Well, Hello Winter Break.

Well, it’s here! The time I have been waiting for.  Fall semester is over and now there is nothing but freedom for a month.  I couldn’t be happier.  Derick and I ended the semester with a couple glasses of sparkling cider, cuddled up, watching Friends. Doesn't get much better than that. 

I then went and changed my hair color to blonde.  I was blonde my entire life until a couple of years ago when I was in desperate need of some change so I dyed my hair brown.  It was fun being a brunette for awhile, but when Derick came home from his mission he missed the blonde Caitlin from highschool.  After 11 months of him trying to persuade me I finally crumbled and decided it wouldn’t hurt to go back.   I like to tease him about how particular he is about my hair color.. he liked me as a brunette but I think it’s cute how he was so sentimental about the memories he had with blonde Caitlin.

 On Saturday we woke up very bright and early (5 in the morning to be exact.) and packed up the car to head up to Boise for the Potato Bowl.  Derick slept the whole way there :)...

We had such a blast up there! We went with pretty much every guy in Derick’s extended family. His dad, brother in-law, grandpa, uncles, cousins, his brother in-laws family… the list goes on.  I was the only girl out of a group of about 15. I didn’t mind though, it is fun to be “one of the guys” every now and then.  I definitely overheard some things I wouldn’t mind forgetting about though.  Those guys and their guy talk… ha!   The game was more than what I could have hoped it would be.  It was the coldest game I have ever been to but we came expecting the worst so we had blanket, after blanket, and twenty layers on.  The only bit of me that was cold were the tips of my toes, and even they survived.   It was so much fun to see all of the many USU fans who drove the 4 hours to go to the game.  I go to the best school! 

  Derick’s uncle Mitch works for a magazine so he had passes to get onto the field to take pictures.  Derick went back and forth with him down there and at the end of the game I decided to go with.  The last 5 minutes were definitely the best of the game, since I was standing on the sideline and witnessed not one, not two, but three touchdowns right up close! We were one of the very first people to rush the field once we won the game. 

Afterwards we went to our hotel, dropped off our bags, and then went to dinner at Olive Garden.  Derick gets a discount there so, why not?  We had a lot of fun with all of us sitting around the table laughing at everything.  Nothing like “When you’re here you’re family” and “hospitaliano” We were there for a full 3 hours and didn’t even realize.  Time flies when you’re having fun, right?  We went back to the hotel and soaked in the hot tub, and then I went upstairs and crashed the second my head hit the pillow. All that fun wore me out. 

We slept in, ate breakfast, and then hit the road.  On the way home we stopped at a gas station and someone in the car looked over at someone outside of the car and asked “Is that Gary Andersen?”  We all debated on whether or not it was… we thought he would be with the team so we were leaning towards no.  But then a lady (his wife, I am assuming) started transferring something from the front of the car to the back.  Low and behold it was the crystal potato bowl wrapped up in a blanket.  That answered our question pretty quickly! Everyone jumped out of the car to congratulate him on such a great game.  Good job Coach!

Once we got home we had a little bit of time to unpack and settle down before we headed to my work Christmas party.  I am so happy to be able to say I work with such great people.  Sounds cheesy but I honestly don’t consider the people I work with as my “co-workers” I feel like we are all such great friends.  Sometimes I have a lot to complain about with my job but when it boils down to it, I wouldn’t rather be working with anyone else.  The people make all the difference.  

  Today I finished up my Christmas shopping (almost), and then I practiced being a good little wife and made my first ever batch, from scratch, of chocolate chip cookies.   They turned out amazing.  I might have a little knack for baking.   

12.12.12

Today is a very big deal! It is the very last time I will ever ever see a repetitive date.  I'm kind of really upset about it, mostly because I will be spending today studying for finals, folding laundry, paying bills, and working.  I really wanted to do something really cool and unforgettable but it just isn't going to happen.

I hope everyone survives this dreaded finals week and that you were all able to do something cool and unforgettable on this day!:)

Much love from, C + D

Brownie points for husband.

I am seriously so blessed. 

I can't begin to understand what I did to deserve such an awesome guy. 

It is finals week and I have spent every second that I'm not at work, studying.  Derick and I share the same class just at different times and all semester long I thought our final was on the same day-- Wednesday.  It wasn't until 2 days ago that I actually found out mine was on Monday.  This is the final I have been dreading all semester long and I had been counting on having those two extra days to study. Well I took the time I had and studied for 5 hours on Saturday and 7 on Sunday.  Luckily, we are allowed a one page cheat sheet (this didn't help at all for the midterm, so i was still pretty nervous). I spent a total of 4 hours putting together my cheat sheet.  It wasn't until 1 am Monday morning, as I was getting into bed, Derick asked me if I felt like I was ready.  I said I felt pretty confident.  He began to ask me different questions like if I had all the terms down.  I said of course, I had spent over 12 hours studying all the multiple choice questions and writing them down onto my 1 allowed page.  He asked me "What multiple choice questions?" We then found out I had been spending all of my time and energy on studying something that wasn't even the main study guide and that I hadn't even opened the real study guide! I about freaked.  I was already exhausted and I needed to go to bed if I wanted to get a total of 5 hours of sleep.  I need my sleep! I was close to tears and Derick told me to go to bed and that he would put together a new cheat sheet for me.  I told him not to and that I didn't want him to have to do that for me.  He replied that it was actually for him since he has the class too.  He was just going to let me use it.  I made him promise he wasn't only doing it for me and to please go to bed as soon as he could.  He said he would.  This morning I woke up to a text from Derick I received at 4 in the morning that said "Hey sweetie wake me up before you go to school:) I love you:)" I woke him up and he told me he wanted me to use the page he had worked on.  I went downstairs and found the entire study guide with all of the answers, formatted onto one page, which must have taken hours to do.

He saved my life. 

This is just one, out of very many examples on how he is so good to me.  Honestly, I could write the worlds longest blog post on other stories... 

I love him. 

I am so lucky.
The end. 

Meghan's Bridal Shower

Meghan and I have been best friends since 6th grade.  Although she moved a short three years later we managed to stay in contact and very close.  She moved around too many times to count on one hand after she lived here but she was still the one I would vent to when a boy had "broken my heart" or a friend had made me mad.  She helped me through all my many trials over the phone, myspace, Facebook, text messaging.  We even sent a few letters here and there.. she was there for me through it all.   I have a hard time keeping friendships strong when the person lives ten minutes away.  It is just something I struggle with.  So, I can say I am extremely grateful we were able to keep our friendship going strong when she lived clear across the country, and then clear across the world.  Back in the good ol' days of middle school we both always talked about how we would be each others bridesmaids... and over the years I continued to imagine her flying in for my wedding and then me flying to wherever it was she was living when she got married, always wondering if it would really happen.  But, she ended up moving back to Utah unexpectedly a little less than a year ago.  There was no flying around the world for it to be done.   She was mine this past summer and now I have the opportunity to be hers:) It is crazy how everything turns out and it is good to know that my expectations in middle school became a reality.  Life is busy so I don't see her as often as I wish I could but this past weekend I was able to throw her a bridal shower.  It turned out to be great! I am so thankful for the people who jumped in and helped me prepare everything.  Especially my cute husband who woke up extra early to help me make fruit kabob after fruit kabob.  He is the best sport.  

3 Years

A few days ago Derick casually made the comment that it has been three whole years since we have celebrated Christmas together.  This literally gave me a headache as I sat and thought about how crazy of a thing time is.  I really feel like it was last week that we celebrated our first Christmas together as little young and naive seniors in high school.  It feels like a few days ago that we were forced to say goodbye just one week before Christmas for 2 whole years, and it feels like yesterday that we were reunited just 2 days after Christmas.   Has it really been that long? I am really hoping and praying time will slow down because I can't handle watching my life pass right before my eyes as fast as it has been.  

All I can say is I am feeling mighty grateful that I have the love of my life back this Christmas season.  The past 3 Christmases were by all means great but there was always that one vital thing missing.   It took three years of me singing All I Want For Christmas Is You for santa to finally get the hint. 

Feel free to enjoy my theme song from last years Christmas.  Of course the 2 years before I wasn't wishing for him to come home because I knew he was out there doing the right thing, but last year I was starting to grow a little impatient and I would listen to this song on repeat silently dedicating it to him each time.  

Let It Snow..

It's officially the Most Wonderful Time of Year!

I seriously adore everything about Christmas.

Growing up getting out the Christmas decorations was always the most exciting thing and now that I live in my own home I feel like it is twice as exciting because I get to put things where I want, and buy what I like.   It seems that every day I find myself at another store looking for more decorations.  I look around the house and I see so many more ideas of what to put where, but money is tight since it is the holidays, and I am only a newlywed, so I will enjoy what we have so far and realize our collection will grow as the years go on.   Derick and I are currently obsessed with our little 6ft christmas tree and we rush inside to plug in the lights right when we get home.  It makes me sad to think it is going to have to come down in a little over a month but then I realize it probably wouldn't be as exciting if it were up year round.  I'll continue to thrive off the warm fuzzy feelings these Christmas decorations give me for the time allowed.

Happy Holidays!!

On To November..

 October was a busy month to say the least. 

I leave this month, though, feeling very pleased with the productivity I had with making sure I successfully participated in all of my many Halloween activities.. plus some. 

It consisted of date nights, 

Thriller with my sister's + husbands followed by ice cream and pizza,

Many many pumpkin carvings.  Derick and I's front porch makes it look like we have a large family due to the long line of jack-o-lanterns,

Spontaneous three day trips to idaho falls,

Mission farewells, 

Baby blessings, and

Missionaries coming home,

Lots of new treats,

Playing in the leaves,

Corn mazes,

Costume parties,

Friends getting engaged,

Birthday parties,
Football Games,

Too much candy, 

and on top of it all..

Every Halloween movie on my watch list had a check mark next to it. 

It has been a very long time since I can say I have done everything on my seasonal to do list.  

Hopefully I have the same luck come Christmas time!

October

Forgive me if I begin sounding like a broken record, but this is my favorite time of the year!  So, it will be surprising if this is the only post about Halloween activities and such.

Derick and I try to have one date night a week.  Only one? Ya it might not sound that difficult, but believe me-- we are lucky to get just the one.  I can't believe how busy we both are.  This past week we did a little shopping.  Derick really likes to spoil me when he gets the chance.  He bought me a scarf, a new phone case, and pants.
 After we got our shop on we went and got some apple spice and drove up the canyon to have a picnic.  This is the most beautiful time of year.  We ate our food right by a river on a doc and looked at all of the amazing colors on the trees.  It was a little chilly so we even had a great excuse to cuddle up a bit :)

This past weekend was great! The one and only complaint I have is about USU losing to BYU. 

It really put a damper on my night.  Luckily, the next morning was general conference.  Of course that boosted up my spirits real quick.  I had to work for the saturday morning session but thanks to social networking I found out the big new about the missionary age changing real quick.  I got the biggest chills when I found out.  This really is a sign of the times.  What a revelation it is to make sure there are as many missionaries out there as possible.  There will be so many people out there learning about the gospel now.  It is amazing.  I love that there will be more sister missionaries out there, and that all the young men will be able to leave directly after high school.   I would have given anything to be able to serve a mission while Derick was on his.  I still would have been leaving a year after him, and getting home half a year after, but that would have been the neatest experience.  I know everything happens for a reason, and that this missionary age requirement changed at the time it was supposed to.  Heavenly Father really knows what he is doing up there. 

The next morning, bright and early, Derick and I left for the morning session of conference with my sister, her husband, and my dad.  I feel extremely blessed at the thought that this is my 4th time attending General Conference live.   There are very many people out there who would sacrifice everything they have to be able to experience such an amazing opportunity.   

This was my favorite time going so far because I had Derick right by my side.  I attended General Conference twice while Derick was on his mission, and it was during those 2 times I felt the closest to him.  It was amazing to know we were both watching the exact same thing at the exact same time, and that as he was watching it on TV I was sitting inside the actual building.  Although I felt close to him  during those 2 times, I couldn't help but think of how much better it would be if we actually were close to each other and holding hands, sitting side by side.  This time I actually got to do that. 

Later in the day the Cox family got together for family pictures!  It was a belated mother's day gift for Jana (Derick's mom) I am glad we finally got around to doing it! 

Ok, I am a little very obsessed with my twin nieces! Cutest babies in the world.  I only have pictures with Olivia posted, but Brooklyn is just as cute.  I can't believe how big they are getting either.  They are both on the verge of crawling, and I wouldn't be surprised if Olivia started walking before she crawled.  She is very determined.  I love their big brother just as much. I am such a proud auntie.  :) 

A few days ago I got together with my mother in-law and sister in-law and we made a Halloween craft.  It has gotten me very into the crafting mood so now I am just searching for time to make more! I think I will make at least one per holiday.  That is my goal anyway.. Derick and I don't have any holiday decorations so hopefully in a few years all of my crafts will start adding up! 

Happy October!

08.08.12

I honestly could not have asked for a more perfect wedding day.  The only complaint I have is that it went by way WAY too fast!
You always hear people saying your wedding day is the best day of your life, and it was! Well, it was the best day of my life yet.  This was just the beginning of many many more 'best' days.
Here is a small peek into what it looked like.  I had the hardest time narrowing down pictures-- We had such a good photographer! Everyone go check out Jessica's photography right now.  You won't regret it.