Christmas at Home

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!



Our new little nephew Luke. Probably the cutest Santa you will ever see.



Gingerbread houses are a serious tradition in our house. Dustin and I get pretty intense as we do with any kind of art project. I was pretty proud of our snowman.



Dustin... in deep concentration.



Noah and Jonah the elf.



No, I did not get Dustin a car track for Christmas but I do think he played it just as much as the little boys.





When my oldest sister Aimee returned home from England where she served her mission she brought home with her the very fun tradition of Christmas crackers. When we sit down to eat Christmas dinner we each take our cracker, cross one arm over the other and grab the cracker on each side of you. We then count to three and every one pulls the ends of the crackers. They all crack (literally) open and out fly all kinds of fun prizes. They usually consist of some kind of toy, a joke, a fortune and a paper crown.



It may look kinda dorky but we all wear our crowns while we eat dinner.



Even Daddy :)



It has become such a fun tradition that I hope to do it with my own family.

My favorite time of year!

Merry Christmas!
Here is our Christmas tree. We decided to make all of our decorations for the tree. Dustin did a popcorn Garland and I make gingerbread men to hang. It turned out precious and was super cheap. I think we will do this every year.






Dustin and I are now in Colorado, one of the best presents ever, spending Christmas with my family. Yesterday we drove up to Boulder to see Josh whom is working as one of Santa's helpers in the mall up there. He is so cute! :) I don't think he or his wife knew what a task it is to be one of Santa's elves. He has been working there everyday of the week from 10 am - 11 pm for the last month and a half. We won't really get to see him at home until Christmas Eve night. Better late than never I guess.





More pictures to come! We are going sledding today with everyone then making gingerbread houses. I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas!

Sleepy Hollow

If anyone ever gets the chance to go Oak Glen to Riley's Farm I would highly recommend it! Dustin and I went with my mom, Adam, Chante and Merrick to Riley's Farm to see their production of Sleepy Hollow. We did it last year too and I think it is going to become a yearly tradition. It is so much fun and it was especially wonderful this year because my mom was in town to go with us.



Mama Pilk and Merrick with Ichabod Crane



Adam, Dustin and Merrick on our haunted hay ride!





Me and my mama



Check out how foggy it was! It was perfectly spooky!



They also have a pumpkin patch and orchards where you can pick our own apples. So fun!





Dustin and his albino pumpkin





Pie eating contest...








Mine and Dustin's pumpkin. Probably the cutest pumpkin ever carved. We totally should have won the pumpkin carving contest but some one decided to suck up to the judges and do a carving to the headless horseman. Check out the pictures below and let me know who you think should have won!!

Quarter of a Century!

Yes it is true! I am now a quarter of a century old! How depressing!! Not really... actually I had a wonderful birthday! :)

Thursday night my two wonderful girl friends, Alex and Kelly, took me out to dinner at a romantic location and then to one of my favorite movies, Chocolat, which was playing at this adorable outdoor theater in Hillcrest. We had so much fun! Thanks you Hood RATS! :)



On Friday Ryan treated us all to lunch at Panera and then cupcakes from the best bakery around. The bakery is called Elizabethan Desserts. If you have not been there I would HIGHLY suggest giving it a try. Their Diggity Dang and Grasshopper cupcakes is heavenly!

When I got home from work Dustin had all my presents wrapped and set out under our Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Why were they under our Charlie Brown Christmas tree you might ask? Well, a few days before my birthday Dustin asked me if I wanted to open the present my mom had sent me. I said, "No, they all have to be wrapped and put under the Christmas tree and opened on the actual day or it is not as fun." I didn't actually mean I wanted my presents under a Christmas tree, but being the adorable person he is, he dug our little Christmas tree out of the garage and had my presents under it waiting for me when I got home.



My mom spoiled me and got me the most beautiful shoes from Anne Taylor. I recently was called as my ward's Primary President and she told me that I needed to look the part. Thanks Mama! :)



Lately I have also been feeling very homesick for Colorado since fall is coming so Dustin got me all kinds of fall smelling candles so that I can make my home smell like I am "home" in Colorado.

After we opened presents Dustin took me to a romantic dinner at Poseidon in Del Mar. It was the most perfect setting ever and the food was amazing!



Thanks Dusty! You made my birthday so wonderful!!

I love you!



Delicious!!

The HAPPIEST place on Earth

I will have to admit that even though I look older... I am still a 10 year old girl stuck in a 25 year olds body. Disney Land is still one of my most favorite places on earth. It is a good thing I married another 1o year old stuck in a 27 year olds body. :)

Dustin and I took our day off on Labor day and went to Disney Land with Adam and Merrick. It was so fabulous! We got there early and stayed until they kicked us out at 11. I will never get sick of that place.

My most favorite ride by far!



Posing with Woody and Jesse






Riding on Casey Junior

Mawaige...

Congratulations Daniel and Caitlin! They were married August 21 in the Salt Lake Temple. The ceremony was perfect and I have never seen a happier couple.



Papa and Mama Pilk







It is finally happened! All of my parent's crazy children are married and will never annoy them again! Ok... that is not true. Sorry mama, you will never be rid of us.



The bridesmaids



Sisters :)






My first wedding cake! It was definitely a stressful experience but I learned so much and would really like to do more... wink wink ;)












I didn't get exactly what happened but there was a lot of smearing and destroying of the cake involved.



Jonah, Noah and Sadie. Showing each of their personalities perfectly in this picture.



Sadie is currently obsessed with Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Cinderella. She stole the show while at the family rehearsal dinner by singing "I'm Wishing" from Snow White. It was probably the most precious thing I have ever heard. She even did the "Ah Ha Ah Ha Ha" and the echoing from the wishing well.






It is tradition for Josh to write and perform a song at each of his sibling's weddings. It always leaves my family in hysterics and the new spouse's family confused and speechless.



The rehearsal dinner was at Rodizio Grill. It was amazing and the chocolate cake was pretty much to die for.