Goodbye 2012

After Christmas we spent a few more days in Ironwood with everyone. It was fun to spend some time with Michael and Caroline and their kids. Next time we see them we'll get to meet that little baby girl! On Saturday morning we drove back down to Minneapolis. Spencer shadowed Tyler for 2 more shifts, and I got to spend some time with AnnaMarie and the kids.

For New Year's Eve, AnnaMarie and Tyler took us all out to eat at Famous Dave's. We came home and had some of the cake I made, and were in bed by 9:30. Spencer and I flew out at 6:30 am, so we had to leave for the airport around 4:45. I think James and Miranda stayed up until midnight though! :-) They didn't fly out until 11 or so. Flying that early in the morning isn't very much fun, but it was nice to get back into Provo by noon the next day. We (okay, Spencer did it) had to shovel our our gate and car (I cleared off the car), which took a while. There was about a foot of snow and good layer of ice. Plus the icy mess the plow left at the end of our little driveway. We took a run to the grocery store, and just enjoyed some down time at home together. 2012 went by fast. It was a great year, and I'm excited to see what 2013 brings us. It'll be a big year with the MCAT for Spencer, GRE for myself, and applications to schools. Hopefully medical and physical therapy school will move us a little bit closer to family.

Christmas 2012

Christmas was wonderful! Of course I waited for a week and a half to write this post, so I'll see what I can still remember. I absolutely love Christmas at our house, and this year I think we broke the record for the most presents under (around) a tree. Seriously, people.

We all got up and managed to get ready in the one bathroom upstairs before the kids got too anxious to get downstairs. In our house nobody is allowed downstairs to see the stockings and presents (all the bedrooms are upstairs) until everyone is dressed and ready to go. It makes for nicer looking Christmas morning pictures. :-) We get our stockings and pass out all of the presents, then go around opening one at a time so everyone can see what everyone else got. It took us 2 hours this year! The traditional Christmas breakfast at our house has always been pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream, scrambled eggs, and bacon/sausage. I love it.

We got lots of new games, which is exciting because we do play games whenever we get together with friends. Mom and Dad got us an awesome blender just before we left Utah. Seriously, that thing can blend anything. I'm excited to try some of the recipes that came with it. I had a really hard time with Christmas shopping this year. I ended up getting Spencer some headphones, and he got me a nice snuggly sweatshirt. We got lots of other things, including a good amount of Christmas candy, of course.Oh, and Auntie Janny got us the Joy of Cooking, so we tried our hand at making baguettes while we were still in Ironwood. That book has everything in it.

Anyway, Christmas morning was busy and a little chaotic and great. For the rest of the day we hung out and played with the kids. We got to Skype with all of Spencer's family, including Patrick, who is gone serving his mission for our church in Eugene, Oregon. Next Christmas we are hoping to get the whole family together for a family reunion/vacation. I'm hoping we go somewhere warm.

The next day AnnaMarie and Tyler left and Michael and Caroline arrived. We opened presents again with them. I finished up the Moore kids' aprons over Thanksgiving break, and they seemed to like them. I had a lot of fun making them and I hope the boys don't get too cool for them too fast. They were a great project for me to relax and take my mind off of school on Sundays.

And the pictures! (In no particular order)

We did our "make-up". I love all these girls!

Can you believe how HUGE that pile of presents was??

We made this for Christy's basketball game. It got her to laugh during her game, so I'd say it was a success. 

Sugar Cookies!

I love our Christmas staircase. 

AnnaMarie teaching Katie and Jane how to play mousetrap. They loved it.

Christy got Aiden laughing so hard by swinging him back and forth like this.

we did lots of this and it was great! Nice headphones, huh? :) 

Sophie and her fishy apron!

Lots of snuggles. 

Janny gave us some money to go to her friend's shop so we picked up some giant candy necklaces for the kids. 

 

And vido games.

Calvin's shark!

I'm pretty proud of this octopus. 

Our First Anniversary

Spencer and I celebrated our first anniversary by taking a little romantic getaway to Duluth. We stayed in a nice hotel in the canal park area, walked around the cute shops in the area, and had really good food. Dad gave us some money to go out to eat so we had lunch at Famous Dave's for lunch and went to a Japanese restaurant called Hanabi for dinner. It was so much fun! It was great to have a day to just be together and really not have a care in world.

It's funny how this past year went by so fast, but it feels like we've been married forever. We jumped right into our new life together and have loved it. Spencer has done such a great job of taking care of me. I love him more each day, and am so excited to see where our education and careers will take us. He's the best.

Here's a little recap of our first year:

We were sealed for time and eternity in the Chicago Temple,

had a beautiful reception where we very carefully fed each other cake, 

and drove off in a beautifully decorated car.

We took a honeymoon cruise to Mexico

where we had plenty of fun times,

like finding expensive soda

and snorkeling in Mexico! 

 We ate good food.

 We celebrated my birthday

and drove to Michigan, where we went boating,

horseback riding,

saw some waterfalls,

 

and found a good excuse to get all dressed up again. (Thanks Caroline!)

 We celebrated the 4th of July with a fun meal.

We made some awesome friends

who hiked the narrows with us.

 

  

 We got wet and finished in the dark,

but we all survived.  Even Laura. 

We went to a pumpkin patch to find the perfect pumpkins,

 worked hard at carving them,

 and had the best Jack-o-lanterns ever!

 We had a tie-dye themed birthday party for Spencer

so I could make this. 

 We hosted our first Thanksgiving dinner

for the whole Thornock family.

We even painted this guy. Okay, Spencer painted this guy.

And we did lots of smooching!

Christmas Break Begins

Finals week was busy and crazy and we are so happy it is over. :) We both felt pretty good about how we did on our exams, but being done feels good no matter what. This year we have a 3 week break and I think we can really use it. We both took our last exams on Thursday, and on Friday we had the day to get ready for our trip home. Spencer worked for a few hours, too. Saturday we flew out and arrived in Minneapolis around 7 pm.

I love going to Minneapolis. Caroline picked us all (me, Spencer, James, and Miranda) up and we went back to her house to see Michael and to wait for AnnaMarie to come get us and drop Benjamin off. Benjamin flew in earlier that day and AnnaMarie picked him up. Sophie had just barely gone to bed, so she came out to say hi. I sure love her sweet snuggles. Then AnnaMarie came and brought Spencer and I back to her house.

We kept AnnaMarie up a little too late Saturday night chatting after Tyler left for work, but on Sunday morning we got up early to help her get all the kids ready. Or at least to entertain half of them at a time. The girls were really excited to see us and as soon as I came up they asked where Spencer was. We played with them and I offered to do the girls' hair. They both hate getting their hair done, but every time I go there I offer to give them princess braids (french braids) and they love it. I remember being the same way when we'd go to the Bracket's house as kids. I loved getting my hair done by Auntie Reeny. Their braids looked cute.

The twins are so much fun right now. 9 months is great. They are wiggly and giggly, and scoot and crawl everywhere. You can get them laughing once in a while, or at least grinning at you. Jack seemed to think I was funnier than Aiden did. Church was good on Sunday. It's funny how many people (kids, teens, and adults) are so excited to hold the boys. I did get some warm snuggles from Jack during Sunday School when he fell asleep though. Aiden fell asleep on AnnaMarie at the same time and Spencer may or may not have fallen asleep, too! ;-) For dinner we went over to Michael and Caroline's and had homemade noodles! They were restaurant quality, and I was totally impressed once again by Caroline's cooking. The kids were fun.

Monday was a nice day playing with kids and enjoying family time. For FHE everyone came over to AnnaMarie and Tyler's and the kids acted out the Christmas story while AnnaMarie narrated. It was cute. On Tuesday we hung around for a while in the morning and then hit the road. I was so excited to see Dad and Christy. I love going home. It's always clean and organized and happy. I ended up not feeling well for a day or so, so we just took it easy. Not doing anything felt so nice. Our semester was so busy, and we hardly had a day off.

We did get to go visit Janny at the shop! Let me tell you, Auntie Janny is the best. She is always so excited to see us (and we're always excited to see her too!) and she's so thoughtful. She gave spencer and I a copy of The Joy of Cooking! We were looking through it and I'm excited to try some stuff from it. First on the list: baguettes! We'll let you all know how it goes. :) Thanks, Janny!!

So Long, Chemistry!

Dear Chemistry,

I know we've been together for quite a while now. After all, three semesters is not an insignificant part of my college career, but I'm afraid I have some news for you. You see, I'm just not sure that you're worth it. I've put endless hours into you and what have I gotten in return? Frustration, stress, and tears! Yes, tears! From the first semester, right down to the bitter end. And I do mean bitter. I just need something more inspiring, if you know what I mean.

I've done my very best to get to know you over the semesters, but you are so elusive. First you tell me that atoms look like clay balls, then you tell me that they actually look like a clay ball with electrons whizzing around in neat little orbitals, then you confess that it has all been a lie! Those electrons aren't in neat little circles at all, they're in doughnut shapes, and Ps and Qs, and all sorts of strange orbitals! Then we tried to go organic and it turns out that molecules can bond this way, but not that way. But they actually can bond that way if you know the secrets about how to do it. Do you see my point? I've tried so hard to get to know you, but I just don't understand.

Now, don't be too sad. We've had some long nights together, and some terrible days. We've had time in the lab, and countless hours together in the wonderful testing center -- 5 for our 105 final alone. Don't you think it's time to move on? I sure do. I'll do you a favor and make it a clean break. You do me a favor and if you see me around, don't say hi. I think it's better if we're not even friends.

Sincerely,

Abbey

December At Last

I really think December is my favorite month of the year, despite the fact that it's cold. And in Utah it's just cold. No snow, just cold. Meh, at least we don't have to shovel our driveway. Anyway, December is finally here! We're down to 3 days of class, and next week is finals!! Just 12 more days and we'll be in good old Minnesota snuggling with Jack and Aiden (if they aren't too wiggly), playing pirates and princesses with Katie and Jane, and doing who-knows-what with Ryan, Calvin, and Sophie. I adore those kids and I cannot wait any longer to see them!!

Last night Benjamin had a concert for his German choir class, so Kelsie and I went to support him. We were not informed that the entire thing was going to be in German. I don't think Benjamin really knew what was going to happen. It was this whole Christmas performance with readings from Luke and other stuff we didn't understand. The only thing they said in English was to locate the nearest exit and that they weren't going to speak any more English for the night. Kelsie and I did our very best, but when we realized that someone was praying about 15 seconds late we just couldn't contain it. Plus, German is just one of those languages that sounds totally ridiculous if you don't speak it. We really lost it when the audience joined in on one of the songs. We didn't know we were going to be asked to join in because, well, they explained that in German. We did our very best to sing the song printed on the back of the program. We didn't know the tune or how to say any of the words. We were awful. It was fun to go with Kelsie though, and Benjamin did a great job. He looked nice up there, anyway.

Yesterday was also Fast Sunday. It's always a good experience to give up food for a day and focus on more important things. Church was wonderful. I don't know why it surprises me so much when so much of what is said seems to be answering my specific prayers and questions and needs, because I feel like it happens every week. Honestly, some weeks I'm sure that nobody else's questions are being answered because everything is said for me. :-) Heavenly Father answers our prayers, even if we don't get the exact answer we are searching for.

Oh, the other thing we did yesterday was make our hotel reservation for our anniversary!! We're going to Duluth for the day to window shop (which is the best way to shop - no money!), go somewhere nice to eat, and walk through the Christmas light display that they do each year. It'll be really nice.

So here we are, with finals fast approaching. We're cracking down on finishing up assignments and projects, and getting a start on our studying. I'm a little surprised to discover that I'm sad about more than one of my classes ending. I really enjoyed my physiology class. Our bodies are so amazing and every time I study them I am in awe of their complex beauty. The human body is probably my favorite thing to study, with DNA and genetics right up there. I'm still upset that I don't get to take human embryology in my new major. My bioethics class was really interesting, and it opened my eyes to a lot of issues in the world regarding biology. It has taught me to look at them from every angle before making a judgment or forming an opinion. The one that really surprised me was my biodiversity class. Do you ever have those moments when you just enjoy learning and you wish that you could stay in school forever, learning everything that is there to learn? I didn't really love the first half of the class, but the half about vertebrates has been really cool. I wish I could take field trips to the amazon to go study frogs and salamanders, or go with one of Dr. Site's classes when they go learn about ecosystems and then catch the invasive bull frogs in the area and learn how to make frog legs. I wish I could do some of the amazing things he's done and have those kinds of stories to share. Some of these animals are really amazing. I'll miss these classes. On the other hand, I am so ready for a break, and to see my family!

A Solution! .... theoretically

I have a problem, and it's been driving me crazy lately. I am always freezing. No matter where I am, I am cold and shivery unless I'm wearing a sweatshirt or coat. Even then I'm still cold. And half the time when I go outside my fingers go numb. I'm not exaggerating at all. They go bone white, and I can't feel them. It's gotten to the point that I've almost considered going to a doctor about it, but they'd probably look at me like I'm crazy and tell me to wear more layers. So, with all my newly-acquired physiology knowledge, I've come up with a solution!

I need to start working out.

Ready for the physiology lesson behind this? Your cells have organelles in them called mitochondria. They are often called the "powerhouse of the cell." These mitochondria break down food into energy for your body to use, and while they create that energy they also create heat. When you exercise regularly your body requires more energy, so more mitochondria are created to keep up with the demand. With more mitochondria you metabolism increases (even while you are not exercising), which should lead to an increase in heat produced. Right? And that extra heat will keep me warmer! Theoretically. Besides, I haven't worked out since before I got engaged and I feel like a bum. Time to start hitting the gym again.

... after finals.

Thanksgiving Break! And what a wonderful break it was!

Thank goodness for Thanksgiving! Seriously, the two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving break were easily the most stressful of the semester and possibly the most stressful of my life. I had 3 (!!!) big midterms in my 3 hardest classes. Chemistry, Biodiversity, and Physiology. That's 11 credits of classes right there. For Chemistry I had to memorize dozens of steps for reactions that happen in our bodies with the mechanisms and enzymes for each step (glycolysis, kreb's cycle, glycogenolysis, ect... for those that care), and understand them conceptually. I spent many hours filling, erasing, and refilling whiteboards in empty classrooms. In biodiversity we changed professors for the vertebrate half of the class. This professor is hilarious, and vertebrates are cool. If you need any cool facts about sharks, lizards, frogs, or salamanders, just ask! But a new professor means a new style of testing, and my his style of testing includes (but is not limited to) memorizing phylogenetic trees. And filling them in on the test. Again with the whiteboards. I just need to get a nice big one for my apartment, I think. Physiology wouldn't have been that bad if I had had ANY time to study, but I only got about 4 hours of studying in (for 260 slides... really?) and I'm pretty sure I got a C on the test. It's about what I expected though. I had to prioritize. My professor said he might replace one of our midterm grades with our final grade if we have an unusually bad midterm, so I'm hoping for that. It was time for a break!

Spencer's whole family was in town, and it was wonderful! Mom, Dad, and Brigham drove and got into town Sunday night, and Mikayla came down Tuesday after she was done with class. Mom and Dad needed to meet sweet little Carrina, and Brigham needed a new hat from the BYU Bookstore. ;-)

We spent tons of time hanging out. We played games, ate way too much food, watched a couple movies, wandered around the bookstore, visited the museum of paleontology at BYU, went to Joann's (the girls), and went to a basketball game on Saturday. We had FUN!


Somehow I was under the impression that even though we were eating Thanksgiving dinner at our apartment (Thanks to this nice table and set of chairs from the Waltons!), I wouldn't be doing the turkey because I had no clue how to do it. Well, we brought the turkey over to our apartment on Wednesday night, and Thursday morning everyone went to the turkeybowl football, and I stayed to sleep in a little and finish getting the apartment ready. At 11:30 I saw a text from Spencer that said Mom said I should start the turkey at about 11:00. Oh boy. So I called Dad in a panic and had a nice time skyping with him and all the kiddos at AnnaMarie's while he talked me through getting the turkey going. I knew about the bag of gizzards, but why on earth do they put the turkey neck in it? I probably would have left it in there if Dad didn't tell me about it. Anyway, I got it going and it turned out tasting like a turkey, so I guess it was a success. :-)


Dinner was so good, and I think everyone ate way too much. And we have lots of yummy leftovers in our fridge. That's the way I like it. Mom and Katy made most of the other stuff, and Dad carved the turkey. So, I didn't really do that much. I made a french silk chocolate pie to share. We had dessert at Spencer's Aunt and Uncle's in Pleasant Grove (or somewhere), which was fun. Not that I really knew anyone else there.

 

On Sunday little Carrina May Thornock was blessed in church. We went to Josh and Katy's ward to be there for it. Baby blessings are always so beautiful and touching. Josh did a great job. (Not that I've ever seen someone give a bad baby blessing.) Carrina is about 7 or 8 weeks old now, and she is so sweet. I love those tiny baby snuggles, and this week she got much better at making eye contact and she even started giving Josh some real smiles and coos. I'm happy that we get to see her grow up for a little while before we move away.

On Sunday night we had dinner at Katy's parent's house, and then went back to Josh and Katy's apartment to play games. We had a family home evening all together, except Mikayla, who had to drive back to Idaho. We each shared our favorite scripture and bore our testimonies. It was really nice. This Thanksgiving I have a lot to be thankful for, but at the top of the list is my family, and my Savior, Jesus Christ. His sacrifices make it possible for us to be with our families for eternity. To seal and bind husbands to wives, mothers to daughters, grandparents to grandchildren forever. That is the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not only personal salvation and exaltation, but to share that with the ones you love.

Mom, Dad, and Brigham hit the road for Michigan this morning. We'll miss them lots, and hopefully we'll be able to see them again before next Christmas.