Papa's Got A Brand New Bag

Ok, more like Kristin's got a brand new life. :)

And it is absolutely wonderful.

I feel like I fit into these "wife" shoes even more perfectly than I thought I was fitting into my "girlfriend" shoes and then the "fiancée" shoes. It is the most amazing feeling I think I have ever felt. It's only been like 35 days and I know we still are very much so in the "honeymoon" phase but call me crazy.. I think this thing we've got going here is what people should make movies about :) Haha. Cheeeeseball. But true. I know there will be times that get to be tough in the future but I know one thing for sure- my husband is amazing. :)

Already in this short period of time he has made me feel more loved and taken care of than I can ever remember feeling! He surprised me with an extended Honeymoon right after the wedding! He got the WHOLE week off of work rather than just a couple days like we had thought.. and then even set up an entire week in Vegas. Complete with lux hotel accommodations (suite at Caesar's Palace), limo pick up from the airport, 2 amazing shows and a Thanksgiving meal at the Eiffel Tower restaurant. Talk about celebrity treatment! That's what we had the whole time we were there.. He surprised me so much!! It was so much fun! He treats me like a Queen (although he calls me his princess :) haha) and I am soo undeserving. I just hope I can always return the favor and treat him like the King in our home :)

Its been so fun getting all settled into our home.. We were so blessed with some really amazing gifts. We have been blessed beyond measure with incredible family and friends!

On top of already amazing things going on- we got to continue our Honeymoon in New Zealand for about 2 weeks! It was originally gonna wind up being 6 days after some things getting switched around with flights and such- (we were flying standby through a family member and found out some of our days of travel were "blackout" days for staff travel) but nonetheless when we got there our Nana sat us down and was like, "Kids, I need to talk to you about something.. Not the birds and bees.. I feel like you should have that all worked out by now. *chuckle*" and she goes on to tell us she wants to purchase us tickets to stay an extra week! Sooo after much debate (not!) we joyfully agreed! We were so blessed through that entire trip! God is just so very good to us!

We did SO much! We got to travel much of the South Island in a borrowed car (BIG bonus of having a huge family from another country-- lots of free things for travel) and we got to visit a lot of family and friends that Nic hasn't seen since he moved to the states and likely won't see again for quite a while. It was just such a cool thing to get to see where he comes from and better understand all these places he tells me stories about... I got to see a big majority of the homes he grew up in... It was such an incredible trip! I got a bit addicted to Cadbury Crunchie bars while we were there.. it got to a point where I was eating 2 a day... Good thing I don't have a fat complex or anything! In all seriousness tho- I am not too worried about it. I was on vacation! My honeymoon!! I can get right back into my healthy eating/working out routine now that I am home :)

We got home (to the states) on the 18th and got to spend time with our Hansen side of the family- it was so good to get to see them all again. I have been so so so very blessed by marring into an incredible family! All of them. Not that my family isn't great--(I feel like I may have the BEST parents and siblings earthly possible, and also some pretty rad cousins and such..)-- but this new family of mine is wonderful. I just can't say it enough :)

We had such a blessed Christmas this year- we had hoped to get to go to Albuquerque this year to spend it with our Mullaney's but we just couldn't really swing it, financially or otherwise. So sad.. But there WILL be a next year and we are excited to get to have started some traditions of our own. Complete with a Christmas chandelier instead of a tree.. lol. Don't ask. Or maybe you should! It's a good story!

This should just about wrap it up for now.. Maybe I'll get a little better at keeping up with this now that I am not all consumed with getting married and such :)