The weepies

Christmas makes me cry. There, I said it.

I have noticed, especially this year, that I involuntarily start tearing up at anything all during the month of December.

Am I the only one with this problem?

The other day when I was driving home from work and listening to a radio program about troops coming home from Iraq for the holidays... it was like Niagra Falls! One of those cries that is so violent and messy that you worry people in other cars will see you and feel bad for you/wonder if your cat died.

Every time I have had to get up and speak for a church-related function the past few weeks, I can barely get any words out.

And trying to watch this scene...

Or this one...

Or, especially, this...

WITHOUT sobbing? Forget about it!

I guess it's just the magic and wonderment of the Christmas season! That, or I am descending into madness :)

On another note, we are so excited to go to AZ/UT to see our beloved families and friends! Four more days... Grandma, you better get ready for some major bear hugs. Kat and Ash, you tell those sweet little babies of yours that Auntie Lyssie is coming to cuddle them to bits!

Wahoooo!!

Wedded Bliss

Seven months ago today (or, I guess yesterday, as of 12 AM) we were sealed together in the Salt Lake City Temple.

Yes, we are those annoying people who count their marriage by the month... give us a break, it's all we have until May :)

We have come to an agreement that it has been the best 7 months that each of us has ever had, and we are delighted and anxious for more.

Here's to the next seventy years + forever, Mr. Rose!

On a less cheesy (but still, actually, cheesy) note, is it bad that I am craving pepperoni pizza at midnight? Like, intensely. All I can do is wistfully think about Papa John's and wonder what it would taste like. Probably better than I can even imagine. Woe is me!!

Also, I am addicted to chocolates. The kind that come in a box. Preferably from Costco. Oh, holidays... How fat I will be when you are over! At least I will be happy!

Buenos Nachos... Errr, Noches!

You've had a birthday, shout hooray!

So, this is a day late, but someone in our house has had a birthday!!

(It's not me, so this should be easy...)

I am grateful for such a sweet, fun, and hunky husband who still opens doors for me, is really good at voices (namely, Kermit the Frog and Gollum/Smeagol), and who always compliments my cooking (even though, let's be honest, sometimes it's a disaster).

As my mom and Napoleon Dynamite would say, he has lots of "skills," and he's basically good at everything. He's also the life of the party and the best guy ever! :)

Happy Birthday, Jordans!

Toothless

Let me preface this post by saying, life around here is rarely boring.

Due to an incident in the fourth grade involving a large hill and a Radio Flyer, Jordan has had some front tooth struggles the past couple of years. After a root canal, a cap, the falling out of a cap, and replacing of another cap (over the span of, like, 15 years), it was best to just get an implant.

The thing is, this type of procedure has to be done in stages (usually) involving bone grafts and implanting the post so it will "settle in," yadda yadda yadda...

He has gone through the beginning stages recently, and now my husband looks like this:

Gorgeous, isn't it?

Thankfully, they gave him this...

So that he can choose to look like this, when he'd rather...

The night we got home from our Thanksgiving excursion, we may have gotten a little slap happy with the camera and took advantage of his dentally challenged smile/the fact that he hadn't shaved his face for a month. This was the result...

Happy Holidays from Carolina, ya'll!!

Remember Me?

Hello, loved ones.

So, I've been absent from the blogosphere for some time. With Thanksgiving and lots of other things occupying our time around these parts, there has been little time left for updating.

Here are some highlights to tide you over until I can REALLY blog up a storm!

- I now have ice on my windshield every morning when I leave to go to work. Jack Frost is doing his job!

- Speaking of Jack Frost, we watched that movie this week (the 70's claymation version, obviously).

- Thanksgiving was wonderful; we spent some fun times with our good friends, met their sweet family members, ate so much pie we almost turned into one, and the husband went to D.C. for the first time!

- We are anxiously anticipating our trip to AZ/UT for Christmas time

- I am addicted to hot chocolate

- Jordan and I have both been a little under the weather this week, so mostly we've been laying around feeling sorry for ourselves, drinking TheraFlu by the cupfulls, and sticking wads of tissue up our noses so they'll stop running. Classy.

- Next week is Jordan's 29th Birthday!! (In other words, my family members need to call and sing him a birthday song.... December 11)

Tonight, we are hopefully going to find a teeny Christmas tree and some cute decorations for our little home and, also, look for presents for the hunky man.

Life is good, and we are happy :)

Changing the Clocks

So, this past weekend was daylight savings time in the East (and, well, lots of other places).

Can I just say that this phenomenon still messes with my mind?

As a born and raised Arizona girl (one of two states that don't participate), I always feel super out of sorts when the time changes.

I know it's only an hour, and I am not complaining that I got to sleep longer yesterday morning (wahooo!), but I am still so confused. Like, this morning it was so bright when I woke up, I was almost positive that my alarm didn't go off and I was late for work. Also, I looked at the clock not too long ago, expecting it to be around 10-something AM, and realized it was actually 12 PM.

Whaaaa? Why is this happening? Is this real life?

Soon enough, I figure the days will stop feeling like they are being fast forwarded, but as for now, I'm freakin' out, man! ;)

Oh, time... you are just a wily mistress, aren't you?

Fall in Photos

Two weekends ago, the Mister and I took a nice little jaunt up North to Linville Falls for some camping. We met up with the infamous Vandres and had the trip of a lifetime :)

We visited the falls, hiked, went on leaf watching drives along the Blue Ridge Parkway, visited a historic apple orchard (complete with a rockin' hootenanny and clogging), fed some wandering campground dogs Ramen cup noodles, and built lots of campfires.

We just had a fabulous time, and we were so lucky to get out of the city and into the beautiful mountains for a couple of days. Plus, the Fall leaves were spectacular! :)

Feeling Festive

So, usually, I hate when people bring Christmas into the equation way too early. For instance, decorations being put out in stores toward the end of September. And listening to any sort of holiday song before the day after Thanksgiving? Forget about it! How are we really supposed to enjoy the season when it lasts for three months?

However, She and Him came out with the most bombtastic Christmas album, and since I am a sucker for those two and have no patience, I have been cranking that bad boy like it's December 23rd!

I recommend "A Very She and Him Christmas" wholeheartedly; instead of adding a bunch of extra stuff in there and making the tunes completely unrecognizable, they kept the majority of them very simple, with just the sound of a guitar and Zooey Deschanel's totally awesome, retro-y voice.

Sidenote: I feel like she and I could really get along... Like, sometimes, I have this fantasy where we are college roommates/best friends and she picks out all of my outfits and we talk about how adorable Joseph Gordon-Levitt is.

Moving on...

I need a new arsenal of holiday jams for when the season finally rolls around, so I would love to hear some of your favorites, friends! List away :-)

Yum

People, I have a new food blog obsession.

I am of the mindset that trying new recipes is fun, but they darn well better be pretty simple, not require a lot of ingredients (I hate things sitting around after only being used for one dinner), and mostly healthy (extra points if they are chocked full of veggies!)

Well, my friends, I have found the golden ticket. The creme de la creme. The pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow.

And it is Real Girl's Kitchen.

Haylie Duff (yes, that Haylie Duff) is one talented lady en la cocina! Maybe I am, like, the last person on Earth to discover this little gem of a site (if so, I give you permission to give me the "Um, duh, where have you been? That blog is so three months ago" thing). If not, I hope you find it as charming and helpful as I do.

There are lots of delicious sounding dishes that are healthy and don't require a 200 dollar grocery bill of ingredients you will use once. Hooray! I am hoping to crack into the Fresh Basil Pinenut Pesto soon.

So, if you are looking for some new meal inspiration like I am around our house (how is one supposed to make it through the winter/holidays without A. Being starving all the time or B. Needing a triple bypass?), then check it out!

BABY watch!

So, it seems as though my lovely friends will both be going into labor within the next day or two.

HOORAY!

Can you tell that I am excited? Maybe the whole mentioning it every post hasn't indicated that, yet.

Sorry, I just can't contain it.

Early congratulations to Katherine and Ashley!

Yay for procreation!

:)

Outdoor Splendor

Want to know what we are doing this weekend?

Here's a little hint...

Oh, Nat. You cut right to the core of me.

We are heading up to Linville Falls to take in some beautiful Autumn leaves and camp with Pauncy (aka Paul and Nancy).

Here's hoping that I will not freeze my heiney off.

Pictures to come! (really, I promise)

Home

I was listening to this song earlier and might have gotten a little teary.

I am getting SO excited to go home for the holidays.

It will be a nice chance to recharge.

Huzzah!

Radical Face-Welcome Home

Blame it On the Rain

I have been a grump and a half this week.

It hasn't been pretty.

In true Alyssa fashion, I am not going to take responsibility for it, and blame it on the weather (it has been raining since Monday).

To brighten up the day (and, frankly, get my act together), here are some things I have to look forward to and be excited about.

1. I GET TO SEE MY MOM AND AUNT TOMORROW!

2. Camping/fall foliage observing next weekend

3. My Sharing Time lesson this Sunday-those cuties always have awesome little nuggets of wisdom to share :)

4. Kat and Ash's babies coming soon! YAYYYY!

5. Harry Potter movie for FHE on Monday

6. Halloween and Trunk or Treat

7. I guess this already happened, but I went to Trader Joe's the other night and it was awesome, as usual. Heaven!

8. Cooler weather

9. Pumpkin everything (pies, cookies, etc.)

10. The Primary Program!

After being so grouchy, I read through this talk and felt uplifted again. Thank you, General Conference and Carl B. Cook :)

Here's to positivity and the weekend!

Sidenote:

My friends are awesome.

A big thanks to Ashley, Katherine, and Nancy for all of the ideas.

I feel super empowered and like I can tackle this issue head on now :-)

Yay for tidiness and order!

I also felt super whiney and ungrateful with the last post... I love the little home that we have here and I feel very lucky, but I am just not naturally gifted in the organizational department, so quite often it makes me want to scream not nice words. That's all.

Lastly, is this not the cutest picture you've ever seen?

I want a baby otter for Christmaaaaaas.... Only a baby otter will dooooo!

Help! I need somebody

I know I keep promising lots of pictures and updates, but ladies and gents, I am SWAMPED.

I kept complaining this morning while Jord and I were getting ready that I feel so out of control with my life that I don't know what to do with myself, and it's true. I can't tell whether or not it's because of increased responsibilities or the whole "sharing a car between two people" thing, but I feel like I have no time for anything outside of work. By the time we get home, eat, and things slow down, I can't muster up the energy to get much done.

SO! I spent my break at work today making a huge list (Seriously, HUGE. Like, takes up a whole page huge) of all the things I want/need to get done. Sadly, creating a mass of blog posts about what we've been up to is somewhere down toward the bottom.

However, organizing, cleaning, and revamping our apartment is at the top. That's where you come in! I need some major advice/help regarding how to keep a small space neat and tidy. Our place is VERY little, and I feel like it is always messy because we have nowhere to put anything.

If you have any ideas for me, I would greatly appreciate it. Favorite organization methods, cheap-ish and small furniture or organizational items that have been a life saver for you, or any ways you can think of how to get rid of clutter without needing a giant bookshelf or tons of room. We especially need help in our bedroom and kitchen. I know all of my friends (and mother :-D) are super women when it comes to this, so I have high hopes here! I am talking to you, Katherine :-)

If it can be neat and tidy while also being cute and homey, more power to ya! I understand that all of you are super busy, too (i.e. my two bests that are having cute little bebes VERY soon!), but even something small will do.

Bless you, friends! Advice, engage!

P.S. I already checked Pinterest. Yes, there are many cute ideas, but most of them seem either way too time consuming, out of my price range, or just not right for our space. Also, most of them made me feel like the least creative being on the Earth, so I stopped looking

M.I.A.

So, I have been slacking big time.

Sorry, folks.

Last week was nuts, and this weekend has been even nuttier!

I will dole out a nice long post (or several), including pictures, very VERY soon!

Until then, we are going to make milkshakes and watch Parks and Recreation until we pass out from exhaustion.

:-)

Sneak peek: We stopped at the Oakland Temple on our way into the city one day. It was beautiful and had a gorgeous view!

24

After that last post, I felt the need to elaborate on the whole birthday thing.

Last friday was my birthday. It was also Mexican Independence Day, in case you were wondering.

Twenty-three was the best that I have had so far, and I will always feel quite wistful for it.

I spent so much time with my best friends and had lots of laughs living in Utah. We also had some really fun family times, during the holidays in AZ, and I get a little teary when I think about being around them.

Heck, I got proposed to by and married to the neatest guy on the planet (woo hoo!), so that pretty much sums it up. We had a wonderful wedding and got to road trip across the United States together until we got to our cozy home here in Charlotte (who cares if it's teeny and falling apart?).

However, I really have high hopes for this whole being 24 thing. I get to hang out with Jordan every day (which, obviously, was a lame thing about the past year... how did we ever survive being across the country from one another?). Fall is coming now, so the nasty humid heat is over and the leaves will be changing and looking beautiful soon. We are hoping to visit our families during the holidays. We are also excited to become more active in our ward and callings.

Also, doesn't it sound a little more sophisticated? Like, I am almost in my mid-twenties? No? Just humor me this once.

Anywho, I am anxious to see where the next year will take our little family (maybe to the west side of the U.S. eventually? A girl can dream). I have a feeling this year may be my new best. Raise a glass, my friends!

My 23rd birthday on Squaw Peak in Provo Canyon with my beautiful friends Rima and Carly. Little did we know then where we'd be now! (C: recently married to her sweetheart Devin and living in Idaho, R: living in Sweden... yeah, she's hip like that)

We're Baaaack!

Hi, friends.

We got back from our long and wonderful vacation yesterday, and I have been absolutely pooped.

Yes, I just said pooped.

Turns out the whole "jet lag" thing is not a myth. I am still adjusting to the time difference again, and accordingly, it is 9:46 and I want to go to bed.

So, when I get back to my normal energy level, I promise to post about all of the San Francisco fun we had.

Also, I am 24 now. Sad.

Guess What!?

Jordan may or may not have planned a surprise vacay for us for my birthday.

We may or may not be leaving this morning.

Want to know where? I'll give you a hint...

The West Coast is calling my name. I'm coming, my darling!

Can't wait to share pictures and stories of the fun! :)

In Remembrance

Today, I feel very humbled. I am so lucky to have my life and my freedom. I am grateful for a loving family, a wonderful husband, and to be part of a country that is so strong and resilient. Honestly, I have been kind of dreading today because of the emotions that it stirs up; anger, sadness, vulnerability.

Though I was nowhere near NYC ten years ago during that day that will never be forgotten, I think of those that were hurt or lost their lives and can't help but feel some sort of camaraderie toward them. I am so thankful for all of the men and women that were part of the rescue effort of 9/11 (including my brave and super cool dad), and know how much courage it took to try and save those that were lost.

Last year, we were visiting NYC over September 11 and made a stop at Ground Zero to pay our respects.

I am so blessed to be an American. It is easy to take our country for granted and complain about its leadership or problems with "the system," but there really is no better place to live. I am able to worship and believe the way that I want without having to hide it. Heavenly Father has been so good to me and our small little family, and I look forward to one day teaching our children about this land and all of the many wonders that it provides for us.

The Roses?

Whilst surfing the interwebs earlier, I noticed this picture and immediately started cracking up.

New family portrait, perhaps?

Oh, monkeys... (or apes, if we wanna get technical here) Why do you have to be so precious and hilarious?

The Fall

Hey, folks! Remember that one day when Jordan and I got married and this happened?

The epitome of a lady.

I realized that I've never shared the aftermath of the slip seen 'round the world (or SLC Temple grounds).

Not pretty.

The bright side is, we got a good story out of it. How many people can say they sprained their ankle on their wedding day? :)

Wedding Photos: Jessica Kettle

FHE

We had a lovely little Family Home Evening a couple of weeks ago, and I keep forgetting to post pictures.

It was actually nice outside that night (shocker!), so we took a little stroll around the park and people watched.

We capped off the evening with a delicious treat (because you always have to end FHE with one :-D)... It was a gelati, and probably one of the tastiest things I've had in a while. Chocolate custard, creamy cheesecake Italian ice, and more custard on top. I'm salivating just thinking about it. Enjoy!

Southern Sunset

Scrumptious... The gelati doesn't look too bad either! Har dee har... I give you full permission to make gagging noises :)

Feeling Nostalgic...

Can I whine for just a moment?

This morning, I woke up missing this. A lot.

I miss hiking dates to Stewart Falls.

I miss floating Deer Creek with my wonderful friends.

I miss drives through the canyon.

And I miss the view from the top of Squaw Peak.

Boo hoo hoo.

Maybe it's just the inevitable end of summer that is soon approaching. Or maybe I'm just a whiney baby woman :-)

Out of My Element

Wasn't that funny when I told you all I had exciting news and then decided to keep it from you for almost two weeks!? No?

Sorry, ladies and gents. I have been a tad bit busy! I did get some calls inquiring about my current baby status, as well as whether or not the hub-man and I were moving back home. Not yet, was my answer, on both accounts :-)

However, the time has come for me to share.... Drum roll, please!

I have been called as the new Second Counselor in the Primary for our ward.

I know what you are thinking. Didn't I just get married? Don't I not have any children? Aren't I pretty inexperienced in this arena, after spending the past five and a half years in singles or student wards? All of these assumptions are correct.

After receiving and accepting this calling, I had a mini inner panic attack and realized I have no idea what I am doing. It has been a pretty humbling experience, and I am slowly learning that Heavenly Father puts us into certain places and positions for a reason, even if we (selfishly and naively) question whether or not He has put us in the right place.

Because I am freaking out a little bit, I would love any advice/help/ideas on how to do the best job that I can at assisting the President and making plans for the program this Fall. If you want to learn more about callings in the LDS Church and why we receive them, please ask!

Anywho, I have lots to post on our lives lately, so when I have time to breathe I will fill you all in. Until then, much love!