Winter Break

Well a new semester has started and my LAST ONE at that. I'm so excited for this semester. I only had to take 13 credits and I am taking some classes I have always wanted to take like drawing and rock climbing (I forgot how much I enjoy it). Wednesdays the only things I have are climbing and then drawing..nice day right? And Friday's I don't have school, YES! I'm doing my capstone this semester, which I basically just get assigned a community development internship. I'm really excited for that.

Meet Rugar. One of the dogs at the climbing gym I go
to. We like to cuddle.

The past month has been the best month of my life. Right after finals I flew to Indy to be with my sister and her family and then help her fly to Utah with her kids (my brother in law had to work until the 26th). Indy was so fun. It was so nice to spend time with my nieces and sister and bro. We did Christmasy things like going to see the big Christmas tree in downtown Indianapolis and making ginger bread houses. I got to be a part of the B-well's Christmas eve festivities and cute Steph got me presents so I could be a part of everything.

Then we flew to Utah. The flight went great. The best $8 I've ever spent was on the wifi on the plane so my nieces could watch a show on my phone and be entertained. It was so nice to spend time with family on Christmas and Christmas Eve and to spend time with friends on other days of the break. I am so incredibly grateful for the season where we are even more focused on our Savior, Jesus Christ. I wish everyone carried the season through the year.

Christmas Eve

Blurry but oh so cute.

Christmas Eve. I love MK's face.

Christmas morning.

The Christmas Village in Ogden is SO cool.

Bundled for the Christmas Village.

Ready to snowmobile at the cabin.

Annual Ryther Christmas party. One of my favorite
Christmas traditions.

Loved spending time with cool people at Temple Square
seeing the lights. No better way to get in the Christmas
spirit.

The weekend after Christmas all of my siblings and their families, me, my parents, and my best friend Kumi went down to St. George. We rented a couple condos and spent much needed and great family time playing games and eating treats. Obviously the best part about the trip for me was on Saturday, the 28th, when I had the opportunity to go through the temple for the first time. It was incredible and I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to have done so. The St. George temple is gorgeous and it was even more special because my parents were sealed there 32 years ago and all of my siblings got to be there to support me, along with Kume, which meant a lot.The temple is such a wonderful blessing.

Best day ever.

So so grateful to have the parents I do.

Some friendly sibling competition with arm wrestling,
games, and of course I push up competition. 

Kume is the best. So grateful she came to St. George to support me.

Hard core cards in the morning. Such a
funny picture, they look like old
women.

Dinner at the pizza factory Saturday night.

I spent a chill and wonderful day with my family on New Year's Day.

I could just eat her.

But really.

Random pic with the sweet girl that made me an
aunt.

After a couple days at home my parents and I flew out to New York City for some birthday celebrating. We got to go to the Manhattan temple, eat at lots of yummy places, go to a couple Broadway shows (Annie and Newsies-which btw Newsiescompares to Phantom and Wicked..it was absolutely incredible), went shopping and lived through the cold weather!

On our way! 

Celebrating with New York cheesecake. 

On the Subway.

After Newsies.

The temple is truly an oasis from the busy city streets just
outside.

On our way to church (that is in the same building as
the temple. 

9/11 memorial. There was such a somberness around here that you
really could feel. So grateful for the heroes of our country.

After the temple session.

Snowy NYC.

At "Good Enough to Eat" for breakfast...mmmm.

NY Macys was CRAZY.

Cutest old people on the subway.

I got back to Salt Lake and headed straight up to Logan. It was my birthday the next day and my friends/family spoiled me like none other. It was such an all around wonderful day. We had a get together for cake and ice cream at my house that night for me and my other roommate whose birthday it previously was and it made me realize even more how incredibly blessed I am for all the wonderful people I have in my life. I truly have been blessed with the best and most supportive family and such incredible friends. I'm just feeling so blessed all around.

If you made it to the end of this post you are crazy and I commend you.