Christmas and New Years!

Christmas Time was spent with our Families up in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and Spokane, Washington! The trips and visits home were very much needed! 

The journey first started out with me flying to Coeur d'Alene on the 19th! Thanks to my wonderful in-laws they had paid for my flight home, so a 30 week pregnant woman would not have to make the 27 hour drive from Bakersfield to Idaho. 

Don had flown to Burbank where Brad met him there and they traveled up to Idaho in our very packed tacoma truck! Sadly the roads weren't the greatest for them but they were able to make a pit stop in Logan, Utah to see Megan and her family and then headed to Rexburg to switch vehicles with Brian and pick him up from taking his last final. They arrived very late to Coeur d'Alene on Friday night (20th). 

On Saturday afternoon (the 21st), Brad's Aunt and Uncle and their 3 kids traveled from Renton, Washington to Coeur d'Alene to spend the holidays with us! It was so fun to have young ones around and in the spirit of Christmas. 

Sunday we had a wonderful Christmas program in the Hayden 1st ward. Heather and Carmen both sang in the Choir. Hearing the Christmas hymns that day really had me reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. Later that night we were greeted with the Achievement Day girls and their leader, Sister Curtis for some Caroling. They sang some really cute songs! 

Monday and most of Tuesday were spent up at Schweitzer Mountain for the Duffy's to get their skiing in. Marcie, Eric, the kids and I stayed in the Cabin and stayed warm! 

Tuesday afternoon we headed back to the Duffy's and started in with the Christmas Eve traditions. 

Brooklyn, Troy and Savannah decorated this gingerbread house!

Marcie, Heather and I slaved away in the Kitchen. Marcie was making her famous sugar cookies, Heather made several batches of her famous rolls, and I was put to work on the snacking spread, the ham, and clam dip! 

After our dinner feast we took some family pictures and had our Christmas program

At 31 weeks pregnant!

Brian, Heather, Carmen, Marcie, Brad, Savannah, Eric
Brooklyn, Troy, and Katelyn

We ended the night with doing the Nativity. Brian and I were Shepherds, Brad was Joseph, Brooklyn was Mary, Carmen was an angel, Troy was the Star and Savannah was a wise man. 

Sadly most of the family got a stomach bug that night so we had some very weak and sick people Christmas Morning. Brad and I were feeling great and were excited to wake up to this beautiful changing table that Don made! 

We quickly opened gifts and got ready to talk to Shaun. 

Shaun is doing awesome! He is serving his mission in Texas! The family had a wonderful time visiting and hearing of his success and joy in serving his Mission. 

That afternoon we headed to Spokane and spent time with my parents, grandma, aunt and uncle, and my brother, sister in-law and niece. 

We had a delicious dinner and had lots of family time. We also exchanged gifts and had a few surprises! I got a new Camera and Brad got a Russell Wilson Jersey! 

(My parents have all of the pictures from that gift exchange!)

On December 27th was my Dad's Birthday! 

We had bought my Dad some new bird seed so Quinn was helping Papa feed the birds!

She was so happy and proud to be helping! She knew exactly what she was doing too! 

She would turn around and wave to us who were keeping warm in the house! She wanted to make sure she had an audience! 

She is such a cheese ball! I love her so much! 

Later that afternoon we spent time Bowling!

 Ken the coach! 

Quinn had a blast! 

Look at that Form! 

The girls! 

Love this guy!

Quinn munched on some fries while cheering us all on! 

The whole group! 

Brad, Katelyn, McKensie, Quinn, Jeremy, Mom, Dad

 We went to dinner at Thai Bamboo. My family loves Thai Food! We love to get our Thai fix in when we are in town! After dinner we headed home to open presents! Q was a big help!!

New Gonzaga Sweatshirt!!

 Another gift from my mom was this beautiful bird bath. My dad loves to do photography! He is hoping to get some awesome shots of hummingbirds with this. Of course we had to try it out! Quinn loved it! 

Later that evening we went back up to Schweitzer to spend time up at the cabin. Brad wanted to get as much skiing as he could before the break was over!

Carmen and Brad

Heather, Brad, and Don

For the most part they had great skiing conditions! I spent most of my time resting and crocheting Baby Aubrey a blanket. We also finally got around to decorating the christmas cookies! 

On New Years Eve we met my parents down in Sandpoint, ID for dinner! We had a wonderful time visiting and eating delicious food! 

Thanks Mom and Dad! 

Sadly I got sick that evening and wasn't a pleasant evening. Everyone stayed up late to celebrate the New Year and I was in bed trying to keep gatorade and crackers in my system. Luckily the sickness only lasted about 5 hours and I was good as new. Thank goodness because we had a long move to Rexburg ahead of us! 

On the 2nd we headed to Rexburg to move there for our last semester!

 Idaho is where we will be for at least the next four months! 

When we arrived in Rexburg we had lots of help from Brad's co-worker Justin. His wife Katherine was so nice to make us dinner and bring it over. We enjoyed our first meal on some boxes! 

Over the next few days we slowly got settled in and organized. Thank goodness we have a storage unit, or we would be living in a very cluttered apartment with all of our new baby stuff! 

Speaking of Babies, we had a sweet baby nephew be born on January 4th. Nicole, Brad's sister, gave birth to Grant Nathan Cope at 3:24 pm. He is a very healthy boy weighing 7 pounds, 7 ounces measuring 20 inches long. We can't wait to meet him! 

Lastly we brought in the New Year with going back to school! January 6, 2014 was our very Last FIRST Day of school. We are very excited to be done! 

33 weeks pregnant! 

Well I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Season and have started the New Year off right! Brad and I have been very busy with our new school and work schedule. We have been very blessed too these last few weeks. We have experienced many trials with these last few weeks of pregnancy but with trials comes blessings and miracles. We know the Lord has had a huge hand in our lives and we couldn't be happier! We thank all of you for your love and support and feel your prayers at this time!

Love,

The Duffy's

A Very Special Day!!

Today has been such a special day! Brad and I have had the opportunity over the last few months to help teach Keys and Brandy about the gospel of Jesus Christ with the Missionaries. 

Today December 14, 2013 they got Married and Baptized! 

 Before the Wedding the family members were taking pictures outside. I was late in going out there but I got this sweet one of Brandy and her daughter Alyssa. All together Brandy and Keys have 6 children. 5 Boys and 1 sweet little girl!

So first off the Relief Society Room where they got married was decorated beautifully! 

And the ceremony began. Bishop McArthur performed the wedding and did a wonderful job. He quoted several things from The Family: A Proclamation to the World. For those who haven't read it, it is a proclamation that was written by the first presidency of the church. It can be found here. 

Mr. and Mrs. Mays!!!

Brandy was showing off her beautiful ring! She is so funny! 

They are made for each other!

Brandy and Keys had so many family members and friends to celebrate their special day! Here is a picture with the Best Man and the Maid of Honor. 

After the wedding, Brandy and Keys got dressed in their baptismal clothes to be baptized. They have been waiting for this day for a long time! 

The baptism was great and such a sweet spirit was felt. It left me in tears because I was just so excited and happy for them! I am so excited that they can enjoy the happiness that they have been looking for and they have followed our Heavenly Father's plan and was baptized just as Christ was. 

Brandy and Keys, we are so excited for you and know that your Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ are so proud of you and are excited about the covenants you have made with them today. We love you and are so glad we have been able to meet you and teach you in the short time that we have lived here in Bakersfield!

We had to get a picture with these two guys! Elder Garcia and Elder Wells! We had been called as Ward Missionaries while we have been living here in Bakersfield. We have been so blessed to help teach with these missionaries. They will forever be in our hearts! 

(Ok that ^ picture makes me look huge!) 

Here is a better one of me! 

I will be 30 weeks tomorrow! I can't believe it!! Baby Aubrey is such an active little girl! I can't wait to meet her! 

Just a few more days here in Bakersfield! Tonight we have a ward Christmas Party and then we have lots of packing to do and we are off to travel home on December 19th! Time is ticking away! We are so excited for Christmas and looking forward to spending time with Family! 

Weekend Visitors and 1 week left!

 This last weekend we had visitors!!! A roommate from my first semester at BYU-Idaho and her husband came to Bakersfield. Marquee and Brett came down from Chico, CA (where Brett is doing an internship) to tour the church farms here in Bakersfield. 

After their tour on Friday we were able to meet up and go to our favorite restaurant BJ's! Their food is so good and we had such a great time visiting and catching up! 

Saturday afternoon we got together again and they stayed the night with us! Saturday night some ladies in my ward got together and the girls went out for a girls night. We went to dinner at Chuy's and then to the Bakersfield Master Chorale. Kathy and Sam Bulkeley from my ward performed and it really got us into the Christmas Season. 

Before the Concert

The church that they performed at was decorated beautifully! 

The performers

We had a wonderful time! While we were out the Boys went to Thor! They also had a great time! 

It was so great having Marquee and Brett stay with us! They are friends that even though we don't see each other very often, we are able to pick up our relationship right where it left off. We are both excited to get back to Rexburg this Winter!

Speaking of going back to Rexburg, Brad and I only have one week left here in Bakersfield. Next Thursday I take off on a plane to fly home for the Holidays and Don, my father in-law, is going to be flying down here to drive back with Brad. My in-laws were so kind to buy me a flight home since I being 30 weeks pregnant probably would handle the 21 hour drive very well! They will have a few stops on the way to see family and to pick up Brian at school in Rexburg. 

So when I moved here to Bakersfield I was asked to put up pictures of what our apartment looked like. I never took the time to take the pictures and to post them on my blog. So before we started packing I thought I should do so! So here they are!!

Right inside our front door!

Family Room

Other wall of the Family Room

Our view to outside. We have a small porch and the doors to the left has our washer and dryer in it. It was hard to get used to going outside to do laundry but I loved it being out there. Very quiet and didn't heat up our apartment in the summer! 

Kitchen

Our eating area

Master Bedroom. We left our bed frame and other bedroom furniture in storage in Rexburg. That door is our walk in closet! It is huge but too messy for a picture! 

Master Bathroom

Guest Bath (it is bigger than our master bath)

We also have a guest bedroom but nothing but storage is in there. When we had visitors they stayed there but other than that it was empty the whole time we lived here. 

We have loved this apartment! It is twice the square footage as our apartment in Rexburg and it has 9 foot ceilings. I have a feeling we are going to feel very crammed when we move back to Rexburg, especially with all of the baby stuff adding up! Thats ok though we will only be there for one more semester! 

So Brad is winding down with work. He only has 3 days left! He has loved his internship with PCL. We hope a future job is in store with them but we are just grateful for the experience we have had. I honestly can't believe how quickly these last 5 months has gone! We have truly been blessed with everything and are really going to be sad to leave! 

Now we just need the motivation to start packing and cleaning! Wish us luck! 

Love,

The Duffy's