Family ♥

Just last week we were wearing sandals (sparingly) and now it's snow boot season! Ah... not to sure how i feel about this. I think I have a bipolar relationship with the snow haha. I was telling Mark last how growing up I always loved the snow because that meant ice fishing with Dad. I remember being like over joyed that he was going to take me ice fishing with him even if that meant that I had to get up at 4 or 5 that morning to get ready. It was always so much fun growing up going ice fishing with him. 

Well because the weather is changing that also means that the semester is winding down. It's good to think that we made it through another semester and are that much closer to our final year. We have really loved being here in Logan and going to school. The campus is gorgeous and they have a huge institute program here which is great. On Tuesday we get to register for next semester. We have our schedules all figured out and get to be in two of the same classes together... I am thankful for that! It is going to be so much fun.

We love the holiday season but wish that we were closer to family. I had to work either Christmas or Thanksgiving and New Years Eve so I ended up picking to work on Thanksgiving and New Years. That means that we get to enjoy Turkey Day a little bit late. We are heading to Salmon the day after Thanksgiving to spend it with Mark's side of the family. We are super excited to see his family and all our nieces and nephews! 

Saturday Mark had to work all day from 9-5pm and I was trying to find something fun to do. I was trying to think of someone I could go do things with like a girlfriend or something and then I realized I don't really have a lot of friends here but Mark haha. Candace Clifford ... my old roommate from Wyoming... is here but since she is dating this nice guy from Weber State she is missing in action almost every weekend without fail. So I stuck to plan B and decided to just clean the house and do some homework. Around 10:30 as I had just finished mopping I heard some footsteps walking down the stairs into our house. Mark had told me that I had a surprise that day so I thought maybe it was him coming home early! I got kind of nervous when they knocked on the door because I was in my nasty "Saturday best" with a rag in my hand. I opened the door and to my surprise it was my mom and little sister! They had gotten up early that morning to drive down to Logan and spend the day with me. I was caught of guard because I was not expecting that, especially with the weather. 

It was fantastic to see them again. My mom brought us a whole bag full of meat that filled our freezer, which we are so very thankful for. She also brought us a loaf of delicious bread and showed me their new house plans! I am so excited that my parents are building a new house, but it is bitter sweet for me since I grew up in the one they are in now. I hurried and got ready and we were out on the town. One thing I love about spending time with my mom and sister is it almost always involves the word 'shopping'. LOVE IT. We went around to multiple stores etc. and had a blast together. We were able to find way way way cute bedspreads for some of the new rooms as well as a ton of cute clothes. I love going shopping with them because we seem to have the same taste. It was way fun seeing Bayli picking out clothes. She is growing up so fast! Every time I see her she gets taller and taller and I can not believe she will be a teenager this spring.

We ate lunch at Quiznos, they have the best chicken noodle soup ever! So good! It was fun to just spend time with them and to have a whole day filled with fun adventures. Mom took us to this neat old restaurant in Logan called the Bluebird and we tried an IronPort Cherry drink. My mom used to drink that sometimes growing up and wanted Bay and I to try it and it was amazing. I am definitely having Mark take me back there.

After a long day of shopping, laughs and fun new memories we ended the evening with Panda Express and Mark was there. It was so yummy! I am so glad that they made the trip down to see me. It was a much needed girls day and I loved having them with me. I am so blessed to have such amazing family members. There would have been no other way I would have rather of spent my day. It is such a blessing to have my best friends be my mom and sister. I love them so much and am so thankful that they braved the slick roads and spent the day with me. I LOVE THEM! ♥

Mark and I spoke in sacrament meeting today. It ended up going really great. We tied Elder Ballard's talk "Be Anxiously Engaged" and Sister Dibb's talk "I know it, I live it, I love it" together. It is so important that we are not only members on Sunday. We need to be active members of the gospel every day of the week. I really think that Elder Ballard points out a good analogy when he talks about his fathers bees and how they only brought 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey to the hive but that they 1/12 was vital to the life of the hive. I know that if we are good examples to those around us and serve with a happy attitude that our 1/12 will be enough if we all work together. It is also important that we serve with a happy attitude. When I think of someone who was anxiously engaged I think of Christ. However I don't think that he went about serving with the mindset of " Oh I hope this goes really fast" or " I really wish I didn't have to go" or "I have so many other things to do". I believe that Christ had a positive attitude when it came to service because he was converted to the gospel. Elder Ballard challenges us to pray for someone to serve. I know that this is important. Service can even just be a simple smile or a kind gesture. I am so very thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. I know it, I live it, and I love it. 

Well the countdown begins for our cruise... 33 days. We can not wait!! We love and miss you all! Have a good week!

♥Hobbs 

( I was looking through some old pictures and found this! One day while we were dating Mark had put sticky notes all over the mirror in my room saying that he loved me. I am so thankful for such a wonderful, strong reliable husband. xoxo)