Happy New Year!

Wow, this has been a whirl wind of a year, and I don't think we could be any more blessed. 


Derreck graduated from Mitchell Tech, we both got job offers, we moved to Denver, and we got married! 

2013 is going to be such an exciting year as Joni and Demetri are expecting their second baby boy in May and one of my best friends is getting married in June!

Engagement Pictures in February

Christie and Derek's Wedding in Okoboji in May.

 All packed and on our way to Colorado!

 Woohoo for my Colorado Teaching License!

My Bachelorette party in Gregory! 

Broncos Game in October

 And the highlight of our year was getting married in November. We spent 5 days in Mexico with the greatest group of people! 

Happy New Year! 

still have a perma-smile

This married life is great! Here's why:

-We have not stayed up past 10 pm. Not a lie! (that is counting weekends)
-We've both had dreams of getting put in jail in Mexico (thank God this did not happen)
-I have come home from work 5 days in a row to 1. a clean kitchen, 2. Derreck getting the mail, 3. Derreck going grocery shopping, 4. a clean bathroom, and 5. the Scentsy burning
-I have woke up to a brewing pot of coffee
-Derreck talking about his wedding band..He went from not wearing it on Saturdays to now only wearing it on odd days (he makes me giggle)

And in 7 short days, I will be on my way home for our wedding reception and the holidays to see my favorite people in the entire world..(minus Kelsea who will be on her very well-deserved honeymoon!)

Life is SO good!

I am the luckiest girl in the world..

So I failed at the 30 days of Thanks. Mainly due to traveling and no internet access. But the last 3 weeks of my life have been such a whirlwind!

I've traveled from Denver to Gregory, SD to Sioux Falls, back to Gregory (all by myself!) to Pierre, then to Omaha to Chicago to Washington DC to Cancun, then back to Houston to Omaha..and finally back to Denver. All in 10 days. 

But I can honestly say it has been the best few weeks of my life. I spent time with the people who matter the most. I went out a couple nights in Gregory and Burke with some dear friends, spent a day with each of my favorite little, or not so little kids--Andre and the Juracek Clan, celebrated Thanksgiving with my Grandma Mary, and got married in Mexico with the greatest group of people. 

To say that we had a blast in Mexico is an understatement. I have never laughed nor cried so much in my entire life. It was seriously the best week of my life. The memories will last a lifetime. I can try to sum it up for you, but it won't be funny unless you were there. Wilson, the piano, the broken table, endless shots of tequila (te-KILL-ya), 3-man, Spider-man, Precious the turtle(s), eating salt shakers, the Jaguar, the Packer Poncho, swimming in the fountains, the catamaran, etc. 

I'm the luckiest girl in the world. I have the best husband, the best family including in-laws, and the best friends. I cannot wait for our reception in two weeks. Mexico was awesome and intimate, but I'm looking forward to sharing our special time with the rest of our family and friends who couldn't make the trip.