Halloween 2012

This year we didn't do anything on Halloween but we did get to go to Excelsior's annual movie drive in/ trunk or treat. It was a blast! I got to prance around with my other K teacher friend Carley and we galavanted around while Brandon handed out candy. Brandon and I wanted to dress up this year and decided we'd be Mary Poppins and Burt. Putting it all together was a blast! We ended up getting the whole costumes (both together) for $2.50! His scarf (a DI table runner was $1 and my had was $1 and the stick was .50!) We love to be thrifty! We thought we were pretty cute. A huge improvement from us being sheet greeks last year!

October 2012

This October we had our UEA weekend and we decided to go to Arches. It was AWESOME! I absolutely loved everything we saw. It was so amazing. We hiked up past landscape arch across the backbones of some giant rocks and it was so calm and serene up there. It gave me a glimpse of just how small we really are but how much our Heavenly Father loves us. We were surrounded by things that were created for us and it was so amazing. Our camping part of the trip kind of sucked though. We got there around 6:40 and it took us till 10 to find a campsite. It was awful! But thankfully we found a place with FREE hot showers and flushing toilets. It was an crummy RV place but only $15 a night. Besides that is was awesome. Truly one of our best camping trips.

Balanced Rock

Another angle of balanced rock

Fitting into every nook and cranny.

I'm getting stronger!

Double Arch

North & South Windows

Delicate Arch

Spring Break 2012

For Spring Break we decided to head to CA. Brandon's brother Jordan just got back from his mission, Lauren had their first baby and Ryan and Alyssa are expecting there first. And we wanted to see some new scenery. It was tons of fun! Beautiful weather and lots of fun things to do. We saw family, had easter, saw San Francisco and lots of other stuff.

Coit Tower

The Golden Gate Bridge

Ghiradelli Square

Golden Gate St. Park

We found a cool mini hike to a cool view. Brandon had to step on it. 

China Town

Knight's Ferry

We also saw Columbia, an old mining town. It was really cool. We drank sarsaparilla, ate some ice cream and candy and got to play with a really cool old wooden bowling set and see an awesome old school house. Thanks for having us Dye family. We had a blast and took a much needed break!

Update on the weight loss. I don't know what I currently weigh but some of my measurements put me at smaller than when I was 16!!!! I feel so great!

Random Updates

So...we've been switching memory cards lately and I found some old pictures I thought I'd update on. 

November 2011. My 22nd Birthday 

?January Brandon has "OFFICIALLY" graduated. Received his diploma in the mail. :)

February 14th Teacher Appreciation Day. I was thoroughly spoiled by my AMAZING parents. What an awesome surprise!

V-day at home. I made the hearts with B that we put in the window. LOVE Pinterest!

Our DELICIOUS pot roast. Way to go B!

Last Tuesday B got tickets to a Jazz game. We got to go together for free! So awesome! Who knew the bear could be on stilts and play golf and be a human bowling ball. It was fun. We're also riding in our new car. We bought an '04 Toyota Corolla a couple weeks ago. Let's just say it fell into our laps and ended up being the perfect timing to get rid of my nightmare of a Civic. Not to mention it's only got 69xxx on it and is practically new. With a sunroof! Awesome! We now officially own and share both cars. 

The only piece of WA I manage to have left is my cell number....I just got my Utah license after being pulled over for "not moving over for an emergency vehicle" aka a cop had someone pulled over. Ugh it was stupid. No ticket though! My last official day of Kindergarten in May 19th! Ahhhh what will I do without my babies all summer! Love each and everyone of them to death. I LOVE my job!

They played the Detroit pistons and we won. It was a close game. Very exciting!

Update on my weightloss. Not that it's been a huge deal. Some genius girls at work decided to have a biggest loser competition...not that I ever win. And also decided to do a workout program after school. We combine the P.I.N.K Methond...LOVE IT! P90X and Supreme 90...I think that's the name. I've lost just under 10 pounds...I think...I didn't know what my weigh in started at because I wanted to be surprised. But I'm now down to 144.4 as of Friday!!! So excited! Less than 10 lbs to go! I'm feeling great and stronger than ever. My clothes all fit again and some loose and I finally feel like me. One thing I've learned in these programs is to love yourself where you're at right now because each woman is beautiful, capable and strong right where she's at. 

All in all. We're doing good. Loving our jobs...still not crazy about Utah but plan on visiting CA in a couple weeks and WA this summer. Weather is warming up so we're happy! Just wish we had our Rexburg garden!

Christmas 2011

This year was my turn for Christmas. (YES!)  Brandon had to work so I left right after the Christmas Concert on Sunday Dec. 18th with Hillary and Karla for home. Brandon flew in on the 23rd so that's why I have no pictures of him till then. We had a great Christmas. Nothing is better than enjoying the holiday's with those you love most and getting to be home. Washington gets more and more beautiful! And so does my awesome family! We even got to visit Colville for New Years (even though there was no snow for the FIRST time ever). This year was new again though because I have now experienced Christmas at Brandon's house and part of me did miss his family too! Merry Christmas everyone! Thank you to my family for having us! We love and miss all of you!

Ice Skating: My sisters and mom dragged me ice skating....I fell really hard when I was in elementary school and have had this irrational fear of it since then. My exact words as I was lacing up to my mom were..."I'd rather pick up five year old's puke than do this." The Maughan family came with us and brought their little Emma for her first time. I started out hanging onto the wall for dear life. Then Tylor came over and was amazing enough to help me around. By the end I was doing really well and do I dare say? I actually LOVED IT! We had a blast! Thank you Tylor for stepping in when my hubby wasn't able to be there!

Hanna and Hillary

The Fabulous Hillary

My gorgeous Mom!

Hillary and Corey

Christmas Eve: For days my dad had been raving about King high tides and Brandon had been wanting to go fishing. So my dad took B out in his boat and they went fishing together that day. It was getting late and I called Brandon to see if they got anything. He said no. Then to our surprise (though I've been married to him long enough now I should know not to be so surprised!) Dad and Brandon brought up a huge King salmon and crabs to the back porch. They had a GREAT day. We even had crab and salmon with our ham for Christmas dinner. That's a first too. 

Catches of the day

The crab

Decorating sugar cookies

Hanna...didn't feel like smiling

We even had the Maughan's dog Tucker while they were in Utah.

A 1st for my family: decorating paper plates like B's family does

Our matching pj's

They boys and their matching pj's

The girls

Dad loving his girls

The please don't take my picture face

Christmas

At the tree before church

Taking the sheet off

Then we went to church... sacrament at 9AM

For absolute best faces in pictures always grab your sister's behind...

I think she still loves me...

Family picture

Mom and Dad

Sisters

Brandon made a cute bow that Megan (old roomate) taught him to make. How sweet!

All my presents

Brandon finishing his unwrapping

My AWESOME nativity! I love it!

Hanna, Mom and Dad

City Grandpa and Grandma got to spend the day with us. 

Hanna and her presents

Hillary and her presents

Mom opening her presents

Dinner!

Enjoying crab, salmon and ham

Brandon and I got all the kids Nerf guns for Christmas...purse sized ones. We were shooting each other for days. Notice the bulge in Hanna and my back pockets? haha

Gum Wall:

Brandon's family does "Make a memory" for us when we're not at his house for Christmas. We tried to eat in the Space Needle but didn't know you had to have reservations so we bought a really cool metal Space Needle for our living room and went around Pike's for a while. It was definitely an adventure. I almost ran over a ton of pedestrians because I didn't see a light...good thing we have Utah plates to blame that on! lol We also managed to FINALLY find the gum wall...but they were doing constructions so excuse the fence. 

Happy Holidays! Love,

Brandon and Gayle Dye