Feliz Navidad

What could be the worse thing to happen this Christmas? You got it. FORGET A CAMERA! I accidently left it at Natalie Watts house - so I have very limited photos that Jael is suppose to send me. Here's a quick recap

December 23rd:
Jael and Steve arrive from Logan. Ty and I drive to my mom's house to welcome them and hang out. We stay there until 11 and I am WAY too tired. We got home.

December 24th:
We get up around 8 am (dang sleeping schedule)Ty and I start to clean and pack. I head to the gym at 10 am and do the most intense pilates class ever. I get home, pack stuff in car and head to mall. I meet my family at the mall and hang out for several hours - I bought Ty some last minute gifts. Around 4 pm we head home to get ready for the party. We set off to my Grandma's house around 7pm. We have dinner at 8, white elephant gift at 11 and head home around midnight.We get home, changed and start opening our presents. My amazing mom worked at 5 am on Christmas but still stayed up until 1 am to watch us open our gifts.

December 25th:
We get up around 10 am. We make breakfast. We do a massive cleaning of my mom's house. I get and stay sick. We play guitar hero, Mario Brothers and read. Mom gets , home and there is nothing to eat. We head out to find a store but surprise, surprise EVERYTHING is closed but a little corner store. We get some food, head home and eat.

December 26th:
Ty and I visit clients, go shopping with my mom and buy WAY cute stuff.

This would all be LOTS more exciting if I had pictures. We had an amazing Christmas. Tyson totally spoiled me and got me a new iPod. We got a GPS for Tyson's car (thanks Gerbers) and some new clothes from my parents. Again, we are so blessed. I love our families.

Don't forget to live...

Ty and I visited the Basket Loft and I was taken back by a quote I saw there.

"In the middle of making a living ... don't forget to live"

I was taken back by how much I sometimes see Christmas as a distraction. Sometimes I get so focused that nothing else will get in my way. This is both a great and bad quality. When I see something I want, I don't get distracted; however sometimes I miss having a life. So tonight I got out of the shower, put on 106.5, turned on my tree and just sat there. I sat for a long time. I looked around at my condo and cherished all the memories made here. I looked at our first tree - and it is the most beautiful tree I have ever seen. Ty joined me and we sat together, cuddling and remembering all our memories so far. Ty took a big test today. Didn't pass. Any other day I would stressed, disappointed and just working toward the next step. Not today. I sat there, thought of my blessings and held Tyson.

Maybe it's this drive to achieve that will make our future Christmases that much better, I just don't want to miss what I have now. I don't want to miss us. Soon the babies will come, the world will spin 3000 miles per hour, and I won't have this luxury. So tonight I stand still. I listen and I put into memory the amazing time that Tyson and I are living.

Tomorrow I get to have lunch with Kelly and Theresa. I get to wrap present and support my hubby in his two appointments. I have a great life. So here's to the "distraction" of Christmas. May other "Martha's" be able to stand still - if only for a moment. Merry Christmas.

Finals Numbers are In and ...

Ty and I are officially heading to the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. This is our third Primerica trip and this opportunity never seizes to amaze me. It ridiculous how good they treat us on these trips. I am so grateful for this company. I am so proud of our amazing team and all the great people from the base shop that are going. You all deserve a huge round of applause...

Tyson and Martha Gerber
Gaylan and Debbie Gerber
Steve and Theresa Stonebraker
Emily and Brian Halley
James and Angie Marsden
Phil and Heather Cochrane

The coolest part is that we will be there for my Birthday. Seriously who could ask for a better birthday present?!?!?!? I will be posting tons and tons of photos.

Ty always Amazes me

If anyone doubts that Tyson is not committed read below. Tyson's family always has the Gerber Christmas party. Tyson has never missed it (outside of mission) and absolutely loves it. This year we realized that we could not do both training and party - so what did Ty do? He knew the team needed him and so he stayed. STAYED. This boy amazes me. His work ethic, his never ending belief, his love for our team ... he is just a leader. I caught a ride up to Logan with Scott and Erica. We arrived in time to go to Honk's Dollar store for our gift. After Honk's we headed back to show off our gifts (I got hangers) to the family. We had a great lunch - sad part was that I got really sick to my stomach and had to lay down and just sleep it off. When I did wake up we did the "funny" white elephant gifts and finished the party. I do have to note how much I respect Grandpa and Grandma Gerber. They have created such a close family. I have never met a family as close as the Gerbers. I see Grandpa, who owned so many business and really set a standard for the family on the good we can do if we follow the prophet and be smart with our blessings. I am so lucky to have married into a family that honors family, a dad and wife and in uniting together. Last night Tyson and I were driving home and he explained how he felt that providing well for our family was his responsibility. I was so proud to be married to man that never backs down from providing for me. I believe that comes from the example Grandpa and Grandma Gerber set for him, as well as his parents.

Over all it was fantastic weekend. We made it to the PFS Stonebraker Christmas party, spent time with the Halleys, had friends over for dinner and just had a great time. I am so lucky to my many blessings.

Ward Christmas Party

Living in Holladay has it's benefits. Low crime, nice trees, oh and one of the richest wards in the state. I love living in our shack but mingling with million dollar business owners, famous families and becoming comfortable in it all. The ward party is no exception. Catered dinner, delivered to your table on and did we mention the Baptist Church Bell Choir? Yeah we get it all.

A year later ... a Christmas tree.

My family calls me cheap. I like "frugal" much better. I'm guilty of saving present bags, eating left overs for over a week and sharing a big burrito to save money. Last Christmas was no exceptions. While most couples go crazy on their first Christmas, Tyson and I took a different approach.



Who says you need a Christmas tree to enjoy the season? Obviously not me. Tyson actually was the one that put up even just the photo. I am glad to announce that we actually bought all our Christmas decorations the day after Christmas 2007 for 70% off and it was great stuff. This year we braved Black Friday and thanks to Debbie and Gaylan got our first tree. So goodbye Snoopy ... hello Christmas tree!





We even started a little system. Tyson put the ornaments on a string and I hung them around the tree. We had Christmas music in the background, snow falling outside - it was pretty neat. In all honesty, I'm glad we waited. Our first place was just not "home" to us. We spent all festivities at either families house so it really was not a big deal. I'm proud of saving pennies - I know where Ty and I will be 5 years, so I'm not worried about the short term trade offs.

Just my luck ...

One of my goals in life is having a garage. The fact that I live in the third floor, have no covered parking spot and hate, hate, HATE scrapping my windows make me want to fight that even more. This morning was no exception .... however, as I was finishing getting ready Tyson said "Honey I'll meet you outside." Weird? Tyson usually studies or reads first thing in the morning. I finish getting ready, walk outside and see this ....




Are you kidding?! What a fantastic guy. By the time I got there my windows were done and I had a warm car. Tyson is just awesome and SOOOO considerate. Thank you to my Superman.

I walked into church on Sunday ...

and automatically the bishopric called both Tyson and I to a small room. Now I love my bishopric, but being put in a small room with anyone would make you feel scared/excited/confused. Tyson and I sat there and the 1st counselor thanked me for having done a great job in the Primary (I teach the 11 yr girls) and how my president loved me ... blah blah blah, but then he said that the Young Womens President has been watching me for months (who?...) and that she told the bishop that she NEEDED me (His words. Not mine). So I was released from Primary and put in charge of all Mia Maids in my ward. I sat there and was completly taken back. I love my calling. It's simple. It's fun. It's just on Sunday.

Even though I am worried about the time issue - I've always been a firm believer that God knows timing and my life better than I do. So I accept, have faith and keep on moving forward. Tyson was really excited about it; he know's how good I would be with age group. This Wednesday is my first activity. We are going ice-skating. I suck at ice-skating. It should be interesting.

In addition to my new calling, Straton and Lauren spent Saturday night with us. We had a BLAST. We played games on Saturday night. Watched Batman Sunday morning, went to church, ate cereal for dinner - it was awesome. I have some pics to post from our Ward Christmas party and our first Christmas tree. I just need that stinking cord to hook up my camera :)

I love getting free breakfast

This morning Met Life Investor took Tyson and I out to breakfast. We were fortunate enough to be Utah's #1 agents in October and December. This was Tyson's first time coming with me and he loved it. I am amazed at the fantastic products that only WE can offer to our clients. Our variable annuity product is number one, we are backed up by more than 500 billion dollars of Met Life capital and so we are not even effected by all this mess with the sub prime stuff. It was a great time. We love, love, LOVE Met Life and feel privileged to have them love Primerica so much.

This last week has been pretty awesome. We've had some great clients, but more than anything we are seeing our team explode - explode! We are having more guest, more interviews, helping more and more families. It feel so good to be creating something - not just being consumers.

This weekend we have an amazing training with a Brennan Murton - Utah's first Million Dollar Earner in PFS. We have some great appointments lined up. We have our ward Christmas party and we are just improving ourselves.