Loosen Your Pants A Little.

For Christmas my family does a Secret Santa type thing where we all draw names out of a hat and then we buy a pretty nice gift for the person we draw a name for. This way we are all able to get something nice and none of us have to break the bank to get something nice for everyone. This year my mom got me. She is very crafty with gifts, and this year she nailed it.

Last night I put to use the awesome gifts that she got me and got my bake on in the kitchen. Using her cupcake tin and divet thing a ma bob, I made confetti cupcakes with strawberry filling and rainbow chip cupcakes. I also made dark chocolate cake bites with peanut butter chips out of my silicone baking dish All bought from Deena Woobury, an AVON distributor. (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=591858282#!/denna.woodbury)

Of course I measured all my ingredients with the AWESOME glass measuring cups she got me, including a shot glass tablespoon measuring cup, since I collect shot glasses. They came out amazing. If I had eat-o-vision, you would all need to put some sweat pants on for these bad boys. Enjoy.

Things Get Better With Time.

I have come to believe in this statement, "Things get better with time." With all the additions that my family has been making lately, I have also come to create my own version of that saying. Things get better when you put time into them. I have always known my brothers to pick on me, tease me, and torture me for their own personal entertainment. But I have to say, things have been very different lately.

Grahams wedding was last weekend in Draper Utah and we all traveled up there for it. Jordan and his family, Ian and Jill, and I all went up Wednesday night to Brianhead to spend some time snowboarding. I have to say that it was probably the most fun I have ever had with my brothers. Jordan had a rough time snowboarding, but I enjoyed watching someone struggle as much as I did my first time. I was there encouraging him to keep trying, even though he insisted on being Shaun White coming off the lift and hurt himself. Ian stuck with me the whole time, encouraging me to push myself to be better at boarding. He gave me all kinds of help, and taught me several new things. I told him a few times that he didnt have to stay with me because I knew that I was slower than he was. To which he replied, "Why would we leave you behind?"

Jordan, Graham, and Ian have not always been the nicest of brothers to me, but I must say that they are more than making up for it now. Jordan, thank you for talking to me and helping me with my problems lately. I know you have a lot of questions to answer for Reagan, but I like how close we have gotten. Graham, thank you for letting me shoot your wedding, and trusting me to capture those moments with your wife Schaara. You are such a good big brother to me and Im glad you have been there to listen when I needed someone. Ian, thanks for helping me with the simplest of problems that I have, I always appreciate getting your advice on things I'm struggling with.

Schaara, you got yourself a good catch with my big brother Graham. He is a bit of a goof, but he always knows how to lighten up a situation, whether we are laughing at him, or with him. He has a kind heart, and he will be a great father. I enjoyed talking to you and getting to know you a little more through the wedding and I am excited to get to know you more as my sister in law. Welcome to the family. Enjoy.