If we did send cards...

We didn't send out Christmas cards this year. If we did, it probably would have looked similar to what's above because that was the only decent photo of us for the year.

Since most Christmas cards show how adorable everyone is and how the children have grown, we decided to spare you the sight of seeing how much weight we have gained over the past year. 

Thank you to all of our wonderful friends and family who have sent us beautiful cards filled with an update on your life. We love knowing all of the exciting things going on.

Here's our quick update:

Jake is still loving insurance and staying busy with it. He saves the majority of the people who contact him $ on their insurance, so please spread the word.

I've been working as a teller at Chase bank since July and it's wonderful. I work about 30 hours a week and I feel like I have a life outside of my job.

My job at chase has been a huge blessing because the health insurance is wonderful. We are looking forward to trying invitro one last time this year and are grateful that it will be affordable with our new insurance. 

We are grateful for our Savior, whose humble beginnings remind us that life is sometimes difficult but that miracles happen every day. Hoping you and your family have a wonderful holiday.

Love, Kris & Jake 

finishing up December

We had a wonderful Christmas. We went down to Riverton on Christmas eve to have dinner with the family and stayed at my in-laws that night. Christmas day we went to church, had a yummy breakfast, opened presents and enjoyed time together.
It was also really nice to get together with some of my family members on Christmas evening.  We played games and chatted and had a wonderful time. Brent and Christa and their family were in town from Mississippi so it was fun to be able to see them along with my local siblings.  I am so grateful for family relationships.
Here are the only pictures I have from Christmas day:

The day after Christmas I drove to California with Ashley and her cute son Gideon.  We visited the beach and were able to hang out with some amazing friends. I forgot to charge my camera battery before the trip and failed to bring the charger so I didn't get too many pictures.

But, I did get to visit this beautiful place:

with these amazing people:

We also went to the San Diego Zoo (courtesy of Wendy) and had a blast. here are the pictures I took with my phone while there:

It was a wonderful break. Tomorrow it's back to work for me for the last week of my job. After that I am unemployed.

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ.

And this made me laugh:
Rules for a successful holiday: 1. Get together with the family 2. Relive old times 3. Get out before it blows. (story people)

12 days of Christmas

Last week was my second year of doing my 12 days of Christmas party.  I know I wasn't too creative with the name, but it has been fun both years now and I plan on holding it again.

This year we had more than 12 ladies participate, so our number was 15.  We each made 15 handmade gifts (of the same item) and then had a party and exchanged our gift. So we left with 14 different handmade gifts that others put a lot of time and effort into (plus one for ourselves). It was wonderful and so fun to be around such creative women.

I made some glass pendants for the party. They are tied with some hair elastics I recently tied.

We enjoyed some yummy treats and great company.  It was such a fun night!

I only got one picture and set my camera down to take more, but forgot. Thanks to everyone who came and participated.

Here are some of the gifts we received.  We had a brownie mix, treats, hot chocolate on a stick with homemade marshmallows, chalk board coasters, a key ring, hair bow, some recipe holders, Christmas signs, sugar scrub, cards, and a pin cushion.

Next year I need to make sure to plan it more in advance.  I found myself rushing to finish my projects that should have been done earlier. :)

looks like Christmas

I thought it would be fun to post what my house looks like right now for Christmas. (Mostly for my mom and sisters who can't see it in person).  I am having fun decorating it, and learning a lot in the process. Some of the rooms I absolutely love and some I don't, but I've kept anyway because I don't have anything different to replace them with.

the living room is my favorite:

with my awesome rug.   I was waiting for the wood floor to be done to put it out and almost forgot about it once it was. I purchased this rug back in May before we even bought the house. And my new couch is awesome- I love it just as much as I did before.

I love our tree. It is always and will always be real for the Perschons. A few years ago I did an all silver tree and loved it. This year it's silver with some red.  Instead of my disco ball on top, we did the star.  That was probably the hardest decision on the tree this year- not hanging up the disco ball. (But at least I still have my small disco ball ornaments).

This room also has my nativity. My kind mother-in-law has purchased each part of the set and given them to me for Christmas each year. I now have the complete set and have it before Christmas so I can set it out.

 I added some boughs from the tree and a string of white lights on top of the piano.

And this cute tree that I found a few years ago is next to the nativity also.

my table has a bowl of ornaments with a runner underneath. (Jen I totally used the same bowl as you, sorry but it was just so cute) and the window over the couch is the home for our stockings (no fireplace mantle for us).  The couch is home to my Christmas quilt- the first quilt I ever made (with the help of my sister.)

Downstairs in my family room I used more pine boughs on the back ledge and added a string of white lights along with the silver wire light covers.  I hung this beautiful Merry Christmas wall hanging my sister made for me for my graduation a few years ago and added some candlesticks and ribbon with the lights.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas wishing

It has been sooo fun to decorate for Christmas this year.  I still can't believe we have this wonderful house and it is a lot of fun to make everything my own. Pictures to come soon.

The other day I received the West Elm catalog and fell in love with some cute things. I decided to make a list of what I love the most.

this wreath

and this felt garland

and as far as ornaments go, I love these:

mistletoe

Chandelier

feather ball

And as far as regular items go, I'm still saving for this duvet cover 

and this rug

It's sure fun to look at pretty things. :) 

Wordless Wednesday (a day late)

He did a waltz.

A well known Christian author wrote in his book "One Incredible Moment" that I was reading the other day:
"There was one word that describes the night He came - ordinary. The sky was ordinary. An occasional gust stirred the leaves and chilled the air. The stars were diamonds sparkling on black velvet. Fleets of clouds floated in front of the moon.
"It was a beautiful night- a night worth peeking out your bedroom window to admire- but not really an unusual one. No reason to expect a surprise. Nothing to keep a person awake. An ordinary night with an ordinary sky.
"The sheep were ordinary. Some fat. Some scrawny. Some with barrel bellies. Some with twig legs. Common animals. No fleece made of gold. No history makers. No blue-ribbon winners. They were simply sheep-lumpy, sleeping silhouettes on a hillside.
"And the shepherds. Peasants they were. Probably wearing all the clothes they owned. Smelling like sheep and looking just as woolly. They were conscientious, willing to spend the night with the flocks. But you won't find their staffs in a museum nor their writings in a library. No one asked their opinion on social justice or the application of the Torah. They were nameless and simple.
"An ordinary night with ordinary sheep and ordinary shepherds. And were it not for a God who loves to hook an "extra" on the front of the ordinary, the night would have gone unnoticed. The sheep would have been forgotten, and the shepherds would have slept the night away.
But God dances among the common. And that night he did a waltz.
The night was ordinary no more. "

I am so grateful that "God dances among the common." and performed the waltz that night. What a wonderful gift to us. I hope we all can remember the reason for celebrating Christmas and that because of Christ, we can see God dancing among us.

Merry Christmas!
Love, Kristen and Jake

Don't waste the Miracle.

Several years ago, one of my amazing sisters gave me a framed picture by one of my favorite artists (Mary Engelbreit) that has a Christmas angel and says at the bottom "Don't waste the miracle." I remembered I had it a few weeks ago and set it out in our apartment. Now, every time I walk by it I stop and think about that short and sweet statement. Something so simple but yet to me so profound- don't waste the miracle. It is a good reminder for me, especially when it is so hard at Christmastime to stay focused on Christ with our crazy world, but it helps me remember the reason for celebrating Christmas. And what is the miracle, you may ask? There are so many and it can be a new one everyday- the miracle of waking up each morning, the miracle of not freezing to death because it is so cold outside, the miracle of having a short break from school, of being with family. But, the real and most important miracle that makes all of the other miracles possible is Christ-His life, His mission, His birth, His atoning sacrifice, His resurrection and His saving power. That is my goal this year- to not waste the miracle of what He has done for us, for me. I know I have forgotten and allowed that miracle to go to waste far too often. But I want to do better and I know that with the help of my Father in Heaven and my Savior Jesus Christ, I can. So Merry Christmas everyone- and don't waste the miracle. :)

Tag- Feliz Navidad

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate. We got a hot chocolate machine for our wedding and it's awesome- we have hot chocolate way too often now.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa leaves them out unwrapped next to our stockings around the room.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Well growing up it is always colored, but now I think whatever I'm in the mood for that year.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? I never have.

5. When do you put up your decorations? When thanksgiving is over, that gives me the green light to begin.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? The Christmas breakfast my mom makes- Apple French Toast, Egg souffle.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? We would sleep under the Christmas tree together, which was fun. Christmas Eve is awesome- a carriage ride, caroling to friends, acting out the Nativity.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't remember- I have a horrible memory.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes, pajamas. Sometimes we could convince Mom and Dad to let us choose one more.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? We always go up to the mountains and cut it down. And since our ceiling is so high, we would get one that's about 18 feet tall. So, decorating took a while. We would listen to Christmas music while we put our box of random ornaments up.

11. Can you ice skate? Nope. I always thought you only go ice skating if you have a cute guy to hold your hand- good thing I do now, maybe I'll pick it up.... :)

12. Do you remember your favorite gift? No, (my horrible memory), but Christmas with family is the best gift.

13. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Family and traditions.

14. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Home made carmels.

15. What is your favorite holiday tradition? cutting the Christmas tree and the Christmas Eve activities.

16. What tops your tree? Star.

17. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Definitely giving. I love it. I'm one of those people who shows love through gifts.

18. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Oh Holy Night by Tracy Chapman and Merry Christmas Eve by Better Than Ezra. Oh and Oak Ridge Boys Christmas.

19. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized? Yes.

I don't know if anyone reads this... I tag Ashleigh, Deidra and Brooke.