This is the first Christmas ever that I have not been with family which was really hard, we miss everyone so much. I'm glad that we at least got to spend Christmas with each other, its sad to think Branden will not be here next Christmas though. We also are greatful for all of the friends we have met up here that we got to spend the holidays with, I don't know what we would do with out them! They are like family now!
Here we are on Christmas Eve playing Zarahemla as usual! I'm telling you this game is addicting! We have so much fun hanging out with Ryan, Dawn and Britton. Especially when we can get the boys away from the X Box! They are addicted to that too!
This Christmas Branden got a bunch of video games so he won't be bored in Afghanistan along with some of his favorites such as easy cheese, sunflower seeds, coke, and sour patch kids, and a photo album with pistures of us and family to take with him, and I got a bunch of random things like a piano book, cd, bini, pj's, a blender, and etc, (please ignore how nasty I look in these pics, I clearly was not ready for the day) and we got a bunch of board games which is our new favorite thing to do since we can't go outside really. Branden was so excited to get the board game Zarahemla, which we have been playing non-stop with the Davis' since we met them! He also made me breakfast, pancakes and orange julius... my favorite! He's so good to me!
Christmas Morning!
Branden's friend Pete and his girfriend Kristen stayed with us for a few weeks during the holidays which made it a lot less lonely! She flew in from Georgia to visit Pete before he deploys, we wish she could have stayed it was fun having her here! There was never a dull moment with Pete around either... as you can tell!
This year for Christmas we all decided that we did not want to cook so we went to the chow hall for lunch/dinner which was actually pretty good! We might make it a tradition! No cooking or clean up! We spent the rest of the day playing games with everyone.
My visiting teacher gave us tickets to an Alaska Aces hockey game which her husband got free from his work so our friends The Davis' bought tickets and came along with us. The seats were pretty good, but the fights were the best! They lost but it was still fun, even though we were all completly numb walking to and from the car.
Alaska and I have a love hate relationship so far... I love how beautiful it is here, but -24 degrees just hurts... and it freezes your nose hair and lungs when you breathe!
So, Branden got a small raise and that is how he justified buying this.....
Which now takes up the other half of our garage. He loves Double Shot.... and so do the missionaries!
Happy New Year Everyone!
