thanksgiving eve

i have a heart full of thanks...

for the opportunity that i get to spend the holidays with my family

for a husband that i love more and more each day

for dogs that are always happy to see me

for a family that loves me unconditionally

for a career that i enjoy and a commute that is only 30 miles round trip (much better than the 60 i used to do)

for good health and a body that lets me abuse it daily (and by abuse I mean running & crazy yoga poses like side crow)

for a home that is cozy and warm and safe

for the beautiful scenery that is all around me from the blossoms of spring to autumn colors to snow-covered mountains

for the strong testimony i have that keeps me going day to day

*i love this time of year to reflect on the things that matter most in my life. i have so much to be thankful for. and these are just some of those things.

Little Man's Birthday!

It's the "Little Man's" Birthday today!  He's 2!

Here are 5 reasons we love him!

1.  He is full of energy and is so much fun to be around.  Maybe it's because he's not our kid and we don't have any kids, but Gordon and I love to play whatever he's into at the time.  Right now it's "hides", Thomas the Train, and Toy Story.

2.  He is brilliant.  A genius really.  His memory is unbeatable.  Tell him something once, he'll remember it (even weeks later).  Show him something once, he knows it there and will ask for it later.  He has been talking in full sentences for awhile.  We can easily have a two way conversation with him.  He says 'please', 'thank you', and 'you're welcome' without being told.  He loves to have books read to him and point out every image and tell you what it is.  He knows our names (and has for some time) and we love it when he mimics us.  I have never known a toddler like him.  He's one of a kind.

3.  He is absolutely adorable.  Even when he does things he not suppose to do, he's just too cute!

4.  He's a sweetie.  He'll tell you he loves you and give you hugs.  And we don't need to trick him into it anymore by asking him to "lay your head on my shoulder" for a hug or snuggle.  He'll even run up to us in such excitement when he see us just to say hello.

5.  He makes us excited for our own kids.

Happy Birthday "H"!  We love you a lot!

Doggie Friday: bed head

proof that dogs can have bed head too.

every child's dream

we made our childhood dream come true. 
ice cream for dinner.  technically it was frozen yogurt but same concept: sweets for dinner!

hers & his

i can't say this won't happen again in the future...and i'm 100% okay if it does.  gotta have a little fun every now and again right.

Doggie Friday: lending a helping hand (or should we say paw)

she's not much of a helper, but i think she thinks she is.

or maybe she's just doing what she always does when you're on her level.  heaven forbid she actually sit on the ground.  and cold surfaces...forget about it.

lunch dates

i now get to do yoga during my lunch hour on mondays and wednesdays.  i love yoga. 

but my favorite lunch dates will always be with him:

i love trying new places with him.  even if he's not as excited as i am about food.

we recently tried Rovali's Ristorante Italiano and it was delicious (i got the chicken pesto sandwich & he got the meatball sandwich). 

 we'll be going back for dinner (and live music!) 

aint nothing like it

my sister and i have been broadening our thrifting horizons.  we've been going to consignment stores and antique shops.  we went to an antique show/sale this weekend.  it was fun and there were a lot of great items.  but they were expensive.  same for the items we've been finding at consignment and antique stores.

we always end up going back to one place...the d.i.

i can always find something i want and at a price i can't refuse.

i'm a girl that loves a bargain. 

and buying used items helps the environment.  bonus.

history was made.

even though you didn't win the championship game, you improved your football skills tremendously.  and you and your team made history for your school.  and that's something to be proud of.  good job, Sky.  you're fun to watch and i'm proud to be in the crowed cheering for you.  can't wait for the many years of football games to come...high school, college, NFL...

sunday dinner

chicken parmesan with whole wheat spaghetti noodles & steamed asparagus

in our whole married life (which is 3 1/2 years next month) i can count on one hand the amount of times i've cooked sunday dinner.  yesterday was one of those times. 

sunday dinner is a big deal.  for us it's usually the best meal of the week. 

i think i proved myself.

gordon said it was good.  really good.  he had seconds (the seconds we would have used as left overs for lunch today). 

i think we'll be okay when i have to cook sunday dinners in the future for our family.  i can say with complete confidence that we won't starve.  which is good to know.  cause when we first got married i think i would have told we would have.

Doggie Friday: there's no place like home

except for Grandma's house.  they never want to leave.  like they have it so bad at home.  please.

it could also be due to the fact that we recently started traveling with them in their kennels.  they use to love car rides.  now they can't wait to get where we're going so they're not caged up.  we did it for their safety (and ours).  they just don't understand that.

he's got one thing on his mind at all times

and it's not me.

okay it is me most of the time, but those thoughts also involve a land cruiser.