Happy New Year!

We love you and are so blessed to have you in our lives. Happy New Year!

Christmas!!!

We spent our first Christmas in Virginia with Garrett's family. It was so much fun. There was tons of food, wrapping paper and love. And within a few days there were tons of people of all ages enjoying the season - just like a Utah Christmas. :) People kept asking me if it was too much, but it just made me feel more at home the more we played games and laughed.

We ate a lot, so there were a lot of dishes. Derek and Shauna weren't the only ones playing with the suds.

Toby is very loyal when you have ham, turkey, cheese...what a good dog!
Here is the Rose clan! I'm so blessed to be a part of this. Merry Christmas!

Our First Christmas

We went and bought our first Christmas tree. In New York, it's easier to get a live tree, but it's more expensive than other places. We have a lot of beautiful ornaments that really make the tree stunning. We just love having the white lights and pine smell.

My mother sewed us stockings inspired by Martha Stewart but improved by the Hales vision. You probably can't see all the detailed piecing and heirloom tatting. They are gorgeous.

And of course we have first Christmas ornaments - Thank you Mom, Dad, Mama, and Daddy!

And I couldn't help but post a picture of the ornament that we bought in Vermont. We went to a glass blowing studio and watched a vase be blown. I'm a sucker and had to get something to remember the experience. Garrett was sweet and now we have a beautiful glass-blown ball.

4 Month Anniversary

It's our 4-month Anniversary and we have more wedding photos. Yeah!

Thanksgiving in Utah

Not only was it Thanksgiving but it was a major family get together. We decided to celebrate my mom's birthday which was actually in August (something else took most people's attention from her birthday...sorry!). Garrett was happy with the turkey, corn puddin', chess cake, birthday cake, and of course football. You'll be happy to know VT and BYU both won.

You Know Its Fall When There Is Football!

Garrett and I went to our first football game together - Army vs. VMI. Located at West Point, NY made it an easy commute to see a Virginia team play. Fortunately it wasn't that competitive so when we cheered for VMI, I didn't fear for our safety. All in all we cheered for good plays and groaned for the sad plays. Two things I learned...1)VMI does not pass (total of 5 tries with 2 completions) and 2) cadets are required to go to games and do push-ups when Army scores. A pretty fun event over all.

At half time they brought out a 100-yard flag - so cool! That was the largest flag I've ever seen.

In the end Army won. Go Army!

Graveyards - What fun!

While in Vermont, we toured Ben & Jerry's. It was so much fun especially the Flavor Graveyard. Garrett thinks I'm weird for liking graveyards, but he liked this one too. :) These are some of out favorite headstones...

Vermont - Joseph Smith's Birthplace

On our way home from Vermont, we stopped by Joseph Smith's birthplace. I didn't realize that he was born in Vermont and then the family moved to New York. We arrived in time to watch the movie about his life.

It is so moving to remember what an amazing man he was and how the Lord blesses and loves us through so many great trials. I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet and has restored the loving gospel so that we can live with our Heavenly Father and our family for eternity.

More Vermont

At the Cabot Cheese store they had this fun cow. I think it's made for children, but we're children at heart!

I'm mooing!

Happy cows are in VT.
This is why I thought it was made more for children or those under 4 ft.

The High Line

The High Line is a former railroad track in New York that was changed into a walking path recently. It's located in New York's Meat Packing District (more of a night club & cool restaurant area now) and fairly close to our church. Garrett & I took a Sunday stroll along it between General Conference Sessions, and it's beautiful!

Here's more cool info from their website (http://www.thehighline.org/):

The High Line was built in the 1930s, as part of a massive public-private infrastructure project called the West Side Improvement. It lifted freight traffic 30 feet in the air, removing dangerous trains from the streets of Manhattan's largest industrial district. No trains have run on the High Line since 1980. Friends of the High Line, a community-based non-profit group, formed in 1999 when the historic structure was under threat of demolition. Friends of the High Line works in partnership with the City of New York to preserve and maintain the structure as an elevated public park.

The project gained the City's support in 2002. The High Line south of 30th Street was donated to the City by CSX Transportation Inc. in 2005. The design team of landscape architects James Corner Field Operations, with architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, created the High Line's public landscape with guidance from a diverse community of High Line supporters. Construction on the park began in 2006. The first section, from Gansevoort Street to 20th Street, is projected to open in June 2009.

Vermont in the Fall

Garrett and I decided to take Mama & Papa Rose's advice and visit beautiful Vermont for the changing of the leaves.

We stayed at a lovely B&B (Mad River Inn). They are one of the 2 (or only) places in America where you can ride Icelandic horses. Why is that so cool? Because they have a unique gate that makes it like they are gliding. We didn't know that when we went, so we didn't take advantage of that. Next time...

It's been a strange fall (cold really fast), so it was difficult to tell when the peak would come. Fortunately, Vermont is gorgeous no matter what the leaves are doing and they were very pretty this weekend. In fact, Vermont will make me think of 4 things (well maybe 5).

1 - Covered Bridges (2-and a cute guy!)

3- Open spaces - most towns are a third of the size of Mapleton, UT (don't you love the leaves! This was taken at 9:30AM so there is still frost on the ground)

4 - Good people (this was a great farmers market in the middle of Wakesfield. I almost found a bracelet that I've been dying to have)

5- And of course....Ben & Jerry's factory! We had so much ice cream that we are on a diet. :)

October 7, 2009

It's our 2-month anniversary!

I love seeing the Manti Temple in the background. It reminds me how important the covenants are that we made to each other and how we can be together for eternity. I love you Garrett! You are stuck with me. :)

PS This does not mean that the pictures are ready, but just that Jon sent us a couple like this one.

Wedding Pictures! - Eating Cake

Not the ones from our photographer, but ones from our friends. Thank you all! Here is how much fun we had eating cake.

It was just as delicious as it was beautiful!

It's A Home!

Well, we used our wonderful gift cards and purchased a rug. Doesn't it look great with everything? Notice the coffee table - it was built by Garrett's grandfather - which works perfectly with the style.

Ireland

Garrett will have to share the stories, but I can share the pictures. Isn't it beautiful?

Irish countryside... it is really green there, emerald even...

Below, in the distance, you can see the mountain where St. Patrick first spoke with the Almighty

A typical Belfast street

Queen's University of Belfast


Next trip for Garrett is Florida. I'm so jealous since it is getting cold here!

The Wall

Garrett is in Ireland...but is Betsy?

Nope...this is Storm King's Wall. So cool!

I love that it disappears into the water, and it comes up on the other side.

Garrett wanted to walk the entire 2,278.5 ft. But we settled for a segment.

Garrett is so strong that he created a space for us to walk through...okay the break was already there. :)

Storm King Inspiration

We were so inspired by the art that we became a bit silly. Here are some of our favorite photos...

This chair is made of 1/2 dollar welded together...I felt like a queen.

Christina and I are trapped!

One of my favorite photos - go Robo!