Sunday, December 26, 2010

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!

Friday, December 24, 2010

...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

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

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 :)

Friday, December 17, 2010

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}

Monday, December 13, 2010

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}

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Happy Birthday Tyler!

It's my love's birthday today! He is so stinkin' old, 23!
And even though he has to take a final exam, go to work & then go to his last night class - I hope that today is still an amazing day.
Mostly because there is a SURPRISE for him when he gets home & there is a carrot cake baking in the oven.
I love you Ty!

Saturday, December 4, 2010

...The Gelter's

These were taken one week before Miss Avalynn was born so believe it or not these are already out dated.. just an excuse to do it again soon I suppose! :) But even though she will deny it, I think Megan looks absolutely fabulous at 9 months pregnant- wouldn't you agree?

Meet my cute family.













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