Leavenworth

We made our annual trip to Leavenworth last night to celebrate the anniversary of our engagement. Chet did such a beautiful job proposing there that we've been going back every year to see the lights, get in a festive mood and just enjoy being together. Usually we stay in a hotel there but this year, in efforts to save money for our Europe trip in the spring, we decided to stay with Chet's friends who live there. So, it was a different sort of trip but so much fun. We went into town to buy our annual new ornament and to look at the lights... only to discover that this year they aren't turning on the lights on Fridays! Apparently, to save money, the lights only are on Saturdays and Sundays! Between that and the lack of snow, it was a little disappointing but still was nice to just get away and do something different. We went to the Enzian where Chet proposed and took Christmasy pictures (below). It was also fun to eat dinner and stay with Lindsey and Tyler... both friendly, outdoorsy folk who welcomed us into their home. I must say that they have the most beautiful view of the mountains to wake up to in the morning. Both of us left wishing we could somehow live up there... or at least have a cabin up there!

Today we went snowboarding... it was quite cold and sunny! It hasn't snowed for about a week so there was a bit of loose snow over a sheet of ice. I think we both took it a bit slow to avoid skidding down the mountain! Again, nice to get away. Even nicer to get away snowboarding. Now we are both praying for some good snow in the next few weeks so we can have more snowboarding adventures!

Off to finish unpacking and to bake some pumpkin cheesecake bars. Just wanted to post this while I was thinking about it!

Oh December...

How does a month fly so quickly? I have no idea and I'm still trying to figure it out. Now it is the beginning of December and the Christmas decorations are up. Oh and I realized it has been a month since I posted! I don't think many people read this blog but it is nice to keep it updated for my own sake.

Of course each year passes more quickly than the first (it seems) but I'm finishing up my second to last quarter of school and so am more reflective about what the future holds. I can't believe that I will soon be done with my Master's program, Chet will be turning 28, and, in June, we will have been married 4 years already. I don't know where I will get a job after I am done. I certainly hope that I can make it in the new role of a pediatric nurse practitioner. In many ways, I am nervous and a bit scared for what the future holds. I know that God has plans for me and He is guiding me but sometimes it is still hard! I often doubt myself and stress out about what each day brings. I can't know the future though... I just need to trust in God's plan. In the mean time, I suppose I also should just take each day one at a time.

I am excited for the holidays. Though Chet and I both have to work on Christmas Day, we are gearing up for our fun holiday festivities. We are headed to Leavenworth today for our annual "engagement anniversary" trip. Tomorrow, hopefully we'll get some snowboarding in before heading home. Then its Chet's birthday and after that... Christmas! After Christmas, we are happy to be going out to Montana for celebrating with his parents as well as my cousin's wedding on New Year's Eve! All my immediate and extended family should pretty much be there and I'm sure it will be a fun, festive time. They have been planning their wedding for over a year so I'm sure it will be spectacular!

Anyways, must go get ready for Leavenworth before Chet wakes up from his nap (he worked last night).

Brianne

More Atlanta!

Here are more pictures from our trip. We got back home on Monday night and immediately went back to work and school so I'm just looking at these again today. We had such a fun, relaxing time with Debbie, Steve and Jakin. He is such an adorable baby! Chet and I both enjoyed holding him... he got held and rocked a lot because he loves to move and will cry if you sit still too long! He does like his car seat, car rides and stroller rides so we did get out quite a bit for having a 4 week old with us... trick-or-treating, church, a walk, eating out and the aquarium. Oh... and lots of catching up!

We brought Jakin a dinosaur costume so he was dinosaur for Halloween morning and a river otter for Halloween night.

For some reason I love this picture of him! I did mess with it a bit to get it to look like this, but I love his expression and little eyes.

The Georgia Aquarium is so much better than the Seattle Aquarium! It has a huge tank (they said it is the size of a football field) with tons of viewing windows and lots of fish. There are huge whale sharks in there, grouper, hammerhead sharks, manarays, schools of sting rays and more. One interesting thing while we were there was that one of the hammerheads chased and chomped on a sting ray! The aquarium guide said she had never seen that happen... that hammerhead must have missed his breakfast somehow! Oops. :)

Chet was so good with Jakin! Not that this surprises me at all but it was fun to see him with a baby in his arms. It makes me look forward to seeing him as a daddy someday. He'll be a good one!

View of downtown Atlanta... the sun decided to shine for the afternoon and it was quite pleasant.

So, I must admit that I would never want to live in Atlanta (I'm much too attached to the Pacific Northwest) but it was fun to visit these dear friends and our honorary nephew. I sure wish they lived closer but this was certainly a special time to be with them and explore a new part of the country.

A taste of our trip to Atlanta...

Though we are still hanging out in Atlanta, I had to share pictures of cute little Jakin and the Isley family. We are having a good time relaxing with them, holding the baby and finding good places to eat in Atlanta. It is even raining while we are here to make us feel at home!

A week of travels...

It is funny how Chet and I didn't really go on many trips this summer... but this fall we are headed off to all sorts of places! So far, we have each made sepearate trips to Montana (due to work schedules). I went for Sharilyn's wedding and Chet just went this last weekend for his annual hunting trip with his family! As I type this, he is driving home from his adventure with the men of his family to the Snowy Mountains in central Montana where he helped track and hunt, and possily shot something other than a target. :) In just two days from now, we will then be on our way to Atlanta to meet baby Jakin and hang out with Debbie and Steve for an extended weekend. Whew... this is more traveling than we are used to in the middle of school!

We are super excited to meet baby Jakin and see Atlanta with Debbie and Steve. I think one of our goals this year before I get overwhelmed by a new job (and start a family) is to travel as much as possible. So far, I think we are making some definite progress. Montana, Montana, Atlanta, Montana, Chicago/Notre Dame, Europe... all places we will be within the next 8 months. It is sometimes hard for me to be one of the few people who is not starting a family right now, though Chet and I don't feel that the timing is quite right for us yet. I'm hoping that traveling and having fun will help delay that desire a little longer and we will look back and be thankful for the adventures we have had together before starting a whole new wonderful adventure. But, sometimes I look at people who have started families and feel that they have things "more together" than I do, and they have this precious little person to love and show the world... which I don't. I suppose this is a natural part of life... but it is hard to sort out all these feelings.

In the mean time, I look forward to holding all of the babies and kids in my life, even if they aren't mine! Jakin looks like a cutie so there will be lots of snuggling to do this weekend! Oh, and we are going to love being with Debbie and Steve too and traveling to be with them... they really shouldn't live so far away. :)

I LOVE Fall!

The past week was a lovely start to the fall, one of my favorite seasons. There is something so comforting about the cooler weather, a warm house, the tasty fall foods and heading toward the holidays. As I sit here, it is raining outside and I don't mind one bit! Our grass after a long, dry summer is turning from brown to green and I am able to stay inside today catching up on projects and homework. I may be saying the complete opposite after a couple months of rain, but there is something refreshing about it right now.

Last week, I headed out to Montana on a brief end of the week trip with my parents to go to my cousin Sharilyn's wedding. Chet had to work most of the days that we were out there so ended up staying home and I got to do my first road trip with my parents in years! We actually had a blast and got to put the first road trip miles on their new Prius. I must admit that I didn't actually help with the driving (I didn't want to break their pretty new car!) but they didn't seem to mind. We got hooked into a book on CD I had gotten from the library... and made pretty good time to Western Montana.

The wedding was beautiful! It was on a Thursday night but a lot of our family was able to be there. Not only was it nice to catch up, it was just a relaxed, happy occasion. There are some weddings where you are just so happy for the couple and can see how right it is for them to be together... this was one of those weddings. It was also a blast to see cousins, aunts and uncles I haven't seen in over a year. All of us girl cousins were at the wedding (though we don't have an official picture of it)... but, as you can see below, we are a good looking bunch of Gessamans! Here are some pictures from the wedding.

After picking up from the reception, what did we walk out to find? Lovely falling snow... in the beginning of October! By the end of the night, there was probably about 6 inches or so... and it was making the roads pretty slick. It was wet snow, more like Washington snow than normal Montana snow. It made it feel like much later in the year, but it was so beautiful. In a way, it was a little fun blessing which made the trip even more special! Here are some pictures of the night of the snow and then fall snow pictures the next day.

On Friday night, we stayed with Judy and enjoyed a soup and bread type visit and lots of visiting. I adore the fact that my parents love Chet's parents so much... and treasure the time they get to be together like they have been friends forever. My mom and Judy just had so much to catch up about! I suppose I always expected and hoped for my husband's parents to get along so well with my family because my grandparents had been that way for my parents. Yet, as I have watched friends get married, I realize that this doesn't always happen. This is definitely a blessing in mine and Chet's lives!

My parents dropped me off at home on Saturday night and Chet and I immediately went to dinner and a concert with friends! Needless to say, I was quite exhausted by the time my head hit the pillow.

Sunday was a fun day with friends... we went to the pumpkin patch! I can't imagine a more fall type thing to do and it was a perfect day! After being in the snow only days prior, we went out to South 47 Farm in sunshine and 50 degree weather. Sam, Faith and I had this idea during one of our small groups and we managed to get two of our three husbands along for the ride. Though we didn't do a corn maze, we picked out more unique pumpkins and explored the farm. I am thankful for these precious friends... they are the best! Here are some pictures from that afternoon.

Now, as I'm finishing this post, the rain is absolutely pouring down! It is definitely a good day to stay inside today and catch up on life. Did I mention that I love fall?

Back to School!

So, classes start tomorrow and I'm not sure I'm ready to go back! I enjoyed having a little over a month to relax and catch up on life. Now it is back to studying and working on my master's project. I am glad that I am in school but sometimes it is hard to be motivated.

On the plus side, though this is the first day of classes, I get to go away this weekend already! I am headed out to Montana for my cousin Sharilyn's wedding. Unfortunately, Chet has to work so he won't be able to go with us, but it should be fun go out there with my mom and dad. We are taking their new Prius (aka the car that is far to computer-like!). I haven't seen much of my dad's side of the family for the last few years so it will be good to catch up. We are also going to visit for a bit with Chet's mom and probably stay the night with her in Missoula. I think it will be a fun trip! Can't wait to leave on Wednesday!

It will also be nice to escape our fruit fly infested house. I left tomatoes out on the counter and bred a huge swarm of fruit flies. Currently, we have bowls of beer and vinegar out in counters and tables trying to attract the flies and make them drown. We've been having pretty good success (so far)! Hopefully they'll all be gone by tomorrow.

For now,

Brianne