27 december 2010

The pretty, grey, rainy weather before this awful snowstorm hit :)

26 december 2010

I realized the day after Christmas that we hadn't taken a photograph of us with our Christmas tree. This is probably due to the fact that less than a week after we got it.. it was dead. It was our fault.. probably a deadly combination of not watering it, and stabbing it when we were trying to get it into the tree stand. I had to convince Nick not to throw it out, because I wanted an actual tree for Christmas :)


Regardless, when it was alive, it was the prettiest tree ever, and I loved it dearly.


And yes, we're wearing matching pajamas. Thank you grandma :)

25 december 2010

Earlier this year I attempted doing a 365 day project and made it about five months but then failed big time, so I'm making another go at it. I don't think I'm going to "officially" start until January 1, but I figured I'd give it a shot a little early.


Anyway, here are the Christmas photos I promised. Sadly, I didn't take any of the Savage side (too busy beating people at games, I suppose!), but here are some of the Thurman part of the day :) Enjoy!

Aren't those Bachman's total BABES in their Christmas hats? Yeah, I'm pretty sure...

highlights of Christmas

- sleeping in :)


- watching Nick open his presents & spend the rest of the day setting up his receiver


- getting a nerf gun in my stocking.. war ensued


- isaac in his spiderman costume ALL day (and all week, it sounds like...)


- playing hide & seek with squeaks and caleb


- lunch with the thurmans (my favorite chili EVER)


- admiring the "spray-on snow" ;) ahem...


- finally getting snow boots! thanks mom & dad :)


- playing the game of things with my family, and nick & i being amazed at the clever answers my brothers came up with


- mom's delicious dinner and my disaster of a cake (don't worry, it still tasted like heaven)


- talking to my brother!!!!! 4 months...


- mom & dad starting our disney movie collection :) thanks, guys!


- learning how to play hearts, and nick's newfound determination to beat my parents.


... yeah, 2010 has been a good year!


photos to come. 

merry christmas!

We are so lucky to have such awesome friends & family to spend the holidays with. We love you all and hope you have a wonderful Christmas!!


-Nick & Erica

Post-it Love

This is what made us happy today :)

day 15

Put your [Pandora] on shuffle and write down the first ten songs that play. (I don't have an iPod, so I improvised)...

Christmas Station:
1. Frosty the Snowman by Gene Autry
2. Sleigh Ride by Peter Nero and the Philly Pops
3. Winter Wonderland by Martina McBride
4. Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow by Michael Buble
5. Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms

Normal Station:
1. Blame it on the Girls by Mika
2. The Winner Is by Danna/Devotchka
3. We're Going to be Friends by The White Stripes
4. What I'm Looking For by Brendan Benson
5. History Lesson by Motion City Soundtrack (we just bought this [edited] cd)

Ta da! Music I'm listening to while working :)

Excited to go see MoTab/David Archuleta and then Tron tonight.. we'll be tired tomorrow at work, but it'll be SO worth it!

loving

Things I'm loving right now...

Thanks a lot, Erin... you got me hooked on Prison Break. I'm only on the fifth episode, but I LOVE it!

This is a weird one, I know... I eat this cereal dry, right out of the bag. I love it, it's addictive!

We're going to go to the midnight showing of this tomorrow night (after the MoTab with Richard & Kayla!) with a bunch of friends. I grew up with the first movie, sooooooo excited for this one!

And my waterbottle that I carry with me everywhere, especially now that I've been running more regularly. Camelbak makes THE best waterbottles ever.

Oh, and the other thing I'm loving is our Christmas cards we designed, but I can't show those yet. They're pretty cool looking. Nick sketched the idea and then I created it. Look at us go :)

temple square

I love the lights at Temple Square :) We got to go last week with the young men & young women in our ward. I'm really loving our ward, and love (slowly) getting to know everyone. We also happen to have one of the best bishops in the world. I love listening to him and being around him and watching him interact with the youth in our ward.

It was a really nice night. Last time we went, a couple of years ago with the Thurman fam, it was freeeeezing! This night was really nice, and we all had hot chocolate and doughnuts in the parking lot afterward.

We got to take some fun photos, though I wish I would have remembered to take one of the whole group.. there were lots of people there.

goals

So I've been wanting to lose all the "marriage" weight I gained for a while now. It's not as much about losing the weight as it is feeling like I'm in shape. I hate not fitting into the clothes I did before we got married. I hate getting winded doing stupid little things.

As a result, my AWESOME friend Erin & I are getting up every morning and going to the gym from 6 to 7 a.m. It's been so nice to feel that burn in my muscles, feel super awake and energetic, and realize that--even though I'm in terrible shape now--I'm becoming better.

I decided to set some "weight goals", if you will. I hope to lose it all by my birthday in May.. so far so good! Here are the goals Nick & I set.. I'm kind of excited :)

-5 lbs = book (I decided on a biography about President Monson)
-10 lbs = a disney movie :)
-15 lbs = Nick told me he'd take me on a date that HE plans (yeah, kind of a big deal) ;)
-20 lbs = a dress.. just a fun spring-ish dress. I've always wanted one, but never got one.

The OTHER cool thing that's going to happen in the spring is that Nick and I are going to CHOP our hair! Yup! Nick decided to grow his hair out all winter (not long, but shaggy) and then buzz it in April. He asked me to join him, so I'm going to donate to Locks of Love.. kind of excited and MAJORLY freaked out. I haven't cut my hair past my shoulders.. ever. I kind of love my thick, wavy, evil hair.

So yeah.. that's the story :)

day 14

photo of your family...

This is definitely a photograph of my family :) I love them. Like forever. And my big little brother gets home in 4 months!!! And I get to talk to him in 19 days. Just sayin'.

Love.

tangled

Can I just highly recommend that everyone in the world go see this movie? We LOVED it! (It was part of our Nick-got-a-super-cool-new-job celebration... Tangled and Gloria's Little Italy)

thanksgiving

thanksgiving with the thurmans = ...

fun table settings (with coooooool glasses)

"martian barf" ;)

homemade rolls (they were pretty tasty, if I do say so myself!)

charming Zekie (with scissors...)

beautiful, curly-haired lisa (who later curled my hair.. thanks, lisa!)

hiding Squeaks (this photo makes me laugh every time I look at it.. he kept hiding around the house and then screaming my name 'til I'd come and find him)

and one excited Caleb :D

Coolest. In-laws. Ever.

yayyyyyyyy!!!

Nick got the job!!! I'm not allowed to post it anywhere more "public" than this yet, because Nick needs to talk to his current boss about when he's leaving.. but really? HAPPIEST NEWS EVER!!

It's everything that his last company isn't. They'll help pay for school. They pay for his tools (yeah, his last company didn't even provide him with what he needed to do THEIR work). He's making more money, with immediate benefits (we had to wait for them last time) and raises every six months (something Derek promised but never followed through on). Heck, he even starts getting vacation time! In six months he'll get a week off (conveniently right around our 2 year anniversary, heh heh...). He gets to learn programming and not just install. Wheeee...

Buuuuut, yeah! We're both endlessly happy and this is GREAT news! Thanks for all of your prayers and good luck wishes and all that jazz :)

aphorisms to remember

I've had this on a little piece of paper for a long time, and thought I would post it. It's good to remind myself of these things sometimes...

Aphorisms to Remember
Neal A. Maxwell, "Jesus, The Perfect Mentor"

1. In times of darkness, remember there is a difference between passing local cloud cover and general darkness.

2. Signs, if they are not supported by the righteous life and the continued influence of the Holy Ghost, have a short shelf life.

3. Pure charity is most elegant when it is expressed personally and quietly and when it is not a ritual expression of an assignment.

4. Never mistake a fashionable tide for the sea itself. Though real and dangerous, the "gulf of misery" is not the entire ocean.

5. Firmly determine the direction in which you will face--toward the Lord--and then let the secular spinmeisters do their thing.

6. We cannot expect to live in a time when men's hearts will fail them except the faithful experience a few fibrillations themselves.

7. Though our view of eternity is reasonably clear, it is often our view of the next mile which may be obscured.

8. How can we expect to overcome the world if we are too insulated from its trials and challenges?

9. Adulation can be our ruination. (I had to look up the definition of "adulation", haha)

The talk itself is really great, and there is more to it than that, so I would recommend reading it. But there you go! G'night :)

pancakes

Cool husband? Yeah....

This was last Sunday, right before tithing settlement. Here's what's going on with us...

- Had two awesome Thanksgiving celebration with our two cool families :) We're really lucky to be so close to everyone!

- Did ALL our Christmas shopping online today (instead of standing in lines) and spent much less than we planned on.. always happy.

- Last night when we got home, Nick had me turn on Christmas music and he decorated our apartment with lights while I designed our Christmas card. Happiest. Night. Ever. :)

- Tomorrow we're going to chop down our Christmas tree! ta da!

day 13

[This "30 days of posts" was meant to be 30 days over the next few months, right? That's how I interpreted it...]

Day 13 is a letter to someone who has hurt you lately. I have two letters to share.

Dear Snow,

You are cold. And wet. And cold. And icy. You've hardly been on the ground, and already I have slipped on you and injured myself. I do not snowboard. I do not ski. I do not even build snowmen. You are good for nothing except sometimes a good excuse to stay indoors. Few people know how to drive in you. It is unsafe and unnerving. Please, melt forever.

Lovingly,
Erica

Dear Calories,

I hate you. You are the reason I've told my husband to kick my butt out of bed every morning to work out. Why must you come in delicious, bite-sized portions? Why must you taste rich and creamy and delicious? Why must you be here in such large quantities at this time of year? Why are you so easy to gain but so difficult to lose? I hate you.

Unlovingly,
Erica

thanks

Today was kind of a rough day, for a lot of reasons, and not just because it's Monday and we woke up to an inch of snow on the ground... yuck! Nick and I have both been having a tough time today, and while I was driving home today, I decided to tell my self everything I am thankful for. You know, since Thanksgiving is next week and all :)

I am thankful for my friends. At one point today, I had to ask a really good friend to do a favor for me. They dropped everything they were doing to  help me, and then thanked ME for letting them help. We have the best friends in the world.

I am thankful for my in-laws. All of them.. mom, dad, sisters, brother, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews.. yep! Last night I sat on the floor with Nick, Mom, Dad and Lisa and played a game, and laughed 'til I cried :) I totally scored, marrying into this crazy Thurman family.

I am thankful for MY family, who.. above all else.. gave me a wonderful sense of humor and a huge capacity to love. They're my best friends.

I am thankful for my job. To have a job. And, luckily, to work with awesome people and a boss who listens to Christmas music before Thanksgiving :)

I am thankful for food. I love to cook. It sounds silly, but when the day was crazy and stressful, I love to come home and have control in at least one aspect of my life. Though I probably need to stop so I can lose some weight!

I am thankful for my primary kids.. even though they bounce off the walls and drive me crazy. They teach me great things every Sunday, like telling me that they sing primary songs so that Jesus can hear them. He likes those songs the best.

I am thankful for prayer. That no matter what is going on, I can talk to Someone who knows what I'm going through better than anyone else. Someone who loves me more than I can possibly imagine.

I am thankful for vanilla candles. And a clean fridge. And discounted apple turnovers at Smith's. And socks. And business cards. And post-it notes. For little things.

I am thankful for a car that works, even if I had to dish out wayyy too much money that we don't have to fix it today.

I am thankful for photography. For the opportunity to meet new people, to capture who they are, to do what I love, to learn more about it.

And yes, in case you thought I forgot, I am grateful for my best friend. Who goes to work every single day, despite what an awful job it is, and works for our family. Who smiles for me. Who sacrifices his free time for me. Who holds my hand EVERYWHERE we go.. and not just because we're "newlyweds".. it was part of the fine print. Who likes crunchy peanutbutter... and cream cheese, but only on bagels. Who is at a homeless shelter right now, doing electrical work late at night in the cold. Who loves to be with me, more than anyone else.

Those are a few of the things I'm thankful for today, on a day I did not feel even a little bit like being thankful.

goodbye pumpkin friends

We had a fun time on Saturday shooting with Garn & Heidi. We had some pumpkins to get rid of.. what else are you gonna do with them?

Goodbye pumpkin friends.. you will be missed.

day 12

How we heard about blogger and why we started one?

I dunno, and.. I dunno. Because we're cool. And we wanted all you lucky people to be able to keep up with our lives since we're anti-social? :) Yeah.

day 11

Another photo of you with your friends...

.. because we're best friends. And cool. And really really ridiculously good looking.

day 10

Music we listen to when we're feeling... (we made up our own "emotions")

Nick...

Happy and wanting to get things done: Motion City Soundtrack
Feeling intense: Foo Fighters and Lost Prophets
Sad: EFY music and the Anastasia and Hercules soundtracks :)

Erica...

Happy and/or cleaning: Disney music :) Almost always. And the Ten Things I Hate About You soundtrack.
Mellow: August Rush soundtrack
Sad: Bad Day by Daniel Powter
Twitterpated: These songs
Driving: Books on tape. Okay, that's not music, but ya know..
Editing: Just discovered "Pandora".. an online radio of sorts. So, all kinds of music.

halloween

I know, I know.. I've pretty much failed at the "30 day challenge" thing. I will perservere, though! It'll just take me.. like three months.

Nick and I have never really done much for Halloween. We kind of dressed up once for half an hour for a work party. And this year we bought pumpkins. Never got around to carving them, but bought them. That's kind of a big step for us.

We did go to Gardner Village with Garn, Heidi and Maya, though. Someday I'll have my own children and stop posting only photos of Maya :) Until then... so it goes. It was a lot of fun, though. I'd never been there, and their decorations are really cute. So.. we kind of celebrated Halloween this year! I even made mummy-dogs.. look at us go!

Hope you all had a good Halloween :) Now onto Thanksgiving! I'm having a hard time restraining from listening to Christmas music (when Nick's not around.. he's more of a stickler). But I've decided I can dedicate a month or so to Thanskgiving before I go crazy with Christmas. Wish me luck!

day 9

"something you're proud of in the past few days..."

Me: "Nick, what are you proud of from the past few days?"
Nick: [clears throat]
"Let's see, what happened Monday? Monday... we... uh... I shot an mp5!.. which was a lifelong goal."
[starts mumbling about some project]
Me: "What else?"
Nick: "Umm.. what did we do Tuesday night? Oh I went to young men's..."
...
[discovered I was typing every word he said]
[laughed on the couch together :)]

haha. I like us.

What am I proud of this week? I started a new job.. THAT is a happy thing. I made Nick good dinners this week. I ran. I've edited (I still have four sessions left to edit.. ugh.. but still). Have three sessions for next week. Nick folded ALL our laundry. I did ALL our dishes. Mom Thurman made MoTab. We're proud of her, too. Ummmm.. yep, that's all folks! Back to editing :)

day 8

Goals for this month.

I'm talking to Nick on the phone right now, and I asked him what his goals are for this month. His reply...

1: "My first goal is to figure out the odds and ends of your Christmas present." (woo hoo!)
2: "Second is to pass my step test."
2.5: "And, besides watching a lot of Star Wars,..." (innnnnside joke)
3: "...my third goal is... to become more goal-oriented." haha.

Then Bruce (my favorite of Nick's co-workers) chimed in that his goal for Nick is for him to finish the second floor of the museum. This is me humoring Bruce :) There you go!

My goals for this month?

 1. Finish my editing (I have four sessions to edit, and lots more coming up).. (oh, and fun information.. just found out I accidentally delted several photos from a couple of recent sessions.. permanently. I cried. Yuck!)
2: Keep running. I've been running on our treadmill a few times a week, I need to keep it up.
3: Stay on top of the laundry and dishes. Right now I have three loads of clean laundry piled on the couch. How do two people go through so much laundry? Who knows...
4: Print my business cards! I just finished designing them, and they're ingenius :) I'm excited.

Over and out.

day 7

(I know, it's been a few days.. Thursday, Friday and Saturday we had photoshoots.. among other things. It was a busy weekend.)

A photo of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you...

I figured this one contained the most "impacts"... Nick. Our marriage. The temple. Being sealed for eternity. The gospel. Kissing (haha). Fields of grass...

Really, it makes me endlessly happy to know that I am sealed to my best friend. That no matter what happens, he is ALWAYS my husband. And that we are blessed to be a part of this gospel.. which already, in our short (almost) year and a half of marriage, has gotten us through SO much.

Over and out.

PS- Started the job today.. so far, so good!