Our Day

This may look like just a regular (...perfectly crafted, sent from heaven...) Swig sugar cookie, but today, it's much more than that--it's a "we-met-three-years-ago-today!!" cookie that Chris surprised me with when he got home from work! Is that so crazy weird that we met each other three years ago? Or is it more crazy weird that we still celebrate the day we met? Even if it is crazy weird, I'm okay with it, because Chris surprised me with food + we celebrated by finishing How I Met Your Mother (I hated the ending a lot bit. Anybody else?!). Also, what a fitting series to celebrate how you met someone, right?! ..... is this attempt to make watching TV together sound romantic working? 

In all seriousness though, I did have intentions of getting up early and carrying on the tradition of making bacon hearts for our "We met each other three years ago today!" day, but somehow sleep and cuddling with Chris took priority this year. I also had the cute idea to have us recreate our first date and make dinner and play games, but we didn't have chicken or broccoli or anything else that we ate on our first date. So crock pot mac n' cheese it was! 

It's crazy to me that it was only three years ago that I met Chris--feels like we've been together forever! But at the same time, it feels like just yesterday that I was crying before our date because I really didn't want to go out with Chris (or anyone at that time), and that Chris picked me up at my parent's in the "snow bunny" white car. If I think about it long enough, I can still get some of those butterflies I got from when Chris touched my knee while we played Apples to Apples with the group (the day we met was our first date, which was also a group date). It's so funny to look back on that day and think about how I had no intentions of seriously dating Chris. Ha! Never say never, I guess.

Annnnnd just like Ted Mosby, I'm just going to leave you with those little details of our how we met story. Just know that our ending is a lot better than Ted's...

Happy December 30th to us!!!

Top 10 of 2014

For someone who doesn't like change, I'm actually really excited for the new year! Maybe it's because I'm almost done with school, or because Friends is coming to Netflix, or maybe, it's because they're bringing back crispy M&M's(!!!!). For whatever reason, I'm just so giddy thinking about the new year!

Even though I'm ready to bring on 2015, I can't help but look back and reflect on this past year--2014 has been so, so good to us! It was hard to narrow down our top moments to just 10, but here they are:

1. Our Caribbean Cruise!
2. Upgrading to a king bed
3. Adding Tessa, Lexi, Talon, and Rain into our family!
4. Chris getting a new job (and me not worrying about him getting shot everyday)
5. Finishing my second marathon
6. Celebrating two years of marriage
7. Chris starting graduate school + surviving the first semester
8. Sanderson pickle ball league
9. Wicked + Disneyland  (me)
10. Mama and Papa Sanderson's hot tub!


You done good, 2014. Real good.

Christmas Highlights

It's so weird to even be talking about Christmas now that there isn't a single trace of Christmas left in my house as of 10 o' clock this morning, but I thought I should at least document some of the highlights from this year.

(from left to right)

+ On Sunday we celebrated Christmas with the Gourley's. My favorite part about celebrating there is watching Tom G give out the presents to everyone. You'd never take Tom G as the acting type, but he totally nails it every year when he yells, "Oh, Martha! We forgot some presents!!" It's seriously the best. Also, how cute are the batman pajama's all the boys got from grandma and grandpa?!

+ We were crazy enough to haul our king-sized mattress downstairs on Christmas eve so we could sleep by the Christmas tree. This idea was so cute and Christmassy on paper, but definitely not so cute and Christmassy hauling it down the stairs. I'm guessing Santa didn't hear me cursing under my breath while doing so, because I still woke up to presents!

+ Since Chris is a muddblood to Orem, he had never seen Sebastian's Christmas lights. So on Christmas eve, I had him drive past the amazingness. I think Chris was more interested in the neighborhood's average income, but he still enjoyed it!

+ I love Christmas eve at my parent's for two reasons: 1) the crazy amounts of finger food 2) my mom's gifts for the grandkids. I seriously don't know how she does it, but she manages to out-do herself every single year, including this year with the cutest little sleeping bags for all the kids! Also, can you see why I have her wrap my presents? She is the cutest!

+ My dad got Nerf guns for all the boys this year--the gift that just keeps on giving (...welts).

+ That last picture was taken before going to sleep on our mattress in the living room. I want you to take note of how happy and excited we look, that's because I thought we were going to fall asleep with the Christmas tree lights on (Chris put the kabosh on that reaaal quick), and we both didn't know our furnace was going to wake us up every single hour of the night. We're thinking it'll be easier to just bring the tree up to our room next year.

Obviously there were a lot more highlights to our holiday this week, but I was terrible at documenting. If I could go back, I would have been sure to capture Tom G sitting on the whoopee cushion and popping it, my mom tearing up at her Christmas present from all of us kids, and Chris' face when he opened up his gun safe from me!

Basically, we had an amazing Christmas this year (besides my fantasy of sleeping by the tree being squashed by our furnace). I hope you all did, too!

Oh, Christmas tree.

I have such a special place in my heart for our Christmas tree.

She doesn't look like much, but that's only because she's not that much. What do you expect from a tree that's from Wal-Mart, though? We bought her our first Christmas together. Basically, I begged Chris to use some of the gift cards that we got from our wedding to buy her. Luckily, Chris complied.

The reason I have such a special place for her in my heart is because she has brought so much comfort to me over the past 3 years--especially during the first couple of months me and Chris were married. We only had one car at that time, so Chris drove it up to Salt Lake every day, which meant that I was basically trapped in our house from 3:30 to 8:30 every day by myself. I would get so sad/lonely/convince myself some crazy, psycho killer was going to break into our house and murder me, but as soon as I turned on the Christmas tree, I became calm and happy. Me and Tree got really close that first December together. It became our routine for me to walk in from school, close all the blinds, grab a huge bowl of Chex mix, and shamelessly watch 3 or 4...or 5 episodes of Law and Order: SVU (not one of my finest moments).

Even today my tree is still there to comfort me when I get home. She's there to watch me dance around the house while listening to Christmas music, cry while watching the Ellen Show (or really any show for that matter), and even watch me attempt to sit down and do homework (or cry while studying for finals). She sees me at my best and my worst.

Even though she's losing some of her fake pine needles, only has like 10 bulbs total on her, and doesn't even have a star on top, I think she's one of the best looking trees out there--because she is ours! Kind of the same way people with ugly children feel (just kidding!). Every year she gets a new ornament from Tom G and Martha, and gets even prettier. She loves it. I do, too.

I'm already getting a little sad thinking about squishing her back into her box and putting her on the shelf for another year, but it's always worth it to pull her out the next year and feel like I'm being greeted by an old friend.



p.s. I don't always write sappy posts, but when I do, it's about my Christmas tree.

THE FEELS

As most of you know, I am an emotional person. Like, reeeeeeeaally emotional. Emotional is probably an understatement. I just feel too much! And on Monday, I definitely had feels, but not the good kind that I'm used to (like watching Ellen's 12 days of giveaways! Note: do NOT apply mascara before watching!). Instead, I had feels that made me (and maybe Chris) realize that I am truly insane. Like, on a scale from 1-Britney Spears circa 2007, I was definitely an 8. I'll paint you a mental picture...

Me in an ugly Christmas sweater, holding a pan of peanut butter fingers in the car, sobbing (way past Kim Kardashian crying ugly) + hyperventilating. Complete with mascara streaks that went all the way down my neck, and red lipstick smudged around my lips and on my teeth. If you are having a hard time picturing what that looks like, a close comparison would be The Joker, you know, who is insane.

Now that you have that lovely + flattering image of me in your mind... I'll tell you how I got to that point.

All day Monday I had been teary-eyed. I knew I was stressed about finals, but that's never made me hit the point of sobbing in an ugly Christmas sweater. All day I had just been sad and felt like I was failing at everything--school, work, church, being a good wife, etc. and when me and Chris were rushing on our way to a party, I just couldn't hold it in anymore--the feels had taken over! Next thing I know, I'm sobbing hysterically in the car trying to explain to Chris what's bothering me.
I'm going to fail my biomechanics final!
I haven't slept in three days!
I'm not going to be able to work next semester.
I barely have enough money in my account to pay for tuition.
I haven't even started Christmas shopping for anyone.
What if I don't get to student teach next semester?!
I can't even remember the last time I cooked a homemade meal!
We haven't gotten to spend anytime together!
The house is always a mess and the laundry is never folded!
There's children starving in Africa! (...I didn't actually say that, but you get the point, right?!)

....It was NOT pretty. I don't think I've ever cried so hard in my life. It was like every sad or negative thought I have been feeling this month just boiled over the surface! Luckily for me, Chris was really patient and turned the car around and took me home. His orders were to put my phone down, get in a hot bath, just relax and breathe. So, if picturing me in a Christmas sweater sobbing with mascara down my neck wasn't enough, you can always picture me naked in the tub with all my smeared make up still on and crying hysterically. I'm sure I looked like I was straight out of a horror film.

But! Don't worry! Because now that I've gotten a little more sleep and finished all my finals, I am A-OK! And starting to find myself laughing at how insane I acted/looked in front of Chris on Monday. At least we know now how to handle an almost-Britney Spears kind of melt down?  HOT BATHS + Grey's Anatomy. Oh, and lots of cuddling.

Also, because I've been too busy having mental breakdowns, here's some "good feels" I've had this month. Scroll, scroll, scroll!

Thanksgiving Point lights with the Gourley Gang! + Sharing my chocolate shake with Bryce.

Hanging out with Evie, while Chris was in California.

Watching Koree and Griffin in the nativity at their ward Christmas party.

FHE at grandma and grandpa Walker's!

My wreath that my cutest aunt Joelle helped me make! (okay, mostly made...) Thanks, Joelle!!!

I'm so grateful to be done with finals and feel like all is right in the world again. Now I just have to worry about Christmas shopping...

Good luck to the rest of you crammin' for the last of those finals! 

A Tidbit of Tibble Fork.

...how much longer do you think I can keep incorporating the word 'tidbit' into my post titles before it gets annoying? Okay! We get it! Your blog is called A Tidbit of Love! We understand you're running out of clever post titles!

- - - - - - - - - -

We had Sanderson family pictures taken a couple weeks ago, and I must say, I'm really proud of all of us! Mostly because there was minimal tears and swear words, but also because we braved the freezing cold up at Tibble Fork AND were dealing with post-Thanksgiving chubby face (okay, maybe that was just me) (also proud of the fact that my mom got my dad to wear purple-ha! excuse me, I mean, "burgandy"). Seriously though, the grandkids did so good up there! So good in fact, that I promised them all I'd take them to the dollar store. Oh, and Chris did really good too! He barely complained + smiled normal + suggested some poses for us (as you'll see below).

We had our family friend, Brooklyn, take these photos for us. You guys! If you need pictures taken, she's your girl! She's so great and so good at what she does (click here to see her blog). I loved the candid shots she got of our family, because let's be honest, those are usually the best pictures to look at! Here are some of my favorites:

^^But seriously, how pretty is my mom?^^

^^I've never seen Chris happier in a photo of us...^^

I love my family.

p.s. After these pictures Chris informed me that we've had six photoshoots since we've been married... I think it's safe to say that he's done taking pictures with me for a while.

p.p.s. We also went to Chubby's after this--bad idea for the thighs. And my post-Thanksgiving face. Maybe I'll be joining Chris on the being done taking pictures for a while thing?

Things That Make Monday Better //

// Grey's Anatomy

(better yet: watching Grey's in the glow of my Christmas lights!)

// Swig

(and Swig girl complimenting your eyes! Oh staaahhp!)

// Getting packages in the mail

// Skipping class

// Going to mom's to eat leftover spaghetti 

(and cleaning up your garlic bread crumbs so nobody knows about it!)

// ZUMBA! 

// Bubble baths + Philosophy's Fresh Cream

Monday, you're alright.

December-Do List

Despite the fact that the first three days of my December have consisted of stress, top-knots, yoga pants, and 44 oz of Diet DP daily + the caffeine shakes, I'm still surprisingly pumped for this month! Maybe it's because I'm two weeks away from being done with Biomechanics? Or because I don't have to sing Feliz Navidad , or any other Christmas song for that matter, under my breath anymore? Or maybe it's because Pinterest and Instagram showed me inspirational quotes and pictures telling me that I need to make the last month of 2014 a good one? For whatever reason, I'm ready to indulge in all things December! Which is why I made myself a December-Do list that includes things I want to see/do. Also, I feel the need to tell you that there's things on my list that I've already done or know I'm going to do this month, because I'm totally one of those people that puts stuff they've already done on their to-do list just to cross it off. Here they are:

:: Make caramels! Or just eat the ones my mom gets from the neighbors. Probably just eat, though.

:: Go ice skating! That was one of mine and Chris' first few dates, and we haven't gone since (sometimes I miss pre-married Chris and Shayli-they were so adventurous and nervous to hold hands + really skinny)

:: Sleep out in the living room with the Christmas tree lights on. 

::  See Annie & Unbroken (better yet: BOTH in one day!)

:: Walk through Riverwoods. I would say Temple Square, but that's going to take a lot of convincing for Chris since we did that last year and I made him miss his rec league basketball game + my brother's car got broken into...

:: Serve someone!

:: See Thanksgiving Point lights (Wooo Gourley gang!).

:: Pass Biomechanics (this isn't Christmas-y, but it's totally going to require a Christmas miracle).

:: Try the Peppermint shake from Chic-fil-A. 

:: Visit my grandma and grandpa Sanderson.

:: Give the hand to my DDD at Swig, and actually try their dirty hot chocolate this year.

:: Trap Meet Chris under the mistletoe (but seriously, where does one find mistletoe??).

:: Actually wrap a present by myself.

:: Festival of Trees! (and NOT cry reading about each tree and who it's dedicated to...)

:: Celebrate meeting Chris 3 years ago on December 30!

Here we go Decembrrrrrrrrr!

a little late, but still thankful!

I guess I missed the memo from Instagram that said I needed to post a cutesy picture with my significant other on Thanksgiving and tell everyone how thankful I am for them. So, like everything else in my life, here I am!...two days too late. But that's only because I was having way too much fun stuffing my face with food and spending time with my family and um, stuffing my face with food. 

Now I know I said you wouldn't see anymore thankful posts from me this month, but I feel like it's kind of necessary, because somehow I got skipped at the Gourley table when everyone was going around saying two things they were thankful for. Maybe being "skipped" wasn't by chance, though. You see, I'm socially inept when it comes to casual conversation and tend to yell things out like, "SEX!" while everyone's gathered around the dinner table. Well played Gourley gang, well played. 

Anyway, since I never got to tell my Gourley family on Thanksgiving, I just wanted to let them know that I am so thankful for all of them! Since the very beginning, I've been welcomed in with open arms and treated like one of their own! I love that everyone acts excited when we come over + interested in what's going on in our lives. Thank you for always pretending to be interested in my school schedule and Chris' work stories--it does not go unnoticed! Oh, and I'm thankful that Mama Gourley always has a supply of dirty diet. DP on-hand + is genuinely concerned that I didn't get enough to eat even after I've devoured 3 plates of food. 

Obviously I couldn't do a thankful post and not mention my own family. I know not everyone can say they are best friends with their family, and I definitely know not everyone can say that their only friends are their family, either ;) I'm so glad I have a family that eats 4 servings of anything like I do + makes dirty jokes while playing Settlers of Catan (Does anybody got wood?!) + shows affection by making fun of you. I love my people.

Last but not least, I'm thankful for Chris--the constant in my life. The constant teasing, tickling, sweatpants-wearing, and smiling that's become part of my life. I'm thankful he agreed to put up with me for eternity, because I don't think many others would have been up to the challenge. You're my person, Chris! Even if you don't understand the significance of that phrase.

To sum this (corny post) all up, I guess what I'm trying to say is that the things I'm most thankful for in my life aren't things.

Life is good.

Sorry, mom.

Dear mom,

I did something crazy last night, and I feel like I need to come clean about it. I'm not sure what caused me to do this crazy thing, but I have some theories...

Maybe it was pre-setting FM 103.1 on my radio after getting home from Disneyland.
Maybe it was waking up to snow yesterday morning.
Maybe it was my impulse purchase of candy cane kisses (and my impulsive act of eating half a bag in one sitting).
Maybe it was not skipping over Justin Bieber's Christmas album when my ipod was on shuffle.
Maybe it was Pinterest blowing up my feed with things like, "50 stocking stuffers for men" and pretty pictures of neatly packaged gifts (we know why that was suggested for me-my wrapping is the pits).

All of these are probable, but the direct cause remains unknown. But yes, it's true--I put up my Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving.

As I was putting up my tree last night, I couldn't help but feel a little guilty, because ever since I can remember, you have always put yours up the day after Thanksgiving. You never directly told me it's a rule to put them up after Thanksgiving, but it was just kind of implied, you know? Kind of like how it's a rule to go to the movies and get popcorn or watch Dirty Dancing whenever it's on TV even if you've seen it a thousand times--you just do it.

So I hope your mom-heart will forgive me for being unfaithful to this unspoken rule of yours, because my garland is out, my JB Christmas album is on repeat (no shame!), my bowl of candy cane kisses is half empty (not half full! no optimism when candy cane kisses are being reduced!), and my tree is up and beaming! And thank you for noticing the two different sizes of lights on the tree, because Pinterest told me it makes it look better. What Pinterest didn't tell me is that hanging lights on a Christmas tree is a freaking B, and that you need to buy two boxes to wrap the entire thing, or else you'll have to take your one strand of lights and just zig-zag it back and forth in the front and hope that no one ever looks at the back of your tree...

WOW. That felt good to get off my chest(..nuts roasting on an open fire...).

Even though I've broken the Christmas decorations after Thanksgiving rule, I promise I won't break the other rule you have: Christmas decorations come down December 26th.

...at least I'm pretty sure I promise?

Sorry to let you down mom. I tried so hard to stay strong! I really did. But I'm also kind of not sorry, because my house smells like a pine tree and the glowing Christmas lights give me tingles! The same kind of tingles that I get from watching Ellen--the tingles that bring tears to my eyes!

I'm not sure if I'll break this rule every year, but I just hope you understand where I'm coming from this year, and that I'll still be allowed to come over and eat all of your Christmas treats from the neighbors + steal dad's BYU truffles he gets from work every year and tries to hide in his nightstand.

For Posterity's Sake

These photos are proof that Chris and I are capable of taking a good picture together. And by "good picture," I mean I didn't have to nag Chris to take it with me + it wasn't taken on my phone. So three cheers for Chris who was such a good sport about taking family pictures and wearing what I told him to AND putting gel in his hair. Background: Chris HATES putting gel in his hair. He will do anything to avoid it because it "makes his forehead sticky."  

Feel free to scroll through these and think that we don't wear sweats or leggings on a daily basis. Is it sad that my outfits are actually planned around leggings? Anyway, onwards! To sweat pants/legging-free pictures of us! 

Behold:

While we're on the subject of things we're capable of, I would like you to know that we're capable of having a fridge full of soda, but no butter or milk or cheese (the essentials). In our defense, cranberry sprite zero with a spoonful of limeade is amazing--thanks, Mama Sanderson for converting us! It's becoming an essential in the Gourley household. 

We're also capable of keeping all of our whites in the dryer and coming down every single morning to get fresh underwear, because folding them and taking them upstairs would be too inconvenient (human logic).

Basically, we're capable of winning at life right now... is it Thanksgiving break yet?

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: Disneyland Edition

The Good:

• I made it to California! I had to put on my big girl pants and rode a plane by myself to meet my family there. Because this is a safe space, I think it's safe to say that I wet those big girl pants on the plane ride--I should not be allowed to ride on a plane by myself! I went from crying at take-off/planning my own funeral to crying about how beautiful the LA lights were as we were landing and everything else in between! It was an emotional plane ride to say the least... BUT the important thing is I made it!
• Two words: DOLE WHIP. I would go back to Disneyland for that reason alone.
• Dash going on The Tower of Terror and being rewarded with a sucker and a dollar bill for not crying.
• The World of Color! I think there was more water coming out of my eyes than in the actual show... I couldn't handle it! Lights, water, songs from Frozen, and Christmas music--the ingredients for a hysterically sobbing Shayli! 
• The corn dogs. Totally worth the 20 minute wait.
• Me and Shelbs not having to wait in line for any rides.
• Sulley gettin' all spiffed up for me and Shelbs.
• Watching my nieces and nephews during the Christmas parade. 
• The Genie's one-liners in Aladdin. 
• The Christmas music playing in the park. I'm not really one to listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving, but I couldn't help but love it in Disneyland! There's just something so magical about it there!
• Shelby and her Ghirardelli's chocolate ice cream.
• The fireworks above the princess castle. Proof that Disneyland doesn't half-ass a n y t h i n g. 
• My dad forgetting where they take the picture on California Screamin'.
• Cars Land + getting fast passes for the Radiator Springs ride. 
• Watching my nieces and nephews eyes light up as they experienced Disneyland for the first time.

The Bad:

• Chris not being there :( 
• Rapunzel's eyes not being the right color.
• The Chinese food at California Adventure (according to Mitch).
• Koree and Griffin being sick.
• Not getting to meet Anna or Elsa.
• Dash not being tall enough for California Screamin' or Indiana Jones.
• My water bottle leaking through my bag on Space Mountain.
• The Bug's Life ride (again, according to Mitch).
• My family not being able to make a decision to save their lives ;)
• Driving in a huge circle trying to find Slater's 50/50
• That I only got two days in Disneyland.

The Ugly:

• The combo of see-through leggings and thongs-a popular look at Disneyland.
• Me crying at anything and everything at Disneyland. I saw Elsa!...There's Christmas music playing!...The sky is blue!
• Going from California weather to below freezing weather in Utah.
• Our pedophillic 15-passenger van.