Weekend of Excitement!!

Well the past couple of weeks have been pretty exciting! Two weeks ago we went into Seattle for a day at Pike Place Market! We saw lots of fun and interesting things! But we really enjoyed ourselves! Last weekend Matt and I went to the Sonics vs. Blazers game! It was pretty much the Sonics kickin' butt the whole time but it was fun and we enjoyed ourselves! Also, Matt was pretty excited to get his bike running! He has been working hard on customizing it and it is coming along just wonderfully!

Early Saturday morning I got a phone call from Cassidy to let us know that we were an Aunt and Uncle to another nephew! Brody Allen Gunnell was born on Saturday at 2:52AM, 25 (I think) days early! We were super excited and are happy to have another nephew! Matt and I ended or began, however you look at it, the week speaking in church! This was our first time speaking as a married couple and I think we did quite a darn good job! We also attended a baptism for Mary, a woman we have had the pleasure of getting to know over the last 2 weeks due to our calling as Ward Missionaries. It was a wonderful Sunday!

WE ARE OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED HUNTERS!!!!

So this past week Matt and I took hunters education so we could be certified hunters. I at first went simply to support my husband in his interests but the first class I was hooked! I really learned a lot and I got excited about actually going out and hunting! I talked to Shay and Chelsea during the week and they found it pretty amusing and I totally agreed! Who would have thought me, the little blonde hairstylist, into something like hunting! But I really have developed a huge interest in it! The class was a lot of fun and we enjoyed ourselves!

Thursday came, the day of the big test, and to tell you the truth I was really nervous! I felt like I was in high school all over again taking the final that would either make or break my grade..........this just determined whether or not I could ever hunt, which like I mentioned before, has become something I really would like to do! We did our share of studying and to our excitement passed the test! It was a lot harder than I thought but at the same time I felt pretty confident! We got our little certificates and are waiting to receive our actual cards in the mail. Below are pictures from our shooting portion of our class...mine is the first picture and Matt's is the second, more wrinkled one!





So the Cahoons are doing well! Matt and I have certainly been blessed with good jobs that we both enjoy and that pay us well. It is a comforting feeling to know that we are actually saving money, at least for now! Hooray!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRYLIE!!!

We wanted to say happy birthday to the cutest niece in the entire world! Plus this gives us an excuse to put a picture of her on our blog. And trust me we have plenty to choose from, we laugh that people would think she was ours because of the many pictures we have! She has been fun to watch learn and grow and we are excited to continue with that! Happy Birthday and we love you Brylie!!!

We will miss you!

With the passing away of President Hinckley we wanted to share our feelings about him. He has really been the prophet that has effected me the most because he has really been the only prophet I feel I really knew! I can truly say that I love him as a man and as a prophet. Never have I ever felt any doubt or had any disagreement with anything he has taught. He had an amazing way of showing his love for us as members as well as the gospel itself. I will greatly miss him but am excited about his reunion with his cute wife and our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. I am glad I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and I know that this is the true gospel of Christ.

A New Do!

So I finally got the guts to cut my hair! Matt and I came down to Oregon for the weekend and I had my friend Tara do it, and I was very pleased! I thought I was going to be a lot more nervous but I didn't have much of a problem! Afterwards, Abby was so inspired we came right home and cut her hair as well! It was alot of fun cutting her hair!

Anyways, since we've been here we have had a lot of fun! Friday night we watched a movie and then Saturday we played, went to dinner at Ruby Tuesday, and then watched Disturbia with popcorn, both kettle and extra butter, and root beer floats! So far it has been fun here in Oregon and we hope to have an exciting day tomorrow!

FELIZ NAVIDAD Y FELIZ ANO NUEVO!!!!!

As most of you know, some may not, Matt and I spent Christmas and New Years in San Blas, Mexico with his family and three uncles and their families. This has probably got to be one of the very best Christmas' I have ever had. On December 15 Matt and I drove to Portland to spend some time with my family and to welcome home Griffin from his mission in Brazil! It was super fun to see Griffin again after so long, he looked great! We then went to a beach house to play for a couple of days! It was fun to finally have the entire family there and to play and mingle! It's amazing how everyone has grown!! Matt and I had to leave the beach house a day early to meet his parents for the LONG drive to San Blas, Mexico!





The drive down wasn't as bad as I was expecting! We ended up driving all the way from Portland to Tuscan, AZ in one trip and met up with the Uncles and their families! We then drove another entire 24 hours to San Blas, arriving on Christmas Eve. I know you are all probably thinking 'crazy people' but once you see the pictures you will know that it was all absolutely worth it! The first thing we did after setting up camp was the beach!!! We played for probably an hour and then had to get out because funny enough a shark was hangin' out right there. We stayed on shore and watched it for maybe 30 minutes and then jumped right back in! I am glad to be one of those people that can say that I spent Christmas Eve on the warm beaches of Mexico! Christmas was awesome because it was totally about giving to others, our present was just being there! We were able to have a pinata in a teeny tiny town with all the little kids and they loved it! More so because they probably haven't ever seen so many gringos, considering our four families had between 30 to 40 people! We also gave out little bags of toys and games to little kids we saw on the streets and you wouldn't believe how excited they get over even the smallest gift.







It really humbled me and helped me to really appreciate things as simple as clean running water! San Blas isn't like Mazatlan or Puerto Vallerta, touristy and established, it is true Mexico, little houses, some made of sticks, and no english at all! It was a totally unique experience, one that Matt and I are wanting to continue to do! While we were there some of the things we did included hiking down a ravine to a fresh water pool thing complete with a beautiful waterfall, the crocodile farm, a jungle cruise through crocodile infested waters and at the end you get out and swim! Funny thing when we got to the end our boat driver told us that we could now get out and swim and play in the water and right after he said that he calmly said oh look another crocodile........it was literally 10 yds. away from where we could out and swim...comforting huh! Regardless we all jumped in and played in the water!




Basically Matt and I had an amazing first Christmas! This crazy adventure is definatley one that Matt and I are going to continue to do! Every 2 years or so! If we are lucky! It was fun to celebrate Christmas in a different country with different traditions! It was a great vacations!







Now Matt and I are in Redmond, WA working for winter semester while Matt is off! I am a nanny for the cutest little 3 month old boy, Jacob and Matt is looking to do an internship for his Construction Management degree! We are happy as can be, loving married life and doing great!

The First Real Snow!

So we've had our share of little snow flutters here in Rexburg but nothing ever stayed around long enough to call it real snow!! But last night it seems Jack Frost was busy as a bee! It started late last night and never let up! We got about 4 or so inches last night and it is still going strong at 8:15 this morning!! We were kind of hoping to get out of here before any of that hit us but now that it's here I am kind of glad! It's been so long since I really have had any snow and its kind of a breath of fresh air! Matt, I am sure, probably doesn't feel quite as excited as I do about it but hopefully, if packing up doesn't keep us too busy, we'll be able to get out there and play a little bit!!



Yesterday Matt and I finally got around to eating all the fish in our freezer! Us, Dave and Yadira, Ken and Pam, and Scott, all got together last night for our first and last Fish Fry! Yadira and I filleted the fish, 3 in total equal approx. 10 lbs, and then added dill, fresh garlic, salt and pepper, fresh lime juice, and cajan pepper! We then broiled it and man was it delicious!! It easily fed 7 people with some left over. It was fun to spend some time with friends, espescially Dave and Yadira because this is Dave's last semester and then they are off to his internship and real life! It's sad to know that we won't be able to see them as much but as close as Matt and Dave are I'm sure we'll see them every once in a while, hopefully!!



Well we are on our last week here and it is kind of overwhelming since it arrived so quickly!! I have never had the responsibility to pack up all by myself before so it's been a totally new experience! Matt hasn't been able to help a whole lot because finals are among us and we want all his focus to be on those! But he has definately helped me out with little things as he can which has helped me tremendously! Now it's really time for me to crack down and get it done, that will be interesting since there is a ton of snow outside and we need to get more boxes and man it sounds exciting! Matt and I are really excited about moving and being back in the Northwest for awhile! Plus from Friday on it's pretty much play, play, play for us! We are heading up to Seattle on Friday and then to Portland on Saturday night and we'll be there until the 21st! We then meet up with Matt's family to begin our three day drive to San Blas, Mexico! I am so excited to be going to real Mexico, I have been there once but it was only Ensenada, which is barely over the border!! Plus the place we are going is out in the middle of nowhere so it'll be a brand new experience for me!

That is pretty much the life of Matt and Paige Cahoon! We are doing well and are loving being married and enjoying everything that comes with it!