Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Looking back on 2008 looking ahead to 2009

We have had a great year. Here is a list of the highlights of 2008.

Travis and I moved to Rexburg to our hallway home
I got the 1/2 tuition academic scholarship
Travis turned 22!
I got all A's in Winter 2008
Travis got 25 sales one week in March at Progression
Anna chopped my hair into an A-line Bob
The doctors got rid of my stomach problems
We signed up for Summer sales
We moved to Indiana then to Virginia
We got a puppy
We played on the beach the EAST coast
We drove across the United States twice
We made a ton of new friends
We moved back to Rexburg
I became the Enrichment Leader for our ward
We spoke in church
Travis got a job at Lexington Law firm and switched to working nights
Travis started school
Travis was the number one draft pick for the school football team
Travis was the quarterback, kicker and defense for the Wolverines
I survived my hardest semester yet at BYUI
I worked 20 hours a week at the advising center aka the best place to work
We went to Seattle twice i went to Seattle 3 times
We went to our Friends wedding
I turned 21!! whoo hoo
I renewed my Lisense in Idaho
We bought and decorated our first Christmas tree
We had a happy anniversary i got flowers for the fist time
We spent Christmas here alone together
We had a very happy Year

What Courtney is looking forward too
finishing my last year of college
Paying off the blasted jetta
Redecorating the hallway home
finishing off more goals off my list
Playing the Wii
Seeing all my friend's new babies when they have them
Becoming a better person
Traveling to Seattle again and again
Sewing on my new sewing machine
Learning new talents
a trip to Minnesota

What Travis is looking forward too
Getting through another year of school
getting through another year of marriage
Taking Football theory 2 more times
Coaching or playing football again
buying a TV for the bedroom
Watching sports

We hope you all have a wonderful New Year!!
A note to my mother: I am glad that i will not be home so i will be missing that delicious sauerkraut i gag on every year. Travis is disappointed. We will be having pork so we can be prosperous though!!

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas from the Mattoon's

We stayed in the little town of Rexburg for our little family Christmas!
I woke up super early only to find Travis still awake playing his Christmas present a Wii! He broke a couple of days ago and we have been playing it together. He was surprised so i guess that is what matters.

So we went back to sleep and woke up around ten and i made cinnamon rolls for our new Mattoon tradition.



I got a lot of clothes which is my favorite thing to get so i was very happy to get a wardrobe update. Travis also got me a curling iron that he picked out just for me.



Travis got the Wii the 4 seasons of the Office. a few games and some WSU clothes. I made him pose with everything or i was taking it back ha ha. new christmas rule.
We are getting a lot of snow here so we had to walk to over to our friend's house because we couldn't get out of our parking spot.


Oh and just a couple more holiday decorations. Travis bought me a Seahawks stocking so now we are very sportif. When we have some children they will probably get some Mariner stocking but never a UW one i am sure of that.
And we got a nice star and some more colorful ornaments for our cute little tree.


We are now going to relax the rest of the break playing the Wii and watch the seasons of the Office. Today we played the office on the laptop while playing the wii so if you want to party stop on by!! we will be here all year!
Merry Christmas

Sunday, December 21, 2008

One Year ago...



I became Mrs. Mattoon.
Travis and i have been married for one year.



Later today (when the cake isn't frozen) we are going to eat out cake top and hopefully it will be tasty since all i got at my actual wedding was it up my nose and down my dress.
I just want travis to know how much fun i have had this year and how much i love him. He has made me such a stronger person. He has taught me to stand up for myself and to be selfless. I am so lucky to have him by my side. We joke all the time and are just so sarcastic with each other but we love each other more everyday.
We make a great team and have been able to make it one year so i think we must be set for eternity lol jk but really i am so set for the journey ahead. I love you Hun happy one year. OH our first milestone how CUTE

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Our First Christmas Card!



The Mattoons in 2008

It’s been a year since our little family begun
And we’ve got to admit we’ve had a lot of fun.
At the beginning of the year we were living like kings
From all the wonderful gifts we received, we had all sorts of things.
Travis thought being a paralegal full time was pretty cool.
Courtney was getting really good grades in school.
After school was out we thought we’d try something new
We traveled across the country to sell home security and sold a few
We lived in Indianapolis and then Virginia Beach
And got a Maltese named Nieko that we didn’t get to keep.
When the fun was over it was back to Rexburg to relax a while
We enjoyed the Sun and the outdoors and couldn’t help but smile
We took a trip back to good old Washington to see the fam
We had a lot of fun, and reminded me how grateful I am.
Now we are both going to BYUI this fall
Our classes are tough but we learn from them all
We love you whether you are near or far
We hope all is well where ever you are
This a great time of year for a lot of good reasons
So count your blessings and have a wonderful holiday season.

Family Trip with the not so happy return

Long but i promise it is a good story.

For my Christmas present this year Travis gave me a trip home to see my family. So the night after finals i was on my way! The way there was great (well besides the broken windsheild wipers in the snow storm and driving by braille the whole way on the rumble strip!) My cousin Brittney was on the same bus and flight so we had a great time chatting and waiting in the airport, watching movies and also catching up on some much needed sleep. But we made it safe and sound and it was SO fun seeing my family.
I went to escape the snow only to be disappointed because it was snowing in Seattle. My siblings got an entire week off because of it! but it was still great to see my parents and siblings. My in-laws gave me a birthday party and i got to see my niece and nephew and guess what? another is on the way. My sister in law Melissa is pregnant again so that is so exciting for her.
I spent the week shopping with my mom and then again for my mom with my dad, drinking eggnog, eating boxed cereal and name brand string cheese, making christmas treats to deliver, visiting my grandma and aunt, winning monopoly, looking out on the lake and wrapping presents for my siblings. I couldn't have had a better week. But the ride home was MISERABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!! that word is actually an understatement for how it actually went. Let me explain


1.) too much snow so my dad had to bring me to the airport at 5:30
2) I miss the earlier plane so i have to wait for my original plane at 9AM
3) That plane is delayed... only then to be cancelled because Spokane airport is closed.
4) So i miss my connecting flight to Boise and have to wait in a line for a new flight for 2 Hours
5) My new flight is at NOON going straight to boise. and oh wait it is delayed too
6) 2 hours later they finally have a plane and a crew and they board us on the plane.
7) we are set for take off but no we loose radar and sit on the plane for another glorious hour.
8) so finally at 3pm PST we take off and land in boise at 5 pm MST
9) my shuttle to Rexburg comes at 6 and so i hurry to catch it. i sit down to finally relax
10) this is when i know my luck sucks. THE BUS BREAKS DOWN
11) we drive on the shoulder at a whapping 25 miles per hour and it quote "solves the PROBLEM" so thus we travel in the snow at 25 all the way to Pocettello. a trip on average lasting 3 hours now took us 7.
12) so i miss my connecting bus at Pocetello. LUCKILY the only gracious thing that happened on this trip home the midnight bus waited for us to pull in at 12:30AM so that I did not have to wait until the next bus at 8 am!!
13) so then we made record time getting from pokey to rexburg we pulled in around 1:20!
14) but only to find out that someone getting off before me too my luggage on accident.
15) so around 3am MST a lady and her husband return my stolen luggage to my lovely hallway home. finally i could go to sleep and i never slept so good in my entire life.

So if you actually read through all that you can see how horrible the return trip was. But it was great to come home to my baby. He claims he missed me more than i missed him but i am doubtful of that ha ha.
Thanks family for the great fun filled trip!! i miss you all already.

Family Photos

When we went home for Thanksgiving we got our pictures taken professionally by Yuen Lui a place my family has went for years and years. This year my parents and travis were in it too! i don't know if it is copyright to put these pictures up so just don't save them and reprint them k.



I love this family one because my dad is actually smiling. He really is a happy guy but he has such a hard exterior it is sometimes hard to tell!! the other thing i love is how you can tell that travis is my husband. He sticks out with his dark hair and olive complexion. i sure do love him!!



This is a great picture of both of us! i was so excited because he was smiling so naturally. I can't believe we have been married a year already!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Santa Pictures With My Siblings

I went and saw Santa last night with my brothers and sisters. I thought i'd share the picture!

Friday, December 5, 2008

21 years of life

Being alive for 21 years is pretty exciting so i thought i would just put a little time line of me growing up. Being an "official" adult i has really got me thinking of my life and how wonderful it has been. So i chose a few of my favorite to share.




This is a picture of me and my Aunt Tappy. when i was a couple months old!




This next one i was a couple of years old and did some modeling pictures. It is funny to look back at all my child photos because most of them are professional! the perks of being the first child




This is when i was 11 and got a Spice girl Barbie for my Birthday. I was so excited ha ha i think it was my favorite birthday growing up!



Then finally a old picture of me and my cousins. I thought it would bring a smile to their faces. Anna did our hair all fancy one thanksgiving.

It was a good birthday. Thanks for everyone remembering. I went to the DMV to see how to renew my license and they didn't believe me that i was 21. At least i am not going out drinking so i won't need to be carded ha ha

Thanks Mccall for taking me out to dinner while Trav was at work.

Opal you are the greatest i LOVE my present you are so sweet!!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Our First official Christmas

So now that we are back from our fabulous thanksgiving break its time to decorate for CHRISTMAS




First here is our Christmas Village. Travis loved this growing up so we started our own.


Travis' parents gave us this tree stand. It plugs in and lights up! i love it




Here is my favorite piece so far it is a father and son with a tree in this little wagon! so cute little porcelain figurines

And Finally the Baby Tree



Yay christmas. i love this time of year. My birthday is on the 5th! then our 1st anniversary is on the 21st and then christmas on the 25th!! month of Celebration!! yay!!

Farwell to Elder Wirthlin


Elder Wirthlin, The oldest living apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints, died last night peacefully in his sleep. I always loved Elder Wirthlin. He was such a cute kind old man. He always spoke of loving everyone no matter their appearance or circumstance. This has really inspired me in my future profession as a special education teacher. I just loved this man and thought that we could all be a little better and follow his example of love and kindness towards everyone. You can read my favorite talk at the following link click here .