Christmas with a BANG!

Mike and I decided to get ourselves a gun for Christmas. Mike owns a shotgun but we (I) felt like in an emergency, we would need something more manageable to whip out. So bless my hubby's heart, one day near Thanksgiving he said, "Let's go look for a gun for you!" Not a phrase I'd really imagine hearing directed to me {ever} as we never had ANY guns in our house growing up... Nonetheless I was excited about this new purchase!

So Mike and I went to Basin Sports in Vernal and I had my first gun-buying lesson. The guy at the counter recommended a revolver for me. Revolver?! Psht... clearly this man does not know how many episodes of Alias I've watched (and re-watched and RE-watched) in my life. Sydney Bristow would never carry a revolver! :) So of course- we had to move on down the line to the 9mm pistols. That's just the gun a spy would carry, folks. Okay, ok, I'll stop projecting my secret desires to be a CIA spy. Mike was so sweet and let us pick out a gun with a smaller hand grip for my small hands. Fits perfectly and surprisingly, I have great pride in my little, big gun.

We tried it out a few days later at the outdoor range in Vernal.

From happy...

to HARDCORE! :)

He's so handsome.

I just love a man holding a 9mm gun (Vaughn... cough, cough) Jk! Ok, really, I'll stop with the Alias comments.

No lie... I actually hit the bullseye! (The above picture has not been doctored in any way)

Alright, it only happened once and there may have been more on the dirt hill behind then on the target... but hey, you gotta brag when you get 'em.

I'm quite surprised how happy I am with this new purchase. Not only do I feel more secure in our home but I just feel tough---just by owning it. Yes, I know I'm far from it but somewhere deep inside... I'd like to think that I am. :)

Thanks to mom and dad Mansfield for contributing to our Christmas gift!!

Moments That Matter Most

This morning I am fasting and praying for answers in my life. I was feeling heavy hearted when I opened Mike's laptop. Bless his heart... his homepage is lds.org. I went to type in "google" when some mormon message videos caught my eye. I thought, "I can watch those later". But my fingers froze on the keyboard and I felt like I needed to watch them now. I started watching these short, 3 min. messages and it was like my perspective broke wide open. What I already knew came rushing back to me in a wave of peace and happiness. I loved this one about "Moments that Matter Most". It made a smile come to my face and my heart lighten just a little. Thank heaven for moments that matter most... if only we can keep the perspective that they are what are significant and what we're living for...

2011 in Review

You could never possibly recount everything that had happened in a year's time. However, with a bright, shiny new year ahead of me... I am feeling nostalgic about what transpired in 2011. Not to be worried, I narrowed it down to one to two significant events per month.

January: Mike began complaining of sudden "heartburn" and discomfort in his chest.

February: Megan goes with Starkey to fit hearing aids on children and adults in Mexico. Mike is hospitalized for a few days under the presumption of "bowel obstruction".

March: After many doctors and specialists, the bowel obstruction turned out to be some other mystery entirely... 8-10" of Mike's bowel are removed without doctors really knowing what made them abnormal.

**No pictures because Mike refused to let me take any of him in the hospital. I got one video while he was coming out of anesthesia but as mentioned in a previous post... I have vowed not to post it**

April: Mike and I celebrate 1 yr of being homeowners by re-doing our front yard and planting trees.

May: I (finally) graduate with my Au.D. Mike and I celebrate and take a trip to the condo in Florida!

June: Mike finds out he passed the CPA exams!! All 4 on his first try! He's an official CPA.

July: We bask in the awesomeness that is the annual Mansfield 24th of July campout

August: Mike bought me a new car-- a crossover preparing us for family days in the future. Mike plays in corporate games. Marisa and I have our first garage sale-- a raging success.

September: We go on a Lake Powell trip with my bosses and their friends for a week. An entire week of boating, sun and games!! I celebrate my 25th birthday and Mike's 27th birthday!

October: We went up to Scofield cabin with the Dyes and Jonny. Mike competed in a volleyball tournament (not pictured).

November: Brittany and I road trip to Las Vegas for a girl's trip!

December: Mike and I celebrate our 4 year anniversary by staying at the Marriott at City Center, shopping at Gateway and eating delicious food.

2011 had it's ups and downs (as most years do). Mike and I are looking anxiously toward 2012 with hope, goals and ambition to make it the best year yet.