December

December went by extremely quickly.

 This year we went to the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional. It was a great way to start out the Christmas season. I tend to be a bit of a Grinch (just ask Jonathan!), but this help redirect the focus onto Christ. One quote that was shared was from President Hinckley about how there would be no Christmas without Easter.

As I was wrapping presents, I was listening to normal music. I realized that I should have been listening to Christmas music! I couldn't find anything I liked, so I turned on some Nutcracker music. That music played a big part of my childhood Christmas's since my sister and I danced in it for a few years.

This summer, while visiting California, I took one of my Nutcracker pictures and it ended up being our stocking holder!

We got a sweet treat from one of the boys we teach in Nursery.

 (Okay, it was really his parent's but it still counts.)

Our bookcase looked great with all of the Christmas cards we received this year. I love the ones that Garrett and Charlotte colored for us.

It's also not December without snow. I'm still questioning if I really am okay with living in it, but at least it looks pretty.

Goblin Valley

As our time in Utah is coming to an end, we are making a push to do everything that we've talked about doing. Jonathan has wanted to go camping since we've been married, but we never made time for it. I researched different places to go camping and stumbled upon Goblin Valley. What sealed the deal for Jonathan is there is a scene from Galaxy Quest that was filmed there.

We rolled in well after dark and had a terrible nights sleep. We may or may not have decided to get a camping trailer in the future.

Our surroundings were so amazing that we both quickly forgot that we didn't sleep. I couldn't wait to explore.

The scenery is out of this world. It felt like we were on Mars instead Utah.

We slowly wandered through the goblins. Then we stumbled on a dry creek bed and followed that for awhile.

It was amazing! I can't wait to go back there again.

Pioneer Day

For Pioneer Day, Jonathan and I visited Little Cottonwood Canyon to see where my great-great grandpa William McMillan spent some of his time.

He worked on a canal that was going to move the large blocks of stone for the Salt Lake temple from the canyon down to Salt Lake City. It ended up not working out though.

We walked around the old quarry and it was amazing to think that the trees and mountains haven't changed too much from what grandpa saw when he was there. I love feeling a connection with my ancestors. They had to face challenges that they weren't sure if they could conquer just like me. They overcame their challenges and I take strength that I can too.

McMillan Family Reunion

On the first Sunday in August, Jonathan and I were able to go to the McMillan family reunion in Rexburg. We went to Sacrament Meeting with Chris's family before going up to the reunion. Ruby stood with her head on Jonathan's leg for about five minutes. She is the sweetest little girl!

Our next stop was the Burton Cemetery to find where more of my Machen relatives are buried. The first Machen's I found were ones that I knew. My great-great grandparents! I feel so blessed to know more about them than just their names.

Then we finally made it up to the reunion. It was great to meet more of my Machen and McMillan cousins. I love this picture of 11 of the 16 McMillan children. My great-grandma is Evalyn, their youngest child. I am grateful to be part of such a wonderful family.

Before we went back to Utah, Jonathan made paper airplanes with the kids. They made it clear that we were had been gone long enough.

I hope that we can go to the reunion again next year.

Here's a glimpse of what we've been up to this fall. We were able to go to the ISU volleyball game to watch the amazing Abby play!

Jonathan and I went to the funeral for my dad's mission president Reed Benson. I loved seeing all of the flags around the building. One of his sons shared a common phrase President used to say, "May the Lord bless you and the devil miss you." I have a better understanding of why and how President impacted my dad's life. He lived what he preached.

Jonathan and I went for a hike up Big Cottonwood Canyon so I could see where William McMillan spent most of his time hauling lumber for fuel for his family.

We went for a drive up Provo Canyon to see the fall colors. I am not looking forward to winter, but Jonathan kindly reminds me that this is our last Utah winter. I have a feeling that will be my daily mantra as I scrape the windshield in the mornings.

Jonathan and I went the Pioneer Museum in Salt Lake City that also houses the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. There are photos lining almost all of the walls. I was looking to see if we could find any of our ancestors and sure enough I found one! Susannah Meredith Nebeker was there! I couldn't read her name plate, but I knew I had seen that picture before. I went home and found the same picture of her on Family Search.

Susannah is on the top left.

I loved this beautiful stain glass window in the museum.

We went to our first professional soccer game. It was pretty rowdy. I can only imagine how deafening the World Cup matches are in comparison.

We started off Jonathan's birthday month off strong with some delicious (to him) black licorice ice cream at Rockwell Ice Cream. We will have to go back and try more of their delicious flavors!

Jonathan is on track to graduate this upcoming May. I couldn't be more proud of him for his determination and grit to finish his education. He truly is an amazing man and will have so many opportunities because he refused to give up.

A Year In Review

Another year has come and gone, though it feels like this year went a bit faster than most. Here are some highlights from the year.

Surprise, surprise. Our year started out at the Salt Lake temple.

My very own desk at work while our office was still in Orem.

We explored Park City.

I helped Jonathan find his own family names to take to the temple.

Back in February, Jonathan and I were sick for about three weeks.

In March, the company I work for moved it's office to Lehi.

In April, the wind kicked up so much dirt in the air that it was raining mud!

We went to a UVU baseball game.

We had a small Cinco de Mayo celebration.

For Memorial Day, we found the graves of our ancestors.

My least favorite day of the entire year. The day the apartment turns on the swamp cooler.

We saw fireflies for the first time!

We went to the Manti Temple Pageant. 

We went shooting on the farm in Idaho for the 4th of July.

We spent time exploring BYU with Tyler.

I searched for my cousin, Elder Van Matre.

We went to Promontory to see where the transcontinental railroad met... 

and stumble onto ATK where they build the rocket boosters for the space shuttles.

We visited the University of Utah.

We visited the mine my great-great grandfather worked at when he first moved to Utah.

We got a new nephew in the summer. Theodore Nelson.

We went to a CRAZY good BYU game against Boise State.

I got to see Stephanie Nielson speak. (It was amazing!)

We finally made it to the Ogden Temple.

We saw Abby kill it!

We went to a Spanish fireside where Elder Christofferson spoke in Spanish. (Also Jonathan shaved his beard. I think I'm still recovering from that. I LOVE the beard!)

We played in California with all of the Pattersons!

We went to a crazy good UVU basketball game against Weber State. UVU won after the game went to double overtime!

We had a wet visit when we saw the lights at Temple Square.

Our apartment was toasty with our pixel fire.

It has already snowed more times this winter than last winter. I'm dreaming of wet California winters.

We got a second new nephew just before Christmas. Spencer Wadman.

We had a merry little Christmas in Idaho. We weren't sure if the weather was going to cooperate, but thankfully it did!

It was maybe 4 degrees in Idaho. It made me happy when we got back to the toasty 20 degree weather in Utah. (You can see why I really miss California!)

We had a good year. Jonathan's getting closer to being done with school and I have a great job. We still love being in nursery and get nervous anytime the bishop or Relief Society president talks to us. (Luckily the Relief Society president has a daughter in nursery and she loves having us there!) We look forward to seeing what the new year brings us.