at the iced over / frozen lake

i mean, it was so sunny we couldn't see much, but the pictures turned out cute! the ones you can see our eyes open at least ;) today Briana + Kenzie + Mia + i headed out to Utah lake. earlier this year i also went to the lake with some friends... {see HERE} it was frozen then too! it's so fun, and the ice is THICK. so thick that cars can drive on it! {and 4-wheelers! i wish i had one. if i had one i would pull people on a sled behind it. ummm hello FUN.} also it's basically a huge ice skating rink. what's better then that?

^^^ i am a blonde again! finally. thank you to miss Aubrey Heriford and her hair talent.^^^

so fun! freezing... but fun. love the cousin time we have with each other! even if it means freezing our bums off at a frozen lake. but it's an ice skating rink. an ice skating rink that Kenzie slipped tooooo hard on and fell! {hilarious, im tellin ya.}

happy monday! i am cherishing these days at home. and also the last few of 2013! the cousins and i have plans for a fun Gatsby themed party to attend. i can't wait to celebrate the new year! xx

the biggest disney fan ever

tonight i went with my parents to see the new movie, *Saving Mr. Banks*. hands down one of the BEST movies ever made! as a true Disney fan at heart, it brought many tears to my eyes to see Walt Disney with open arms at the front of Disneyland, welcoming the guests. i can't even imagine what it would be like to visit Disneyland with Walt himself! he is, and forever will be, my true hero. oh the love i have for that man!

i have always loved Disney and everything about it {as i of course CRY every time i enter the park. true love!} and this movie made me love it even more {if that's even possible.} forever and always i will LOVE Disney and everything he has made possible and come to life! his movies, characters, and theme parks. Disney holds a special place in my heart! and i take pride in being the biggest Disney fan ever. 

 ^^^ Walt HIMSELF! my hero. right next to the mouse that started it all.^^^

*all images via my obsession of Disney pinterest board... HERE*

also, since Tyler is just as big of a Disney fan as i am, {i discovered that on THIS trip, and that's just when i knew ;) yes, this is totally cheesy.} we will go back again one day... together! because since we share the same love for Walt and all he has created, we will go and we will love it like the little kids that run through the park... giddy on every single ride, and wearing all out Disney attire. because that is what the biggest Disney fan does!

Disney, i L O V E you. i always have, and i always will.

christmas at the horton home!

Merry Christmas! Santa definitely came to our house yesterday! we were blessed with lots of presents to open and we had such a great morning opening them together as a family by the tree! and we also never left our pj's (that's one of the best parts!) we had the best morning together... my parents never fail at making us the happiest kids in the world! reactions to the gifts are always the best part :)

traditions were the same this year of course! and we opened exchange presents + white elephant presents Christmas eve. us kids also all slept in the playroom together that night in our new pj's! and Christmas morning we woke up mom + dad and headed out all together to see what Santa left us! we also looked in our stockings, then we took a break for some breakfast... (mom's homemade orange rolls! nothing better.) after eating we opened the presents from mom + dad!

after opening lots of presents we also gave our parents the present we got them. we usually do one BIG present for the both of them. (3 years ago, a collage frame // 2 years ago, Brian Regan tickets // last year, a new "room") and this year we surprised them with 5 new HUGE family pictures for our family room... something they have been wanting for a long time! i think their reaction made it all worth it :)

^^^ priceless!^^^

and definitely one of the ABSOLUTE BEST parts of the day, was the phone call i had been waiting for all morning! at around noon, Tyler's mom Jeselyn called me down for Tyler's facetime! we all sat around the iPad and got to talk to Tyler for a few hours! and i was fortunate enough to be able to talk to him for wayyyy longer than i ever expected. (seriously... best thing.) 

talking to Tyler was the best Christmas present ever. i sure miss my handsome elder, but hearing his Testimony made it all worth it. i love him lots.

^^^ my love! he's alive!^^^

the family also sat down during the day and watched the Nativity, remembering the true meaning of Christmas :: Christ's birth. remembering that even though we love to open presents and give presents away, the real reason we celebrate this day is because of the birth of our Savior. 

such a good Christmas! i hope yours was amazing as well! happy happy thursday!

home for the holidays

it has been absolutely wonderful to be school free for 2 weeks, and home with my family for Christmas time! we have done nothing but fun and festive things while i have been home, and i have embraced every minute of it. i'm soakin it allllll in! and here are a few of the fun things we have been up to the past couple days! 

^^^ temple square with the family! always one of the funnest things to head up to Salt Lake and see the gorgeous lights at the temple. absolutely freezing and snowing the whole time, but totally worth it when we came back to warm hot chocolate! ^^^

^^^ twinner beanies with my girl Ky! trying to act like we are not cold :) ^^^

^^^ the nativity. remembering the true meaning of Christmas. ^^^

^^^ and the ever so famous HUGE red tree! ^^^

^^^ new church clothes for a pre-Christmas gift. (an every year occurance!) and again, pretending we are not freeeeeeezing out there while it's snowing. ^^^

^^^ Christmas dinner and gift exchange with the Garvin fam. another one of our favorite things! so nice to finally be able to see one of my besties, Sydni. i haven't seen her in months (thanks to being busy!) and i loved being able to catch up with her! we love the Garvin family. ^^^

^^^ watching Christmas movies (elf! our fav) for hours and hours, and staying up later than we should doing so. but hey, it's only once a year when you can watch Christmas movies right? it's a must! ^^^

^^^ and of course, eating an endless amount of treats. there are so many in our kitchen that we have all decided to just ditch the regular food, and live off the Christmas desserts. (sounds about right to me!;) mom's caramel-ed apples, cake balls, sugar cookies... all so amazing and totally necessary to celebrate the holidays! ^^^

Merry Christmas eve, EVE! i'm so giddy i can hardly contain it. i'm excited for the 24th, more family parties, giving my presents away, Christmas day, and to be able to see my boy over skype (wow, i can't WAIT for that!). it's definitely the greatest time of year.

happy 23! (and happy 8 months to me and elder peery) happy holidays!