ONE HAPPY GIRL

So guess what was on the radio today??? CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!! Usually I am a "not before Thanksgiving" kind of person, but this year I've been excited for Christmas for months now! So you bet I turned the volume up and sang real loud to those Christmas carols with the biggest grin on my face! After all, it's almost the most wonderful time of the year!!!! 

There are precisely 57 days, 7 hours, 26 minutes, and 46 seconds until Christmas! And by the time you finish reading this sentence that time will be even less!!! (by just a tad I know but still, can't a girl be excited?!) I can't believe that Christmas is 8 weeks away, but I sure am not complaining! 

Do you know what made my drive home from work even more enjoyable? The fact that fall has hit Alabama! I saw the first trees changing color and am super excited for it! It's crazy to think that in Utah, it always snows by Halloween....and in Birmingham, we are still enjoying 80 degree weather! I'm sure as heck not complaining though.  I love this climate. Although I am envious of all my Utah friends and family posting gorgeous pics of their fall leaves (for the last month).  But don't worry...Bham is following suit and I couldn't be more excited!!  The South sure is beautiful! 

^^ And don't worry...I pulled over and wasn't driving 

when I snapped these pictures. ^^

PACK TRIP / PART III

Well, sorry not sorry if you're sick of pack trip pictures because I have just a few more.  On the last day of the trip, we decided to ride around the mountain and do a little hike.  The family kept talking about this horrible hike that was straight up but the view was absolutely amazing once you got there. Let's just say they were absolutely right.  The hike was the worst thing ever! hahaha I don't know if I'll ever do that again, but I guess the others say that every time too and there they were hiking it again... I love hiking, but this was just crazy! I think flying in from 600 ft. elevation in Alabama and riding horses up to 12,000 ft. elevation in Utah definitely affected that.  I remember honestly feeling like I wasn't getting any oxygen in.  It was so strange! But they were right...they view was totally awesome. :) 

^^^ Aren't they such cuties?! I love this picture of them. ^^^

^^ The hike was almost literally straight up.  I'm the one in yellow! ^^

^^ One of the horses had a loose shoe that the men stopped and fixed. ^^

^^^ HI cutie!!!!!!! Also, how beautiful are these horses!?!

 Pictured: Bond and Rucker. ^^^

^^^ The boys.... ^^^

^^^ and the girls! ^^^

^^ and my honey.  Thank you family for such a fun trip! 

We love you guys!! ^^

SOME EXCITING NEWS...

After months of applying, preparing, and interviewing, we are so happy to share our news that G got an amazing job offer! We are so excited to move to Pennsylvania next summer! We can't wait to experience another part of the country and this next part of life together.  We feel so blessed.  

These past few days have been so surreal.  It's weird to think that our search for a great residency is over, but we are both truly excited for this opportunity.  Along with this exciting realization that we will be moving has come the sadness of leaving the friends and state that we call home.  We aren't quite sure how we feel about leaving all of our Bama friends, so...who's coming with us? ;) Alabama has been such a great place for us--which I think is evidenced by the fact that we are already sad about leaving.  But we have great hope that Pennsylvania will be wonderful also, and are looking forward to the growth and changes that will come.  Cheers to growing up! I'm so proud of you, Gord. 

And of course we had to celebrate with our favorite Southern BBQ, 

Saw's Juke Joint! 

(I have a feeling we will use the excuse of moving to come here even more often than we do...

no complaints about that!)

PACK TRIP / PART II

I mean....yes, this was real life.  Our campsite was UNREAL.  And there are few better things than looking out across a meadow to see your cowboy lover and some beautiful horses.  Am I right?! 

You can tell that the mountains don't have any vegetation.  That's because we were up 12,000 feet from sea level, where you can distinctly see the treeline.  There were so many lakes to fish and so much land to explore...so that's what we did!  Such a great way to spend a day.

 ^ We had a fishing contest (and when I say we I mean Tom and Amanda) and I can't remember all of the scores, but I do know that I had two and whoever won had like thirty.... haha still fun though! ^

^^ And then it started raining and hailing so we hid under some trees and called it our shelter. Eventually we put our rain gear on (below) and hiked around in the hail/rain!

It was so festive....we were sitting under big trees, there was white snow-like stuff on the ground, the boys were trying to build us a fire...I just wanted to sing some Christmas carols!!! 

A little excited for the holidays...it's fine. ^^

 ^^ hahaha we laughed for hours at this pic. Twins for the win! ^^

 ^^ They refer to themselves as the "twin towers" and have taken pictures in this pose 

all over Europe and the states!  I sure love these sisters of mine. ^^

^^ Brothers! ^^

 ^^ Blurry, but we were thrilled to find a secret stash of thin mints in Cindy's bag!!! ^^

 ^^ A super moon.  Super bright. Super cool. ^^

^^And of course a camping trip is never complete without some jiffy pop! ^^

PACK TRIP / PART I

In August, G and I were able to visit home for a few weeks. While in Utah, we had the time of our lives on a pack trip with my wonderful in-laws! What is a pack trip, you say? Basically, you pack all of your gear onto extra strong horses and ride your horses to the camping spot while leading the string of pack horses.  Sound amazing? Well it was! It was seriously a blast! I remember just grinning the entire first day (and basically the whole trip, let's be honest...except the part when it was freezing..) while we rode 13 miles to camp because it felt SO good to be back on a horse, in the mountains we love, with our wonderful family.  I kept telling Gordy that God is so good to create such a beautiful world for us.  There is something so amazing that happens when you disconnect from life and escape into nature with the people you love.  We feel so lucky to have this beautiful escape!

I've been wanting to share pics from this trip but have so many good memories that they will have to be split up into a few posts. Below is an awesome video of our trip that my cute twin SIL's made.  I have seriously watched it so many times! What an incredible few days with family! We love you guys. And the ranch! Thanks for such a fun trip!

Pack Trip from Amanda Evans on Vimeo.

and a few photos....

^^ The pack trip gang! Missed everyone who couldn't make it! ^^

^^ We play with our food... and yes we all look awkward and I love it! ^^

^^ The first of many quality selfies during the trip. ^^

^^Isn't he the cutest?! Gahhh...I'm in love!^^

^^ And then it hailed on us for a few hours! (In August) 

Good thing we had just finished setting up camp! ^^

^^ I think Tom's expression sums up how we felt that first cold night...  

but we were still having fun! ^^

More to come soon...

YELLOWSTONE RANCH

Gordy's family has a ranch.  Yes, it's perfect. 

Yes, we are both obsessed with it. 

I first heard about this ranch on our blind date.  Once we started getting more serious and it wasn't winter anymore, Gordy took me up there.  Holy cow...I was in heaven! I remember smiling from ear to ear while I watched my cowboy show me the ropes and walk me around the ranch.  We went up there a lot with his family that summer, and the ranch started to become very special to me and not just Gordy.  In fact, that's where we first said "I love you."  It's also where Gordy proposed on top of Eagle Rock one night.  The ranch is one of our most favorite places.  It's one of the things we have missed most while living here in Bama.  So naturally, we were jazzed out of our minds when we got to go home in August and go to the ranch.  Here are a few pics...and if you check back soon there might be more from our pack trip! ;) 

^^MY COWBOY^^

^^ Utah, you take my breath away! ^^

^^ the most beautiful sight to see ^^

^^ badger hunting! ^^

^^ I got distracted while badger hunting...^^

^^THAT LIGHT OH MY GOODNESS^^

^^ Our love tree may have died, BUT OUR LOVE NEVER WILL!!! 

Thanks Alison, for the cutest bridal gift ever! I'm still praying it will grow again.^^