natalie ann: December 2020

This fall has been a good one, a bad one, a long one and a short one. Started fall the best way I know how - Trader Joe’s fall finds! We also started fall off with a trip to Spokane to visit Ethans grandma Rumbaugh and the rest of his family. Ethans grandma passed away this fall and we knew she didn’t have long so we went to go visit her. I’m so glad we did because less than a month later she passed. We went with Alyssa and Trey and also Aarun and Camille were there too. We went to carlenes and had lunch and family pictures. Then we went rock climbing with devin + Maddy. Then we got dinner and then went in the hot tub at the hotel Aarun and Camille were staying. We stayed with treys cousin- they live on liberty lake and it was SO pretty! We ha fun with his family and kids! Played some games and kayaked on their lake. The boys went mountain biking. We went to Spokane and road scoots around the river front. So fun and pretty! We then we to grandmas and watched football and had pizza. The girls and E were bored so we went to bowl and pitcher park and it was gorgeous with huge rocks! On our way out we went to coeur de lane and omg it was so pretty! I loved their down town and huge parks! We hiked tubbs hill along the lake and it was SO pretty! I loved it and I jumped in - so fun! It was cold but I got used to it.

Another little trip I went on was to Bryce Canyon with Brittany and her family and my dad. He was in town and so we went for one night and a day. It was really fun! Ethan and I got to hike some parts we hadn’t done before and that was fun. Plus we hadn’t seen it without snow. But honestly Bryce Canyon is so much prettier with snow covering it.

For Halloween we dressed up as a farmer and a chicken. I loved my costume so much. The night before Halloween we went to Tess’s and had a family party! I think everyone was there including his parents! We had soup and a trunk or treat. We then watched a scary movie. The next day we played pickleball with Alyssa and Trey (they stayed at our house). We then did an escape room and the castle of chaos with Ethans family and it was literally the worst escape room but that’s okay haha. We got yummy pizza afterwards. We then did the haunted forest and it was so fun! Then went back to our place and watched a scary movie and ate popcorn!

Another trip we went on was to Seattle. We went home with Alyssa and Trey for thanksgiving. We spent it with mainly Ethans family. We did spend the first day there with my family and hiked coal creek falls. It was so pretty! The day after thanksgiving we rock climbed at exit 38. It was so cold! Ethan climbed a good amount but I only did one route. It was a little hike too and it was so pretty. Wayne and Alyssa went with us. Then we got a Christmas tree with Ethans family. It was a great way to kick of Christmas. It was such a cute farm too! So fun! Alyssa and Amanda and I went Black Friday shopping and it was so fun. Saturday we went to pike place. It’s always so cute around this time. All the holiday stuff was out. We got yummy food. It was a beautiful day out. And then Sunday we left.

Besides that nothing too exciting happened. Ethan quit his membership to momentum because he can climb at uvu for free. I am still loving work. We have gotten really into pickle ball. We went all the time. There are courts right next to us that no one is at so it’s great. We also went to Saratoga springs Tuesday nights and played with Shayla and Jessica. We do really need to make friends though haha. It’s so hard during a pandemic. We did hang out with Brady and Karmen a few times though.

I can’t believe 2020 is almost over. This year has been nothing I had ever expected. It has been the hardest year of my life and it’s not just because of covid. I have learned so much and my eyes have been opened. Even through the hard times - I am grateful. I am grateful for Ethan and for our marriage. But holy cow I am ready for 2021. I don’t really know if I’m doing New Years resolutions this year. I feel like I was drowning a lot of the year so I just want to get to surface and to just be happy. There are so many things I need to work on and I know that. I also really want to get back to shape where I was at our wedding. 2020 has destroyed my body . I just want a healthier me.