A Night With The Tax Man

That's right folks, all of our W2s showed up today, so I got to spend the evening with Aaron, the Tax Man. He uses TurboTax to complete our taxes each year and he was very hopeful for a return after several years of paying taxes. The night started off very optimistic after entering Aaron's info. Then came one of my W2s and a loud groan from upstairs: apparently I dinged us a little because my previous employer hadn't withheld enough taxes. I had to look the anxious man in the eyes and remind him that we bought a house this year that would help. I ended up in the computer room sitting on the floor entertaining the puppy so he wouldn't distract his very intense father. Well after it was all entered: donations, college tuition, student loan interest, and the house the saved us, we're actually getting a decent return. Yay, Tax Man, you're my hero!!!

I do think it's awfully nice of the government to lend us $7,500 interest free, that will help shelter us from quite a bit of student loan interest.

It's otherwise been an intense money week for us. At the beginning of the week we took the car in for exhaust work and were quoted $2,000 to get it fixed (we came up with a more affordable option) but still flinched at the thought of the cost. We've felt very grown up this week but are so grateful we put away money every month for rainy days. I can't imagine how we would have felt getting such a large quote like that without a savings to draw on.

I wish you all a Happy and Prosperous Tax Season.

If I Would Have Done A Christmas Card

Aaron and I had some family pictures taken in October thinking we'd send out Christmas Card, but we got too busy. So I thought I'd share a few of our pictures.

Let's end with the Love Of My Life!

Not Much Happenin'

There isn't much going on in our lives besides trying to keep up with the demands of life, work, and home. But it's nice to be working hard and happy. This last week:

• Aaron wired our garage with 20 additional outlets because there was only one in the entire garage and that just wasn't acceptable. He worked so hard on this project and researched a ton. What a smarty pants! As someone in my family once said, "I hate Aaron, he can do everything!"
  
• I went back to school this week with a goal to be a better teacher. I've worked really hard this week and it has felt great. I hope I can keep it up!
  
• Our Little One has increased his/her activity this week and I've felt the baby a lot! Now I'm just hoping I can get Aaron in the right spot to feel him/her soon. January 28th we'll find out boy or girl!
  
• I had my first contraction this week, and it totally freaked me out. I thought I had hurt the baby or something. My doctor explained to me it was a contraction and normal.
• Sydney excavated a bone from our last house plant he can actually reach. We're hoping the plant makes it, but we just could not get mad at him this time. It was too funny that he'd stashed a bone in there.
• We got to go out with BreAnn and Russ last night. It was so nice, we talked and talked! We got some great pointers on babies and what to expect. Steadman is so darling! Aaron and I couldn't stop staring at him. I don't know what Aaron was thinking but this is what was going through my mind, "I have one of those growing inside me! We're going to have a BABY!"
  

Told ya, just another normal week. I like normal weeks though, it makes me grateful for all the little blessings (that really when you think about it are the big blessings) I have in my life.

New Arrival

Aaron's brother Tim and his wife Megan just brought this lovely little girl into the world on January 2nd. We got to meet her Saturday morning! Aaron had a hard time grasping being an Uncle making him that much more excited to be a Dad himself. We're so excited she's here and can't wait to get to know her better. She also made us super excited for June and reminded us of what a great big huge wonderful step we're preparing for. Welcome Emerie!

Hump Day Pick Me Up

This is a clip from the movie "Love Actually". I love this movie but I've only ever seen it from Clean Flicks so I will never get to see it again. :( This is after Hugh Grant the Prime Minister tells of the President of the United States. I just think he's such a sexy man, then combine that with these moves and well go ahead hit play. I bet you'll watch it more than once! ;)

We're So SPOILED

This year's Christmas was so crazy, fun, and wonderful! Aaron and I braved the worst winter storm we've ever been in together - even with living in Logan for 5 years - to get to Kaysville for Christmas Brunch. Obviously we're okay, but it was heart pounding while we were driving through a white-out blizzard. We had a great Christmas starting with my Grandma's Party on Christmas Eve. We unfortunately left our camera at my Grandma's that night so we don't have any pictures and just a few of the rest of Christmas that we took with our older camera. We're getting really bad at picture taking :(

We had our own little celebration together around our tree Christmas Morning.

I got a Blender and already had some make-up that I couldn't wait to use from a few weeks earlier. Aaron wanted to give me a surprise gift so I got Mamma Mia!!! YAY!!!

Aaron got this...spoiled. I'll be enjoying it as well, but I'm a little surprise we actually bought it. My step-dad Gregg really hooked us up with a great deal.

The best part of our morning, however, was Sydney opening his presents. I can't imagine how much fun Christmas is with kids.

Off to the Gelter's we went and each year I'm amazed at how many presents we open with them. We recieved so much! I got lots of clothes for my growing belly, Aladdin, and a Del Parson painting called, "Perfect Love." Isn't it beautiful?! It will be going in our nursery. I think it's a wonderful image for our children to see as they're growing up or to help them feel more at home having just left our Savior's presence. I'm so excited.

Right Here I just have to shout out to Emerie, hope you get here soon kiddo! There's lots of Love waiting to meet you!


Aaron also got many clothes and tools. His favorite has to be his air compressor or his hand saw, though.

After the fun at the Gelter's we were off to my parents' where we enjoyed sugar cookies and lots of good company. We also got an upright freezer. We're really excited to be able to purchase meat and frozen items from Costco and not have to worry about where to store them. We're hoping it helps out with our food storage. I'm really excited because I also think if we shop smart we can end up saving money by using this.
Last but not least. Santa brought a surprise today - a Blu-Ray player! We are truly spoiled! We're also very excited!We have been so touched by the generosity of our parents. As if they haven't already done enough for us by raising us, and putting up with our constant calls for help or advise they still spoil us rotten! We're really blessed and honestly feel that our gifts were too much! We're so grateful for all that you do for us, and especially for the love that you've given both of us. Thank You, Mom and Gregg! Thank You, Mom and Daddy Gelter!

Our Christmas Letters

These are our Christmas Eve letters we wrote for my Grandma's Christmas Party. They look back over the year and share a brief testimony. They're really similar, but I swear we wrote them at different times without talking to each other about them. They are long but I wanted to post them to share part of my family tradition with all of you.

Aaron's Letter
What a great year this has been! I finally graduated from USU with my Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering. I never thought that would happen! During the last semester I interviewed at a few different places and was even offered a position in San Diego. We thought seriously about being adventurous and moving out of state, but in the end I got a better offer from my current employer and that combined with having family close won out and we're still here. We bought our first home in May and are now officially adults in the shackles of a mortgage. Our once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe was, of course, AMAZING! We talk all the time about just packing up and moving to Germany or Italy, but there's always that pesky money problem. As soon as we got home from our trip we got our puppy, Sydney; we had dreamed about having a dog since we got married, so we're thoroughly enjoying having our first child in the home, even if he is a little furrier than most babies. The highlight of the year was finding out that we're expecting. We're so excited for June to meet our little one and become parents! The most recent development: I was called to be the ward organist this month! I don't even know how to play the organ! I guess that shows how desperate the ward is for musical talent. I'm excited for the challenge, though. We'll see how that goes.

I'm so happy to have family close that we can share our joys and sorrows with. Family is truly a blessing that I often take for granted. I'm thankful for this time of year and for the giving spirit that I see everywhere. I'm thankful for my Savior who came to this Earth to die for us. I'm especially thankful for my wife. I don't tell her enough how much she means to me. I love you, Meg!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Aaron

Meghann's Letter
This year has been filled with so many great experiences that I just feel so blessed when I think back on the year.

It started out with me struggling to finish up my first year of teaching. I made it through healthy but exhausted. Aaron graduated and life started moving after that. He received an offer for a wonderful job and has loved working for Harman Music Group ever since. We bought our first house and then ripped it apart to make it more to our liking. The remodeling experience of camping out in the basement for 3 months is actually something I look back on and laugh at. We had fun joking and laughing our way through the not so pretty situation. We were so blessed to have a chance to spend a month in Europe. It was incredible and we’ll never forget it! What fun we had together on our out-of-country adventure! I’m so glad I got to see Aaron’s mission and experience some of his 2 years of service through the people he served and the food he ate. We came home and started working hard to complete the house. After a few months of trying for a baby and nothing happening I got tired of sitting around at home and started substitute teaching. I quickly saw that my first year was like a bad nightmare and the chance was slim of something like that happening to me again. So, I started looking for a full time teaching position. I was offered a job and also found out I was expecting. We prayed and felt that teaching while pregnant was the best thing for our little family so I took the job that same day; so far so good. Aaron and I have been looking forward to having children since we were married 4 ½ years ago, so we are ecstatic to be so blessed with this pregnancy. This year Aaron has been the greatest blessing in my life. He supports me through everything. He has honored his priesthood and our lives have been blessed because of it. He loves me even when I’m difficult and make me smile when I cry. I’m so truly blessed to have him as my companion for eternity and I’m so glad we have eternity to be together.

Aaron and I are the musical team in our new ward. I lead the music and he plays the organ. Having this calling has brought the hymns into our home and helps remind us of the gospel truths we know. Here is my testimony for this year: I know my Savior Jesus Christ lived on this earth, He loved me enough to come into this world to suffer for my sins and then die that I might live with Him and my Heavenly Father again. I know that prayers are answered individually with love. I know that Joseph Smith restored the Gospel to the earth and that it is the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I have a Prophet who is inspired and knows of God’s will for me. I know that if I follow Heavenly Father’s will, happiness will always be a part of my life. I know that we are never alone in this life that there is always our Savior watching over us, supporting us, and guiding us. I know these things to be true. Amen

All My Love,

Megs