11 of 2011

11 from 2011

1. I moved from St. George to San Diego the first weekend of the new year and lived in a hotel for 2 weeks.
2. I got an awesome job that I loved as a program director for a non profit organization called SAY San Diego.
3. Moved from the hotel/storage to an apartment in San Diego
4. Two months later I moved from that apartment, that I hated, to a new apartment closer to my job.
5. I turned 28 (yuck) and got to spend my birthday weekend in Arizona with my family (and my 2 year old niece Lucy that shares my birthday)
6. I drove back and forth from San Diego to Arizona 4 times this summer for baby shower, the birth of a new niece Lydia, baby blessing, and General conference weekend.
7. I was called to work as an Ordinance worker in the San Diego temple... AMAZING!
8. I got to serve as the young women's secretary for a quick stint before I moved... loved it!
9. I got laid off from that job at the end of October due to state budget cuts
10. I filed for divorce three weeks shy of our three year anniversary... big decision, big life changes
11. I moved from San Diego to Gilbert Arizona... best decision I've made in a while!

12 for 2012

1. Get a job... there has to be one out there that is perfect for me somewhere in the 115 that I've already applied for.
2. Move into a new home with a yard for Kobe and a washer/dryer inside... no more quarters EVER!
3. Attend the temple at least 2 times per month. The new Gilbert temple is being built 4 miles from our house!
4. Sign up for classes... I want to do a dance class and a cooking class of some kind
5. Attend at least 1 NBA game... Suns vs. Lakers or Mavs... so fun!
6. Take ONE great vacation trip... excluding family functions.
7. Get a more practical car... good bye SUV hello great gas mileage!
8. Breed Kobe... he needs a girlfriend in a BAD way... and I need some money please!
9. Have a good attitude... don't be negative unless I have a {good} reason (just being practical)
10. Plan an epic party or event! Theme it up!
11. Read one new book a month
12. Journal, blog, and scrapbook regularly... keepin up and catchin up

I want the season to LAST all year round!

I definitely think this year is one of my best Christmases ever.

Its just the best... this season. We didn't do anything super extravagant or amazing which is maybe why I just loved it. The whole month being with my mom and sisters enjoying shopping and decorating. We had some fun activities... Grinch Night, Ward Christmas party, Temple lights, Scrabble night, Bethlehem, Christmas choir concert, Christmas eve minute to win it... but really we just enjoyed being together.

The best best is being able to be together with ALL of my siblings. I hadn't seen my brother Scottee for OVER a year. Myself and three sisters went to pick him up at the airport and spend an afternoon together... just us 5 original Conner siblings... it was awesome and so special. 

Also my dad and his wife were able to drive down from St. George on Christmas night and spend a day or so with us. It was the first Christmas in a long time that I got to be with EVERY single member of my family in one day. I loved it! That's what Christmas is all about. Remembering our Savior and cherishing our blessings and our families. 

Such a special Christmas season that I will never forget!

Kobe went CRAZY for his stocking!

Christmas morning breakfast... a tree!

My niece Lucy getting spoiled like crazy... as usual

Melissa always gets Kailey crazy presents... hence the straw glasses

What a cute baby brother I have...so precious

PS crappy phone pics... is that all I took?

Project time!

You can't have the Holiday season without doing at least one homemade crafty thingy. 

I've been wanting to make Richard a T shirt quilt for a while. He always had this pile of T shirts that he didn't wear anymore but refused to get rid of. I told him years ago that I would make a quilt but I never got around to it.

When I was packing our things up before the big move, I found these shirts and decided that I would FINALLY make it happen and surprise him for Christmas.

I love it yay!

Thanks to my crafty mother, it didn't take too long. It took basically two or three afternoons, maybe 5 hours total. If you haven't made a T shirt quilt ever, I would highly suggest it. Its such a great way to keep those memories from high school activities, or concerts, or family reunions. Whatever things you have hanging around. Richard even had a pair of boxers he wanted to hang on to that I just sewed the material  into a square.

Such a great Christmas gift and a walk down memory lane. Plus its nice fleece on the back so it will be warm and hopefully last a long time!

Let me know if you want the instructions!

Baby it's Cold Outside!

Arizona had it's first cold day of the season last weekend. I kinda loved it cause it was just 50 degrees and overcast. Perfect winter weather if you ask me! {none of this snow and frozen stuff for me thank you}

It was the PERFECT day for a nice soup and hot drink.

Time for some WHITE CHICKEN CHILI!

The first time I made it I accidentally may have put diced jalapenos instead of chili's... don't make that mistake unless you want to burn your tongue off {sorry Chris!}

I got this recipe from my cousin Bria.

 It's DELICIOUS! and super simple. It doesn't take long to cook either which I love.

White Chicken Chili:

1 rotiserri chicken and pull it apart.
2 cans of great northern beans
2 small cans of diced green chili's
1 can of chicken broth
1 medium onion 
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregno
half tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
 
Simmer all that for 30 minutes then at the end add 1 cup of sour cream and a half cup of whipping cream, and serve right away!
 

Try it and let me know how it goes! And if you have any recipes for yummy stews or soups let me know!

'Tis the season!

Love at first sight!

Have you seen my niece Lydia?

Isn't she darling?

When she was born, I got to spend her first night in the hospital with her. It was important to me to be able to bond with her since I lived far away and wouldn't get to see her often.

I cherish those moments when I just held her and watched her sleep. Such a precious new spirit. 

I've been in love ever since. 

One of my favorite parts of being in Arizona is the opportunity to be around my nieces and watch them grow and get these quirky personalities. 

Even the puppies love the baby, they cant get enough!

And since I don't have much else going on in life... you're gonna hear a lot about them. I'm officially obsessed. 

Bargain Hunters

We all know that I've had an extensive retail career working on Black Friday {of death}. BUT I have never actually shopped the madness {mostly cause I thought those people we're crazy!}

This year I decided to join in on the fun. We were in St. George for Thanksgiving and since Target was opening at midnight it was thunk to be a wee bit easier than previous 4 a.m. experiences. They had a T.V that I wanted and some other good door buster deals {think Christmas presents!} so we got all pumped and prepared for a long night.

We headed off to Target around 7:30 p.m. It wasn't too cold yet and there were probably like 40 people ahead of us in line. Since Kailey had to work at Hollister at 4 a.m. she decided to pull an all-nighter and bring some friends along for entertainment.

Sitting in line wasn't all that bad. We made friends with our fellow line mates and banned together the last hour when people started showing up and trying to cut into that line. We got pretty rowdy there towards the end {SERIOUSLY people, don't think you can show up at midnight and get in on those deals we waited in line 4.5 hours for! RUDE!} Chris was the enforcer and got in some peoples face... that was the best part!

While I didn't get the TV that I wanted, we got some other great deals and were out of there by 1:45! Overall success! The things we do to save a few bucks... totally worth it!

We did go to Kohl's later that day around 3 p.m. and waited in line for over an hour... not worth it. But with Black Friday shopping and then Cyber Monday shopping, I can proudly say that I'm DONE with Christmas shopping! Yippee! Now I can just enjoy the Holiday, highly recommended.