5 Years!

It seems just like yesterday that Andrew proposed and we were planning our wedding. I can still remember that wet day so clearly, we look so young!

During these five years we have grown as a couple and experienced many things together; college, traveling, homeownership, and parenthood to name a few. I love him so much more now than when we were first married and I am lucky to have him as my husband. He is everything than I could ever ask for and more.

It is fun to see how our relationship has grown and I am looking forward to many more happy years! I love you Andrew. Happy Anniversary!

Merry Christmas!

I was so proud of how well Carson was with Santa because all of the children after him were crying and trying to get away. I hope that while celebrating the commercial aspects of Christmas that we will remember the reason we celebrate CHRISTmas.

President Ezra Taft Benson said:

“Without Christ there would be no Christmas, and without Christ there can be no fullness of joy. It is my testimony that the Babe of Bethlehem, Jesus the Christ, is the one perfect Guide, the one perfect Example. Only by emulating Him and adhering to His eternal truth can we realize peace on earth and good will toward all.”

I know that by keeping our Christmas preparations simple and giving small presents help us remember our Savior at Christmas and bring His Spirit into our home.

Below is our Christmas letter for those who want to know what we have been up to this year.

Merry Christmas to all of our friends and family,

It has been one eventful year! Within a month’s time, we bought our first home, we finally retired my pink car, and Carson was born.

Andrew is still working at home. Shortly after we moved into our home, we had cabinets and a desk built for his home office. This upgrade makes the office the nicest room in the house and allows Andrew to be more organized and productive. Carson and I are lucky to have him around all of the time and enjoy getting to spend our days with him. For the past year, Andrew has been playing basketball one night a week. He enjoys the competition and considers it a victory coming home uninjured.

I am still cleaning houses one day a week. I am also anxiously waiting to get accepted into a nursing program. In my spare time when I am not being a busy mom, I have been trying to catch up on scrapbooking and enjoy making homemade cards for a card club I joined.

Carson is six months old and he is getting so big! He has his two bottom teeth and can sit up all by himself. He is becoming photogenic and is quite the flirt. He is such a happy baby. He loves being outside and tries to grab anything within his reach. It is crazy to think about our lives before Carson, how boring!

We wish you happiness now and in the coming year.

Love,

The Morgans

'Tis the season

About an hour before our party every year I always start to worry that no one will show up and then I worry that when they do come that they will have an awful time...

But I am happy to report that our annual white elephant gift exchange was another success!

When I busted out the camera and Scott ducked out of the way because he knew that I would be blogging. So instead of him in a group shot he has a glamor shot all his own.

Just the Girls

Hillary, Lindsey, Catherine, Me, Leslie, Valerie, Liz, and Susan

Another favorite was a green exercise band that is supposed to help one look trim and make exercising more effective because it apparently would make you sweat more.

My personal favorite was a small plastic reminder that can be placed in the fridge or pantry and will oink at you when you try to get food. It was called the Diet Piggy.

This year the most popular gift was a Nerf gun accompanied by a jock strap and modeled (several times) by Brandon.

To those of you who weren't able to make it, we'll see you next year!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Last night, we got together with family and friends for a Christmas Family Home Evening. After dinner, the children as well as some of the adults (Grandpa Bob and Rob) dressed up to reenact the nativity story. Aren't their costumes cool?! You can get them at Deseret Book.

Liz with Carson

After the nativity and musical beautiful musical number we made hot chocolate and brought homemade treats to take with us to look at Christmas lights. We then jumped into our cars and caravaned to our destination. Once there we bundled up to walk around a couple of streets where every house was decorated. Besides catching the holiday spirit, we got some great decorating ideas for next year!

Six Months

We can't believe that Carson is already 6 months old!
Really, where does the time go??

We bought a goldfish yesterday and Carson absolutely loves it. When he sees it swimming he squeals with delight, it is too cute.

He is also doing much better sitting up all by himself.

What a daredevil, no hands.

Thanksgiving 2007

We spent Thanksgiving with both of our immediate families, 18 people in all. I love this time of year because of traditions and family gatherings. My mom rented a shabby chic farmhouse in Murphys, CA for the week. The restored farmhouse was built in 1861 and was nestled in a Provence-like garden setting complete with covered porches, patio and extensive landscape grounds.

We had the best time stuffing our faces, and not just on Thanksgiving day. Whenever my mom is around we are well fed. She got up early every morning and made us gourmet breakfasts and waited on us like we were at a bed and breakfast...I could get used to that. Thanks mom!

Sisters shopping in downtown Murphys.

The farmhouse grounds and had tons of cool historic places for pictures. The building behind Sabrina at one point was an Italian store, post office and a Wells Fargo.

The boys even got to practice their golf swing.

I'm it!

I thought I was being clever by tagging Andrew and that by doing so I would be off the hook. Conversely, I am being encouraged to step up to the plate and give 6 (that's one too many!) RaNdOm facts about ME.

1. My favorite word is copacetic.

2. I always have my toenails painted because (although I'm sure no one cares) I don't like people to see my toenails unpolished.

3. I won 1st place at the California State Fair for a dress that I made for my mother. I also designed a dress that I had made for homecoming and a pageant. I can sew, but I haven't made anything worth wearing for a very long time.

4. I LOVE to dance, I took tap, ballet and jazz for 11 years. However, I don't like to dance in front of an audience no matter how small it is unless I can't see them.

5. I don't think before I speak. This is something that I REALLY need to work on because the things that I say sometimes are not very tactful and can be considered rude.

6. I don't believe in diets and I have never been on one, although I probably could have benefited from one from time to time. I exercise often enough and eat nutritiously most of the time so that I can indulge whenever I feel like it. But I'm sure my view on dieting will change when my metabolism slows down.

Five Months

Carson is such a wiggle worm. This month it was hard to take his picture because he just wouldn't sit still! His favorite activity is to jump, even when he doesn't have access to his jumper. He is also cutting two teeth! One of them I can feel and it is pretty sharp. The other I'm sure is following shortly...let's just hope he doesn't know what to do with them. He is still working on his balance, he can sit up alone for short periods of time before falling over.

1st Halloween

This year Halloween has felt like a major holiday, probably because we have participated in more Halloween activities than normal. We went to the Bishops pumpkin patch which was an all day event that included a hay ride, train ride, petting zoo, pig race and a fun slide. We also attended two Halloween parties and a baby costume contest. It seems that everything is more fun when you have a child.

Trick-or-Treat and Happy Halloween!

We had so many trick or treaters, we ran out of candy in less than 20 minutes! I have never seen so many trick or treaters in one place. Our neighbor had his house DECKED OUT, inside (everywhere) like a spook alley and outside like a graveyard. He informed us that a kid had gotten so scared that he peed his pants, poor kid. What I want to know is where he stores it all the rest of the year.

Way to go Mom!

My mom loves the outdoors. In the summer she is usually biking, fishing, kayaking, hiking or trying something new. This past summer she was up at Loon Lake for about a week and took this amazing picture (she was trying to get my siblings and couldn't miss the sunset if she tried). So she entered the picture into a photo contest--and WON! Her picture, called Sunset over Loon Lake, along with many others is going to be published into a book called Endless Journeys. I am so proud of her.

Costume Party

Liz and I decided to throw a Halloween party together and I must admit it was fun preparing for it. Besides the sweet treats and festive decorations Scott had set up all of his D.J. equipment which included numerous black lights, two disco balls and some cool music. We had a donut eating contest, a guys vs. girl charade/clay-mation game, played signs and enjoyed each others company. Below are some of our friends that came.

Mickie&Minnie-Awarded Best Costumes
(they are homemade and put mine to shame)
Josh (pirate) was the champion of the donut eating contest

For those of you wanting to see Carson dressed in his costume, you'll have to be patient a few more days because I'm saving those pictures for Halloween.

28

Happy 28th Birthday Andrew!

For Andrew's birthday we went and got sushi for lunch with his parents, grandparents, Eric and Robin. Carson got a present and it wasn't even his birthday-lucky-they both now have matching checkered Vans, they are styl'in.

Tonight is our Halloween costume party...yes on his birthday, he is such a good sport! We'll have pictures up soon.

The Art of Candy Making

Picture of perfection (left)
Reality (right and below).

Last night I decided to make some caramel apples. I had the recipe, all of the necessary ingredients and a picture of what the end result was supposed to look like, easy enough. The recipe told me to let the caramel simmer until it reached 270*, about 15 minutes. Then it was supposed to thicken while cooling for 6-8 minutes. Things were going well until the caramel boiled over and made a gooey, sticky mess all over the range. I cleaned that up while the caramel was supposed to be thickening. After a half an hour the caramel was still not sticking to the apples but just running off of them like a fountain.

Flashback: Last Christmas I attempted to make homemade caramels and they ended up being so hard that it took me three days to soak the caramel out of my pan layer by layer. I vowed that I would never attempt candy making again but time has a way of dulling such memories.

So I waited, and waited--keep in mind that it's Tuesday and Andrew plays basketball late, so I had a free go to bed early card--and waited. Eventually some of the caramel decided that the apple wasn't it's polar opposite and began sticking, a little. So I dipped and swirled and decided to call it a night.

My swimming apples

Lesson learned: I may be a baker but I'm not a candy maker.