Sunday, November 29, 2009

Thanksgiving at Home far from Home

Does that title make sense? To me it does, because I honestly feel that Texas is becoming my home. I know I know we haven't been here very long, but man Texas is really growing on Dan and I. We really like it here! I must say that I am a bit surprised to say I like somewhere else other than Rexburg, but its true.
So this past week with Thanksgiving, well except for my dear Canadian friends and family who read my blog, to them it was just an ordinary day, but for you other readers it was a time to be together with family, and friends and say exactly what you were thankful for without sounding cheesy or foolish. Its a wonderful tradition which I love. But as we all know 2009 hasn't been a very ordinary year for Dan and I and of course Thanksgiving wasn't the exception. MY FIRST THANKSGIVING AWAY FROM HOME! To be truthfully honest I was completely dreading it. I hated knowing that my family was going to home on Thanksgiving doing the Mendenhall traditions like watching the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade while my dad has on this 1990's green apron chopping something. my mom preparing her amazing rolls and putting in the turkey. I could almost smell the sent of my house and the hustle and bustle to get everything done. It wouldn't be thanksgiving without all that happening at my house. So I was, I completely was dreading this holiday!
Thanksgiving day came, and I had an amazing day! It started basically at 8:00 am when Dan got up to go play some football with some friends. Of course there has to be a turkey bowl! I got up with him and started to prepare some of the dishes I was making for Thanksgiving dinner. I watched the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade, and had on a green apron. I guess some traditions never die. Dan got home, and we headed over to our friends home. All I can say is Thank goodness for amazing friends because I know it would have been a weird holiday without them! We finished making Thanksgiving dinner, scooped out the good sales for black Friday, and sat down for a delicious Thanksgiving dinner. My friend Lauren definitely knows what she is doing in the kitchen, she is such a good cook! We sat down at the dinner table and ate, ate, and ate! It was so good! We cleaned up and headed to the movies. We left the movies going our separate directions just to meet back up in 5 hours for the Black Friday Sales.
Yep thats right, Rob and Lauren went to go get in line at Sears at 3 a.m. while Dan and I held the line at Radio Shack! Rob and Lauren met up with us in line, and we started our shopping. We got some amazing deals! Holy smokes it was so much fun. My adrenaline was pumping like a mad women. It was great! we all got what we went for and walked away feeling exhausted but satisfied. The four of us had an early breakfast and then it was time to go back to bed! It felt so good to crawl back into after waking up at 3! Later that night we went back over to Rob and Lauren's for left overs and to watch a movie on their new flat screen and surround sound system. They hit some good sales for that. I am a firm believer that if you take those ad's and make a plan then you will get a good deal!
All in all it was a good thanksgiving. I can tell you that this will be a Thanksgiving that I will never forget. I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving, and are getting ready for a very Merry Christmas! Here are some pictures. We didn't get a lot but a few!

Ha ha Lauren probably right in the middle of saying something

Yep, Dan just hanging out

Lauren and I finishing up Dinner

Lauren's beautiful Turkey!

Rob was very proud of his electric carving knife, He did a great job carving the turkey

The Boys doing the dishes

Me planning out the next days shopping route, and in the store plans!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

AmaZiNg!!!

Words cannot express the excitement, the fun, and the laughter that my three sisters, sister-in-law, my mom, and I shared through our Journey in NEW YORK CITY.
This trip meant so much to me because I was able to see my family! I won't be going home for Thanksgiving this year, and its harder then I thought, but knowing that I just had the most amazing experience with my mom and sisters helps me get through. I honestly can't say the next time I am going to see my family, hopefully soon, but New York definetly was AWESOME. I love my family, and love being apart of it. I Love how close my family is, and how all my sisters and mom are my best friends, besides dan of course ha ha. Anyways I made this video to capture the basics of our trip, but if you don't want to watch it you can just look at some of the pictures I posted.
ENJOY! oh if you watch this video, make sure to turn off my blog music down at the bottom! also if you want to watch it bigger double click on the screen!
Street Market! Us chowing down on some watermelon

All of us girl eating at the Shake Shack, Best hamburgers ever!

Brooke an I on a chilly New York Night

Smiling for the Camera

Eating Lunch at Central Park before we hit the streets

Waiting for the Subway

Me and my mom at the statue of Liberty

OUR LIMO RIDE TO MEGS APARTMENT

After the Yankee Parade, Yankee's just won world series

Of course megan showing canal street who is boss

All of us at the Statue of Liberty

So happy to be in new york!

Here is how we slept every night, it actually worked out pretty well

all us girls at the airport


Sunday, November 1, 2009

Surprised Anniversary

Now I am about to brag about the best husband in the world!
Dan and I are about to celebrate our 2 year anniversary on the 10th of November and really I wasn't expecting much this year, simply because it falls on a Tuesday which is hard for Dan to get away with School, and I will be in New York that week so really I was thinking dinner Tuesday night when I got home, and Dan got done with school, Do a little kissy kissy and call it a night. Really I had no problem with this. But Dan had a different idea.
Dan told me to be home by home 2 on Saturday, ya I had to go in to work for a while, but thats not the point. The point is he told me to pack some classy clothes for the evening and comfy clothes for the next day. I threw an over night bag together and got in the car. We headed North for Dallas, we pull into the City about 3:30 and drove into the hotel... Remember Dan planned all this. We were staying at the Adolphus Hotel right in the heart of the city. The rooms were beautiful. We did some stuff and I was told to start getting ready. about 6:00 I had my high heals on, my pearls around my neck and a huge smile on my face with the excitement of the night.
We strolled down the city, and I was honestly expecting to be heading to like an Olive Garden or some place like that, I do admit that Dan and I aren't the richest students out there, so going out to eat is a huge treat for us, but this was beyond expectations. We head into a restaurant called "craft". Owned by Tom Colicchio. Now the reason why this was the most greatest place to be and so thoughtful, is this restaurant you have to make reservations like 2 weeks in advance, and because I am a huge fan of TOP CHEF, It literally is my favorite show and Tom is the Head judge of the show, also a well known and respected chef. Dan knew I have always wanted to eat at one of his restaurants and here we were walking in to this place being treated like royalty.
This place, I cannot even put into words, was immaculate. The waiter's were so on top of things that we didn't even realize when our plates were being switched. I admit that half the things on the menu I had no clue what they were, but I didn't care I mean I was in Tom Colicchio's restaurant. We spent the next 2 hours eating, and eating and eating. I can honestly say it was the best food I have ever eaten in my entire life. Chef's like that really know how to treat food. I mean nothing needed salt, dipping sauces, vinegar, everything was an explosion of taste. I really can't explain it except that unbelievable. we received complimentary dishes for it being our anniversary which was a nice little surprise The bill came and I couldn't even look. ha ha I won't even say how much it was but know that we probably won't be eating a meal like that for a long, long while. after we ate, Dan took me to a movie theater to watch a little haunted film. I mean it was Halloween after all so he thought we would do something a little spooky. We went back to our Hotel..... Woke up had a great breakfast, and it was time to leave our little fantasy life, and back to our apartment.
Sorry I know that this was a lot of detail for a restaurant, but it meant so much to me that Dan would do something so great for me, and I was so excited. He works so hard, and is one of the smartest people I know, and I am not just saying that because I am married to him. He is brilliant and he is going to do great things in his life. I love Dan with all of my heart. Happy 2nd Anniversary Sweetheart!

Right outside of the restaurant

Inside at our table. We had our own little private setting, it was great!