Easter

Even though its almost the 4th of July we can't go without writing about Easter. This was our first Easter together. However, it was practically non existent seeing as we both had traveled for 15+ hours and gotten home after dinner time the night before Easter. Because we had been gone for that whole week we didn't even think about preparing our house for the Easter bunny to come (we'll do better next year). There was no egg hunts or Easter baskets. However, it was abnormally important to me that we dye Easter eggs. So, Jesse humored me and we boiled the eggs. Unfortunately, we were so tired from our traveling we actually fell asleep while the eggs were cooling in the fridge. Luckily for us we don't have church until 1:30 so we were able to dye eggs Easter morning with the Andersons. It felt so nice to just be at home with friends and family spending time celebrating a very sacred and important day. On a more spiritual note (no pun intended) we listened to Rob Gardner's  He is Jesus Christ to put our hearts in the right place before going to church. What an amazing production. If you haven't heard it you must listen to it. If you live in Boise the Institute choir performs it at the temple every Easter morning. It is an amazing experience. Anyway, after church we had friends over for a wonderful Easter feast. We had the typical Easter goods, well sort of. We had ham and funeral potatoes, deviled  eggs and broccoli, and a wonderful chocolate mousse made by Mrs. Jacky Northgrave. I only say sort of because the potatoes were not your typical funeral potatoes. We now call our "mishap" recipe On the border potatoes. Instead of plain hash browns we accidentally bought loaded hash browns with peppers and onions in the mix. We didn't realize it until we had already mixed it in. Usually topped with cornflakes or potato chips, ours was topped with spicy cheez its because we didn't have anything else in our cupboards (remember we had been gone for the week prior to this day). So we through it all together. They came out tasting pretty dang good but nothing like the funeral potatoes people know and love. They tasted like Texas ran up and punched you in the face. If you want some bold potatoes these are awesome. Ya'll should try them sometime. You know, just for a change of scenery. Despite our lack for fancy festivities it was a wonderfully wonderful Easter. It was a good opportunity for reflection and another wonderful day spent with my wonderful husband. Can't wait for next year!

   Notice the matching J&R eggs (In the middle). We thought it would be funny to both dye eggs in our wedding colors with our initials on them. We rather enjoy this same name business! and of course we are sporting BYU-I in the bottom right corner. Plus, (you can't see it very well) but Chip and Dale came to our Easter dying party and signed the yellow egg on the bottom row!

Texas Torture

It has been ages since I posted and A LOT has happened. Since I last wrote we have had both a new niece and a nephew come into the family. Welcome Lucy Rae and Slate Grayson! Because of these two wonderful gifts I was able to extend my traveling experience providing me with my second airplane ride since being married. For those of you who are counting that's now double how many plane rides I had been on pre-wedding. As you all know my husband is a dancing fool. He loves it and I love him for it. Dancing has taken him a lot of places but most recently to Texas! He was gone for 17 days. Sounds short but it was the longest 17 days of my life! While he was gone though I got to go home and meet baby Lucy for the first time. I sure love that little girl. What an adorable baby she is; good work Ang and Bry. After spending a week at home (a week that went by too fast, miss you all!!) with the family I headed back up to Rexburg to attend my cousins wedding. Congrats Brittney and Josh. Marriage is the best decision I ever made and I am so excited for them and their exciting new adventure. After everyone left back to Boise I was left alone in Rexburg, by myself, extremely lonely and missing my husband. A special thanks and shout out to Rachel and Jared who fed me and kept me entertained. You guys are the best of friends. After a pretty miserable 13 days without my husband Jesse decided it would be best for everyone if I just came down to Texas. That brings me to the second new addition to the family, Slate. Jesse's brother Andrew and his wife Sara live in Houston. I still hadn't met Sara or any of their kids. Jesse decided this was as good as opportunity as any so he got me a flight and before I knew it I was on my way to meet the family and SEE JESSE!!!! It was almost 15 hours of traveling but I got there. Once there I went with Jesse's mom (who came down to meet the baby and watch Jesse dance) to the theater where Jesse would dance. We saw Jesse, what a relief and happy feeling that was. That night we watched Dance Alliance do their show (the 6th time I had seen it) and it was wonderful. It was a show that invited the spirit like nothing I had ever seen before, it was beautiful. We all went back to Andrew and Sara's where I got to meet Sara and where we all got to meet Slate. Jesse and I didn't get to stay together for long. He left with Dance Alliance to finish touring Texas and I stayed with Andrew and Sara for the rest of the week (missing the first week of school in the meantime). I loved spending time with them and their kids, what a perfectly cute family. It was also nice to spend more time with my mother-in-law. I love the Hyde family. Every time I spend time with them I learn so much. What a wonderful group of people, I feel so blessed to be a part of it.  So thanks Andrew and Sara for letting me stay right after you had a new baby and sharing your family with me. Ya'll are wonderful people. I sure love you! Also, thanks to my wonderful mother-in-law for driving me to and from the airport and being such an example to me. The end of the story is, Jesse actually beat me home to Rexburg. He picked me up from the bus stop and we were never happier to see one another. We couldn't stop smiling. It was quite the joyous occasion. We have been spending a lot of time since catching up from missing that week of school. I think we finally got it under control. It only took half a semester! What I learned most from this experience was, I am all for supporting my husband but I would be ok if he never had to leave town again!!
(Pictures of our cute nieces and nephews and Jesse on tour)