Christmas in Utah

This year, Ricky and I had our first Christmas together in Utah! When we first got married, we were in Utah for the wedding and reception on December 19th, right before Christmas, and then we headed to San Diego for the honeymoon, Christmas with Ricky's family, and a San Diego reception. The next year, we had Christmas with Ricky's family in San Diego again because his grandparents were moving and it would be the very last Christmas with them in their Van Nuys home. We wanted to be there for that. But this year, we finally got to have Christmas with my family! It was a wonderful trip! I want to share the few pictures that I did take and document what we did!

On Thursday, our first full day there, I went shopping with my mom and sister. We finished Christmas shopping and we got some groceries. Brittany and I made dinner, white chicken lasagna soup, a recipe I've been wanting to try for awhile! Then Brian, Brittany, Ricky, and I met Lisa and Travis at the Hogle Zoo for zoo lights! It was fun! There were lots of fun lights, and we got to see some animals that are more active in the night. Although I didn't get a picture, the polar bears were my favorite. They were running around and being so fun! I have never seen them so active! I think they were enjoying the weather!

They had a light of the lion drinking fountain!!!

After the zoo, my family went to Christmas in Color, which was a drive-through light show. It was pretty crowded, so there was quite a wait to get in, but it was really cool!

Singing light bulbs!

On Friday, we went downtown to eat dinner at Little America and to see the lights at Temple Square. Dinner at Little America was delicious and the window displays at Grand America were fun. There was also a huge gingerbread house there this year that was awesome! Staying in or eating at Little America at Christmastime has been a tradition for my family for awhile, but lately it's getting so much more popular and crowded. Temple square was packed as well! Despite the crowds, we had a great time!

So much gingerbread and rice krispie treats!

On Saturday, Ricky and I went to visit Uncle Dean! It was so fun seeing him again!!! When we first got there, he put us to work, just like old times. Then, we went to dinner at Mandarin in Bountiful, which Ricky and I had never been to before, but wanted to try. It was really good! And because we called ahead, we got seated right away when we arrived. It was so crowded, but the service was great and we really enjoyed it! After dinner, we drove around Becky's neighborhood to see the lights and decorations, and then we visited Becky and her family. It was fun to visit. Uncle Dean is doing so well, and it was so good to see him again!

Sunday was Christmas Eve. We went to church for sacrament meeting, which was the only meeting held since it was Christmas Eve. My mom was actually one of the speakers, and did so well! It was fun being in my home ward again. It's been awhile! After church, we went to my Grandma and Grandpa's house for Christmas Eve with my mom's side of the family. We ate dinner, did a talent show, acted out the nativity and sang, and then opened presents.

Monday was Christmas Day. We opened presents in the morning. Then Ricky and I got to Skype with Ricky's family and his brother Alex who is on a mission right now. We got to talk to Alex for like an hour, so it was great! Then we went to my Grandma and Grandpa's house for Christmas day with my dad's side of the family. We had lunch, then we did our white elephant gift exchange! Then, we "kids" (Lisa, Travis, Brian, Brittany, Ricky and I) played a game downstairs just like old times.

I got my dad an essential oil diffuser

And a cute skull pillow

I got my mom a presto salad shooter and a cookie sheet

Brian and Brittany got Ricky soda and candy and Brian got me gel pens!

Brittany got me a coloring canvas!

This is what I got Brittany! It's from a shop on Etsy called Sydni Stitches.

Ricky and I had a flight home the day after Christmas. It was such a fun trip, but went so fast! It was so fun being with my family for Christmas and doing all of the traditions I remember from growing up.

Two Years!

We've been married two years today!!! Here is a short video I made to remember these first two years of our marriage. I'm excited for many more to come!

Family Vacation, Part 2: Santa Cruz

Day 3: We went to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Felton. We hiked around on our own for a bit, then we went on the popular Redwood Loop Trail. The trees were so huge and it was fun learning about them. After that, we went to Natural Bridges State Beach and admired the view. Then, we headed over to the Santa Cruz Wharf for our Thanksgiving dinner.

This tree was growing when Jesus was on the earth!

It was crazy to look at the timeline and realize how old these trees really are!

I read about banana slugs on Yelp, but doubted we'd actually see any. I was wrong - they were all over the place!

"The Giant" - Over 270 feet tall and 17 feet wide, almost as tall as a 25 story building!!!

I look tiny!

Some of the trees got hollowed out when there were fires. The Fremont tree was especially neat to go into!

After the Redwoods, we went to Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz. I hadn't realized this, but Ricky and I have been there multiple times before, we just always called it cliff beach.

Natural Bridges

The sky was beautiful!

Then we went to the Santa Cruz wharf, where we ended up eating our Thanksgiving dinner. The place we went to dinner had a Thanksgiving special, and it was packed! I was thinking the locals go there for Thanksgiving dinner. It was delicious!

A view of the Boardwalk from the wharf

The sea lions were waking up from their naps and we were wondering how they got up there. We think they got up there when the tide was high, and then it got lower as they were napping.

We decided on Firefish Grill for our Thanksgiving dinner this year. They had their normal menu, as well as a Thanksgiving special. My dad and I got the Thanksgiving special - a turkey dinner with stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, yams, cranberry sauce, and a slice of pumpkin pie, which was amazing!

Day 4: My family's last day in San Jose. I had to go back to work and Ricky had to get back to studying for the CPA. My family went to the Tech Museum in downtown San Jose. Then, my mom cooked us spaghetti dinner in my apartment. I ran to Savers with Brian and Brittany to get more chairs, which we needed! We found a nice pair of wooden chairs for $5 each. Ricky still used his desk chair and I used the ottoman. Next time, we'll need to see about getting a bigger table!

Family Vacation, Part 1: San Francisco

My family came to San Jose to spend Thanksgiving week with us! It was so fun having them here!!! We played tourists and did some fun stuff while they were in town.

Day 1: My family flew in and we spent the day in San Jose. My family went to a movie while Ricky and I were still at work. Then, we went on a walk and had dinner at our apartment.

Brian was tuckered out from the flight

We were not prepared with seating for a family dinner of 6 people. My mom is on an upside down laundry basket with pillows. I'm on a nightstand with pillows. Brian's on an ottoman. My dad and Brittany used our actual two dining chairs, and Ricky used his desk chair.

Day 2: This was our San Francisco Day!

We went to Golden Gate Park and spent the majority of the day there. It was awesome!

The view was amazing!

We could see the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance

I loved seeing ducks and turtles swimming around in the water!

We went to the Japanese Tea Garden within Golden Gate Park

The strangest bridge - so steep!

We're so glad someone told us to go to the Harmon Tower! Take the elevator to the 9th floor and you get a great view of San Francisco

A small portion of the view

The sprinklers were so misty and made for a cool picture spot!

Family Selfie in the Harmon Tower

We went to the beach right outside the park

Lastly, we went to Fisherman's Wharf and ate dinner at Wipeout, The Christmas decorations were fun!

A Sunday Walk

It was a beautiful evening for a walk

We found a bunch for trees growing sideways!

Reflecting on the Past Year

A testimony in church today inspired me to reflect on the past year and how we’ve been blessed. I started outlining all that has happened this year and realized we have definitely been blessed! This has been such a great year!!! Here's the outline I came up with of this past year: 

January - April

-We lived in Wymount and were primary teachers in the ward

-I worked three jobs part time and LOVED it (preschool teacher, robotics teacher, and direct support staff)

-Ricky worked as a TA and as a freelancer while finishing school

April - June

-Ricky graduated and I finished up my jobs in Provo

June - September

-We moved in with Uncle Dean in Bountiful for the summer for a place to stay until moving to San Jose in the fall

-Ricky studied full time and completed three of the four CPA exams throughout the summer

-I continued to teach robotics by teaching at summer camps at the U of U

-I also got to know Uncle Dean really well, helping him with his life history, putting his socks on, and with many projects in the garage and throughout the house

-We had fun taking Uncle Dean to Antelope Island, Montpelier Idaho, the Gossner Cheese Factory, Pepperidge Farm, and to many local restaurants

-Ricky and I also went on one long vacation to Idaho, including Red Fish Lake and Sun Valley with my family, Meridian with Ricky’s family, and camping to see the solar eclipse in the zone of totality!

September - now

-We moved to San Jose, California for Ricky’s job

-Ricky works long hours at his various clients

-I’m working retail right across the street from where we live (until we get another car and I can get a job teaching)

We are looking forward to the rest of the year and our upcoming holiday plans!

We have had an amazing year! This has probably been one of my favorite years ever, and definitely Ricky’s and my best year together! We grew so much teaching primary together at the beginning of the year, getting to know Uncle Dean and do so many fun things throughout the summer, and now moving to a new place together.

Foodie Post

Throughout our summer in Bountiful, we have enjoyed trying many local restaurants. We love trying new places, and I wanted to write this post to keep track of the new places that we’ve tried!  

El Dorado

The place we went to our first night in Bountiful was a taco stand El Dorado. It was really good and worth a try!

Market Square

When we went to “Market Square” (or the NPS store) to shop, Dean wanted us to try their hot dogs. They have a little place where you can eat before or after you shop, like Costco does. Their hot dogs were actually really good! I liked that the buns were toasted and buttered, and tasted like garlic bread! They were good enough to eat without the hot dog if you wanted! The hot dogs were a good size and were pretty good. They also have really delicious fries there! They’re always really crispy! 

Kokonut Island Grill

We went to a place called Kokonut Island Grill here in Bountiful. The owners were so friendly and kind and sweet, and the food was delicious!!! Dean and I got Teriyaki chicken, which was AMAZING! The plates come with rice and macaroni salad. Ricky got katsu chicken and the ribs. I read online that the katsu chicken was really good, but we liked the teriyaki chicken better. It was just so good!!!

Red Iguana

We also tried out Red Iguana in Salt Lake, which is VERY popular. Apparently it was on the show Diners, Drive-inns, and Dives. There is apparently Red Iguana (the original) and Red Iguana 2 in Salt Lake. After going to the Bountiful temple with my parents, we picked up Dean and met my parents there. My parents got to Red Iguana first and the line was out the door. They called us as we were driving there and told us to go to Red Iguana 2 instead. That one was still very crowded, but better. And it was a weekday night too, so that place is crazy! It was a 30-40 minute wait, but it went pretty fast for me because I was looking at the menu the whole time. There were so many options! And when we sat down, there was water and chips and salsa already on the table, and we ordered right away. Our food actually came out really fast, surprisingly fast! So the service was great even with how crowded it was. The service was good right up until the end when it took a while for us to get our check when we were obviously all ready for it.

Ichiban Sushi

We went with a big group to Ichiban Sushi when Dean Jr. and Adelaide were in town. That was my best sushi experience ever!!! We LOVED it! We got so many rolls, and we all shared and tried them all! I don’t eat sushi much so I never know what I would like, but this was a great way to try many kinds. I loved trying them all, and the sushi was so good! I would definitely recommend going in a big group and sharing! I loved the variety and it made me LOVE sushi! (I was never a fan before, and I think that’s because I always didn’t know what to order, and then if I didn’t like what I ordered, I was stuck with it and had to eat like 7 or 8 pieces of it.) That was literally one of the best days ever and I am so craving sushi now! I want to go again!!!

Royal India 

We went to the Royal India in Bountiful with Uncle Dean because we had a coupon and wanted to try it. The next day, we went to the Royal India in Sandy with my family for my mom's birthday! The first time we went, Uncle Dean got the palak soup. Ricky and I tried it, and it was amazing! We wished we had gotten it! I don't remember what else we got, but I know Ricky and I were impressed, but Uncle Dean wasn't. He said it wasn't his type of food. When we went with my family, I had to get that palak soup!!! It wasn't as good that time, and I think I needed to order it spicier. They let you chose how spicy you want your dish. I also got the butter chicken, which was delicious! We were all sharing and trying each other's dishes, but I did not want to share that! I definitely ordered right that time!

Texas Roadhouse

We went to Texas Roadhouse two times this summer, once in Bountiful and once on our vacation in Meridian. I can never get enough of their rolls and cinnamon honey butter! Ricky and I always eat those like crazy while they’re hot until our food comes! I could fill up on those and be happy! The first time I went, I got a salad as one of my sides and it had a small dead fruit fly in it, so that ruined my appetite a little. The next time I went, I got a baked potato and chili as my sides. The baked potato was so good, but I didn’t love the chili for some reason. I was probably just too full for it. Others at our table got a Caesar salad, which looked really good! I want to try that next time I go!

Chuck-a-Rama

We also went to Chuck-a-Rama twice this summer, once in Bountiful and once in Meridian. The first time, in Bountiful, I loved their rolls with cinnamon honey butter, as well as their scones with the same honey butter! The Chuck-a-Rama in Meridian had disappointing rolls and scones. The theme when we went in Bountiful was Italian, and the theme when we went in Meridian was international. I loved the pasta and everything I tried in Bountiful. The ham was especially good. I hardly remember what we had at the one in Meridian.

Caputo’s

For Ricky’s birthday, we were planning on going to Siegfried’s, a German restaurant in Salt Lake. We were SO excited to try it and had invited my family and Becky and her family. We checked yelp, which said they were open until 6, but when we all met there at 5, they said they were not serving dinner anymore. It was SUCH a bummer! So we hurried and found another place in Salt Lake to go to. Ricky decided on Caputo’s, which was pretty good, although I was still pretty disappointed about Siegfried’s. We did enjoy the unique chocolates at Caputo’s.

Kneader’s

After going to the periodontics and coming home with a sore and swollen mouth, Uncle Dean and Ricky felt bad and wanted to let me choose where to eat. All I felt like eating was soup, so I chose Kneader’s. I’ve always loved Kneader’s for their sandwiches and desserts, but I had never had their soup before. I chose their three cheese cauliflower soup. It was divine!!! If you want to try it, you have to go on a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday, as they offer different soup choices on the other days of the week.  

Siegfried’s

To celebrate Ricky’s last test of the summer being over, we went to Siegfried’s, and they were actually serving dinner when we went this time! Uncle Dean and I got the wienerschnitzel , which was actually a disappointment. The warm potatoes were really good, and the cold potato salad was SO good! I got a macaroni salad which was a disappointment compared to Kokonut Island Grill. Becky got a Rueben, which I tried and it was amazing! If we ever go back, I am getting that!

Robintino’s

One of the last places we went out to eat at with Uncle Dean this summer was Robintino’s. Ricky and I were not impressed with our entrees, and I think we should have gotten pizza there instead. I feel like that’s what most people go there for and that’s what they’re known for.

Kokonut Island Grill

The one place we wanted to go one more time before we left was Kokonut Island Grill! We all got their teriyaki chicken this time because it is just that good! We got the mini’s because they are a great value, and have plenty of food for Uncle Dean and I. Ricky got the same, but then also got a loco moco. That was good too. I also LOVE their macaroni salad! It is the best macaroni salad I have ever had, and I was really looking forward to it! Also, the person working at the register remembered us and was so kind and sweet! If you are ever in Bountiful, GO HERE! It was my favorite of all of the places we went this summer!

Swig

We had to go to Swig a few times this summer! Ricky’s favorite drink was Mountain Dew with lime and some other fruit flavor mix-ins.  My favorite drink was Dr. Pepper with cherry and vanilla, but I mostly loved the sugar cookies! They have the best sugar cookies ever and I love them to death!!!!! There is another soda shop called Sips that we always drove by, but we never tried that one out. I’m assuming it’s a lot like Swig!  

Nielsen's Frozen Custard 

We also had to try Nielsen's custard! Ricky said we had to ask for the fresh packed quarts of it, which varies each day. They usually have fresh packed chocolate and vanilla and one other flavor. We got raspberry and vanilla one time, and chocolate another time. Ricky thinks the vanilla is amazing, which is odd because he is usually a chocolate lover. I don't love the vanilla, but I absolutely love the chocolate! I wanted to try a concrete, but we always got the quarts to share. 

Sun Shine Café

Whenever we passed by Sun Shine Café, Uncle Dean said that we should eat there sometime. We never actually went there, so that’s a place that is still on our list for next time we’re in the area!