...Christmas 2010

We had a great Christmas this year, jam packed with family, presents, food, & fun. I always love the Christmas season with the music, the decorations & the reason we celebrate it.

{our Christmas tree}

*it looks better all lit up but this was taken during the day

{We always put all the cards we get up on our back door windows so that we are constantly reminded of how lucky we are to know so many wonderful people}

We decided not to do a huge Christmas for each other this year so we got a few things.

I got Tyler the new book by Jay-Z called Decoded. He got me books as well, a new cookbook (yay!) & He Shall Fulfill All of His Promises by Lloyd D. Newell.

We also purchased this..

{Finally decided on a new comforter!}

On Christmas day, we are always awakened by Tyler's bro Carson telling us to get up & come over so that everyone can open gifts. So this year was the same & we were up at 7:30am.

{Tyler's family's humongous tree}

{We decided to get Tyler's family lots of gifts this year, this is the pile we gave them}

{I printed and framed a bunch of the family pictures we took back in October for Amy}

{We got Braden his dream gift, a Kevin Durant Jersey}

{Kalen was so excited to get the Curious George 2 movie}

{One of our gifts to Jeff was 6 months of Netflix}

{We got Carson the NERF gun he wanted, it's HUGE}

This is my favorite picture of the day, Tyler captured Amy opening the new computer monitor from us & as you can see she was shocked. She was in dyer need of a new one.. the one it replaced was ancient, huge & weighed about 80 lbs!

We got season tickets again to the Desert Star Theater from Amy & Jeff. I had told them it was all I wanted! I enjoyed going this past year with them & it's something we can all have fun together doing.

After we were finished opening gifts, we ate German pancakes for breakfast, yum! And then relaxed for a bit before it was time to head over to my parent's house to start making "brunch" which was the traditional Aeblskivers.

My Mom had to work a graveyard shift the night before so this was perfect timing for her waking up & having breakfast ready.

* I am super bummed because Tyler & I left our camera at home on accident in between his family & my family's get togethers..

After we ate we all exchanged secret santa gifts. Tyler had Aaron & he got him a water belt for running. I had Devanee who I made a big print of one of her senior portraits & had it framed. Megan had me & I got a UofU snuggie (yay!) & Tim had Tyler & got him a movie bundle from the Megaplex with vouchers for tickets, popcorn, drinks & lots of candy.

We then did stockings & then opened gifts from my parents. They always outdo themselves & we are always SO spoiled on Christmas. Tyler had to get used to this when he joined our family because his family is kind of the opposite!

We got spoiled with clothes, new tools, a new blender I had been wanting, gift certificates - I got a new purse & shoes & I can't even think of everything because there was too much!

We got my Dad a digital photo frame which he loved. And my Mom we had a print made of our family portrait taken in October & had it framed.

We then got to go to Tyler's grandparent's house for Christmas dinner. It was great to see lots of Tyler's Aunts, Uncles & cousins that we only see a few times a year.

Now that Christmas is over, we can reflect on the past year & make new goals that we want to accomplish in the new year. Tyler and I have made a couple & we are SO excited to accomplish them! Here's to 2011! Happy New Year everyone!

Scavenger Hunt & Sugar Cookies!

Last year we started a tradition of having a scavenger hunt around Christmas time. The past two years it has been at the Gateway in SLC. Last year Tim & Megan organized it, this year it was Aaron & Meghann's turn. Of course, Tyler couldn't make it again this year so I was paired up with my lil bro, Micah. I was totally fine with this because he & I were team mates last year & we totally kicked butt & won 1st place!

We all get a list of things we have to find. Some are physical items we have to bring back & some are things we have to take pictures with. Micah is a trooper because I make him pose for every single picture. Here are just a couple from this year...

{Picture with a "build - a - bear"}

{Picture with a hat (most clever wins the extra credit point & I am happy to report that this beauty from Urban Outfitters won us that extra point!)}

We always have started & ended at Barnes & Noble. While we were meeting back there we just happened to run into Elder Holland who was shopping there. I saw him shopping around & had to look at him a few times before I really realized it was him.

Devanee & her bf Jake were outgoing enough to go up to him & say Hi, I guess I am a coward but I just tell myself that I was respecting his space :)

Anyway, they got this picture with him & it won them an extra credit point for "picture with a genius" on the scavenger hunt.

Well after all the scores were tallied, Tim & Megan came out on top & won 1st place. Micah & I were slackers this year coming in at 3rd. Oh well there is always next year...

On Christmas Eve, Tyler & I left his family party at his grandma's a little early so that we could decorate sugar cookies at my parent's house. It was lots of fun & they were yummy too. We decided to dye the frosting neon colors which made them look extra fabulous :)

I apologize yet again for the horrible quality of the pictures. My iPhone just isn't the same as my 5D..

{a few I decorated}

Temple Square

We went to see the lights at Temple Square this year on December 23rd. We couldn't believe how many people were there. We literally had a hard time walking around! I am sure all those out of towner's visiting family for Christmas were there & that is why it was so hectic.. so next year we will be sure to go earlier in the month!

{My beautiful sisters & I}

{Tyler & I}

{Devanee & Karli}

{Tyler & I, again}

I am grateful we live so close to this beautiful place and that we can visit often. The lights were beautiful but every time I see the Salt Lake Temple at night I am reminded of it's magnificence & meaning. I truly cannot believe such a gorgeous structure was build so long ago & with so much patience over 40 years by those constructing it. I can only imagine the way the saints must of felt going into this temple for the very first time. I am also so very grateful that Tyler and I were sealed together here!

...Happy Holidays!...

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas & may we all remember Christ & his birth at this special time of year! Tyler & I are so grateful for all that we have been blessed with this past year & we hope that this season finds you all happy & well!

Love,

The Gapinski's

Tyler's Birthday

First of all, I am going to have to apologize for the horrible pictures. They were taken with my iPhone so the quality is far from perfect. Tyler had more of a birthday week rather than just one day.

We started of the week on Sunday by having his favorite turkey enchiladas as his parent's house with the biggest chocolate mint cake my eyes have ever seen.

Monday we had the privilege of going to the executive suite for the Jazz game.

This would be what we ate while watching the Jazz dominate Memphis. Not to mention the amazing desserts at halftime. Thank you Tyler for winning a contest at work!

Tuesday was his actually birthday but it was a busy busy day for him. He had to work (BOO!) & then had to go to his night class (BOO, again). So by the time he was home to celebrate it was nearing 9pm. We had loaded nachos waiting for him to eat &....

A delicious carrot cake.

It may not be the best looking carrot cake, but for my first ever attempt, I will give it a thumbs up.

(Do you like the ghetto coca-cola plate it's on? Haha.. lets just say I didn't think about the fact that the cake was going to be stuck on this plate for good when I started icing it.)

Tyler got one HUGE present from everyone. Maybe huge is the wrong word?

It was quite expensive -

He got an electric keyless start installed in his car & he had no clue!

(He also got the awesome Ute shirt he is wearing from Tim & Megan & "the best socks ever" from me.)

Funny story about getting the electric start installed.

I had been worrying for almost the whole week prior to his birthday, how I was going to get him to take my car to work on his birthday. I knew he would be suspicious no matter what excuse I pulled & the best one I thought of (Hun, take my car to work since it's in the garage & not covered in ice) wasn't working out too well because it had been SO WARM the past several days.

SO.. on his birthday I woke up early to make him a nice breakfast in bed which included a cinnamon roll (he craves these from time to time yet never gets them because they aren't allowed in my house, haha). While I was downstairs cooking, I took his car keys and hid them in a VERY good hiding place. My hopes were that he would look for his keys, not be able to find them & then take my car to work.

Well the plan worked but not until I tried for 30 minutes to convince him to just TAKE MY CAR ALREADY!

He was looking everywhere imaginable & I swear if I would have let him look for 5 more minutes he would have found them.

After he finally left, I hurried & got ready so I could take his car in by 10am. While I was driving to the place, I get a call from Tyler hysterical. He had MISSED his marketing FINAL EXAM. What? How could this happen? Well, come to find out it was the teacher's fault he had missed it, he failed to tell Tyler the right dates when Tyler asked him. SO, luckily he was allowing him to take the test but by noon THAT day. (Great!)

No... not great.. Tyler was coming HOME! His car.. it's not AT home. He is going to wonder- what am I supposed to say? This is a disaster.

I don't know how, but somehow I convinced him to come to my parent's house to get his backpack & then he went & took his test & went back to work.

{Relief}

When Tyler got home that night & opened his present it all made sense to him why his keys were missing. It was quite funny to see the look on his face when the present he opened was just his car keys. But needless to say, he was very happy with his birthday gift & he is getting better at remembering to use it!

On Thursday, we went to Tucanos with Aaron, Meghann, Porter, Karli & Chase to celebrate yet again! We had to use his free meal coupon he got for his birthday :) Good excuse right?

Well it was yummy & I enjoyed getting plenty of cuddles from my nephew during dinner.

I can't speak for Tyler but I assume he had a fabulous birthday this year, minus the stress of finals week of course :)

November

We didn't have a very eventful November but of course if I stayed up to date on this blog maybe I'd remember more from this month. There was, of course, Thanksgiving to look forward to.

We had Thanksgiving this year at my parent's house. Tyler's family goes to Island Park each year & have Thanksgiving dinner and stay a week in cabins. They also go there to get Christmas trees & the past few years they have been generous enough to bring home extra trees for Tyler & I but also my parent's as well. We wish we could go up at least every other year with them but because of Tyler working in retail, the day after Thanksgiving (aka Black Friday) is a must work day for him.

I did a lot of cooking this year which I didn't mind at all. I enjoy it.

I made 2 pies, one pumpkin & one apple. Tyler & I made the mashed potatoes & deviled eggs. My little sister Karli was a master chef this Thanksgiving, she did the turkey! She also made banana cream pie, chocolate satin pie & creamed corn to name a few.

I really wish I would have taken pictures on Thanksgiving & I have no excuses as to why I didn't.

But it was a fun day & I loved spending it with Tyler & my family.

In November we also had the opportunity to help out my good friend Dustin Izatt. He was teaching a photography workshop & needed us to "model" for him & his students for a mentoring session. We gladly accepted & I have posted a few of the photos we have received from a couple of the students.

[warning - if you don't like to see kissing you may want to close the page now :) ]

{we watched Tyler's family's dogs while they were out of town & I took this picture with my phone because it was so cute. Toby & Roxi finally accepted Brian (he is actually Roxi's baby from her last litter) & they were all curled up on the doggy bed together napping}

Halloween

Before I tell you all about our Halloween this year, I have to give a shout out that on October 17th we became an aunt & uncle yet again. My brother Tim & his wife Megan added a second daughter to their family, Avalynn. She's super tiny & super beautiful... see for yourself...

{I painted this owl for Avalynn's homecoming}

HALLOWEEN

Halloween this year was pretty much the same as usual. We didn't buy any candy because no one (& I mean NO ONE) comes to our townhome. So like every year, we go to my parent's house to hang out & help out. Every year my Dad grills hot dogs on the bbq & hands them out to the trick-or-treaters. We also make hot chocolate & for those who only want candy.. well we have that, too. :)

Tyler helped grill most the hot dogs this year & I think the grand total was around 100 hot dogs.

After the trick-or-treaters died down, Tyler & I went to our friends & watched The Fourth Kind. It was SUPER strange.

{Carson (Ty's little bro) always comes over for a hot dog- he also always dresses up as a football player}

{He always gets the chicks}

{Tyler grilling his heart out}

{A few of the pumpkins we carved}

{my pumpkin, Bob}

{We also made caramel apples this year & they were SO delicious}