Hannah Montana: Live In Concert!

If you thought the tea party pictures were cute, check these out. Courtney got a Hannah Montana stage for Christmas. It's a pop up tent that has lights on the top and plays either Hannah Montana songs or you can plug your ipod into it and play music from your ipod. Courtney and Aurora decided to put on a Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus concert for us (Courtney was Miley and Aurora was Hannah). Of course Taylor couldn't let the girls have all the fun. He jumped right in there with them and started to dance on the stage. Sometimes I seriously can't wait to have kids. I'll probably spend my life laughing and enjoying what a wonderful father Taylor will be.

Merry Christmas

Christmas this year turned out to be just fine. I was a little worried that every one's poor attitudes about Christmas this year would make the day un-enjoyable but, it turned out to be every thing that I love about the holidays. We started our morning opening gifts with Taylor's parents. This year being in a new house and having Cooper gone did make things a little different but it was nice to just be together.

After that we went to my mom's house to open our gifts with Nolan and my mom. I was really excited to give my mom her gift this year. We had surprised her and my dad and gone and gotten some family pictures taken. We haven't had any family pictures taken since I was like 19 so we were way over due. It was priceless to see my mom open the picture. She was so excited and touched that she cried. It was everything that I could have hoped for.

Next it was off to my dad's house to open gifts with him and his wife Kelly. Kelly's parents were in town from St. George and it was really nice to get to see them. We really love Kelly and her parents. They are just the sweetest people. We got to hang out with my dad for a few hours before we had to rush off to Aunt Michelle's to hang out with my mom's family. I think that the best gift that I got this year came from my grandma. When I was younger my grandma had made me a blanket with little dolls on it. Each doll had a dress made out of different material. The special thing was that each material was from something that she had made for me. Either a dress or a blanket or a Halloween costume. It was just a blanket full of fabric memories and I used that blanket until it fell apart. My wonderful grandma took that old blanket and took apart all of the dolls that she could salvage and went through all her scrap fabric that she had and she made me a whole new doll blanket. It was so amazing. It looks just like it did before it fell apart.

After that we headed down to Lehi to Taylor's aunt and uncles house to do some gift exchanges with them. We got caught in a crazy snow storm on the way home. The point of the mountain was a complete white out and it was so scary. The best part of the day had to be coming home and being able to spend the rest of the day with my wonderful hubby, just the two of us!! It was a crazy day as always but, it couldn't have been better. I was a little bummed that we really didn't take any pics this year :(

Shoveling Snow

Shoveling snow is a crock. Taylor's parent's live in a community where they have an HOA. This HOA is suppose to cover snow removal yet today I found myself out there shoveling the drive way. I'm too chunky and top heavy to be doing that crap. I think I threw out my back!! I'm moving to Phoenix!

Christmas Bummer

I don't know if it's the poor economy or what but, no one seems to be excited for Christmas this year. I LOVE Christmas and every one's poor attitudes towards it this year are totally bumming me out. I'm getting to the point where I wonder if I'll even enjoy it this year. To me it's about so much more then giving and getting gifts but I guess it's not that way for everyone else. Everyone I know is grouchy that they won't be able to give as many gifts to people this year. I just want to enjoy my holiday with my family and not be worried about money. I guess we'll see how it goes next week. Hopefully the spirit of the day will lift every one's spirits.

Family Pics

We had some family pics taken at the Healing Field before Cooper left on his mission and I just got them from my dad. Huge thanks to my dad for taking these pictures for us.

Thankful

I know that I'm a little late on my Thanksgiving post but I wanted to post some pics of my crazy family. I really feel so blessed to come from such a small family. We are so close to each other and it makes for some pretty fun, and crazy times. These pics were all taken on Thanksgiving and are the first pics of everyone in the family in a long time.

Shortest to Tallest:

Grandma, Jess, Mom, Laura, Kelsey, Thomas, Michelle, Matt, Dillon

3 Generations:

Grandma, Mom, Me

Me & Aunt Michelle

Mom & Matt

Laura & Thomas

Laurie's The Best

I get sooo many compliments on my hair that I decided that it was time to make a post to give credit to my good friend Laurie. Not only does she take time away from her 3 adorable boys to make my hair look awesome but she is also an amazing friend. So thanks Laur for everything. You are the best!

A House Divided

It's that time of year again. Time for the BYU vs. Utah game. When it comes to our house we are a house divided. I'm a Utah fan and my poor husband is a BYU fan. This year the game happened to fall on the same night as Taylor's employee appreciation banquet for his work. Since his company did such poor planning when it came to choosing what night the banquet would be on, the decided to have a big tail gate party. They had the banquet at the Salt Palace and had all the food that you would expect to have at a tail gate. They gave out prizes every time the teams scored points and everyone got a t-shirt for the team of their choice. We didn't get any prizes and Taylor left a bit bummed that his team lost but all in all it was a really fun night. One good thing did come from the Utah win for Taylor. The Riley fam may be heading to the bowl game depending on where Utah goes. We could use a family vacation. GO UTES!!!

I Just Couldn't Wait Any Longer

I normally put my Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving and take it down on New Years day but this year I just couldn't wait any longer. I love putting up my tree and I just think that there is nothing better than watching a movie with just the glow of the Christmas tree on in the room. Maybe I was so anxious to put it up this year because I didn't get to last year but yesterday was the day it went up. Taylor spent a long time putting the lights on for me and has the battle wounds on this arms and hands to show for it. He wants a pre-lit tree but I just can't part with mine. It's the perfect shape. I do my tree in all Disney ornaments. Every year I get a few more to add to my collection. This year I got some Nemo ornaments, a Wall-E ornament and a Captain Hook ornament and they are sooo cute. So Happy Holiday's everyone!!! It's Christmas time!! Yippy!!

It's All Over

It's officially over. Taylor's football season has come to an end. Saturday morning we went up to Park City where his team was going to play Olympus in the first round of the playoffs. They ended up losing their game which ended their season. After the game I was talking with Brandon's wife Kendra when we turned around and saw this. Two grown men watching the next game looking like world had just come to an end. It was too precious not to get picture of. Though this is good-bye to a great season we know that there will be another one next year. Great job Huskies!

Playoff Bound!!

Coach Riley and Coach Plant

Today was the last regular season game for Taylor's team. They played Taylorsville and it was a huge game. If they lost this game then the season was over but a win would take them to the playoffs. They ended up winning their game and are headed to Park City next Saturday to take on Olympus in the first round of the playoffs. I'm so proud of Taylor and Brandon and what they have done for this team. They took a team who didn't win one game last year and now they are going to the playoffs. This is really a big thing. Some of these kids didn't even want to come back and play this year because last year was so bad. Now they love playing. These kids really worked hard this year to get where they are and deserve to be on a winning team. Here's to hoping they do well in the playoffs!! They have some pretty tough teams to face. Go Huskies!!!

Punkin Carving

This time of year is my favorite time of year. I love the fall. When the air starts to get crisp and the leaves start to fall of the trees. When the air smells like dead leaves and you have to start wearing a jacket when you leave the house. There's nothing better. One of my favorite things to do as a family activity is carve pumpkins.I love to carve them but I HATE gutting them. Last year I even got a fake pumpkin so that I could carve one without gutting it. Last night when I came home from work I found two pumpkins already gutted sitting on the counter ready for me and Taylor to carve when he got home from football. What a sweet guy! This year we decided not to use any templates and just do some good ol' fashion faces on our pumpkins. The short squatty one is mine and the taller one is Taylor's. I think they turned out pretty good.

First Snow Of The Year

I'm not one to love winter but I do love the first snow of the year. It's just so nice to stay home in your sweats, curl up with a blanket, eat some homemade soup and watch movies. Good thing this first snow fell on a Sunday so I was able to stay in and enjoy it.

Halloween Humiliation

I know that some may think that this is a type of torment but, I just think it's too cute. Every year for Halloween we dress Moxley up. The first year we had her she was a ladybug, last year a witch and this year she is a chicken. I couldn't help myself when we saw this costume. I knew we just had to get it. When we put it on Moxley we all started laughing cause she looked so funny but cute. She doesn't like it so much but she's always a good sport when I dress her up.

Called To Serve

Wednesday was a bittersweet day in the Riley house. We took Cooper to the MTC so that he could head out to serve his mission. It was a very emotional time but we all know that it is for the best. I told Cooper when I hugged him goodbye that I am by no means a religious person however, I do understand the importance of a mission. I told him to use the time to not only grow spiritually but also to grow as a person and in his independence. I know that Cooper will be a great missionary. He is such a loving and caring person and he has such a big heart. He gives 100% to everything that he does and will serve the people of Missouri and Kansas well. In just the two days that he's been gone it's been a weird adjustment. We sure miss him a lot considering he wasn't home very much. I miss seeing his contagious smile. Let's hope Coop's two years fly by a lot faster than Taylor's did ;)

Good Advice From An Unlikely Place

If you have read my blog recently then you know about my little mid life crisis I'm currently in. I had tons of good advice from some really great friends but was still feeling down. Well today I was watching a movie "Dan In Real Life" and the end of the movie really caught my attention. At the end of the movie Steve Carell's character talks about life plans. He says that our entire lives we are asked what our plans are for our future. So much expectation is put in to these plans that rarely come out the way that we want them to. So rather then asking ourselves and others what our plans are for our lives maybe we should tell ourselves to plan on being surprised. That's really the only thing that we can count on. I don't know what it was about that but it's like it all of a sudden just clicked. It's not just our expectations that we have for ourselves but the expectations that others have for us that can be overwhelming. When those expectations and life plans go astray, we become frustrated. So I'm going to try really hard to just plan on being surprised and embrace what life has given me from now on. Different isn't always bad it's just that, different.

Anyone For Tea?

Every conference Sunday we go to Taylor's aunt's house after the first session. We have a nice brunch with the family and then watch the second session together. (Not really my thing but it's nice to spend time with the family) Today after we had been there for a while I noticed that my husband was no where to be found. I went downstairs and this is what I found. Taylor was decked out in leis and boas having a tea party with the 3 little girls, Courtney, Aurora, and Kennedy. We may not have kids for a while but I take so much comfort in knowing that when we finally do have kids, I have things like this to look forward to. Is this not the cutest thing ever? Taylor is an amazing husband and I know that someday he will be a wonderful father to our children.

You Are My Sunshine

Moxley loves the sun and will find any spot in the house where the sun is shining in to take a nap. I like to call her my little sunshine baby. She's just too sweet. She has ended up being way more fun and loving then Taylor or I could have ever imagined. It's funny how something as silly as a dog can bring so much love into a home.

Mid Life Crisis In My Mid Twenties!

Lately I've been pretty down and I think that I may have figured out why. The reason that people have a mid life crisis is because they realize that they are not where they wanted to be in their life at whatever point they have the crisis. I think I've hit mine in my mid twenties. I know that I am by no means "old" but I am really struggling with where I am in my life. It's not just that I'm struggling with where I am now but where my life is going. I saw myself done having kids by the time I turned 30. Now I don't know that I'll have any at all much less be done by the time I'm 30. I saw Taylor and I living in a beautiful big house when we finally move out of his parents. Now we will probably end up with a starter home smaller than our first home. I look at my life and one by one as the things that I wanted for my life fade away or get put on hold, I can't help but wonder where things went wrong. I've been trying to tell myself that things haven't gone wrong and that life has just taken me in another direction. Deep down I really feel as though somewhere along the line I stopped living my life for me and started living it for everyone around me. What happened to Jess? Independent, strong willed Jess? Then I think that maybe I'm just not be compromising in my marriage. But these things that I want are not just for me. I want them for my family. This post was not intended to get sympathy from my readers but rather some advice. How do I overcome these feelings? What can I do to make myself realize that life will work everything out? Why do I have to have these things? Why can't I just be satisfied with the fact the I am married to a wonderful man who I love with all of my heart? I know that this will pass but for now I'm feeling consumed by the depression that is eating at me everyday.

High School Tag!

I was tagged by my friend Laurie and thought that this one looked like fun so here it goes. Krystal you should have most of the same memories! Ha ha

1. Did you date someone from your high school? Not only did I date someone from high school but I ended up marrying him too

2. What kind of car did you drive? I didn't have a car until after a graduated.

3. Did you pass your drivers license test on the first try? Of course. I wanted to drive sooo bad.

4. Were you a party animal? We liked to call them shindigs but yes I was.

5. Were you considered a flirt? No, I was really shy in high school.

6. Were you in band, orchestra or choir? Nope. No talent here.

7. Were you a nerd? I don't think that I was a nerd but I definitely wasn't popular by any means.

8. Were you on any varsity teams? Nope. Again no talent here.

9. Did you get suspended/expelled? No way. I was always afraid of getting in to trouble when I was younger.

10. Can you sing the fight song? Who doesn't know the Jordan school song? I think that I knew it before I even went there.

11. Who were your favorite teachers? I liked Mrs. Thomas. She was my marketing teacher and the DECA advisor. She let us goof off in her class all the time.

12. Where did you eat during lunch. Usually in the lunch room or out in the commons.

13. What is your schools full name? Jordan High School

14. School mascot and colors? Digger Dan, Maroon and Grey

15. Did you go to homecoming and with who? I went with Taylor my Junior year.

16. If you could go back would you do it again? No Way! Being a teenager once was plenty.

17. What do you remember most about graduation? Feeling like I was officially going to have to grow up and be an adult. Crappy!

18. Were you in any clubs? DECA

19. Where did you go on your senior skip day? Did we have one of those? I was probably the only kid in class that day!

20. Have you gained some weight since then? Some? I've probably gained the weight of a child since then. I'm an entire half a person more! Yikes!

21. Who was your prom date? Taylor

22. Are you planning on going to your ten year reunion? Probably not. Anyone that I want to still talk to I do.

23. Did you have a job while in high school? My first job was as a hostess at Ruby Tuesdays. Then when I decided that sucked I worked at a Hallmark store.

I pass this tag on to anyone who wants to do it!!

A Scary Preview!

On my last post my friend Liz commented that she couldn't wait to see how cute me and Taylor's babies will be. I decided to get a little preview and went to this website called makemebabies.com. It takes a picture of you and your spouse and combines them to show you what your kids will look like. YIKES!!! If my kids looked like this I would cry. It almost makes me want to never try! Ha ha! Let's hope the real thing turns out much cuter.

Huskies Beat The Braves

This morning I got up bright and early and Taylor and I headed up to Bountiful for this teams football game. At first I thought that I would feel a little weird going to the games since I don't have any kids but, I ended up having a really good time. I had so much fun watching Taylor coach. You can tell that he really does love doing it. It was also the first time that I got to see Taylor coach the youngest kids and see them play. It's so cute to see these little kids play. Their helmets are so big you expect the poor kids to just fall over head first. They ended up beating the Bountiful Braves 20-7! It really makes me hope that Taylor and I are able to have a son so that he can share this with his own kids.

At Least Someone Enjoys Doing The Laundry

These pictures aren't very good and don't even come close to showing how funny this really is. I was a little to late getting my camera. My dog is a little strange and she LOVES dryer sheets. Whenever I do the laundry, Moxley will take the dryer sheets out of the holes in the basket. Then she rubs her face on them, throws them in the air, and has a great time playing. A little odd but it really is sooo cute to watch. It's like puppy catnip.