2015 Utah Trip #1

We have 5 trips to Utah planned this year. Can't wait! This past week my parents went to London. My dad had to go for work so my mom decided to tag along. Instead of my sisters staying with my grandpa and grandma or my aunt, I flew out and stayed with them. I am so sad that I didn't get many pictures but it was so fun to spend the week with my sisters and enjoy some quality sister time. The week consisted of being a mom in the mornings and the evenings and catching up with friends and spending time with family during the day. I came home on Friday so dang tired. I told my mom that I do not know how she does what she does everyday. Now she only has 2 at home and I am sure her life was double crazy when all 4 of us were living at home. I spent 50% of the time in my moms navigator running the girls everywhere that they needed to go. It was fun to decorate sugar cookies with my grandparents (I haven't had one of my grandmas sugar cookies since they left on their mission. It has been 3 years so I was in heaven eating them), I packed the girls lunches everyday and they were not nutritious at all (Whoops...Sorry mom), and it was fun to be in the new Savage office on Friday to have lunch with my mom and dad before I flew back to Houston (They got home on Thursday night). The new Savage office is beautiful and it is so fun to watch the company grow and expand. I know my Grandpa and his brothers are proud.

I came home Friday so I could spend Valentine's day with my sweet husband. The day consisted of roses, dinner, strawberries, and The Notebook. My husband sure knows how to make me feel special on Valentine's day. So grateful that I have Eric as my Valentine forever. Morgan was able to attend her first high school dance on Saturday and she looked absolutely beautiful. Her birthday was yesterday and my parents got here a brand new Rav4 so she is loving life. Morgan has so much going for her and I could not be prouder of the woman that she is becoming.

Next trip to Utah is in April for GRADUATION! I need to get going on my homework but being a senior and in my last semester is making me tired super quick. Two more months and I will be done. I CAN DO IT!

Cecil Family Theme: 2015

Eric and I decided to start a new tradition in our family. When a new year starts, we all think of our goals for the new year and ways we want to be better. This year as I was thinking about the new year, I got thinking that it would be such a great idea to do a family theme every year and really focus on that certain thing that we pick as a family to work on. I am a little late in the year to be just barely picking the theme for the year but, I wanted to find one that I truly thought would be great for Eric and I can work on. As we do this every year, we hope that our future children will be excited about it and we can talk every week how we are improving ourselves. 

This year we picked one about counting our blessings. I had it printed and framed and it is in our home so we can be reminded of it daily. There are so many times where we all get so caught up with everything going on and the daily grind that we forget to sit down and really count our many blessings. We have been blessed with so much and I never want Eric and I to forget it. This year, we are going to focus on counting our blessings everyday and taking time out of our day, morning and night, to thank our Heavenly Father for everything he has blessed our family with. I am hoping this new tradition can be something very beneficial and fun for our family.

Eric is 26!

Wow! Eric turned 26 on January 4th and it was such a fun day to celebrate him. His birthday was on a Sunday so we did lots of celebrating over the weekend. We went to dinner at Bonefish Grill, shopped, and spent time together. On his birthday, he wanted to have steak and king crab legs. We went to Costco so he could pick out exactly what he wanted. I am not a fan of crab but, Eric was loving it! On Sunday, we spent the day going to church and attending meetings. After church we opened presents, had dinner, and then our friends Andrew and Kimmie came over for cake and ice cream. Eric doesn't love cake but I found a strawberry cake recipe that he really likes so that was his birthday cake! I love Eric and am so grateful for the life that we have together. Life is so much fun when he is there and I feel so lucky that I get to celebrate his birthdays with him forever!

Surgery and Sister's Engagement

The past week has been a crazy ride with so many different emotions. A month ago today, a cold came back that I had been fighting for 3 weeks. It just could not seem to go away. I was getting so frustrated and after talking with Eric and my parents, I decided that I was going to go see an ENT and see what he thought about having my tonsils out. I called a friend who I serve with in my ward and in Young Women's and she recommended a doctor that she thought was great. I gave him a call and they got me in the next day. I had strep throat twice last year, I always was getting a cold, and both of my parents had their tonsils out. After explaining all of this to the doctor, he decided that it would be best to take them out. It doesn't cure getting sick and sore throats. However, the hope is that it will cure strep. I set up surgery for 3 weeks later! I called my parents and told them I was having surgery and in 2 minutes my dad had booked my mom a ticket to come down and take care of me. Eric is busy working and I didn't want him to have to take off to stay home with me. Plus, sometimes a girlie needs her mommy when she is sick. It was so nice snuggling up to my mom when I didn't feel good and having her rub my back. 
Everyone had said that this surgery is horrible and I believed them but I am tough and I was going to be back up at it in 4 days no problem! I was totally wrong...Today it has been a week and I feel like I am on the up. I am getting there. I am no where near 100% but the doctor told me I would feel like garbage for 2 weeks and then hopefully after a month be better. I am hoping all of this nasty pain is worth it in the long run and I don't get strep again for a long long time if I am going to get it. My mom got her tonsils out at 18 and she hasn't had strep since. That is the hope for me! The doctor ended up taking my adenoids out too and geez..I have felt like I have a severe double ear infection. Thank goodness for pain medicine and hot pads. 
As I was going through all of this this past week, I have been reflecting on how grateful I am for good family and friends. My sweet husband for the past week has been setting his alarm for 2am to get me up and give me my medicine. My mom came down for 4 days to help take care of me. The letters, visits, flowers, texts, gift cards, etc. made me feel so happy and special and the picture from my Young Women made me feel so grateful for my calling. Now I need to lay low for one more week like the doctor ordered so I can be totally better. My dad is coming to Houston next week and is going to take me out for whatever I want to eat so I need to be better. I have lost 8 pounds but I hope I don't gain it back just in one night with my dad. I have heard many people tell me this is worse than child birth so if that is the case, I am more than prepared. I was sleeping one afternoon and after your adenoids come out you snore while you recover. Good thing it isn't permanent! My mom was getting a kick out of it and took this picture and sent it to Eric, my dad, sisters, grandparents, aunts, etc. I have loved my minky blanket this past week. I keep telling Eric that I need another one. 

My mom had to leave on Friday morning to get home for an engagement. It was the hardest secret to keep from my sister who I talk to everyday but, I did it. My parents, Morgan, Macie, Eric and I all knew McCall was getting engaged on Saturday but she had no clue. We could not be happier for McCall and Austin. We love Austin and think he is so great. I am so glad that my sister found him and that they are going to be sealed in the temple this summer for eternity. As an older sister, it is so weird to think that your sister is going to get married. I remember when McCall and I were just little and playing all of the time. Now we are both going to be married and it is so different. After Austin told me when he was proposing, I started to cry. I asked Eric why I was crying over something that is so happy but then I reminded myself that they were happy tears. Austin and McCall are great for each other. Seeing these pictures on Saturday night brought happy tears to my eyes. I can't wait for the day when Eric and I will be in the house of the Lord with Aust and McCall to watch them be sealed forever! I am a happy big sister thats for sure!

2014- A Year in Review

January: Eric and I accepted a job offer with BNSF Railway and we moved to Houston, TX!

February: We got Texas license plates and celebrated our first Valentine's Day as a married couple!

March: My mom came to Houston to spend my birthday with me and Eric and I went to the Houston Rodeo and the Eli Young Band Concert!

April: Eric and I were able to travel to Utah for a visit and my cousin's wedding, I was able to eat crawfish and see my best friend who was serving in the Houston, TX mission at the time, my grandparents returned home from a mission in Arkansas, and Eric and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary!

May: We took a road trip to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, Eric's parents came for a visit, and we were able to go to the Houston Astro's MLB game!

June: I was able to go with my dad to Boston, MA and be his guest at the Savage manager's meetings because my mom wasn't able to go this year!

July: My cousin Megan passed away and it was 100° in Houston and very humid so many days were spent indoors at the Houston Temple with the missionaries and friends!

August: Eric and I took another trip to Utah to visit family and go to another one of my cousin's wedding's and we went to a Houston Texan's NFL game!

September: We went down to Galveston and spent a couple days at a beach resort!

October: I started watching a friends baby a couple days a week while she works and we took "Texas style" family pictures for our 2014 Christmas cards!

November: Eric and I spent Thanksgiving in Utah with family and we both received new callings working with the youth at our church. Eric is serving in the Young Men's presidency and I am the Young Women's president. We absolutely LOVE it and it keeps us very busy!

December: We were able to go to the Houston Rocket's NBA game and we spent Christmas in West Virginia with Eric's side of the family!

Eric and I had a great 2014 and we are looking forward to what 2015 will bring. We are excited that I will be graduating with my bachelors degree this Spring and Eric will be taking the GMAT in preparation for graduate school. We are grateful for all of our family and friends who play such an important role in our life. We love you all and wish you a very happy 2015!

Christmas in West Virginia

Christmas was different this year. It was different in a good way though and I am grateful for that. This was my first Christmas away from home and I was so worried that I was going to be a total mess. Things ended up being perfect and I didn't cry once. I got a little weepy going to bed on Christmas Eve and thinking that all of my sisters were in the same bed in Utah without me, but I did it. Eric and I had a fabulous time in West Virginia for Christmas and enjoyed being with family. We ate, shopped, went to three movies, played games, and just hung out. It was so nice to relax and not have to worry about school and Eric didn't have to worry about work. We both had to do things for our callings but other than that, we had no responsibilities and it was so nice.  We also had family pictures which always makes mama's happy and we celebrated Eric's birthday with his family while we were there. So grateful for such a loving husband that I am crazy about.

Ever since I was called as Young Women's president, my eyes have been opened to things in this world that I didn't even think were happening around me. This Christmas, I sat back and reflected on things that really mattered. I had my Christmas shopping done in October so I could spend the holiday's thinking about everything that I have been blessed with and the birth of our Savior. I was able to give out my $10.00 on Christmas Eve that I talked about here to hopefully lighten the burden on someone for Christmas and this brought me so much joy.

I am excited to have children one day and to do Santa with Eric. I am excited to get our littles Christmas Eve jammies. I am excited to be with family and to carry out family traditions. As I have been thinking though, I am most excited to teach my children the importance of helping others and to help them remember the real reason that we celebrate Christmas.